Page 91 of Spicy Sapphic Christmas

“So, let’s talk about setting up some individual shows to really share your ability as a solo singer,” Siena smiled sweetly, but Bea could see the fear in her eyes, the worry.

“I’ve already booked some.”

“Good. You never came across as someone who would sit back and wait to make things happen.”

“No, you’re right about that.” So why had she waited so long to put her foot down with Bunny?

Forget that. It was now or never. And Bea was making it now.

TWENTY-EIGHT

jo

Jo groaned and rolled over in her bed as yet another text pinged through on her phone. It seemed her number had been leaked. She didn’t know how it happened, though she had some suspicions.

Blowing out a puff of air, she sent her bangs flying as she picked up the phone.

“Speak of the devil,” she muttered to herself when Mandy’s name lit up on her screen.

Too exhausted and emotionally wrung out to ignore the text, since she would only receive increasingly hostile ones, Jo slid open the message.

Mandy:You’re engaged? Since when did you move that fast?

Jo:It’s complicated. Relationships aren’t easy. Not even ones that are written up as fairy tales.

Mandy:Oh trouble in paradise already? Does she even make you happy?

Jo heard the tone in the words. They might appear simple enough on the screen, even caring in their own way. But behind them radiated Mandy’s attitude as clear as if she stood in front of her, hands on hips and mouth puckered.

Looking at Mandy’s question again, Jo thought about Piper. Her smile spread easily. She didn’t need to see her face to know it radiated all the way to her eyes. Warmth filled her chest.

Jo:Definitely. She definitely makes me happy.

What Jo didn’t add was the fact that Piper also made her completely crazy. When they were together, Jo was almost one hundred percent certain that Piper radiated the same affection for Jo as Jo had for her.

And they fit well together, in more areas than Jo had ever dreamed of being compatible with someone.

Her phone vibrated in her hand as the loud ring filled her small room.

“Shit,” Jo startled, dropping the phone to her bed before snatching it up again and answering.

Bea’s laughter came through the line. “Hey sis, did I catch you at a bad time? Should I apologize to Piper?”

“What?” Jo struggled to understand what Bea was talking about.

“Never mind.” Bea’s voice softened. While Jo could tell Bea was trying to project an upbeat mood, the weight pressed down anyway. “You’re engaged?”

“Oh.” Jo scrambled. They hadn’t come up with a way to tell Bea and Bunny about the engagement yet, a definitive line of who proposed, when, and how everything happened. They didn’t have their stories straight! And how did she know?

“You haven’t eaten have you?” Bea barreled on.

“No.” Jo sighed and ran her fingers through her hair. “I haven’t even gotten dressed.”

“Do I have to plug my ears and start humming? I really don’t need details.”

Jo laughed nervously. “As if I would give you those kinds of details. Besides, Piper isn’t even here.”

“Cool.”

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