They chatted with Annie a little longer until another customer came in—heading straight for the Lesbian Romance shelf, making all three of them follow the woman with their eyes until it became uncomfortable. They paid for their purchases and Mia and Lou stood on the sidewalk again.

Lou glanced at her watch.

“You have to go?”

“I have time for one drink, then I’ll Uber back to Darlinghurst. Traffic should be okay on a Sunday evening.”

“How about a glass of top notch vino at my place?” Mia asked.

“Not sure about the wine, but I would love to see your place.”

“Come along then.” Mia held out her arm in a way that suggested Lou hook hers through it. She did and she felt a distinct frisson of excitement as she walked the street like that on the way to Mia’s.

One wall of Mia’s small flat was covered in books, which prompted Lou to say, “Only last night you claimed you couldn’t read Jane’s books. Today you bought another.”

“It’s research now. For work.” Mia stood next to her fridge. “How about some organic lemonade?”

Lou nodded. “But you’re enjoying the one you’re reading?”

“I am. There’s something so escapist about it. I’m there with these characters falling in love. As you might have sussed, I’m usually too snobbish to read romance, but I’ll happily admit I’m enjoying Jane’s book greatly. Even the naughty bits. It only took a small amount of effort to actually get over myself, and think about the characters that she created, and who now also live in my head, as actual fictional characters. It’s not that hard when they’re about twenty years younger than Jane and Annie. It’s fiction.” She screwed the lids off two bottles of lemonade and brought them over to what was supposed to be the lounge area, but was really only a small two-seat couch, a tiny coffee table and a television.

“My mother has a few of them. I don’t know if she’s actually read them,” Lou said. “I’m sure I can find a few at home. I’ll need to give them another chance.”

“Sometimes we all judge too quickly and too harshly.” Mia sat down next to Lou. “Anyway, welcome to my humble abode.”

“It’s so small.” Perhaps it wasn’t polite to say, but it was all Lou could think when she glanced around.

“I know, but only this week there was another article in the newspaper about how Sydney real estate prices are still rising this year. This is the best it’s going to get for me until they go down again.”

“Maybe if you make a huge success of the Newtown Pink Bean, you’ll get a raise.”

“I’ve only just finished my trial period,” Mia said.