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Pick you up at 10?

Ella:

YES!

A knock at the bedroom door made her jump, and she leapt to grab it. “Colleen?

“Hey, sweet girl.” Colleen opened her arms, and Ella lost herself in a warm, patchouli-filled hug. “Don’t you look adorable.”

She did look kind of adorable, if she said so herself. “What are you doing here?”

Colleen crossed the room to look at Ella’s painting and nodded with approval. “Your mom and I had some paperworkto look at, and then we’re grabbing breakfast. But more importantly, what areyoudoing here on a Friday?”

Oh, nothing big. Just meeting the woman of my dreams for adate.She spritzed perfume in the air and walked underneath, fanning the mist. “Our manager said we only needed to be on call. So, Sophie and I are going to explore the city.”And maybe, if I’m lucky, each other.

Colleen’s eyebrow lifted. “Sophie, eh? The beautiful co-worker? Glad things worked out between you two.”

A lifetime had passed since she was at Colleen’s, brushing Mocha-Tina and holding back tears from her first few weeks at work. So much had shifted, and the air smelled like hope and opportunity. She shoved her emergency nasal spray in her purse and strapped it across her body. God, she was nervous. Excited, yes, but also, this was a huge step. “Can I ask you something?”

“Yup. Shoot.”

“Why didn’t you date again after Dottie died?” She swallowed, knowing the level of invasiveness in the question.

Colleen tugged at the sleeves of her sunset-colored muumuu. “Who says I didn’t?”

“Wait, what?”

“I don’t tell you everything, my love.” Colleen sat on the end of Ella’s bed and twirled her multi-colored ring. “It took years, but I do date off and on. But right now, I’m fulfilled with myself, the farm, family, friends. I’m not missing anything.”

Ella considered all of this. “Okay, so when you did date, what made you take that leap? Weren’t you scared of getting hurt?”

“Of course I was. I think everyone’s instinct is to protect themselves from getting hurt. I know when things with you and Jasmine ended, you thought the world ended. It was really shitty what happened. But does that mean you’re destined for relationship purgatory?” She set her fingers in her lap. “The biggest lesson I learned from Dottie’s death is that life is tooshort to not do what makes you happy. So, if going out with a co-worker today makes you happy, then live your life to the fullest. We don’t get second chances. Well, of course until we’re reincarnated, but that’s a totally different subject.”

The doorbell rang and Ella perked up. “I love you.” She hugged her aunt. “I gotta go. I need to save Sophie from my mother.”

She bolted down hallway one, then hallway two, then nearly floated down the stairs when she saw Sophie at the entrance, engaged in what was surely terrible small talk. Ella stopped at the bottom step to breathe in the moment. A real date. With Sophie. Who looked amazing by the way, in a cropped sweater, tennis skirt, and purple fishnets. She kind of wanted to devour her on the spot.

Sophie looked up with a grin. “Hey!”

The blush rose fast and furious to Ella’s cheeks. “Hey, you.” She glanced at her mom and not so subtly jutted her chin in the upstairs direction. “I think Colleen wanted to talk to you. In the other room.”

A nod and a smile followed. “Yes, I’m sure she does.” Her mom winked, and for the first time in forever, Ella was not annoyed. “Nice chatting with you, Sophie. Have fun today, you two.”

“Nice to see you again, Mrs. Northwood.” Sophie’s eyes followed Claire out of the room.

Ella wasn’t sure how Sophie would react to her today. Yesterday, they spent the day holding hands, and stealing kisses. But today was a new day, with the high of closing the last phase of the campaign and a spontaneous day off disappearing. Things might just go back to nor?—

Whoa.Sophie took two steps and pulled Ella in for a kiss. “Hey.” Her words were soft and low, and her fingertips grazed Ella’s waist.

“I demand to start my day every day just like that,” Ella joked. She grabbed Sophie’s hand and dragged her outside. “Come on. I cannot wait for today.”

Ella slunk into the front seat of Sophie’s car. “So, you going to tell me where we’re going?”

Sophie pulled out of the driveway and drove from the neighborhood. “I figured I needed to finish the proper tour of the city, since all you’ve seen is what your parents have shown you. First stop, International District.”

The ride tested every ounce of willpower Ella had. She wanted to skim her palm up Sophie’s thigh. Trail the skin on her wrist. Hold her hand, or snuggle into her arm, orsomething. But she settled for the sweet kisses that Sophie planted at the red lights.

Sophie parallel parked like a champ, then gripped Ella’s hand as they strolled the sidewalk. The sun was warm today, topping at nearly seventy degrees, and the air filled with the smell of spring and fried chicken. Sophie pointed to a place at the end of the street and held the door open.