“As fun as that sounds,” William said, “I think I’ll pass.” He turned to Casey to gauge her reaction. She didn’t seem to care what the group ended up doing. She rubbed his thigh under the table.
Manny came back to take their orders. The guys all went with the sirloin special. Abby ordered grilled chicken. Casey—unsurprisingly—chose pancakes again. She’d never tried anything else at the diner, and she didn’t see a reason to start.
Eric and Abby were hitting it off far better than she ever had with David, who hadn’t been all that into her. Abby seemed surprised by how easy the conversation was with Eric—probably because he let her talk without ever cutting in.
Casey and Abby’s meals arrived first. The boys—knowing nothing about steaks—had all ordered theirs well done.
Manny brought their plates a few minutes later. Abby was already halfway through her chicken. Casey, noticing the delay, ate slower than usual so she wouldn’t finish before the boys got theirs.
William found the steak delicious. If Manny hadn’t mentioned the special earlier, he would’ve just gone with a hamburger. Steak was something he usually only had on special occasions or when his dad grilled in the summer.
David drowned every bite in A1 sauce. Eric opted for ketchup. William ate his plain, not wanting anything to mask the flavor.
Once everyone had their food, Casey picked up her pace. Abby had only a few bites left when she launched into conversation—rambling about chemistry class, her summer plans, and what she hoped college would be like. Casey chimed in here and there, but David and William tuned her out. Eric, though, listened to every word. He didn’t even finish his steak and had to ask for a to-go box.