Change of Heart 2

Chapter 67

"I'll have a Caesar's salad, thank you." I folded up the menu and gave it back to the waiter who looked very shaggy but turned out to be very polite.

Nick had brought us to a restaurant called Smokers and at first I thought it was a joke until I saw the bright neon sign that stood out even in the sunlight. It was no five star restaurant but that barely mattered to me since I was starving. Plus, Nick went on and on about the great food they served and that anyone who hasn't tried it was missing half of their life.

"Jennifer, I thought you said you were hungry?" His crystal eyes stared at me in dismay.

"I am."

"A Caesar's salad? You may as well just order a cup of water." He shook his head and called the waiter back ignoring my protests.

"Nick, what's up man?" The waiter whose name was Trey and was surprisingly close with Nick walked back to us; well not so surprising considering the fact that he eats here every day.

"Change in plans, she is definitely not having a Caesar's salad. Make it two of my favorite please."

"Great, Barney was just digging up the laptop to figure out how to make the damn thing." Trey bumped Nick's shoulder and they both laughed a little too loud than necessary. I assumed that Barney was the chef. What kind of chef doesn't know how to make a Caesar's salad? Probably one who's named Barney.

"Ok, food is on the way...actual food." Nick sighed and leaned back into the seat that was really comfortable.

I replied with a small nod and watched as he removed his damp coat and throw it onto the back of the seat. His long sleeved shirt underneath was a bit damp as well and he rolled his sleeves up just a tad probably mindful that an entire arm of secret tattoos was buried under it. I remembered that night clearly; the night I saw his tattoos for the first and only time. Hundreds of artistic glyph like symbols perfectly sculpted into his fit and athletic upper body. That had also been the night I felt his bite for the first and only time as well. I closed my eyes and thought about it, forgetting that he was sitting inches opposite me. From the moment his teeth pierced my flesh it was absolute bliss and nothing else mattered. I'll do anything for that just one more time.

"Jennifer?"

His voice snapped me back to reality and I found his eyes staring into mine.

"Are you ok?" His voice was laced with worry and he brought a cigarette to his mouth that was already lit.

No I'm not. I'm falling in love with a chain smoker.

"What's up Nick?" I brushed my moist hair back with my fingers and leaned forward to him.

"Huh?" His brows creased and he put the cigarette out.

"What's going on with you? Ever since you came back today you've been acting like a completely different person."

"I−I don't know what you mean." He looked down to his fingers and began twisting a plain gold ring on his left hand's middle finger.

"Yea I think you do, Nick. Look whatever it is I totally respect your choices but I just wanna understand why." I held his chin and lifted his face to look at me. "When you came back today you said that you didn't really love me...that it was infatuation."

"It is−was I mean it was." He didn't look me in the eye.

"It's not...I read your journal Nick. It sounded like more than infatuation to me. And then when we visited Serillina, both her and Vaughna said that you told them I was the girl you're in love with. Why would you do that if it's just infatuation?"

His eyes finally matched mine but they were angry. "Ok, I'm in love with you Jennifer. I think about you all the goddamn time. Even when I'm asleep you haunt my every dream. I daydream about kissing your lips every time I'm around you or not. I fantasize about you being mine. I want you to be. I wanna fall asleep with you wrapped in my arms every night and wake up to your face every morning. I want you to be the woman saying yes when I ask the question 'will you marry me.' I wanna have senseless, dramatic, pathetic fucking fights with you just so I can try to make back up with you and have you love me again. I wanna be the only man that touches you and makes you feel like the only woman in this overrated world. But most of all...most of all Jennifer I wish that shooting stars really worked just so that I could stay up all through the goddamn night staring into the dark fucking sky hoping to see just one so that I can wish that by some miracle conjured up by all of the Gods in heaven or wherever that you would love me back the way I love you...or even half that." He exhaled and leaned back again. "Does that answer your question?"

I felt the moisture collecting in my eyes and I cleared my throat. "Nick I−

"Ok, two double beef patties extra large burgers stuffed with sizzled bacon, extra cheese, and pineapples, drizzled with sweet and sour Worcestershire sauce all stuffed between freshly baked grilled sesame seed buns." Trey placed the large burgers on the table top and smiled as though he was proud of his delivery. "Are you two ok?"

"Uh yea, yea we are. Thank you Trey you are the man." Nick laughed and high fived his friend.

"Excellent now if you guys need anything you know what to do." He smiled at me before heading back into the kitchen.

"I promise you Jennifer you are going to enjoy this burger you'll never eat anything else ever again." Nick smiled and spoke as if he didn't just pour his heart out to me and that everything was fine. "Do you want anything else?"

"Yes." My voice was soft and I didn't look at him.

"Coke? Water? Salad to add to that burger? Even though that might ruin it you should−

"Call me Angel again."

"What?" His face was serious and confused when I looked at him.

"You stopped calling me Angel. I liked it."

"O−ok." Was all he managed to say.

Without another word I picked up the burger that was too large for my hands to hold and took a bite. We ate in silence but Nick was right though...it was an amazing burger.