Billie clenched her jaw. If Nina was trying to get a rise out of her, it wouldn’t work. “You’re way out of line.”
“I didn’t mean?—”
“Yes, you did.” She kept her voice level. The very tone Nina was used to when she knew she’d crossed a line. Only the outcome of crossing said line wouldn’t be the same as usual. “And whatever you think this is between us…it isn’t.”
“I’m sorry.” Nina spoke so quietly that Billie had to wonder if she’d spoken at all. “I didn’t think you had a personal life.”
Billie froze. Those words hit harder than they should have. Harder than she expected. She stared back at her reflection in the kitchen window. The sharp edges and her tired eyes were more pronounced tonight. God, she looked more like a construct than a person.
“We’ll talk about this tomorrow at work.”
And then she hung up before Nina could respond.
She remained braced at the counter, breathing through the sensation clawing its way up her spine. Anger, guilt, shame…she didn’t know which one was winning out right now. Perhaps all three.
Thiswas why she kept the walls in place.Thiswas why her life was built on boundaries. People weren’t supposed to get close enough to show concern. They weren’t supposed to noticethe sudden changes or that Billiedidpotentially have a personal life on the horizon.
And Debra…well, she was already closer than anyone had been in a decade.
Maybe it’s time to find an excuse and call it a night.
When she walked back into the living room, Debra looked up at her with a hint of concern etched on her face. “Everything okay?”
“Of course.” Billie managed a smile as she hovered between the couch and Debra’s flat door. “Just work, as I knew it would be.”
Debra didn’t look convinced. “You can sit back down, you know. I don’t bite.”
Billie paused when that old instinct to retreat rose to the surface, but she forced herself onto the couch again.
For as long as she could remember, Billie wasn’t entirely sure which version of herself she was supposed to be. The polished, untouchable woman she’d constructed…or the one who felt unusually safe in a stranger’s living room, with a glass of whiskey in her hand and someone looking at her like she was worth staying for.
Debra shifted and draped the blanket over Billie’s knees, a soft smile playing on her lips. Billie looked back at her and realised,terrifyingly, that she wanted to stay.
The mood had shiftedsince Billie had stepped back into the living room. Debra had felt it before she’d even looked up. That subtle tightening in Billie’s posture, the faint tension in her jaw. Whatever had happened in the kitchen was clinging to her.
And now, Debra didn’t know where she stood with Billie. They’d kissed, Debra’s world had weirdly aligned in some way, but something told her none of this would be easy if she dared to pursue the woman sitting on her couch.
She’d briefly asked if everything was okay, and while she wasn’t convinced by Billie’s answer—it had felt almost rehearsed—Debra hadn’t pushed for more. The atmosphere already felt delicate, and Debra wasn’t about to do anything to make it worse.
Billie rose suddenly and reached for her coat. “I should go.”
As she’d expected, Billie was about to run.
Debra got to her feet and stepped towards her. “Just…wait.”
Debra’s voice wasn’t loud, but it carried enough authority to make Billie pause with her hand on her coat collar, her eyes fixed on the floor instead of Debra.
“You don’t have to run.” Debra took Billie’s coat and laid it down on the arm of the couch. “Not from me.”
“It was only supposed to be lunch. I shouldn’t have come back here. I shouldn’t be here at all.”
“Maybe not,” Debra replied. “But youarehere.”
Billie exhaled a deep breath, the frustration in the air palpable. “That’s exactly the problem.”
Debra took a step closer. It wasn’t enough to trap Billie in place, but it was enough to be heard without Billie disappearing inside herself. “I’m not asking for anything you can’t give. I’m not expecting declarations or promises, or whatever it is you think I want from you. All I expect is your honesty.” She gave those words a moment to sink in. “And I don’t mean the polished version you give your clients. I meanyou. The real you.”
Billie finally lifted her gaze, and Debra held it.
