Kate froze for a moment, unsure what to say. She couldn’t imagine not being close to everyone in her family.
“So, no family group chat, huh?”
“Nope.” Hannah said, emphasizing the p as she answered.
Kate gave Hannah a clenched half-smile. “Do you want to talk about it?”
Hannah shook her head, and long curly locks fell in her face. Kate started to move to push her hair back behind her ear, but then she thought better of it. She hadn’t meant to end the evening on a heavy note, and she wasn’t sure how to reel it back in, especially since she’d opened her big mouth and asked if Hannah wanted to talk about it.
“Not really.”
Oh, thank God.Relief flooded Kate as if she’d just dodged a bullet.
“Well, at least you didn’t come to Marley Creek to get away from a crazy ex.”
Hannah avoided Kate’s eyes, and a panicked laugh flew out of her mouth.
“Oof, guess I hit a nerve. I can’t say I don’t relate,” Kate responded, and this time, Kate reached across the counter and pushed Hannah’s curls behind her ear. Hannah leaned into Kate’s hand. Kate brushed Hannah’s bottom lip with her thumb before she stood up. She picked up their dishes and placed them in her sink.
The clock on the stove read eleven-eleven. Kate leaned back against the sink. “I know I said midnight snack earlier, but I didn’t realize how late it was.” Kate stifled a yawn only to see Hannah yawn widely.
“Did I exhaust you?” She asked as she walked over to Hannah.
“I guess so.”
Kate leaned down and kissed the crown of Hannah’s head. “You’d better go get some rest. It’s a short ride to your place, right?”
Hannah stood up and glanced around the room.
“Your purse is next to your shoes. By the door.”
Hannah walked over to the door and put on her shoes and coat. She slung her purse crossbody.
“Well, that was—” Hannah started to say.
“Amazing? Mind-blowing?” Kate said and smiled.
“Great, I was going to say great.”
“I’ll take it.” Kate kissed Hannah slowly, enjoying the taste of caramel on her lips. When she broke off the kiss, she looked into Hannah’s unfocused eyes. She hadn’t noticed the flecks of gold mingled in her brown eyes.
“Y-you keep me off balance,” Hannah murmured.
Kate wanted to say,so do you, Hannah. But she wasn’t ready for that level of vulnerability, so she just said, “I’ll talk to you soon. Text me that you got home safe.”
“Mm-hmm,” Hannah said as she turned and walked out the door.
Kate wrapped her arms around herself. When she took a deep breath, she swore she still smelled Hannah. Was she getting too interested in her? It almost felt inevitable. Hannah was everything she could want in a woman. But what did she really know about her? Why didn’t she go home? What was the deal with her ex? Shit, she really wanted to know if Hannah’s ex was a man or a woman. Kate ground her teeth. She needed to stop spiraling. Hannah had it right. Family and ex problems were for therapists, not the person you were enjoying fabulous sex with.
Besides, Kate had a lot going on. The most important thing right now was to secure her home and her livelihood, and thatstarted tomorrow when she met with Dr. Echols. Her phone dinged. It was Hannah letting her know she was home. The text simply said, “Made it.”
Short, sweet, and emoji-free. Kate responded with a thumbs-up emoji and put her phone on the charger. Then she took a quick shower and climbed into bed. A bed that was barely cold after her adventures with Hannah. She rolled over and tried to get the gentle curves and sighs of Hannah out of her head. But it was no use. It was time to pull out her favorite toy and relieve the ache.
***
Kate walked into Books and Breads ten minutes before she was scheduled to meet Veronica Echols—the perks of living just a few doors down. A line of commuters getting their morning coffee before hopping on the train stood waiting for their orders. Donnie Larson, a tall, stocky guy in his mid-forties, sporting grey hair and a trimmed salt and pepper beard, was behind the espresso machine, cranking out the drinks. As fellow small business owners, they’d bonded over the last couple of years. She gave him a wave, and he nodded back. Then she found a small empty table with a view of the door and sat down. She’d wait until Dr. Echols arrived before ordering, and hopefully by then the crowd would be heading out to the train.
The scent of fresh coffee mingled with cinnamon made her stomach growl. She hoped Donnie would still have a pumpkin strudel-topped muffin left when she ordered. The entire store was decked out for Halloween, with leaf garlands hanging over the windows and cutouts of witches and bats on the walls.
