Part 2 (2/2)
”Well, among other things.”
”Zane!” I grabbed his hand and pulled him inside with me. ”Let's go out. And no more s.e.xual innuendos for the rest of the day.”
”That I can't promise.”
I licked the last drops of syrup from the corners of my mouth and grinned at Zane. ”I can't believe I've never noticed the way you eat before.” I watched as he put his cutlery down on the plate. ”You're so prim and proper, Miss Emily would be so proud.”
”Who's Miss Emily?” He looked at me in confusion.
”The etiquette queen, duh.”
”Oh you mean Emily Post?”
”Yes!”
”I've never heard her called Miss Emily before. It must be a southern thing.”
”I'm not southern,” I growled.
”You're from the South.”
”I'm from Florida.”
”Florida's in the south.” He grinned. ”Or do you need a geography lesson?”
”I know it's in the south, but it's not the South like South Carolina and Arkansas. Now they are the South.”
”What about Alabama and Mississippi?”
”Well, they are as well.” I rolled my eyes at him as if to say, duh.
”So all the states in the south are the South aside from Florida?”
”That's not what I mean.”
”So are you telling me I'm not dating a Southern Belle?”
”I'm telling you that if you're looking for Scarlett O'Hara, you're dating the wrong girl.”
”Did your grandparents live on a plantation? Did they have slaves? Did your mother have a mammy?” Zane c.o.c.ked his head at me and I reached over and slapped his hand.
”You're an idiot, you know that?”
”Tell me, Lucky, what do you think of the Civil War? Do you wish the South had won?”
”Zane Beaumont,” I growled. ”I do declare that you're trying to upset my righteous mind, but I will not let you do that to me this fine morning.” I spoke in my best Southern accent and we both laughed.
”It's fascinating though.” Zane looked up at me seriously. ”Our country has such a rich and deep history. Our grandparents lived such different lives, had such different views. I sometimes wonder what life would be like if certain things didn't change.”
”I sometimes wonder what it would have been like to have lived in the 1940s.” I paused and looked up to make sure I wasn't boring him. ”And in the Middle Ages.”
”The Middle Ages?”
”Yes, I've always wanted to witness what society was like during that time. There was an expansion of population of about 35 million to 80 million people in Europe between 1000 and 1347. Can you believe that? That's incredible! And then there were the religious crusades and the system of feudalism was introduced. It's all so fascinating.”
”Wow, you really do love history.”
”I do. My heart is with modern history, as you know, and the Civil Rights Movement, but I'm a bit of a European history buff as well. I've often thought about doing my dissertation on the parallels between the Middle Ages and the Civil Rights Movement.”
”There are parallels?” Zane looked surprised and I laughed.
”Well, I'd have to research. That's the point.” I laughed and then looked down as I remembered that I may never get to do that research. I'm not sure how I would be able to do it if I were pregnant and had a baby. How would I be able to go to grad school then?
”What's wrong?” Zane frowned as he saw my expression change.
”Nothing.” I smiled brightly, not wanting to share my thoughts with him. ”Are you done? We still have to go shopping.” I changed the subject quickly.
”Did you know that when I was in school, we learned about William the Conqueror and Harold of Hastings, and Noah and I would always play a game called The Battle of Hastings comes to Los Angeles?” Zane smiled at the memory. ”And we used Star Wars light sabers that my dad got us. And we would run around, zapping each other.” He laughed. ”I just remembered that, that was a fun game.”
”I'm impressed that you remember what happened in 1066.” I smiled at him gently and leaned forward. ”You're more of a history buff than I thought.”
”I should note that William had R2D2 on his side and Harold had C-3PO and we weren't fighting for England, but for the moon,” Zane laughed.
”Well, as long as it was for the moon.” I reached over and grabbed his hand. ”I wish I would have gotten to meet Noah.” I spoke gently, not wanting to upset him.
”So do I.” He laid some money on the table and stood up. ”Now, let's go shopping.”
”I can't believe you wanted to come to Ikea.” Zane looked lost in the sea of people. ”I can't say that I've ever been here before, but I've never heard it was the place to get bedding.”
”I don't know that it's the place to get bedding, but it is the place to get affordable bedding.” I made a face at him.
”I don't want to push the fact that I have money in your face. But I don't need to go to the Costco of bed sheets.”
”This isn't the Costco of bed sheets, you sn.o.b.” I shook my head. ”In fact, I don't even know what that means. How can this be the Costco of bed sheets? Do you think we're going to get a big pack of 10 sheets and duvets?” I laughed. ”To go with our 100 pack of toilet paper.”
”You can get a 100 pack of toilet paper rolls?” Zane looked like a light bulb had gone off in his head. ”You mean I could buy a lifetime's supply of toilet paper on one trip?”
”Zane! Focus, we're here to buy sheets and a duvet cover.”
”I'd still like to know why we're in an Ikea, and not some sw.a.n.ky store in Beverly Hills.”
”I can't afford to buy sheets in Beverly Hills.” I sighed. ”I wanted this to be my treat to you because you're changing them for me.”
”Lucky, no.” Zane looked at me in shock. ”You can't afford that.”
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