"It'll be right ovah."

When I looked over, Everly finally smiled. "What?"

She peeked up from the menu. "I like how you say "coffee". You're usually pretty good at hiding your accent but some words give you away."

"I don't have an accent. I'm from New York. You have the accent, Georgia Peach.

She laughed. "I think it's your R's. You have trouble smoothing out the R's."

"Coffee doesn't have an R, Everrrrly Anne."

"It doesn't have a Y either, but you give it one when you say it."

I thought about it for a moment, sounding it out in my head. "If I get rid of the Y I'll just sound like I'm from Boston, and hell no if that's gonna happen."

"Try it."

"Coyfee." She smiled. I left out the Y. "Cahfee."

"Okay-okay," Everly decided, "I like New York Callum better. You win."

As we waited for drinks, Everly asked, "Can I wear your class ring?"

"It'll be too big for you, but sure." I dropped it in her palm.

After an inspection she told me, "Hmm, I thought couples inscribed love mementos in wedding rings."

"Suffering from A M N E S I A? It's a class ring."

Everly flipped the band around to hide the blue stone. "Looks like a wedding band to me."

The waitress, Lynne, interrupted as she set our drinks down. "Are we ready to order?"

"Ladies first," I said.

"Oh no," Everly shook her head, "I would never order before God. You go right ahead, Almighty One."

"What happened to our deal? Can we drop this already?"

"I sure hope so."

We stared at one another until Lynne all but turned and left. "Sorry, we're ready, ma'am," Everly said, "I'll need three strips of bacon." She flashed the ring. "We were just married, and we're celebrating our consummation via bacon."

Lynne shrugged. "Sounds like a good plan ta me."

Everly finally smiled like she meant it, and I didn't want the sourness to return so I played along.

"Could you recommend anything on this menu as good as my beautiful wife?"

"I hear the steak dinner is a real winner."

"Then I'll keep my streak going and stick with winners."

"Be right up." Lynne left us alone.

Everly handed me back the ring. "Divorced before we even got served celebratory bacon. My ego, my poor God-rivaling ego."

She was quiet, too damn quiet.

"Tell me a truth," I suggested. "No codes, no metaphors, just something completely honest, Everly Anne."

"Are we speaking as if we have never had one free day together?" she asked.

"Rules apply to us now," I said. "So, yeah, I suppose that's the way it goes."