Marin’s vision blurred as tears filled her eyes. “Yes, I think so, and it’s killing me because, as her friend, I want to help her through this, but as the woman she kissed, I understand why she doesn’t want to be around me right now. It’s an awful situation.”
“Especially unfortunate for your first kiss with a woman,” Michelle said, her tone sympathetic.
“You said you don’t initiate hugs with female friends, but you look like you need one.” Audrey stood and wrapped her arms around Marin, and she was right. Marindidneed this.
“Thank you,” she murmured, hugging Audrey back. “I feel so much better after talking about this with you.”
“I’m glad.” Audrey patted her back and then released her. “That’s what friends are for, especially queer friends. We get the nuances of this situation, right?”
“Right,” Marin agreed.
“So how have you left it with her?” Michelle asked.
“She said she needed time, so I’m giving it to her.” Marin stared at her empty glass. “And then, if she decides it was a mistake, I’ll get back to my dating app, because if there’s one thing I’ve realized since kissing her, it’s that I want a relationship with a woman even more than I thought.”
“You’ve waited long enough,” Michelle agreed. “And ... if you do give things a try with this friend, it would be both of your first times with a woman, I assume? That could be complicated.”
“Or likereallyhot,” Audrey cut in with a cheeky grin. “Both of you experiencing sapphic sex for the first time together? That could be off-the-charts sexy, just saying.”
Marin’s cheeks were on fire, and she wished she had more champagne. As if she’d read her mind, Michelle reached for the bottle and refilled Marin’s glass. “Or it might be awkward,” Marin said. “Neither of us knowing what to do ...”
“It’s so intuitive, though,” Audrey said. “And you’ve known you’re a lesbian for so long, I bet you’ve done your research, maybe read some sexy books, at least?”
“Feel free to ignore her if she’s too much.” Michelle rolled her eyes at her fiancée. “She’s much more open when it comes to talking about sex than I am.”
Marin drank more champagne. She’d had enough now to be tipsy, and yes, she was embarrassed by Audrey’s question, but she was alsoloving the chance to talk about these things with queer friends. She’d never done this before. “I’ve done my research, yes.”
Audrey cackled. “I knew it. See? You’ll be fine. I hope your friend decides to go for it. I really do.”
So did Marin.
An hour later, she was alone in her kitchen waiting for the lasagna to heat up, having been unsuccessful at convincing Audrey and Michelle to stay for dinner. She’d fed Ember and taken some ibuprofen for her pain. In a few minutes, she’d sit down to a home-cooked meal by herself. That was okay, though.
She was too excited about being in her new house tonight to feel lonely. She was here with her puppy. She’d enjoyed champagne with her queer friends, and the vase! She couldn’t forget the vase. It was beautiful, and she couldn’t wait to put up some shelves to display it on. Her love life might be a mess, but she had so many other things to be thankful for.
The oven beeped, letting her know the lasagna was ready. She peeked inside to check on it. The lasagna bubbled on top, and it smelled delicious. She’d be eating it for a week with no one to share it with, but she’d always been a fan of leftovers.
She’d better leave the lasagna out to cool for a few minutes before she tried to eat it, though. Ember probably needed another trip to the backyard. Marin didn’t want any more puddles on her new floors. She’d just turned to look for the puppy when she heard a knock at the front door. Who in the world could it be this time?
Confused, Marin walked to the door. She flipped on the porch light belatedly, because it was pitch dark outside, but she hadn’t been expecting visitors. The porch flooded with light, revealing a tousle of blond hair that made Marin’s heart jump into her throat.
Charlotte blinked at her through the glass, startled by the sudden light.
Marin opened the door. “Charlotte? This is a surprise.”
Charlotte gave her a tentative smile. “I wasn’t sure if you’d moved in yet. How are things going so far?”
“This is my first night here.” Marin’s confusion must have shown on her face, because Charlotte dropped her gaze to her hands, then looked up again, her expression determined this time.
“I ... I can’t stop thinking about you, and ... can I come in?”
Chapter Eighteen
Marin was flushed and flustered as she invited Charlotte into her house. The champagne was long gone from her system, but she felt drunk as she faced Charlotte. Her heart pounded, and her head spun. “I don’t have much furniture or anything else to offer yet, but I do have a lasagna I was about to eat if you’d like to join me?”
“You don’t have furniture, but you baked a lasagna?” Charlotte followed her toward the kitchen, taking off her coat as she walked. Then she froze, her gaze locked on the wineglasses on the counter. “Do you have company?”
“Audrey and Michelle stopped by earlier to welcome me to the neighborhood, so to speak,” Marin said. “They brought the lasagna—and the champagne—although they couldn’t stay for dinner, so I was faced with eating the whole thing myself.”
