Video content by Alaa Starves on Youtube (they have a huge collection of awesome street food videos that take me right back to Thailand). This would be the meal that Tom and Maria are having.

***

Tom and Maria sat at the supposed restaurant, which was composed of a handful of tables with checkered tablecloths on the sidewalk of a noisy road. Steaming clay pots rested on the other tables, and a savoury, meaty odour drifted toward them. Had Mitch recommended this place to make the date lacklustre and forgettable? He'd already made the evening uncomfortable with his intimate conversation with Maria before Tom arrived then the awkward proclamation of their close friendship. Tom tried to ignore the apprehension, but it didn't sit well with him. Mitch was up to something. Tom needed to uncover what before it ruined his chances with Maria.

"Oh my gosh! Look at that." Maria pointed to the ground where flames shot from a clay base filled with charcoal and encased in a metal box. She clasped her hands together and grinned. The 'restaurant' owner placed a clay pot of water on the flaming device and flames continued to lick the sides.

Tom snorted. "They must be pretty confident those won't damage the tabletops." Only a thin piece of wood separated the metal boxes from the tables.

She laughed. "It must work. They still have tables, don't they?" She seemed transfixed by the process, unable to tear her eyes away.

Perhaps Mitch's suggestion was genuine, but in that case, why would he want to help? What was in it for him? Was it to show Tom up and prove he was the better man?

The worker walked the now flaming clay pot to the table and placed it in the centre. He showed three with his fingers and said 'wait'. Maria nodded and thanked him. A woman arrived carrying a basket of herbs and a plate of various raw slices of meat. Tom hoped they'd kept those cool all day so he wouldn't be puking or worse this evening. Maybe Mitch's motive was food poisoning. The woman pointed to the meat, and the chopsticks, and mimed a stirring action as she spoke in Thai. It appeared there were raw eggs in there too. The man returned with a plate of veggies in a red sauce. Tom and Maria thanked them as they left.

"Do you want to do the honours?" Tom gestured to the bowl. "You're the award-winning chef."

"I didn't win the contest, just got invited to the final round."

He smiled. Her humbleness was a virtue. "That's close enough in my books."

Maria tore the paper off a set of chopsticks and stirred the meat and egg around until everything seemed coated. Once the water had a rolling boil, she dropped slices of meat and seafood into the pot. Some of the meat resembled nothing Tom had ever tried. Perhaps it was the offal. Maria didn't comment, which could mean the food didn't faze her or she had tried it before.

Two loud motorbikes whizzed by with obnoxious motors, making him cringe.

"I'm sorry this place is so..." Tom looked to the street.

"So what?" Maria set the bowl and chopsticks down. "Different, fun, exciting?"

"You see the bright side in everything."

She looked at the remaining ingredients on the table and sighed. "Do you not like it?" Her brown eyes met his, almost a hint of sadness resting within them.

"The food smells appetizing, but the place is... so casual."

Maria sat up straighter. "Casual places have the best food. They're run by hardworking people who can't rely on brand names or fancy décor to attract their customers. All they have is their reputation and strong work ethic."

Tom nodded. "That's a very empathetic outlook."

"I worked at a 'casual' family restaurant for years. People come for the food and atmosphere. You can be yourself there without judgment."

He was two steps behind Mitch, who must have known this about her when he suggested that. The man wasn't bluffing when he said he was good friends with Maria. What other advantages did he have over Tom?

"If it makes you that uncomfortable, we can find a different place or I could cook something."

"No, I'm looking forward to trying it. I'm just..." He sighed. A healthy relationship wouldn't grow out of repressed feelings. Not that they'd reached that point, but perhaps one day. He and Mackenzie had kept everything that bothered them hidden for years and it ended the relationship. He needed this to be different with Maria. "It bothers me that Mitch recommended a place you like and care about."

She shook her head. "You were the one who asked."

"Yeah, but I didn't think..." Tom scratched at the dry skin on his forehead.

"That what, Mitch could give a decent one?"

"That he'd resist being a jerk about it."

"There's more than one side to a person." Maria eyed him like he was the insensitive one. He suppressed a groan. That womanizer was an absolute menace, and Maria defended him like a hurt puppy, but if Tom pointed it out, he was the jerk. None of this was fair.

"I've seen the side he's shown to me and Becca."

Maria picked up the plate of veggies and tipped them into the steaming clay pot. "Listen Tom, I understand you guys have this strange rivalry, and I'm not supporting what he did to her. I've told him he was a jerk, and he seemed remorseful. Like I said earlier, Mitch and I are good friends. My ex was so jealous he controlled who I could be friends with and how I acted around them. I won't let that happen again."

Tom swallowed a lump in his throat. Why had he opened his mouth? Now he was akin to abusive ex and somehow worse than Mitch, who was just as much of a scumbag.

Maria reached out and took his hand. "I appreciate you telling me. After what you went through with your ex, I get it. Someone you cared about betrayed you, and the same happened to me. I just want to make it clear I want a relationship where I can act like myself and make my own choices when we're together and apart."

His heart lifted. "You want a relationship?"

"Not this second, but in time, yeah, that's why people date, isn't it?"

Tom nodded too many times, which made Maria laugh. A weight lifted off his chest.

"I wish I felt as relaxed as you look," he said.

"If you're nervous, you care about what you're doing."

"Should I worry that you're so calm?"

Maria smiled. "Food and cooking soothe me and make me feel like a boss. Next time we can do something you like... like science?"

Tom laughed. "Or hiking or a nature date."

"That's why you were so smooth at the waterfall!"

"Smooth? I was convinced my heart was about to beat itself into submission."

Maria's giggles dissolved the tension in his upper body, and he joined in her laughter. Perhaps he hadn't ruined their date after all.

"You had me fooled."

"Did you really think I was smooth?"

Maria nodded. "That and a few other things," she said in a husky voice.

"Really?" His face warmed.

Her cheeks reddened, and he grinned. After reaching out, he ran his thumb over the top of her cheekbone. They both drew closer like oppositely charged particles. His eyes were drawn to her pink lips then back to her mascara-lined eyes. Even if they were at eating at plastic tables on a sidewalk, she'd fit in a fancy restaurant. She'd dressed up because she cared about him.

"May I?" he whispered.

"If you don't, I'm going to," she whispered back.

His hand slid to the base of her skull as their lips connected. Unlike on the terrace, he didn't hesitate. This one was full of promise, and she kissed him back with passion. The only hesitancy came when he pulled away and their lips kept being drawn back together.

"Was that smooth?" Tom asked.

Maria grinned and bit her bottom lip which he already missed. "The jury's still out. Try again."

He laughed and drew her closer, tasting her strawberry-flavoured lip gloss until someone cleared their throat at the next table.

"I guess we should finish cooking the soup." The way she smiled at him melted the insecurities he had about Mitch or his recommendation.

He grinned back. "If we have to."

She handed him leafy greens and herbs to rip up. After lifting the clay lid, she placed the torn ones inside, and he did the same. A delicious aroma floated off the soup, a meaty broth with spicy hints. The intensity of the flames had diminished, but the charcoal's residual heat still warmed the air. Maria added the noodles then replaced the lid.

Once the soup was finished and Maria served it into bowls, they waited for it to cool. With her chopsticks, she picked up and blew on a dark, round piece of meat that looked different from the slices.

"Ever tried liver?"

Tom shook his head.

"Want to?"

His first instinct was to decline, but she looked at him with warm, hopeful eyes, and he didn't want to ruin the pleasant rhythm they'd built. "Sure."

She brought the meat to his lips, and he took a bite. The texture was grainier than he liked, but she could hold up a fried scorpion and he'd still try it to keep the smile on her face. She pulled the meat back and finished the rest herself.

"Thoughts?" she asked.

"Good. Is it supposed to be grainy?"

She laughed. "Don't worry, the rest of your bowl has 'normal' stuff."

"That doesn't seem fair to you."

Maria stirred her bowl. "This is normal for me."

"Well, it's only fair to share." He held up a strip of beef to feed her.

They continued their game a few more minutes before digging into their bowls, otherwise, they'd be there all night. When they paid, Maria insisted they split it, but agreed to let him treat her to ice cream. He took her hand and led her down the narrow street to the colourful sundae shop. As a group of motorcycle taxis raced by, Tom grabbed Maria by the waist and pulled her toward him. Their proximity made it harder to force air into his lungs.

Maria giggled. "This reminds me of the day we met when you were showing me the way to the yellow-bar restaurant."

"Almost, but I couldn't do this then." He swept down and planted a kiss on her lips. Now she tasted like pork and sweet and spicy sauce. She wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed her body into his. This time, he waited until she broke away with a grin on her lips. The emotion was contagious and spread throughout him. He'd forgotten how wonderful it felt to be desired and appreciated.

"I'm glad we're doing this."

"Going for ice cream or not getting hit by motorbikes?" she joked.

"Giving us a chance."

Maria looked into his eyes. "Me too. I'm having a great time."

"This is hands-down my best day in Thailand."

She chuckled. "The street food grew on you after all."

"It's not the food."

She reached up to stroke his cheek. As she drew closer and inched onto her tippy-toes, he leaned down to meet her for another incredible kiss.