Page 54 of April

“It’s about lunchtime. I made a reservation at Miguel’s. I know how much you love their salsa.”

“Hey, what’s going on?” Linden asked.

Asher watched her walk into the office and give Gavin a glare.

“Hey, Linden,” he said.

“Hi, Gavin. I didn’t expect to see you here.”

“I’m taking Asher to lunch.”

“No, you’re not, Gavin,” Asher stated.

“Come on, Ash. You ended things out of the blue. You can at least talk to me over lunch and tell me what happened.”

“Ididtell you,” Asher replied.

“No, you just said you were going through something. How am I supposed to tell my parents that the girlfriend I was about to introduce them to dumped me because she’s going through something but didn’t tell me what it is?”

“That’s not really her problem, Gavin,” Linden said as she crossed her arms over her chest.

“This isn’t really your conversation, Linden. Why are you in here?”

“I saw you come in, and I knew Asher didn’t invite you to the office today.”

“Gavin,” Asher spoke as she stood. “I’m not going to lunch with you, okay?”

“Can we at least talk here?”

“No, this is where I work,” Asher told him.

“Well, you didn’t respond to my message, and I called this morning, too.”

“I know.”

“That should tell you something,” Linden added.

“Linden, not helping,” Asher said, giving her a look.

“What happened, Ash? What are you going through?”

“I think I’m bisexual,” she stated a little louder than she’d planned.

“What?” he asked.

“That’s what I’m going through: I want to date women. I don’t want to be with you anymore, Gavin. It’s not there for us, okay?”

“But if you’re bi, what’s the problem?” he asked.

“Good Lord,” Linden grumbled. “You don’t listen well or atall, apparently, do you?”

Asher glared at her for a second before she said, “Gavin, I don’t want to be with you. We are broken up. I’m sorry, but that’s it. That’s what’s going on with me.”

“You’re still interested in men, though.”

“Yes,” she confirmed.

“So, it’s not that you’re gay; you just don’t wantme.”

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