Page 121 of Sweet Heart

“Is that what you two did?”

She looks at me hopefully, and I shrug.

“I guess so, now that we are looking back on it. Cat hates it when I forget to take breaks when I’m writing, so I had to set alarms to calm her nervous system.”

Carmen huffs.

“That’s so you. Cat’s right, though.”

“Hmm, I am. Just as Mary was right that I needed to tell her when a shift was rough.”

“Duh, you didn’t? Cat, how is she supposed to know?”

“Right?” I exclaim, and Carmen nods hard.

Cat rolls her eyes, but she smiles. She squeezes Carmen’s shoulder and gives her a brief wink just as the door swings open and laughter fills the hallway. Carmen quickly wipes at her eyes and gives us a toothy grin as we continue unpacking the boxes in front of us.

“But how did you get licensed here, then? That must have been a whole hassle.” Isa’s eyes are trained on Celeste while she takes a big bite out of her slice of pizza.

“Well, I was lucky enough to be part of an exchange program between the EANS and AANS, and then I did part of my fellowship here. That was my way in. It set me back two years, but it was nothing too bad in the grand scheme of things.”

“Did you always plan to work in the States?”

Celeste smirks and shakes her head.

“No. If it weren’t for Riley…”

“You moved for Riley?” Carmen gasps and instantly gets shoved by Isa.

“Is that so hard to believe?” Riley snaps back, but her eyes crinkle with amusement.

“No, no… I mean, it is just a big decision.”

“Well, Carmen.” Celeste smiles slowly as she bores her eyes into Carmen’s brown ones. “If you know, you know. Doubt has no role. If it pops up, show it the door. Otherwise, it will just whisper falsehoods into your ear.”

“Falsehoods?”

Carmen has never sounded so small before, and Isa cocks her head. There is a glint of worry in her eyes. She stretches her fingers, and Carmen seamlessly interlaces them without thinking, making her visibly relax.

“Yes,” Riley replies before Celeste can, blissfully unaware of the little moment that is taking place. “When Celeste and I first met, I was scared to be myself around her. People knew me for being funny and upbeat all the time.” She smiles.

Carmen winces a little but nods regardless.

“But Celeste saw right through that, didn’t you, babe?”

“Hm, nobody is happy all the time.”

“That’s what you said.” Riley grins and places a kiss at the corner of her wife’s mouth. “That, and that I shouldn’t worry that you would disappear if you saw the real me.”

“And I didn’t. I like the real you.”

Celeste wraps her arms possessively around Riley’s waist and pulls her a little closer, a gesture that we haven’t really seen yet. I smirk when Cat copies the mood by putting her hand against the back of my neck, and I lean into the touch, too. Carmen just nods and puts her head on Isa’s shoulder. Isa places a soft kiss against her temple and whispers something softly into her ear. Carmen flushes and nods.

“If you don’t mind, we are really tired from the past few days and we’d like to unwind for the day,” Isa says, and we all grin.

“We’ll be out of your hair,” I hum and move to stand.

“No, no, you don’t have to lea—” Carmen starts, but Riley cuts her off.