The Truth About Love

“Sorry the IHOP was closed.” Jeremy chuckled as he held the door to the small diner open for me to enter.

“As long as I can get pancakes here, I’m satisfied.” I shrugged, making my way over to a booth and sliding along the red pleather seat.

Jeremy sat down across from me and we both picked up our menus to decide what we wanted to eat. I quickly found what I was looking for and folded my menu and placed it back in its holder. I opted for gazing around the diner as Jeremy contemplated his menu.

We were the only people in the diner, which wasn’t surprising considering it was three thirty in the morning. The waitress behind the bar was looking a bit worse for wear and there was a lot of banging going on behind the stainless steel swinging doors that led to the kitchen.

“Well I think I know what I want.” Jeremy announced, flopping the menu down onto the table.

I raised my hand and called out to the waitress. She picked up an order pad and tromped over to our booth, looking more than I little grumpy.

“What’ll it be?” She rasped, poising the tip of her pencil on the paper.

“A tall stack with a side of bacon. And apple juice to drink, please.” I recited, bouncing a bit in excitement at the thought of pancakes.

“I’ll have the French toast and scrambled eggs with orange juice, please.”

“Will that be together or separate?”

“Together.” Jeremy replied, just as I uttered "Seperate."

“Together.” Jeremy stated firmly, and I glared at him as the waitress walked away.

“I can pay for my own food, you know.”

“Then you can pay for it when you’re not with me. It wouldn’t be very gentlemanly to have you pay for your own food.” He reasoned, causing me to stick my tongue out at him.

I hated it when he played the chivalry card. He knew I thought chivalry was dead and he just loved proving me wrong.

“I’m trying really hard not to judge you based upon your food choice.” I admitted, crossing my arms over my chest.

“Don’t you like French toast?” Jeremy chuckled.

“Not when there are pancakes available.”

Before he could argue, the waitress came back with our food and soon we were both to concerned with wolfing down our food to be interested in bickering.

I slathered my pancakes with maple syrup before cutting into the stack. Within moments I was done with the four pancakes and was chowing down on my side of bacon.

“Where do you put it all?!” Jeremy asked in disbelief, watching me eat with his fork halfway to his mouth.

“Don’t judge me. I have a hollow leg.” I grumbled through a mouthful of fried pork.

Jeremy just chuckled and shook his head before continuing to eat his eggs.

JEREMY’S POV

“I’m moving in to my rental apartment tomorrow. We have the day off filming while they do some work on the set so I thought I’d take the chance to settle in.” I informed Roxanne as she chugged down her apple juice.

I had noticed little things about her. Like she always ate one food on her plate before eating another, never two at a time. And unless it was wine, she never took a drink until after she had finished all of her food. She said it was because it made the drink taste better at the end. I personally thought she was crazy.

“So if you want to come to my place to watch a movie tomorrow night instead, you can.” I offered, sipping my own juice.

“I think I’m having dinner with Mark tomorrow, but I’ll come over after.” She replied, stacking her glass on top of her plate. “Oh my God, I love this song!” She grinned, her eyes huge as “Kickstart My Heart” by Motley Crue came on the radio.

“I’m trying really had not to judge you based upon your music choice.” I mocked, crossing my arms over my chest.

“You don’t like Motely Crue?” She gasped, incredulous. “I don’t think we can be friends anymore, Jeremy.”

“I like Motely Crue just fine. But is it really something to get so excited over?” I teased, smirking across the table at her.

She stuck her tongue out and crossed her arms, fake glaring out the window. She was always willing to play along with my teasing and nagging, and I loved that. I never had to be careful about what I said around Roxanne, because even if it hurt her feelings, she would just dish it right back to me.

“Oh, I love this one too.” She sighed, and this time her eyes took on a dreamy quality when “More Than Words” by Extreme played out through the speakers of the radio sitting on the bar.

“Come on.” I ordered, standing up from our booth and stepping over to offer her my hand.

“What are we doing?” She questioned, accepting my hand.

“Dancing.” I replied, pulling her close to me and starting to sway to the music.

“Jeremy-“

“Just dance with me, Roxy.” I whispered, and I was painfully aware of the pleading tone in my voice.

I had been trying to avoid thinking about the feelings I was starting to develop for her over the past few weeks, but it was getting to the point of no return. I would have to tell her soon, something I wasn’t looking forward to.

“This is my favorite song.” She sighed, and I felt her relax further into my chest. “I used to want to dance to this at my wedding.”

“Used to?” I questioned quietly.

“I don’t think I want to ever get married.” She confessed, speaking so quietly I barely heard her. “Losing people is too hard.” She whispered, laying her head against my chest.

I prayed that she couldn’t feel the erratic thumping of my heart in my rib cage. I rubbed a hand up and down her back comfortingly and she sighed, leaning further into me.

“Jeremy?”

“Yeah?”

“This is a love song.” She commented.

“I know.”

“I saw some more pictures of us online today.”

“I know. I saw them too.” I replied. “I’m sorry.” I added.

“I don’t think I mind.” She admitted, pulling away to peer up at me through her lashes.

I smiled down at her, lost in those blue eyes like I always was. Before I knew what was happening or before I could stop myself I had placed my lips over hers softly.

ROXANNE’S POV

I slammed the door closed behind me and leaned against it panting. As soon as Jeremy had pulled away I had bolted. Sure I didn’t mind kissing him, among other things. I was attracted to the guy, there was no problem kissing him.

What I hadn’t counted on were the butterflies fluttering in my abdomen when his lips moved against mine. Those might turn out to be problematic.