They all sat down and Mia was feeling a little bowled over by the sheer number of lesbians she had met since arriving at her new job that morning. Darlinghurst really was where it was at these days. She should consider leaving her flat above the fish and chip shop off King Street and move to this swanky, lady-loving hood, but Kristin would have to give her a raise first, and she’d only just started.

“I’ll leave you ladies to it.” It was clear that Josephine hadn’t been lying when she said she didn’t get to see enough of her partner. She’d only had eyes for Caitlin since the minute she’d walked in. Mia considered that if she was in a relationship with Caitlin James, she would most likely feel the same way.

But Mia was single. A few women had piqued her interest in the past couple of months, but they had only been mild blips on her radar. No earthquake had made her shake in her boots. No woman had made her want to burst out of her skin with the desire to know her better. Except perhaps Louise the yoga teacher this morning, although she had been rather standoffish.

“Don’t be silly, Mia,” Caitlin said. “We’re going to get to know each other rather well so we might as well get a head start.”

Chapter Four

After Lou’s Thursday night yoga class, which Phil had started attending religiously since Lou had become an instructor, they headed to his and his partner Jared’s place, which was located two houses down from the Pink Bean.

“I hear they have big plans for this place,” Phil said when they walked past. “I wouldn’t mind if it was open late so I could hop in for a decaf with my favorite yoga instructor after class.”

“And deprive me of hanging out with your lovely husband and two adorable children? Nu-uh,” Lou said.

“Said children better be in bed by the time I put my key in the lock. I need my peace and quiet after you tried so hard to stretch and relax me.”

Lou taught an easy-going yin class as her last one of the day on Thursdays, and she was feeling the effects of it as well. Or perhaps it was her lack of sleep which had been accumulating of late. Walking past the Pink Bean made her think of Mia Miller again. She took a deep breath and tried to push the thought away, knowing very well that whatever she resisted would only try harder to persist in her mind. She had been able to avoid the Pink Bean for the last few days, although she had walked past earlier that morning and seen Mia behind the counter, smiling widely—a smile that hid a multitude of sins.