She said she was attracted to men who made her feel safe. Then she laughed and said she liked men who smelled of sawdust.

“The bad news is I’m not a good judge of men,” she admitted. “Correction, I think they are men, but they’re still little boys. Most of the boys I’ve gone out with get mad if they don’t get what they want. A few took it out on me. Because I wasn’t interested in them, something was obviously wrong with me.”

Ketch studied her. “You know I’d never hurt you, don’t you? We’re friends.”

She didn’t answer back, but something in her eyes told him she didn’t entirely believe him.

When the pizza arrived, she claimed no one in the history of the world had ever ordered so many meat toppings on a pizza.

He looked confused. “Next thing you’re going to tell me is you don’t like beer.”

“I don’t. Veggie pizza and tea, that’s me.”

He ordered her a small veggie and tea and let his pizza get cold while they talked. They were learning one another. She liked country music; he loved rap. He liked suspense movies with lots of action and she liked Disney. They had nothing in common. She hated guns and he owned half a dozen. She’d never been in a church and he’d changed religions every time he changed foster homes.

As he took his last bite, Ketch asked, “Anything else you can think of that we’ll probably argue over one day?”

“Well, I hate to mention it, but you’re too tall for me. I like men that I don’t have to jump to kiss.”

Ketch laughed. “I get your point. When I walk beside you, I’m talking to the top of your head.”

Smiling, she fired back. “And I’m talking to the underside of your chin.”

“We were meant to be friends, Tuesday, nothing more. But I promise, if you ever want to give me that kiss, I’ll be happy to lift you up. After all, we’re friends.”

“That’s not a bad thing to be. I’ve had few friends in my life.” She offered him her last slice of the veggie pizza. “When I was in grade school, kids were afraid to come to Grannie’s old house. I used to think I lived on another planet.”

“Me too. I moved around so often I never learned my zip code. When I joined the army, I felt like I had a home for the first time, even if it was just a locker and a bunk.”