“You’re surprised?” I said.
“I mean, no, but also yes, because that could’ve been a trick question. I do love a grilled cheese.”
“You love coffee more.”
“This is true. Coffee is basically my blood type.”
“See, that was my reasoning.”
He looked more than a little pleased with that, settling back against my arm as Rome went around the room.
Drew and Hudson both gotsushiright, though Hudson added that it was “expensive” sushi, to which Drew told him that was implied. Catherine and Lily both wrotepasta, which made Lily grin like she’d just won a Tony, and after a few other couplesI wasn’t familiar with answered, Rome walked toward Sawyer’s ex.
“Peter. Alec.” Rome’s voice was smooth and sugary sweet. “Let’s see if the honeymoon phase has translated into food-based compatibility.”
Peter flipped his board to answer for Alec’s favorite.Oysters.
Alec flipped his.Steak.
A chorus of “oohs” rang out as Sawyer made a snorting sound beside me, covering it with a cough.
Peter turned his body toward Alec. “You ordered them twice this week.”
“For the table,” Alec said, smile tight.
Rome’s grin spread, slow and wicked, and I had a feeling he’d been waiting for the first mismatch and was more than happy it was Peter.
“Well, well, well,” he said, strolling toward a glass fishbowl on the bar cart that I hadn’t noticed before. “Our first victims of the evening.”
Alec frowned. “Victims?”
“I told you there would be repercussions,” Rome said, dipping his hand into the bowl and pulling out a slip of paper. “Regret penalty number one: one partner must feed the other a mystery snack from the Bowl of Bad Decisions.”
Catherine leaned toward her wife. “You helped him with this, didn’t you?”
Lily grinned. “You know he gets his theatrical side from me.”
Speaking of which, Rome crossed to another tray, lifted a silver cloche with a flourish, and revealed a row of tiny paper cups filled with what looked like harmless snack combinations, which meant they weren’t harmless at all.
Alec frowned at them. “What are those?”
“Could be chocolate-covered espresso beans,” Rome said. “Could be wasabi grasshoppers. Could be kimchi-flavored marshmallows. Love is about trust.”
Sawyer made a choking sound beside me, covering his mouth with his fist, and I had to bite back my own laugh when he sank lower against my side.
Both victims looked like they’d rather set the room on fire than participate, but to his credit, Alec reached for one of the cups and plucked out something small and green.
“Open up,” he said.
Peter reared back. “Wait, no. You eat it.”
“You missed the answer. You get to do the honors.”
“Come on.” He looked to Rome like he was going to help him get out of it, but Rome only tsked.
“I’m afraid Alec is correct. Open wide.”
Peter’s jaw tightened, but with the entire room watching, he leaned forward and opened his mouth just enough for Alec to pop the snack inside.