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Tomorrow was your first Fourth of July in the new town you lived in. Since you were sort of fairly new, you weren't quite invited to any hog roast this year by your neighbors. Which was fine. You didn't need them, anyway.
So, instead, you decided to host your own barbecue party. You knew some friends from work and a few other people you met that you wanted to invite.
You sent them all a text and for the most part, they answered with uncertainty. It was kind of disappointing and kind of sad. Although there was one last person you could ask, you never asked for his number, probably because you can just stop by whenever.
In your opinion, it felt appropriate to ask him. You have known him since day one in this town. He was a bit of an oddball at first and was a little off-putting, but after a bit of time, he was a real sweet man and was friendly toward you. At least, that's how you perceived it.
It was probably that southern charm he has.
You now considered each other as friends, and you hoped he felt the same way too.
Leaving your house, you made your way to your destination. You knew you were getting close because of that savory aromatic smell of grilled meat. It smelled so delicious, your mouth pooled with saliva. You had to admit, this place had the best burgers in town. Whatever kind of meat was used, it was your favorite. No multi-billion dollar franchise could beat it.
•••
Bob was focusing on working on his orders for his customers, flipping meat patties, and frying food. Although, his attention was then turned towards that little ringing bell that came from the front of his establishment.
He looked through the small window that was between the kitchen and the diner. Bob saw you walk in with a bright smile and a little wave. He couldn’t help himself and smiled back.
Wiping the sweat off his brow with his arm, he finished up cooking the meat and headed towards the double grey doors. After pushing through them, he met you up at the red bar counter.
“Heya, nice seein’ you ‘ere again. Do ya want yer usual?”
“You bet!” you grinned, sitting on the stool, making yourself comfortable.
Bob gave you a firm nod. “Comin’ right up,” he replied smoothly.
He went back to the kitchen and began working on your burger. While he was working on it, he got lost in his thoughts. Bob was thinking about the first time he met you. You were new in town. No one would have noticed if you were gone. You would have been an easy catch, but somehow, for some reason, something changed within him.
Maybe the way you described the taste of the burger on that day. It was one of the first things that caught him by surprise. Sure, everyone says his burgers are good, but the way you explained the taste and the texture, it wasn’t something he expected. It was as if you appreciated the art of making a great burger. Then, your love for food, and then your interest being similar to his.
He finally had someone to talk to and get along with, which wasn't something he really had for a long while. Bob was interested in you when he first met you… But now? It was for a different reason. But the things that he does? There was no way. You would be mortified if you found out.
Bob did the last finishing touches on the burger, making it look presentable and perfect. He wiped off the stray grease from the plate with a clean towel, slapped the cloth over his shoulder, and then carried the food out to you.
“Here ya go! The Boy’s ‘n Grills special.”
You grabbed the burger with excitement and didn’t hesitate to take a big bite. Bob watched you as you hummed in delight, enjoying his creation.
“How’s it?” Bob asked you. He knew the answer. He just wanted to hear it from you.
Your delighted face slightly faltered as you paused and stared at the burger.
That was a weird response. It made Bob raise an eyebrow at you. “Is…somethin’ wrong?”
Swallowing down your bite, you turned your attention to Bob. “Oh! It’s nothin’. It’s perfect as always, Bob!”
Bob didn't fully believe you, but he decided to take your word for it, anyway. “I'm so glad you think so, my darlin'.”
“Huh?” you looked a bit surprised when he said that last part.
It wasn’t supposed to come out. Bob's face and body felt like it was on fire, and he could feel the oncoming bullets of sweat going down his forehead. He had to devise an excuse, but there was no way to cover that up. Guess he just has to play it off. “Uh, you got any plans fer the fourth tomorrow?”
‘Nice one, Bob.’
Your face lit up as if you just remembered something important. “Oh! I was actually going to ask if you want to come over to my place?”
Bob's eyes went a little wide as he stared at you in shock. He stood there and didn’t say anything. Well, he wanted to, but nothing came out.
You quickly added, “For a cookout! My house is pretty close to the fairgrounds where they shoot the fireworks and—”
“Sure, I would love ta come. I can provide the meat,” Bob blurted out.
"Oh! That's okay! You don't ha—"
"No, it'll be my pleasure. Really."
You let out an amused sigh and nodded. Knowing fully well that there was no use arguing with the man. "Okay, fine, but I want to at least provide the meat patties, and you can bring whatever else you want. Deal?"
Bob was fine with that and agreed.
After giving him your address to your house, the both of you casually chatted for a little while longer. That was until Bob had to tell you he had to cut things short as the restaurant got busier.
You gave your goodbye to Bob and handed him your cash along with a tip that you always left for him.
Bob watched you leave the restaurant. Even though he didn't outwardly show it, he was really looking forward to seeing you tomorrow other than outside from seeing you at his restaurant.
•••
Fourth of July finally came, and you got everything already in its place so far. All that was left to do was wait for your guests to come. They never said they couldn't come!
You waited patiently for them and so, you waited… and waited.
Looking at the time on your phone, it was already 8:40 PM and no one showed up.
'Well, this is a bust.'
You already spent too much time preparing the meat patties that you had and other foods too, all set outside, and ready to be served. Although, the other foods you didn't care too much about, you mostly spent a lot of time on the meat. It'll feel like you wasted your time prepping if you placed everything away, and that was something you were not interested in doing.
The meat was going to go bad soon, too, and you just had no more room in your freezer box. Throwing them away would just be a waste, and you weren't going to go through the emotional distress of wasting food.
Oh well, guess you'll be eating all the food by yourself.
As you were heading out to your backyard to start grilling, you heard the doorbell ring throughout your house. You stopped where you stood, wondering who that was. Putting the plate of meat down, you made your way over to the front door and opened it.
Bob was on the other side, and he was wearing a red flannel short-sleeved shirt and a pair of old, faded jeans. He had his head tilted down and was giving you a smile.
"Oh! Hey, come on in!" you greeted, stepping to the side and letting him inside.
"Hey, sorry, I'm late. I had to close the restaurant and had to get a couple of drinks." Bob lifted a plastic bag full of meat and in his other hand, he was carrying some alcohol.
"I'll be honest. I'm surprised you came. I wasn't expecting you to show up," you admitted with an awkward chuckle.
"I said I was gonna show up, didn't I?"
"Yeah, it's just… no one else showed up."
Bob looked around the spacious living room, realizing it was just you and him. He shrugged and glanced back down at you. "Well, more food fer us, right?"
You let out a laugh, you appreciated the positive perspective from him. "I guess if you put it that way, sure."
Giving Bob a brief tour of your house, you finally led him back to the deck where there was seating, a fire pit, and a nice, large stainless steel grill.
Your pride and joy.
Bob stared at the grill and walked over to it. You watched him gawk at it in awe as he traced his fingers over its surface.
You walked over to him and smiled. "It's pretty impressive, right? It takes charcoal, so you can get that smokey taste to your meat. I also got a smoke box to put the wood chips in too."
“It must’ve cost a fortune,” Bob uttered in admiration.
“Yeah, a fortune, and a half,” you laugh softly, finding amusement in Bob’s fascination with your grill. Gesturing at it, you spoke up again, “Would you like to do the honors?”
He snapped his head towards you with a look of disbelief. “You mean…?”
“Yeah! Go for it! You're the expert!”
You knew how to grill, but you had to be honest with yourself. Bob was probably way better at grilling than you. He does it for a living, after all.
He set up the grill and in the meantime, you brought out all the rest of the meat outside and some seasoning you had. Before you rejoined Bob, you grabbed an apron off the wall.
Setting the meat and seasoning next to Bob, you held the apron in front of him. "Thought you might want this."
He grabbed it out of your hand and chuckled, "Thank you." Bob placed it over his head and tied it around himself.
You couldn't help but think he looked really good in that apron over that red flannel shirt. Shaking the thoughts out of your head, you watched Bob intently and curiously as he worked on the meat, placing them on the grill, and seasoning them. He then pulled the lid down and let them cook.
While you both waited for all the meat to be cooked, you got the fire pit going and Bob got the drinks.
"What's that?" you asked, pointing at a jar container, right next to the beer cans.
Bob picked it up and gestured at it. "Oh, this is some high-proof moonshine. I made it myself."
"Can I have some?"
Bob raised an eyebrow and smirked at you. "Ya sure? It's pertty strong. I don't think you can handle it"
You held your hand out and grinned. "I think I can handle it."
"Well, alrighty then, don't say I didn't warn ya."
Bob placed the jar in your hand, and then you unscrewed the top. Your nose was immediately hit with a strong whiff of the alcohol.
Mentally preparing yourself, you held the jar up to your lips and took a sip. After a single swallow, you started to cough harshly as the alcohol burned your throat. It tasted like pure ethyl alcohol. You weren't sure what you were expecting, but it wasn't that.
Giving Bob a forced wincing grin, you nodded. "That's really…strong…"
You handed back the jar of liquid to Bob as he laughed at you. He then took a swig of the alcohol and drank it with ease.
"That hits the spot," he sighed as he patted his belly.
There was that thought again. It wasn't anything new to you, though, but you always pushed them to the side. You couldn't tell him how you felt. There was no way. He would absolutely be mortified if he found out.
You decided to distract yourself before you made yourself upset and pointed out if the meat was done cooking.
Bob got up from his chair to check on the meat. So far, the patties were done cooking while the other slabs of meat still needed some more time to cook.
You had plates, toppings, and condiments ready to be served.
Grabbing two plates, you gave yourself and Bob a hamburger bun. Bob placed the juicy slab of meat on the bun, and then you both served yourself, putting whatever you wanted on your mouth-watering delicious burger.
The two of you went back to your seat, and you immediately took a bite of your burger. You hummed in delight and then took another bite at it.
Bob bit into his burger, but after a split second, he paused.
You couldn’t tell if he liked it or not, but he was staring at it with a grin.
"Is it good? What do you think?”
"It has…a distinct, but familiar taste to it.”
Giving Bob a weird look, you had to question what he was talking about. “What do you mean?” you asked slowly.
“The meat… It doesn’t quite taste like pork and not like beef either…" Bob looked up at you, still grinning at you as if he knew about something. “It doesn’t taste like yer typical red meat. It doesn't taste like an animal.”
You took a second to sink in everything he just said, and then you laughed, "I-I don't know what you're talking about! It's just beef… maybe it's gone bad?”
“I work with meat. I make burgers for a livin’. I think I know what beef tastes like, and this ain’t it.”
“What are you saying?”
“You tell me.”
Okay, now he was getting on your nerves. He was making you mad, but also really anxious. Why was he being like this?
"What else would it be then?" you asked.
“It’s made of human meat, ain’t it?”
You began to sputter in shock while Bob continued to casually eat his burger.
“H— Ho— Huh?! Human meat, no, no, that’s, that’s crazy! You’re joking! Right? Right?!” Your mind was racing a million miles per second.
Bob shook his head as he took another bite. “No, I'm being quite serious."
‘How in the hell does he know?! Wait… how does he know?’
"Wait, how do you know what hu—... Hold on…"
That's when you started to think that your suspicion was correct. Your suspicion that you had at the very beginning when you first went to Boys 'n Grills.
“Bob, promise me you will tell me the truth. Just between you and me, have you ever given me human meat in the past?"
Bob shoved the last bit of his burger into his mouth and then licked the tip of his fingers as he nodded. “Yeah, I have." He finally turned his attention to you and spoke, "But I'll be honest with ya, I felt bad giving you that kind of burger. That’s why I just made you a normal one the other day.”
"So that's why your burger tasted off yesterday…" you murmured to yourself as the realization sank in.
You were confused, you had to know. “Why?” you questioned him.
Bob gave you a shrug, focusing on his half-eaten burger rather than at you. “I guess, well… I guess it’s ‘cause I kinda like ya. But I didn’t know you had the same taste as myself.”
You began asking Bob question after question, and at that moment, you started to get to know him. The real him.
And at that moment, you felt a bit of relief.
•••
It has gotten a lot darker out, and the sun has passed just below the horizon. The sky was a dark shade of blue and your deck was dimly glowing created by the fire pit along with the tiki torches you lit up not too long ago.
As the evening went on, Bob began to feel a bit more bold, or maybe it was the moonshine and the many beers he drank. Either way, now that he knows much more about you and your…eating habits, there wasn't any reason to hide how he feels. He wanted to tell you how he felt.
"Hey, can I tell you somethin'?" he asked you, trying to sound as casual as possible.
You gave him a cute smile, making Bob's heart flutter in his chest and making him just a tad bit nervous.
"Go for it!" you encouraged him.
'Here goes nothin'.'
"Look, when I first met'chu I—"
There was a high-pitched sound, which was quickly followed by a loud-sounding boom and then some bright colors.
The two of you glanced up, and you gasped in excitement.
"Oh! It's starting!" Turning your attention to Bob, you asked him, "What were you saying, by the way?"
Bob's frown turned into a smile when he looked at you again. "I was sayin', I—"
There was that high pitch noise again, and then another one. The fireworks were going off one after another, interrupting Bob the second time. He groaned in annoyance. Of course, the firework show would go off at this moment. He decided to wait until it was over, so he could tell you.
But every time he thought it was over, it would just start off again. Bob rubbed a hand down his face. He couldn't handle it anymore and was just getting frustrated. The immense boldness he once had felt like it was dwindling down every moment. He didn’t want to chicken out, but it was starting to sound like a good idea.
He needed to do something now. If he couldn't tell you, then he was going to have to show you.
Bob stood up from his chair and placed himself in front of you, blocking your view of the firework show. You furrowed your eyebrows in confusion and a bit of annoyance.
"Bob, sit down! It's about to get to the best par— MMPF?!"
Bob had his hand on the back of your head and pushed you forward just a bit, pressing his lips against yours.
Just like the fireworks shooting off and exploding in the sky behind him, it felt like his whole heart was going to explode inside his chest. He just hoped you felt the same way too.
He pulled himself back and studied over your face to see some sort of sign, a hint, anything that will show him that he just didn't make a big mistake.
Your eyes were wide in shock, mouth slightly agape as the fireworks illuminated Bob's face along with yours.
Nothing was being said by you, and it started to make Bob nervous. He opened his mouth to speak, but before anything was said, you pulled him back in and kissed him right back.
The two of you peeled back from the kiss. A giggle rose out of you as you looked into Bob's eyes.
"Y'know, you could've just asked."
Bob stood back up to his full height and rolled his eyes at you. As he stood there in front of you, he noticed it was awfully quiet. While he listened, the only noises he could hear were the crying cicadas and the singing crickets.
"Awe, c'mon! Now you stop?!"
You let out a hearty laugh as you stood up from your seat. "Well, looks like that was it for tonight. I'm going to start cleaning up a bit." As you began gathering all the leftover food and everything else together, Bob tried to give you a helping hand. It made the cleaning process slightly faster, but you were mostly doing all the dirty work, while Bob was trying to not drop things in his not-so-sober state.
Placing the last plate into the dishwasher, you press a few buttons and let it do its thing. Facing yourself toward Bob, you could tell he had a bit too much to drink.
"If you like, you’re welcome to spend the night since you've had…a lot tonight,” you offered with a soft smile.
Bob didn't hesitate and answered as he nodded, “I think I’ll like that.”