Page 29 of April

“Do you want to go out with her?” Linden asked, feeling the weight of this question in her tone and not understanding why it felt so important.

“She seems nice,” Asher replied.

“She’s cute, too,” Melinda said.

“Can I see?” Kyle asked.

Without looking away from Linden, Asher passed her phone to Kyle.

“What do I do?” Asher asked her.

“Whatever you want, Ash. It’s up to you.”

“I’ve never been on a date with a woman.”

“Doessheknow that?’

“No. Should I tell her? Won’t she think that’s weird?”

“If she does, she’s probably not the right one for you,” Melinda offered.

“Sheiscute,” Kyle said as she handed the phone back to Asher.

“Linden?” Asher asked.

“Ash, it’s up to you. I’m sorry. I don’t know that I can help here. It’syourdate.”

“Can you be there?”

“On yourdate?”

“Yeah, just in case.”

“Like a safety thing?” Melinda asked.

Asher just nodded at Linden.

“We could all go,” Kyle offered. “Mel and I don’t have any plans tomorrow night. We could be there in solidarity.”

“Bewherein solidarity?” Jill asked, walking in. “And can you break this for me? A guy wants one single tour for twenty bucks, but he paid in a hundred. I don’t have enough change out there. Who still pays in cash, anyway?”

“Sure,” Melinda said and went about opening the safe to make change for Jill.

“I might have a date tomorrow night,” Asher answered Jill’s earlier question.

“And you need these three to go on it with you?”

“It’s with a woman,” Asher replied.

Jill looked surprised but said nothing.

“Um… Don’t you have a boyfriend?” Kyle asked then, seemingly remembering it at the same time.

“Not anymore,” Asher replied.

“Cool,” Jill said. “I’m in, if the offer is open for us all to be there.”

“Allof you?” Asher asked.

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