Royal Dilemma

Chapter Thirty-Three

(Caleb's Point of View)

The hostess' eyes widen as Joey and I walk into The Pearl. I think she's gotten somewhat used to my presence but Joey is entirely new to the environment. She shows us to our table and then scurries off in the direction of another employee, probably to gossip.

Joey picks up the menu and begins studying it. "I think I'm in the mood for crab."

I roll my eyes. "You're always in the mood for crab."

I look over when Charli starts approaching the table. I know she sees Joey but if it phases her she doesn't show it.

"Hi," she says when she gets close. "I'm Charli, I'll be your waitress today. Can I get you something to drink?"

"I don't know why you bother asking when you're going to pick for me anyway," I joke.

"I'm trying to be polite in front of your brother."

Joey looks up at the mention of himself, then looks at me. "Do you come here a lot?"

"Sometimes," I say vaguely.

Charli doesn't out me, just rolls her eyes.

"How big are your crab cakes?" He asks Charli.

Charli makes a medium sized circle with her hands. "About this big. And you get two."

Joey contemplates the circle. "I'll have to order double," he says thoughtfully.

I shake my head. "You're not ordering double."

Charli drops her hands and pulls out her pad of paper. "We've got some good new mixed drinks. Do you want to try the mango one?" she asks me.

"Sure."

"Can I have that too?" Joey asks, looking between us.

"Of course," Charli says. "I'll be right back."

When Charli's gone Joey shuts his menu and sits back in his seat. "How often do you come here?"

"Every now and then."

"Because that's not vague."

I shrug. "Like... Once a week."

"Why?" He doesn't ask with any judgment, just pure curiosity.

"I don't want to tell you."

Joey nods. "I got a big cactus to go in my kitchen."

That right there is one of the reasons I love Joey. If I tell him I don't want to talk about something, he'll drop it.

"How big is it?"

"Maybe a couple feet high?" He says as if he's unsure of himself. "I might have to get rid of it though because Fungi keeps trying to climb it."

"Ouch."

"I know. You'd think he'd learn that if you climb on the cactus you get thorns in your paws."

I shake my head. "You know, your cat is kind of—"

Joey holds up his hand to silence me. "Don't say it. I will end you. Fungi is the smartest cat to ever live. Scientists want to study his brain, he's that smart."

"What scientists?"

"All of them?"

I snort just as Charli is walking back over with our drinks. She sets them down and pulls out her pad of paper.

"Do you know what you want to eat?"

"I will have two servings of crab cakes, please," Joey says with a cheesy grin.