“We have a lot to work out, and there’s no reason to rub his nose in it with us.”
“Isn’t he going to have to get used to it? With me staying in Lynchfield?”
“You’re staying?”
“Yeah, didn’t Charlie tell you? Isn’t that why you went all Hester Prynne on Lynchfield?”
“Nice Scarlet Letter reference.” Logan filled three glasses with ice.
“No. I did it because Charlie pissed me off, and I knew he was going to make the next year miserable.”
“He was,” Logan interjected. She poured tea into the glasses. “But, the way you spun it. Fucking baller, Mom.”
“Logan, your language really is vile.”
“You’re focusing on the wrong thing.” Logan pushed a glass across the counter to each of us. “Nora’s staying in Lynchfield. Why?”
“For Emmadean, and because I didn’t want to be away from your mother.”
Sophie leaned over and kissed me. “I love you.”
“I know I have to get used to this, but it’s weird seeing you kiss someone besides Dad,” Logan said.
“Sorry. So, has word gotten around to your friends?” Sophie asked.
“Yeah, I’ve gotten a few texts,” Logan said.
Logan glanced at me, probably wondering if I would tell Sophie about the rumor. I shook my head slightly. She would have to confess to her mother in her own time.
“And...?”
“Everyone’s shocked. I mean, with Erin no one knew it, but it wasn’t a surprise, you know? It’s was like, oh yeah, that makes sense. And, no one cares. It’s like, okay, cool. Erin’s a lesbian. You, on the other hand, were a shock. But, no one is being hateful yet. Gross, but not hateful.”
“Gross how?” I asked.
“Chris Bird came up with an acronym for you.”
“I’m afraid to ask.”
“LILF.”
“LILF?”
“Lesbian I’d like to fuck,” I said. I covered my mouth to keep from laughing.
“I’ve never heard of that. Is that a thing?” Sophie asked.
“Chris Bird is a douchebag,” Logan said.
Sophie reached across the table and took Logan’s hand. “I’m sorry, Logan. I shouldn’t have done it in such a public way. I was caught up in the moment, of finally being true to myself.”
“I can handle it. Fuck the haters.”
“I think that’ll be my mantra for the next year. Fuck the haters,” Sophie said.
“We’ll make T-shirts,” Logan said.
I’d finished my tea and left them to wait for Charlie.
Now, Sophie draped her arm across my shoulders as we walked from the barn to the house. “It went pretty well. Avery was with him. She’d convinced Charlie I’d done him a huge favor, spinning it like I did.”
“Where did that come from, anyway?”
“I have no idea. But, it was pretty brilliant, if I do say so myself.”
“And you will.”
“Everyone got what they wanted.”
“I’m happy. I got what I wanted.”
“Me, too,” Sophie said. “I do have some bad news.”
I opened the kitchen door for Sophie.
“Oh, Lord, what?”
“Logan and Lexa are holding us to the tennis match.”
“Shit. I’d hoped they’d forgotten about it,” I said.
“Nope. They want to do it tonight. I told them we would.”
“Tonight? I’m not in good enough shape.”
“Let’s let them beat us and get it over with.”
“No way am I letting them win,” I said. “And have to listen to them tease us about it for the rest of our lives?”
“I do love your competitiveness.” Sophie kissed me.
“And I love your lips.”
“Always with the lips.”
A suitcase sat next to the kitchen table. “Is that yours?”
“Yeah. Is that all right?” Sophie asked.
“Absolutely. It’s just, I got rid of everything before I decided to stay.”
“Not everything, I hope.”
* * *
“Did you hear something?”
“Nope.” Sophie traced her fingers down my bare arm.
“It sounded like a car door.”
Her hand collapsed on my wrist. “Oh. It’s probably Logan. She wanted to come with me this morning, but I told her we needed to talk first.” She disentangled herself from me and reached for her dress, discarded on the floor.
“Talk?”
She pulled her dress over her head and shrugged. “She knew what I meant, and only grimaced a little.”
I pulled on my T-shirt. “Is this going to weird Logan out? Seeing you and your girlfriend walking out of a bedroom is a lot different than seeing us kiss.”
Sophie ran her hands through her hair to straighten it. “I suppose we’re about to find out.”
I heard a perfunctory knock on the front door as I pulled on my panties. “Sophia Elizabeth!” shouted Brenda Russell.
“Shit,” Sophie said, eyes wide. “In all this, I forgot about my mom. I haven’t talked to her since the barbecue.”
“Why wasn’t she there last night?”
“She’s down in her back. I can’t believe she’s here. She must be drugged to