chapter 3

Daniel took us to a steakhouse for dinner and as always, he insisted that I order whatever I wanted. I thought back to the times where we had dined out and he had asked if I wanted dessert, most men I’d been with weren’t like that, they were more concerned about my waistline than if I enjoyed the meal, but not Dan.

I tried to watch him, for any signs that he might have maybe enjoyed me eating but he had a good poker face.

I wondered about his ex, Amber, she and I had markedly different bodies and I couldn’t fathom how someone could be attracted to two women of such vastly different sizes so I decided to dig a little deeper.

“So,” I started “Tell me more about Amber.”

He noticeably tensed before laughing a little, “What would you like to know?”

“Oh, the usual, where you met, how long you were together... why you broke up.” I could tell that his little laugh was a nervous laugh and it was unfortunate that it persisted but I had to know the facts.

“Well, we met at a charity softball game, we were together two years and we split up because we wanted different things in life.”

He was straight to the point just as he was with most things, “how concise of you.” I mocked him a little, “what does that mean? Wanted different things in life?”

He shifted in his seat a little, talking about his past relationship was clearly making him feel awkward, “You know, we weren’t ready for the same things, I wanted to focus on my career and she was dead set on having a baby...”

“You don’t want kids?” I interrupted him.

“I’m not saying that, it just wasn’t the right time with her.” he sat for a minute and looked into his drink thoughtfully, “How about you? Would I find a box of belongings in your wardrobe? Do you want kids?”

“Oh no mister, we’re not talking about my wardrobe. Anyway, I’m way better at throwing things out than you are.”

“That may be the case but I don’t go around putting on stranger’s underwear.” he laughed but this time it broke the tension. He was giving up all the answers to whatever I asked him but I wasn’t really getting the information I wanted.

“Was she always so...”

“Fat?”

“Daniel! You can’t say something like that!”

“Why not? She was proud of her figure and didn’t care for people pussy-footing around what to call her, she preferred Amber by the way.”

I blushed, it was what I had wanted to ask but Dan was as straightforward as ever, almost blasé about a topic that’s normally only talked about in hushed voices.

“So... was she, Amber I mean, was Amber always so... full-figured?” he might have had no problem calling a spade a spade but I wasn’t about to start throwing the F word around without a care for people’s feelings.

“She was never slim, she was chubby when we met and her weight only increased as our relationship wore on, it was never an issue for us it was just something that happened. Why are you so interested about her weight?”

Ah, now it was my turn to feel awkward, I was getting him to spill the beans but I hadn’t bargained for the fact that he would most likely want to know what all of this was about. “It’s just that we look so different... I just wondered what you found attractive about her... and about me.”

He smiled as he took a sip of his drink, “And that’s why you were trying on her underwear?”

I kicked him under the table, he was getting off far too lightly, even enjoying my embarrassment, “I’m serious!” I replied, almost the whine of a petulant teenager, “how could you fancy us both?”

He put down his drink and took my hand, looking into my eyes with a sincere expression, “there are many reasons I found her attractive and why I find you attractive, but why don’t you let me tell you over dessert?”