Page 58 of Love Like This

Spencer ran her hands down Hadley’s smooth back, until it flaredinto the subtle curve of her hips. “I don’t think you’re jumping any guns. I’msure they’d love to have you over for dinner. My mom is a whiz in the kitchenand my dad loves to mooch off her food whenever the opportunity arises. She’sgoing to make a big deal over you, though. She loves people, especially niceones.”

Hadley’s mouth fell open. “I happen to love nice people as well!What a coincidence!”

“I can only imagine the love fest,” Spencer said dryly.

“Where’s this from?” Hadley asked, running her hand over the tinyscar on Spencer’s chin.

“I crashed my bike when I was ten and jammed my chin on thehandlebars when I fell. Four stitches.”

“Oh, no,” Hadley said, seemingly crushed.

“It didn’t happen yesterday,” Spencer told her.

“Doesn’t matter.” She leaned down and kissed the scar softly. “I’msorry that happened to you.”

Spencer laughed. “Really, it’s okay.” She looked down at the sideof Hadley’s hip. “What about this one? I saw it the other night.”

“My neighbor’s dog thought I looked like his dinner.” WhenSpencer’s eyes went wide, she waved her off. “Just a misunderstanding. We madepeace and his owners paid my medical bill. My dads were none too happy, though.Papa scolded them thoroughly for allowing Barracuda to run free. When Papascolds anyone, it feels like the guilt will never leave. It’s a rare talent.”

“So, is Papa responsible for the light and sunny disposition?”

“Nope, that would be Dad. He sang ‘You Are My Sunshine’ to meevery night of my life until I begged him to recognize that I was a teenagerand didn’t need the nightly serenade anymore. At that point, he just followedme around the kitchen singing it until I couldn’t take it anymore and allowedhim to finish the song.”

“Okay, yeah. It’s all starting to make sense.”

“Hey!” Hadley said, punishing Spencer with a kiss. It felt nothinglike a punishment, however. She stared up at Hadley, whose features werehighlighted by the gentle moonlight that slanted across the room from thesolitary window. Things were happening to Spencer that she’d never experienced.It felt as though Hadley and her smile and her positivity and herwhimsical-could-turn-sex-kitten disposition was slowly undoing Spencer’scarefully constructed opinions about life. She was slipping into what couldonly be described as Hadley Land and she was finding that she was more thanokay with that reality.

“Does it bother you how different we are? You know, me, cynicaland—”

“Driven,” Hadley supplied.

“And you, easygoing—”

“With her head in the clouds? That’s what you think, right?”

Spencer held her thumb and forefinger close together. “But in agood way.”

Hadley fell back onto the bed alongside Spencer and stared up atthe ceiling. “I don’t know that I’d be into you if you were just anotherversion of me. I mean, can you imagine two Hadleys, each running around in acow costume?”

“I’m sorry. A cow costume?”

Hadley waved her off. “Details for another time. But no, itdoesn’t bother me. I think you’re meant to find the person who fills in yourgaps, who compensates for your weaknesses, and compliments your strengths.”

“An interesting take.” Spencer tucked her arm behind her head.“Meant to find.”

With a finger on her chin, Hadley gently turned Spencer’s face soshe could see her eyes. “Yes,meantto find. Maybe one day you’ll believe it, whether it’s with me orsomeone down the line.”

“I’m going to meet someone I like more than you?”

Hadley laughed. “I know it’s far-fetched. I can’t imagine iteither.” A pause. “Does it bother you that I’m white?”

Spencer lifted her head to fully meet Hadley’s gaze. “No. That’sjust part of you. Does it bother you that I’m black?”

“What? No. Not at all.”

“Have you ever dated a woman who was of a different race than you?Just an honest question.”

“Nope,” Hadley said. “But then again, I haven’t dated atonof women. Just hereand there. Does that matter?”

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