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“That’s what I heard.”

“Then, I’ll try that with the asparagus.”

“Want to share with me if I get a steak? I’m thinking about the rib eye with the scalloped potatoes.”

“Split?” Kendra asked and looked over at her.

Aspen gave her a soft smile and said, “Yeah, share our food. Are you one of those people who doesn’t do that? Totally okay if you are. Just an idea.”

“She’s the kind of person who will steal from your plate without asking,” Monica replied instead.

“That’s what ‘stealing’ means, Monica,” Kendra returned. “And I don’t do that.”

“You used to steal all of my fries.” Monica laughed.

“You were an asshole and deserved it.” Kendra laughed.

“You can have some of my fries,” Aspen said.

Kendra looked at her in confusion.

“You’re getting scalloped potatoes.”

“I meant it more as a general fact. I don’t care if you steal my fries.”

“Just Kendra, or is that for everyone?” Monica asked.

“Well, it’s not for you. I just found out that you’re an asshole.”

Monica and Selena both laughed. Kendra seemed to find it funny, but her smile looked a little forced, and she looked up when the waiter arrived. They placed their orders, with Monica picking out an appetizer for the table and Aspen getting a sparkling water instead of the wine.

After the waiter left, they listened as Monica told the story of how she and Selena finally got together.

“It’s complicated. Last year, we moved in together to save money and because we wanted a place near the sand. It was a good idea for our beach partnership but not for my heart because I was in love with her, and we work together, you know?”

“I do, yeah,” Aspen replied.

Kendra looked over at her and squinted.

“What?” Aspen asked.

“Nothing.” Kendra shook her head.

“Anyway, after, like, almost a year of that, it was time to either renew our lease or not, and she was thinking about maybe getting a new place on her own that was farther away but cheaper, and I didn’t really know why.”

“She kept pestering me,” Selena added. “Until I finally told her that it was because I didn’t think we should live together anymore because I had feelings for her.”

“And then, I kissed her. I felt like it was better to show her that I felt the same way than to just tell her. Now, here we are. It’s been a few weeks, and we’ve since re-signed that lease, even though things are even more complicated now, but I have no regrets. I’ve loved living with her, and I don’t want to go back to living on my own. There’s just something about having someone to come home to, you know?”

“We’re usually together, so you’re not really coming home to me,” Selena countered.

“Yeah, but it’s the saying. Like, you come home to someone, and it feels nice.”

When neither Aspen nor Kendra said anything, both women sitting across from them seemed to realize it, and they cleared their throats at the same time.

“So, Kendra, how’s the new house?” Selena spoke.

“It’s good.”