Soft

The diner.

     I see Justin pull up to our apartment in his white Honda through the window. I grab my bag and run out to the car. We're going out to eat in celebration of his promotion. He just finished his training period at his new job and he will now be making an additional two dollars an hour. He greets me with a kiss and we pull out of the driveway.
     We pull up to a little Italian restaurant a few streets over from our apartment. This place is Justin's favorite, but we rarely eat here because of the prices. He opens my door and we walk into the dimly lit diner.
      The hostess leads us to a booth at the back of the restaurant. Justin takes the booth seat, and I sit in a chair opposite to him. I order a vodka tonic, and he gets a craft beer of some sort. We look at the menu and I decide on pasta.
     When the waiter comes, Justin orders three appetizers; stuffed mushrooms, bruschetta, and garlic knots. I look at him in amazement. He then proceeds to order chicken Parmesan and an additional beer.
     The moment the waiter brings us the appetizers, Justin reaches for a garlic knot before the waiter is able to set the plate on the table.
"Sorry." He blushes.
     Between sips of my drink, I glance at Justin. He's already eaten three garlic knots, a piece if bruschetta and all of the stuffed mushrooms. He didn't even give me an opportunity to get any. I guess he no longer intends to keep his ravenous new appetite a secret.
He notices me staring at him and instantly blushes.
"Sorry you didn't get any mushrooms." He stammers and scratches his head.
"Don't worry about it." I say reassuringly then pause then add,
"You've had quite the appetite lately."
He stops eating for a moment and breaks eye contact.
"Yea, ever since this new job, I've gotten hungrier. Probably from being so busy."
"That's understandable." I say and bite into a garlic knot, omitting the fact that he sits down at a desk all day long.
     The waiter brings out our entrees and sets them down in front of us. Shyly, Justin brings a bite up to his lips. He looks ashamed. I hope I didn't pry too much. The last thing I'd want to do is make him feel bad. So I decided not to stare anymore and try to think of something else.
I change the subject.
"How's your new book so far?" I ask
His eyes light up and he begins talking quickly.
"I really like it. I think it's both interesting and appalling how Bukowski treats women. It speaks of the internalized misogyny that every man"...
I tune him out and stare at his glowing face while he speaks of things he is passionate about. I try to hide my smile.
    I hear a tearing sound and Justin suddenly quits talking. His face is flushed red. I look down to his lap for a split second before he wraps his jacket around his front and awkwardly continues talking.
     I pretend to not have noticed and continue listening, nodding my head and chiming in here and there when appropriate.
When we get up to leave the restaurant, I glance at the floor under the booth that he sat at, and just as expected, I see a button.