Page 43 of Love Like This

Spencer laughed. “A promising one.”

“Oh, I’ll let you go then. This one sounds good.”

“I think that’s the case.”

“Bye, baby. I love you and am so proud! I need to make those callsnow.” Another squeal.

“Thanks, Mama. Bye.” She clicked off the call and took a deepbreath before turning back to Hadley. “Thank you for indulging me. We have thisthing where we tell each other stuff as soon as it happens. Ignore me.”

“You two sound close.”

Spencer tossed her phone into her bag on the counter. “We are.Always have been.”

“I’m close with my parents, too. Though I never had a mom. I usedto wonder what that would be like.” She leaned back against the counter andheld up a hand. “Don’t get me wrong, I had an amazing childhood and wouldn’tchange a minute of it.”

“Raised by your father then, or…”

“Both of them actually. Gay dads. They were the best parents Icould have. Warm, funny, and thoughtful. Well, Papa is definitely funnier thanDad, but I try not to point that out or it becomes a whole thing.”

“And they’re still together?”

“They are,” Hadley said with a smug smirk.

Spencer let it go. “How was your Saturday today?”

“Long. I worked for most of it, but we pulled in some relativelyhigh numbers for this time of year, so I chalk it up to a win in the salescolumn.”

“I bet the clients love you.”

Hadley ran a hand along the edge of the counter. “I do okay.”

“You’re wearing heels.”

She glanced down and lifted one heel-clad foot. Gray strappy JimmyChoos. A nice choice. “I am. I wanted to look nice. For you. For tonight.”

“Your poor feet must be feeling it.”

Hadley winced. “Minor compromise, but yes.”

Spencer shook her head. “Why would you ever do that to yourself?”

“Because I adore fashion and all things related to it and amwilling to suffer for the cause. That simple.” Spencer couldn’t argue with thelogic, and in fact, Hadley looked fantastic as always in a pale blue beltedsundress, and the gray heels that made her legs look like they went on forcenturies. No one could accuse Hadley of anything other than fantastic legs.Tonight, she’d styled her hair partially back, with soft curls that hit justpast her shoulders.

“Yeah, here’s the thing. Fashion be damned. I’m going to have toinsist you take those things off.” Hadley raised an eyebrow and a bolt of heathit Spencer at the sound of the words. Asking Hadley to take anything off hadher mind overheating. She ordered it to quell and focused on Hadley and whatshe needed in the moment, which was a break from discomfort. She glanced at thetimer. “In fact, we have some time before dinner.” She pointed at her darkleather couch with all the wonderfully soft, broken-in wrinkles. Code for wornand comfy. “Sit. That’s an order.”

Hadley, who regarded her with a suspicious smile, walked silentlyto the couch, slipped out of her heels, which trimmed a good three inches offher height, and took a seat. “Is this where you want me, Ms. Adair?”

“That’s perfect,” Spencer said and took a seat down the couch.“Now give me those.” She pointed at Hadley’s feet. Without hesitation, Hadleylifted both feet and placed them into Spencer’s waiting lap, her eyes dancingin amusement.

“Are you really about to do this for me?” she asked, inexcitement.

“I really am.”

Spencer got to work, starting with the right foot, pushing herthumbs along the bottom, back and forth.

“Oh, my dear goodness,” Hadley said, which pulled a chuckle fromSpencer.

She was expecting some sort of reaction, but “Oh, my deargoodness” had not been it. “That’s a new phrase.”

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