Chapter 34
Chapter Thirty-Four
Six weeks later…
Billie stepped back and smiled at her latest masterpiece.
Her client stood in front of the mirror, turning slowly, admiration written plainly across her face as she took in her own reflection.
She would never tire of her job, it had been her constant for so long, but she did enjoy leaving at the end of the day.
Especially when she knew she would see Debra.
“It’s perfect,” Mrs Wainwright said, turning again. “I’ve never worn anything that feels like this.”
“That’s the point.” Billie nodded as she smoothed the sleeve of the jacket. “It should feel like it belongs to you.”
Mrs Wainwright gave another nod of approval. “Well, it does. Completely.”
By the time Billie escorted her back onto the shop floor and watched her leave—promising to return for further fittings before the end of the year—there was that familiar, satisfying ache in Billie’s chest. That pride of work done well.
She checked the clock out of habit.
12:11 p.m.
She had plenty to do, more work than ever coming through the door each day, but she should probably head out and pick up some lunch. Debra would ask later, Billie would try to fob her off with something that satisfied her, and then she would promise to pick up ‘real food’ the next day.
She sends lunch in with you when you stay over at her place.
Billie smiled and turned for her office.
Life had really flourished with Debra lately.
Since the evening when Billie had promised her she was worth it, everything had come together.
She didn’t have episodes of wondering if she was doing the right thing anymore, and now Billie knew she was right for Debra, deserving of that happiness with her.
As she strolled down the corridor, she felt that subtle shift in the air. Once again, her body reacted to the knowledge that a particular someone was in the same space as her.
That presence…
Billie stopped and turned around, gazing across the shop.
“Hi,” Debra said with a smile.
She stood just inside the shop, a light jacket draped over one arm, her sunglasses perched on her head. There was a softness to her these days that Billie never tired of seeing, but the mischief was still there.
“W-what are you doing here?”
Debra crossed the space between them and leaned in, pressing a quick kiss to Billie’s cheek. “Taking you to lunch.”
“Oh, um…I can’t do lunch today. I need to be around for any walk-ins.
” Billie had only recently started to accept walk-ins, but so far, she’d picked up extra trade from doing so.
Most days, she preferred to stick to her usual way of doing things, by appointment only, but Nina had really stepped up and had more of a role outside of being her assistant now.
“Yes, you can.”
“No, babe. I really can’t.” Billie stepped closer and took Debra’s hand. “I can’t expect Nina to sit around all day while I’m out having lunch.”
Debra lifted a shoulder and smirked. “I spoke to her this morning.”
“You…what?”
“She was great about it. She agreed that you should go out for lunch. I believe she also asked me to tell you to stop pretending that you don’t need breaks.”
“Babe, if I take a break, it means I finish later. I’d rather work through and grab something when I can, so I can leave on time and be with you.” Billie lifted a hand and cupped Debra’s chin. “Surely you’d rather I did that, too?”
“What I’d rather…is you looked after yourself and ate actual food when you’re supposed to. Don’t think I haven’t noticed the processed food wrappers in your office bin.”
Damn it. Debra was too observant sometimes.
“I can’t just—” Billie cut herself off when she noticed Debra looking at her like that. The way she always did now. As though Billie was the easiest choice she’d ever made in her life.
“Come on, baby. It’s been weeks of you working yourself into the ground. The world isn’t going to end if you step away for an hour.”
“That’s not—”
Debra lifted a brow.
“…entirely untrue,” Billie conceded, her shoulders slumping.
She glanced towards her office, then the fitting rooms, then back at Debra.
Everything was covered, and Nina rarely had any issues handling the place while she was gone.
The shop was running smoothly—better than it had in years, actually.
She exhaled a breath and admitted defeat. “You planned this.”
“I did,” Debra said, unapologetically. “And before you ask, yes, I know exactly where we’re going.”
“Okay, okay.” Billie lifted her hand. “I’ll just get my things together. Give me five, yeah?”
“I’ll give you ten so long as you walk out of that door with me.” Debra leaned up and kissed Billie, one hand on her hip as she squeezed gently. “Go on. I’ll wait here.”
Yes, Debra should wait there. Because the last time she’d followed Billie into her office, they’d locked the door and spent an hour pressed against her desk.
Billie spun on her heel and rushed down the hallway. She would thank Nina later via a text message, and then she would make sure she had a bonus in her pay at the end of the month.
Once Billie had everything she needed, she was back in front of Debra and that divine smile she woke up to most days. “Okay. Done. I swear you just like to rush me because you know you can get away with it now.”
“Eh.” Debra shrugged. “You love me, though.”
Billie didn’t even waver as she said, “I really do.”
Debra froze, visibly swallowing as Billie took her hand and turned her fully around.
“I mean that, Debra. I do love you. I’m in love with you.”
“I-I love you, too.” Debra pressed herself to Billie, looking up at her through those long lashes. “Everything you are, everything you’ve overcome…God, I’m so in love with you, Billie.”
Billie stroked her palm up Debra’s neck and cupped her cheek. “You’ve changed my life, babe. You’ve shown me that my past is not who I am. I couldn’t ever not love you for that.”
Debra scanned the shop floor and smiled. “Maybe we should get out of here and discuss this later. I’ll only pin you to the nearest surface otherwise, and with the way I’m currently feeling, I wouldn’t care who walked in.”
A slow smile spread on Billie’s lips at that. “Come on. You’re mine. Not everyone else’s.”
They stepped out onto the pavement together, Debra’s hand finding Billie’s automatically, their fingers threading so effortlessly together as they did these days.
God, life had been good. Better than good.
They’d fallen into a rhythm that felt almost unreal.
They spent every evening together unless Billie was working late, they enjoyed mornings that blurred into coffee and conversation, and weekends were spent wandering around London without urgency.
They were ‘joined at the hip’ as Ella had teased after dinner a few weeks ago.
Maeve had also agreed with Billie’s best friend’s assessment of the situation when she’d joined the three of them later on for wine and far too much laughter.
Billie cast her mind back to that evening. She’d spent most of her time watching Debra as she sat between Ella and Maeve, relaxed and open in a way that still made Billie ache with gratitude. Gone were the days of tension and unease. A constant warmth and love had taken over all of it.
There were moments when Debra would think out loud.
Before their relationship, Billie would have found it difficult to engage in random thought with another woman, but now…
it was second nature to her. Debra had told her she didn’t want to drift, that she wanted to find something to do with her life.
As it stood, she was swaying towards a return to university.
She didn’t know what she would do yet, but Billie would support her every step of the way.
So long as Debra was doing something she loved, then Billie would always support her.
Life is…sheer bliss.
Debra dropped by the shop most days now when she was in the area.
Sometimes just to kiss Billie, other times to bring coffee.
And then there were those days when she would sit in the corner, reading a book, while Billie worked.
At first, Billie wondered if it was just Debra’s way of grounding her, but then she’d quickly come to realise that the same was true for Debra.
They wanted to always be in each other’s space, and now, Billie often had the most beautiful face to look at around the shop.
They weren’t hiding, nor were they rushing anything. Everything just felt right at the pace they were going.
Debra squeezed Billie’s hand as they reached the corner of Savile Row. “You’re thinking.”
“I always am.” Billie let go of Debra’s hand, instead wrapping an arm around her waist as she guided them both across the street. “But I’m happy, and that’s all you need to remember.”
“Good.” Debra side-glanced at her. “Because I’ve got plans for the rest of the afternoon too.”
Billie laughed. “I knew it!”
Debra sat opposite Billie, her hands wrapped around a glass of water, trying her very best to be present.
The table was small and intimate, the usual spot they’d choose with one another, and Billie looked ridiculously good in her work clothes.
That wasn’t new, though. Billie had always known how to wear a tailored shirt.
The difference now was that Debra knew she had the pleasure of peeling it from her skin every night.
Still, six weeks in, Debra didn’t know what to do with the fact that this woman was hers. Well, not hers, but choosing her. Coming to Debra’s flat most nights, answering her texts quicker as each day passed, kissing her as though Debra was the very thing she’d been thirsty for all of her life.
Debra watched her pick up the menu again and scan it, then lower it back down.
Billie tilted her head. “Hmm.”