Of course!

Rick orders an odd-looking ham sandwich with fries, and you settle on the fried oyster Caesar salad, which is now being made tableside as the two of you talk about an old coworker of yours. Rumor has it that someone saw her on Pornhub.

You're enjoying yourself immensely. Rick has always been easy to talk to, and it's nice to be able to talk to him in person again for a change. Hell, you can't remember the last time you talked to anyone in person without the kids around. It feels nice! For the first time in a long time, you feel like something more than just a wife and mother. You feel like yourself again.

"Was that a raw egg?" you say aloud. The older gentleman, whose name turned out to be Jack, just cracked one into the mixing bowl he's using to prepare your salad. "Does all Caesar dressing have raw egg in it?" You're not sure if that question was meant for Jack, Rick, or yourself.

"Only if it's authentic," answers Jack.

You thought you knew what "authentic" meant, but now you're not so sure, because that doesn't make much sense to you in the context of the question. Must be the wine. "Guess I'm eating raw egg," you tell Rick.

"Eye of the tiger, Carlisle."

You don't know what that's supposed to mean either, but he hadn't called you by your last name since your Sips days, when you worked alongside two other Jens. You liked it then, and you still do now. He was the only one there who called you that. Everyone else referred to you as Jen C., which seemed to accentuate the fact that everyone else treated you like shit. You were a terrible server. You can admit that now, and they all let you know it. Rick did, too, but always in a way that let you know that he found it endearing. Whenever you were in over your head, he would always help you out. He was always patient, and never made you feel like a burden.

When your meals are finished, you feel sad. You're like Cinderella at the royal ball with midnight fast approaching, not yet ready to return home to a life of domesticity. Perhaps you could do this again, your treat next time.

"Hey, thanks for showing a girl a good time," you say to Rick.

"It was my pleasure."

He downs the last swallow of wine and then takes the check from Jack. After looking it over, he cocks an eyebrow. "Wanna' get another bottle?"