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Cat smiled and took a sip of her wine. “I didn’t think you were coming on to me. I thought you were sharing part of your past with someone you hoped would understand.” Cat shrugged. “You can talk to me about anything, Elena. That’s the kind of friends we are. Please don’t hold back because of my ex. If anything, I should be thanking you.”

“Thanking me?”

“Yes. Hattie left me doubting myself. I decided last night that I was not going to let her keep hurting me. I have to trust myself. I know you’re my friend and we’re getting to know each other. That means I have to open up and let you know me, which is what you did last night.”

“It wasn’t too much?”

“No. I’m glad you could talk to me about this woman.”

“I’ve never told anyone about her. I pushed that memory so far down because I had Dean and we were so good together.”

Cat reached over and took Elena’s hand. “Some memories have a way of resurfacing no matter how deep you bury them. Maybe you felt safe to share that with me because I, too, have kissed a girl,” Cat said with a grin.

Elena squeezed Cat’s hand. “We’re okay?”

“Yes, we’re more than okay,” Cat said with a wink.

Elena’s hand went to her chest and she let out a deep breath. “Thank goodness.”

Cat furrowed her brow. “Is this why you didn’t come to the bookstore today?”

Elena could feel her cheeks warming and she nodded slightly.

“Oh, Elena.”

“I didn’t want to have this conversation at your store.”

Cat nodded. “I can understand that. But I missed you.”

They both smiled and took a sip from their glasses.

“Now, what is this big project I’m here to see?” Cat asked.

Elena got up and smiled. “I hope I haven’t made this out to be more than it really is.” She winced.

“Elena!”

“Okay, okay. Right this way.”

Elena walked back towards the kitchen and past the small dining area. She stopped and put her hand on the wall that separated the dining area from the rest of the house. “On the other side of this wall is the project Nicolas has been building.”

“Okay,” Cat said, raising her eyebrows. “Are you going to let me see?”

Elena stepped out of the way so Cat could come around the corner and into the open space.

Cat gasped. “I think I’m in love,” she mumbled in awe.

Elena chuckled. This was the reaction she was hoping for.

The bookcase took up the entire wall, but she’d had the ceiling raised so the top of the bookcase followed the angle of the roof. On the wall that faced the back of the house, Nicolas had installed transom windows that flooded the space with natural light. There were two doors that opened onto a patio, letting in even more light. The other side of the room had a matching bookcase complete with a sliding ladder that could be moved to the other bookcase.

On one side of the room there were two chairs, similar to the ones in Cat’s reading nook, that begged to be sat in. There was a small loveseat on the other side of the room that looked just as comfortable. When Elena walked into this room, she felt peace and exhilaration at the same time.

“This is amazing,” Cat said, almost reverently.

“Do you like it?”

“Like it?” Cat whipped her head around to stare at Elena. “I want to live in it!”