In the Long Run

by Haley Cass

Brooke cringed. “You’re forty-four years old. Don’t say vibe like that.”

BYE

Brooke narrowed her own eyes at Taylor. “Don’t use Dolly’s wisdom against me. I’m already going.” Taylor winked unabashedly. “I felt like if there was anything that might motivate you more, it would be Dolly Parton.”

amen

She patted the dresser next to her. “Come join me up on this unforgiving, not-meant-to-be-sat-on furniture.” “I bet you say that to all of the women you end up in hotels with.” Brooke murmured, before she turned and hopped herself up onto the dresser as well, her arm brushing against Taylor’s.

gay

Taylor ignored that instead, doubt working its way through her at Brooke’s statement. “Oh, come on. I’m sure the queer women of Faircombe are lining up for you.” “All three of them are usually busy.” Brooke deadpanned.

HAHAHAH

Taylor let herself feel the pleasant warmth of that charged attraction as she took a large sip of her wine before she settled it down on the dresser and pushed herself onto her feet. “I should probably go.” “Wait.” Brooke’s hand, steady and warm, reached out and took a hold of her wrist, stilling her. “You going to walk me to the door?” Taylor quipped as she turned. Brooke gave her wrist a firm tug, her other hand reaching out to cup her cheek in a move far smoother than Taylor would have credited to her. Surprised, Taylor’s eyes widened even as her stomach dipped. And then Brooke’s lips, pressing but pliant, were on her own, erasing any other comments from her mind.

THEY KISSED WHAT

She’s actually not from France, even though she says –”

HAHAHAH

She’s real worried about a Starbucks going in there.”

id be worried too

Mrs. Andrew shot her a look that read clearly yeah, right. “We all saw your neck, honey.”

Why would anyone bat an eye, though, when Taylor was just a flirty person?

silly

For the record, Savannah had tried to make “Flour” work, but it had gotten far too confusing when she was baking,

be so fr

“It’s not about the sex; it’s that it was me?”

OH?

“But I didn’t come here to chase you down and ravish you in the middle of the Faircombe Fall Festival.”

BYE

“She doesn’t even get a vote, so what does it matter?” Kevin’s mutinous gaze held her own.

ick

As the councilmembers started to file out, Marisa shot her a thankful look, speaking quietly as she started to pack up her bag, “Thank the lord you managed to quiet them down. I think next meeting, I’m gonna break into Ben’s clinic and steal some Ativan, so I can slip it into all of their water glasses.”

HAHAHHA QUEEN

“My point is that you think you’re all high and mighty now, Watson, thinking you can call all of the shots. But I still remember that underneath it all, you’re trailer trash.”

man id throw hands

why does every lesbian wear a messy bun

I HATE WHEN THEY USE PREGNANT PAUSE

There was a thing some people had, Brooke knew, where they could cry pretty. Brooke, personally, knew that she did not have that thing; she was a messy, red and blotchy crier.

Because it was a friendship now. “You can’t deny that anymore.” She didn’t realize she’d actually said the words aloud until Brooke murmured, “What?” Fingers pausing just before she clasped the necklace, settling against Brooke’s neck, she blinked a few times and cleared her throat. “We’re friends, Brooke Watson.”

silly

Also – can we talk about Marisa’s feelings for my sister at some point?

HAHAHAHHA

Dolly, Spoon, and Gremlin are all great. Spoon is learning to read, Dolly is going on American Idol if that show is still on, and Gremlin is planning a heist. … you can come visit them if you want when you get back.

I love your lounge wear. I love it so much, I’ve kept what you’ve loaned me and I even brought it with me to sleep in.

You made me come so hard, and that was even before we got to really reconnect like we have in the last couple of months.

“I didn’t do it for the list.” I did it for you.

“Because I’ve been one step away from being in love with you for my entire life!” The words broke from Brooke at the same time her tears spilled over, her voice so raw. “Always. There’s a part of me, deep inside, that’s just been there, hanging onto everything about you. Forever.”

“And, still, there’s this part of me, this part of me that wants you in every way, that always has since before I even understood what wanting was.”

“To completely pull me in,” Brooke’s eyes bored into her from feet away. It felt both too far and not far enough, and Taylor didn’t– she didn’t know this feeling. “I finally know what it’s like to let myself love you. And when you leave, it’s going to fucking kill me. And I can’t do that over and over and over again, until this feeling dies a slow death. I can’t.”

“I mean… I’ve never… I love you because of the way you are. Even if it kills me sometimes, I want it back,” Brooke huffed out. “I want you. The way you are. If we are going to do this, then I want – I want the world to be alive again.”

“I’m me,” she whispered as she stepped closer to Brooke. “And I love you.”

“I can’t say that it’s always been you. I just know that it’s never been anybody else.”