return

24 Carrots was a new vegan restaurant a few streets away and surprisingly crowded considering it was in a city with a life-force that seemed to run on seafood and the scalded milk favored in cafe au laits. It wouldn't have been Gavin's first choice—carob was not a substitute for chocolate, as far as he was concerned—but he thought Maggie would be excited, which was why he suggested it for lunch.

But now that they were here, he was fiddling with his paper straw wrapper and gazing doubtfully at the menu. "What are you getting? I have no idea."

Because he was nervous, and when he was nervous he wanted comfort food. He simply couldn't find comfort in a menu with so many scare quotes. "Panna cotta." "Steak." "Fried egg." He just wanted to know what he'd be eating!