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“Because it was obvious that she had a thing for me.”
Lucy’s eyes widened. “I don’t believe this.”
“Yeah. Don’t get any ideas. It’s off-limits for a lot of reasons.”
“Yeah, but a former student? That’s not really a thing anymore, is it? You were adults then. You’re adults now.”
Quinn just stared at her friend. “I’m not dating someone who’s something like twenty years younger than me.”
“It’s probably not that much. She doesn’t look that young.”
“And it doesn’t matter,” Quinn countered. “She said she lives in New York. That’s enough of a reason, never mind everything else. So, no. Not happening.”
“Okay,” Lucy said with a sigh. “But that doesn’t mean you two can’t—“
“Lucy!”
“Okay, okay,” Lucy said, holding her hands up before finally reaching for her apple crumble and taking a bite. “Hmm. This is fucking delicious.”
Quinn shook her head. Lucy was a great friend most of the time. But when she wanted to fix Quinn up? It was hard to deal with. Quinn didn’t even know why she was so against it, but she was, and she just wished that Lucy would take her word for it.
That she was happy.
That she didn’t need anyone else in her life.
Quinn sipped her latte. She’d never say it out loud, but Emily’s crush had lifted her spirits during a really tough time. The woman she’d been dating and living with for almost five years had ended things during the summer.
Quinn had been so glad to see the start of the semester, knowing it would get her out of the house every day and keep her busy, but it was only looking back now that she appreciated how much Emily’s very obvious crush on her had given her this subtle confidence boost, reminding her that she was attractive, at least to one person.
Emily had certainly matured into a very attractive woman, moving from her early twenties to probably mid-thirties, her style more sophisticated. Despite catching Quinn off guard with that almost puzzled gaze, Quinn could easily picture the deep inky black of Emily’s jeans contrasted against her vibrant crimson coat, her captivating honey-brown eyes warm and steady.
It was a good thing that Emily didn’t live here. She wouldn’t admit it to Lucy, but Quinn knew she was attracted to the younger woman. She hadn’t been all those years ago. It had been a strange time, and just having that barrier of their student-teacher relationship meant that Quinn wouldn’t have even entertained the thought.
But now?
Seeing Emily again after so many years?
Quinn could admit, if only to herself, that Emily was a very beautiful woman.
5
Emily brought her suitcase up the stairs to her childhood bedroom which had been turned into a guest room probably ten years ago, when her parents already knew that she wasn’t coming back anytime soon.
Emily was okay with it, but it was strange to walk in and see bare white walls and a light gray carpet, the bedding a darker gray, all very neutral. There were no signs of her teenage years here anymore, her Evanescence posters rolled up and stored away in the attic with the rest of her things.
She took out her navy plaid pajamas and got changed into them, pulling on a comfy hoodie before heading back downstairs.
Her mother was still in the kitchen even though Emily had helped tidy up after dinner. She was sitting at the table, her hands wrapped around a cup of tea.
“Hey, Mom,” Emily said softly.
Her mother smiled and said, “It was nice having you back home with us again. I hope you don’t have to rush off in the morning. Stay and have dinner again tomorrow evening before you head back.”
There was no accusation in her voice, yet Emily still felt a twinge of guilt, and her mother must have sensed it.
“Look, I know you work hard,” she said. “But I can’t tell you how nice it was having you here for dinner and knowing that you’re planning on coming back for Christmas this year. Your father can’t stop talking about it.”
Emily felt a heavy weight in her chest. It was definitely more than a twinge now. “Yeah. I know. About that…”
