Deb’s mouth went dry.
Hayley poked around on her phone and then glanced up and around. Deb managed to pry one hand out of her pocket so she could raise an arm and wave, catching Hayley’s attention. The smile she got in return, a sight so rarely seen during their butting heads era, made her stomach fizz a little with excitement.
She’d never seen Hayley in civilian clothes before. Or with her thick blonde hair down, for that matter. To see her now, not in a bun, in a pretty blue flowered dress instead of black scrubs and sneakers… honestly, it was breathtaking. Like a whole new person.
A whole new even more very attractive person. Deb swallowed.
“Hi,” Hayley said as she walked up. “Sorry I wasn’t earlier.”
“You’re not even late. No worries.” Deb found herself shoving her hands back into her pockets in the face of Hayley’s unrestrained prettiness.
“Well, good. I just wasn’t totally sure where to go. I’ve never been here before.”
“Never?” That took Deb aback. She’d thought every queer woman in LA had been to the Lounge at least once.
“I’m a little bit of a homebody,” Hayley confessed as they walked towards the doors of the Lounge. “I’ve heard good things about the food here, though. I just don’t like driving downtown, honestly. That’s why I took the bus today. I really thought that would be more of a hassle, but it was fine.”
“No weirdos, pervs, or noisy preaching types?” Deb raised an eyebrow as she reached for the Lounge door.
“I didn’t say that.” Hayley chuckled and stepped through the door. “Thanks.”
“Sure.” They stood in the doorway to wait for a hostess, letting their vision adjust to the dim lighting. “I love this place, honestly.”
“Yeah?” Hayley was looking around in interest at the opulent décor of the Lounge, at the velvet-curtain-draped stage, the multiple floors ready for loads of sapphic dancers, at the tiled bar standing central to it all.
Ruby was sitting at the bar, her laptop and a big milkshake in front of her. She glanced up and spotted them at the door, and her eyebrows went up with interest.That her?she mouthed.
When Deb nodded, Ruby’s face brightened up with an impressed smile, and she offered a surreptitious thumbs up that made Deb chuckle.
“What’s funny?” Hayley asked, curiosity in her blue eyes.
“Just an inside joke between me and a friend.” Deb indicated Ruby at the bar.
To her surprise, Hayley’s eyes widened. “Is that Ruby Fierelli?”
Deb’s eyebrows show up. “You know Ruby?”
“I know her books. Iloveher books.” Hayley looked almost girlish in her excitement, and as at odds as it felt to the no-nonsense protocol stickler Deb knew, it was also endearing. She liked it.
“Come on, I’ll introduce you.” Deb gently took Hayley’s elbow in her hand and tugged her over to the bar. She tried not to be distracted at how warm and soft Hayley’s skin was under her fingers. “Ruby, hey. I’m bringing a fan to meet you.”
“A fan! I love it. Hi!” Ruby hopped down from her barstool, beaming brightly. “Ruby Fierelli. And you are…?”
“Hayley Milton.” Hayley’s eyes were wide and sparkling with joy as she reached out to shake Ruby’s extended hand. “I’m a huge fan. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve re-read theLondon Heartbeatstrilogy.”
“Oh, God, thank you! I loved writing that series so much. Definitely made me want to visit London one day soon.” Ruby’s smile grew wider.
“You’ve never been? Wow! I really felt like you knew the city well. I spent a summer at Cambridge in college, I went down to London so much.” Hayley was animated, talking with her hands, and Deb was fascinated by this new side of her. She was used to seeing stern-faced, judgmental, uptight Hayley. But this Hayley was smiling, gesturing, expressive, and… happy.
Hayley was always pretty, but this kind of deep-down-in-the-heart joy for something? That made her beautiful. Deb fought to keep her own face from melting into a sappy grin at the sight.
A Lounge hostess walked over. “Table for two?”
“Oh, yes, please.” Deb touched Hayley on the arm, hating to interrupt the conversation. “Hayley?”
“Yeah! Sorry!” With a wave to Ruby—who looked at Deb with wide eyes and a delighted smile—Hayley all but skipped alongside the hostess towards their booth, as alight as a Christmas tree. “Wow! Ruby Fierelli! I had no idea she came here. I would have 100% paid a visit sooner.”
“I’m learning so much about you today. It’s amazing.” They slid into their booth and accepted the menus handed to them by the waitress. Deb waited for her to leave before setting her menu aside and leaning across the table. “You really studied at Cambridge?”
