“I don’t believe you.”

  “I don’t know what to tell you other than I’m not cheating. I would never cheat on you. I would never cheat in general. The fact that you’re accusing me is outlandish.”

  June hit her limit. Her anger had been boiling for quite some time—months, in fact—and Lydia had just pushed the last button. Shoving her chair backward until it toppled over, June stood up and planted her hands on her hips. She glared at Lydia, her mind racing a hundred different ways in how she wanted to respond to her.

  “How dare you even accuse me of that? I’m not the one who has had problems with infidelity in the past.” The words slipped past her lips before she could stop them. In an instant, she was done holding back.

  Lydia’s voice was dangerously quiet. “I have not been with another woman since I have been with you.”

  “But that’s just it, isn’t it? You’re scared I’m going to cheat, but you cheat. That’s what you do. What relationship have you not cheated in?”

  “This one!” Lydia planted her foot on the ground and pointed her finger to the floor. “I have not cheated in this one.”

  “But you can’t deny that you have in the past. That’s your MO. Get bored, cheat, move on to a new partner. You never stay with anyone very long, so why are you even here anymore? Clearly, you don’t want to be.”

  “I love you.”

  “Don’t start with that crap.” June cut her off immediately. Anytime their fights started to go toward the direction of breaking up, Lydia would profess her love and try to jump her bones. Well, this time, June wasn’t going to fall for it; she wasn’t going to slide into the trap again. She was going to get answers. “Why are we even here still? We’ve been dancing around this argument for close to a year now.”

  “I love you,” Lydia sighed, tears brimming in her eyes. “I love you, and I don’t want to lose you.”

  That was June’s breaking point. Her walls she had built up crumbled; her gumption faded. She stepped over to Lydia and wrapped her arms around her, tugging her in for a warm embrace. She ran her hands through Lydia’s hair and down her back, creating soothing circles between her shoulders. Lydia sniffled and buried her nose in June’s neck.

  The tension in June’s chest was still palpable. It ached. If she wasn’t holding on to Lydia, she’d be rubbing her hand between her breasts in an attempt to relieve the pain. It had been only a dull ache before and had continued to get worse throughout the day, spiking in pain as soon as she’d seen Lydia through the window.

  June stepped away after a few minutes, when she felt Lydia was calm enough to begin again. She may have given her comfort, but she was tired of tiptoeing around the conversation they’d needed to have and had avoided. “We need to talk.”

  “I thought that’s what we were doing.” Lydia brushed at her eyes, clearing the rest of her tears.

  “No. Really talk. Let’s sit down.”

  June didn’t wait another minute. She headed to their couch and plopped on one end of it, waiting for Lydia to take the other. She forced her anger down, her jealousy, her resentment. It was the least she could do in order to have this conversation as openly as possible. Once Lydia finally settled in next to her, June clasped her hands together and twiddled her thumbs. How she was going to actually begin the conversation was a different story. Did she even want to break up?

  “I think we need therapy.”

  “No.” Lydia’s response was firm. “Therapists are pointless.”

  Clenching her teeth and trying to ignore the insult indirectly aimed at her, June shook her head. “If we don’t go to therapy, then one of us needs to start looking for a new place to live. I can’t keep going on like this. I don’t know about you, but this is not working for me. I suspect it’s not working for you either. We need to do something different, something we haven’t done before.”

  “Therapists don’t help.”

  “How can you even say that?” Anger slipped through June’s words again. “You realize I basically am a therapist. That is my job.”

  Lydia’s lips formed a thin line.

  “See…that right there. That’s what I can’t take any more. Not only are we having issues on a personal level, but you can’t even validate what I do for a living. You think my job is useless. That causes half our issues, I’m sure of it. I am a chaplain. I went to school for eight years to get my master’s degree, and then I went and did additional schooling and training to become certified. I have spent over a decade learning this job. It is a valid job. I change lives daily. I respond to people in crisis daily.”

  Lydia remained silent. June’s agitation increased, and she wanted to stand again. Instead, she bounced her heels off the floor, causing her knee to jerk sharply up and down.

  “I’m serious. Therapy or we’re done.”

  “Fine.” Lydia let out a sharp breath. “We can go to therapy. Only because I love you. I want this to work.” Lydia reached across and ran her soft fingers over June’s arm. “I love you.”

  You keep saying it, but your actions speak louder than words. Luckily, June held her tongue this time. It was exactly what she’d been thinking for months. Each pout of Lydia’s plump lips when she had to go to work, each angry stare when she was late coming home, every time she tried to bring up how her day had gone and talk about her work in what little capacity she could. Especially when she’d had a rough day and lost a patient. She had no one to bounce that back on—the one person who should have been listening the most.

  “I’ll make an appointment for us in the morning. I expect you to be there without compromise.” June stood up and headed for the bedroom. She stripped her clothes off and tugged on sweats and an oversized T-shirt. Without even turning the lights on, June headed to the bathroom, finished getting ready for bed, and plopped down on their mattress.

  Lydia, wisely, did not come in straight away. In fact, when she did slip between the sheets, it was well after two in the morning. June glanced at the clock on her nightstand as she lay awake, unable to quiet her mind enough to let sleep overtake her.

  It wasn’t until the sun peeked over the horizon that June dared to leave the warmth of the covers. Lydia was sound asleep, her soft breathing the only sound in the room. Once she’d taken a shower and freshened up, June got dressed and made sure her clerical collar was in place before she left the apartment.

  Outside the air was still brisk, and a light snow had fallen throughout the night. June climbed into her frosted car, turned on the engine, and used the windshield fluid to clean the ice. Then she did the only thing she could think of. She headed into work, ready to continue the never-ending day.

  ★

  She was on her third cup of coffee. Sleep threatened, and June shook it from her head and sucked down half the cup right away. She filled it back up, knowing that she’d need the kick to make it through the last hour of her shift.

  The appointment was made and set up. Two weeks. That’s all she had to wait. Two weeks to see if Lydia would show up and actually make a damn effort in their relationship. And if she didn’t…well, that was a thought for a new day, and until then, she’d focus on the hope of renewing their relationship and not the realities of breaking it completely.

  Her day had been long, and surprisingly, she hadn’t heard anything from Lydia. Normally, she’d have texts and phone calls and emails. Instead, all had been quiet on that front. It irked her slightly, but at the same time, perhaps this was Lydia respecting her work finally and giving her some much-needed space, something they both could use.

  She was just at the door to her office to go inside, her fingers curled over the knob, when the hand on her shoulder caused her to jump and jerk around. Her coffee sloshed over the side of her cup and splashed onto the linoleum. Drops landed all over the bottom edge of her pants and up along the top of her shoe.

  “Damn it!” The words burst out before she bit her lip.

  “I’m so sorry!” Elle’s strong voice reverberated in June’s head. “I didn’t think I’d scare you. You must not have heard me call your name.”

  “Sorry. I’ve been a bit…distracted today.” June shifted her cup into her other hand and proceeded through her office door. She grabbed a roll of paper towels she had and plopped some on the floor, moving it around with her now coffee-stained shoe to clean it up. “There, nothing worse for wear.”

  She tossed the dirty towels in the trash and headed inside her office, assuming Elle would just follow her. When the door closed shut and she realized there was no one else in the office with her, June went back to the door and opened it. Elle stood on the other side with a slightly confused look on her face. It made her full lips form into a sweet pout. June shook the thought from her mind.

  “Coming in?”

  “Oh…yes. I didn’t know if you wanted me to come in or not.”

  June said nothing. Instead, she held the door open and swept her hand out in front of her, waiting for Elle to take the hint and walk in. Her temper was short, and even though Elle was not the person she was angry with, she knew she needed to rein it in. Elle didn’t deserve her attitude. Taking a deep breath to calm herself, June went to the small couch in her office and sat down with her coffee in hand. She took a long sip as she waited for what Elle had to say.

  “Everything okay?” Elle asked.

  “Hmm…? Yeah, everything is fine.”

  A silence took over them. June continued to sip at her coffee while Elle quite obviously looked around the office, judging and taking it all in. It was sparsely but warmly furnished. A painting hung on the wall, one of June’s favorites that her mother had bought her when she began seminary and that she’d saved just for her office whenever she’d get one.

  The painting held the outline of three figures, painted in gold, walking one after the other. June liked to believe it was the three wise men traveling after leaving the baby Jesus. It might not have been what the artist intended, but it was a perfect fit for her. She watched Elle carefully, judging what she did and didn’t do, what her gaze lingered on in the room. It wasn’t long until Elle was looking at her.

  “I did some thinking…” Elle sounded almost as though she was contemplating if she wanted to share or not. She slid into the seat next to June, her body tightly held together as if wire was constricting her movement.

  “Oh?” June took another sip from her coffee. It seemed she had very few words for Elle in general, and once again she put on her listening ears, figuring that was exactly what Elle was wanting and needing in that moment. Her own afflictions and struggles didn’t need to be brought up at all. It wasn’t any of Elle’s business or worry.

  “I need a friend.”

  June choked on her coffee. Sputtering, she coughed into her elbow to clear her throat as her eyes watered from the force of her attack. “Sorry. What?”

  “I need a friend. I…I don’t have any. At least not anymore, and well, you were such a great listener yesterday, and we seem to get along, I figured maybe we could hang out, see if it went that way.”

  “A friend?”

  “Just a friend. Nothing more.” Elle grinned, and once again, her hand found its way to June’s arm.

  June was getting used to that feeling. Elle’s fingers were soft, but they had a rough texture to them. Probably from how many times a day Elle was required to wash her hands. She wanted to grab Elle’s hand and wrap their fingers together and give a tight squeeze because, since she was on her honesty kick lately, she needed a friend too.

  June leaned away from Elle’s reach. She needed to think clearly. She was working on reconciling with Lydia, and this could easily compromise her work on that. At the same time, she felt like she needed something for herself, something to clear her head, to be completely away from the chaos that was her home life. Elle could be the perfect answer.

  “I will hang out with you on one condition.”

  Elle was already grinning from ear to ear, bringing a smile to June’s lips. Even though she hadn’t given her condition, June knew it was the right decision to make. She needed this, apparently just as much as Elle did.

  “What condition?”

  “I am not your personal counselor, and I am not your personal chaplain. Yeah, you can talk to me about stuff and whatever, but I cannot be your therapist.”

  “Got it.” If possible, Elle’s grin grew even wider. It reached her eyes, and June’s fingers itched to reach up and tuck the wild stray strand of hair behind Elle’s ear. “What should we do?”

  “Uhh…” June looked around the room and shook her head. “I have no idea. What do you like to do?”

  “I haven’t done anything fun since well before I was married. I was in med school and then married to a boring guy who never wanted to leave the house except for work. He lived at work, so I in turn lived at work. I guess…I don’t know. What do you do?”

  “Nothing really. I have a pretty boring life.”

  Elle giggled. It sent shivers up June’s arms and into her chest. She ignored the feeling and racked her brain for an idea on something they could do, something that couldn’t put her in an awkward position or be perceived in a certain way. It was too cold to go on a walk somewhere or do anything outside that she typically enjoyed.

  “Perhaps we could go to this local art show that’s going on for the next few weeks. It’s down in a little storefront off Main Street. I haven’t been able to go in years, but the one time I did go, they had some pretty interesting pieces. It’s all local artists.”

  Elle hummed and turned her gaze back on June with a smile. “Sounds like it might be interesting. I’d be up for checking it out.”

  “Sounds like a plan, then,” June agreed and finished off her coffee. With the jitters she felt, she had to lay off the caffeine. Besides, she did need to sleep that night. Setting the cup aside, June relaxed into her couch. “I have this weekend free, since I’m not on call for once.”

  “You’re not? I thought I saw your name on the list.”

  “I—” June paused and looked at her giant calendar on the wall, squinting to try to make out what was written on it from across the room. “You’re right. I am. I totally forgot. Kevin is on leave, and I agreed to take this weekend.” Groaning, she rubbed the bridge of her nose. She hadn’t even had a chance to talk to Lydia yet about her change in schedule since Kevin’s parental leave had officially begun.

  “We can go another weekend, if you’d like.”

  “No, we can go Friday. Just know if I get a call, I’ll have to leave.”

  “Trust me…that’s one thing I understand.”

  June smiled, knowing and trusting that Elle truly did understand.

  Chapter Five

  Elle arrived at the art show well before June. Nerves swam in her stomach as she pushed open the door to the small shop on Main Street. The old brick was holding firm but looked like it had withstood a war or two, and it only added to the atmosphere. There was a small table in the center of the room covered with a black cloth. On it stood three plates of hors d’oeuvres. They looked enticing, but something about them made Elle wary of trying one. Last thing she wanted was to show up at the ER with food poisoning.

  A small bar off to the back of the room could only fit one skinny man behind it as he dished out wine in plastic glasses and beer in clear cups. A fishbowl tip jar sat firmly in the center of the puny table serving as a bar. Elle made a beeline for the alcohol. She needed something to wet her mouth and calm these nerves.

  As soon as she had a five-dollar cup of wine in her hand, she spun around to take it all in. She had twenty minutes before June was due to arrive. She’d only planned on getting there five minutes early but had been so anxious while getting ready and leaving that she didn’t know what to do with herself while she attempted to waste time and eventually gave up. June would be there soon, and she wouldn’t have to worry any more. Until then, she was left trying to figure out just exactly what she was doing.

  In the two short weeks since June had let her mouth run, Elle’s life had flipped. She’d found her stride again. Her divorce paperwork was filed and her separation so close to being final she could taste it. Life was finally going in the direction she always dreamed it would. She had her dream job, lived in her dream town, and while she may not be married with two-point-five kids, she at least was happy. For the first time in ten years, Elle could honestly say she was happy.

  Happy for what the future might hold. Happy for the present. Just happy.

  Sighing into her cup, Elle took a sip and wandered around. The tiny storefront was filled with interlopers. Elle looked and felt well out of sorts. This was not her scene at all. She’d dressed up slightly, hoping to catch June’s attention or the attention of someone—if not June, then perhaps June would make a good wingwoman. Either way, she’d done her makeup, curled her long black locks, and agonized over which clothes would look good, make her stand out, and give her the boost of confidence she needed.

  The artwork—well, it left a lot to be desired. She was studying a quaint pencil drawing of a cow’s butt when the bell over the door rang, distracting her. Her heart skipped a beat when June walked in. She was pure comfort. Jeans curving into her body, green peacoat buttoned all the way up with a red scarf twisted around her neck and tucked into her jacket. Her green eyes matched the color of the jacket, setting them off.

  June smiled as soon as their eyes met, and it was the first time Elle noticed the double dimple in her right cheek. The thought of kissing it made her blush and her stomach flip. She pushed the feeling down and gave June a small wave, indicating she should come over to her. June reached into her jacket and pulled out her scarf before brushing her light-brown hair over her shoulders. Elle’s fingers itched to touch her soft locks. Instead, she shoved her hands together, tightly around the glass of wine.

  Whatever this was with June was growing. And Elle liked it.

  “You look good,” Elle whispered. Her voice cracked on the last word, and she had to clear her throat to get it back.