Janie looked exhausted but still stunning in a simple emerald dress. She’d pulled her usually vibrant auburn hair back intoa severe ponytail. Her green eyes, always so warm and full of life, were guarded and…flat. Could eyes be flat? But seeing her for the first time in almost a week still took Solo’s breath away, and the ache in her chest intensified as Janie’s presence here reinforced her absence at home.
“You came.” Solo stood and moved to pull out Janie’s chair, but Janie was too quick and had already done it for herself before Solo could make it around the table.
“I did,” Janie said as she smoothed her dress and sat down.
The cautious neutrality in Janie’s expression pierced Solo’s heart. She looked distant, with a hint of fear in her eyes. Why would she be scared? Unless she was here to tell Solo they were done forever, and she wasn’t sure how Solo was going to react. Sure, they’d argued, but Solo had never gotten physical. If either of them had reason to be frightened, it was Solo. She couldn’t face life without Janie by her side. Janie was her life, her oxygen, the reason she was alive.
Solo clutched at her chest when her breathing became labored.
Janie inclined her head slightly. “Are you okay?”
Solo nodded weakly and poured a glass of water. She took a long drink and tried to steady her breathing. She was being stupid. She hadn’t even tried to save them yet, and she was already giving up.
Amber slipped up to the table and smiled widely at Janie. Of course she would. Janie commanded respect and admiration without even being aware of it. And she was so beautiful, no matter how straight the zoomer thought she was, she’d find herself attracted to Janie.
“Can I get you something to drink, miss?” Amber asked.
And sure, Janie looked far younger than thirty-five, so of course she’d be a miss and not a madam.
“A glass of merlot, please.”
Solo recognized the professional smile that followed Janie’s words. She was in full-on courtroom mode, an impenetrablewall shielding her true emotions. Janie had shut her out, and this was just a business meeting. Jesus, was that what this was? Did she want to pull her stake from the garage? Gabe and the gang would go insane. Their dream had finally become a reality, and Solo was going to be responsible for it all crashing down around them. Gabe would never forgive her.
“Why is your hair up like that?” Solo tugged at her ear.That’sthe best question she could think of? Did Chicago have earthquakes? That seemed like the only thing that might rescue her from herself. She tried to dredge her memory forthe plan, for all the purple prose she’d been practicing.
Janie’s jaw tightened. “I didn’t have time to wash it after work.”
Solo frowned. “You worked today? You never work Saturdays. That’s—” She slammed the brakes on her motormouth. What was she going to say? That’s new? Saturdays are family time. She couldn’t, and shouldn’t, challenge anything Janie said. She was supposed to be apologizing, supposed to be making amends. But instead, she was turning the whole thing to shit.
“I had to,” Janie said. “We have a new client, and Phillip wanted the whole department in for the weekend.” She glanced at her watch. “I don’t have long before I have to be back.”
Solo scrubbed her hand across the back of her head. “You’re going back to work after this?” The tiny sliver of hope she’d had that Janie might jump into her arms and ask her to drive them home, back where she belonged, receded into the depths of her mind. She laughed at herself. Like Janie would just rush back into Solo’s embrace, forgiving her for everything when she’d been such a dick since the babies were born.
Janie visibly stiffened. “I have to if I want to keep my job. And especially if I ever want to make partner.”
Solo rolled her neck. She’d had to work hard to suffocate her ego when it came to Janie being the one to bring in all the money, no matter how much she declared otherwise that she wasn’tthatkind of traditional butch. Or masc. Or whatever the hell she was supposed to call herself these days. Asshole, mostly. “Are you making progress with Rosie’s situation?” she asked, trying to steer back to less combative ground. This wasn’t going the way she’d planned, but maybe she’d been stupid thinking she could just dive straight into the deeper waters of their failing relationship. They hadn’t talked since Janie had left their home a week ago.
Amber returned with Janie’s wine. “Are you ready to order?” she asked, looking mostly at Janie.
“We need five more minutes,” Solo said.
Amber gave a minimal smile and went to attend another table.
Solo flipped open the menu. “Any idea what’s good here?”
“Austin said that the chef is known for her fish dishes.” Janie looked into her wine glass as she spoke, then she took a sip.
“Austin?” Solo clenched her jaw, knowing she’d failed to keep the edge of distaste from her tone. Janie hadn’t said outright that the guy she’d beentalkingto was also the new guy at her law firm. But there was something about the way she said his name that made Solo itch. “Austin from work?” She stared at Janie, but her wife didn’t meet her gaze, seemingly fascinated with the cutlery in much the same way as Solo had initially been.
“Yes,” Janie whispered and finally looked up. “And yes, we’re making progress with Rosie’s loan. Amanda sent correspondence to?—”
“Is Austin the reason you left us?” It wasn’t the question Solowantedto ask, but it was one she needed the answer to.
Janie frowned before she took another long drink of her wine. “Of course not.”
Solo raised her eyebrows and scoffed. “Of course not,” she repeated. “Why would I think that?” She sat back in her seat and tugged at her suddenly too-tight tie.
Janie narrowed her eyes. “Please don’t use that tone. You know how it gets to me.”
