The Kid, the Boss, and the Incorrigible Nanny

Part Twenty-One

There weren't any prices on this menu.

Kid wasn't accustomed to fine dining by any means, but she knew enough from watching 90s rom-com movies that a menu without a dollar sign on it meant that the food was expensive.

Why did rich people feel the need to spend small fortunes on their dinners? Why did a forty-dollar bottle of wine (if that was the going rate for fancy dining) constitute as classy? She wasn't willing to spend forty dollars on a pair of jeans.

She hadn't been asked to wear a dress for this dinner — this was technically the night before the conference started — but she was starting to wish she had at least put on some makeup. She was the most underdressed person here. It didn't help that her sunburn was getting itchy under her t-shirt.

Kid was also starting to feel a little bit like a kid on their first meal at the adult's table. She couldn't read anything on the menu — it was all in French. She felt like kicking herself for not paying closer attention in her French class in high school.

She was relieved when CJ asked their server for chicken and noodles for Sam. Adrian chimed in quickly with a "he'll have the same," for Aiden. At least she knew that they had chicken and noodles. And at least she didn't have to be adept enough at reading the menu to order for Aiden.

It wasn't until the server had asked for her order twice that Kid realized she'd run out of time to figure things out. Thankfully, CJ and John weren't paying attention. She was pretty sure John had just noticed a new diamond pendant hanging from a slim chain on his wife's neck. "Did I pay for that today?"

"If you want," Adrian kept his voice low, "I can order for you. Do you like salmon?"

Honesty, as always, was the best policy. "I don't know."

He nodded. "Well, if it isn't incredibly rude of me, I think I'd like to introduce you to one of my favorite dishes here. Would you mind?"

"Sure." She was grateful that he didn't seem to be laughing at her for her lack of culture.

The server finished taking their order and disappeared.

"So, now that the boring stuff is out of the way, what are we having for dessert?" John waggled his eyebrows.

"We just put our food order in. How are you already thinking about that?" Adrian laughed. Kid couldn't help but notice how it sounded, somehow loud and quiet at the same time. She was glad to see that, at least for tonight, he was enjoying himself.

CJ rolled her eyes. "John is always thinking about dessert."

"How is that my fault?" He leaned in toward her, nuzzling her neck. "I like things that are sweet."

The moment was so intimate that Kid almost felt like she was intruding. John and CJ were clearly infatuated with each other. He planted a kiss on her shoulder, and even as she swatted him away — "We're in public" — her eyes were alight with a glow that Kid simply didn't have words for.

"Ew." She wasn't sure which one of the kids that was. It even might've been Adrian. She smiled.

"Anyway," John drew himself back and straightened his tie. "What'll it be? Chocolate ice cream? Lava cake?"

Kid's mouth watered at the thought. She was starting to get really hungry. "Maybe we can look at the dessert menu while we wait for our food."

John held up a hand. "Oh, we won't be getting anything here."

"What?"

"John has a goal, to order from every ice cream shop and bakery in every city we travel to," Adrian informed her. "We've never actually been to the same place twice. Not in New York, D.C., or anywhere else."