We arrive at the diner. Jennica is working, which I expected. The place is not too crowded. She greets us and seats us near a window. Prime table placement. She lays down the menus for us, but I stay standing.

“Excuse me for a minute. I’m going to wash my hands.”

I make huge eyes at Jennica and tip my head toward the bathroom. It’s a one-seater, which I know, but she follows me in there anyway.

“Is this him? Zeke?”

“Yeah.”

She smiles and smacks my arm lightly with the backs of her fingers. “Oh, he’s cute.”

“Right?” I can’t hold it. I slip into the stall.

“Totally. And he’s into you.”

“You were there for like two seconds. How can you tell?”

“I know what guys are like. He was looking at you.”

It feels like I’m going to pee forever. I speak over the sound of it. “So, wait, is this a date?”

“Why wouldn’t it be?” Jennica says.

“We were both hungry after working the funeral. Not exactly romantic.”

“If he didn’t want to spend extra time with you, he’d be eating by himself.” Jennica starts washing her hands. “I have to go back. I have other tables.”

I squeeze my way around the stall door. My reflection in the mirror is frazzled and all my makeup is worn. “Gah. I’m so not dressed for this. Maybe it’s not a date.”

“If he pays, it’s a date. Go get him.” She grins and slips out the door.

Forty minutes later, Jennica lays the check on the table. She glances at me out the corner of her eye, as she positions it delicately in the middle of the table. Exactly between us. It is all I can do not to laugh.

Moment of truth. Zeke reaches for the check. When he does, I put my hand forward also.

“I got it,” he says.

“Oh, you don’t have to do that,” I blurt, fumbling toward my purse.

“You worked hard today. The least SCORE can do is buy you dinner.”

Ah. So, he’s treating but as a SCORE work meal. What does this mean?

“Well, thanks,” I say. “That’s really nice of you.”

He smiles. “This was fun.”

“Yeah, it was. Thanks.” How many times do I need to thank him? Sheesh.

Zeke stands up. He plucks my coat off my chair and holds it while I slide my arms in. I make an excited face at Jennica while my back is to him. She gives me a double thumbs-up.

We step out to the sidewalk.

Zeke says, “I’d, uh … Kimberly, I’d like to buy you dinner another time, if you might be interested.”

JENNICA

They’re cute together. Kimberly claims not to know if he’s interested in her, but it’s so obvious. I mean, come on.