Page 78 of A Little Light

As Rachel watched Juliet leave, she felt Andi squeezing her hand in support. They didn’t need to make a big deal out of bumping into Juliet. Actually, it didn’t even require a discussion, but she was sure there would be one. When you bump into your ex-client for only the second time since parting, a discussion was always on the horizon. “Well,” Rachel said as she puffed out her cheeks. “That was a surprise.”

“Are you okay?” Andi leaned in, kissing her cheek.

“Oh, yeah. I’m fine. I just didn’t expect to bump into her, that’s all. Now, tell me about this good news you have…”

“Well, I think it requires drinks and maybe dinner when we’ve finished here.”

“Oh?”

Andi beamed that gorgeous smile. A smile far more enticing than Juliet’s ever was. Looking back, Rachel now understood that it had been fake in appearance. Perhaps not always, but the way Andi looked at her was vastly different. “That was my office calling me. The sale of the loft has officially gone through.”

“It has?”

“Mmhmm. Congratulations.”

A bittersweet moment but one Rachel had been looking forward to. “Well then, that can only mean one thing?”

“What’s that?”

“Picking out a new dinner set is a must.” Andi smiled and followed Rachel towards the two sets she had been trying to decide on. She pointed out the two in question, glancing in Andi’s direction. “Which do you prefer? The steel grey or the white?”

“Oh, uh…they’re both lovely and would fit in well with the kitchen.”

“No, that’s not what I asked. I asked which you preferred.” Rachel nudged Andi’s shoulder, smiling. “Come on. Which one?”

“The steel grey is gorgeous, but ultimately, the decision is yours. It’s your kitchen, Rachel.”

“You’re right. It is. But it’s a kitchen that you installed and one that I hope we’ll spend a lot of time in together in the years to come.”

Tears welled in Andi’s eyes as Rachel stared back at her.

“If…you want that.” Rachel reached out and brushed a tear from Andi’s cheek. “Hey, don’t cry. Please.”

“I’m sorry.”

Rachel smiled weakly. While she loved having Andi at the loft, she sometimes forgot that it had once been the place where she lived with her wife. “Don’t be. I understand. Maybe…I should do this another time. Alone.”

“N-no. That’s not necessary. I just didn’t expect you to ask for my opinion. I didn’t think it would matter.” Andi wiped away another tear. “I’d love to help and have a say in how you decorate the loft, but Rachel, this is your new start. Not mine. It’s…your loft.”

“It’s our new start, Andi.” Rachel lay a gentle hand on Andi’s hip, smoothing her palm over the curve. God, she loved being in this position. Andi’s curves and dips, soft and full beneath her hand, always felt incredible. “It’s almost New Year’s Eve. The second that clock strikes midnight, it’s a new year and a new path that we’re both on. One that I’d like to explore together…not apart.”

Andi stepped closer, their bodies pressed together. “Get the grey set. It’s time for us to leave.”

* * *

The second that clock strikes midnight, it’s a new year and a new path that we’re both on.

Andi watched Rachel in the kitchen while she relaxed on the couch, her feet kicked up and covered in fluffy socks. After traipsing around the city centre all day, Andi was ready for a nap. That space between Christmas and the new year—the days when they all kind of merged into one—always took it out of her. She never knew if she was coming or going. She would usually work between the two days but had decided against it this year. She wanted to be with Rachel instead, and there was very little going on at the office at this time of year anyway.

As she reached for her hot chocolate on the coffee table, still watching Rachel, Andi could only smile…while allowing her heart to almost burst with love. Yeah, love. What a strange thing. In the last week, Andi had felt that familiar feeling as it grew more and more intense. She could push it away—her love for Jane was still firmly in her heart—or she could allow the two to merge while feeling incredibly lucky to be in this position.

One thing Andi had never been afraid of was love. How could she? How could anyone be afraid of love? It was the most euphoric feeling a human being could feel in their lifetime. And if someone was lucky enough to feel that more than once, to be loved and content, then it was something almost impossible to deny. Andi could never deny how happy she felt, and she didn’t plan to.

She lowered her cup to the coffee table again, looking back up to find Rachel watching her. “You look really comfortable.”

“Come and join me.”

Rachel stacked the final plate in the dishwasher, wiping her hands on a tea towel. She padded barefoot across the room, sneaking under the blanket covering Andi as she lay down beside her. “I love you being here.”

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