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“H ow do you feel about that?” Melinda asked her.

“It’s weird, right?” Sophie replied.

“No, I wouldn’t say it’s weird. I think it’s cool.”

“They want to make a movie out of your story. That’s weird, I guess, in a way, because I’m not sure any of us thinks about our lives as a movie. If mine were a movie, it would be, like, ninety percent boring and mildly tragic until I met Mel and moved here,” Kyle said.

Melinda smiled over at her girlfriend and replied, “Mine was pretty boring before I met you, too.”

“Mine was boring until Bryce,” Sophie agreed. “I had a boring job and really not many friends until Monica moved here and I met all of you, but that happened around the same time I met her, so I can’t really separate it.”

“Wait. Who would play us?” Melinda asked.

“What?” Sophie laughed.

“Who would play you?” Melinda added. “And Bryce?”

“Whatever actresses are doing low-budget lesbian romance movies,” Sophie suggested.

“Hey, they might get someone really good,” Melinda said. “People get Oscars for going gay.”

“Going gay?” Jill asked. “Who’s going gay? What did I miss here?”

She sat down on Melinda and Kyle’s side of the booth, and Bryce joined Sophie after their trip to the bathroom. It hadn’t taken long for Jill to somehow pull the whole movie thing out of Bryce, who had looked over at Sophie apologetically, but Sophie had just shrugged it off.

“No one. We were just talking about who might play us in the movie.” She laughed.

“Oh, that’s a question,” Jill said. “I’m not sure I’ve ever landed on an actress who would play me. Are we talking looks, acting ability, or all of the above?”

“We hadn’t landed yet,” Kyle replied.

“Okay. Then, how realistic are we talking, because I’d love someone like Cate Blanchett or Sandra Bullock to play me, but let’s get real… Also, I’m in my twenties, so as young as they both look, I don’t know that it’s realistic,” Jill said.

Sophie leaned over into Bryce as they continued to talk about which actresses would play them in this movie that wouldn’t actually happen. She supposed that was why it was so easy for her to say that it was fine to Bryce as they had walked to meet her friends. It wasn’t as if anyone was actually going to make a movie of their meeting and subsequent relationship. She and Bryce would meet with the producer, and once they see how boring Sophie actually was, they’d decide that there were far more interesting stories to tell that would make them money and leave it.

Of course, on top of Women Loving Women now, who wanted to set up follow-up interviews with both of them, there were also the two other people who’d reached out to Bryce about interviews. Sophie wasn’t sure how any of that had happened. Yes, it was magical to her how they’d met and found one another, and she guessed it made sense for Bryce’s subscribers that they would be invested, but for the rest of the world to want to read about them or see their story unfold on the big screen was a stretch. Maybe it wouldn’t be a big screen. Bryce had mentioned it probably being on TV or streaming somewhere, which made a little more sense, but still. What would the middle of the movie be? Sophie sitting at her desk, pretending to work while she daydreamed about this woman she met and lost one night? She didn’t think that would be interesting to anyone. It definitely wasn’t interesting to her.

They were having dinner with her friends, though, and Sophie needed to focus. She loved how Bryce seemed to just fit in with everyone so easily. Kyle and Bryce had something in common. Melinda and Bryce had something else. Jill also seemed to like her. She already knew that Monica and Bridgette liked Bryce, so all that was needed now was for Sophie to visit Bryce and meet Megan and Kelsey, and possibly Sean, depending on how things went.

Thinking about that future visit made her think about how Bryce would be leaving soon. She tried to hide her sorrow, but she got quiet and wrapped an arm around Bryce’s stomach as if that would somehow keep her in New Orleans forever.

“Are you okay?” Bryce asked softly while Kyle, Melinda, and Jill debated about whether or not they could get an A-lister to play one of them.

“Yeah, I’m okay,” she lied.

“Soph…”

“It’s fine. Just not here, okay?” she requested, meeting her girlfriend’s eyes.

Bryce looked concerned and said, “We can go.”

“We can talk later. I don’t want to go. I’m having fun.”

“You don’t look like it,” Bryce said, cupping her cheek.

Sophie winked at her and replied, “I’m okay. Really.”

Bryce gave her a look that told Sophie she didn’t believe her, but they stayed for a little while longer. Later, when they paid for dinner, Bryce pulled out her phone and showed it to Sophie, with the promised email from the producer right there, in black and white.

Bryce,

Attached you’ll find the standard contracts regarding story rights. Please take a look and have Sophie do so as well. If you need a recommendation for an entertainment attorney or other representation, let me know. I can send over a list of names we’ve worked with in the past. I’d recommend having someone look over it, at least, to make sure you’re protected accordingly. You’ll find the amount we’re offering in the agreement. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out. I’d love to discuss the terms with you two as soon as possible in order to capitalize on your story being somewhat viral right now, so I’ve attached a link to my online booking tool. Feel free to grab some time on my calendar so we can discuss the next steps.

Eloise Axford

Associate Producer, 310 Studios

“She just gets right to the point, doesn’t she?” Sophie said.

“What do you mean?”

“She assumes you’ll meet with her and that we’ll sign.”

“Oh, yeah. I guess she did. She’s basically a salesperson, though, so that makes sense,” Bryce replied, locking her phone and signing the credit card receipt when it arrived.

“So, Soph, what are you going to do about work?” Melinda asked.

“If you need something temporary, we’re still looking for two part-time tour guides to get us through the summer,” Jill added.

“I was trying to slow-play that, Jill,” Melinda told her with a chuckle. “Find out her situation. Loosen her up to the idea a bit.”

“Me? A tour guide?”

“Why not? You know the city really well,” Melinda said, “And it would only be about ten to fifteen tours a week, so you’d have time to look for another job.”

“I’m kind of hoping I found one already,” she replied.

“Yeah? That’s great,” Kyle said.

“I still have to hear back, but I’ve had two interviews at Arnette, and they both went well, so I’m hoping that that’s the case and I get an offer soon.”

“Well, if not, the offer stands. We usually go through at least ten part-timers over the summer, so if you have to stop because you get something, that wouldn’t be a problem.”

“The tips can be really good, too,” Jill added. “During Carnival and summer, I usually get at least one-fifty from a two-hour tour, and I do a couple of those a day, so it adds up.”

“You get a few hundred in tips a day?” Bryce asked.

“Depends on the tour and the group, but if it’s ten or more people, yeah. Some people give me five bucks, but I get twenties sometimes, and occasionally, I get fifties and hundreds. I choose to believe the reason they tip so well is because I do a great job and not because they don’t have any smaller bills. Oh, and don’t tell the government because those cash tips aren’t exactly something I declare on my taxes.”

Bryce laughed and said, “Can I be a tour guide?”

“Are you looking for part-time employment?” Melinda asked.

“If it pays like that, definitely.”

Sophie looked away out the window of the restaurant, seeing the line of people waiting for a table, and said, “We should probably go. People are waiting for this booth.”

“Let’s grab drinks next door,” Jill suggested. “I could use a beer.”

Sophie nodded because her girlfriend seemed excited by the idea, but thinking about Bryce working as a tour guide in New Orleans over the summer only made her think of the possibility of Bryce being here all the time. Since that wasn’t her reality, though, she wanted to change the subject.

“So, I’m thinking about asking you to dance with me. What are the chances you’d say yes?” Bryce asked after they’d all ordered their drinks and had gathered in a circle in the bar that was jam-packed and playing the most popular songs on Spotify right now so loudly that Bryce had to lean in and half-yell in her ear.

“You know how I feel about dancing.”

“I thought we fixed that when we danced together last time,” Bryce replied. “I know what those hips can do now, Soph.” She pressed her lips to Sophie’s ear and whispered, “How they look when they’re doing figure eights on top of me when I’m buried inside you, making you come.”

Sophie swallowed and blushed at the same time.

“It’s hot in here, huh?” Melinda made a comment to her as she fanned herself.

“Yeah. Hot,” she replied with a nod.

“Dance with me,” Bryce continued. “And we can do that again when we get home.”

Sophie thought about home while she handed Melinda her drink to hold. Bryce handed her own to Kyle, and they made their way to the dance floor, which was just the regular floor by the DJ, where some people were dancing and others were standing around, drinking, and talking. Bryce’s hands went to Sophie’s hips, and she pulled Sophie in against her, swaying them back and forth. When Bryce’s lips met her neck, just that move grounded Sophie, and she wrapped her own arms around Bryce’s neck and rested her head on her shoulder.

“Will you tell me now that we’re alone?”

“We’re not alone,” she said. “We’re in the middle of a hundred people.”

“Your friends can’t hear us, and we don’t know any of these people.”

Sophie tightened her grip as Bryce continued to guide her hips.

“I don’t want you to go,” she shared and felt Bryce nod. “We were talking about things at dinner, and I had this moment where I realized you couldn’t be a tour guide in New Orleans because you’re leaving. You don’t live here.”

“I know,” Bryce said. “I’ll be back.”

“I’m used to you being here now, Bryce. I know what it’s like to wake up with you now.”

“I can come back whenever, Soph. I’ll need to go back for a week or two. I owe my aunt some work on the house. I’ve made promises to her that I need to keep, and I need to check in on my friends who are all going through some things right now, but I want to be here with you. You know that, right?”

“Hey, we thought we’d join you. Jill has our drinks,” Melinda said as she and Kyle made their way onto the dance floor. “I can never get her to dance with me, so I used you two dancing as a way to convince her.”

“Not much of a dancer,” Kyle added.

Sophie smiled at her friends but didn’t say anything. She knew she and Bryce weren’t so much dancing anymore as they were holding on tightly to one another and swaying offbeat. When the song ended, she held on another few seconds before pulling back and looking into Bryce’s dark eyes.

“You are crazy beautiful,” Bryce said before she leaned in and kissed her softly. “And we found each other after a year of wanting, Soph. I have a feeling we’ll always find each other.”

“Asher?”

“Melinda? Hey.”

Sophie looked over to find Melinda hugging a woman who looked to be a little older than her. She had long auburn hair pulled back into an elegant updo, and from what Sophie could see in the light, blue eyes. She was slightly shorter than Melinda, but not by much, and the two seemed to know one another.

“Ky, this is Asher. Ash, this is my girlfriend, Kyle.”

“Nice to meet you,” Asher said, offering her hand for Kyle to shake, which she did.

“And these are my friends: Sophie and her girlfriend, Bryce.”

Sophie gave Asher a smile.

“Nice to meet you,” Bryce spoke and shook Asher’s hand.

“Hey,” another woman said as she joined them and passed Asher a blue cup.

“Oh. Linden, this is Melinda. I don’t think you’ve met her yet.”

“Melinda? Melinda from NOLA Guides?”

“Yeah, this is her. Melinda, this is Linden. She works with me,” Asher introduced.

“You’re a wedding planner, too?” Melinda asked.

“Yeah.” Linden nodded.

“They work for the wedding planning company I started partnering with recently,” Melinda said mostly to Kyle. “People travel to have weddings here and need something to occupy their guests when they’re not at the actual ceremony, so I offer them a discount for signing people up for our tours through their company.”

“Oh, that’s a good idea,” Kyle said.

“You two just out for a drink?” Melinda asked.

“Yes,” Asher replied as she turned toward Linden as if to ask her a silent question.

“I just came out,” Linden added with a shrug. “We’re celebrating.”

“Came out, came out?” Bryce asked.

“Yep. Totally gay,” Linden confirmed. “It took me thirty-five years to say it out loud to the people I love, but I finally did it, and Ash brought me for drinks to celebrate.” She held up her cup.

“Congratulations,” Sophie said, trying to participate in the conversation.

“That’s great,” Kyle added.

Bryce nodded, and Melinda went to say something to congratulate her, too, but Sophie wasn’t paying much attention anymore. She was back to leaning into Bryce and trying to soak up every physical touch she could get while Bryce was still in town.

“You all want to hang out with us?” Linden asked.

Her blonde hair was short and behind her ears, but if it was in front of them, it would probably fall just below them. There didn’t appear to be much product in it, but it still stayed put, and her blue eyes were darker than Asher’s, but Sophie thought they were still bright, like she was happy about something. Maybe being out of the closet did that to blue eyes. She didn’t know.

“Can we go?” she whispered to Bryce.

Bryce nodded before she turned to everyone and said, “I think we’re going to head home. It was nice meeting you two, though.”

“You sure?” Melinda asked.

“They’re sure, babe,” Kyle answered for them with a wink in Sophie’s direction.

“We’ll see you later. Nice meeting you two,” Sophie said and waved.

She pulled Bryce through the crowded bar, onto the equally crowded street, and around a corner until they could finally walk side by side.

“You wanted us to have some alone time, I take it?” Bryce said.

“Is that okay?”

“Of course, it’s okay. I’m here for you , Soph. Let’s go home, and I’ll make you that hot chocolate you showed me how to make this morning. Extra mini marshmallows?”

“That sounds nice,” she said. “Wait…”

“What?”

Sophie stopped walking and said, “I think we just left Jill in the bar, waiting for all four of us to come back to our drinks. We’re horrible people.”

Bryce laughed.

“I’ll text her,” Sophie added, shaking her head.