Alex
"Are you kidding me? Free food?" Shay says, looking at me before doing an evil laugh impersonation.
"No, don't you dare. It's a wholesome restaurant and my favorite restaurant," I say.
She keeps laughing until my dad's car finally arrives at the parking lot. The car honks and the headlights are blinding.
"Yes, dad, we can see you if we're not blind yet."
"Good morning Mr. Carter!"
Dad turns the headlights off. The first one out of the car is Emily. Excited as she runs to the restaurant with mom. Shay nudges me to tell them to propose but I shoot her an "I'm not gonna do it look".
As soon as we enter, we order for brunch. No occasion. Just my family enjoying the idea of spending the time together and Shay tagging along as usual.
"Allie, you look like one of the waiters." Emily points at my black shirt.
"Waiter, order please!"
Jeff arrives, sliding into the restaurant and kneeling down in front of him as soon as he sees me, a little box in his hand. “Alex Carter… will you–”
“No, no, mission abort, mission abort!” Shay whisper-shouts beside me with an exaggerated no-no face and her arms in an X.
My parents are looking at Jeff with cautious stares.
“Who are you and why are you going to marry our daughter?”
“I’m going to the bathroom real quick.” I make an exit just so I don’t have to hear any of the awkward questions.
Sienna.
Quentin waves at the girl in black, calling her attention over to our table. “Hey, can you get our order?”
The girl is confused but she smiles to entertain Quentin as he tells her each of our order. Seth kicks me in the shin.
“I want the pasta one,” he says.
I ruffle his head and call the waitress’ attention. The thing is… she doesn’ have a nametag, no armband like the rest of the guys who works here.
“You don’t really work here, don’t you?” I ask her.
She smiles nervously, fidgeting the hem of her shirt that made us think she’s one of them. “No, but please keep talking to me, I’m scared to go back.”
“Did someone propose to you?” Seth asks. “He proposed to Sienna too and she doesn’t wanna eat anymore.”
I pinch his arm and Seth tries to bite me.
“It’s true! Denial, denial, will burn your soul.”
Quentin massages his forehead. “Seth bud, I haven’t proposed yet. I told you that was the plan though.”
“Oh, sorry.”
“Aww, you’re going to propose for free food?” I nudge and Quentin chuckles.
“Will you let me?”
Seth grabs my hand and places it on the table. “Quick put the ring!”
“That’s… not how it works, bud.”
Seth turns to me with puppy eyes. I turn back to Quentin. “Yeah, gimme the ring and make sure to bring it at every restaurant so we get free food.”
“YEEEEYYY!” Seth exclaims. “You may now claim the free food!”
Nick.
“Awwww, this is so cute. So many proposals happening in one restaurant. This restaurant should be called Wingman,” Rosalie says.
Great, the timing of all these people is impeccable. All in the name of free food. Then there’s me, who really wanted to propose because I want to marry this woman. Man.
“This restaurant wingmans better than my brother trying to get his buddy a girlfriend.” Rosalie turns back to me, laughing. “Right, sorry, I got distracted. Were you saying something?”
Not for the past ten minutes, no.
How do I go about showing the ring now without it seeming like it’s about the free food?
“Nick, are you okay?”
Screw it. It’s all or nothing. I stand up and Rosalie tilts her head to keep her eyes set on me. “Rosalie…”
“We can call a waiter to order, you don’t have to stand. It’s not fast food.”
I bend on one knee and I gauge her reaction first before I pull out the ring in my pocket. “Rosalie…”
But the thing is, she kneels down too, looking at me with a smile. “Nicholas… why are we kneeling?”
Never mind. “Will you be my date for today’s free food? I forgot my wallet.” Worse lie ever.
She chuckles. “Why do we need free food? I’m the chef and I’m loaded.”
