Page 51 of The Wisdom of Bug

“Then she left.” Not the entire story, but Alyssa wasn’t sure she could explain what had happened without trying to make sense of her frustrating feelings.

“Tell you what, I’m going to go make a coffee and give you time to settle down. Then you can tell me the rest of the story and I can help.” Lil didn’t wait for Alyssa’s response.

Closing her eyes, Alyssa growled under her breath. This is why she didn’t do relationships and feelings. All those things ever brought was frustration.

“Can we not talk about it?” Alyssa pleaded when Lil placed her coffee in front of her five minutes later.

“Nope. You’ve been in funk and I don’t like it. C’mon, spill.”

“You’re so annoying.” Lil nodded in agreement and smiled sweetly. Alyssa rolled her eyes. “Evelyn was with me when Hannah arrived. I’d given Evelyn a tour of the shelter and asked her to stay for dinner.”

Chancing a look at Lil, Alyssa wanted to growl again. Lil wore a satisfied grin that rubbed Alyssa up the wrong way.

“Go on,” Lil urged.

“Hannah accused me of moving on to my next fling, which I don’t really care about, but…”

“You don’t want Evelyn to see you that way.”

“Yeah, I suppose. But it got worse. When I finally got rid of Hannah, Evelyn asked if you were okay with me sleeping with other women.”

“Why the bloody hell would I care who you’re shagging?” The look of bewilderment made Alyssa laugh.

“She thought you and I were a couple?”

“Why?” Lil laughed. “That’s ridiculous, and gross.”

“Hey!” Alyssa laughed.

“It’s gross,” Lil repeated.

“It is. Anyway…when we first met, I introduced you as my partner. I meant business partner, but Evelyn thought I meant life partner.”

“So all these weeks she’s been flirting with my girlfriend?” Lil gasped, holding her hand to her heart.

“Oh stop. She has not been flirting.”

“Alyssa, don’t be a moron. Of course she has. And why wouldn’t she? I knew the two of you were into each other.”

“Lil, c’mon, it’s not like that.”

“Oh, give me a break. Why are you in such a tizzy then, if it’s ‘not like that’?”

Bloody Lil. Ugh. “Okay fine. I have been feeling stuff.”

“God, you’re so deep and enlightened, Alyssa. You should think of doing some life coaching on the side,” Lil deadpanned.

“Look, I stand by what I said to Hannah. I don’t do relationships, I haven’t got the time—”

“But…?”

“But,” Alyssa sighed, “I can’t get Evelyn out of my mind. I want to spend time with her. Get to know her more than I already do and it’s frustrating me. I can’t concentrate on the things I need to. I feel like a liar, like I misled Hannah.”

“Alyssa, sweetie, you didn’t mislead anyone. You can’t help who you fall for.”

“Hold your horses, lady, no one said I was falling for anyone.”

“Didn’t you? I mean, you’ve just described everything that happens when you meet and fall for someone. Tell me. When you wake up, do you think of her first or the centre?”