Mia chuckled until her eyes fell onto the alarm clock next to Lou’s bed and it hit her what time it was. “I have to get a move on.” In her haste, her foot got stuck in the sheet and she nearly tumbled to the ground, but Lou caught her and pulled her close by the arm.

“Last night was great,” she said. “I want to do it again as soon as possible.”

“Then I shall cook for you as instructed.”

Lou shook her head. “No cooking will be required for what I have in mind.”

“Well, well, well.” Jo stood with her hands on her hips exactly the way Mia had predicted she would. “Look what the cat dragged in.”

“I’m sorry.” Mia painted the most innocent look on her face, though she felt far from innocent. “Is the boss around?”

“She went back upstairs after she came down to ask me if you’d turned up yet. Apparently, you didn’t come home last night.” Jo tilted her head and held up two fingers. “That’s two strikes.”

“Was Kristin pissed off about that?” Mia didn’t realize she needed to have taken the time in between kissing Lou and being dragged upstairs to let Kristin know she wouldn’t be staying at hers after all.

“If I were you, I’d prepare to get an earful later, my friend.”

“You’re pulling my leg. You are my evil barista twin. Kristin can be a bit uptight, but she wouldn’t get upset about that.”

Jo shrugged. “Only time will tell.”

A few customers came in and they were busy for half an hour with no time to chat. Mia kept staring out of the window for any sign of Lou, who had promised to drop in before her first class of the day. Mia’s heart skipped a beat when she saw Lou’s familiar profile enter her field of vision, then make her way to the door, open it, and step into the Pink Bean.

“Good grief,” Josephine said.

“What?” Mia glanced at Jo and noticed her shaking her head slowly.

“Must have been some date. You just looked as if Angelina Jolie herself just walked in that door.”

“Someone much better than Angelina Jolie, wouldn’t you say?” Mia shot Jo a wink and the way she grinned back at her made it very clear to Mia that she’d been joking about Kristin’s reaction earlier. This was the Pink Bean, after all. The Darlinghurst coffee shop where, according to Sheryl, many a lesbian had encountered true love.

“Hi Jo,” Lou said, then gave Mia the most delicious stare.

“Christ, I think I need to go call Caitlin,” Jo said. “Too much love in the air for me not to.”