Page 79 of WASP

Max leaned forward, bringing a hand to Annie’s cheek, the pad of her thumb tracing gently over the contour of her bone structure. “When it comes to you, I one hundred percent am.”

“Good, that’s how I like it.”

They shared a long quiet moment, Max searching Annie’s eyes for any sign of hesitation regarding her proposed step.

“Are you sure you want to move with me? That’s a big step. Like a huge step. I’d totally understand if you didn’t⁠—”

Annie cut her off, a hand resting on her bicep. “What part of me saying I want to move to Michigan with you makes you think I don’t want to?”

Heat rose in Max’s cheeks. “No, I wasn’t—it’s just I hate the idea of you feeling pressured to make this decision quickly because things in my life happen to be ramping up.”

“You’re right. It is a big step. I think it’s fair that we recognize that. What would make you feel more confident in this decision?”

Max sighed, loving that Annie was always asking questions like that. She chewed on her bottom lip, thinking for a moment before she answered. “We’ve never really talked about us. Like, what do we want out of this relationship? I think I’d like to do that before making any decisions about moving.”

“I can get behind that. Do you want me to go first? Or do you want to?”

Max blinked. Of course Annie was ready to have this conversation right this moment without even needing a minute to think. “You can go first,” she said, curious to hear what Annie had to say.

Annie’s tongue darted out, running along her bottom lip in a brief moment of thought. “After everything that happened with Caroline, I told myself I wasn’t going to date for the sake of dating. I’m not interested in that. I want it all, Max. I want the marriage, and the kids, and a life so big and full of adventure and memories that I drive everyone in the nursing home crazy with my stories when I’m ninety.” She giggled.

Max glowed with the confirmation of something she had quietly felt while standing on the porch of the old farmhouse in Michigan, the thrill of the possibility of a life with Annie that included everything she had ever dreamed of.

“Feelings about cats?” she asked, arching her brow. “You didn’t mention anything about pets, and that’s the only difference between what you want and what I want.” Max smirked, fully ready for Annie’s playful push against her chest.

“How many are we talking?”

“Is there a limit?”

Annie rolled her eyes. “I’m open to varying quantities of cats, but I will not let us become crazy cat ladies. That’s one lesbian stereotype I refuse to embrace.”

“Yeah, no one who’s held a kitten has ever said that. Give it time,” Max joked, wrapping her arms around Annie, kissing the tip of her nose.

“What about you? What do you want out of this?”

She inhaled deeply, looking inward to the deepest desires of her life that she had never shared with anyone. “I don’t really do the girlfriend thing,” she said slowly, already hating the way her feelings sounded. “I mean, like, I’ve never really been serious about someone.”

She chewed the inside of her cheek anxiously, but as she looked into Annie’s patient gaze, every ounce of nervousness faded, replaced by a vivid picture. It was the two of them, standing hip to hip on the front porch of the farmhouse, looking out over her land together, planting their roots.

“I want it all, Annie.” Her voice cracked, her unexpected feelings creeping their way into her words as she continued. “I want the house, I want marriage, I want kids, I want taking on the world with someone.” Her heart hammered as she cautiously put her dream out there—something she had never said out loud before.

Annie was close again, impossibly so, her hot breath spreading across Max as she pressed against her. “Glad we’re on the same page about a few things,” Annie said, the sincerity in her tone wrapping around Max’s ears. “You know—with the wife and kids and the life plans thing.” She scrunched her nose, leaning forward, placing another delicate kiss on her lips.

She sighed into it, the weight of carrying her unspoken dreams dissipating into Annie’s movements as they gently reassured her. Max had spent the entirety of her adulthood believing that to pursue anything in life worth doing, she’d have to tackle it alone. But now, lying here with Annie curled up in her arms, she let herself believe that, maybe, just maybe, doing life with someone else might be the right answer after all.

* * *

That afternoon, Max fidgeted with a pile of folders in the conference meeting room at Norwich Winery—the one usually reserved for the occasional business group tasting or staff meetings. Annie’s hand slipped into hers, squeezing three times, drawing Max’s attention.

“It’s all going to be okay,” Annie reassured for the one hundredth time that afternoon.

“You don’t even know why I called everyone here today,” Max countered.

Annie shrugged. “No, I don’t, but I know you and I know your heart and I know your vision, so I have my guesses. Can’t wait to see if I’m right.” She toyed with the stack of gold chains hanging around Max’s neck, untwisting them so they lay flat against her sternum. “I’m so proud of you. You know that?”

A meek smile fought its way onto her lips, her hip bumping Annie’s. “I know.” Her words were soft as she inhaled deeply, basking in the heat of Annie’s pride.

“I love you, you know that too, right?” Annie stepped towards her, pressing up on her toes, brushing her cheek with a chaste kiss, the heat lingering even after it was over.