Page 84 of Shifting Gears

“I didn’t mean it in a bad way, Eleanor,” Kayla says, and to her credit she does sound penitent. “I meant that you look happy. Healthy. You look at home here.”

The repeated use of Nora’s full name keeps making her flinch. A simpleEleanorseems as loud as a gunshot when she’s spent a whole summer getting used toNora.

“Isn’t that the point? You suggested this vacation because you were worried I was—what was the phrase you used—‘working myself to death’?”

“I wasn’t banking on you falling in love.”

Nora’s head snaps to Dani, her heart in her throat—if she heard, if this is how Dani finds out…

But Dani is out of earshot. She’s watching Ash throw a dart with folded arms, critiquing his form, if Nora’s hunch is correct. Her head tilts in the same way it does when she’s assessing someone’s pool game. The strap of her tank top has shifted up to show the edge of her tan line—Nora had woken Dani up this morning by kissing her there until Dani rolled over, giggling, and claimed the kisses with her mouth instead.

Nora’s chest aches with pre-emptive grief.

“Wow. You didn’t deny it,” Kayla says, sighing into the silence Nora has left. Her tone is more sincere now. “You really have changed.”

“Is that a bad thing?”

“Not at all. Dani is a good influence on you.”

“Not for much longer,” Nora says. Her glass is sweating, untouched, beads of condensation pooling on the coaster. Nora can’t bring herself to drink it. “It’s time to go home.”

That last word sticks in her throat.

“While the last thing I want is for you to lose your job,” Kayla says carefully, folding her hands together on the table, “I think that maybe the fact that you’ve stayed away long enough for this to become an issue should be evidence that—”

“It’s nothing more than irresponsibility on my part,” Nora interrupts, fully aware of where Kayla is headed and unwilling to let her finish her point. “I knew the situation was worsening, and I stayed here anyway. I need to get back to reality.”

“I’ve never seen you look at anyone the way you look at her,” Kayla says softly.

As if the universe wants to drive home the point, Dani looks over her shoulder just as Kayla says it, catching Nora’s eye. She smiles, giving Nora a little wave, but it doesn’t quite reach her eyes.

“I’ll go back with you tomorrow. I can hire someone to pack up my things,” Nora says. Even the idea of it floods her with exhaustion. It’s like the bone-deep weariness she came here with has been magnified exponentially.

“I’ll drive you,” Kayla says. “Ash can get himself home. I get the feeling you’ll be a little distracted.”

Nora is overcome, suddenly, with a need to be closer to Dani. She leaves the table and her untouched drink, heading over to where Dani is just landing a bull’s eye.

“Your girlfriend is sullying my reputation as a formidable darts player,” Ash grumbles as Nora approaches.

“Can’t have been much of a reputation to begin with,” Dani says, shrugging good-naturedly. Ash laughs, but in retaliation, he nudges Dani with his shoulder at the height of her next throw. It veers off, sinking into the drywall instead, and Nora smacks him on the arm.

“Ow! You see what I have to put up with being friends with Eleanor? Abuse,” Ash says, rubbing his bicep. “Does she beat you like this, Danielle?”

Dani grins. “Only when I ask nicely.”

There’s a moment of quiet where the statement seems to work its way through Ash’s brain before he roars with laughter, slapping Dani on the back. “Oh, I like you!”

“I’m sorry about him,” Nora says, plucking a coaster from the nearest table and throwing it in Ash’s direction. “He’s not fully house-trained.”

Ash blows a kiss.

Dani steps back to let him have his turn, putting an easy arm around Nora’s waist and kissing the top of her head. Nora leans into her. It’s a simple unconscious gesture she’s done a hundred times this summer, and it’s only the look on Kayla’s face as she watches it happen that makes Nora finally comprehend the word Ash used.

Girlfriend.

Even though Nora is leaving tomorrow, even though she’s been convincing herself all summer that this is only a fling, she had no reaction to being called Dani’s girlfriend besides an overall feeling of contentment.

The hotel Kayla and Ash booked themselves into is far outside of town, and it’s hardly gotten dark before Kayla is ushering Ash out the door and promising to meet at Nora’s place in the morning. Dani subtly inclines her head toward the door after them, and, as always, Nora follows without a thought.

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