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thirteen

“I brought tequila!”

Miranda’s eyes widened like she had done something wrong.

“Or…not…” Tori frowned. “I did also get some more vodka. We finished off the bottle I had the other week. Thought I’d refill it.”

“Vodka is probably the better option.” Miranda’s words were crisp.

“You don’t like tequila?” Tori followed Miranda through the house toward the kitchen. It was huge compared to her apartment. Definitely three or four bedrooms at least, but her living room was the size of Tori’s living room, kitchen, and bedroom combined.

“It’s more that it and I don’t agree well.”

“Oh.” Tori smiled. “I’ve had my fair share of horror stories with it. I guess we’ll check that one off the list.” She giggled as she set the two bottles onto the counter. “I was going out with this woman last year, and I misread all the signs.”

“Somehow I find that hard to believe.”

Tori eyed Miranda curiously. “Why do you say that?”

“Because you’re so good at reading people.”

“Well, it’s my job, but that doesn’t mean I’m perfect at it. And when it involves relationships? Romantic ones to be clear. I can be as dense as the best of them.”

“I still doubt that.” Miranda grabbed some orange juice from the fridge. “Screwdriver?”

“Yes!” Tori grinned. “Siena has Harley tonight. I hate being at home without her some days. Sometimes it’s nice.” Why was she rambling so much? Tori wasn’t usually a nervous person, but since she’d pulled up outside of Miranda’s house, finally seeing inside her world in a way Miranda hadn’t ever let her in before, she wasn’t going to take this in stride. “I mean. I love Harley.”

“I get it.” Miranda handed her a drink.

“How did Rebel go down tonight?”

“Easy as pie.” Miranda sipped her own drink and raised it up in a cheers move. “Since she has her favorite stuffy back.”

“I’m so glad I found it.”

They paused, the tension pulling between them. Tori struggled to find something to say, anything to break that look Miranda was giving her because there was something under the surface she wasn’t sure she wanted to experience. But another side of her wanted the full force of it.

“You didn’t finish your story.” Miranda’s lips were perfect. Did she redo her makeup on and off all day to keep that look?

“What story?” Tori was so lost staring into her honeyed eyes that she would tell Miranda anything if she asked. She had no filters when Miranda gave her that look.

“With tequila? A year ago?”

“Right.” Tori blew out a breath. She took a long sip of her drink, surprised by how strong it was. But she gulped down another swallow. “I thought she was going to propose. She definitely wasn’t. She broke up with me. I died of embarrassment. Ended up at Siena’s, and well…things happened that shouldn’t have.”

Miranda paled.

Fuck. Tori shouldn’t have brought that story up. Not if she wanted anything to happen. “It’s the only time since the divorce, and there was lots of alcohol involved, and loneliness, and stupidity.”

“I understand.” Though it didn’t sound as though Miranda did.

Tori touched her wrist again. Why couldn’t she stop doing that? “It was a mistake. We both knew that as soon as it happened, and it hasn’t ever happened again.”

“Where was Harley during all of that?”

“With her grandparents for the weekend. We have a strict rule about bringing dates over when Harley is around if we’re not ready for the next step.” Tori let go of Miranda, though she didn’t want to. She missed the touch.

“And did she meet your ex?”