Page 26 of I’d Be Honored

“Wait.” Maddie’s mind caught up, her head snapping toward Caitlin. “How do you know about Kim?”

“Michelle,” Caitlin responded as if it was obvious.

“Michelle?” Maddie repeated, confused, looking back and forth between her friends.

Caitlin had started dating Michelle at the same time that Maddie began seeing Kim—the two women were best friends. Unfortunately for Michelle, though, that was also when Caitlin had reunited with Gemma, so Michelle ended up with the short end of the stick.

“Yes, Michelle. We met for coffee when I went back to LA after the movie so I could apologize—remember? Well, she must not have hated me too much because she asked if we could keep in touch as friends. She texted me the afternoon she ran into you leaving Kim’s place.”

Gemma inhaled sharply like something had just clicked.

Maddie and Caitlin both turned to look at her.

“Sorry.” Gemma gestured for them to continue. “Please, go on.”

“I forgot you two still talk.” Maddie directed her attention toward Caitlin. She hadn’t been trying to hide her relationship with Kim, but she wasn’t exactly broadcasting it either. “Michelle does seem happy with her new girlfriend.”

“She does, and I’m really glad to see it. Gemma and I are actually having dinner with them both the next time we’re in LA.” Caitlin waved her hands in a cutting motion. “But we’re getting off topic. We can discuss Kim and the fact that she’s bad for you later. The point is, you and Hayley are not a good idea.”

“Oh! I know!” Gemma excitedly shouted, her eyes lighting up. “My friend Nina is single. I bet you two would really hit it off. We worked on NYPD Intelligence together. Let me set you up for drinks.”

“Okay, sure. Thanks, Gem,” Maddie agreed half-heartedly.

She wasn’t against going on a blind date, but she couldn’t shake the feeling of wanting a night like that with Hayley instead. The fact that Hayley wanted nothing to do with her should have been enough to drive Maddie away, but for some reason, it hadn’t. It only made her more determined to get closer.

Pushing Hayley out of her mind, Maddie placed her empty coffee mug into the dishwasher. She needed to find a local workout class and burn off her pent-up energy.

SEVEN

HAYLEY DID NOT WANT TO BE in a bar, but she also had very little desire to sit in traffic on the Brooklyn Bridge for an hour. So, she was in a bar. She was sipping her single malt scotch when the stool beside her skidded across the floor.

“I haven’t seen you in here before.” A woman with a husky voice sat down beside her, a sleeve of tattoos spilling out from beneath the edge of her T-shirt.

“Not interested.” Hayley’s tone came out sharper than she had intended, but she wasn’t in the mood for small talk.

The woman scoffed and moved away, taking a seat further down the counter.

Maddie was throwing Hayley off her game. There she was, simmering with annoyance over their last interaction, now missing out on a conversation with a perfectly attractive woman.

She sighed. Hayley hadn’t heard from Maddie since ignoring her most recent text three days ago, and part of her wondered if she should reach out. Just to keep things cordial. Maybe something subtle, like an emoji. But which emoji says We can be friends, but for God’s sake, please stop trying to kiss me? The smiley face with the cowboy hat?

Hayley shook her head, feeling ridiculous.

No, she thought. This is what I wanted. For Maddie to just leave me alone.

So why did it feel like everything she’d planned for her life was slowly unraveling?

The noise of the pub was suddenly too loud. Finishing her scotch in one gulp, she laid down cash and slipped out. As she hailed a cab, the thought of the silent apartment waiting for her felt even worse than the din of the bar. She gave the driver a different address.

Twenty minutes later, Hayley was knocking on her best friend’s door.

“Hay?” Gemma asked, pulling it open wide. “What’s wrong?”

Hayley threw her arms around Gemma, holding on a second longer than usual to breathe in the familiar scent of her shampoo.

“Where are Caitlin and Maddie?” Hayley scanned the living room.

Gemma led the way to the couch. Judging by the deep imprint in the cushion, she had been sitting there for a while. She sank back into it, and Hayley followed suit.