“Amanda. Hi.” She offers, but that’s it. Because, hurt feelings or no, what is she supposed to say to the woman who’d cheated on and dumped her?

It’s fine, because Amanda is fixated on Hannah, instead. “And who’s this?”

“Hannah Dalton,” Hannah supplies for herself, her arm tightening around Caroline’s arm. “And you are?”

Amanda’s eyes narrow just a bit. “Amanda Soldano.” She flicks her eyes to Caroline and runs them over her slowly in that way she has, which makes her bristle. “Caroline’s ex.”

“How’s Elaine?” Caroline asks, pointedly. You know, the woman you left me for.

Amanda seems to hesitate for a second before what would be an apologetic smile, if only Caroline didn’t know better, slides over her face. “She ended up moving back to Chicago a few months ago.”

“Shame.” Her voice is flat.

Which makes Amanda laugh, in an entirely unsurprising sound. She’d always enjoyed a little barb, a little angry give and take. It was one of Caroline’s least favorite things about her.

“You look good. Give me a call to catch up sometime?”

Okay, well that makes her angry, just the utter gall of it. Her mouth falls open as a hundred burning remarks work their way up her throat.

And fall away as Hannah’s hand slides down to intertwine their fingers together. It’s a perfect fit, always, and she looks down just to see Hannah’s small but capable hand wrapped up in hers, holding it tightly.

“It’s kind of rude to ask someone to call when they’re on a date. We have to get going.” Hannah starts steering them away. “Nice meeting you.”

Date throws her, just enough for her to dumbfoundedly let herself be led easily away, almost tripping over her own feet. Date. It’s not like any date she’s ever been on in the past yet it’s been ten times better.

For a moment, just a moment, the idea that it actually could be a date plays through her mind. Before she forces herself to not go there. Because Hannah is just getting her out of a potentially awkward situation.

She’s never heard Hannah use such a fake tone before, but she finds that she kind of loves it. She also loves the way Amanda is staring after them. Mostly, she loves knowing that Amanda thinks they’re a couple.

“So… that’s your ex,” Hannah states, as she bites her lip and gives Caroline a sidelong look.

And Caroline nods slowly, resolutely pushing date out of her mind, blowing out a breath. “One of them.”

“She doesn’t give the impression that she’s very nice.” Hannah’s nose wrinkles as she says it, giving Caroline a confused look.

It looks so much like a face Abbie makes, it’s twice as endearing.

And it only gets stronger as Caroline laughs. “She’s… not.”