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“You and Vanessa are the new lesbian dream couple,” Rachel said matter-of-factly.

Vanessa nodded.

“There are even Facebook groups about it now. And there’s a Twitter hashtag too.” She looked at Rachel. “What is it again?”

“Hashtag VanessaAndThatNewBlonde,” Rachel provided.

Vanessa looked at Ainsley.

“They don’t know your name yet,” she said. “Anyway, it’s stupid, I know, but, hey…lesbians.” She shrugged.

Ainsley blinked.

“And you’re not bothered by this?” she asked Rachel.

Rachel scoffed.

“Are you kidding me? I went from being invisible to being the girlfriend of one of the two hottest lesbians in Carlsbad. I’m the second Megan.”

“Wait. Who’s Megan?”

“My fiancée,” Vanessa answered.

Rachel went on.

“Aaaand…being the second Megan has advantages. Sometimes women in here buy my coffee for me.”

Vanessa nodded.

“It’s true,” she confirmed. “Speaking of Megan, she’s next door at the gallery; you should say hi.”

Ainsley turned to look where Vanessa indicated.

“That’s a gallery?” she asked. She had noticed the door which obviously led to a space next door on previous visits but she hadn’t bothered investigating it. “Like an art gallery?”

“Yep,” Vanessa said.

“Megan’s stuff is amazing,” Rachel said.

“Can we go look after we get our drinks?” Ainsley asked Rachel. She had a new house, after all, with plenty of wall space to hang stuff on.

“Go now,” Vanessa said. “I’ll have Luli bring your drinks to you in there.”

Once through the door which connected La Vida Mocha to the charming gallery beyond, Ainsley instantly started trying to decide which of her credit cards she was going to use to buy some art.

The works on display were all poster-sized black-and-white drawings and were obviously drawn by an artist who has an appreciation for the female form. The artist—Megan—also obviously had a thing for ballerinas, as most of the works depicted those dancers in various poses which not only showed the grace and fluidity of the art form but also the strength of the women who practiced it.

A somewhat-past-middle-aged woman greeted them. Ainsley guessed she might be a retiree who worked the gallery in order to get out of the house and away from her husband. Rachel told her they were friends of Megan’s.

“I’ll go get her,” the lady said pleasantly before heading towards the back.

“Isn’t this fabulous?” Rachel asked.

“I see two already that I want to buy,” Ainsley informed her. She pointed. “That one.” She pointed again. “And that one.”

“That one,” Rachel said, pointing at the first selection, “would look great in your front room”

Ainsley smiled.