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“Aren’t we all?” said Amelia. “You just have to decide whether you can deal with the damage and shine it up all nice again or not. That’s how life works.” She looked sternly at her sister. “If you can’t, then you back out gracefully and don’t lead the woman on.”
“Me? Lead her on?” Jules said.
“You heard me.”
Jules sighed and slumped down at the table with her coffee. “I just… It’s complicated.”
Amelia snorted. “That’s life. Always complicated.”
“It doesn’t have to be,” Cass said. “I’ve always thought that as long as you just open your trap and ask for what you want and don’t take it badly if you don’t get it then things’ll be alright.”
“What about Alea?”
“What about her?” Amelia said. “She’s nice, but she’s not here, and you’re not promised to her. At least not as far as I know. And you’re not committing to anything with Billie Brooke either, are you? Honestly, the worst thing mum ever did for you was make you think you’re about to marry every woman you’ve ever met.”
“She did not!” Cass and Amelia looked at her again. “Fine. I have a marriage problem. Happy?”
“It’ll do,” Amelia said, getting up and putting her dishes in the sink. “Come on, Cass, we’ve got business to attend to.”
“Who wants spray tanning at ten in the morning?” asked Jules.
“Other business,” said Amelia.
Jules opened her mouth to ask what kind of other business, but Cass and Amelia were already disappearing.
She cradled her coffee in her hands and thought about why Billie made her uncomfortable. Then she thought that for once, Cass had a solid grip on things. Yes, Billie’s inability to deal with real life was irritating. But if Jules didn’t make it clear that this was a price of admission, then how was Billie supposed to know?
She wasn’t playing games, she was too old for that. If Billie wanted this then Billie needed to tell her, even if that meant asking. So she’d march on over there this afternoon and take care of things.
At no point during her mental decision making did she consider whether or not she wanted this. That choice had already been made. It had been made when every cell in her body responded to Billie’s unexpected kiss. The truth was, Jules wanted Billie more than she could remember wanting anyone in a very long time.
JULES RANG THE doorbell, knocked on the door, and stood back to wait.
“Turning up again like a bad penny,” Billie said when she opened the door.
“You’re my piano teacher, what did you expect?” Jules asked her. “I mean, I am supposed to be here.”
“You are,” Billie said, still standing in the doorway.
“But as it happens, there’s more on the agenda today than piano lessons.”
“There is?”
Billie was wearing a pair of tight jeans, a long, flowing shirt over them, buttoned up not quite to the top so that her creamy skin was visible in the hollow of her throat. Jules tried not to stare. “There is.”
“Well I don’t have time for messing around, come in or go away, it’s up to you,” Billie said, turning around and leaving the door open behind her.
Jules moved in a flash, slipping through the door, slamming it behind her, grabbing Billie’s wrist all at the same time, then pulling her and twisting her so that in a millisecond Billie’s back was against the hallway wall and Jules was standing nose to nose with her.
Or mouth to mouth.
Depending on what your priorities were.
And Jules definitely knew what hers were. Her stomach flipped over and all the warmth in her body coursed downward, pooling between her legs in a way that was both urgent and pleasant all at the same time.
She let go of Billie’s wrist, placing her hand on Billie’s shoulders instead.
“Admit it,” she said.
