“How very nice of you.” Jane’s jealousy was choking her ability to understand what Annie was going through. Because realizing that the person you loved more than anyone in the world was falling in love with someone else wasn’t the most pleasant experience. It rocked the very foundation their life was built on. So many marriages went bust every single day because of this reason. Because of something that started with a silly infatuation. “Is it mutual?” She had to know.

Annie shook her head.

Jane believed her. She’d had to make certain that Kristin rushing away from them after Jane had approached wasn’t because Kristin had been feeling guilty.

“Have you talked to anyone about it?” Jane was suddenly flooded with compassion for her wife again, who sat there with her head in her hands, unable to meet Jane’s gaze. The fact that Annie couldn’t look her in the eye broke her heart most of all.

“I told Rita.” She heaved a sigh. “And Caitlin James apparently sussed it out.”

“Caitlin James?”

“She told me off, actually. So did Rita.” Annie tried to look at Jane, but quickly averted her gaze again. “I know it’s foolish. But I promise you, babe, this won’t harm us in any way. Especially now that you know. That should be enough to snap me out of it. Because I feel so incredibly stupid. Believe me, this whole thing hasn’t brought me much joy.”

“It’s just a crush,” Jane said.

Annie nodded. “Nothing more. I promise you.”

“Unfortunately, it’s a little hard to break contact.”

Annie stared at the wall behind Jane’s head. “Thank you for being so understanding.”

“How can I not be? After all, you extended me the same… er, courtesy.”

“When I saw you talking to Beth a few weeks ago…” The rest of the words didn’t make it past Annie’s lips, but Jane understood. She understood all too well.

“Do we need some sort of plan to fix this?” It sounded a little ridiculous, but when things had come to a head after Jane’s indiscretion with Beth, a plan was what had saved them. Although emotionally very difficult, the practicalities of the plan had been very simple: break all contact. This wasn’t an option now. “Should we go away for a while? I’m not writing at the moment, anyway. Maybe the timing is just right. And we could do with a break. We can go back to New Zealand.”

“Back to Wellington?”

“Yes, maybe that’s exactly what we need right now.”

“Only…” Annie wrung her hands together.

“Yes?”

“As enticing as running away sounds, the problem will still be here when we get back.”

“Maybe it won’t. Maybe going away will put things in perspective. Especially if we return to where we got married.”

“It just feels too soon to leave the shop.”