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So instead, Xander picked up the menu. “What are you planning to order?”
If Maisy was surprised by the abrupt change in topic, she didn’t show it. She just lifted her own menu and began to flip through it. “Ooh, finally we get more Kanalean food. I think I’ll try the smoked fish in banana leaves with mango and lime salad and fried plantains.”
“I’m going for the roast pork and rice,” Xander decided. “Maybe we can exchange a few bites?”
“I’m not a huge fan of pork.” Maisy made a face. “Sorry.”
“Oh, I remember now.” Xander chuckled. “On your first visit to Aenicea, you spat a bite of a pork dumpling into your napkin when you thought no one was looking.”
“I did.” Maisy winced. “That wasn’t exactly dignified of me, was it?”
“Not really,” Xander admitted. “But I can’t blame you. You didn’t know there was pork in that dumpling and it must have been a surprise.”
“It was. And speaking of weird foodstuffs, didn’t you spend half your time in the United States eating French fries dipped in milkshakes?”
“That’s not weird.”
“Oh, yes it is.” Maisy shook her head at him. “It’s very weird. Why would you ruin a perfectly good meal like that?”
“Says the American. Your food is all weird! You have maple-bacon donuts, just for example.”
“I don’t eat those. Bacon.”
“Right. How about spreading squished nuts all over your bread?”
Maisy tilted her head, looking confused. Then her expression cleared. “You mean peanut butter?”
“Of course.”
“Now, that is normal!”
The conversation continued with easy, food-related banter, and Xander felt himself relax. They were back on firm footing, discussing completely unromantic topics. Maisy was describing an Aenicean savory porridge with such dramatic facial expressions that she might easily have been discussing a life-or-death matter. Xander nodded along, but his mind was far away. It felt good to be able to talk to Maisy normally, but their casual conversation didn’t dispel his feelings for the woman in front of him.
“Xander?”
“Sorry.” He smiled sheepishly. “I got a little distracted.” By how beautiful you are.
“Men.” Maisy rolled her eyes playfully. “Always thinking about one thing.”
Xander’s heart practically stopped in his chest. Did Maisy know what he’d been thinking about? How? Was he being that obvious?
“What one thing, exactly?”
“Food.” Maisy nodded to the menu in Xander’s hand. “That’s what you were thinking about, right?”
“Of course. What else?” Xander scanned the restaurant for their waiter, partly because he really did want to order, and partly just to have something to do.
The waiter arrived a few moments later and took their orders. Once he’d left, Xander turned back to Maisy.
“What other weird things have I seen you do with food…?”
“Nothing. I’m very normal.”
“Hardly.”
“Yes. Definitely.”
“I once saw you twist open an Oreo, scoop out the filling, put it on a strawberry, and then eat the strawberry.”
