Angus nodded enthusiastically. “Much gliding. He gliiiiiiiiiides.” He panned his hand across the horizon. “He never used to glide. The gliding is new. As is the smiling. But then—”

“Thanks, Angus,” Jordan said, then cleared his throat. He shoved a menu in front of him. “Have you looked at the menu yet?”

Angus nodded slowly. “Indeed I have. I’m feeling the eggplant, the lamb, and the chicken.”

Jordan looked at his menu, then to Angus. “That’s three mains.”

Angus stared at Jordan. “I’m a tad peckish. You really shouldn’t judge or food-shame me, Jay. It’s not like you, and frankly, I’m a little surprised.”

Jordan and Merry both stared at Angus, and I tried not to laugh but it won out in the end. “He’s right,” I said with a grin. “Food-shaming isn’t cool.”

Then Jordan and Merry turned their wide eyes to me, and Angus laughed. “See? My man Hennessy is a’ight.”

I nudged Jordan’s shoulder and leaned in really close to whisper, my lips brushed his ear. “I like him, and he thinks I’m a’ight.”

Jordan blushed and he opened his mouth to say something, but Angus beat him to it. “Hennessy, are you familiar with limericks?” he asked.

That was one hell of a subject change. “I am.”

Jordan whisper-hissed across the table. “Angus, there will be no limericks.”

Angus laughed and nodded. “There once was a man called Hennessy,” he said, grinning. “Who caught the bus numbered three-five-three.”

“Oh, God,” Merry said, looking around the restaurant. “We need a waiter.”

Jordan cringed and I laughed.

“Now Jay here was smitten.”

Jordan rubbed his temple and Merry looked on with horrified resignation.

Angus leaned in and put his hands in the shape of a ball. “Like a cute little kitten.”

Jordan squeaked. “Such a disaster.”

But Angus raised his hands, waving them to me with a flourish. “But Hennessy was too, as anyone can see.”

I burst out laughing and Angus offered me a fist bump. Jordan slumped in his seat but nudged my thigh with his. “Don’t encourage him.”

“That was pretty good,” I said to Angus. “Are limericks a specialty?”

“I have lots more,” he said. “There was a man called Jay. Who liked men because, you know, he’s gay.”

“This is going to end terribly,” Jordan mumbled.

Merry was now trying not to smile and I put my arm around Jordan’s shoulder.

Angus grinned. “But they were all out of luck, because Jay don’t like to—”

“Angus Walter Spears,” Jordan whisper-shouted across the table. “You will not finish that line.”

Merry put her hands to her mouth to hide her laugh, but I laughed right out loud, giving Jordan’s shoulder a squeeze, and I kissed the side of his head. “They weren’t all out of luck. I certainly am not.”

Merry snorted. “The night’s not over yet.”