The meal was delicious, and I was more ravenous than I’d been in weeks, maybe months. The wine took the edge off my nerves, but I kept finding it difficult not to look at Joey, who sat across from me. I’d never noticed how long his eyelashes were, or the sweet way he closed his eyes during grace before meals. That is the wine talking. Eat your goddamn dinner and get upstairs. But I could have sworn I caught him looking at me once or twice too. When everyone had finished, the girls and Evelyn started on the dishes while I said goodbye to Joey. “Be careful tonight,” I told him at the door. “And let me know as soon as you can how everything went.” “You be careful too. I know he’s good-looking, Tiny, but he’s one of them.” I narrowed my eyes. “Look who’s talking. I don’t need any lectures from you, pal. Except maybe on cooking.” “Ain’t that the truth.”
