Page 132 of Windlass

“Every time I think I’m done being a coward something else reminds me.” Angie’s anxiety turned to a scowl, and Stevie put her arms around her, dropping the lead line entirely. Olive wouldn’t go far. “You deserve—”

Angie cut herself off, and Stevie praised her. “Good girl. We don’t self-deprecate anymore, remember?”

“Hmm.” Still, Angie smiled. “You’re perfect, you know that?”

“You need your eyes checked.”

“We don’t self-deprecate anymore,” Angie teased. She tucked a strand of Stevie’s hair behind her ear. “Stephanie.”

“Angela.”

Angie’s inhale was sharp and swift. “I do. I do love you. I—”

Stevie squeezed Angie around the waist and picked her up, causing Olive to snort and step away and Angie to squeal in surprise. She tumbled them both into the cooling grass, landing on top of Angie as planned. Placing her elbows on either side of Angie’s head, framing her face, she said, “Say it again.”

“I love you.”

“I didn’t catch it. One more time?”

“Ass.” Angie’s laughter bubbled up between them, pure and liquid gold. “I love you, Stevie. There.”

“Thatwashard, wasn’t it?” Stevie smoothed a lock of Angie’s hair between her fingers as she spoke. She didn’t addYou know what else is hard?because she sensed Angie wasn’t quite done.

“You know . . .” Angie trailed off and wriggled more firmly beneath Stevie, hooking their legs together, “. . . it actually wasn’t.”

“I could show you something hard,” said Stevie, because she didn’t have the ability to resist a bad joke after all.

“See? That’s why. How could I not love someone with such impeccable taste?”

“It’s not possible. You really stood no chance. Hey.”

“Hey what?”

“I love you too, Angela.”

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