“I know you hate bananas but love plantain chips. Your favorite color is purple, your least favorite is orange, and you want to travel. You’re stubborn, smart, and way too fucking good for me.”
She studies me, and I meet her gaze until she blinks and looks away.
Opening the door, I nudge her inside the restaurant. We’re seated at a small table by the windows, and I study Hazel as she squirms in her seat. I already know what she wants; she orders the same thing every time.
“Two of the chicken joojeh. No olives on the salad. Extra pita bread,” I say to the server when she comes to our table.
I order the same as Hazel. It makes me feel closer to her, like I’m experiencing the same thing she is.
Hazel looks at me as the server leaves. “Are you stalking me or something?”
I know she’s joking to lighten whatever’s happening between us, but I can’t let her. It’s time she knew how I feel about her. At least a little bit.
I clear my throat. “Yep. I’ve been studying you. The same way you study me.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
I level her with a hard look. “Really? What game do you play in your head?”
“What?” she asks weakly.
“I watch you, Hazel. I see the satisfied look on your face whenever we spar or you get me to make a face. It’s a game, right?”
She leans toward me, shocked. “I… How the heck do you know that?”
I grin.
Hazel blinks.
I raise an eyebrow. “How many points was that?”
“One for you,” she says begrudgingly.
“How many are you up by?”
“For today?”
I nod.
“We’re tied.”
“Hmm.”
The server returns with our food.
Hazel grabs her fork, and I watch as she spears a piece of lettuce.
“What have you noticed about me?” I ask. I need to know how closely she’s been watching me so I can figure out if she’s half as obsessed with me as I am with her.
“You’re a workaholic.”
“Who doesn’t know that?” I grumble.
She snorts. “Oh, you want something more than surface level?”
“Yeah, tell me something that isn’t obvious.”
“All right.” She sets her fork down and leans her elbows on the table. “You love dogs, but for some reason, you don’t have one.”