“Susanne,” her sister said, instantly getting her full attention. Franzi never called her anything but Susi. “You’re overthinking things.”

Susanne let her head drop back against the recliner. “I know you’re right, but…”

“Just do whatever feels right. Anja doesn’t seem like the type of woman who would expect grand gestures anyway.”

Susanne remembered the no-glitter conversation. “She’s not.”

“If all else fails, why not give her a pen? She’s crazy about that kind of stuff, isn’t she?”

“God, yes, she is.” Susanne chuckled a little as she thought about what a geek Anja could be. “But a pen is out of the question. Fountain pens are the new jewelry.”

“They are?”

Susanne shrugged. “Apparently. I think I’ll just try to play it by ear tomorrow.” After all, that was what Anja and she had decided to do—enjoy the moment without worrying about where it would lead.

“Yeah. That’s what you always do when it comes to relationships,” Franzi said. “You never agonize over stuff like this. Why should it be different now?”

Because everything feels different with Anja. But she wasn’t ready to voice that thought, not even to her twin sister. “Thanks. Guess I’ll see you on Saturday, then. Don’t break your neck on the ropes course, okay?”

Franzi chuckled. “Not planning on it.”

They said goodbye and ended the call.

“No agonizing. Just play it by ear,” Susanne told herself. Determined to stop thinking about it, she reached for her laptop to check in with the company setting up Paper Love’s webstore.

Chapter 16

Chapter 16

The store didn’t have a lot of customers the next afternoon, maybe because everyone else was preparing to spend the evening with their partner. Would Anja get to do the same? She wasn’t sure Susanne would want to. Maybe she would think doing something on Valentine’s Day would imply too much of a commitment, and they were trying to avoid that for now.

Just ask her and find out instead of brooding over it! She peeked over at Susanne, who sat behind the counter and adjusted her camera lens to take photos of fountain pens and ink bottles for the blog.

But before Anja could open her mouth, Susanne put down the camera and looked over at her. Her gray eyes twinkled. “Want to get inky with me?”

Anja forgot the questions plaguing her and walked over. She couldn’t help smiling. “Get inky, hmm? What did you have in mind?”

“Remember the pen that dripped ink all over my fingers? I still have no clue how to fill up one of those. Can you show me?”

Anja beamed. Susanne showing an interest in her beloved pens was the best Valentine’s Day gift she could imagine. “Sure.” She grabbed a bottle of her favorite ink—a rich, dark-bluish purple—slid a second stool behind the counter, and took a seat next to her.