"Yeah. Your hair was different, though."
"Nah, I don't think it was me. I don't do this sort of thing. Did you like the concert, though?"
"Of course. Dio's the fucking best."
He could see she had a faint smile on.
"I guess he is."
They were silent for a while.
"If you don't mind me asking, what happened inside?"
"I fell for another stupid fucking dude, that's what."
"Of course."
"Motherfucker said I'm getting 'too big' for him,'" she said bitterly, gesturing quotation marks and puffing on the cigarette again.
"What?" Ritchie laughed, "as in fat? You're definitely not fat."
"That's nice, thanks, kid," she said half-sarcastically, "I've gained a couple pounds but that's all. My life is a fucking mess right now, I'm in-between places. Plus, this fucking place..." she gestured at the restaurant, "...it used to be a mess before because Stu can't cook for shit, but the new cook makes some mean burger and fries."
"Thanks."
She looked at him quirkily, and then laughed out loud, saying: "Shit, you're the cook, aren't ya?"
"Yup. Sorry if I ruined your relationship," he smiled apologetically.
"No prob', kid, it was ruined way before you started cooking here, don't worry."
"You keep calling me kid, how old are you?"
"Twenty-two. You?"
"I'm eighteen, it's not like I'm a child."
She laughed again. Whenever she did he felt as if the whole world around him was silent. She was no longer wearing the gray hoodie over her blue gym tank top, and he could see her beautiful cleavage.
"Yeah. Listen, I've gotta go. Apologize again to Stu, my jerk of an ex was rude to him just now. You make the best burgers in town, but I'm gonna hit the gym, which probably means I won't be around too soon."
He waved at her and went inside to help clean the kitchen. Only then he realized he did not ask her name, which he regretted bitterly.