“Of course there is.”
“Not always.”
“Comforting.”
“Some families require proof that the suitor can protect.”
Al leans back with a groan. “Kauss, if you try to prove yourself to Evie by fighting something, she’ll hit you with a rolling pin and then cry because your feelings got hurt.”
“She does not own a rolling pin large enough.”
“She’ll buy one.”
This is likely.
“What do humans do?” I ask.
“Badly?”
“Al.”
“All right, all right.” He scratches his beard. “You ask her to spend time with you someplace that is not work.”
“I already spend time with her at work.”
“That’s why I said someplace that is not work.”
“We walked to the tunnels.”
“That was charity, trauma bonding, and sewer tourism. Not a date.”
“Sewer tourism?”
“Don’t look at me like that. I’m helping.”
“You are assigning names to things that should not have names.”
“A date is simple. You say, ‘Evie, would you like to have dinner with me?’”
“We already eat dinner.”
“At the bakery?”
“Yes.”
“With Darlene watching like a hawk who smokes?”
“Yes.”
“That doesn’t count.”
“Why?”
“Because she feeds everybody. You need to make it clear you’re asking because you want her company, not because soup exists near both of you.”
I consider this. “What if she refuses?”
“Then you survive.”
