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Amelia stood up and brushed off her jeans. “Right then, that’s my good deed for the evening done. I’m up to sing some Cyndi Lauper soon. You coming back in?”
Billie hesitated then shook her head. She had a lot to think about. “Not just yet,” she said.
“Okey-dokey,” said Amelia. “But you think about what we talked about. You need to make up your mind whether you’re strong enough to deal with this.”
“Right,” she said for the third time.
“Make up your mind, Billie Brooke.”
“Make up her mind about what?” Jules said, sliding out of the side door of the pub.
Amelia grunted and nodded toward Billie. “She’ll tell you,” she said as she went back inside.
“Tell me what?” asked Jules, coming to perch on the edge of the bench.
“Nothing,” Billie said automatically.
“Tell me why you’re leaving without saying goodbye?” Jules asked, lifting an eyebrow.
Billie groaned. “I wasn’t. Alright, I was. But your sister talked me around, alright?”
Jules slid a little closer. “Amelia did?”
“Mm-hmm.” Billie’s skin was starting to prickle at Jules’s nearness. She swallowed hard. “I just… I don’t think I know what’s really happening here and… and it all confuses me.”
“I see,” Jules said, reaching out gently and taking Billie’s hand. “What part confuses you?”
“Why someone like you would be interested in someone like me,” Billie said honestly.
“Why wouldn’t I be?” asked Jules. “You’re attractive. You’re smart. You’re funny.”
“And I’m exacting and demanding and cold and a pain in your arse,” Billie reminded her.
“Well, on that note, I’m guessing that you’d say much the same thing about me,” Jules pointed out, her index finger tracing small circles on Billie’s palm.
“Mmm,” Billie said, not trusting herself to speak for a moment. She took a breath. “I, uh, I’m not sure what’s happening here,” she said again.
“I like you,” Jules said quietly, finger still tracing circles.
“Um, okay. I like you too,” said Billie, voice cracking as Jules’s finger moved toward her wrist.
“That’s good. We’re both consenting adults.” Jules paused, looking up. “Are you interested in something more happening?”
Billie’s stomach clenched with wanting. She nodded.
“Alright,” said Jules. “I think I am too.”
“But not getting married,” Billie blurted out. She cursed herself. Why on Earth had she said that? What a thing to say at a time like this. About to get laid for the first time in more months than she could count and she went and said something like that.
But Jules was laughing. “Alright, that sounds fair enough.” She looked Billie in the eye again. “No pressure. This is just us finding out if there’s really something here, alright?”
Billie nodded, her lips dry.
“And if there’s not, there’s no hard feelings.”
Billie nodded again.
“And thank you for coming out with me tonight,” Jules said. “I know it’s difficult for you, but I think it’s good for you too. And it’s good for me to see that you actually have feelings about things, that you can do things for me. I appreciate it.”
