Page 94 of Breadwinner
Inside, the warmth of the building enveloped them, along with the scents of espresso and something sweet. Conversation lulled as several sets of eyes landed on the two of them together, and it was a second before Jamie spoke.
“Hey, Sarah. Hey, Nell.” Her voice carried, warm and inviting, filled with an easy enthusiasm. Nell could feel Sarah’s shoulders relax the slightest bit as she pretended to be busy reading the menu.
Jamie handled introductions. “Nell, you’ve met Beth, and this is Sean and his boyfriend Pat—sorry, fiancé, we just found out—they own this place.”
“Congratulations!” Sarah said to the men behind the counter, still avoiding Beth.
Nell couldn’t pass up the opportunity to watch Beth, whose eyes lingered on Sarah a touch longer than necessary, before shifting to meet Nell’s gaze, only to look away as fast.
Sarah stepped toward the counter and ordered for both of them. “Triple-shot for me, and a large coffee with extra milk for her—and make it as ungodly sweet as you can, please.”
Nell was about to protest, but then she caught the way Sarah looked at her over her shoulder with a wink that said,I know how you really take your coffee. That look only made her smile bigger.
They stepped to the side to wait for their drinks.
“Nell, it’s always nice to see you,” Beth said, drawing Nell’s attention. “I didn’t realize you were in town.”
Her tone didn’t quite convey animosity. No, it was more like Beth was trying to figure her out. Whatever it was, Nell wasn’t a fan. She knew it wasn’t her place, technically, but no one messedwith Sarah and got away with it without suffering a little first. Not if Nell could help it.
“I flew in yesterday as a little birthday surprise for Sarah. Couldn’t have her spending the day alone.” Nell smirked and wrapped a protective arm around Sarah’s waist, sliding her hand into the back pocket of her jeans. Sarah leaned right into her.
Beth’s eyes widened at her movement, and with the slight raise of her brow, Nell dared her to say something, but if she had thoughts about it, Beth didn’t say them.
“It got so late last night that we decided to make a weekend out of it, didn’t we, Sarah?” Nell added for good measure, enjoying the way she was able to get under Beth’s skin so easily. She had always enjoyed the feeling of knowing when she was able to unsettle someone.
Beth stared at them for a moment as Jamie continued to chat with Sean and Pat about wedding plans. “Sounds like a great way to spend your birthday, Sar.”
“It’s been one of the best birthdays in a while,” Sarah said, turning those hazel eyes on Nell, smiling brightly as their drinks were called.
They grabbed them and made their way back out into the damp air again, her arm still resting comfortably around Sarah, neither of them in a rush to let go as they walked.
The waterfront trail curved ahead of them in a slow sweep of weathered boards hugging the edge of the marina, where rows of sailboats rocked gently in their slips. Low, gray clouds were smudged along the horizon, mist still hanging in the air. Every so often, the cry of a gull echoed across the water.
Nell shifted the compostable to-go cup in her hands, warming her fingers against the heat. The scent of coffee and damp pine mixed in the air. Sarah walked quietly beside her, their strides easily syncing as they kept moving down the boarded walkway away from the coffee shop.
“Nell Stanhope, the protector. Who knew?” Sarah said quietly, between the gently tap of their footsteps.
“I’m protective of the people I like. All I did was tell the truth. I didn’t like the idea of you being alone on your birthday, which is why I came to visit.” She shrugged as they came to a stop.
They leaned against the railing of the walkway, coffee in hand, looking out over the water. Nell watched a line of ducks cut across the mirrored surface, leaving ripples in their wake that bent the reflections of the masts and riggings, surrounding them into unnatural shapes. She didn’t want to be the first to talk.
Sarah took slow sips of her coffee, and from the corner of her eye, Nell watched her. Watched the way her eyes shifted across the marina, so clearly lost in thought. Finally, she spoke. “We should probably... talk about things.”
Nell lifted her brows, not entirely surprised by Sarah’s request, but also not jumping to fill the silence. She let the word “things” sit in the space between them, along with the fog.
“You’re really going to play the silent card?” Sarah said, with a smile, bumping her shoulder gently against her. “So predictable.” She felt the warmth of Sarah’s hand on her forearm, the weight of her touch comforting her growing unease. “We need to talk about you and me. What this is. And what it’s not. I think we both could use a little clarity here.”
“I do value clarity,” Nell said, with a laugh, bringing her hand to rest on top of Sarah’s. “Alright. Let’s talk about it.”
Sarah glanced sideways at her before looking back out over the water. “So, you’re aromantic.”
Nell smirked. “One hopelessly nonromantic sapphic here.”
“And I...” Sarah’s voice took on a wry edge. “...am a hopeless romantic. You know, soulmates and all that.”
Nell gripped her coffee cup a little tighter at that statement, fearing what was coming next. She braced herself for therejection Sarah was surely about to deliver. “I know,” Nell said. “But I like that we are different in this way.”
Sarah turned, tilting her head, a stray wisp of hair falling in front of her eyes before she swept it effortlessly behind her ear. Her cheeks were perfectly rosy from the chilly air, but that intensity still burned behind her eyes.