Page 82 of Cat Sloan is Swirling

“I know you will.” Cat smiled then studied Elena for a moment. “So you’re afraid our plan might backfire?”

Elena sighed. “It’s the way she said ‘this isn’t over.’”

“We’re about to find out because she just walked in,” Cat said, getting up from her chair.

“What do you want me to do?” Elena asked, her eyes widening.

Cat reached out her hand and pulled Elena up. “You go get your hair done and come back when you’re finished.” She reached up and gently kissed Elena, knowing Hattie would see. The look in Elena’s eyes caused the butterflies to stir in Cat’s stomach. It wasn’t lost on Cat that kissing Elena felt like the most natural thing in the world. Their lips fit perfectly together. Pretending is kind of fun, she thought as she gazed at Elena.

Elena glanced over at Hattie and nodded then walked towards the entrance to CeCe’s salon.

“Does she work here?” Hattie asked.

“Nope. She just likes to be with me.”

“I can’t blame her,” Hattie said quietly.

Cat raised one eyebrow and smirked.

“I’ve been doing a lot of thinking,” Hattie began. “I remember how you said we were right for each other.”

“We were then, but we grew, just not in the same way or the same direction.”

Hattie sighed. “Come on, we were Cat and the Hat. We go together.”

Cat shook her head and remembered how cute Hattie had thought that moniker was. “Not anymore.”

Hattie looked down and shuffled her feet. “I should’ve been more open, but you know how hard it is for me to talk about my feelings.”

“Yeah, I do, but that doesn’t give you a pass, Hattie. Maybe we could’ve figured out what was happening and spared each other a lot of pain,” Cat said. “Well, I was hurt. I don’t know about you.”

Hattie’s head snapped up and she stared at Cat. “Of course I was hurt. You have no idea how hard it was for me to make the decision to leave.”

“That’s just it. You made the decision. Don’t you think we should’ve talked about it instead of you walking in one day and saying you were leaving?”

“I’m sorry, Cat. I really messed up.”

“I knew you weren’t happy. I wasn’t either, but you chose to end it instead of trying.” Cat sighed. “We’ve been through this. There’s no need to rehash everything.”

Hattie plopped down in Cat’s chair. She blew out a big breath then looked up at Cat.

“How old is your girlfriend?” Hattie asked with a haughty tone to her voice.

Cat shook her head. “You ask about Elena, but you haven’t asked about me. That’s what I’m talking about, Hattie. You don’t know who I am. I know who Elena is and she knows me. She loves me for me.”

“But if you grow,” Hattie said, making air quotes, “then you’ll keep growing. What happens if you don’t grow with her?”

“That’s just it, we know we’re growing and we’re doing it together. We don’t hide our problems from each other. We talk to each other.”

“You said we grew apart and in different directions. If it’s about sex, Cat, we were going through?—”

“A rough patch,” Cat said, interrupting Hattie. “No we weren’t. We were growing apart and I saw it and I felt it, but you didn’t believe me.”

Cat sat down and gentled her voice. “You felt it too, but wouldn’t admit it. You were too afraid to try. Elena and I aren’t afraid.” When Cat heard those words tumble from her mouth she realized everything she’d said was true. They had both changed for the better since the day Elena walked into the bookstore. She couldn’t be afraid to tell Elena her true feelings. Elena had encouraged her and Cat trusted her, so she should trust if Elena didn’t feel the same way they could still figure it out. Together.

“I want you to be happy,” Hattie said, looking down at her hands. “I know you probably don’t believe that, but it’s true. I can still make you happy.”

Cat pulled her focus back to Hattie. “What would make me happy is to sell the house.”

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