Chapter 31
Elizabeth’s body still hummed from the weekend, a low current under her skin that made every movement feel sharper, more alive.
She’d spent Sunday night tangled in Kelsey’s arms on her own sheets, the extra day off stretching their return to the city into something almost luxurious, like she’d stolen time from the calendar itself.
Monday had unfolded in quiet increments: coffee brewed strong and black in her kitchen, Kelsey’s laughter echoing off the high ceilings as they talked about nothing and everything, bodies brushing in the narrow space between counter and island until the brushes turned deliberate.
By afternoon, they’d ended up back in bed, slow and unhurried, Elizabeth tracing the curve of Kelsey’s hip.
The high lingered now, two days later, adrenaline and something deeper mixing in her chest, making her steps lighter on the sidewalk, her breath easier.
Kelsey had gotten under her skin, not just physically but in the spaces she’d kept empty for years, and Elizabeth didn’t regret a single second of letting it happen.
Reality pressed in on Tuesday morning, the city’s rhythm reasserting itself with the grind of buses and the sharp scent of exhaust cutting through the crisp air.
She’d kissed Kelsey goodbye the night before, around nine, standing in the lobby while Marco held the door.
Kelsey’s garment bag and weekender had slung over her shoulder, practical as always, and Elizabeth had cupped her face for a moment longer than necessary, tasting the faint salt of her lip balm before pulling away.
The Uber had waited at the curb, its engine idling like a reminder that work waited for no one, not even for this.
Kelsey had shifted the bag higher on her shoulder and smiled, promising to text when she got home, then slid into the back seat without looking back.
Elizabeth had watched the taillights disappear down the block before riding the elevator up alone, the apartment suddenly too quiet, the contract’s absence a fresh kind of freedom that scared her almost as much as the lie ever had.
She pushed open the door to 72 & Brew at exactly seven-forty-two, the bell jingling overhead, and the familiar rush hit her: steam from the espresso machine curling toward the exposed beams, the low murmur of early commuters claiming stools along the window ledge.
Her eyes found Kelsey behind the counter before she could stop them, drawn like muscle memory.
Kelsey moved with that easy efficiency, ponytail swinging as she frothed milk for a double ahead of her, the steam wand hissing in time with the indie track filtering from the speakers.
No exhaustion in her posture today, no dark circles under those warm brown eyes, just a faint flush on her cheeks that Elizabeth told herself had nothing to do with the weekend they’d shared.
Hailey worked the register, dark hair pulled into a half-up knot, shooting Kelsey a quick glance that carried layers Elizabeth didn’t care to unpack right now.
The line shuffled forward, three people deep, and Elizabeth joined it, her leather tote heavy against her hip.
When her turn came, Kelsey looked up, her smile immediate and unguarded, the kind that crinkled the corners of her eyes and made Elizabeth’s pulse kick once, hard.
“The usual?”
Elizabeth nodded, setting her tote on the counter’s edge. “Yeah. Thanks.”
Kelsey turned to the machine, grinding beans with a quick twist of the dial, the rich, bitter scent blooming in the air between them.
Elizabeth watched her hands, steady and sure, the thin silver rings catching the overhead light as she tamped the grounds.
The cappuccino steamed as Kelsey pulled the shot, then poured the almond milk in a slow spiral, the foam settling crisp and dry, just how Elizabeth liked it.
She slid the cup across the counter, their fingers brushing in the exchange, a spark jumping from Kelsey’s skin to hers that Elizabeth felt all the way to her toes.
“Would you like to have dinner with me tonight? If you’re free.”
Kelsey’s eyebrows lifted just a fraction, surprise flickering across her face before it softened into something warmer, her lips curving up. She tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear.
“Yeah. I’d like that.”
Elizabeth nodded once, the tightness in her shoulders easing a notch. “I’ll text you. Around seven?”
“Perfect.” Kelsey’s voice held a lilt, like she was already picturing it, and Elizabeth had to look away before she did the same.
She turned toward the door, the warmth seeping through the cardboard against her palm. The other woman behind the counter had stepped closer to Kelsey as she’d turned, leaning against the counter, a grin splitting her face. Elizabeth caught the tail end as she pushed the door open.
“Did that just happen?” Her voice carried, low but clear, laced with that teasing edge Elizabeth had noticed before.
Kelsey’s laugh followed, quick and bright. “Hailey, I have so much to fill you in on. It’s actually a long story.”
The bell jingled again as Elizabeth stepped onto the sidewalk, the cool morning air hitting her face. She smiled to herself as she headed to work, thinking that she’d better call Paula and fill her in.
After all, it was that phone call that started this whole thing.