Page 45 of All She Wants

“I can handle research, document review, and most client calls from anywhere with reliable internet. Corporate emergencies will pull me back to Denver, and I can’t promise every planned visit survives my calendar, but my schedule makes it easier for me to come here than for you to get away. What does your staffing plan look like?”

Erin blinked. “My staffing plan.”

“You mentioned wanting to hire part-time help this year. The online store, the drop-shipping. Were those real plans or holiday optimism?”

“Oh, those are definitely real plans. I’ve had the vendor contracts drafted since October. Ingrid’s been after me to hire someone since last summer. She does the books, so she knows it’s in our budget.” Erin set her coffee down. “If I can make that happen, it would mean I could spend three or four days in Denver without the shop going under.”

“I’d rather come for a week or longer whenever work allows,” Claire said. “Friday night to Sunday morning is just enough time to unpack and remember where the coffee mugs are before someone has to leave again.”

Erin pulled her phone from the counter and opened her calendar. “If I hire someone by early February, I could spend more than a weekend in Denver without working Ingrid to death.”

“And I can bring my laptop here for a week at a stretch. Ten days, if you don’t think you would get tired of me.”

“I’m quite sure I wouldn’t get tired of you. In fact, when those ten days are over, I suspect they still won’t feel like enough.” Erin pressed her thumbnail into the edge of her phone case. “I should also say that I’d like us to be exclusive. You can postpone tattooing my name on your ass cheek until we’ve survived our first argument, but I don’t want to date other people while we’re building this.”

Claire laughed. “Fortunately, neither do I. You’re the only person I’m interested in, Erin.”

Claire reached for Erin’s hand and squeezed it before opening the calendar on her phone. “Let’s give ourselves a visit to look forward to. How about the third week in January? I can come for ten days.”

Erin smiled. “Ten days sounds wonderful. I’ll still have to work.”

“So will I. I’ll bring my laptop. We can spend our days working and our evenings together.”

“And I’ll have you beside me when I wake up.”

Claire squeezed her hand again. “Every morning. Now, when can I have you in Denver?”

Erin moved forward to February. “If I have someone trained in time, I could come for ten days that month. That should be enough time to determine whether Denver has any pizza worth eating.”

“I’ll begin researching immediately.”

“Good. This relationship may depend upon it.”

Erin set her phone on the counter. Claire threaded their fingers together and rubbed her thumb across Erin’s knuckles. Knowing Claire would be back later in January eased the tension Erin had carried since they first discussed Denver. Erin leaned across the counter and kissed her. “Thank you for making room for me.”

Claire touched her cheek. “You’re already part of my life. We’re simply figuring out how to share it.”

For the first time, Erin could think about Claire leaving without feeling as though she were losing her. They already knew when they would see each other again.

Claire glanced toward the windows. “Come on. Let’s get some fresh air and take a walk before we lose the entire afternoon.”

They bundled into their coats and walked the property. Beyond the houses, the mountains stood sharp against the brilliant blue sky. Claire described the neighborhood around her Denver townhouse, the Japanese restaurant four blocks east where she wanted to take Erin, and the walking trail along Cherry Creek that she used when she needed to think.

Erin told her about the pizza place on Bleecker Street that had ruined her for every other slice in the country and insisted Claire find somewhere in Denver that could at least attempt to compete.

“I’ll make a reservation.”

Erin stopped walking. “If a pizza place takes reservations, it isn’t the place.”

Claire laughed. “I’m beginning to understand the seriousness of this assignment.”

Back inside, Claire opened her suitcase on the bedroom floor and began folding her clothes and arranging them into neat stacks.

Erin picked up a button-down shirt and folded it into a thick, uneven bundle.

Claire watched for a moment, then gently took it from her and laid it flat across the bed. “You don’t fold clothes, do you?”

“I have a system. Anything that wrinkles goes on a hanger. Everything else goes into an IKEA bin.”