A fruity fragrance filled the entryway as Caitlyn stepped inside, causing Ruth’s skin to tingle. She unbuttoned her coat and shrugged it off, revealing a black cocktail dress. “I was afraid I had overdressed, but you look really nice.”

  “Oh, it’s not much—but thank you.” Ruth was glad she had discarded her plain blouse in favor of the one with silver pinstripes. They were well-matched. “I’m actually ready to leave. We’ll take my car?”

  “Sounds great.” Caitlyn put her coat back on, short, pink fingernails catching the light as she redid the buttons.

  Ruth pulled her cream-colored drape coat from the closet and led the way to her garage. As she unlocked her Prius, she realized she had forgotten to check that it was clean.

  Fortunately, there wasn’t much in the passenger seat—just an umbrella. Caitlyn moved it to the floor and settled into the seat. “I like your car.”

  “Thank you.” They sat in silence as Ruth backed out of the garage. “So is anything new? Well, I suppose it has only been a week.” She had a sudden fear that they wouldn’t be able to make conversation all the way to Chicago. Did it mean something if they couldn’t?

  “Actually, yes.” Caitlyn perked up. “I’m moving.”

  “What?” Ruth’s stomach dropped. “Moving away?”

  “Oh no, I’m staying in town. But I’m moving out of my mom’s house. I got an apartment by work.”

  “Oh.” Ruth let out her breath, startled by her own dramatic reaction. “Well. That’s great. What’s it like?”

  “It’s really nice. It has two bedrooms and in-unit laundry for only eight hundred per month. In St. Louis, you’d pay twice as much for the same square footage.”

  Ruth hoped it wasn’t located above a shady strip club or some other unsavory situation that explained the low rent. Still, the important thing was that Caitlyn had committed to the area, at least for the duration of a lease. “So you’re planning to stay at your job?”

  “Yes, for now. I really like it.”

  “I’m glad.” Ruth turned out of her neighborhood onto the main road. “Working on anything interesting?”

  “A lot of things. Now that I’ve been there for a few months, more people know who I am, so they’re coming to me with requests. I’m working on projects with student services, Financial Aid, and even the physics department.”

  “Physics?” Ruth thought of the grumbly physics faculty at Pulaski. “They want to work with administration?”

  “Actually, yes!” Caitlyn laughed, most likely guessing Ruth’s thoughts. “Our physics faculty are fun. They’re launching a new tutoring program, and they want me to help them see if it’s effective or not.”

  “Hmm.” Ruth considered the research question. “You’re the social scientist, but isn’t there an issue with selection bias?”

  “Oh yes. Selection is a huge problem, but that’s what makes it so much fun. It’s a challenge. How do you study a program when the students who attend are systematically different from those who don’t—in both directions? They struggle more than the top students, but they’re also more motivated than the students who don’t go to class at all.”

  Ruth loved the joy in Caitlyn’s voice. “So, do you have any ideas?”

  “I have too many ideas. I still haven’t decided on an approach, but one thing I’ve been looking into is called random encouragement. We can’t limit access to tutoring, obviously, but we can randomly assign students to receive extra marketing.”

  “Interesting.” Ruth considered Pulaski’s student supports. “I wonder if we could do something like that for our advising program. What are your outcome measures? Grades?”

  “Yes. But also attendance and course completion.”

  They talked about research strategies in education for most of the drive. Ruth relished the intellectual conversation with someone who shared her interests but wasn’t an employee. They were on equal footing, each with plenty of ideas to contribute.

  After talking throughout the ninety-minute drive, they arrived at the restaurant, a French bistro in Bucktown, Chicago.

  Ruth locked the car. “We should be right on time for our reservation.”

  Together, they strolled to the entrance, elbows brushing against each other on the narrow sidewalk.

  Ruth pulled on the door handle, but it didn’t budge. Then she noticed the neon yellow sign that said LICENSE SUSPENDED.

  “What the hell?” Ruth jiggled the handle back and forth. “They’re closed?”

  “Oh no.” Caitlyn moved closer to read the fine print.

  Ruth huffed. “I can’t believe this. I had a reservation.”

  Caitlyn peered at the sign. “I guess no one told the Department of Business Affairs and Consumer Protection.”

  “Unbelievable. You’d think they would have the courtesy to call.” Her jacket felt hot and constricting as she grew more flustered; she tugged the buttons apart and let it hang open.

  Caitlyn, however, seemed to take it in stride. “I wonder what happened. Maybe they were caught serving liquor to minors. Or they could owe a bunch of taxes. Hmm, it could also be something big like money laundering.”

  How mortifying. So much for impressing Caitlyn with her knowledge of fine dining. “I’m sorry. What a disaster.”

  “Hey, it’s okay. We’ll figure something out. Do you have a second-favorite restaurant in Chicago?”

  “I know a few other places, but I can’t imagine we’d get a table on Saturday night. All the good restaurants are booked by now.” Ruth pulled her phone out of her coat pocket. She’d heard of apps that booked reservations, but she’d never downloaded any of them.

  “I might know a place. How do you feel about Middle Eastern food?”

  Ruth lowered her phone. “I’m in favor of it.”

  “There’s a place called Taste of Lebanon in Edgewater. It’s not fancy, but the food is outstanding. And since most people get takeout, it’s never crowded, not even on the weekend.” Caitlyn pulled out her phone. “If that sounds okay, I could look up the address.”

  Ruth hadn’t envisioned a takeout joint. But confronted with Caitlyn’s eager eyes, she couldn’t say no. Besides, what she wanted more than anything was to spend time with Caitlyn. The venue didn’t matter. She took a loud, deep breath. “Okay. Let’s do it.”

  They returned to the car, and Ruth plugged the address into her GPS. Thirty minutes later, they paid for parking at a meter in front of the restaurant.

  As soon as they walked in the door, a spicy aroma swirled around them. The restaurant was casual but clean, with several open tables as Caitlyn had promised.

  “We order up there.” Caitlyn pointed to the counter, where a cashier stood below a giant banner listing the menu options. “Everything is good, but the lentil soup is famous.”

  “Then I’ll have to try some.” It wasn’t the dining experience she’d imagined, but Ruth had to admit the food smelled incredible.

  They both ordered shawarma wraps and lentil soup. Caitlyn pulled out her credit card before Ruth could stop her.

  “I can pay. After all, I asked you—to come.” Ruth had almost said asked you out. While the evening was like a date in every way, she hadn’t officially acknowledged it as one, and she wasn’t ready to say it out loud.

  “You can pay next time.” Caitlyn threw a flirtatious smile at Ruth, then seemed to catch herself. “Anyway, we used your gas to get here,” she said quickly. “So it’s about even.”

  When the food was ready, they settled at a table with their trays.

  Ruth tasted the soup. Oh my God. A warm mix of lentils, lemon, and comforting spices filled her mouth. “This might be the best lentil soup I’ve ever had.” She dabbed her mouth with a napkin. “How did you find out about this place?”

  Caitlyn dipped a triangle of pita in her soup. “I had a good friend who lived in this area, so I visited a lot in high school and college—mostly on summer breaks.” She bit into the bread with a contented sigh. “She introduced me to all her favorite spots.”

  Ruth wondered if good friend was code for a significant other. It wasn’t her business, but the irrational slither of jealousy she felt was another sign that this wasn’t a platonic outing.

  “So what were you like as a teenager?” Caitlyn asked.

  “Awkward.” Ruth made a face. “I was still figuring out my sexuality, so I was self-conscious around boys and girls. I knew I wasn’t ultra-feminine, but I had no idea how to dress. I looked like a roadie for a grunge band.”

  “Well, you look nice now.” Caitlyn ran an appreciative gaze down Ruth’s blouse. “I mean, I like your style. It’s simple and flattering.”

  Their eyes met, and heat crept up Ruth’s neck. “Thank you.”

  The drive home started with plenty of chatter, but they grew quiet as the streets became familiar. Ruth sensed they were both preoccupied with similar questions. How would the night end? Where was this going?

  Ruth pulled into her driveway and cut the engine. “So.”

  Caitlyn unbuckled her seatbelt but made no move to exit the car. Instead, she searched Ruth’s face with a gaze that looked dark in the shadows.

  Warmth pooled in Ruth’s belly. She took slow breaths, attempting to get ahold of her body’s reaction. Meanwhile, the unspoken questions lingered between them.

  They’d behaved as though they were on a date, with countless moments confirming their mutual interest. Whatever was happening, something great or a looming disaster, it wasn’t friendship. Ruth decided to put them both out of their misery. “We both have a tendency to overthink…and to worry.”

  “It’s true,” Caitlyn said sheepishly.

  Ruth unbuckled her seatbelt and shifted to face Caitlyn. “I think it might help both of us to be direct.”

  Anxiety flashed across Caitlyn’s face, but she steadied herself and held Ruth’s gaze. “Okay.”

  “I enjoy spending time with you, and I’d like to do it again. As more than friends.” Ruth held her breath.

  The tension in Caitlyn’s face dissolved into elation. “I would love that.” As she moved closer, the light from the porch lamp caught her face, and she glowed. Her lips gleamed from the shimmery lipstick she’d reapplied in the car, and Ruth watched, mesmerized, as her smile softened into a sensuous pout.

  I want to taste those lips. She leaned in to capture them.

  Caitlyn collapsed against her, wrapping an arm around Ruth’s back as their mouths smashed together in a hungry kiss.

  The lipstick smeared between them as Ruth’s tongue brushed teeth and probed deeper. Caitlyn tasted like spices and sweetness and heat, and Ruth’s whole body pulsed in response.

  Caitlyn groaned, a tortured sound from low in her throat, and pulled Ruth closer. Her breasts pushed into Ruth’s chest.

  Ruth lost all sense of time as she plundered Caitlyn’s hot, wet mouth. When a thought broke through, like it’s getting late, she shoved it aside. Desire coursed through her like a drug, and she never wanted to come down from the high.

  In the end, Caitlyn pulled back first, breathless and radiant in the lamplight. “I feel so happy.”

  “Me too.” Ruth’s insides quivered. The temperature in the car had climbed several degrees. If Ruth invited Caitlyn inside, there was a good chance they’d take things even further—but it was too soon. She wasn’t ready.

  “Well, I guess I should go?” Caitlyn said uncertainly.

  “You’re not too tired to drive?”

  Caitlyn snuck a glance at Ruth’s front door. Then she shook her head firmly. “No. I’m okay. I’ll see you again soon?”

  “Definitely.” It came out raspy.

  Caitlyn opened the door and slipped out, closing it behind her.

  Ruth stayed in her seat and watched Caitlyn get into her car. Soon, the headlights came on, and Caitlyn slowly drove away.

  She touched her finger to her bruised lips. We kissed. We’re dating. There was no doubt that she wanted this. But at the same time, fear trickled through her. She was falling hard for a woman who had lied to her for months.

  Since their reunion, their time together had been perfect. But could she ever trust Caitlyn with her whole heart?

  * * *

  “I need another break.” Chloe dropped a box on the floor. “You have too many books.”

  “There’s no such thing.” Caitlyn wiped the sweat from her brow and surveyed her new apartment. “Besides, I need to fill all this space with something. I don’t have much stuff aside from my books and clothes.”

  “True. Now that you have a job, you’ll need to go shopping for some grown-up decorations so you can make it presentable for Ruth. Maybe you can get some candles and lanterns—you know, to set the mood.”

  “Very funny.” Chloe was having entirely too much fun with this. Caitlyn sat on a box and twisted the cap off her water bottle.

  Secretly, she had been thinking of Ruth ever since she set eyes on the spacious two-bedroom unit in south Linvale. She wanted to make a good impression with her home, and she wanted Ruth to feel comfortable visiting often.

  Unfortunately, she didn’t have much stuff, and what she did own screamed broke grad student. Her bookshelves were flimsy, and her television was a decade old. But she’d resolved to think of the move as an opportunity. She was starting fresh with a lot of empty space. “A nice couch will help a lot. I hope.”

  “The new furniture comes tomorrow, right?”

  “Yeah. The store gave me a ridiculous delivery window, so I have to spend the whole day waiting. But it will be worth it.” The plum-colored couch would be perfect for relaxing with Ruth, perhaps with tea and snacks on her new oval coffee table. She had also splurged on a sturdy queen-sized bed.

  Chloe glanced at her phone. Her lock screen was littered with notifications, even though she never went more than ten minutes without checking.

  Caitlyn walked over to the kitchen counter, where she had left her own phone. She perked up when she saw a message from Ruth.

  It’s nice to be hundreds of miles away from Steve Stubbons. How are you?

  The message was a good sign. They hadn’t talked much about Pulaski on their trip to Chicago or in the text messages they had exchanged since then. It could have been an easy topic for them to discuss since Caitlyn knew the cast of characters from personal experience, but it was also a reminder of Caitlyn’s dishonesty.

  Ruth seemed to have forgiven her. They wouldn’t have kissed if she were still angry, right? Still, Caitlyn wouldn’t believe Ruth had made peace with the past until they could talk about it openly without tight lips or tense shoulders. Perhaps this text message was a start.

  Instead of pushing her luck, though, Caitlyn responded with a laughing emoji. Then she typed,

  How is Vermont?

  Raining. But it’s good to see my family. How did the move go?

  Caitlyn glanced at the pitiful pile of boxes that represented two hours of work, minus several breaks to chat and check phones.

  Still in progress.

  She hesitated, then added,

  Would you like to come over and see it sometime?

  The bubbles seemed to last years before Ruth responded,

  I’d love to. Next Saturday?

  Caitlyn’s chest swelled.

  It’s a date.

  She returned to the living room. “It’s official. I’ve got one week to make this place look good. Ready to get back to work?”

  “Yes, let’s get back to moving you into your new love nest, so you can impress my old boss, who fired me.”

  Caitlyn rolled her eyes but then turned serious. “Thanks again for your help.”

  Chloe tossed her hair. “What are twins for?”

  Chapter 24

  Ruth was pleased to discover that Caitlyn’s apartment was located on a calm residential street with ample parking. She found a spot right out front.

  As she stepped up to the entrance with a box of gourmet chocolates, her body seemed to buzz. An evening at Caitlyn’s home promised to be more intimate than their date in Chicago, and after the steamy kiss they’d shared in Ruth’s driveway, it would be hard to resist the temptation to do more. The thought of what more might entail made her shiver with anticipation—and nerves.

  She located Caitlyn’s name on the panel next to the door. After a pause to steady herself, she pushed the button.

  “Ruth?” Caitlyn’s voice crackled through the speaker. Even with the distortion, Ruth could hear the excitement in her voice.

  “Yes—” She cleared her throat. “Yes, it’s me.”

  “Come up to the third floor!”

  A loud noise made Ruth jump backward. She yanked the door open in time, however, and climbed two flights of stairs.

  “Hi!” Caitlyn stuck her head out the door. Her hair was styled in a high ponytail with thin wisps framing her face. She wore black leggings and a marled gray sweater with a floppy, oversized collar. The sweater hugged her curves all the way to her thighs, creating a look that was casual and sexy all at once.

  “Hello.” Ruth reached the doorstep. “It’s good to see you.”

  “Come in!” Caitlyn moved to the side. “I can take your coat.”

  Ruth stepped inside and slipped off her flats. As she removed her coat and sunglasses, she peered past Caitlyn but couldn’t see much of the apartment.

  Caitlyn opened a narrow door, revealing a hall closet. “This closet is just for coats. Fancy, right?”

  “I’m impressed.” Ruth recalled her first apartment after grad school and how much she had cherished the little things. After Caitlyn hung her coat, Ruth held out the box. “I brought chocolate.”

  Caitlyn scanned the box with bright eyes. “Ooh, it’s from that fancy shop. Thank you so much.” She bounced on her heels. “Are you ready to see the apartment?”