Page 40 of Spin Serve

Kendra Bowie: They are sometimes. I get back to my rooms late, and not every hotel even has a restaurant, so I got in the habit of packing a few. This time, I forgot to refill before I left, so I only had one.

Aspen Ashley: We should work on that, then. You can do better than granola bars for snacks. I’ve got some great travel snack recommendations I can tell you all about the next time I see you.

Kendra loved Aspen’s use of the word we. In fact, their coffee together the other night had been an eye-opener for her. Wyatt had been right about Aspen’s ex-partner. And Kendra had, of course, remembered Alex’s name, but for some reason, asking Aspen about her in that moment, she hadn’t wanted to use it. It was petty, and Kendra knew it, but she couldn’t help herself. She wished Aspen could’ve stayed for dinner because she could’ve gotten to know the woman even more, but it was probably best that she left because Kendra liked watching her sip coffee. The simplest of things, taking a drink out of a mug, had her swooning, which was ridiculous, but it was true all the same.

Aspen Ashley: Your pizza and breadsticks are in the oven.

Kendra laughed and typed.

Kendra Bowie: Are you going to keep me updated at every step?

Aspen Ashley: Yes. How else will you know when your food is about to arrive magically at your hotel room door? Remember, pretend your knee is messed up when you open it. Don’t make me look like a liar, Kendra.

Kendra laughed again.

Kendra Bowie: But you are a liar, Aspen.

Aspen Ashley: It was a food-related lie, so it was a good lie.

Kendra Bowie: You’ll have to explain that one to me.

Aspen took a minute to respond, so Kendra stood and finally decided to change out of her work clothes and into her sleep clothes. She’d save her shower for the morning. When her phone dinged, she ran and jumped onto the bed, flopping down hard on her stomach with a woof sound before she grabbed it.

Aspen Ashley: You know how someone cooks you something, and it’s not your thing? Or, it’s actually objectively bad, but when they ask you how it is or if you like it, you lie and tell them it’s good so that you don’t hurt their feelings? Good lie.

Kendra Bowie: But what if they think you love it, so they make it for you again and again? Do you just have to keep eating it because you never tell them the truth?

Aspen Ashley: The only person who’s cooked me that many meals is my mother, and I didn’t have a choice. If she cooked it, I ate it.

Kendra liked this small opening that Aspen had given her.

Kendra Bowie: None of your girlfriends were big cooks?

Aspen Ashley: Not really, no. But I also like cooking enough, so I cooked for them whenever I was home. Not that I have a ton of ex-girlfriends.

Kendra Bowie: Did you lie to them if they did cook you something you didn’t like?

Aspen Ashley: Once or twice, maybe. And they were so proud of what they’d cooked. How do I really know it’s not great? Maybe everyone else would’ve loved it, and I’m the problem? Food is super subjective. Your pizza, breadsticks, and your lemon tea are on their way, by the way. Twenty minutes out.

“Lemon tea?” Kendra said to herself.

Aspen must have noticed that whenever Kendra was working, she generally had a lemon-flavored iced tea with her. Aspen had noticed, and she’d ordered it for her. Kendra melted a little more.

Kendra Bowie: If I cooked you dinner sometime, would you lie to me if you didn’t like it? And thank you.

She decided that since they were clearly on their way with this conversation, she might as well put it out there and hit send.

Aspen Ashley: If you cooked me dinner, what would it be?

Kendra smiled and shook her head.

Kendra Bowie: What do you like? Let’s start there.

Aspen Ashley: I’m not picky, remember.

Kendra sucked air between her teeth because Aspen hadn’t just given her a place to start.

Kendra Bowie: You’re a healthy eater, though, right?