Jo watched as Holly walked back into the living room from the kitchen. Gail followed close behind, carrying two glasses of wine. They both headed over to where Doug was standing. Gail handed him one of the wine glasses and the three of them quickly fell into easy conversation. As they chatted, Holly's gaze kept drifting back to Gail, the color high in her cheeks, her lips slightly kiss-swollen.

Jo couldn't help but grin around the rim of her beer glass. She had known Holly for practically her whole life. Sometimes Holly seemed as familiar to her as her own reflection in the mirror—and she could read her better than almost anyone.

Jo had seen Holly smitten before. Seen her in lust. Seen her harbor heart-wrenching, ill-advised crushes. But this was the first time she'd ever seen Holly in love. The connection between the two women wasn't bold or overwhelming. It was sweet and gentle and very obvious. Obvious in the way Holly's face softened whenever she looked at Gail, in the way she couldn't help but brush her fingers across Gail's lower back as they stood together.

Jo looked on as Gail leaned almost imperceptibly into Holly's side. Holly immediately slipped an arm around her waist, her mouth brushing a quick kiss to her hair. Gail said something to Doug and Holly tilted her face towards Gail's, her eyes riveted on Gail's mouth as the blonde spoke.

Jo took another sip of her beer and shook her head knowingly. Apparently subtlety was not Holly's strong suit when it came to Gail Peck.

—

A few minutes before seven o'clock, Holly's mom excused herself to put the finishing touches on dinner. She'd been talking to Holly's sister, Laura, by the window. Gail watched Carol leave, before looking back at Laura, who hadn't moved from her spot by the window. Her eyes had dimmed into sadness again and her shoulders slumped forward as if even the effort of staying upright was exhausting.

Doug and Holly's animated voices faded into the background as Gail continued to watch Laura. There was something familiar about her expression that struck a chord deep in her stomach. It took her a moment to realize why it looked so familiar, but when she did, her breath caught suddenly in her throat.

Beside her, Holly paused in the story she was telling her dad and turned to Gail. "You okay?" she asked, her brow furrowed.

Gail cleared her throat and glanced from Doug to Holly, meeting her worried gaze. "Yeah. Yes. I'm fine. I'm just…I think I'm gonna go chat with your sister."

Holly nodded slowly, still looking mildly concerned. "Okay."

Gail reached for her hand and gave it a squeeze before making her way across the room to where Laura was standing.

"Mind if I join you?" she asked.

Laura turned to her and Gail watched as her eyes swam slowly back into focus. She blinked at Gail, looking a little startled. "Um, no," she murmured. "That's fine."

Gail took a healthy swallow of her wine, before blurting out, "So who cheated on you?"

If Laura looked startled before, she looked absolutely shell-shocked now. "I-I'm sorry, how did you—"

Gail waved her hand dismissively. "I'm a cop. I've gotten pretty good at reading people." She paused and dropped her gaze to the floor. "I also, um…recognized the look on your face from…personal experience."

"Ah," Laura said. "I see."

When Laura didn't elaborate, Gail felt suddenly guilty. What if Laura didn't want to talk about it? What if she just wanted to forget? And here Gail was, reminding her, practically shoving her own heartbreak in her face.

"Look, I'm sorry," Gail fumbled. "I shouldn't have—"

"No!" Laura said, shaking her head. "No, really. It's…refreshing actually. It gets tiring, having to hide it all the time."

Gail nodded. "I know what you mean."

Laura studied her for a moment, her expression thoughtful. She looked so very much like her sister in that moment, only sadder, and Gail had the sudden desperate wish that she would never see such heartbreak reflected back at her from Holly's eyes. Especially not heartbreak that she was the cause of.

"Do you want to hear a story?" Laura asked finally. "It's rather boring."

Gail smiled faintly. "Try me."

Laura gave one slow nod, then turned her gaze out the window. "I was married to a guy for almost ten years. We met in college and were dumb enough to get married the spring of our senior year. It was fine…for a while. But then…" She let out a long sigh, her face pinched with the memory. "But then he started to…not be there anymore, you know? I mean, he was there, but he wasn't. It was like he was looking right through me. And then, suddenly, it was like a light had been switched back on. He was cheerful, full of energy, attentive…" She sighed again and this time there was self-deprecation in the sound. "I should've known there was a reason, should've known that a person doesn't just spontaneously fall back in love with their wife of nine years."

"Don't be too hard on yourself," Gail said, surprising herself with the gentleness in her voice. What was it with the Stewart women that inspired such…tenderness in her? "It's easier to believe in the good than the bad."

"I know. You're right." Laura shook her head and took a swig from her drink. "Anyway, I found out he was cheating on me. And here I am, a year later, still heartbroken, while he's off with his new wife. The divorce'll go through in a few days." She laughed harshly, no humor in the sound. "You know what I ask myself every morning when I wake up?"

"What?"

"Laura, what the hell have you done with your life?"

Gail didn't respond, knowing the question was entirely rhetorical. She also knew that no amount of reassurance would snap Laura out of her self-imposed darkness. That was something she would have to figure out all on her own.

"I know this seems like a terrible line, but I do know how you feel. The worthlessness, the guilt, the anger, the sadness…It's the worst. But it'll end. Maybe not today or tomorrow or the next day, but one day you'll wake up next to someone you love and that nagging voice in the back of your head will be blessedly silent."

Laura regarded Gail carefully, her eyes slightly narrowed. "Where in the hell did Holly find you?"

"In the woods," Gail replied.

Laura laughed at that, a genuine laugh, and flashed a grin at Gail. "I like you," she pronounced finally. "But don't you ever fuck over my sister or I will kill you. Seriously. You can't imagine how much pent up anger I've got going on."

"Oh, believe me, I can. And I won't hurt her."

Laura nodded, her face softening. "No, I don't imagine you will."

—

By the time dinner was served, Gail was on her third glass of wine and was feeling much more relaxed. Everyone filed into the dining room and began to take their places around a large, circular table. Holly sat down before Gail and then caught her eye, gesturing to the empty chair beside her.

Gail grinned and sat down next to Holly. Ever since their little tête-à-tête in the kitchen, the low thrum of arousal had never abated completely. It didn't help that, except for her conversation with Laura, Holly hadn't gone more than two minutes without touching her in some way. Gail was glad she would be within reach during dinner. She didn't think she'd be able to last an entire meal without touching her.

As everyone settled into their chairs, Holly leaned towards Gail until her lips brushed the shell of her ear. "Love you," she murmured. Gail's conversation with Laura hadn't escaped Holly's notice—nor had the fact that Laura seemed a little more at ease since then, her eyes brighter, her smile easier.

Gail let her eyes drift shut, enjoying the timber of Holly's voice—low and husky, her breath warm and smelling faintly of scotch. As Holly's mouth brushed her skin again, she shivered, reveling in the utterly unprecedented reaction Holly's touch elicited from her body. Never had she been so sensitive, so tuned in to another person.

A moment later, Gail opened her eyes and cool blue met dark brown. "Love you, too," she said softly.

Holly grinned, emotion blooming in her chest—warm and comforting and lovely. Ever since the first I-love-you's they'd exchanged a few weeks ago, Holly had repeated the words more than Gail. Holly didn't mind, knowing that the words cost Gail more than they cost her, but she never tired of hearing them.

Gail gazed at Holly unflinchingly, forgetting for a moment where they were, forgetting that Holly's parents were only a couple chairs away and that it probably wasn't the best time to kiss her girlfriend.

Holly watched Gail's face soften with desire, her eyes darkening, her lips parting slightly. She was just bowing forward to catch that oh-so-temping mouth in a firm kiss, when Jo cleared her throat and lifted her glass of wine in the air.

"I'd like to propose a toast," she said, trying not to laugh when Holly jerked away from Gail as if she'd been shocked, glancing guiltily at Jo. "To new friends and old."

Everyone raised their glasses, murmuring in approval. Jo gave Holly a knowing look. "You found a good one here, Worm." She turned to Gail. "Welcome to the gang."

As everyone set about digging into their meals, Holly let her hand drift under the table to Gail's thigh. She squeezed gently, enjoying Gail's quick intake of breath.

"Behave," Gail whispered, for Holly's ears only.

Holly grinned winningly at her. "I don't want to."

Gail sighed and reached for her wine glass. This was going to be a long meal.

—

Hey, everyone. Sorry for the longer wait between last chapter and this one. I've been traveling and haven't had much time to write. But I'm getting back into the groove now, so hopefully another chapter will be up by the end of the week.

Let me know what you think! Also, come say hi to me on tumblr:

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I'm always up for a chat!