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“It’s freezing,” Caz complained just as a wave hit, and she stumbled, falling into it.

“That’s called karma.” Grace laughed harder until Caz rose back up, and with both hands paddling water in her direction, Grace was soaked. “Oh, that’s so mean…”

“You said you wanted to get wet,” Caz chuckled, and continued to splash her.

“I didn’t want to get that wet, and not like that.” Grace faked a glare.

“Oh, and just how did you plan to get wet?”

The minute she’d said it, she froze. The implication of that statement had so many different variables, depending on how Grace had heard it.

And Grace’s silence in the moment was worrying. No quick-witted, retaliatory response meant Caz panicked a little more.

“I thought I’d slowly dip in and out,” Grace smiled, “but now, I’ve been overwhelmed and you’re going to have to pay.”

Unsure if there was any double meaning in that, Caz chose to ignore it. Overthinking right now would not do either of them any good.Snap out of it,she told herself, before turning and running deeper into the water.

“You’ll have to catch me first,” she shouted over her shoulder as Grace strode purposefully towards her.

“I already caught you. That’s why I’m wearing this ring.” Grace held up her hand, showing off her ring finger and then slowly folded it down and raised her middle one.

Caz laughed, normal service would resume.

Chapter Sixteen

Despite the heat of the day, a little too much sun burning the skin meant it felt a little chilly as the sun set. The sky was a glorious landscape of orange, purple, and red reflecting off of the sea.

Dinner had been a nice, quiet meal in town, at a restaurant where other couples and families filled the tables outside. Sipping a digestif, Caz couldn’t help but notice the way Grace’s face lit up anytime one of the toddlers smiled at her or screeched excitably.

“What?” Grace said, catching Caz smiling at her.

“Nothing, you just look happy.”

Grace sat up, as though she’d just been praised for a top-notch essay. “Being with you makes me happy. Sometimes I wish—” She shook her head and looked away, out towards the water in the near distance.

“Wish what?” Caz asked, intrigued.

When Grace looked back at her, there were tears in her eyes.

“I just…sometimes I wish I was gay, so I could make you happy.”

The words hit Caz in the chest as hard as a boulder that had rolled down a mountain, breaking apart and splintering into tiny, painful shards when it landed.

“I…I am happy.” It wasn’t a lie.

Grace nodded. “Yes, but…”

“No buts,” Caz said. She reached out her hand and took Grace’s. “I’m happy. Being with you, planning a future, gay or not, this is what I want.”

“Is it? It’s been a year, and you must be…needing that connection?”

Caz felt her cheeks burn. Was she that obvious? Had she said, or worse, done something that would infer she wanted something more?

“I don’t,” she said quickly…too quickly.

Grace chuckled. “You know, one of the things I love about you is that you’re a rubbish liar.”

Caz closed her eyes, swallowed slowly, and felt the heat burn hotter. “It’s not that I want—”