“Well,” said Laura. “How about it?”

“It does sort of depend,” Saffy said. “I think I’m … not really looking for casual. If you understand. I’m a bit too old for messing around, I think.”

Laura raised her eyebrows.

“Yes, all right, and I also just had a casual relationship with a complete wanker. It reminded me why you shouldn’t.”

Laura snorted. “I did tell you so.”

“You did. I also told myself so. Repeatedly. And yet.”

“Well,” said Laura. “All right. Let’s try it, then.”

“Just like that?”

“You don’t want to mess around, neither do I. We worked together for years. We can skip the getting to know you and give serious a go. Take six months, see if we hate it, go from there.” Laura hesitated, and then added challengingly. “You should know, though—I want kids.”

“Oh! Well. I think I could be persuaded, actually,” said Saffy. “Provided I’m not the one who has to get pregnant.” At Laura’s look, she clarified, “I do like children. Teenagers more than toddlers, but if you start with one you eventually get the other. And I think, well. I think it could be good.” Then she had to laugh. “Oh, listen to us, aren’t we awful? Shouldn’t we go on one more date first? Or at least, I don’t know, kiss?”

Laura leaned over the bed, tilted Saffy’s face up with one hand, and kissed her.

“Are you sure you’re not trying to be the best at everything,” Saffy said breathlessly a few moments later. “No, come back here.”

It had been so long since she kissed someone she both liked and respected. It had been so long since she kissed someone she wanted. She had forgotten how it felt to want like this, want entirely, want with meaning, want more. And Laura kissed like she fought: courageous, decisive, expert, beautiful. “There you go,” she said, next time they broke apart. “That’s a kiss.”

Saffy let her go reluctantly. She wanted to keep her fingers scrunched into the fuzzy spikes of the shaved hairline at Laura’s nape. She said, “Laura.”

“You asked for it.” Distinctly smug.

“What have I let myself in for?”

“We’ll give it six months and you can see if you like it.”

Saffy started to laugh. “I’m very out of practice at relationships, I should warn you.”

“Saffy, I know.”

“And I’m a lot better at being a teacher than I am at being a person.”

“I know.”

“I don’t actually own any clothes that aren’t schoolmistress outfits,” Saffy confessed. “Except things from uni I should have thrown out years ago.”

“You can buy clothes in shops,” Laura said. “You can even order them online these days. I know you’re an old crone, but don’t worry. I can explain the internet to you.”