But then she turned around and caught Maddie glaring at her again. She looked away as quickly as she could, but her stomach dropped with dread. She greeted Erin and Darcy instead. Both were very happy to see her, Erin nearly fawning over her and jumping up to get her a drink. Darcy stood and motioned for her to take her seat. There was only enough space for four behind the little corner table.

“Oh, I couldn’t,” she said, laughing.

“Oh, but I insist,” said Darcy.

Sitting, of course, meant seating herself next to Maddie, who didn’t greet her at all. Luckily, with Maddie on her left and farther back into the corner, she could only sense her there—they didn’t have to talk or interact in any way. Erin was soon back with a dark beer—Cupid’s Kiss, which was on tap in local restaurants and bars now. She took a grateful sip, smiling at Erin’s expectant face, and gave her a thumbs-up.

“Even better than I remember.”

Erin hooted with glee, pumping her fist in the air, and everyone laughed. The men insisted on having the four women sit at the little table, both still standing as they waited for one of the nearby tables to clear.

“You really are going to give her a big head,” Stuart said, winking at her.

“She deserves it,” she said, smiling at Erin. Erin went five shades of red, and Darcy rolled her eyes.

“You truly shouldn’t compliment her like that. Now she’ll never stop talking about you. She was already half in love with you before the praise.”

Erin glared at her wife, sticking out her tongue, and the two of them laughed, leaning close for a quick kiss. Ryann turned to her beer to stop from watching them, once again very aware that not a single other patron in this room seemed to give one iota that two women were having a little PDA here. No one nearby even gave them a second glance.

“How was your trip?” Maddie said next to her, startling her so badly she choked on her beer. Maddie slapped her gently on the back a couple of times. “Are you all right?”

She took another sip to clear her throat and gave her a quick smile. “I’m okay. Wrong pipe. And London was great. Very successful.”

“Glad to hear it.”