Taking each other’s hands, they strolled toward the lobby. Yes, holding hands was part of their roles, but Madison could admit to herself that it felt good to feel Sherry’s hand in hers.

Danielle and the mechanic were standing about two arm’s lengths apart, looking everywhere but at each other. Both were silent.

“Are they just shy or is this the date from hell?” Sherry whispered in her ear.

Madison ignored the familiar tingle caused by Sherry’s warm breath and shrugged. “Let’s find out.” Louder, she said, “Danielle!”

Her cousin and Ruth sighed in unison as if relieved. “Madison, Sherry, you remember Ruth, right?”

“Of course,” Madison said.

After shaking hands, they studied today’s movie program.

“So, ladies, see anything you like?”

Sherry pinched her side.

“Ouch!”

“Behave,” Sherry whispered.

God, how she loved it when Sherry whispered with her hot breath into her ear. Even when she scolded her.

Again she tried to ignore her physical reaction. “Get your mind out of the gutter. I was talking about the movies.” Lowering her voice, she asked, “What did you think I was talking about?”

Sherry frowned at her, but soon it turned into a smile.

When Madison saw Danielle and Ruth following their interaction, she couldn’t resist any longer and gave Sherry a fleeting kiss on those soft lips.

The romantic comedy had been playing a few minutes already, but Sherry just couldn’t get into it. It wasn’t as if the movie was boring or anything, but because the armrest between their seats couldn’t be put down, Madison was sitting close. It was very distracting. But for the life of her, she couldn’t figure out why. It wasn’t as if she and Madison were on a real date.

And aside from the short kiss in the lobby, Madison was behaving in an exemplary manner so far.

Madison reached over to the cup holder on Sherry’s side, grabbed their shared Coke, and took the straw between her lips.

Sherry’s gaze was glued to how Madison sucked on the straw. Her mouth went dry. As soon as Madison returned the Coke, she took a big swallow herself.

Madison stared at her. “Pretty dry in here.”

Sherry leaned closer to whisper, “Yeah. When you want to drink some more, tell me and I can hand it over, okay?”

Madison looked back to the screen and nodded.

After a while, the first kiss between the protagonists came. It was quite passionate. Not for the first time, memories of the kisses she had shared with Madison at the party with Phil and at Lillian’s birthday flooded her senses. The kisses had been so soft, and how Madison had held her when—

“Sherry?”

“Huh?”

“Danielle just asked if we want to join them for a drink after the movie.” Leaning closer, she added, “It’s more of a begging, really. She’s afraid to go alone with Ruth.”