Page 120 of The Ampersand Effect

The chuckle she heard from Tobin as she reached the top of the stairs made her heart flutter. Grier’s heart felt light, her head so full of promise.

Girlfriends.

She encouraged Tobin to take her usual spot, then grabbed a blanket from the pile behind Delta and draped it over both of them.

“No one mind me—I’m just going to be snuggling with mygirlfriendduring the movie tonight,” she announced, grinning so hard it hurt.

“Gross,” Delta sneered from her place next to Lake. “I donotwant to see you kiss.”

“I saidsnuggle, Delta. But, since you brought it up…”

She turned and planted a loud, exaggerated smack on Tobin’s lips, eliciting a surprisedmmmfrom her and an exasperated groan from her niece.

Grier couldn’t focus on the movie. She was brimming with excited energy. It had been so long since she’d been in acommitted relationship, and things with Tobin felt so… good. She just wanted to live in this moment for a while.

Besides, she was far more content snuggling in deeper to Tobin, listening to her heartbeat steadily through her chest, feeling the slow rise and fall of her contented breathing, simply soaking in her closeness.

When the movie was over, Grant took Delta and Lake upstairs. Grier shifted their positions, pulling Tobin into her chest so she could wrap her girlfriend in her arms. Grier sensed a shift in Tobin’s energy—not withdrawn, but something quieter, contemplative.

She drew incoherent patterns along the skin of Tobin’s forearm, just letting her touch settle a peacefulness between them.

Her hands drifted up to Tobin’s head and neck, where she found the tension knotted in her muscles. She gently tugged the tie from Tobin’s hair, releasing her ponytail, and pressed her fingertips into Tobin’s scalp—tugging at her hair and massaging the muscles, trying to ease her tension.

“You’re so fucking good with your hands,” Tobin hummed, eyes closed.

“And you’re so tense all of a sudden. What’s going on in here?”

Grier lightly drummed her fingers against Tobin’s scalp before returning to her gentle massage.

A soft moan escaped Tobin’s throat.

“I haven’t slept much this week. I think I’m just tired.”

Grier heard the fatigue in Tobin’s voice—but she didn’t miss the way Tobin’s body remained taut, unwilling to relax into her the way someone merely tired would. She could tell Tobin was holding something back.

“Yeah, you mentioned that when we talked. You made it sound like work was affecting your sleep schedule.”

Grier kept working fingers through Tobin’s hair, and finally, she felt Tobin surrender, letting her head fully rest in Grier’s hands.

“That’s part of it.” Tobin sighed. Still withholding.

And Grier knew she was going to have to pry the truth out of her. “Tell me, Tobin. I can’t help if you don’t let me in.”

Her voice was soothing but firm, even to her own ears. She hoped Tobin felt that, too.

“My appointment is next week. My fertility appointment.”

The tension beneath Grier’s fingertips returned, but she skillfully kneaded into the muscles of Tobin’s neck and relished the way Tobin’s body seemed to just accept the change—relaxing again, allowing her weight to confidently rest against her.

“You’re worried about it?”

“Yes. I—“ Tobin faltered, gathering her words. “We haven’t talked about it. And after tonight, with the wholegirlfriendsthing, I just…”

Now it was Grier’s turn to freeze.

She stiffened with regret, worried she’d pushed Tobin toward a commitment she wasn’t ready for. But Tobin wasn’t pulling away— she was just… talking. Calmly.

Her own anxieties were clearly clouding her ability to understand what was happening—for both of them.