“Damn it. Now I feel bad. I just thought that you guys had figured it out. I’m sorry,” Kate said.
“Thanks for apologizing. I didn’t want this night to be spoiled because of the breakup. Who knows, maybe we’ll get back together someday.”
Cathy sighed. “I love second-chance romances; they’re so satisfying to write. Maybe that will be the plot for the new series I’m going to write.”
“So—” Jax started to say.
“Wait, I’m brainstorming here. They’ll meet on that Throuple app, and there will be some sort of mix-up where they both show up to be the second woman to a husband and wife couple.And then it will turn out they were cheerleaders and dated throughout high school—”
“And then they went to college, and one of them dated a man but was miserable,” Kate added.
“Did I hear that right? Are you finally going to write LGBTQIA romance?” Jax asked.
Cathy nodded her head.
“What finally gave you the push?”
Cathy pointed across the table. “She did!”
Hannah’s cheeks felt hot. She gave a little wave to Jax.
“I could kiss you! Do you have any idea how long I’ve been begging her to write something besides boy meets girl?”
“A long time?” Hannah shrugged. She looked at Kate, who’d stopped frowning with her whole face.
Kate rolled her eyes. “Years!”
Jax responded, “Yes, ever since Cathy first came here, like four years ago.”
Cathy gave Jax a light shove. “Anyway, I got a tarot card reading from Hannah, and it took me until today to realize the cards were telling me it was time to write something I loved. So, starting January first, I’m going to begin my new queer romance series. And tonight, you all have inspired me. If I don’t fall into a turkey coma by the time I get home, I’m going to outline book one.”
Hannah felt her chest swell. This night couldn’t get any better.
Chapter Twenty-two
The best meal she’d had all year was sitting like a rock in her stomach. Kate couldn’t stop thinking about Jax and Ellie’s breakup. “I’m going to go to the bathroom. I’ll be right back. Does anyone need anything?” All three of them shook their heads no.
Kate got up and slowly made her way to the bathroom. Once she was in the stall, she pulled out her phone and went to Ellie’s social media. She scrolled through Ellie’s posts looking for Jax. It wasn’t until she got to a post from April that there was a picture showing Jax and her. Kate sighed. She should unfollow Ellie; she didn’t want to know when Ellie started dating someone else. She got up and went to the sink to wash her hands. Inhaling a huge breath, she held it for ten seconds and then she let it out. Every part of Kate was telling her this was silly, and some of her agreed. But her mind couldn’t stop thinking about the breakup. Kate had been certain that Jax and Ellie were going to be together when they were in their eighties.
She was struggling to let go of her sadness. It was obviously an overreaction to be so upset about someone else’s relationship. When had she become so invested in Jax’s relationship? Just when she was starting to get closer to Hannah, this had to happen. Now she was questioning everything. She took a paper towel and patted a little water on her flushed face. After cooling off, she walked back to the table and sat down next to Hannah. Hannah reached down and laced her hand with Kate’s. Kate looked down at their hands, Hannah’s slim fingers and her pale, freckled skin entwined with her darker, older hand. Should she move forward and see where they would go? Or should she pull back? Hannah caressed Kate’s palm with her thumb. Kate’s stress level lowered with the relaxing movement.
“What’s everyone doing next Thursday?” Cathy asked.
“I’ll be here from noon to four, working the beer window,” Jax said.
“You’re open on Thanksgiving?” Hannah asked.
“The taproom is closed, but we sell cans and growlers. Jasper pays me overtime, and I get to keep all the tips, so it’s a good deal, especially since I no longer have to go to Ellie’s family’s house.”
“You never got along with her family, did you?” Kate said.
“I always got the feeling her dad was choking on using they/them with me.”
“That’s so messed up!” Hannah said.
Jax gave a slight smile. “It was, but I don’t have to worry about that now.”
“How about you, Kate?”
