The quiet hum of the warm air blowing out of the vents in Mia's car was one of the only sounds that she could hear. There was her steady breathing, its pace elevated due to her slowly rising level of nerves. And there were the far-away sounds of the top 40 hits that floated half-heartedly through the restaurant's outdoor speakers.

There was no one outside to hear the music and even through the walls of Mia's warm car the song only came through with every third word. And Mia didn't have the concentration to try and listen to what kind of love song the radio was churning out.

The rest of the thoroughfare was silent. Even for the main street of a small town sitting on the outskirts of a big city late at night on a Sunday, it was quiet.

The lights from the burger joint where Mia currently found herself parked were one of the few businesses still sending illumination out into the night, it's only other companion a gas station down the way and the street lamps that dotted the sidewalks along the lengthy boulevard.

Despite the warm air blowing both at her hands and down at her feet, Mia still rubbed her hands together, more out of something to do keep herself busy than out of necessity. The night outside was chilly but considered warm for an evening in late November in Massachusetts.

Her heart was already beating in her chest, hard enough that she could feel it in her head and its pace rose when another set of headlights pulled into the parking lot, joining the few other cars parked nearby. Mia's eyes followed its movements and she was out of her car and into the cool night air before her nerves or racing heart had a second to catch up.

His car door slammed shut soon after hers and she was already making her way towards him and across the parking lot by the time he had come around the back of his car and slid on a jacket as a defense against the harsh wind that liked to run rampant down the empty streets.

Jay was the first speak as he hurried the last few steps to meet Mia halfway.

"Hey!"

"Hi."

They paused once they came within a close proximity, a long moment of hesitation, both of their hands sitting snugly inside their jacket pockets, their shoulders to their ears. Jay broke the tension with a nod towards the restaurant and took a step in its direction, Mia following right along.

He held the door open for her and Mia gave a smile as a thank you. A wave of warmth and a burst of scents hit them as they stepped into the bright interior as can only be experienced when entering a burger joint late at night with an empty stomach.

All those working behind the counter came a holler of salutation as they approached and Mia felt her shoulders relax a bit at the welcoming sight of a very familiar face as it stepped up behind the cash register.

It was a face she didn't see smile often and he certainly wasn't now. Grant took an extra second to greet them himself as he was eyeing Jay through lids that had squinted half shut in scrutiny.

"Who's this?"

Mia did her best not to roll her eyes at her younger brother's rude greeting and continual frown as he continued to stare at Jay. He was tall for his age of 17 and stood eye to eye with Jay when they approached the counter.

"Grant, this is Jay. Jay, my brother, Grant. Excuse his horrible manners. He wasn't supposed to be working tonight. He should have been off by now."

"I'm working a double," was his excuse.

"Hi. Nice to meet you. Jay Daniels."

Jay even did him the extra courtesy of extending him his hand but Grant only eyed it with the same scowl he had been shooting at Jay. The growl in Mia's stomach needed this tense interaction to move along.

"Are you gonna take our orders or not?"

"Fine. What do you want?"

They gave him their orders, Mia making sure they got a large order of fries on top of the burgers and pulled her wallet out of her pocket as Jay finished speaking. But he already had his wallet out and was paying before Mia got too far. Grant hadn't missed the transaction.

"I would have comped Mia but I don't know you. You get to pay."

"I was planning on it."

Mia glanced between Grant and Jay, Grant's stare still tight and Jay's face lacking any sort of embarrassment or adverse reaction whatsoever.

Mia shot Grant her own glare when they finally started to walk away and he was smirking by the time Jay had his back turned. He gave Mia a shrug as a form of both explanation and an apology.

She didn't often regret having a very large and tight-knit family but on the first time out with Jay just the two of them? She was starting to have doubts about the benefits of such a clan.

There was only one other group of patrons in the rest of the place and so Mia and Jay had their pick of seating. Once seated on high bar stools, sitting across from one another over a very small round table, Mia felt she could finally take a deep breath.

"Sorry about that," she said, sending a nod in Grant's direction where he worked behind the counter, only throwing them a glance every thirty seconds. "He was supposed to have the night off. I wouldn't have brought you here otherwise."

Jay shook his head and his complete aura of calm and collected helped Mia further relax into her seat.

"It's not a problem. I get it. I've got sisters. I would do the same thing. Maybe with less of a scowl. And my sister's are both younger than me so I feel like it's a little more warranted."

"Yeah. I'm three years older than Grant but that kid's been 25 since he was four years old. He's never really let me be an older sister to him and likes to rank himself with my older brothers."

"He seems nice."

Mia didn't answer for a second, instead, sending Jay her own scrutinizing look. He broke down laughing underneath the weight and the warm sound proved infectious as it broke Mia's gaze and forced out a laugh of her own.

"You guys look a lot alike, especially when you're both glaring at me. I just meant that if he's your brother and you like him, he can't be that bad, right?"

Mia nodded slowly, understanding his logic but still looking for any signs of trepidation in his expression or any hint of an itch to run in his posture. He looked relaxed and happy to be there. And his eyes didn't seem to gaze anywhere else other than over at Mia.

"Okay. You're not lying. I believe you. But I'm still sorry. He's a bit intense."

"Yeah. I kind of figured."

"Hey! You!"

Grant's voice ringing through the quiet setting of the restaurant gathered both of their attention and they turned to look where he was standing behind the counter with a pile of food in front of him.

"Your food's ready."

There was not a single hint of charm or courtesy in his voice and the glare had returned. Mia sent it back with an annoyed expression and was about to hop down from her chair to gather her food when Jay had already done so and was almost to the counter.

"Thanks, man. I appreciate it."

With a nod and a smile, Jay turned his back on Grant without any further effect from his attempts at intimidation and Mia found Grant's scowl had turned into something that looked as if it had met at the crossroads of confusion and respect.

The food was a welcomed addition to their table and Mia became of aware of just how late it was when she took her first bite and the subtle pangs of hunger she had been ignoring were immediately satisfied.

After a long quiet moment during which most of the food was completely devoured, Mia felt a familiar comfort descend upon the table and the few weeks that had passed between the last time she had seen Jay faded completely from her memory.

It felt as it had the last time they had seen each other, another late night just like this one, just the two of them once again, eating food. Except then they had been seated on the floor of her dorm's common them and her roommates sleeping only a few feet away from where they sat. The lack of anything awkward was the same and there was the same comfortable energy but the setting had taken on a more official setting.

And it was that one thought that stayed present in Mia's mind, demanding of her that she sit up straighter and smile more and act more like she would have on a proper date. But the presence of current company drowned that all out and she settled into her seat and the pile of fries as the best part of the night was about to begin.

"So. How was New York?"

Jay's eyes were already bright, the fluorescent lights above sure to be the blame of that. But at the mention of the last month of touring he had just returned from, they widened along with his smile.

The two of them spent the next hour and a half leaned over the small table, remnants of their dinner long forgotten, catching up with each other about what had happened over the past several weeks in their lives since they had last seen each other.

Both were aware of the basic logistics and events as a steady stream of constant contact had been maintained but it was the mere fact that they were together that allowed them to properly explain and divulge what had been going on recently in detail.

The only other group of patrons left soon after Mia and Jay had gotten their food and Mia was half aware that Grant and his co-workers were starting to clean up behind the counter and prepare to close for the night. But the two of them talked on.

Jay went into detail about the recent tour of New York state with his bandmate Tommy, their travels ending with a long list several shows all throughout the city and it's multiple surrounding burrows. Mia listened with rapt attention, asking questions, wanting to hear everything, even asking after the three other crew members she had already met before at a previous hometown show.

Their conversation flowed seamlessly from his travels to Mia's studies and her recent struggles of being a freshman at Boston University, along with the long hours she was pouring into the schools newly revived newspaper. Jay seemed just as interested to hear all about her life as she had been to hear about his. And he expressed the same appreciation for the current Thanksgiving break.

Mia was grateful for the given time off from all her studies and had returned home for the two-week stint back to her mom's house whereas Jay and the crew had decided to take time off to spend it with their families before another stretch of touring proceeded a holiday break at the end of the year. The perfect alignment had granted one free night for both of them for such a meetup.

There was yet no mention of the actual date word and Mia was trying to keep that thought out of her head as she was mainly excited at the chance to catch up with her friend. But the night was a pleasant upgrade from grabbing crappy coffee at the diner on campus crammed full of other students and from the stale pizza provided by the only pizza place nearby and eaten on a dirty dormitory floor while roommates studied nearby.

Jay was laughing at the long list of crazy student events Mia was required to photograph for the school paper when Grant interrupted them during Mia's tale of the school's robotics club and its current creation that was turning more into a weapon of mass destruction than an actual robot.

"You guys gotta leave. We're closing up and I wanna go home. Some of us have real jobs."

Mia caught a glimpse of his side-long glance at Jay and returned it with a long, blank stare. Grant started to squirm after a long moment of silence.

"Stop it. You know that bugs me."

"That's for being rude. How would you think Mom would like it if she knew you being such a pill?"

"What do you want me to do? Apologize?"

"That would be a nice start."

Grant gave a long sigh that sounded fake towards the end, as he was certainly just emptying his lungs of all oxygen for dramatic effort.

"I'm sorry, dude."

Jay nodded but stopped when Grant continued.

"Sorry you don't have a real job and your music sucks."

Grant was laughing when Mia hit him on the arm but she found Jay was somehow laughing too.

"It's alright, man. But hey, we can't all flip burgers for a living."

Grant eyed him for a long moment then nodded. He extended his hand towards Jay.

"Touche, my friend. You guys have a good night. Jay, hurt my sister and I'll hurt you. Mia, I'll see you at home."

Mia could see Grant was trying to squeeze Jay's hand once he accepted his offering of a handshake but she found Grant's knuckles were whiter than Jay's and Grant was shaking his hand, even if it was just one quick movement when he thought Mia couldn't see, as he left them.

"I guess that means we have to get going, doesn't it?"

Mia heard the hint of disappointment despite the fact that Jay's face had yet to lose its happy countenance.

"Yeah. I guess so."

Jay led them out of the restaurant, making sure to send a final wave to Grant before exiting and stepping back out into the cold night. They stood at the tail of Mia's car for a long while, trying not to shiver in the chill wind, not saying anything as both were at a loss of what to say.

"So. I should probably..."

Jay nodded back to where his own car was parked and Mia nodded. They both took turns looking at each other and then down at the ground, alternatively.

"Do you like ice cream?"

Jay looked up from the tops of his shoes, his hands nearly swallowed by his pockets and his shoulders high against the chill and the awkwardness that seemed to have come out of nowhere.

"Yeah. Of course."

He was smiling again and the sight was just enough encouragement for Mia.

She grabbed her keys from her back pocket and started for the driver's door. Jay got the message and took his spot in the passenger's seat, buckling up as Mia turned the car on and pulled it out of the parking lot to then speed it down the empty streets.

They drove north for a while, the wide lanes leading them towards their destination the whole way as they drove past businesses long since shut up for the night. Only the street lamps followed along, keeping up the pace even as they headed past the banks and car dealerships and the multitude of family restaurants that filled the edges of the highway.

The lights became fewer and farther between as they drove further towards where residences and homes started to appear, the commercial center for the town now fading in their rearview mirror.

Among the homes, few of which still had lights burning in their front windows, a beam of light was shooting up into the sky. The long one-story building was still shining bright in the dark night as Mia was sure it would be.

She pulled into the second nearly empty parking lot of the night and was climbing out into the cold as soon as the engine was off. Despite her connection to the place, she didn't have long before this establishment too closed up for the night.

Jay followed right along and this time it was her turn to hold the door open for him. They were greeted with another cry of salutations as they stepped up to the counter and were met with a smiling girl ready to take their order.

"Hey, Mia! Long time no see! How's school? Who's this?"

Mia's former co-worker quickly lost interest in Mia when her eyes came to rest on Mia's companion.

"Good to see you too, Lena. We'll take a pint of coffee oreo to go. Thanks."

Lena's bright smile didn't bother to fade and she sent first Jay a wink and then Mia a wink of her own as she retreated into the kitchen behind to gather Mia's request. Mia leaned against the high counter, the sight of the shops interior and it's warm familiar smell making her feel right at home, as she certainly was in a way.

Jay's eyes were roving every which way, absorbing the wide open room with its various tables set about everywhere, most tables now sporting their chairs placed on top of their surfaces due to the late hour. When he looked back at her, he held a question in his eyes.

"I used to work here. Still do, technically. But just during the summer if I don't have anything else lined up."

Jay nodded but didn't get a chance to say anything when Lena reappeared with their purchase and then refused payment, claiming employees who showed up that late at night during November didn't have to pay. It was a gift to say sorry for the fact that they had gone insane since they were purchasing ice cream when the weather outside was nearing freezing.

"You two have fun."

Her farewell was thick with implication and Mia glared at her from over her shoulder as she exited the place behind Jay but Lena's warm smile and quick wink broke Mia's glare into a smile she couldn't help.

And so the two of them sat on the hood of Mia's car, plastic spoons in hand, passing the carton back and forth, while the building in front of them slowly shut down its lights and went to sleep for the night.

Mia waved to the few employees as they made their way hurriedly to their cars and warmth but Mia was unaware of just how cold it really was. Her fingers felt a bit numb but the ice cream was delicious and the company entertaining.

Their conversation was whispered over the shared carton, as though they should at least respect their surroundings in their decision to turn in for the night. It didn't take long for the carton to empty as well as the rest of the parking lot. Soon it was just the two of them.

"So. Your brother works at a burger joint."

Mia nodded in the affirmative.

"And you used to work, still kind of still work, at a creamery."

"Yup."

"And you're going to school to study photography with a minor in journalism."

"Is there a reason your listing facts about me?"

Jay shrugged, his smile refusing to leave his face.

"Just making sure I've got it all straight."

"I have a lot of siblings and they all do a lot of stuff so that might take a while. But as far as me, is there anything else you wanna know?"

Jay looked down at her and made sure their eye met.

"Yeah. Everything."

A/N:

Enter the cheese emoji here.

Also. You guys like that ice cream reference? It wouldn't be a GPG book without one. I blame Joy.

We met Kurtis last story. Now we've met Grant. And we already know and love Tori and Kate. What do we think of Mia's family so far? Want them to adopt you yet?

Yeah. Me too.

You'll get to meet everyone next week, I think. *Spoiler Alert* Mia has a very big family.

Okay. I've a question for you guys. What is the story behind your username?

Please tell me cuz I'm hella curious.

Mine is that my sisters call me Murph and it eventually morphed (||-//) into MurphnTurf which is a pun on the restaurant dish Surf and Turf which is apparently where they serve you steak and then seafood.

I think that's what it is anyway. It's apparently a thing in the US that I have never had but the name's funny so it kind of stuck.