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“Thank you.” Miranda smiled and leaned forward, kissing Tori gently on the lips. Tori leaned in, almost toppling herself forward on her own barstool.

“Oh shit.” Tori quickly shuffled back, getting all four legs of the stool on to the ground.

Miranda chuckled, her lips curled into a smirk as she lifted her drink and blew gently over the top of the hot liquid. Tori was completely entranced by the shape of her lips, Miranda’s direct gaze, the things she wanted Miranda to do with that mouth.

For a moment they sat in the silence Miranda seemed to need. Tori took deep breaths of her own, knowing whatever Miranda had to say wouldn’t destroy the future she had already created in her mind, especially since her birthday party. But fear didn’t always listen to logic, so she continued to wait, though the skin on her legs itched as though she’d run up far too many flights of stairs.

“I need your advice,” Miranda finally said, putting her coffee mug onto the counter.

“Oh?” Tori dropped her shoulders, which had slowly been rising with the lingering silence. “Advice about what?”

“Life advice.” Miranda looked up as she spoke, those brown eyes all but glowing as they reached inside of Tori and landed with a thud inside her chest.

“Life advice?” she parroted, disbelieving.

“Yes.” Miranda nodded along with the word.

“From me as…” Tori took a slow breath, trying to figure out if she would regret asking, regret checking, “…as your girlfriend or as a professional life coach?”

Miranda looked at Tori, head cocked with a look Tori hadn’t quite mastered the understanding of yet. Her chest tightened, and she regretted it, instantly. Miranda had never pretended for a moment to have anything other than an obvious distaste in Tori’s profession.

“Would it be too demanding to hope for a little of both?” Nonchalantly, Miranda reached for her coffee and took another slow sip. Did she realize how much of this was torture?

“Both?” Tori’s smile beamed. She had tried to anticipate how she would react depending on which side of the question Miranda came down on, but she hadn’t even considered both.

“Yes.”

“Okay.” The answer had thrilled her, no doubt about that, but still the situation twisted a little uncomfortably in her chest. “What advice exactly are you looking for?”

Would Tori be able to offer real advice as Miranda’s partner? She couldn’t be scared to stay true to her profession because it was Miranda. But what would she want Tori’s advice on?

“About the situation with Rebel and Tierney.”

“Ah.” Tori nodded. She should have figured that out. It was the heaviest weight on Miranda’s shoulders right now. Tori shook her head. She knew, despite Miranda not directly saying it, that the entire situation with Tierney’s reappearance had thrown Miranda for a loop, and she had hoped Miranda would reach out to her. But she hadn’t expected it to be in a professional manner. “All right. When were you thinking?”

“Oh.” Miranda’s eyes were wide as she looked up. “I thought you didn’t have any clients this afternoon.”

“I don’t.” Tori smiled. “But I like to give all of my clients the opportunity to go at their own pace. We can start now or at another time.”

“Oh, well. I guess that makes sense.” Another sip of coffee. Was Miranda using that as a distraction to pace herself?

“You should always have control over every part of your journey with a life coach.” Tori smiled, failing to keep the veneer of pure professional mask in place. “And we know how much you like control.”

Miranda’s cheeks pinked.

“Just relax.” Tori’s eyes lingered on the angles of the woman who made all her dreams come true. She reached over and covered Miranda’s hand, squeezing. Her skin was so soft, and she didn’t miss the ragged breath Miranda took in just from that quick moment of comfort. “Talk to me.”

“I don’t want to lose Rebel.” Miranda’s words came out slightly choked, as if she was on the verge of tears. “Or Tierney.”

Tori nodded, letting Miranda have the control of the situation, just as she would for any of her clients. But it was so much harder not to jump in, not to frame questions immediately, to let Miranda have this time to come to her own conclusions.

“Rebel’s been back in my bed sleeping again ever since Tierney came home, and I’m scared.” Miranda flipped her hand, lacing their fingers together as she looked to the ceiling. A sure sign she was trying to avoid crying.

“Have you talked to Tierney?” Every ounce of energy Tori had was focused on Miranda. That’s what her love needed right now. Her attention, her listening skills, a comforting moment. Tori would give her all and more.

“Not really.” Miranda broke their touch and sipped her drink. Her shoulders stiffened and squared, and she refused to make eye contact. “Tierney’s asked all about what Rebel’s been up to, and I’ve shown her photos and told her about how far she’s come at daycare.”

“And how did that go?”