Strings Attached

Chapter Four

"It truly was," I said. "And so was the waiter."

Theodore laughed. "I didn't think you were that kind of girl, Miss Christina," he said. "You shouldn't lust after men," he joked.

I chuckled. "I'm just being honest. The waiter was hot."

"Do you want me to get you his number?" he asked, winking.

"Would you do that?" I asked hopefully.

"Of course," he said. "I can do that."

I smiled. "Thank you."

"No problem," he said, smiling.

Brianna burped. "Excuse me," she said, chuckling. "I think I ate too much."

"You always eat too much," I said, rolling my eyes.

"True," she said, shrugging.

"Well, guys, it's time to go home," Mom said, taking out her wallet.

Theodore took out his wallet, too, and I remembered our deal and took out mine as well. Each of us paid one third of the total amount, as we had agreed to do, and then we got up from the table. As Brianna and Mom got out of the restaurant, I elbowed Theodore, and he simply nodded.

"I'll ask him right now. You go with your mom and Brianna," he said.

I smiled thankfully and walked out of the restaurant. I did not normally "lust after men," but the waiter was very handsome with his blond hair and his green eyes. I sucked at asking guys for their numbers, so once Theodore offered to do it for me, I instantly agreed.

Mom, Brianna, and I waited for Theodore in the car, and Brianna kept complaining about having too much homework because her new teacher did not seem to have a life.

"Seriously, Mom. I miss Ms. Johnson so much. She was moody sometimes, but she never left us any homework," said Brianna.

"She was only making all of you irresponsible," said Mom.

"No, she wasn't," Brianna said.

"She was," I said. "She made you guys think that you could get away with never doing any homework."

I would have continued with the conversation, but Theodore entered the car with a surprised look on his face and a little slip of paper in his right hand. I smiled and asked him how it had gone.

"I had no idea," he said with his eyes widened. "He looked quite straight to me."

"What are you talking about?" I asked him, confused.

"Well, I asked him for his number, and he winked and gave it to me. He told me to feel free to call him whenever I wanted to, and he said he was free on Sundays," he said, handing me the little paper.

I burst out laughing. The paper said, "I don't bite, Tiger!" and had a phone number scribbled on it. Theodore stared at me with the same stunned look on his face, but then he started laughing as well, and suddenly our laughter was filling the car.

Mom turned to see us. "What's so funny, guys?" she asked. She looked happy to see that we were finally getting along, and I was happy to see the happiness in my mother's beautiful eyes.

***

"I had fun today," said Theodore as we entered the house.

I smiled. "Even if I hate to admit it, I had fun, too," I said.

Brianna groaned. "My stomach hurts!"

Mom rolled her eyes. "You always overeat and end up regretting it," she said.