Doris leaned back in the booth, sipping her iced tea and trying to keep her glances casual as she watched Blake move from table to table, refilling coffee cups and soda glasses with a smile far too genuine for a waitress. They had spent most of the quiet morning shift talking, the interruptions minimal after the first coffee rush of the day was over. She had meant to leave before lunch, but as their conversation deepened, she found herself lingering; switching from her normal morning brew to the lighter beverage when she gave in to the realization that she had no desire to be anywhere but right where she was.

And the frequency with which Blake returned to her booth, sometimes offering food or drink, sometimes offering nothing more than a shy smile; well... that led her to believe she wasn't alone in her enjoyment of the current situation.

Doris frowned, studying the table intently as her brow furrowed in confusion. What exactly was the current situation? Nothing she had ever heard about Blake could offer her hope for anything more that a good friendship. The woman had always been straight, as far as she knew... and straight was... well.. it was... straight.

"Then again..." Her eyebrows rose slightly, the corners of her mouth turning up in a smirk when she thought about the looks the redhead had been throwing her way. Looks that said she was definitely interested, even if that interest came with a whole lot of confusion. Confusion she could deal with. She rolled her eyes slightly. She had been dealing with Olivia's confusion for the last six months. At least this time...

The smirk turned into a gentle smile as a faint blush stained her cheeks. At least this time there was a chance for a little happiness of her own.

"Oooo."

Doris glanced up, scowling when Olivia slid into the booth across from her. "Speak of the devil..." She grumbled under her breath. "What?"

"What?" The other woman repeated sarcastically. "I recognize that look." She picked up half of the avocado and bacon sandwich that Blake had placed in front of the mayor a few minutes earlier; munching on it happily. "So?"

"So what?"

"So, you're doing a passable impersonation of a human being right now. I'd even go so far as to say you look happy!" She shook her head in mock surprise. "What gives?"

"I don't know what you're talking about." Doris took a long drink of her iced tea, her eyes bouncing around the room as she tried to keep them from being drawn back to the redhead behind the bar.

Olivia followed her gaze, stopping in mid-chew as her eyebrows shot up. She snagged Doris' drink from her hand, tipping it back as she swallowed quickly. "Did I miss something?" She leaned in closer, dabbing at her mouth with a napkin as she looked at the mayor pointedly.

"No!" Doris adjusted her collar self-consciously. "No... there's... nothing to miss..."

"Then why are you looking at Blake like that?"

"Like what?"

"Like she's a lollipop!"

The Mayor's mouth fell open. "I was doing no such thing!" She said indignantly. "I was just... I was..."

"Ogling? Drooling?" She tossed Doris a napkin, laughing when the other woman threw it back at her. "So I guess that whole 'straight' thing has gone right out the window..." Olivia teased.

"Honestly I have no idea what's going on." Doris shook her head. "One minute she's barely a friend... a heterosexual friend... and the next... she's giving me these looks..."

Olivia nodded. "Been there, done that... got the t-shirt."

"Yeah, well, you also got the girl."

"No reason why you can't, too."

The Mayor shook her head. "I'm not that lucky."

"Luck has nothing to do with it."

"Olivia, I have had plenty of relationships..."

"Is that what you're calling them?"

Doris frowned but ignored the remark. "I've never had one that didn't fail." She sighed. "If you put them all side by side, the common denominator is glaringly obvious. Maybe I'm just not cut out to be part of a couple." She glanced over at Blake and the mask slipped for a moment, allowing Olivia to see just how interested she really was.

"And maybe," Olivia laid one hand on top of hers, squeezing her fingers warmly. "Maybe you've been so caught up in hiding who you are that you've never been able to just be yourself." She smirked. "I can say from personal experience that you are slightly less irritating now that I've gotten to know you."

"Gee... thanks. I love you, too."

"I wouldn't go that far..." She snickered. "Listen, if you really like the woman...then give it a shot... see where it goes. Because and trust me on this, if it's supposed to go somewhere... it will. With or without you're help."

"More 'personal' experience?"

"Is there any other kind?"

"With you? No."

Olivia considered that statement for a moment. "Good point. I've been where you are. I've made my mistakes. But I don't regret them. I can't regret them. They led me to Natalia."

"You're not going to start singing love songs are you?"

"I might." The blonde laughed. "Life is actually that good!"

Doris grinned, shaking her head slowly. "I don't know if I could live up to all that..."

"And you never will... Unless you try." She raised one eyebrow wickedly. "Besides... Blake's been alone for a long time. Imagine... all that pent up sexual energy..." She smirked when Doris' hand slipped, knocking her silverware onto the floor.

"Hey girls!"

Olivia looked up as the redhead suddenly appeared at their table, new utensils in hand. "Hey! I didn't realize you were working today!" She lied, smiling when Blake slid into the booth across from her. She had to press her lips together firmly to keep from laughing out loud when the woman ended up closer to the mayor than she really needed to be.

"So?" Blake looked back and forth between them. "What are you two talking about?"

Olivia began to speak, only to grunt in pain when Doris kicked her under the table. "Lollipops." She growled as she rubbed her shin.

"Lollipops..." Blake blinked in confusion.

"Yeah... you know..." Olivia grinned. "How many licks do you think it takes to get to the center?" She shifted quickly, snickering when the mayor's foot connected solidly with the underside of the bench. "On that note..." She finished off the last bite of sandwich and drank the rest of Doris' iced tea before standing. "I need to get back to the Beacon. They're putting up the decorations that Ashlee ordered and I want to check in on the work crew." She glanced at her watch. "And I need to make a phone call. Thanks for lunch!"

Blake watched her go before turning to Doris with an amused look on her face. "What the hell was that?"

The mayor shrugged innocently. "Drive by snarking?"

* * * * *

"Are you ready?"

"Yeah," Ashlee sat up straighter, wiggling slightly in her excitement. "Come on out! Let's see the blushing bride!"

Natalia's heart caught as she froze with one hand on the changing room door. Memories of similar words said what felt like a lifetime ago hit her hard in the chest; sapping the strength from her knees and leaving her breathless. The sorrow that had filled her that day came rushing back and she could feel Olivia's breath on her cheek as though she was standing right beside her. She could feel her fingers as they pulled cool silk up around her arm, lingering briefly before pulling away.

She remembered every second of that afternoon in vivid detail; but nothing stood out more clearly than the moment when their eyes had met in the mirror. In that one brief glance, she had found all of the things that were missing in her relationship with Frank. The want, the need... an all consuming desire wrapped up in a tenderness so complete that, had they truly been looking into each others eyes instead of hiding behind their own reflections... everything would have changed.

Everything.

"Nat?" Ashlee whined. "Stop teasing and come out! Walk towards me like you're walking down the aisle and I'll pretend I'm Olivia." There was a pause. "Well... you know... without all the... kissing... and... sexy stuff."

Natalia laughed as the tightness in her chest eased up and then disappeared.

Olivia.

This was all for Olivia.

Ashlee had been right about the dress. And she had been right about her. This was new. All of it.

She was new.

Natalia looked into the mirror and her heart caught in her chest again, but this time it was followed by a feeling of joy and happiness. Smiling, she opened the door and stepped into the outer room.

Ashlee's jaw dropped open slowly as she stared at the brunette, who was a vision in white silk and lace. Natalia walked towards her, a radiant smile on her face and time seemed to slow, making it feel as though each blink of her eyes lasted an eternity. There was a moment of complete clarity where everything the brunette had told her about love suddenly made perfect sense. That Olivia could love this woman was not surprising. That it had taken her so long to give into it... now that was the shocking thing.

She had intended to thank Amy for her flattering offer on the way out, but gently decline, thinking her life already sufficiently complicated without adding gender issues to it.

But now... now she was beginning to wonder if maybe her life wasn't complicated enough...

Her eyes widened as the gorgeous Latina walked directly up to her and kissed her on the cheek. "What..." The word came out as a squeak and Ashlee coughed, clearing her throat before she tried again. "What was that for? I thought we said no kissing!"

"Was it that bad?" Natalia laughed.

Ashlee blushed to the roots of her hair. "No... I... " She sighed in frustration. "I was just thinking about what to say to Amy and... kissing girls just confuses the issue!"

Natalia's eyebrows rose. "If a kiss on the cheek from a female friend confuses the issue... then you're worried about the wrong issue."

The blonde shrugged. "It's fantastic."

"The kiss?"

She rolled her eyes. "The dress." She reached out to touch one of the buttons on the bodice, only to pull her hand away quickly when she realized what she was doing. "It.. uh... it fits perfectly."

"I know." Natalia squealed happily as she turned to look in the mirrors, shifting her weight from side to side and watching as the dress flowed across the ground behind her. "It needs a little hemming though."

"It's supposed to have a train..." Ashlee said absently.

"Not in the front!" When the blonde didn't say anything she waved her hand in front of her face. "Hello?" Ashlee just stared at her blankly, making her laugh gently as she placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. "What do you want to say to her?"

"I... I don't know..." Ashlee whined. "I don't know anything about her! What if... what if she's a republican or... or hogs the blankets or something horrible like that?"

Natalia bit her bottom lip. "If you get to the point of knowing whether or not she hogs the blankets...? Then trust me, she's not a republican..." She blinked, a sharp bark of laughter escaping as she heard the very Olivia comment come out of her own mouth.

Ashlee must have noticed it too because a small smile curled the edges of her lips. "It's going to be fun at the farmhouse when your cycles eventually match up..."

"I don't even want to think about that." She turned back to the mirror, watching the blonde over her shoulder. "You're right, you know. You don't know anything about her. And she doesn't know a thing about you. You'd get to be new too." Ashlee looked up and she caught her eyes in the reflection. "If you wanted to."

There was a loud knock on the door before it swung open. "So, my darlings, how are we doing?" Miss Davina walked in with Amy right behind her. She came to stand behind Natalia, her hands pulling quickly on the fabric of the dress, checking the fit as she made little clucking noises to herself under her breath. Finally, she stepped back, trailing her eyes from the top of the brunette's head down to her feet. "Beautiful."

Natalia blushed. "Yes it is."

One eyebrow rose high on the tall woman's forehead. "I was speaking of you, my dear. A dress in itself is but wrapping for the treasure it contains." She crouched down, flipping over the hem. "Your Olivia seems to understand that concept very well."

"You mean Oliver?" Ashlee snorted again. She covered her mouth with her hand, glad she wasn't drinking anything this time.

Miss Davina smiled. "Apologies for that. Amy Lou never could read my writing." She smiled at her assistant. "She was always bringing the wrong things home from the store."

Natalia glanced between the two women in surprise, taking in the look of fond tolerance they both shared.

"Oh..." The softly spoken word came from Ashlee's direction, drawing their attention to her and making her feel awkward.

Davina studied the girl for a long moment and then nodded slightly. "But... that was a lifetime ago." She sighed. "Wasn't it my dear?"

Amy nodded, a rueful smile on her face.

"Two inches." The statuesque woman headed for the door. "No more, no less. Snow white thread and nothing from the back." She called over her shoulder.

"Wait!" Natalia called after her. "Don't... don't you want to say anything about me choosing this dress?"

Davina stopped in the doorway, her hand curling around the frame as she turned her head to smile. "That would imply that there was ever any doubt." She tapped her nails once against the wood and then she was gone.

"Well..." Natalia smiled brightly. "That was... fun..." She turned to Amy. "What did she mean about Olivia?"

The assistant grinned. "Your fiance has been calling every half hour to make sure you're getting all the help and attention you could possibly need or want. Davi has been listening to the story of your courtship in twenty minute soundbites all afternoon." She glanced at her watch. "That's probably where she rushed off to. It's time for the next phone call. Apparently the last one left off at a snow covered gazebo..." She sighed. "That woman is a sucker for a good love story. Used to watch the soaps till they took her favorite one off the air."

The thought of Olivia sharing their story with people warmed her heart and stained her cheeks a rosy red as she watched the assistant open up the small sewing kit she was carrying and kneel at her feet. "So... are you two...?"

"A couple? Not for years. Now we're just good friends, though she tends to be a bit over protective." Amy threw a quick glance over her shoulder at Ashlee, who was trying to look nonchalant as she flipped through the pages of a bridal magazine. "She likes to check out anyone I might be interested in."

There was a loud thud when the magazine slipped from Ashlee's fingers and landed on the glass table. "Uh... sorry... I... uh..." She scooped up her purse and began to dig through it as she backed towards the door. "I need to... call the Beacon! Yeah... to.. uh... check if the reception decorations arrived. I'll.. uh... I'll..." She backed into the door jam, laughing nervously as she side stepped through it. "I'll be back in a few minutes!"

Amy looked up at Natalia. "Did I offend her somehow?"

"No!" The brunette smiled reassuringly. "I think your interest just... surprised her." Her eyes narrowed as a wave of fierce protectiveness washed through her. "You are interested in her, right? I mean... Interested in her... for... the right reasons...?"

The redhead bit back a laugh. "Are you asking if my intentions are honorable?"

Natalia flushed but nodded.

"I'm twenty-nine years old," Amy sighed. "And my love life has been played out in short-term leases. A year here, six months there. Davi was the longest and even that only lasted two years." She shook her head. "I want something real. Not just a tumble in the sack, if that's what you're asking."

"Not... not in those words but, yeah I guess that's what I was asking." She rubbed her neck. "Ashlee is definitely... real. And sweet... and even innocent."

The redhead tilted her head to the side. "Define innocent..."

"Ahhh..." Natalia shook her head. "I wouldn't know how to answer that, even if I wanted to. All I'm saying is that she's a very special girl. I don't want to see her get hurt."

"Wow, I don't think I've ever gotten the 'Dad' talk before. It's kind of intimidating." She joked.

"Keep laughing! I'm the nice one! You don't even want to meet Mama Olivia."

"Scary?"

"Terrifying."

"Noted." Amy closed up her case and stood. "Spin for me?"

"Does a lot of spinning go on at weddings?"

"Depends on whether or not there's an open bar." She watched as the smooth silk flared out ever so slightly and then settled back into place. "Perfect."

The door opened and Natalia smiled when Ashlee stepped back into the room. "I think we're done. How does it look."

"Beautiful." Ashlee mumbled, never taking her eyes off of Amy's profile as she gathered up her sewing supplies.

Natalia rolled her eyes slightly. "You wanna help me out of it?"

"That's my cue!" Amy grabbed her clipboard and headed for the door. "I'll meet you out front with a box for the dress and your invoice." She glanced at Ashlee briefly but the blonde was busy studying her shoes. "Well... I'll see you out there."

"Ashlee?" Natalia said softly once the assistant had gone. "She seems like a lovely woman. What are you going to do?"

"I'm... I'm going to thank her... but... politely decline."

"Why?"

Ashlee sighed. "I wouldn't know... what to do... with a woman."

"You go to dinner," The brunette put one hand on her arm, squeezing gently. "You go to dinner and you drink some wine and you... you just see if there's anything there... Unless you already know for sure that there wouldn't be. Do you?"

She shook her head slowly. "I don't know...anything." She inhaled quickly, a small laugh escaping her lips. "I don't know how everything could have gotten so confusing in one afternoon."

"Oh honey..." Natalia pulled her into a hug. "Welcome to the club."

Ashlee pulled back, her eyes wide. "There's a club?"