“And? Do you have any idea how much stamina is required to keep up with Amelia?” Jo sighed. “I’m burning calories at aridiculousrate.”
Evie snorted as she dropped into a seat at the dining table. “God, I miss you at Satin. I miss our fun and the spontaneous evenings there.”
Amelia’s brows lifted. “Fun? You mean tragic.”
“I mean dependable,” Evie said softly. “I mean, youalwaysshowed up. Even when your world was falling apart. And now you’ve stopped doing that for all the right reasons.”
Caught off-guard by the sudden emotion behind Evie’s words, Amelia blinked back tears.
“I’m proud of you for choosingyou. For choosingthis.” Evie eyed Jo. “I’m proud of you for letting someone really love you without hiding who you are.”
Amelia’s heart clenched in the most beautiful way. “Thank you.”
“The same goes for you,” Ada said, grinning at Jo. “From where you were a little over a year ago, to now…I’m so happy you took the chance to be happy. You deserve the world with one another.”
“Well, I’m not sure that would have happened without the support of my best friend.” Jo squeezed Ada’s hand and smiled. “You made it all make sense when I was trying to find reasons to sabotage it all.”
“I know I turned it into a bit of a joke at the start, but I’ve never seen you like this, Jo. You’re settled. Not a boring kind of settled…just, content. In a way youneverwere with Callum…or anyone else for that matter.”
Jo reached across the couch as Amelia sat beside her and laced their fingers. “I didn’t know I was allowed to want this until her.”
Amelia lifted Jo’s hand and pressed her lips to the back of it. “I think deep down, we always knew we were allowed it. But love makes us do funny things, right? I mean…I pretended to be someone else just so I could be close to you.”
“I wish you’d never felt as though you had to do that, but thank God you did.”
“Right, I think it’s time Ada and I left.” Evie groaned dramatically. “God, this is why I go to the club. All of this is too lovey-dovey for me.”
Ada grabbed her coat. “Are you offering me an evening at Satin, Evie?”
Evie lifted a brow. “Oh, I don’t know if you could handle me.”
Amelia cleared her throat as she rose to her feet. “Whatever conversation is about to happen, I don’t need to know about it.” She kissed Evie’s cheek and drew back. “Text me when you get home…or Satin, wherever the night takes you.”
Jo and Amelia said their goodbyes to Evie and Ada, seeing them to the door before they could find a reason to stay any longer.
Evie turned and gave them both a quick squeeze. “Happy anniversary, you two.”
“Thank you.” Amelia watched the two of them disappear down the garden path and then closed the door quietly behind them.
When she turned back around, Jo was standing in the middle of the hallway, two glasses in hand. Amelia stepped forward and took one. “Hi.”
“Hi, gorgeous.”
“One year since you sent me that text, and I walked out with nothing but my car keys and a phone.”
Jo smiled. “One year since you let me in.”
Amelia leaned in, her forehead resting against Jo’s. “One year since I stopped hiding.”
She kissed Jo, holding her chin in the palm of her hand. There was no heat and no rush…just a quiet, tender press of mouths that reminded her they were still here and they were madly in love.
When they pulled apart, Jo whispered, “Do you want to know the best part?”
Amelia smiled. “I do.”
“I still get to wake up next to you tomorrow.”
Amelia’s heart swelled in her chest. “And every day after.”
