Page 19 of September

“For safety? Yeah, right.” Gwen laughed.

“Beer,” Logan said, placing the bottle on the table in front of her.

“Hey,” Gwen said as she looked up at her. “Thanks.”

“No problem. You’re my last delivery. I’m off now.”

“Going to see Rory?” Gwen asked.

“Yeah. But I’m not reallygoinganywhere because I just moved into her place this week,” Logan replied.

“Officially official?” Myra asked.

“I’ve been slowly taking my stuff over there, but I don’t have much, so it didn’t take all that long. It’s been a few days now, but I’ve basically been living there for months, and she hasn’t kicked me out yet.”

“She loves you. I think you’re okay,” Myra offered.

“It’s crazy, though, isn’t it? One day, I’m pretty miserable and thinking I’ll never be in another relationship or find a decent job, and I find Rory and this place at the same time.”

“Aren’t you a plumber, too?” Gwen asked.

“Yes, but I’m doing that part-time for now while I work here. Candace knows I’ll quit someday and do that full-time, but I’ll make sure she has a replacement first. I also like it here and don’t really want to give it up, so I might see if she lets me stay on and work a shift or two each week or something. It’s good to have the extra money, too. I want to propose to Rory one day, and I’ll need a ring.”

“Propose? You just met,” Myra said.

Gwen laughed at the fearful expression on Myra’s face, and Elisa just shook her head at her girlfriend.

“I know it’s only been four months, but I’m not asking her tomorrow or anything. I just want to start saving. Saving money hasn’t always been something that I could do.” Logan looked down at her shoes, and Gwen wondered why, but she didn’t want to ask. “She just makes me want that future, you know? That future that doesn’t seem possible until you meet the love of your life, and then it’s like exactly what you’ve wanted the whole time but never thought it was possible.”

“That’s great, Logan,” Gwen replied, a little jealous because she wanted a woman to talk about her like that.

“Do you have time to hang out with us for a few before you go?” Myra asked.

“Sure. Rory won’t be done babysitting for another hour, at least,” Logan said. “Can I sit?” she asked Gwen.

“Go for it,” she replied. “So, ring-shopping?”

“Not shopping just yet; saving the money first. I think in around a year, I should have enough to get her something really nice. I know she’d be fine with anything, but I want her to have something special, something that shows her how much I love her.”

“I think you can just do that every day,” Gwen noted. “Right? I mean,that’slove. A ring is great. A wedding is fine. But loving someone is an everyday thing. I don’t know Rory all that well, but she doesn’t strike me as someone who needs a big diamond to know that you love her.”

“She’s not.” Logan chuckled. “I fix something around the apartment, and she’s eternally grateful because she’s not at all handy. It’s adorable.”

“There you go, then,” Elisa said. “You don’t need a big ring. Get her what you think she’d like.”

When Logan nodded, Gwen took a drink of her beer and turned her head toward the front door for no reason in particular. There, she saw someone she hadn’t expected to see, which caused her to choke on her beer.

“You okay?” Logan asked.

“Uh… Pretty girl,” Gwen replied before her eyes met Juliet’s, who tilted her head, laughed a little, and nodded.

CHAPTER 7

“So, I haven’t been here yet, but I saw the postcards for it in one of the stores and thought we could check it out,” Molly said.

“You don’t want to go to a gay bar?” Juliet asked. “We could find you a new Finley since we didn’t before.”

“I don’t want a new Finley,” Molly replied as she walked through the open door. “And thanks for coming out with me tonight, too. I know you have a lot of stuff going on with the job and figuring things out with Carly. I’m being the needy friend right now. Sorry.”