chapter:6

Kate turned her head to look at her, and her lips were right there, begging to be kissed. She almost did. "I should get going. You have work tomorrow." Kate escaped her arms, which she missed almost instantly.

"I do, and I should get to bed. Same time next week? We could do lunch. Someplace other than a pizzeria." Angela got up with her and missed holding her. There was just something she couldn't quite place.

"I'd like that. I'll call you, and we can arrange something." Kate nodded her goodbye and headed for the door.

"Yes, you do that." Angela watched her leave. She closed the door, and both felt like something was happening between them. The farther away Kate got, the more she missed her, missed having her arms around her.

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Kate got two more chapters completed and sent them to Gina, who sent back redlines on the second of those two chapters. She was working on those when she called Angela.

"Hi, Kate." Angela's inner voice sang when she talked to her. "Caller ID, you know."

"Are you on for going to lunch again?" Kate asked.

"You bet. I'll come to you this time. Where do you live?" Angela waited while Kate gave her the address. "Perfect. I'll see you in about half an hour." She hung up, and Kate looked around at her mess of a place.

She did some quick cleaning but stopped when there was a knock on her door. She looked out the spy hole and saw it was Angela, so she unlocked the door and opened it. Kate stepped aside. "Come on in."

Angela entered and looked around. "I think I see why you want to move."

"Yeah, it's not much. I don't have a dishwasher, and there's no in-house laundry, but at least I have a bedroom and a claw foot tub. It's home for now."

Angela nodded. "Those are all good solid points in its favor. So, are you ready to go to lunch?"

"I'll be right with you after I collect my cell phone, some money, and my ID."

"Since we're on your end of town, Kate, where do we eat?"

"I know a place that serves Chinese. It's more of a hole in the wall, but they serve good food."

"Lead the way, woman! I'm starving."

They walked since it was close to where Kate lived. "I think I see your point. It's a hole in the wall, all right." Angela agreed with her there.

"I think their food is great, so just give it a chance, Angela."

They ordered and sat at a metal table on metal chairs. "Have you made any progress on your book," Angela asked out of curiosity.

"I've got two entire chapters done. I would have had three, but I didn't like the third one, and deleted it."

Angela thought for a minute. "Let's see, that leaves you with twenty-seven chapters to write, if I'm not mistaken."

"Yeah, tell me about it." Kate sighed. "My children's books would be just about done by now."

Angela reached over and placed a hand on hers. "You'll get there. You said you had a year to finish it."

"That's true." Kate turned her hand over, took her hand, and squeezed it.

"Tomorrow, we go looking for a new apartment for you. You make far too much money to live in that place."

"I don't know." Kate was hesitant to spend any money. She had gotten used to being frugal with her money.

"I only said look, Kate, not get you a new place."

"I suppose we could do that," Kate agreed slowly.

A young woman brought their lunch to them, and Angela taste-tested hers. "You're right. It's delicious."

"I told you so," Kate said and took a bite. "That was my mother's most favorite saying, 'Katie, I told you so.'"

"Katie, huh? I like it. May I call you that?" Angela hoped she would.

"Sure, no one else calls me that." Kate tilted her head and raised her eyebrow. "Just so long as I get to call you Elle."

Angela grinned at her. "Knock yourself out."

"Then Elle it is."

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They finished their lunch and went back to Kate's place. "You have a laptop." Angela sat down and picked it up.

"Be careful with that, please. I use it for all my writing."

"Don't worry, Kate. Do you have a router and access to the Internet?"

"Yes to both questions." Kate sat so close to her that they touched and looked at what she was typing.

"Write this down." Angela waited for Kate to come back with paper and pen. "310 Coles Street #5L. It's a one-bedroom apartment with a massive kitchen, and it looks like it's a loft-style based on the exposed A/C ductwork. The complex comes with a library, a pool, a kids' playroom, an exercise room, and a pool table. Can't beat that."

"Next: 166 East 34th Street #1108. It has a one-bedroom; the complex comes with an exercise room and an outdoor space. It doesn't have a pool, and the kitchen isn't as large." Angela shook her head. "Never mind, skip that one." Kate drew a line through that address.

"How about this one – 674 Monmouth Street #216. It has one bedroom and laundry in the unit; the kitchen is nice. The complex has a pool, an exercise room, and an outdoor space. Keep that one," Angela advised.

"Last one: 41-17 Crescent Street #B10. There's one bedroom, and the kitchen is pretty nice. It has laundry in the unit. This complex also has a pool, an exercise room, a pool table, and a large common area.

"There, I've done my job. All we have to do is take a look at them. We don't have to get you one just yet if you're not ready, Kate. I'll be over here first thing in the morning."

Kate kissed her cheek. "Thanks, Angela. I would procrastinate until I was blue before doing this."

"I'm happy to help. Remember, first thing in the morning. Be ready." Angela pointed at her, then got up and showed herself out. She left smiling. Kate had kissed her. It was only on her cheek, but it was a start.