Page 74 of April

“Practical people just meet maybe-not-models at pizza places?”

Asher smiled at her and said, “We order at the counter here.”

Stephania leaned back and looked up at the giant menu board behind the counter.

“Okay. What can I get you? Want to share a pizza or get one of your own?”

“You eat pizza?”

“Yes, I eat pizza,” Stephania told her with a laugh. “I’m lucky: I have a high metabolism.”

“So, the model stereotypes don’t apply to you?”

“I’m sure some of them do,” Stephania replied.

“I usually get a salad when I come here,” Asher said of herself.

“You get salad at a pizza place? Who hurt you?”

“You sound like my best friend,” Asher said, laughing.

“She hates salads, too?”

“She thinks healthy food tastes bad, so I should eat the junk stuff.”

“She’s right. Well, sometimes, I’d say. I’ve had healthy food that’s really good, but my guess is that the kind of salad you’re getting at the pizza place is just a pile of lettuce with some onions, maybe some cheese, and croutons on top. Am I right?”

“They have a chopped salad here that I usually get. It doesn’t stop Linden from making fun of me.”

“Linden is the friend?” Stephania asked.

“Yes. We also work together.”

Stephania nodded and said, “And she eats a lot of junk food?”

“Constantly,” Asher told her with another laugh. “She’s a horrible influence on me. She made me bacon for breakfast.”

“Breakfast?”

“This morning,” Asher said.

“Shemadeyou breakfast this morning?”

“Yeah. Do you want pizza, though? They have a great white pizza here.”

“Is that the one Linden usually gets?”

“Yeah. Why?” she asked.

“No reason,” Stephania replied.

Asher met her eyes and saw something there.

“Oh, no. It’s not–” She stopped herself. “Linden is just a friend.”

“Straight?”

“No, she’s gay, but we’re not like that.”

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