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Riley shifted in her seat to face Harlow. “Does it ever piss you off that we have to come out as lesbian or gay or whatever and straight people can just kiss a million different men or women and we don’t bat an eye? How is that fair? And how is this,” she gestured at the laptop screen as she scrolled through the never-ending emails, “breaking news? Band members fall in love all the time, right? But because it’s two women, bam. It’s headline news on every site.”
“I doubt it’s on every site,” Harlow smirked, obviously trying to lighten the mood.
And, dammit, if it didn’t work.
“I know this is frustrating.” Harlow gently rubbed Riley’s back as she talked. “I wish we lived in a world where people could love whoever they wanted without it being news. But we don’t yet, and in order to get there, we need people like Skylar and Elena who pave the way for the next generation.”
“I guess you’re right.”
Snuggling against Harlow, Riley savored the way Harlow put her arm around her shoulder and kissed her head. There was something beyond comforting about being in Harlow’s arms. They were as protective as they were loving, and Riley hoped to spend the rest of her life in Harlow’s arms.
Well, if they could keep their relationship afloat after the tour ended.
Riley knew they’d have to figure things out sooner rather than later. When the tour ended, Riley would return to the Cove while Harlow returned to Colorado. There was always the option of one of them moving, but Riley felt they hadn’t been together long enough to justify a cross-country love. Although Riley had never done long distance before, she would be willing to try it for Harlow.
Harlow tucked Riley’s hair behind her ear as she looked into her eyes. “What’s bothering you?”
“Just thinking.”
“About what?”
“About what happens to us after the tour.”
“Oh,” Harlow’s voice dropped. She bit her lip and looked past Riley out the window of the bus. “I’ve been thinking about that too.”
Riley sat up straighter. “What have you been thinking?”
“That I don’t want this to end when the tour does.”
“I feel the same.” Riley breathed a sigh of relief. She felt her worry start to dissipate as she looked into Harlow’s brown eyes. “I don’t know how we’re going to do it with you in Colorado and me in Maine, but I’m sure we can work something out.”
“That’s why they invented airplanes and FaceTime,” Harlow smirked. “And besides, I’m not committed to Colorado.”
Riley perked up at the words. She’d never ask Harlow to move for her; that was such a big decision she’d want Harlow to make it herself. But if Harlow was willing to move, then Riley wasn’t going to say no. After all, Harlow seemed to love the Cove as much as Riley did after their few days away there.
“I can see your thoughts churning behind your eyes.” Harlow gently brushed her thumb over Riley’s cheek as she cradled it in her hand. “Talk to me, Rye. Is there anything else bothering you?”
“I just don’t want to think about life without you.”
“You make it sound like I’m dying,” Harlow chuckled. “I’m not going anywhere, Riley. I want to see where this goes and I’m willing to do whatever it takes after the tour ends to keep things going between us. I know you feel the same, because I also feel worried about it.”
“You do?”
“Of course. Things are just starting between us. I don’t want them to end before we figure things out.”
“Me either.”
“And besides,” Harlow smirked, “I really loved the Cove.”
“And I loved you there.” Wrapping her arms around Harlow’s neck, she held her close. “I’m really glad we finally admitted we liked each other so we can have more conversations that cause us both to overthink.”
“We are a couple of overthinkers, aren’t we?”
“It’s what makes us so compatible.”
“I can’t argue with that.”
There was a knock on the door, startling them both. Harlow told them the door was open and Skylar and Elena stepped into the bus.
