Page 50 of April

Linden smiled at her and said, “I wanted to come and get you, okay? I wasn’t feeling my date, anyway. But even if I had, I still would’ve come if you needed me. Now, let’s get a sloppy sandwich with a ton of remoulade. You’re getting kettle chips, too.”

“I don’t want kettle chips,” Asher replied.

Linden took her hand and pulled her along.

“Then, you can watch me eat the onesIget for you, but you’re eating the whole sloppy sandwich, Asher.”

“Can we get beignets after?”

Linden stopped and turned back to her.

“Youwant beignets?”

“I want something sweet. I know… Just go with it. Let’s be like the tourists.”

“We’re getting four orders, then.”

“What? That’s way too much.”

“It’s three per order. I’m eating at least one order. So are you. We can take the rest home, if you want. I’m thinking, an old movie night at your place with beignets and coffee.”

“I’m making the coffee at home.”

“Yes, we all know how much you love that expensive Kona blend. Stop bragging about it already,” Linden said, and shepulled her along again until they were walking side by side, still holding hands, though their fingers weren’t entwined.

CHAPTER 14

“Icannot believe I just watched you consume an entire Po-Boy, and now, you’re eating a beignet,” Linden said.

With no tables available at Café Du Monde, they had settled for the short cement wall that was behind the café and led up to the staircase that then led to the photo spot, as Linden thought of it. Tourists took the stairs and got the perfect view of St. Louis Cathedral, the statue of Andrew Jackson, and if they turned around, the water behind them and the boats that passed by.

“Well, it’s been an interesting few days, and I hardly ever cheat, so I might as well make the most of it.” Asher stuffed the rest of her beignet into her mouth, leaving powdered sugar all around her lips.

Linden laughed, watching it happen, and said, “You’ve got a little sugar right…” She faded as she reached forward and wiped at the powder just at the corner of Asher’s lips.

“I’m sure I have it all over me,” Asher replied, looking down and then away completely. “Thanks,” she added slowly.

“You’re just not practiced because you’re always eating healthy food.” Linden pulled another beignet from the brown paper bag she’d been given. “Like this.” She leaned over the open bag, took a bite of the fritter, and then turned to Asher, giving her a smile. “See? Nothing on my face or in my lap.”

“I have it in my lap?” Asher asked, looking down. “This is a two-hundred-dollar skirt.” She stretched out her legs.

“It’s too dark to tell.” Linden laughed. “You’ll probably discover powdered sugar in all sorts of exciting places later.” She took another bite, finished the beignet, and folded the top of the paper bag down. “The rest are for later.”

“But they’re so good when they’re warm,” Asher said as she lowered her legs.

“We can heat them back up if you want.”

“No. The powdered sugar will congeal.” Asher shook her head and made a cute face.

“We could always make some ourselves. I can buy the mix right now, if you want.”

“What about me eating healthy all the time makes you think I have a jug of oil at home and a giant thing of powdered sugar?” Asher asked.

“We can buy those things, too. They sell unhealthy food in the grocery store, you know? You’re just always in, like, only three aisles, buying the stuff no one else likes, Asher. I swear, they only stock those aisles for you.”

Asher rolled her eyes a bit before she smiled over at her and asked, “Want to walk for a bit?”

“Do you?”

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