“It’s not that serious, Sam.”
“It is, Wes. Okay, think of a cheeseburger. Can you picture it?”
“Yes.”
“Now forget everything you know about that cheeseburger.”
I chuckled. “That seems unnecessary. Can you just explain it to me?”
“The beef patty is thicker, and the onions are grilled to perfection. The cheese is melted all over, and instead of a bun, they put it between two pieces of buttery, delicious grilled rye bread.”
“Rye bread?” My brows furrowed.
“Trust the process, Wes. I know this is foreign to you.”
“What are you telling him to trust the process about, sweetheart?” Linda said, walking over and setting our Cokes down.
“Wes has never had a patty melt.”
“I’m not surprised,” she sighed.
“What’s that supposed to mean?” I immediately became defensive.
“Best way to explain a patty melt is crispy on the outside and gooey on the inside,” Linda said. “It’s our most popular item on the menu. A lot of folks find it very comforting after having a bad day.”
“Well, I didn’t have a bad day, but I’ll try it,” I said.
“Fries?” Linda stared at him.
“Sure, why not?” I set my menu down.
“And for you, sweetheart?” She glanced at Sam.
“I’ll have the same.” She smiled.
“Excellent. Your food will be up shortly.”
“I can say that I really enjoyed your class today.” I smiled.
“You did?” She flashed a smile back. “Wait. You spent 45 minutes being attacked by teenagers.”
“True.” I chuckled. “But only because you were making fun of rich people.”
“I make fun of the characters in English Literature. It wasn’t directed toward you.”
“That one kid said he compared me to Gatsby. Care to explain why?” My brow raised.
“It was the Monday after our date, and we’d just finished The Great Gatsby. Devon saw the article on Page Six. They were harassing me, Wes. I had to think of something quickly. So, I had them archetype you. That’s Devon for you.” She grinned.
“Well, now they’re going to compare me to Mr. Darcy.” A smirk crossed my lips.
“I’ll let you know how that goes.”
“You do that because I’m curious as hell.”
“Why?” She frowned.
“Because I’d spent my career in boardrooms and presentations with a room full of people who carefully chose every word they spoke so as not to offend me or get fired. But your students weren’t afraid, and they didn’t care. I won’t lie. It was a little bit refreshing. I liked how engaged they were, which is difficult to get students to be. You’re an impressive teacher, Miss Hollis.”