“I’m not confused like you were with Maddie,” she says.
Part of me wants to tell her to be quiet. Not because of what she’s saying – it’s glorious to see her this confident – but because hearing another woman’s name so close after what just happened makes my stomach twist tightly. There’s no place for that here, no place for any woman apart from her.
“This isn’t you sweeping me up with you, you know… I want the same, all that stuff you said.” She throws her hands up. “I’m not explaining this very well, am I?”
I step forward, softly touching her shoulders. “Just relax. We’ve got all the time in the world.”
That’s a lie, and we both know it. Lola’s clock ticks endlessly in the background.
Her shoulders sag as she sighs again. “Can we maybe walk and talk? I feel like I need to move.”
Taking her hand – and muttering a silent thanks that she didn’t run the moment I told her the truth – we turn away from the lake.