“I’m not throwing anything at you. I’m just asking for some understanding.”

“Seems to me we’re asking for the same thing then.”

“You know I understand very well how you feel, Jane. I know all about it. I would guess I know much better than you.”

“Oh, so we’re comparing now, are we? That will definitely help. Stop trying to justify how you feel with what happened seven years ago. This is not a quid pro quo. I simply asked you not to tell her, and you did. That’s what’s making me so angry.”

“As opposed to how you were not angry at all when you stormed out of the shop earlier?”

“Are you going to blame me for that as well? Because it feels like I’m taking a lot of flak for something that is not my fault at all.” Jane wished Annie would disappear out of her sight, but at the same time, she wanted to go over to her and hug her and have her assure her that everything would be all right. Because what if she had already used up all the turbulence their relationship could bear when it came to feelings for other people? What if there was nothing left to absorb this now that Annie needed the same credit she had afforded Jane when she needed it most?

“I need to get back to the shop,” Annie said.

“No. You’re not going back in there to spend the rest of the day with her. There’s just no way. I can’t accept that.”

“This is work, Jane.”

“It might be, but it’s not just work. That line was crossed a long time ago. Can you look me in the eye and tell me you won’t talk about me as if I’m a problem to be managed if you go back down there? I won’t have you discuss me with her.” Jane’s voice grew shriller with every word she spoke. “It’s so disrespectful. And you’ve disrespected me enough for one day.”

“I can’t leave Kristin to mind the book shop and the coffee shop for the rest of the day. That’s not fair.”

“Then tell me this. Why, if you told her and she agreed to keep her distance, hasn’t she called in reinforcements? Kristin is a smart woman. Surely she would have thought of that option.”

“Because… no one else was available.”

“And you must think I was born yesterday.” Jane all but stomped her foot. “I’m going to mind the book shop for the rest of the day.”

“But—” Annie started.

“But what? Give me one reasonable argument why I shouldn’t?”

Annie stood there, stumped for words.

“That’s what I thought,” Jane said, and headed down the stairs without giving her wife a further look.