“I had a bad experience with a girlfriend a few years ago who kept me a secret from everyone in her life, and I won’t put myself in that situation again.”
“That’s fair,” Jules said. “And, while the thought of coming out to my mom is kind of terrifying, I also couldn’t imagine doing this andnottelling her. She doesn’t need to know about my sex life, but she does deserve to know who I’m dating.”
“Okay.” Sophie nodded, the purple-patterned quilt tickling her cheek, thrilled with the possibility that this might really happen. “So, take whatever time you need to be sure, and then, you know, invite me over again.”
“Or you could invitemeover,” Jules said coyly.
“Negative. I sleep on a pullout couch.”
“Ah.” Jules’s hands slid down to grip Sophie’s. “This is nice, you know. It’s better than I thought it would be, even if we’re just fooling around for now.”
“I’m glad,” Sophie told her. It had been a long time since she’d been anyone’sfirstof any kind, and there was a sense of responsibility to it that she wasn’t sure she liked. She was barely managing her own life, let alone guiding someone else’s.
“Tell me more about your family,” Jules said.
“We’re close, but maybe not as close as you are with yours,” Sophie told her. “They’re pretty great. My dad owns a lawncare service, and my mom’s a teacher. My brother, Tanner, is a fitness instructor. He got married last year.”
“Do you like your new sister-in-law?”
“Yeah, she’s pretty cool. No complaints.”
“And you said they’re supportive?” Jules asked.
“They are, but…”
Jules squeezed her fingers.
“They’re…practical, I guess. They were amazing when I came out, and they were fully supportive when I first moved to the city to pursue my Broadway dreams. But now they’re pressuring me to give it up and come home, or at least get a more stable job with a steady paycheck.”
“Why?” Jules asked. “What’s changed?”
“I guess now that I’m pushing thirty, they want to see me more settled. They feel like I’ve given Broadway a good try, and now it’s time to move on. The truth is, I’ve struggled a lot financially over the last few years. It’s why I’m sleeping on a couch.” She scrunched her nose. “I haven’t found much acting work. I’ve been mostly waiting tables while I go from audition to audition, but I can’t even hold down a decent waitressing job while I’m focused on my Broadway career, you know?”
“I do know,” Jules said with a sympathetic expression. “How do they feel aboutIt’s in Her Kiss?”
“Oh, they’re thrilled. Like, beyond thrilled. Don’t get me wrong. They’re super happy for me, but what happens once my contract is up and I’m back to waiting tables?”
“Well, what doyouwant?” Jules asked, nudging her toes against Sophie’s. “Is there another career you’ve considered?”
She shook her head. “Theater is the only life I’ve ever wanted, and I’m not ready to give up on it yet. I think my parents were hoping I’d spend a few years performing and then move to the suburbs, get married, and give them grandkids, but that’s their dream, not mine.”
“You don’t want to get married?”
“I don’t have strong feelings on it one way or the other,” Sophie said. “If I meet the right person? Sure. But Broadway has been my focus, and it still is.”
“Fair enough.” Jules edged closer to her on the bed, reaching out to trace Sophie’s lips with her fingers. “I always assumed I’d get married, and I always imagined it would be to a man. But I’ve been more focused on my career than my love life too, and now…well, I don’t know about the man part either.”
“Your options have increased,” Sophie teased.
“Yes.”
“I don’t think Micki’s coming.”
Jules shook her head, and a lock of hair fell across her face. “I don’t either.”
Sophie scooted forward, and their lips met. This kiss was softer and gentler than its predecessor, an ending—at least for today—rather than the start of something more.
Jules pulled back to give her a lazy grin. “Maybe next Sunday, I won’t even invite her…or Amir.”
