Nina and Amanda
"I'd like that. Thank you." Nina reached for another pepper, emptying the plate between them before she reached for her glass of water, studying Amanda surreptitiously all the while. For as much time as they spent with one another after essentially getting thrown to the wolves together by Hemings, she barely knew the other woman outside of her political principles.
She was in the middle of wondering how best to remedy this when their waiter appeared next to them again, interrupting her thoughts with a sentence she'd never expected: "Madam Mayor, would you and your date like another order of appetizers before the mains?"
An expression of confusion flickered across Amanda’s face as she looked up at the waiter, but the misunderstanding was all too easy to grasp. After all, it was far from the first time she'd been mistaken for a politician’s date, as though something about her screamed arm candy rather than savvy professional. Once, in a life on the other side of a zombie outbreak, the mistake might have rankled. Now, though, was a different story.
“I think so, honey, don't you?” Amanda tilted her head to grin over at Nina in a way that made her whole face light up. Yet there was something in that smile that suggested a hint of a challenge, an invitation for Nina to join in on the ruse that was falling into place. It was a gamble, since the other woman could just as easily choose not to play along, but that didn't stop her from adding, “After all, this is a special night for us.”
"Ah, yes," Nina replied after a moment, driven more by her hunger than any interest in pulling their waiter's leg. "We may as well… darling." Her words were cooperative, yes, but the confusion, coupled with a lack of enthusiasm for an apparently special evening, was plain. Still, their waiter beamed in response to the both of them, clearly happy to fan the flames of their nonexistent love with additional jalapeño poppers.
"I'll be right back," he promised, retreating swiftly to bring them more food.
Nina made a few sort of tsk-ing sounds under her breath as she reached for her water, even as she sought to fight off a smile. "You didn't have to do that," she added once she could control herself and her own inadvertent amusement. "This is how rumors start."
“I’m aware of that. It’s also the way that fun experiences starts. And good stories, for retelling later.” Leaning forward to rest her elbows on the table, Amanda propped her chin on one hand. She was fairly certain that if Nina had truly disapproved of playing into the waiter’s misapprehension, she would have put an end to it right away. Nina didn't strike her as the kind of woman who was easily goaded into things against her will.
“Of course, if you want, I can explain when the waiter returns that I have a perverse sense of humor and enjoy watching my colleagues squirm. I’m sure he would understand. Or, at least, he wouldn’t blame you.” Amanda shrugged. “We can go back to talking about at the weather and stay on our best behavior for the rest of the meal. Or …” She trailed off, letting the sentence hang unfinished and full of potential. “It’s your call.”
"What makes you think I know how to behave in any other way?" Nina remarked self-deprecatingly, though that smile of hers was tugging into something a little larger as she took in the woman across from her. It was the first time she could ever recall them actually getting along, short though the moment was, and that was enough for her to give in to the idea.
"But all right." Nina gave a short, conclusive nod, less for Amanda's sake and more to confirm to herself that they were about to venture down this rabbit hole. "How long have we been together and what are we celebrating this evening? Are we upfront about you being the liaison, here, or are we creating another persona for you?" Perhaps their little game of charades didn't require such extensive backstory, but Nina had never done anything halfway before.