Standing, Frazer looked down at Cora, who stared up at her, eyes widened with what looked like surprise.

“I have to go, Cora.”

“Frazer—”

Frazer pursed her lips, swallowing back the tide of emotion that swelled in her throat. Never had her name left Cora’s lips like that, tied to a note of pleading. Almost desperation. How ironic that Frazer was about to walk away from it after hoping to hear it. Even if that hope had been subconscious.

“Please don’t.” Frazer said.

When Frazer took a deliberate step back, Cora’s arm darted out, her fingers wrapped around Frazer’s hands and gripped them like a vice. They felt hot, burning with Cora’s intention.

This was not the place for this and was exactly the type of thing Frazer wanted to avoid. They shouldn’t be seen doing this. Because even if Cora was getting a divorce, it was too new. Alec couldn’t know. Cora was still entangled.

It was all too much of a mess and not one that was good for either of them.

Cora stared up at her, and Frazer shook her head. She didn’t trust herself or the words that she would say. There was a sting in the back of Frazer’s eyes that she didn’t expect.

And somehow, thankfully, Cora got that. Because ever so slowly, she let her hand fall from Frazer’s, fingertips skimming Frazer’s own.

Before she changed her mind, Frazer grabbed her tray and walked away, Cora’s look piercing into her back. She dropped her food into a bin, her tray thumping on top of a pile of others. Frazer pushed her hands deep into her pockets and exited the way she had come.

When she saw Alec standing in the doorway, staring at her with a look she couldn’t read but unfortunately could make guesses about, it felt for a minute like she couldn’t breathe.

It took everything she had to force a smile onto her face. To grin at him. “Hey, Alec.”

To keep her voice even and walk past him like she didn’t want to study his face to figure out if he knew.

There wasn’t anything to know anymore.

* * *

The key slipped into the lock with ease.

With Lisa’s hand a comforting caress on the small of her back, Cora took a step inside.

The smell of the house washed over her: the heady wood scent that she only ever noticed if she’d been away from home for a few days, the scent of the detergent they used on their clothes. A stab of nostalgia, deep in her gut, took her by surprise, carved through her. All Cora wanted to do was curl into a ball on her new couch next to Lisa and cry.