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D inner had been somewhat awkward because they had to adjust to this new version of them now that it was out in the open. Asher hadn’t told Linden that she was in love with her or anything, but knowing that she was interested in her was probably enough for tonight. Neither of them had just a crush. It wasn’t just like between them, either, and they both understood that without saying the words.

Now, they needed to find out if this was something they could have. Maybe they only worked as friends, despite the fact that they both wanted more. Maybe this was something they needed to try, but it would all fizzle out the moment their lips met for the first time because they were never meant to be lovers. Asher hoped not because being here with Linden right now, finally telling her how she felt, made her so happy.

“Okay. We’re paid up,” Linden said after she signed the check that she’d insisted on paying just so she could be the one to tell Bryce how much she owed her. “Walk?”

“Yes, let’s go,” Asher said with a smile.

They rose from the table and took their to-go bags with them. While Linden insisted on making Bryce pay for two expensive dinners, and Asher felt like she did deserve it, she was also very grateful to Bryce right about now. They climbed into Asher’s car, putting the food in the back seat, and headed in the direction of a parking lot that would get them close to the Square and might actually have a few spots available if they were lucky. Neither of them said anything on the drive, but that was normal for them. They’d never felt the need to fill the silence between them, choosing to listen to music in the background or nothing at all. Asher parked the car, and they joined at the back of it.

“So, I’m going to hold your hand now,” Linden said. “And not as a friend, just so we’re clear.”

Asher smiled at her and said, “That’s fine with me.”

Linden took her hand, and they walked across the street and joined the crowd of people, mostly tourists, on their walk around the Square, taking in the artists and artwork along with the fortune tellers and tarot readers.

“So,” Linden began. “Are we going to talk about the elephant in the room?”

“What room? We’re outside,” Asher joked.

“Oh, come on.” Linden chuckled. “You’re better than that.”

“I know. Lame joke.”

“You know what I mean.”

“Can we not tonight, Linden?”

“You’re moving, Ash.”

“Just… Not tonight. This is my first real date with a woman.”

“What? No, it’s not. You’ve been on three. Cindy didn’t show up, but–”

Asher stopped walking and said, “No, this is the first real one. It matters, Linden. I went out on that first date with Emily because you were thinking about asking Jill out after you two made out on the dance floor. I went out with Cindy and Stephania for the same reason. I thought I couldn’t have you .”

Linden turned to her and asked, “Why didn’t you just tell me?”

“I don’t recall you telling me how you felt.”

“It’s different.”

“Why?”

“Because you were the straight best friend, as Bryce likes to say.”

“So? You still could have told me.”

“No, Ash. I couldn’t have. First of all, I didn’t realize it fully until very recently, but even when it had been just a crush – or, I thought it had been just a crush back when we first met – I would’ve ruined everything. If I’d been out back then and told you how I felt, you would’ve treated me differently. It wouldn’t have to do with me being a woman. It’s just about how when you don’t feel anything for someone and you know they feel something for you, it’s awkward. If I’d brought you a cup of coffee because I happened to be in the kitchen and thought you could use one, you would’ve thought it was because I liked you. It would’ve been awkward, and we wouldn’t have had what we have now. I wasn’t out, though, so it wasn’t an option anyway. Then, when I came out, I really did want to find out what and who I could like. I’d pushed this part of myself down for so long that I was worried I needed to meet a lot of different women to make myself happy and make up for lost time. But even if I hadn’t wanted that, you were still straight, and for part of that time, you were with Gavin.” Linden sighed. “And when you told me that you were interested in dating women, it didn’t click that I could maybe be that woman.”

“Why not?”

“Because I’m the friend. I don’t know. It felt like you were telling me because of that and because I had recently come out myself, so I would know a few things and could help. Then, you asked me to help you meet women, and we were talking about you getting your profile set up. I had no reason to believe that you wanted anything like this with me. If you wanted to date around, too, I wanted to support you how you’d supported me. It was only fair.” Linden looked around the Square. “Then, you started dating women, and I found myself not wanting you to.”

“Yeah?” Asher asked with a smile.

“Yeah. Emily was pretty, Ash. I sat at that table with everyone and just kept looking over at you two, even though I could barely see you from my seat, trying to figure out if you were having a good time. Part of me wanted you to enjoy yourself. The other part of me wanted Emily to tell you that she was a serial killer or something so that you’d never go out with her again.”

Asher laughed and said, “You’d want my date to be a serial killer?”

“No, but maybe she’d tell you that she had six cats and nine dogs, living in a studio apartment, with litter boxes and chew toys surrounding the bed or something like that.”

“That’s very different than being a serial killer, Linden,” she said with a smile.

“I didn’t want you to go home with her, but I didn’t know why for sure.”

“And you left your sure thing because of Cindy?”

“She stood you up. That pissed me off. But I told you that I’d leave a sure thing for you anytime. That has always been true, even when I had no idea that I wanted this.”

“And Stephania?”

“Is sexy, and it’s unfair.”

Asher laughed and said, “She is sexy. I’ll give you that.”

Linden lifted an eyebrow at her.

“Linden, so are you.”

“She’s a su–”

“If you say supermodel one more time, I’m going–”

“Okay… Okay.” Linden laughed and started swinging their joined hands.

“You just have no idea how hot you are, and that only makes you hotter,” Asher noted.

Linden’s eyebrow lifted again, higher this time, and she said, “I don’t think I’ve ever heard your voice dip low like that.”

“Well, it’s true,” Asher replied. “Your profile picture is sexy as hell, Linden. Your haircut makes you look like… Like you were always meant to be this version of yourself; like you’re comfortable in your own skin, and you know you’re hot, but you don’t use your powers for evil.”

“I have powers?” Linden asked.

“You have women messaging you every damn day. Yes, you have powers.”

“Do you ?”

“Do I what? Have powers?”

“No, that I already know. Do you have women messaging you every day?” Linden asked.

“Yes,” Asher said. “Not as many as you, though. And what do you mean you already know that one?”

“You have powers, Ash. I keep telling you that you have no clue how amazing you are. You got a–” Linden stopped and diverted, “Stephanie Galetti to message you on the app when, apparently, she doesn’t do that very often.”

“We’re going to call her by her real name from now on?”

“Did she let you call her by her real name, or did she insist you call her Stephania?”

“I didn’t ask,” she said.

“I bet she’d tell you that you could call her Steph or some cool nickname she has with her friends.”

“Want me to text her right now and ask?” she teased.

“What? No,” Linden said.

“I’ll delete the app when I get home,” Asher said. “I don’t want it, Linden. I never really did. I just didn’t know what to do.”

Linden didn’t say anything. She appeared to be looking over Asher’s shoulder at something or someone, so Asher turned just in time to see an older woman at a folding table. When the woman winked, Asher didn’t know whether she was winking at Linden or at her.

“Isn’t that the woman from the other night? The one you were talking to?”

“Yeah, I guess,” Linden said, returning her attention to Asher. “Let’s go.”

“Why did she wink at us?”

“No idea,” Linden replied. “Want to make beignets at your place?”

“I’ve only got the mix. We’ve been over this.” Asher laughed as they started walking again.

“Fine. We’re buying the other stuff, taking it to your place so that you have everything there, and we’re making beignets tonight, Asher.”

Asher continued to laugh as they walked around Jackson Square.

◆◆◆

An hour later, she was unlocking her front door, with Linden behind her, carrying their grocery bag and the to-go bags from the restaurant. Asher pushed the door open for her, dropped her purse and keys, and went to help Linden with the food.

“Can I put these in the fridge?” Linden asked.

“Yeah, there should be space. I haven’t shopped this week, and tonight, I only bought oil, powdered sugar, and your potato chips.”

“I got you a candy bar, too,” Linden said, walking by her and moving into her kitchen.

“I don’t eat candy bars, Linden.”

“It’s a healthy one.”

“There’s no such thing!” she yelled after Linden as she kicked off her shoes.

“It’s called Justin’s or something, and it’s supposedly all natural and better for you than the stuff the rest of us like. Just eat the damn thing and tell me if you like it so that I know.”

Asher made her way into the kitchen and watched as Linden moved around it like she knew it as well as her own, and Asher knew that she did. She smiled at the thought that things were still so normal between them even though they had expressed feelings of more than friendship just a couple of hours ago.

“I’m going to go change,” she said. “If we’re cooking with oil and powdered sugar in here, I need to be in sweats.”

“Can you bring my clothes down here for me, too? I’ll change in the guest room after I put the stuff away and get the bowl out to mix.”

“You can come to my room, Linden.”

Linden stopped moving and looked at her.

“To change. I can change in the bathroom until we…” Asher swallowed. “I mean, if we do that, you’d… see me… naked. Until then, we–”

Linden took a few steps toward her, took her hands, and said, “Go change upstairs. I need to get the stuff ready, so I’ll change down here, but only because of that, okay?” She smiled softly at her. “And I hope it’s not an if , Ash, but I’ll wait.” She nodded. “I’m not in any rush with you, okay?”

Asher could only nod rapidly out of nerves before she left Linden in the kitchen because her heart was going crazy, and she needed a moment alone.

“Jesus,” she let out once she was in her bedroom.

She’d just been talking about having sex with her best friend. Asher shook herself out of it and changed into a pair of sweats and Linden’s LSU shirt before she grabbed Linden’s clothes and made her way back down the stairs.

“Okay. Oil is on the burner, so be careful. I’ll change, and we can mix the batter.”

“Is it batter for beignets or dough?” she asked, handing Linden her clothes.

“I have no idea.” Linden laughed and walked off toward the guest room.

Asher watched as the oil started to heat up for a second before she pulled a bottle of already open red wine off her rack and removed the cork. She grabbed two wineglasses and filled them both. They could have wine with beignets, right?

“Okay. I’m ready. Let’s make some beignets,” Linden said.

Asher handed Linden a wineglass and held hers up.

“To us,” she said.

Linden smiled and replied, “To us.”

They clinked the glasses together, and each took a sip before the glasses were placed on the counter out of the way, and the box of the mix was dumped into a bowl, followed by the rest of the ingredients. Linden did most of the work while Asher watched on, and they talked about nothing in particular. Then, Asher walked to her purse, pulled out her phone, and chose a playlist that she thought fit the mood. When she started the music, Linden seemed to be happy with her choice because she started swaying a bit at first. Soon enough, her hips were moving from side to side, and she turned to Asher, taking her hand and pulling her into her as the music played.

“Dance with me?”

“You sure you don’t want to call Jill?” Asher teased.

“Shut up.” Linden chuckled and ran a finger along the shell of Asher’s ear as if moving her hair behind it, but Asher knew no hair had fallen out of place. “Dance with me, Ash.”

Asher nodded, but she didn’t know what to do. She’d never danced with another woman like this, let alone in her kitchen. Linden pulled her in, though, leading so that Asher could follow. Then, Linden moved Asher’s arms around her neck, and Linden’s went around her waist, settling against her lower back. Asher pressed her face against Linden’s neck, needing to be that close to her and not caring if they were no longer dancing. They’d yet to cook a single beignet, but she didn’t care about that, either.

“Ash?” Linden whispered.

“Yeah?”

Linden’s lips grazed her neck, causing Asher to let out a soft gasp at the unexpected touch. When Linden didn’t say anything else but kept moving, Asher understood that she’d been saying her name more to ask permission for what she was about to do, more than anything else. As Linden’s lips moved up to just below Asher’s ear, Asher shifted a bit to give her better access. Linden kissed her more firmly there before moving to Asher’s jaw, and kisses were placed there as well. Asher waited because she knew what was going to happen next. Or, at least, she hoped it would happen next.

They stared at one another for a long moment until Linden moved a hand from Asher’s lower back to her cheek and cupped it. Her thumb grazed Asher’s skin, and Asher’s eyes closed at the gentle touch. That was when she felt Linden’s lips pressed to her own. Her eyes still shut, Asher wasn’t sure what to do, but Linden understood her hesitation and began slowly moving her lips against Asher’s own. Finally, Asher opened her mouth slightly, giving Linden the chance to move her lips between them, and they were kissing.

Asher was kissing her best friend in her kitchen, with music playing and beignets left uncooked.