I’m working on edits for Boomerang Boyfriend, the 3rd book in the Boyfriend Chronicles series. If you can’t tell from the title, it’s a romantic comedy. Today I’m sharing a scene that didn’t make the cut. Sometimes the hardest part of editing is cutting scenes you love. In this scene, Aiden and Delia are trying to talk things out. It isn’t going so well.

***

Aiden studied the front of Saucy Sam’s with a look of disbelief. “This is a restaurant? Like a legal restaurant that health inspectors visit on a regular basis?”

His comment made me laugh. Sam’s used to be a gas station. When the weather was nice they opened the double garage doors turning the back half of the restaurant into something close to patio dining. Now, when it was cool, the garage doors were down.

“I’ve eaten here many times and it’s never killed me. Come on.” I climbed out of his car and headed for the door. I couldn’t wait to see his reaction to the inside.

Hubcaps lined the walls next to old license plates.

Aiden stopped a few feet into the foyer. “Are you sure you’re not trying to give me food poisoning as some sort of revenge?”

“Not that I’m above that, but no. You haven’t given me a reason to sink that low…yet. Follow me.” Since this was a seat yourself kind of place, I led him over to a table by the old fashioned cigarette machines. Now they sold gum and candy, but they were still cool.

“What are those?” Aiden asked, pointing at the chrome and red vending machines that had pull knobs under each item.

“Allow me to demonstrate.” I dug fifty cents out of my pocket, paid for gum, and pulled the knob. My gum dropped into the metal tray with a metallic clink.

“I’ve never seen anything like that,” Aiden said.

“This whole place has a cool retro vibe,” I said. “And the pizza’s great.”

We placed our order, and Aiden fiddled with his straw wrapper. My patience was wearing thin. “Aiden, what’s on your mind?”

He sighed. “I like you a lot, more than I’ve liked other girls.”

“Then what’s the problem?” I didn’t get it.

He reached across the table and held my hand. “I can trust you, right?”

“Yes.”

He leaned in closer. “I mean it. If I tell you what’s going on, you can’t tell anyone, not even Zoe.”

I yanked my hand from his. “Then maybe you shouldn’t tell me.”

Disappointment shone from his eyes. “Seriously? I’m about to share a secret I’ve never told anyone and you don’t want to know unless you can tell Zoe?”

Now I felt like crap, which wasn’t fair. “I’ve never kept a secret from Zoe. She’s my best friend.”

“I don’t rank as high as Zoe, I understand that, but…never mind.” The waiter showed up at our table with the pizza. “Can you put that in a carry-out box please?” Aiden asked.

The waiter glanced back and forth between Aiden and I. “Sure. You want me to split it into two boxes?”

“Yes.” I said. Because who knew if there’d be food at my house.

Aiden didn’t say a word as he pulled out a twenty and put it on the table.

“Don’t worry”, I said. “It’s not like this is a date. I can pay for my half.”

“I asked you to come here,” Aiden said. “So I’ll pay.”

The waiter returned with our boxes. I grabbed one while Aiden took the other.