Knowing Her

by Raquel De Leon

  To her delighted surprise, Teresa had been an excellent traveling companion. Well, her driving ability aside. Lian might like it better if she could be behind the wheel. Perhaps that could be negotiated for the return trip.

  “Traffic isn’t as bad as I thought it would be,” Teresa said as they reached a stoplight.

  “No, it could definitely be worse,” Lian agreed. “You should have plenty of time to get ready for the symposium.”

  “Are you implying that I need a lot of time to get ready?” Teresa asked in a faux-shocked voice. She shot Lian a playful smile.

  “You said it, not me.” Lian didn’t mean it, of course. Teresa had been as beautiful as always when she’d picked Lian up at seven in the morning, wearing light skinny jeans and a flowing white tank top, her curly hair down around her bare shoulders. Many hours later, she looked just as lovely. Lian couldn’t imagine what Teresa might need to do except stretch her legs. Possibly shower to refresh herself after the drive, if she felt like it.

  Lian would definitely be showering. She’d fallen asleep with wet hair the night before, and the normally limp strands were a frizzy mess. She was nervous about the garment bag she’d brought along. Carla had coached her on what to do with her hair and what shoes to wear, but she was still anxious about dressing up. The suit was gorgeous and cut in such a way that Lian almost didn’t recognize herself in the mirror. Maybe when she wore it, she wouldn’t seem so out of place next to Teresa.

  Carla had gotten into her head, Lian realized with a wince. Her insistence on using the word ‘date’ to describe a perfectly innocent evening out between friends had made Lian more self-conscious than normal. A small part of her reasoned that maybe it was a good thing. She wasn’t just accompanying Teresa for support, but to subtly discourage Holly. She pursed her lips. Teresa deserved to be someone’s everything, not just a hookup.

  “You have arrived at your destination,” the smooth voice of the navigation system informed them.

  In the end, Lian had agreed to share a room. The closest places nearby were booked, and she didn’t want to put Teresa out by having to be chauffeured from place to place. She straightened as Teresa turned into the parking lot and attempted to rein in her thoughts.

  “I’ll grab the bags while you check in,” Lian said as Teresa shifted the car into park.

  Teresa tilted her head, a soft dimple-showing smile on her face. “You don’t have to do that.”

  Lian shrugged and looked away. “It just makes sense.”

  “If you say so.” Teresa chuckled and turned off the car. She unbuckled her seat belt. “See you in a minute, then.”

  It took Lian a moment to realize she was being offered the keys. She became hyper aware as they were dropped into her hand, a couple of Teresa’s fingertips barely brushing her skin. She swallowed. “Okay.”

  She watched Teresa get out of the car from under her lashes, finally able to relax once Teresa was several feet away. Teresa had a long stride, something Lian had never noticed when they walked together. As she popped the trunk and got out of the car, she realized that was probably on purpose. Teresa was always aware of those around her, doing whatever she could to make them comfortable in her presence. Lian was certain all the patients Teresa worked with were incredibly lucky to have her.

  Feeling more determined than ever, Lian retrieved their bags. Teresa had brought a mid-sized duffel in addition to a garment bag like Lian’s, which she slung over the same shoulder as her laptop bag. She locked the vehicle after closing the trunk, then progressed on into the hotel.

  It was a nice place: clean, modern, and brightly lit. It wasn’t the most inexpensive hotel in the area, but it wasn’t overly extravagant either. The upgraded internet had rave reviews, and Lian looked forward to whiling away a few hours playing some online games.

  Teresa was laughing at something the concierge said. The tall, good-looking man seemed to be watching her too closely.

  Lian barely managed not to roll her eyes. “She gay dude,” she muttered under her breath.

  The concierge said something else, and Teresa nodded.

  “Yes, thank you,” she overheard Teresa say as she stopped nearby.

  Teresa moved away from the desk, immediately spotting Lian. A ready smile stretched her lips, her eyes crinkling at the edges. “Here, let me help you with those.”

  Lian didn’t have time to utter a protest, warm hands suddenly at her shoulder tugging one of the straps loose. Her fingers tingled when Teresa coaxed one of the garment bags free of her grip, no doubt because her hand had been falling asleep or something.

  Teresa winked down at her and Lian’s stomach fluttered. Was she hungry again already? It had been a couple of hours since lunch.

  “Follow me,” Teresa instructed as she turned. Her head remained partially facing Lian, prompting Lian to move forward.

  They proceeded to a bank of elevators, managing to catch one almost right away. Lian let Teresa get on first, then slid past her to take up a position at the back. There was another woman on the elevator, who almost immediately engaged Teresa in small talk. Lian zoned out for the slow ride, feeling better once the other woman got off on the third floor. They stepped off on the fifth, and Lian was content to let Teresa lead the way.

  “Here we go,” Teresa said as she used the keycard to unlock the door, “home sweet temporary home.”

  The room turned out to be a small suite, two queen-sized beds only taking up about a quarter of the overall space. The furniture was the same modern chic as the lobby in dark greys and blacks, the pristine white bedding providing a sharp contrast. It had amenities Lian was used to: a mini-fridge, safe, microwave, and electric kettle for coffee and tea. Two long dressers bookended the left side room, a flat screen TV mounted above the one closest to the entrance. The farthest corners had the desk and an armchair with a table, respectively. A short hallway to the immediate right of the front door revealed a set of sinks, shiny chrome basins with slender fixtures that matched. The door past them was open, revealing the bathroom.

  “It’s nice,” Lian said as she took it all in. The desk would easily fit her laptop and gaming accoutrements. She waited as Teresa hung her garment bag in the open closet, which was set into the small portion of wall between the sinks and sleeping area, a full-length mirror right next to it.

  Teresa nodded and moved out of the way, her hands on her hips as she inspected the room. “It is. The website photos didn’t do it justice. Way more spacious than I thought it would be.”

  Lian hung her garment bag, then gently moved around Teresa to carry her laptop case to the desk. “Works for me.”

  She smiled reflexively when Teresa laughed.

  ***

  The bathroom was humid when Teresa stepped out of the shower, one hand gripping the white towel she’d wrapped around herself. She rubbed her hair with another, trying to rid it of excess moisture. She’d blow dry it in a bit, but she didn’t want to drip everywhere.

  A few moments later, the smaller towel was hanging on a rack made for that purpose. Teresa stared blankly at the counter. She’d left her actual outfit outside, apparently. With a sigh, she pulled her towel off and put on her pale purple bra and matching panties. She debated before wrapping the towel loosely back around herself. Lian was no doubt already distracted with her game, but Teresa didn’t want to make her uncomfortable.

  She peeked past the bathroom door, silently hoping she’d left both her garment and makeup bags on the counter. That wasn’t the case, of course. She hunched her shoulders against the AC-cooled air as she tiptoed out. She heard the soft click-clacking of Lian’s keyboard and mouse, but not much else. With a silent breath, she moved around and into the hallway. “Sorry,” she said without looking toward the desk as she grabbed her bags and quickly returned to the bathroom.

  Once again alone, she perked up and got dressed. She doubted Lian would need to use the bathroom before she finished getting ready, but amicably opted to use the mirror over the sinks anywa
y. Content to take her time with her hair and makeup, she managed to waste another half hour. The time seemed to be passing slowly; it would be a while before she could head down to the conference room for the meeting. Her stomach felt tight as she looked at herself in the mirror. It would be the first time she’d intentionally be facing Holly since they’d ended things.

  She could handle it. She could. She wanted to be at this event. Hearing anecdotes from other people in her field, as well as their opinions on new equipment and techniques, was invaluable. Additionally, it was one of their rare semi-formal events. Teresa loved dressing up, so she always RSVP’d when the opportunity presented itself.

  With a sigh, she tried to forget that she and Holly had met at a similar event. Holly was a confident woman but was even more so when she was dressed to the nines. For good reason; Holly was incredibly hot. Teresa had been stricken by how pretty Holly was when they’d unexpectedly run into one another weeks before. She wasn’t looking forward to whatever dumb biological responses she’d have to endure upon seeing Holly at her best. It would mean little. She couldn’t forgive Holly for making her feel so used, regardless of however Holly looked or whatever she might say. With a nod to her reflection (she looked damn good, if she said so herself), she moved around to the main part of the room.

  Lian glanced up from her laptop but went back to whatever she was doing. At first. She blinked hard and did a double take as Teresa grabbed the remote to the TV.

  “Wow,” Lian said as she tugged her headset down around her neck. “You look amazing.”

  Though Teresa had already acknowledged that to herself, she still found her cheeks warming. “Thanks,” she said as she tucked some hair behind her ear. She cleared her throat. “Sorry if I scandalized you earlier.” She half-hoped Lian wouldn’t know what she was referring to.

  To her great surprise, Lian’s entire face flushed a deep red. “Yeah, well, it happens.” With that, Lian tugged her headset back on.

  Teresa thought about teasing her but felt her own discomfort rise. Later, when they were distracted with good food and a little wine, they could laugh it off. Perhaps she’d leave a little early and give Lian some quiet time to herself. The privacy after spending all day in close quarters would probably do Lian a world of good.

  Gathering her courage, she grabbed her purse and a key card, then headed for the door.

  Knowing the conference room was still probably being set up, she opted for the hotel bar. Part of her worried that she’d run into Holly, but when she reached the warmly lit area, Holly was nowhere in sight. She relaxed and headed straight for the wraparound counter, perching on a stool with a smile. She’d have a nonalcoholic drink and maybe a small snack. While lunch had been delicious, at the time she hadn’t wanted to make herself uncomfortably full only halfway to their final destination. With a frown, she realized Lian was probably hungry, too.

  She picked up a menu while she waited for the bartender to attend to some other customers. The menu was mostly bar food, but it looked tasty.

  “What can I get you?” the dapper bartender asked with a smile, her short hair neatly styled.

  “Hi, while I do want something for here, is it possible to have something sent up to my room, too?”

  The bartender’s smile widened. “Absolutely.”

  “Excellent.” When the bartender’s eyes subtly dipped to check her out, Teresa straightened. “I’ll have an iced tea and some avocado rolls. Could you have some loaded potato skins sent up to room 512, too?”

  “Just confirming—you want those potato skins sent up now?”

  “That’s right,” Teresa said without further explanation. Let the bartender jump to whatever conclusions. As cute as she was, Teresa wasn’t looking to hook up with her or anyone else. It would probably be a while before Teresa could trust herself with a relationship, let alone a casual hookup, after the colossal mistakes she’d made with Holly.

  The bartender slightly bowed her head, smile still in place. “Right away. I’ll be back with your drink. Just let me know if you need anything else.”

  Teresa made sure her return smile was merely polite. She tossed her head and sighed, flopping some hair out of her face and leaning onto the bar top with her elbows. She imagined Lian’s reaction to the food: first irritation at being interrupted, then delight at finding warm sustenance suddenly at her fingertips. She nibbled her lower lip and smiled at the mental image. Hopefully the food was appetizing enough to compensate for the intrusion.

  She pulled her phone from her purse, wanting to both double check the topics for the symposium and to discourage company. When her drink arrived, she hardly glanced up, getting lost reading through her email.

  Chapter Nine

  “Enemies at our flank.”

  Lian stared blankly at her laptop screen, one hand on her mouse and the other resting on her keyboard.

  “I said flank! Lian!”

  The almost-shout made Lian wince and jerk her mouse. She furiously clicked as she found a small horde of enemies threatening to overrun her squad. No one spoke save requests for healing or ammo as they fought to keep their characters alive.

  “Phew,” one of her squad mates said, “that was a close one.”

  Another of her friends snorted. “Only because Lian is in La La Land today.”

  Chagrined, Lian rubbed the back of her neck. “Sorry I’m so distracted. It’s different gaming on the road.”

  When she was at home, she never had to worry about half-naked women strolling into her room. Her face flushed again as she remembered staring long after Teresa had disappeared back into the bathroom. It had left her concentration in tatters. Sometime later, the room service Teresa had sent up had needed to knock more than once to get her attention.

  She didn’t usually have visceral reactions to people, fully clothed or otherwise. Maybe it was because she hadn’t had a close friend she could go out and do things with for a while. Teresa was beautiful, whether only in a loose towel and the soft partial canopy of damp curly locks, or dressed to impress in a clingy red gown that shimmered almost as brightly as her eyes.

  Lian had always known that Teresa was attractive. A lot of people she knew were attractive. She just didn’t understand why she was noticing that again and again the more she and Teresa spent time together. All Teresa had to do was smile at the right (or wrong) time and Lian would lose her train of thought.

  “Seriously, Lian? Are you even listening?”

  She winced again, raising her hand to move her mic closer to her mouth. “No, sorry. I’m too preoccupied about this dinner thing. Since I’m kind of just dead weight, I’m going to go ahead and log off. It was nice playing with you guys again.”

  Not waiting to hear the round of farewells, she tugged her headset off and exited the game. She might as well shower and try doing something with her hair.

  Twenty minutes later she was sitting on her bed, restlessly flipping through the channels. Showering never took her long, and blow-drying her thin hair took even less time. She’d left it down for the time being, waiting in basketball shorts and a loose t-shirt rather than putting on her suit. There was still at least another hour before Teresa would return.

  She finally decided on some cooking show, raising her knees and circling her arms around them. Despite her attempts to focus, her mind kept wandering. Being friends with Teresa was making her act weird. She tried to recall if she’d ever…

  It hit Lian all at once; it had been so long since she’d felt it that she’d forgotten what it was like. Attraction. Teresa wasn’t just attractive, Lian was physically attracted to her.

  Lian squeezed her eyes shut. What a nuisance.

  The realization, coming when she was expected to share a room with Teresa for two nights, was very inconvenient. She released a beleaguered sigh and decided to ignore her feelings. Regardless of how her body might react, she was determined to have a good time with her friend.

  Lian stilled. Perhaps their extended proximity in the ca
r had something to do with her reactions. She was human, after all, and had experienced attraction before. She was out of her element, vulnerable. It made sense that her biological responses might change under the circumstances.

  Feeling satisfied, she nodded to herself. The weekend of quality time would strengthen their friendship, and then after, Lian would go back to normal. She zoned in and out as the chef continued cooking, but she didn’t mind. She understood what was happening with herself. She wouldn’t fight it.

  When Teresa walked in forty-five minutes later with flushed cheeks and bright eyes, Lian ignored the way her mouth went dry and her palms began to sweat. “Hey.” Her voice was rough from disuse; she gently cleared her throat. “How was it?”

  “Great!” Teresa walked further into the room and set her clutch down on the closest dresser. She leaned back slightly as she trailed a hand over some of her hair. “It’s always nice to gather with so many of my colleagues and hear their thoughts and concerns.”