Chapter 13
Chapter Thirteen
Hannah woke up with a jolt. She couldn’t find Smoky.
Smoky was her feline alarm clock, making sure she was always up earlier than she wanted.
Everything was dark and blurry. She reached over to get her glasses, and her hand landed on Kate’s shoulder.
That’s right. They’d fallen into a stupor last night after all the sex.
She grinned. She’d never made another woman come before–what a rush it had been!
It felt so good to finally give Kate an orgasm.
She didn’t regret her time with past boyfriends–well, except for Chad, but being with Kate was so much better. Like she was in the exact right place.
She slowly got up, making sure not to jostle the bed and wake Kate up before she knew what time it was.
The curtains were thick enough that it could be midday outside, for all she knew.
She tiptoed to the chest of drawers across from the queen bed.
She put on her glasses and then looked at her phone.
It was seven-thirty. Hannah looked back at the bed, wishing she could crawl back under the covers and wake up Kate by kissing her way up her body.
But it was November first, and that meant the retail start of the holiday season in Marley Creek.
She needed to be at the shop today for a class making anti-anxiety herbal sachets for clients to give as gifts or to keep themselves as they survived the holiday season.
Hannah wished she’d had a sachet like that when she was growing up; maybe it would have helped her when her parents had forgotten it was Thanksgiving and tried to drop her off at school.
They’d taken it out on her when they realized their mistake, leaving her in the car for hours while they drank at the only bar that was open.
It would probably be just her and Smoky for Thanksgiving.
She made a mental note to buy Smoky some baked cat treats from Kate’s shop.
Hannah quietly located her clothes on the floor and got dressed.
Too bad she didn’t have a change of clothes here.
She could take a quick shower and then, once she was ready for work, it was a couple of blocks away.
Would Kate give her a key at some point?
Were they girlfriends? She should just come out and ask.
Kate yawned loudly, taking Hannah out of her musings. “Hey there, did I startle you while you were in the midst of stealing my booty?” Kate stood up, wrapping the sheet around her, and walked over to Hannah. She kissed Hannah’s cheek.
“What time is it? I’ve got to get down to the shop.”
Hannah glanced at her phone. “It’s a quarter till eight.”
“Shit, I’ve got to hop in the shower.”
“No problem, I have to get to work too.” Hannah couldn’t help but seek praise. “Last night was pretty great, right?”
Kate held on to her sheet with one hand and used the other to cup Hannah’s cheek. “It was amazing. You were spectacular.”
Hannah felt her face flush. “I–I was so nervous. I’ve never done that before.”
Kate froze, and Hannah’s heart dropped into her feet. Did she just fuck everything up?
Hannah held her breath, waiting for Kate to say something, anything.
“I didn’t realize…you, ah…” Kate stumbled.
Pinpricks behind Hannah’s eyes made her blink fast. She would not cry right now. Hannah cleared her throat. “I’m sorry, I guess I should have told you. You’re my first.”
“You’re first,” Kat said flatly. She moved around Hannah and roughly pulled open a dresser drawer, ripped out a folded pair of jeans, and then a T-shirt with her store’s name on it.
Hannah was trying not to cry. She’d been so stupid not to have said anything sooner. She should have told Kate the first night they’d gotten together. And then she thought, why did it matter?
“Yes, I’ve only been in relationships and had sex with men.”
Kate’s lips flattened, and she nodded her head slowly.
Hannah watched as Kate squeezed her clothes so tight her knuckles turned white.
But Hannah felt the need to keep talking and explain herself.
“Not that I need to explain myself to you, but I was in a terrible relationship for years, and when I finally got out, it took me a long time to sort out who I was and what I wanted.”
“What do you want?”
“I want a relationship with you.” Hannah hugged herself, afraid to reach out to Kate.
Kate rolled her head on her shoulders. “This is a lot to think about before coffee, and you need to go home and get ready for work. Let’s talk later.”
Hannah’s heart hurt. She didn’t know if she believed they would talk later.
But if her lack of sapphic experience was a problem for Kate, then it would be Kate’s loss.
Still, she hoped Kate wasn’t about to ghost her.
They were both going to have spots at the Mistletoe Market from Black Friday through Christmas Eve, and she didn’t want to spend the entire Christmas season watching Kate from afar.
The blaring alarm on her cell phone interrupted Hannah’s train of thought.
“It’s eight, I’ve got to go,” she said. Her feet were stuck to the floor.
Should she try to kiss Kate goodbye? Give her a hug?
Maybe a handshake? As if Kate could read her mind, Kate reached out.
Hannah grit her teeth, if this woman shook her hand…
Kate took Hannah’s hand and brought it to her mouth. She placed a soft kiss on the back of Hannah’s hand. Relief flooded Hannah, and she was finally unstuck. Perhaps it was going to be okay.
“C-call me later–if you want, I mean I’ll be home after work.”
Kate smiled, and Hannah thought it looked awfully wistful. She didn’t really like that, but at least now all the cards were on the table. Cards. She really needed to get to work, and later she could ask Zaina to give her a reading.
“We’ll see. I might be so exhausted after I close the shop that I collapse in bed.”
Hannah’s chest tightened again. “We were up really late. That tracks.”
“You’ve got to run.”
“I do. Talk to you soon?” Hannah winced at the pleading note in her voice.
“Sure,” Kate said.
Hannah walked to the front door where her purse and shoes were next to the doormat and put them on. She’d been hoping Kate would walk her to the door, but that didn’t happen.
Hannah rushed into work at two minutes to nine.
A long hot shower and a big cup of coffee had helped her mood.
She couldn’t make Kate date her, and that was okay.
It sounded absurd, but if they never kissed again, if they could be friends, she’d be happy.
Or at least that was the story she was telling herself today.
Any way she looked at it, even if things with Kate were over, she was still in a better place in life than she’d ever been before.
So what if it was just her and Smoky? She had a job.
She was on her way to being an amazing tarot reader, she was an auntie, and she had control over her own money.
What more did she need? Marley Creek could be her family.
The herbal craft class went fast, and soon it was time for lunch.
The afternoon lull was hitting hard, so Hannah pulled out her cards.
Over the last year, the cards had become a calming ritual for her.
She focused on shuffling them, and how the cards felt in her hands and the sound they made as they snapped and slid past each other.
It was hard to keep Kate from popping up in her mind, so she lit her favorite in-store candle.
It was called Apple Pie Excellence. She closed her eyes and went back to shuffling.
“All that candle does is make me hungry. You don’t have any apple pie hiding around here, do you?” Zaina said, plopping down next to her.
“There are some cookies left from the class this morning. No apple pie, though.”
Zaina hopped up. “Do you want one?”
“No thanks, I’m good.”
Zaina returned, already stuffing a cookie into her mouth.
“Oh, that’s a good cookie,” she said, and then she took a drink from the water bottle she almost always had in her hand.
“I’m so glad we encouraged the craft class attendees to bring snacks if they wanted.
You didn’t happen to see who brought these cookies?
I know the box was from Books and Breads. ”
Hannah put down the cards and twisted her long hair up into a bun and then let it all fall back down.
“Long night last night?” Zaina’s brown eyes narrowed.
“I was over at Brandee and Luc’s babysitting.”
Zaina pursed her lips. “That’s it? Shoot, back when I was your age I don’t think I got home before three, even when it was a weekday.”
“Ah,” Hannah started, and Zaina waved her off. “I know I should have been doing like, quality Samhain celebrations. But back then, I just wanted to throw on a sexy cat costume and meet someone cute.”
One side of Hannah’s mouth ticked up. “Sexy cat costume?”
“Sure, a headband with cat ears and a super short dress, and I was good to go. Now what were you going to say before I interrupted you?” Zaina folded her legs and sat crisscross in the orange chair.
Zaina was one of those people who had almost boundless energy, although being the mom of a toddler had slowed her down a pinch.
Hannah admired her ability to balance new motherhood and the shop.
Even though there were teething, colds, and wellness baby appointments, Zaina had continued her mentorship of Hannah.
“You know what, nothing. How was Lily’s first Halloween?
” Hannah’s stomach was queasy from lack of sleep and a niggling of worry about Kate, but she didn’t want to talk about it with Zaina right now, especially since a customer could walk in at any moment.
Besides, talking about last night would just make her worry that she wouldn’t be spending time with Kate anymore.
So, she swallowed that train of thought and turned the conversation to Zaina’s favorite topic.
Zaina whipped out her phone and began showing Hannah a bunch of pictures.
There was one photo someone else must have taken because it showed Zaina in a long wig as Daphne and Lily in a Scooby Doo costume, holding Daphne’s hand as they walked up to a house.
From a few feet away, Jasper was in the photo dressed as Shaggy.
Lily looked adorable as Scooby Doo, but what had Hannah all choked up was the way that Jasper was gazing at his wife and daughter.
His face was lit with joy and love. Hannah wanted someone to look at her like that.
Someone who would help her build a life and a home.
To do silly stuff like dress-up in ridiculous costumes with a family theme.
She cleared her throat. “I’m surprised Jasper was willing to dress as Shaggy instead of Fred.”
“I’m surprised you even know about Scooby Doo,” Zaina said.
“I spent too much time in front of the TV as a kid. I really liked the live-action movies. Velma was my favorite.”
“Really?”
“I had a crush on her. I think it was the glasses.”
“I can see that,” Zaina said. She put her phone away. “Before we get busy again, do you want to do a practice reading with me?”
“Sure! I think I might be ready to try reading humans. I’ve been working on it at home.”
“Shuffle the cards, and we’ll do some practice three-card spreads. Then, if you feel ready, I think you should offer readings to people at the shop.”
Hannah’s pulse started racing with equal parts excitement and nervousness. “What did you want to ask?”
“What can I do to have a magical holiday season with Lily and Jasper?”
Hannah smiled, “That’s such a fun question.”
Zaina winked at her.
Hannah shuffled the cards a few more times and quietly repeated the question to herself. Then she put the deck down on the table. “Please cut the deck.”
Zaina took a third of the deck and moved it next to a second spot on the table. She looked at Hannah expectantly.
Hannah froze. Then she realized her mistake. “Put the deck face up.”
Zaina flipped over the third of the deck, and the first card showed. Hannah carefully added a second and a third card and then she reviewed the cards, telling Zaina what each card meant.
Zaina stopped her again. “When you do the spread, tell the client how the first card represents the past, the second the present, and the third what might lie ahead. So, they understand that before you tell them what the cards mean. Let’s try again from the beginning.”
Hannah gathered the cards and started over.
They were able to do three run-throughs before customers began coming into the shop for the afternoon sachet class.
Hannah ran the class, and at the end, she offered three card readings for twenty-five percent off, but no one in the class had time for a reading.