Indelible by Jove Belle

Everything that came to mind sounded like an empty platitude. She settled on a simple “I’m sorry.”
    “It’s okay.” Luna shrugged and resumed eating. “What about your mom?”
    Suddenly it was Angie’s turn to be uncomfortable. “She’s around somewhere, I’m sure.”
    Luna took a couple more bites, then said, “We should find a happier topic, like…the weather. It’s been really nice.” She offered a weak smile.
    Angie laughed, but felt strained. “Yes, this weekend was gorgeous. Did you have a game?” Angie felt a twinge as she remembered her only sighting of Luna at the ballpark—a pleasant memory until Ruby had teetered in with her heels and swept Luna away.
    “No, I hardly ever play.”
    “Really? You did very well when I saw you.”
    “Thanks, but I usually opt to sleep on Saturday morning.”
    Angie broke off a bite of bread that had been brushed with olive oil and garlic. “Then why did you play that day?”
    “Because I knew you’d be there.”
    The candlelight was the perfect complement to the red flush in Angie’s cheeks. Luna wished she had a hundred more comments just like that one if only to watch Angie blush.
    “You came to see me?” Angie’s blush deepened.
    Luna nodded and took a sip of wine.
    “So why did you bring Ruby?”
    Luna’s calm ruptured again. Why didn’t she see that coming? She traced the conversation, took a larger sip of wine, and said, “I didn’t. Her showing up interrupted my plan to talk to you.”
    “You didn’t look terribly disappointed.”
    She’d set the trap for herself. She could have avoided the ballpark, let herself be patient, and talked to Angie the next time she passed in front of her shop, but she couldn’t do it. She just had to see her, and of course Ruby just had to show up. Luna mustered a defense. She wasn’t committed to Angie, she shouldn’t have to explain. “I’m sorry.”
    Angie folded her napkin, set it on the table, and looked Luna in the eye. “We never did finish this conversation the other day, did we?”
    “Which conversation?” Luna wanted to sit quietly and enjoy Angie, not talk about Ruby.
    “The one about you and Ruby. And me.”
    And there it was, all laid out and impossible for Luna to ignore.
    “Do you think there is a you and me?” Luna placed more importance on Angie’s answer than she wanted to admit.
    Angie leaned in slightly. “You said you planned to talk to Ruby. Did you?”
    “Yes.”
    “And?”
    “And I told her I can’t see her anymore and that’s that.” Luna simplified the story for Angie. In truth, her last meeting with Ruby had been horrible.
    “She was okay with that?” Angie asked.
    “No,” Ruby’s reaction still shocked Luna, “but what choice does she have?”
    Angie resumed eating, but she kept her eyes on Luna. “That depends. What choice did you give her?”
    “None.” Luna was done avoiding the subject. If Angie wanted to know what she was willing to give up at her request, Luna would damn well tell her. “I told her I wanted to date you and couldn’t see her at the same time. You wouldn’t allow it.”
    Angie’s features relaxed. She swirled her wine, the deep red catching in the flickering light. “You told her that?”
    “It’s true, isn’t it?”
    “Yes, but I don’t have the right to make that kind of demand.”
    “I know.” Luna would have liked to give her that right, and the immediacy of the thought frightened her. She barely knew Angie, but couldn’t wait to discover every bit there was to learn.
    Angie seemed willing to share a comfortable quiet moment, and she took another bite of lasagna. They had a lot to reflect on.
    “Luna.” Angie took a deep breath. “I’m not sure how this will go, or why you’re willing to let me demand so much, so soon.”
    Luna opened her mouth to respond, but stopped when Angie held up her hand.
    “Oliver is my whole world, and I don’t know how you’ll fit. But I want to try.”
    Luna set her fork carefully