by Aurora Rey
“It means they’re both likely to give me a hard time for the foreseeable future, but I’ll manage.”
Will frowned. “Would they really do that? They seem so nice.”
“Oh, they’re nice all right. But we’ve been friends long enough that they have license to tease and generally harass me.”
“Ah. Well, that’s okay, then. That makes them practically family.”
“You’re always ready to see the best in people, aren’t you?”
Will cringed slightly. “It’s naïve. I know.”
Nora shook her head. “Not at all. I think it means you have an open heart. That’s a gift. Or maybe it’s something you work really hard at. Either way, it’s refreshing.”
Will lifted a shoulder and offered a small smile. “It’s gotten me into trouble a time or two.”
“Which makes it all the more remarkable.”
She was fully blushing now. “Thanks.”
Nora decided to change the subject. “Did you bring things?”
Will nodded. “When I heard voices, I tucked it in the closet. I didn’t want to make things awkward.”
“I really appreciate that.”
“I’ll put it in Graham’s room now.”
Nora winced. “How about we don’t call it Graham’s room? Call it your room. Although, at this point, I’m not sure how much time you’ll be spending in it.”
Will grinned at that. “Okay.”
Will got to work on the stairs and Nora continued her cleaning downstairs. She stopped around six to make dinner and tried not to think about how domestic it all felt. But when they sat down to eat, Will seemed to have a cloud over her head. “What’s wrong?”
Will looked up quickly, as though surprised that Nora had spoken to her. “Nothing.”
It probably wasn’t fair, but Nora played the card she had. “If you don’t like the meal, you don’t have to eat it. You won’t hurt my feelings.”
As expected, the comment sent Will’s head shaking. “It’s not that at all. This is completely delicious.” She took a hefty bite to prove her point.
Nora sipped her wine. “So it’s something else.”
Caught, Will’s shoulders slumped. “I told you Emerson and her girlfriend Darcy got engaged.”
“You did. I thought you were happy about it.”
“I am,” Will said quickly. “I just wish I could do something nice for them.”
In a million years, Nora would not have guessed that’s what was bothering her. “Like what?”
“Like take them out for a nice dinner to celebrate.” She frowned. “But that seems so generic.”
“What about an engagement party?”
“Yeah, that would be perfect.” Will offered her a weak smile. “If I could pull it off.”
“Why don’t we do it here?” She couldn’t imagine Will had a huge affair in mind.
“Really?”
Nora shrugged. “Sure. In case you hadn’t noticed, I’m kind of an expert at throwing parties.”
“Oh, I noticed. It would be impossible to spend time with you and not notice. I just didn’t want to impose. I want to pay for it of course, I just can’t afford anything too fancy.”
Nora thought back to the one party she’d thrown with Jordyn. Jordyn had wanted to spare no expense, only the entire expense was on Nora’s shoulders. The more she got to know Will, the more she regretted ever comparing her to Jordyn. “You can chip in for the cost of food and wine, and help with the labor. That will be plenty.”
“I would love that. I hope you don’t feel obligated, though. That’s why I hesitated to say anything in the first place.”
“Nonsense. The one time I met Emerson and Darcy, I liked them very much.” Nora flashed back to the New Year’s party, the one where Will had been merely a guest. “We could host it together.”
Will sat quietly. Nora imagined her wrestling with whether she should read meaning into that last statement. It looked like a mixture of hope and hesitation in her eyes. “Together?”
Why not? It’s not like they were the ones getting engaged. And it would be even more awkward to pretend there was nothing between them. She smiled. “Yes. Together.”
“Wait. Do you mean together, together?”
Nora chuckled. “Yes.”
Will looked up at Nora and studied her. To Will, everything about this screamed big, giant deal. But if Nora didn’t think of it that way, Will didn’t want to go there and risk Nora reconsidering. “That would be awesome. Thank you.”
Nora narrowed her eyes at Will. “What are you thinking? I can see the wheels turning.”
She didn’t want to lie. She just needed to play it cool. “I’m thinking how excited Emerson and Darcy will be. And how much fun it will be to throw a party with you. As far as I’m concerned, you’re the master.”
Nora laughed again. “Not the master, but I do have a lot of practice. And I agree. Parties are fun.”
Will, whose intentions really had been focused on doing something nice for Emerson and Darcy, now found her mind full of thoughts about her relationship with Nora. She imagined them dressed up and standing side by side. They’d bustle in and out of the kitchen, of course, as hosts should. But they’d also get to stand around and drink cocktails with other couples. It caught her by surprise just how much the idea of that thrilled her.
“You’re caught up on the together part, aren’t you?”
Did that mean Nora was, too? “No. I mean, yes. A little. But in a good way.”
Nora raised a brow. “How so?”
Tread carefully. “I totally respect your privacy, but I’m excited by the idea of doing something with you that is something couples would do, something that is more than just the two of us.”
“That makes sense.”
Will swallowed. “Are you okay with it?”
“I am.” Nora smiled and ran a finger down Will’s arm, sending a shiver down her spine and a flood of warmth to her center. “Of course, I thought you liked all the things we did, just the two of us.”
“Oh, I do.” But that didn’t stop her from longing for more. “This is definitely a case of one in addition to the other.”
“You’re not going to try to make out with me in front of a room full of people, are you?”
Will huffed and rolled her eyes to cover up the sting of Nora’s comment. “I guess not.”
Nora pulled her hand away, but smiled. “You know what I mean.”
“I do.” Even if it felt like things between them were two steps forward and one step back, at least the direction was forward. “I was teasing you. It’s going to be small and low-key. And I promise not to get frisky in the middle of it.”
Nora stood and disappeared into the kitchen. She returned a minute later with a notepad and a pen. “Okay, let’s get started on details. Things are quiet here after Valentine’s Day. I won’t have more than an occasional guest until at least the middle of March. We’ll need to confirm a date with your sister and get an idea of numbers from her as well. Once we have that, we can decide on food and stuff.”
Will smiled and allowed herself to go back to being excited. They were going to have a blast.
By the time they finished eating, Nora had sketched out a couple of variations of a cocktail party for her to present to Emerson and Darcy. If she’d been impressed with Nora’s party throwing prowess before, that sentiment was now magnified tenfold. The woman thought of everything. Literally, everything.
Chapter Seventeen
Valentine’s Day came and went without a hitch. Even if Nora was hesitant at first, having Will around had been nice. More than nice. She was helpful and attentive and didn’t seem to mind taking directions. On top of that, they’d had fun. And not just bedroom fun. They’d clicked in every possible way. The end result left her feeling maybe this wasn’t such a bad idea after all.
Over the weeks that followed, they’d fallen into a routine of sorts. Will didn’t spend all her nights at the inn, but she was
there more than not. Nora liked it, even if she didn’t like to think about how much. On mornings when there were no guests, that routine included a leisurely breakfast in the dining room—something Nora had never indulged in when alone.
On the morning of the engagement party, they were doing just that. But in spite of having everything organized and ready, Nora found herself fidgety. She drummed her fingers on the table. Will sat across from her, sipping coffee and working on a crossword puzzle. Nora chided herself for hesitating, for being self-conscious. “Will?”
Will lifted her head. “Yes?”
No point beating around the bush. “Do you like to strap?”
Will choked on her coffee, then sloshed the contents of her mug onto the newspaper. Nora cringed as Will coughed. Will finally stopped, then waved a hand between them to indicate the mess. “Sorry.”
“No, it’s me who’s sorry. I shouldn’t have brought it up. I don’t know why I did.”
“No, no. I have no problem with you bringing it up.”
“Could have fooled me.” It was mortifying. God, when had she gotten so out of practice?
“You caught me off guard. That doesn’t mean my answer isn’t yes.”
Nora narrowed her eyes, unsure of whether to believe her. “Oh.”
Will reached across the table and squeezed her hand. “My answer is definitely yes.”
If the look in Will’s eyes was anything to go on, she meant it. Nora swallowed. “Oh.”
“Do you?”
Nora glanced down for a second to regain her composure. “Yes. I mean, not myself. To do the strapping, that is. I like to receive. If you know what I mean.”
Will watched Nora fumble over her words, blush a dozen shades of pink. If the initial question had caught her off guard, the rest of this conversation turned her on. Nora’s combination of forward and halting was charming, so unlike her usually sure way of doing pretty much everything. Add to that the subject matter itself. She loved to strap on. And since Kai didn’t like it, it had been ages since she had. “Yes, I know.”
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to be so awkward about it. It’s…it’s been a long time, I guess, since I’ve negotiated these things.”
Will nodded. “You don’t have anything to apologize for. There is no easy way to talk about some of this stuff, at least at first.”
“Right.”
“If anything, I’m glad you broached the subject.”
Nora didn’t look convinced. “Really?”
“Really. I don’t know if it’s just me, but that’s the kind of thing I wait for a woman to ask for, rather than putting it out there. That might be weird or, I don’t know, old fashioned.”
Nora shook her head. “No, I totally understand. It makes sense.”
“So, yeah. That’s something you like?”
Nora nodded, seeming to get shy again. “It’s been a long time. Not just negotiating. Doing.”
It was rare for Will to feel like the savvier, more confident one. It was kind of a turn on itself. “Same here.”
Nora didn’t seem to believe her. “You don’t have to say that.”
Will smiled. “It’s true. The last woman I was with wanted nothing to do with it, so—”
“Oh. Okay.”
The implications of their conversation sank in and Will wanted nothing more than to spend the entire day exploring the possibilities. She almost—almost—wished Emerson and Darcy’s engagement party wasn’t that night. “When I go home to get clothes for later, I could get what we need.”
Nora swallowed and Will couldn’t tell if she was nervous or aroused. “Yes, please.”
They finished breakfast and worked their way through Nora’s to-do list. Her meticulous, thorough to-do list. But if Will had any hesitation about the level of detail, it vanished when, at two in the afternoon, everything looked beyond perfect. Even most of the food was put together.
As much as she didn’t want to leave, her dress clothes remained at her apartment. Along with other things she’d need before the night was done. She went home and packed quickly, then walked back to Nora’s even faster.
She found Nora in the kitchen, already showered and in her robe, drinking a cup of tea. Will loved the casual intimacy of it. “Do you need any help in here?”
“Not a bit. You go shower. I’ll be there in a minute to finish getting ready.”
Will started to leave, but turned back. “Nora?”
Nora looked her way. “Yes?”
“Thanks again for this. I’m really looking forward to it.”
“Me, too.” Nora smiled, the kind of easy, genuine smile she’d not bestowed on Will when they first met. She’d been doing it more and more, but it still made Will weak in the knees.
It wasn’t the first time Will brought a change of clothes to Nora’s, but it was the first time she did more than take a quick shower and change. Nora had offered her use of one of the upstairs bathrooms, but Will opted to share Nora’s. She told Nora it would save an extra cleaning, but truthfully, she wanted to be with Nora, to revel in the feeling of getting ready for the party as a couple. Even if she hadn’t been able to coax Nora into the shower with her.
She stood in the bathroom, applying a small amount of wax to her damp hair. Nora sat at her dressing table in the bedroom in stockings and a slip, putting on makeup. Will lingered in the bathroom longer than she needed, enjoying the opportunity to watch. It was the sort of thing she’d had fantasies about, but never before had she been with a woman who actually embraced such an old-fashioned ritual of femininity.
After mascara and lipstick, Nora turned her attention to her hair. As much as Will loved it down, she knew Nora would want to pull it up and out of the way while she played hostess. She watched as Nora scooped it up and, in a matter of seconds, had it shaped into a twist and clipped in place. The result left Nora’s neck exposed. Will licked her lips. Maybe up-dos weren’t so bad.
Nora assessed herself then glanced up, catching Will’s reflected gaze. “What?”
Will smiled, not really minding that she’d been caught staring. “Enjoying you.”
Nora shook her head, but smiled. “You make me out to be far more interesting than I actually am.”
“I beg to differ. I could watch you for hours.”
Nora pushed back her chair and stood. Will clearly meant it as a compliment, but the intensity of Will’s attention left her unbalanced. It felt at times like Will’s affection bordered on adoration. It left her uneasy. “Well, you’d better snap out of it. We have work to do.”
Will grinned and offered a playful salute. “I am at your service.”
Nora slipped into the dress she’d picked out for the evening, along with a pair of low heels, then led the way from her bedroom to the kitchen. There wasn’t all that much to do, given that they’d decided on a happy hour with hors d’oeuvres instead of a full meal. But being busy gave her somewhere to direct her energy, and Will’s. Nora slid the wheel of Brie into the oven and set the timer, then started pulling things from the refrigerator. They moved the board of cheeses and dried fruit out to the buffet, along with crackers and sliced baguette and a tray of tea cookies. Nora opened the first few bottles of wine while Will arranged beer in a shallow tub of ice.
“What else?” Will put her hands on her hips and looked around.
“I think we’re good.”
Will glanced at the clock on the wall. “If I’d known there was so little left to do, I’d have dragged you to bed for a quickie.”
Nora swatted at her with a pot holder. “Stop it.”
Will pulled her into a kiss that made her knees wobbly. “I’m serious.”
Nora did her best to tamp down the butterflies that seemed to be visiting her with increasing frequency. She would not get swept off her feet. Would. Not. “I am, too. People will be here any minute.”
Will ran a hand down her back and gave her ass a gentle squeeze. “That’s why they call it a quickie.”
Nora opened
her mouth to protest, but was interrupted by a knock on the front door. “That’s probably your sister now. Go let them in.”
Will pouted, but headed for the door. Nora watched her go. When did she start finding that sexy? She shook her head at the absurdity of it, then checked on the Brie. The pastry was puffy and brown, so she pulled it from the oven and moved it to a plate. By the time she carried it out to the dining room, Emerson and Darcy were taking off their coats.
Darcy walked over to her, beaming. “I’m sure Will has said so, but we can’t thank you enough for doing this.”
Nora returned the smile. “I love a party and you two are officially the most low-maintenance couple I’ve ever met.”
Darcy laughed. “Could I get that in writing? I’m pretty sure low-maintenance is the absolute last word Emerson would ever use to describe me.”
“Happily.” Nora stole a glance at Emerson. Although she’d initially thought she and Will looked nothing alike, Nora realized now they had the same lanky body type and posture. So different from her and Colleen, who had similar eye and hair color, but not much else.
“I’m also hoping that, after this, you and I get to be friends. I’d love to trade recipes and kitchen stories.”
The idea of being friends with Will’s sister’s soon-to-be wife gave her pause, but from everything she could tell, she and Darcy would get along great. She squeezed Darcy’s hand. “I hope so, too.”
Will and Emerson walked over to join them, but before they could start a conversation, the door opened. An older couple came in and Darcy introduced them as her parents. Gloria and James. Nora repeated their names to commit them to memory as she shook their hands. Alex from The Flour Pot and her wife Lia were right behind them, followed by a handful of people Nora didn’t know. Nora slipped into hostess mode, pouring drinks and making sure the snacks stayed replenished.
She made a point of speaking to everyone, especially people she hadn’t met before. In addition to putting Failte on the radar, she’d found networking a great way to stay on top of the new and growing businesses in town that she wanted to support. She also got the chance to reconnect with some passing acquaintances. Even without knowing Emerson or Darcy well, it turned out they had some friends in common.