Yeah, the drive sounded about as bad as he'd feared. "I'll mention that to the highway commission," Foreman said, teasing very lightly. He waited for Amber to grab whatever she needed from her luggage. She wasn't taking the state of the nation's holiday traffic out on him, and for that, Foreman was grateful. Once she was ready, he let his arm around her fall to her waist, since she'd leaned into his touch like she needed the reassurance. She might not ask for it, but he could give it, nonetheless. It was only for the length of the parking lot; they'd diverge once they were inside the doors. "Okay. Any allergies or preferences I should know about?" He could avoid the seven most common allergens easily enough, but he'd hate to find out once the salad was on the table that Mrs Volakis couldn't abide romaine and iceberg lettuce in the same bowl.
When Amber had mentioned changing, Foreman had glanced down at himself reflexively and brushed at his camelhair coat. He'd changed into this suit at home before she'd picked him up, and even though a few hours' scrunched-up sleeping couldn't have been good for the line of the fabric, the check pattern wouldn't show wrinkles easily, and he'd paid enough for the suit to know that the material should hold up to harder wear than a long car drive. He'd bought it knowing he'd probably end up sleeping in it sooner or later, and still need to look professional the following day. With simple unpuncturable confidence, he could make it work.
"See you in ten," Foreman said, when they'd entered the store. He headed for the fresh foods, got the biggest container they offered, and filled it almost to the brim, remembering his mom's phantom voice telling him not to let the top layer get crushed by the lid. He grimaced at that reminder; his dad had called him about coming to Trenton for Thanksgiving, and Foreman had put him off without being specific about his plans. If Dad assumed it was work that kept him away--or, more likely, from the way he'd harrumphed, he thought it was because Foreman couldn't stand to see Mom on the holiday that had always meant so much to her--then at least it gave Foreman more leeway. No matter what he'd said to Amber about getting the family meeting out of the way and over with, he was much more willing to put their relationship to the test under her family's scrutiny than his.
Foreman finished packing the salad and ordered two coffees as long as he was paying at the deli cash point. Carefully balancing everything well away from himself--spilling coffee on his dress shirt ten minutes before meeting the Volakises was not going to happen--Foreman headed back to the front doors to meet Amber.
no subject
When Amber had mentioned changing, Foreman had glanced down at himself reflexively and brushed at his camelhair coat. He'd changed into this suit at home before she'd picked him up, and even though a few hours' scrunched-up sleeping couldn't have been good for the line of the fabric, the check pattern wouldn't show wrinkles easily, and he'd paid enough for the suit to know that the material should hold up to harder wear than a long car drive. He'd bought it knowing he'd probably end up sleeping in it sooner or later, and still need to look professional the following day. With simple unpuncturable confidence, he could make it work.
"See you in ten," Foreman said, when they'd entered the store. He headed for the fresh foods, got the biggest container they offered, and filled it almost to the brim, remembering his mom's phantom voice telling him not to let the top layer get crushed by the lid. He grimaced at that reminder; his dad had called him about coming to Trenton for Thanksgiving, and Foreman had put him off without being specific about his plans. If Dad assumed it was work that kept him away--or, more likely, from the way he'd harrumphed, he thought it was because Foreman couldn't stand to see Mom on the holiday that had always meant so much to her--then at least it gave Foreman more leeway. No matter what he'd said to Amber about getting the family meeting out of the way and over with, he was much more willing to put their relationship to the test under her family's scrutiny than his.
Foreman finished packing the salad and ordered two coffees as long as he was paying at the deli cash point. Carefully balancing everything well away from himself--spilling coffee on his dress shirt ten minutes before meeting the Volakises was not going to happen--Foreman headed back to the front doors to meet Amber.