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“Really?” she blurted out.

“Yeah, really.” Skylar nervously laughed. “I’ve eaten too many sandwiches the last few days, and I really want Mexican food.”

“Of course you do.”

“Hey now,” Skylar playfully flipped Elena’s shoulder, “you know you love a good queso dip too.”

“I do.”

“You’ll have to come back to the Cove sometime and check out this new restaurant. They have the best homemade tortilla chips and salsa. You’ll love it.”

“Next time I’m there, I’ll let you take me.”

“It would be my pleasure.”

Skylar took a step closer to her, and Elena knew what was about to happen. While her mind yelled at her to take a step back, her body leaned into Skylar’s kiss. It wasn’t as passionate as the kiss at the beach. Instead, it was softer. Tender even. And way quicker than Elena wanted.

“We’re going to have to keep this in check if we’re going to be on tour together.”

Skylar’s voice of reason wasn’t what Elena wanted to hear. Although Elena wasn’t ready to be in a public relationship with Skylar, she also didn’t want their stolen kisses to end. Maybe Elena should give in. Dating Skylar wouldn’t be the end of the world, right?

But hell, Elena didn’t even know if that was something Skylar would even want. Their lives were literally on different coasts now. It was also clear that Skylar wouldn’t be satisfied with a closeted relationship, and, at the moment, Elena wasn’t sure she could give Skylar more than that.

Ugh. You’ll be unhappy forever like this…

Elena hated how she had always been holding herself back. The older she got, the more she could tell her insecurities kept her from living her life to the fullest. She’d dated men to keep up the persona she was straight. She had married Peter to fulfill some American dream bullshit she never believed in. Looking at Skylar now, Elena could fully see everything she’d missed out on.

The odds of Skylar and Elena still being together were high, she knew that. Their love had been so hot and heavy and perfect that it was destined to last a lifetime. Instead of spending her nights alone, Elena could have been living in the Cove with Skylar and their friends.

But there was no changing the past now. Sighing, Elena nodded her head.

“I know,” she agrees with Skylar. “We need a five-foot rule.”

“We don’t get within five feet of each other?”

“Maybe that’s best.” Elena shrugged. “I really don’t know.”

“The only other option is we accept what this is and just dive in.”

“You know that’s not me.”

“I know,” she sighed. “I wish it was, but I can’t force you out of the closet. I’m sorry if I ever made you feel like that’s what I was trying to do. Maybe subconsciously I was, and that wasn’t fair to you.”

She was taken aback by Skylar’s apology. Skylar must have noticed because she laughed softly.

“Don’t overthink it. Just accept it, and let’s move on.”

Elena nodded. “Okay, yeah. Come on. I know a great Mexican restaurant off the PCH. We can take my car.”

“Good, considering I don’t have one.”

“Oh, yeah,” she laughed. “Forgot about that.”

“Do I need to change?” Skylar looked down at her graphic tee, jeans, and sandals. “I’m not very dressed up.”

“It’s fine. You look great.” She tried not to linger on her compliment too long. “Go get your bag, and I’ll meet you in the kitchen.”

As Skylar headed downstairs, Elena walked into the kitchen and filled Leo’s water and food bowls as she made a call to reserve a table at Stephanie’s. Stephanie’s wasn’t a fancy place by any means, but Elena had built a rapport with them that allowed her to snag a table almost any time she wanted it.