Sparks

Chapter 14 #2

“Excuse you! You kiss a near stranger in an elevator and expect me to pretend it’s business as usual?” Fiona shook her head, making her dark-brown-and-purple hair fly. “This is totally out of character for you!”

Willow covered her overheated face with her hands.

“I know, I know. I don’t even recognize myself.

” None of this was her. She never revealed this much about herself, and she certainly didn’t go around kissing women she barely knew, minutes after declaring that she didn’t date. Talk about sending mixed signals!

“Maybe that’s a good thing,” Fiona said softly. “Maybe you needed this space pod experience to stop keeping everyone at arm’s length.”

She made it sound as if the kiss had been a good thing, but Willow didn’t believe that. All she’d done was create a big mess. She didn’t even want to imagine what Scottie must think of her now.

“So…what now?” Fiona asked when Willow didn’t say anything. “Will you ask her out?”

“Absolutely not! I don’t date; you know that. Nothing’s changed.”

“Really? You shared your soul and an—and I quote—electrifying kiss with a woman in an elevator. Sounds like a pretty big change to me.”

“It was an unusual situation that made me act out of character. But as soon as we got out of the elevator, reality snapped back into place.” Willow had to think about what she’d told Scottie: The safest place for us to be is inside the elevator.

It only becomes dangerous if people try to get out by themselves.

For an hour and a half, in the contained space of the elevator, things had felt safe.

But now that they were back outside, they could be heading into dangerous territory if she wasn’t careful. “I’m still me.”

“That doesn’t mean—”

Willow held up both hands. “It won’t work. It never does.”

“How can you know that if you don’t give it a chance?” Fiona shot back. “Just because it hasn’t worked out so far doesn’t mean it won’t with Scottie. Maybe you got stuck in that elevator together for a reason. Clearly, the universe ships you two!”

“The universe?” Willow barely abstained from rolling her eyes. “Please!”

“What? Getting stuck in an elevator… That’s rom-com material, Sis, and you know there’s always a happy ending in a rom-com.”

Willow regarded her with a shake of her head. “Unbelievable. After everything you went through, you honestly still buy into all of that?”

Fiona’s boldness wavered for an instant. “Maybe that makes me even more of a fool after what I went through with Kris, but, yeah, I’d like to believe that love might still be out there for me.” Her voice was uncharacteristically quiet.

God, she was really making a big, fat mess of things today, first with Scottie, now with Fiona.

Willow brushed her fingers against the metal popcorn bowl, just in case, then gripped Fiona’s hands.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to be an ass. Of course love is out there for you.

You’re too awesome to not get snatched up by someone much more deserving than Kris. But it’s different for me.”

When Fiona opened her mouth, probably about to protest, Willow stopped her by squeezing her hands. “I don’t have the energy for this discussion tonight. I just want to eat, pee, take a shower, and then fall into bed—not necessarily in that order.”

Fiona sighed. “All right. I’ll let this go—for tonight. And while I can’t help you with the peeing or the rest of your list, there’s leftover lasagna in the kitchen.”

“Ooh. I knew you were my favorite sister for a reason.”

“I’d consider that a compliment if I weren’t your only sister.”

“Details, details.” She gave Fiona’s hands one last squeeze, then got up and headed for the kitchen. In the arched doorway, she paused and turned. “Oh, by the way, do you remember where we put my bass when I moved in?”

“I think it’s in the garage. Why?”

Willow continued her beeline for the fridge. “No particular reason. Just wondered.”

~ ~ ~

Scottie hurried across the courtyard separating her apartment building from her friend Kassidy’s, her pace quickening with every step until she was nearly jogging along the raised beds of the community garden.

Usually, the smell of damp soil, thyme, and rosemary grounded her, but now it barely registered. Her head hadn’t stopped spinning ever since that kiss in the elevator.

She needed someone who could help her cut through all the tangled thoughts and emotions—someone who would tell her, without any nonsense, if she was setting herself up to get her heart broken again. If there was one person who could do that, it was Kassidy. Sugarcoating just wasn’t in her DNA.

Someone left the building just as Scottie reached it, and she slipped inside and took the stairs to the second floor. After the elevator fiasco, even her exhaustion wouldn’t get her to set foot inside of another steel trap tonight.

Softly, she knocked on Kassidy’s door.

It took a minute for the lock to click and the door to swing open.

Her friend’s bulky form filled the doorway, dressed in a pair of black cargo pants—she never wore another color. But today, her T-shirt wasn’t the usual solid black. In big, white letters, it read: It’s too peopley outside.

Kassidy regarded her with a scowl. “You know I don’t like surprise visits.”

Scottie put on her most charming smile. “Sorry. When I got home, my phone was dead, so I couldn’t call or text.

But something happened, and I can’t stop thinking about it.

I really need to talk.” She held out two bottles of ginger beer—Kassidy’s favorite beverage—like a peace offering. “I come bearing gifts.”

“Bribery is acceptable.” Kassidy didn’t smile back, but she took the bottles, stepped aside, and opened the door wider. “Come on in.”

Scottie followed her in.

Kassidy’s studio apartment was the same as always: minimalistic, uncluttered, and all white—the walls, the furniture, and the shelves.

She had added even more plants since the last time Scottie had visited, and they kept the space from appearing cold and impersonal.

A Heartleaf Philodendron and a String of Pearls spilled down from the exposed silver pipe running across the ceiling, softening the industrial look.

On the middle shelf of the bookcase, a regiment of cacti stood in neat formation, each in a white pot.

The refreshing scent of peppermint drifted over from the kitchenette.

Kassidy twisted off the caps and set the bottles on the white counter.

Scottie perched on one of the barstools next to her and reached for the closest bottle, not because she was thirsty but because it would give her a moment to think about how to start.

Before she could take a sip, Kassidy gave her an expectant look. “You said you needed to talk, so…talk.”

Scottie laughed. Six years ago, when they had first met in the community garden their apartment buildings shared, Kassidy’s bluntness had nearly sent her running.

But she had seen something in the gentle, patient way Kassidy handled the tomato seedlings, coaxing their thin stems onto the twine without breaking them.

So she had decided on the spot that they—two women with Star Trek-inspired names and a passion for gardening—were destined to be friends.

Kassidy had insisted hers didn’t count since the Star Trek character was spelled with one S, while her name had two.

Scottie had replied that her name wasn’t an exact match for the Enterprise’s engineer either, so she’d adopted Kassidy into her circle anyway—and she was glad she had.

Kassidy had proven to be a loyal friend who’d always been there for her when it mattered.

After the breakup, she had even offered Scottie her couch for as long as she needed if she couldn’t bear to stay in the apartment she’d shared with Tanya.

Her bluntness was just her natural way of communicating, not a sign that she didn’t care or wasn’t interested in what Scottie had to say.

“Straight to the point, as always,” Scottie said with a smile.

Kassidy shrugged. “Small talk is overrated. Let’s skip to the interesting part.”

“All right. There was a power outage at work today. The entire block went dark, and I ended up being trapped in an elevator with Willow for almost two hours.”

Kassidy’s eyebrows twitched. “Willow? The Willow of the many IT tickets? The one your work buddies insist must be interested in you?”

Scottie nodded. “The one and only.”

“So?” Kassidy asked. “Is she?”

“Is she what?”

“Interested in you.”

Scottie took a long drag of her ginger beer.

The spicy-and-sweet fizz burned in the back of her throat.

“That’s what I’m here to figure out. So far, I didn’t think she was, despite what Mateo and Gordon keep saying.

But then the power outage happened. We played Truth or…

well, Truth while we waited for maintenance to get us out.

Just as a way to kill some time. But it quickly became so much more than a game. ”

“How so?”

“It changed things between us in a way that’s hard to describe.

” Scottie played with the ginger beer cap, making it rotate across the counter.

“At first, I assumed she’d be reluctant to answer the more personal questions.

I thought we would stick to fun, superficial things.

Stuff like favorite ice cream flavor. But it quickly drifted into deeply personal territory.

I even told her about Tanya, and she—” Scottie captured the cap in her hand.

No, she wouldn’t violate the trust Willow had put in her by revealing what she’d told her.

“She what?” Kassidy prompted.

“She seemed genuinely interested in finding out more about me, and she opened up to me too. It was incredible, Kass. She was incredible. She really let me see her, and I have a feeling that’s rare for her.

At least from what I’ve seen, she doesn’t even go to the cafeteria for lunch; she always eats alone and doesn’t seem eager to make friends at Kudos. ”

Kassidy gave her a look as if to say, Why would she?

Scottie chuckled and flicked the cap in her direction. “Anyway. I finally asked her about the most impulsive thing she’d ever done, and when she asked me the same thing in return, I said ‘This,’ leaned in, and—”

“Kissed her?” Kassidy asked, eyes wide. “I admit I didn’t see that coming. You haven’t even flirted with anyone since Tanya kicked you to the curb!”

“No. I mean, yes, we kissed, but she was the one who closed the last few inches between us and kissed me first.” Scottie’s lips prickled, and she didn’t think it had anything to do with her gingery drink.

Kassidy regarded her with a steady, unflinching gaze. “So why the confusion? You leaned in, she kissed you—mutual interest established, right?”

It sounded so clear and easy, but it was anything but. “I’m not sure. She ran off before we could talk about it. Now I don’t know what to think…or do. Was it just a heat-of-the-moment thing that can’t go anywhere, or do we really have a connection?”

“Hmm.” Kassidy rubbed her hand over her buzzed hair. “Are you sure she isn’t straight?”

“Oh yeah. Very sure.”

“I’m not asking how convincingly she kissed.”

Scottie flicked the second bottle cap at her too. “That’s not why I’m so sure. She told me she’s a lesbian.”

“Then why the hot-and-cold treatment?”

“I have no idea. But something tells me there’s more behind it than just her not being interested.

” Willow had told her she didn’t date and didn’t believe relationships would last. But then she had also talked so passionately about Scottie not having to change to deserve love, and she had encouraged her to date. Something didn’t add up.

Kassidy took a slow drink of her ginger beer. “So what’s the real question here? You want me to tell you to go for it—or did you come to me instead of Violet or Anisha so I could tell you that it’s too soon and she’ll stomp all over your heart?”

Scottie paused with the bottle halfway to her mouth.

She lowered it and swirled around the tiny ginger pieces at the bottom.

Was that why she had paid Kassidy a despised surprise visit instead of talking to one of her other, more optimistic friends?

Because deep down, she had wanted Kassidy to warn her to stay away?

“Is it?” she asked. “Too soon, I mean. It’s only been six months since Tanya and I split up.

Not a good time to start something new. I should give it more time… right?”

But instead of nodding, Kassidy waved dismissively. “Forget Tanya. I never liked her anyway.”

“You don’t like anyone.” Scottie pointed at Kassidy’s It’s too peopley outside T-shirt.

Kassidy shrugged. “I don’t mind you.”

A chuckle escaped Scottie. “Thanks. But even if Tanya hadn’t made me seriously doubt myself and my taste in women, I have no idea how to go forward…

or even if I should. Willow is a colleague—and given how often she runs into problems with her devices, we’ll have to work together on a regular basis. I don’t want to make things awkward.”

Kassidy huffed against the rim of her bottle, producing a low whistling sound. “A little late for that consideration, don’t you think? Since you already kissed her. That’s probably not in the best practices for collaboration section of the Kudos Entertainment employee handbook.”

Argh. She was right, of course. Scottie had no idea how to act if she saw Willow at work on Monday. “So do I just go back to treating her like any other colleague? Pretend it never happened?”

“Can you?” Kassidy asked.

Scottie rubbed her palm, cool from gripping the bottle, over the back of her neck. “I don’t know. Something between us changed in that elevator. But is it worth risking my heart all over again? What if she ends up kicking me to the curb too?”

“Well, then you come over with something harder than ginger beer,” Kassidy said dryly.

Laughter burst from Scottie’s chest. “How do you always make it sound so simple?”

“Maybe because it is,” Kassidy replied. “Just talk to her. You want to know if that elevator kiss meant something to her? Ask her. Much better than second-guessing yourself for the rest of the century. If she’s worth your time, she’ll tell you where you stand.”

Scottie regarded her with a shake of her head. “For someone who claims to hate people, you’re amazingly good at this.”

“I’m not just ten years older and thirty pounds heavier than you; I’m also fifty times wiser.”

Scottie snorted. “You mean fifty times grumpier. But, seriously, you are good at this.”

“Don’t let it get around.”

“Don’t worry; I won’t. Thanks, Kass.”

Kassidy tilted her head in acknowledgment. “You’re welcome. Now drink your ginger beer before it gets flat and tell me how your kale is doing. Is it still hanging on despite all the rain we’ve been getting?”