“It’s fine. Just try to get some sleep.” Jane didn’t get up to kiss her wife goodnight. Instead, she looked away and, for the first time since the truth had hit her, let the pure anguish of what was going on in their marriage roll over her.

Chapter Nineteen

Annie had hardly slept. She had heard Jane toss and turn in the living room throughout the night. When she did doze off, unavoidably and in the small hours of the morning, it was just before her alarm clock started blaring. She blinked herself awake and let the events of the previous night rush back to her. The first thing that popped into her head was her chat with Kristin, followed by Jane’s approach. The nightcap Jane poured them, and the inevitability of the conversation that followed.

She couldn’t believe how calm Jane had been about the whole thing. How understanding and rational.

She swung her legs over the edge of the bed and rubbed the sleep from her eyes. Today would not be easy. She hoped Jane had gotten some sleep because lack of it could leave her rather cranky. She tip-toed into the living room and witnessed Jane snoozing. Just like Annie, she must have fallen asleep out of sheer exhaustion. Annie examined her sleeping wife a little while longer, how she lay there so peacefully and obliviously. If it weren’t for the fact she was sleeping in the couch, for that brief moment that Annie watched her, everything could still be right in their world.

But Annie knew better. Things wouldn’t be entirely right between them for a while. She also knew that the passage of time would do its job. As her feelings for Kristin would be erased, the bond between her and Jane would grow stronger once again. She hoped.

Annie tried to be as quiet as possible as she got ready to open up the shop. She sneaked one last glance at Jane before heading down the stairs.

Just as Annie turned the key in the lock, Kristin walked up to the shop. Annie’s heart skipped a beat.

“Morning,” Kristin said chirpily. “Have you recovered from last night?”

“Hardly.” She opened the door wide so Kristin could come in. As soon as there were any signs of Jane being awake, she would need to go upstairs and tell her Kristin was here. Already, having her feelings out in the open was having an effect. Annie’s first thought at seeing Kristin wasn’t gleeful anticipation of the conversations they could have, or joy at just having been offered a few minutes to bask in her elegant presence. Her first thought was Jane.

“Neither have I, but Mia couldn’t fulfill her usual Saturday duties. She and Lou are apartment hunting today.”