by Jae
Even Andy turned out not to be a hard-ass. She laughed with Heather and her friends as if she had known them for ages, and she let Bella paint a rainbow flag onto her cheek.
Another group marched past, blowing soap bubbles into the crowd.
One bubble floated over and lingered inches from Eliza, reflecting the sunlight and Eliza’s face as she looked up.
Denny pulled out her phone but wasn’t fast enough to capture the magical moment before the bubble touched Eliza’s nose and burst.
Laughing, Eliza closed her eyes against the soapy spatter.
Denny wiped it away with the back of her fingers. When their gazes met, the three little words rose up again, this time with even more urgency. A thrill that was equal parts excitement and sheer terror coursed through her.
Eliza grinned and broke the moment by stealing Denny’s Pride baseball cap and putting it on her own head.
“Hey!” Denny’s protest instantly died away as Eliza repaid her with a short but heartfelt kiss. It took a second for her lips to react and move against Eliza’s. She hadn’t expected a second, longer kiss in public, especially not in front of her family. Her entire body vibrated, not just from the kiss, but from a rush of happiness.
“What, no fight?” Eliza asked against her lips. “You’re letting me have the cap?”
Denny adjusted the cap on Eliza’s head so she could still see her expressive eyes. “It looks much better on you anyway.”
When the parade wrapped up two and a half hours later, Denny wasn’t ready for their time together to end.
“Who’s up for pizza at our place?” Salem asked.
Denny sent a grateful look her way and immediately stuck her hand up in the air.
“Me,” Eliza shouted, beating even her nieces and Bella.
Heather’s friends glanced at one another.
“There’s a party at Tipsy’s, so I think I’m out,” Fiona—the woman with the blue, pink, and white hair—said.
KC nodded. “Yeah, me too.”
Heather hesitated but finally told her friends, “I can never resist pizza. I’ll catch up with you later.”
Eliza’s brother and his girlfriend had left their car in a parking garage a few blocks from the parade route. Denny gave them their address so they could drive over with Eliza’s parents.
As the rest of them trooped to the nearest MAX station, Eliza reached for her hand and entwined their fingers.
Denny walked as if on clouds. This was the best day ever.
Okay, maybe apart from that make-out session yesterday.
Eliza had been afraid her big, chaotic family might be too much for Denny and her small family, but her worries had clearly been unfounded.
Her father made Salem laugh at his corny dad jokes, and her mother had managed to draw Bella out. Now the usually shy tween was gesturing with both hands as she entertained Eliza’s mom and the twins with a story about something Eliza couldn’t hear from the other end of the noisy table.
Denny finished the conversation she’d been having with Britt and Tony and turned to Eliza. “This is kind of nice,” she said quietly, sounding surprised.
“Not too much?” Eliza asked.
“Maybe a little.” Denny held her thumb and index finger a fraction of an inch apart. “But in the best of ways.”
Eliza leaned her knee against Denny’s. “You can recharge your introvert batteries while I’m gone.”
Denny let out a sigh. “Don’t remind me.”
“It’s just four days.” But even though she looked forward to going to the Pet Products Expo with Austen and Dee and exploring San Francisco a little, she had to admit she’d miss Denny too.
“Do you want the last slice, sis?” Ryan held up the nearly empty pizza box.
“God, no. I ate too much already.” Eliza held her full stomach with one hand and popped the button of her shorts with the other. “If I keep this up, my pants won’t fit me anymore.”
Next to her, Denny let out a groan. Her gaze lingered on the unbuttoned shorts, making a heaviness of a different kind settle in Eliza’s belly, way lower than her stomach.
Salem scoffed. “Denny can fix that problem for you. She’s great with her hands.”
Denny crumpled her paper napkin into a ball and threw it at her. “Salem!”
“What?” Salem touched her chest, looking like innocence personified. “I was talking about your sewing skills. You could easily make Eliza a new pair of pants.”
“Yeah, right.”
“Well, you did promise to make me a pair with nice, deep pockets,” Eliza said. “If that offer still stands, you could come over once I’m back from my business trip and take my measurements.” Christ, was it just her, or did that sound as if she was inviting Denny over for so much more than a pants-making session? Images of Denny running a tape measure around her breasts flashed through her mind. Um, Denny is going to make you a pair of pants. Why would she measure your chest?
But the images lingered, and she didn’t push them away.
Truth be told, if Denny’s hands wandered a bit—or a lot—while she measured, Eliza wouldn’t mind at all.
“Of course the offer still stands. If you want, I could come over after work on Friday and…” Denny’s cheeks reddened.
Eliza swallowed. She would have paid good money to see the images running through Denny’s mind. Were they anything like hers? They were probably more graphic because, unlike Eliza, Denny knew exactly what could happen between two women, while Eliza’s experience ended at touching Denny’s breast through her bra.
God, she really had to stop thinking about this since both of their families were right there.
Andy cleared her throat. “Before you go into any more detail, I think I’ll head out. It was great to meet you all, but I’ve got a twelve-hour shift tomorrow and need to get some sleep.” She looked at Heather and Eliza. “Want to catch the MAX together?”
“Yeah,” Heather said. “I should catch up with my friends before I miss all the fun. Uh, not that this wasn’t fun. It really was.”
Denny jumped up. “I’ll drive you. It’s after six, so most Pride celebrations should be over, and traffic should be back to normal.”
“You don’t have to—”
“Thank you.” Eliza raised her voice over her sister’s. “We would love that, if you don’t mind.”
Denny grabbed her keys. “Of course I don’t mind.” More quietly and with an adorably shy smile, she added, “It gives me more time with you.”
Eliza knew she meant it, and that warmed her all over.
“Jeez, are they always like that?” Andy asked Salem, who laughed and nodded.
“Half of the time, I think it’s cute. The other half, I’m tempted to pour a bucket of cold water over their heads to get their attention.”
Denny gave her sister a gentle shove. “Says the woman who barely ate any pizza because she was too busy staring into Matt’s eyes.”
“Ew,” Bella said loudly, making everyone laugh.
They all left the house together, then headed to various cars.
Matt volunteered to drop Britt, her husband, and the twins off, while Ryan and Nichole had driven over, so they would take their parents home.
“So what did you think?” Eliza whispered as she hugged her mother.
Her mother’s lips twitched into a mischievous smile. “The pizza was wonderful.”
“Mom!” Eliza stopped herself from stomping her foot. “You know that’s not what I’m asking. What did you think of Denny?”
Her mom’s smile softened. She glanced at Denny, who was watching them with wide eyes, as if she suspected she was the topic of conversation. “She’s wonderful too. I can see why you love her.”
“Shh, Mom! I haven’t told her yet.” Eliza threw a panicked look at Denny, but thankfully, she was now talking to Britt and Tony and hadn’t overheard them. “It’s all still very new, but I think this is it for me.”
“Well, it’s clear to me that she’s just as taken
with you,” her mother said.
Eliza hugged her more tightly. “Thank you for making this so easy.”
“All we want is for you to be happy—and I think Denny makes you happy. So why wouldn’t we support that?”
If only all parents were like that. Eliza knew she’d won the jackpot in that regard. “She does.” Her gaze strayed to Denny again. She kissed her mother’s cheek, then hugged her father and the rest of the family.
When Denny unlocked the Subaru, Andy climbed into the back seat with Heather, leaving the passenger seat for Eliza.
“That’s a first,” Eliza murmured as she got in. “I’ve never gotten to ride shotgun. Andy was always quick to claim the passenger seat because she’s older and taller.” She flashed Denny a grin. “I guess that’s one of the perks of being your girlfriend.”
Denny paused with the key halfway to the ignition. Her focused expression softened as if hearing that title still made her all gooey inside.
Heather made a honking noise. “Are we waiting for something?”
“Um, no.” Denny started the car.
God, she was so adorable. Eliza couldn’t help smiling.
Denny looked at her for a second and returned the smile. “What?”
“Nothing,” Eliza answered. “Just had a great day. It was incredibly empowering to be around so many other queer people.”
Heather leaned forward until her head was between the front seats. “Other queer people? So have we lured you over to the dark side?”
What? Eliza mentally played back what she had just said. Oh. Her gaze darted to Denny, who pretended to focus on driving, but Eliza knew her well enough to know she was listening to every word. She wanted to reach over and put her hand on Denny’s nearly bare thigh to soothe her—and, frankly, to feel her skin—but with her sister in the car, she resisted the urge. “I’m still not sure which letter of the LGBT+ alphabet fits me best, but referring to myself as straight doesn’t feel right anymore. So yeah, I guess queer will do for now.”
“I think that means Denny gets a toaster oven,” Andy said.
Eliza turned and gave her a questioning look. “Toaster oven?”
“Lesbian inside joke,” Heather said.
Why did her sister know all the secret women-loving-women lingo, while she—the one with the girlfriend—had no idea? Eliza saw some extensive googling in her future. And maybe she should read up on how to please a woman in bed too.
The rest of the ride was over much too fast, and before Eliza was ready to say goodbye, they reached their apartment building.
Heather and Andy jumped out, probably to give them a moment alone.
“I had the best time today, and I really liked your family,” Denny said. “But I have to admit I’m looking forward to Friday, when it’ll be just you and me.”
“God, me too.” Eliza finally gave in to the urge to put her hand on Denny’s leg. Mmm, her skin was so soft and warm and so…
Denny let out a groan and pressed her hand over Eliza’s, stopping the movement of her fingers.
Oh shit! Eliza hadn’t even noticed she’d let her hand wander halfway up her thigh. When had that happened? “Sorry, I—”
“Don’t apologize.” Denny’s voice sounded deeper than usual. “It’s just…” She nodded toward the sidewalk, where Andy and Heather stood waiting.
“Yeah.” Eliza slid her hand out from under Denny’s and moved it to a safer spot on her knee. “Call me later?”
“Of course. I’ll tuck you in via FaceTime, like always.”
The term made Eliza chuckle. “I’m not a kid who needs to be tucked in.”
“I know.” The husky rasp in Denny’s voice sent a shiver through Eliza. “Believe me; I know. But I love tucking you in anyway.”
“Mmm, me too.” She loved having Denny be the last person she talked to before falling asleep. “I’ll miss you while I’m gone.”
Denny teasingly bumped Eliza’s shoulder with her forehead. “I’m pretty sure your phone will work in San Francisco.”
“Yeah, but I like it better when I know you’re just a few miles away.”
A knock on the side window made them both jump. Eliza’s fingers flexed on Denny’s knee, but she didn’t let go. When she turned her head, her sister peered through the window.
“Are you coming or what?” Andy mouthed.
“Yeah, yeah, hold your horses.” Eliza turned back toward Denny. Saying goodbye to her got harder every time they did it. Maybe on Friday, she wouldn’t have to. The thought made her breathless. She unfastened her seat belt, leaned across the middle console, and pressed her lips to Denny’s in a gentle kiss. God, so soft. She wanted to thread her fingers through Denny’s hair and deepen the kiss, but she was too aware of their audience on the sidewalk, so she reluctantly pulled back. “Drive carefully.”
“I will. And you call me when you make it to San Francisco.” Denny’s gaze followed her, even as Eliza closed the passenger door between them.
Once Denny’s car had disappeared down the street, Eliza turned toward her sister and Heather.
Andy studied her with a frank look that made Eliza tense because she knew her sister had never been one to hold back. “You know, I’m used to seeing you with men.”
“You make it sound like there were dozens of them!”
Andy waved her away. “That’s not what I meant. Anyway, I thought seeing you with Denny would be weird.”
Eliza struggled not to stiffen. It had taken some time for her to wrap her head around being attracted to a woman, so she needed to give her family time to adjust too. “Was it?”
“Strangely, no. You two look kind of natural together.”
Warmth loosened Eliza’s tense muscles. She couldn’t help beaming. “Does that mean I have your sisterly approval?”
“Do you need it?” Andy asked. “Aren’t you the one who always insists that you’re no longer a kid?”
“Need it? No. But I’d like to have it.”
Andy wrapped one arm around her shoulder. “You’ve got it.” She waited a beat and then flashed a grin. “But if she hurts you, I’ll still come after her with a sharp instrument.”
“She won’t.” Eliza hoped Denny had come to the same conclusion about her.
Chapter 25
On Tuesday evening, Eliza enjoyed a glass of wine with her bosses in the restaurant of the hotel where the Pet Products Expo was being held. What she enjoyed even more than the wine was watching the waiter’s reaction to her intense boss.
“I’ll have the roasted chicken with the sweet potato gnocchi,” Dee said.
“Excellent choice, ma’am.”
Dee held on to the menu, thwarting the waiter’s attempt to take it. “And we’ll have the tapas plate, the cilantro-marinated prawns, and some pita bread to share.”
The waiter clearly struggled to keep a straight face as he nodded and hurried away.
“What?” Dee said once he was gone. “I’m starving.”
Austen studied her with an indulgent smile. “No wonder. You’ve been going nonstop since we arrived, honey.”
Trying to keep up with Dee had made Eliza’s head spin. Dee had them all furiously scribbling notes on their competitors’ latest products and attending useful seminars, while Dee focused mostly on talking to distributors and retailers. It was only day one of the expo, and she had already collected more business cards than her card case could hold.
“Maybe you should slow down a little,” Austen said. “We just wanted to dip our toes in and get a feel for the market this time, remember? And have some fun while we’re here.”
Dee set her strong jaw, and a fierce glint shone in her gray eyes. “Oh, I will have a lot of fun if that guy from Birdmania offers to buy us out one more time. I’ll tell him exactly where he can shove his cheap bird perches.”
“That’s precisely what I mean. Maybe tone down your competitiveness a tad. This is our first year in business, hon. We’re not out to achieve world domination.”
“Yet,” Dee added. Then her expression softened, and she covered Austen’s hand resting on the table with her bigger one. “You are having fun, aren’t you?”
Austen turned her hand beneath Dee’s and entwined their fingers. “Of course.”
Eliza loved their dynamic, but watching them look deeply into each other’s eyes made her yearn for Denny. How was it possible to miss anyone so fiercely after only a couple of days?
“Oh, that’s beautiful. Did Heather make it for you?” While Eliza had been thinking about Denny, Austen had turned her attention toward her.
Eliza glanced at where she pointed and realized she’d been playing with her wrap bracelet, tracing each bead with her fingertips. “Um, no.” She knew she could leave it at that or simply say it had been a gift. But her job was a big part of her life, and so was Denny. “Actually, my girlfriend made it for me.” Calling Denny that still felt surreal and wonderful in equal parts.
A broad smile spread over Austen’s face. She nudged Dee with her elbow. “I told you!”
Dee held up both hands. “Leave me out of this. I’m not commenting on an employee’s private life.”
“Me neither,” Austen said. “I’m just happy for someone I consider a friend.”
“It’s okay. I don’t mind talking about it.” A chuckle escaped Eliza. “In fact, I probably couldn’t stop talking about it…about her even if I tried.”
“It’s that friend of yours who bought the budgie toys, isn’t it? The one you insisted wasn’t your girlfriend.”
“Well, she wasn’t back then.” Hard to believe that had been merely a month ago. “But yes, she’s the one. Her name is Denny.” Saying her name made Eliza warm inside.
“Right. I should know her name by now. She’s been back two or three times with her niece, probably hoping you’d be covering our stall.”
Aww. Eliza hadn’t known Denny had done that.
Austen grinned at her partner. “Reminds me of a certain someone who kept showing up in the lobby and the company’s cafeteria at the times I was most likely to be there.”
“Hey, I was Kudos’s COO.” Dee didn’t quite pull off a haughty look. “Supervising staff was part of my job duties.”