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“My partner.”
Lila sucked in a breath. She had no idea what to say to that. This was completely out of the blue and out of any norm Ann had set before. Ann hardly ever mentioned her partner outside of recent events, and now she wanted Lila to meet her, for what?
“I also want her to bring her girlfriend.”
“Why? Why on earth would you want to do that?” Every warning bell in Lila’s brain was going off that this was an awful idea. She didn’t know Ann’s partner, and she didn’t know this other woman. What good could come from this?
Ann leaned in, utterly calm. “Will you trust me on this?”
“I want to know why. I think that’s reasonable.”
Ann nodded slightly. “My partner and I have been struggling to connect, and I’m curious about her girlfriend. I want to know how they connect so that maybe she and I can communicate better.”
Lila was even more confused now. So many questions filled her brain at once, and she couldn’t figure out how to form even one of them. She pushed up from the couch and paced to the kitchen and back, staring at Ann’s calm form as she planted her hands on her hips and shook her head. “This is a terrible idea. And sure, that might make sense for you, Ann, but where the hell do I come into this?”
Ann drew in a long breath. “She’s curious, too.”
“We’ve been together for a year now, and she’s just now curious about who I am?”
“I guess.” Ann shrugged. “I’m not sure it’s so much who you are but how we are with each other. Something isn’t right in our relationship, and we’ve both known that for years, but I think this is the first time we’ve seen that we might have an answer to all those questions we keep asking.”
Lila whistled out a breath, her lips vibrating together. She shoved a hand through her hair and swallowed hard. “I don’t know about this, Ann.”
“We’d all have separate rooms. Well, not me and her, but you and her girlfriend would have your own rooms, and I don’t even know if any sex would happen while we’re there. It’s more about talking and learning.”
Lila couldn’t believe what she was hearing. This was the craziest thing Ann had ever said to her. “Was this your idea or hers?”
“Mine.” Ann stood up, walking straight to Lila and holding both of her hands. “It was my idea, and we haven’t planned anything because I wanted to talk to you first.”
“Next weekend?”
Ann shrugged. “It’s not something I really want to wait on.”
“Five days. You’re giving me less than five days to make this decision.”
“I know. I’m sorry.”
Lila cocked her head to the side, eyeing Ann. “You really know how to throw me for a loop, don’t you?”
“Sorry.” Ann gave a wan smile. “Don’t feel like you have to answer right now.”
“Don’t plan on it.”
“All right.” Ann let out a sigh. “Can I kiss you?”
“Fuck, you better. I need something to calm me down.”
Laughing, Ann moved in, their lips connecting. As they breathed the same air, focused on each other, Lila strove to find the center she’d had only an hour before, the peaceful place she so desperately wanted to be. She was going to have to think about this one for at least a day or two before she answered Ann. She’d never expected this.
* * *
Lila sat at the table in the back of the bar, the same one she’d been at with Heidi. She sipped a beer as she waited. Heidi had gotten held up at work and was going to be a bit later than expected, which was perfectly fine with Lila. Even two days later she couldn’t stop thinking about Ann’s proposal, and she could use the distraction Heidi would give her.
The idea was absurd, that much she knew, but depending on the personalities at play, Lila could see how it could be helpful. Ann’s for sure, but she didn’t know Ann’s partner, and it would make her far more comfortable if she did have some sense of who this woman was before she agreed to an entire weekend with her and some other strange woman she didn’t know.
And, there weren’t that many women who loved other women in their small town in rural western Kansas, so the likelihood they knew each other was strong, or at least knew of each other. As soon as Lila had a name, she’d subtly ask around and see if anyone knew who it was. Lila sighed when Heidi entered, looking strong and confident as ever.
Heidi shucked her long black jacket and folded it on the chair next to Lila before she scooted to sit close enough they could touch subtly under the table. Lila had come to expect these quiet touches from Heidi and even looked forward to them.
