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“I have no idea, but in her mind, there was obviously a connection.”
“You have to show me this dance.”
Agnes grimaced. “No way! It’s ridiculous!”
“That’s exactly why you have to show it to me!”
“Maybe when we’re alone. If I try it here, the waiters will probably think I’m having a seizure.”
“That bad, huh?”
“Oh, yes.”
They ordered dessert, which was probably good, but Agnes was too interested in talking to Cora to notice. She reluctantly stood up when everyone else had left and their waiter was eyeing them impatiently.
She and Cora had a playful debate over who would pay the bill. In the end, they played rock, paper, scissors for it. Agnes won and pulled out her card triumphantly.
“Smugness doesn’t suit you,” Cora muttered, but the corners of her lips were twitching.
Cora drove Agnes home and walked her to the door. Agnes turned to say goodbye, but found Cora standing much closer than she’d expected, bringing their faces a mere foot apart from each other.
“I had a really good time tonight.” Cora leaned in slightly, her eyes on Agnes’ lips.
Agnes knew she should pull back, but the scent of Cora’s breath was intoxicating and she felt glued to the spot.
“Me too.” She was barely able to push out a whisper, but she was sure Cora heard her.
Cora leaned even closer, and Agnes’ brain was completely scrambled. Cora hesitated for a moment, giving Agnes a chance to pull away, but Agnes didn’t.
Cora pressed her lips gently to Agnes’ in a soft kiss.
Agnes was frozen for a moment before her body responded. Her lips started returning the kiss without her permission, and she found herself wrapping one arm around Cora’s waist, bringing her closer, and tangling the other hand in her hair.
It took all of three seconds—three utterly blissful seconds—for reality to bring her to a grinding halt.
Agnes staggered back out of Cora’s arms. “I’m sorry. I can’t do this.”
“Wait, Agnes—please, let’s talk.”
Agnes’ every instinct was to flee into the house and lock the door behind her, but she owed Cora an explanation.
She reluctantly turned around again to see that Cora had taken a respectful step back, her arms spread in a gesture of surrender. “We don’t have to do anything you don’t want to. I just want to understand.”
“It’s too messy, too complicated. I’m your boss, and I’m so much older than you…”
Cora narrowed her eyes, looking unconvinced. Agnes was going to have to tell her everything.
“My wife died.” Cora didn’t look surprised by this information. Agnes supposed she must have heard it at the hospital. “I can’t—I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have let that happen. I’m not… I’m not ready.”
“Agnes, there’s no need to look so nervous. Of course, I understand about your wife. If you’re not ready, you’re not ready. I would never hold that against you.”
Agnes released a breath she didn’t realize she’d been holding. “Still friends, then?” She couldn’t bear to lose Cora’s friendship. Somehow, in the course of a few weeks, Cora had become more important to her than anyone else in her life.
“Still friends,” Cora agreed. “And when you’re ready… well, I’ll be waiting.”
Agnes shook her head. “Please, don’t wait for me. You deserve better than someone who can never give you her whole heart, Cora.”
“When someone dies, you hold a piece of them in your heart forever. That doesn’t mean you can’t love again one day.”
