Chapter Twenty-Five Clover

Chapter Twenty-Five Clover

Saturday night, December 23, 2023

Beth was already waiting outside when Clover emerged from the building. She was leaning against her black BMW with arms and

ankles crossed, looking like nothing short of a bored supermodel. But when she saw Clover, the smile she gave was radiant.

Clover had to wrestle herself to stop from grinning ear to ear. Beth nodded to Clover, then walked over to the other side

of her car to open the passenger seat. Once Clover settled in, Beth returned to the driver’s seat, slipping in one long leg

after another. Clover loved watching her move, all finesse and certainty.

“Are there going to be a lot of people at the party?” Clover asked as the car started. Even when they pulled out onto the

street, Beth was precise, tracking the cars around her as she followed every street sign.

“Maybe a hundred or so,” Beth said, “give or take.”

Clover sucked in a breath. It’s not like she wasn’t used to big crowds, but one hundred was a lot. When her parents threw their Christmas party, it was more like fifty people, max, and even then they were hosting people they’d known for years. Clover was having trouble imagining what it would be like to be a guest at an “industry” event full of people she could’ve read about in a magazine.

“You nervous?” Beth asked. The fog had turned to heavy rain, but Beth didn’t seem the slightest bit anxious or rigid. Everything

about her was certain and without distraction. Her right hand rested on the console between them. Clover wondered if it was

an invitation.

“A little bit,” Clover said. “I don’t want to embarrass you.”

Beth snorted and shook her head. “The thought didn’t even cross my mind.”

“But your sister is just as much a part of this world, and it seems like she embarrasses you all the time.”

At that Beth went silent. Then she sighed. “I’m not embarrassed of Bee,” she said softly. “If anything, I’m envious of her.

Sometimes it feels like she couldn’t give a damn what people think of her.” She took a quiet breath. “I can’t imagine how

freeing that must feel.” Then she looked over at Clover more closely. “What, you think because I judge my sister, I’m going

to judge you too?”

Clover shrugged and looked at the hand that wasn’t clasped in Beth’s gentle grasp. “All I know is farming, and I don’t own

a smartphone or use any fancy apps. I even check Vacate on the computer or through my email notifications. I won’t be able

to speak any of these people’s language.”

“I don’t care what they think,” Beth said. “Just focus on having fun. I’ve got your back.”

Clover appreciated her vote of confidence, but she couldn’t help feeling woefully inadequate. How she’d found her way from

a farm in Ohio to a BMW in San Francisco seemed awfully like a fairy tale, and she was sure tonight would be the night that

clock struck midnight.

Until “Can You Stand the Rain,” by New Edition, started blasting through the speakers.

Clover looked at Beth, aghast, but Beth was only just getting started. As the song continued, Beth mouthed the words to her

with increasing gusto, just like the men in The Best Man Holiday, only stopping long enough to make sure she didn’t crash her very expensive car. Clover covered her mouth, but the laughter

escaped through her fingers, and by the time the song ended, she barely remembered where they were headed or why. All she

knew was that she really, really liked the woman sitting next to her, and the surprises she always seemed to have in store.

When they arrived at the party, Clover was taken aback at just how casual it was. Sure, everyone looked nice and were no doubt

wearing designer clothes from brands she’d never heard of, but she was satisfied that she didn’t stick out like a sore thumb

in her black cocktail dress and diamond earrings, both of which she’d borrowed from Leilani the night before. She took a deep

breath and settled in, her arm comfortably nestled in Beth’s as she led her through the crowd and introduced her to that founder,

and this investor, and that CEO.

Beth left her for a moment to grab them both a drink from the open bar, and as Clover considered the food at a nearby buffet table, a white man sidled up to her, red hair slicked back and a gold watch strapped to his wrist. “Hi,” the man said smoothly. “I haven’t seen you before.”

“I’m here with a friend,” Clover said politely.

“Which one?” he asked. “Maybe I know them.”

She smiled politely. He wasn’t being rude, but she didn’t like the way his eyes hovered on her cleavage either. “Maybe you

do,” she said.

“I’m Roger,” he said, sticking his hand out.

“Clover,” she said.

“That’s an unusual name.” He smiled. “Like the leaf, right? Were your parents gardeners?” He chuckled at his own joke.

“Farmers, actually.”

“Roger, hi!” Ayana appeared beside him, with her long locs swept to the side and wearing a formfitting red dress. “How are

you enjoying the evening?”

“Good,” he said. “Just talking to my new friend here—”

“That’s nice,” Ayana interjected, cutting him off. “Listen, a few investors were looking for you. Said they wanted to talk

shop.” She waved at two men of color who did not seem to be paying either of them any attention. “You should head over there

soon. I hear they’re leaving in a few minutes to try to beat the rain.”

Roger straightened his tie and speed-walked to the men without so much as a goodbye. The second he was out of earshot, the grin on Ayana’s face fell and she took a long sip of the cocktail in her hand. “God, he’s the worst,” she mut tered. She turned her attention to Clover. “I hope he wasn’t bothering you,” she said.

“You came just in time, I think,” Clover replied, laughing.

“Thank God,” Ayana said. “And I’m so glad you got my invitation!”

Clover blinked at her. “What invitation?”

“The one I sent on the app... Isn’t that why you’re here?”

Clover blushed. She didn’t have the app, and hadn’t checked the website since she and Bee started texting. “Um, I’m actually

here with Beth. She invited me.”

Ayana looked like she was going to spit out her drink.

“Hey, Ayana,” Beth said from behind Clover. She handed Clover her whiskey and soda and took a quick sip of her own seltzer

and lime. “Sorry I took so long,” she said to Clover. “I saw Roger over here trying to talk to you. Are you okay?”

“I sent him on his way,” Ayana responded.

“Thank God,” Beth huffed. “He really is the worst.”

“I know,” Ayana said. “You know he tried to get back together with Bee three times after he cheated on her?”

“Four, actually,” Beth said. Her eyes searched for him in the crowd. He was facing the men whom Ayana had pointed out, and

they both looked like they wanted to be anywhere else. “I should say something to him,” she said. Clover tried to stifle her

smile. Beth really was protective of her sister. “But”—she turned back to Ayana and Clover—“now’s not the time.”

“Agreed. However, what we do have time for is a little catch-up. So, you two are here as... friends?”

Beth looked at Clover, and Clover looked at Beth, and Ayana’s grin looked like it would break her face in half.

“Say no more. I don’t mean to put you on the spot. Please, have fun. Enjoy. Free drinks, all that jazz. Clover, please, if you need anything, you know where to find me.” She squeezed Beth’s shoulder and touched Clover’s arm, then scurried away as quickly as she had arrived.

“She is definitely going to tell Bee about this,” Beth deadpanned.

Clover bit her lip. “Do you think she’ll be upset?”

Beth sighed, and this time she took two heavy sips from her glass. “No. But I will never, ever hear the end of it.”

Clover slipped her arm back through Beth’s as they walked to a more private corner of the room, in front of a large window

that let in the light of the moon in the clear night sky. “What do you think you’ll tell her?”

Beth’s eyes searched hers. “Honestly? I think I’ll have to tell her thank you.”

“For what?”

“For giving me the chance to meet you.”

Clover was smiling so hard her lips hurt. “I guess I have to thank her too, then.”

Beth’s eyes dropped to her lips, and Clover thought for a moment that she might kiss her. She wanted her too. Badly. Even

if the thought scared her.

She’d kissed two people her whole life, and both of them were still embedded in her life, though she’d barely heard from Hailey,

aside from a quick I’m sorry if things seemed unclear. And while she could choose to be safe and sensible and always wonder what-if, she could also take the leap and find out.

Before she could lose her nerve, she pressed her lips tenta tively to Beth’s, then all at once. Beth’s lips met hers fiercely, and she felt her arms encircle her back, pull her closer. Clover reached up and pressed the back of her fingers to Beth’s chest, her thumb pressing against Beth’s bare collarbone, and she felt a sharp thrill course through her when she heard a groan slip past Beth’s lips.

“Ahem,” someone muttered as they walked past, and Beth and Clover pulled apart. Beth’s eyes sparkled, and the two of them

broke out into giggles like a couple of teenage girls caught out on a school night.

Once they’d both grown tired of shaking hands and hobnobbing with people whose names neither of them could remember anymore,

they made their way back to Beth’s car. Twenty minutes later, they passed the sign welcoming them to Berkeley, as the clouds

darkened and it began to rain, Clover could see that Beth’s neighborhood was gorgeous. It was filled with bungalows and shingled

homes packed closely together, covered in bright white fairy lights and elaborate holiday decor. The streets curved along

brick sidewalks and stairways, and it was only then that Clover remembered that Beth ran a tech business.

They pulled up a short driveway to a small cottage-style home. Large windows loomed beneath a steeply slanted roof, like the

entryway to a storybook. A figurine of a sleigh in white lights sat tastefully in front beside a proud maple tree.

“This is your house?” Clover said, not bothering to mask her awe.

“It’s a one-bedroom,” Beth said, as if that somehow diminished its impressiveness.

“Oh, well, in that case,” Clover muttered, but she enjoyed the smirk it put on Beth’s face.

“I’ll grab an umbrella from the trunk,” Beth said, but Clover had already opened the door. In a stroke of bad luck that seemed

to never let her down, her foot sunk deep in a muddy puddle in the grass by the driveway’s pavement. It reached high enough

to encircle her ankle, nearly swallowing her shoe whole.

“I’ll just... go inside with you,” Clover said.

She hobbled quickly to the door with Beth, who was trying valiantly not to laugh with each squelch beneath Clover’s foot.

Mercifully, they were inside within seconds, and although Clover could leave her shoe outside, there was still the problem

of her mud-splattered dress.

“I have sweatpants you can wear,” Beth offered.

“You keep trying to get me out of my clothes,” Clover said, sighing playfully.

“Can’t blame me for trying,” Beth said. She winked and then disappeared into her bedroom, bringing out gray sweatpants and

a towel. “Do you want to rinse off?”

Clover didn’t really think she had much of a choice at this point, unless she wanted to spend the evening caked in dirt. She

watched as Beth peeled off her own jacket, which had kept her dress mostly dry. Shame, she thought.

While Beth started on dinner, Clover showered quickly, wincing only slightly when she brushed her hands unthinkingly over

her new piercing. Then she threw on Beth’s sweatpants and a tee-shirt Beth had laid out for her.

When she emerged, she found Beth in her kitchen, pour ing tea into two porcelain Stanford mugs. The look she gave her made her shiver. “Hi,” Clover said.

“Hey,” Beth murmured. “You look nice.”

“I’m not even wearing anything remotely next to nice.”

“I don’t care about what you’re wearing,” Beth said.

Clover nearly tripped. Heat spread down her stomach, and she realized, quickly, that she’d need to either sit down or start

walking, fast. She swallowed her surprise and hastily pulled her damp hair back into a haphazard bun. “So,” she said. “Tea?”

Beth’s lips pulled into a sly smile that made it difficult for Clover to resist pressing Beth against the counter and discovering

how flawless she imagined Beth looked beneath her perfectly precise clothes.

Beth handed Clover her cup of tea, and Clover blew at the steam, willing her brain to think about literally anything else

but Beth’s lips as she tested the heat of her drink or Beth’s fingers as they cradled her mug.

“Dinner is on the table,” Beth said eventually, turning to a small wooden table struggling under the weight of four potted

plants. Clover caught her wrist. What the hell, Clover thought, but it wasn’t a question. She set her mug down and wrapped her arms around Beth’s waist. She pulled her closer.

Beth came willingly.

Their kiss was soft and slow, and when they pulled away, Clover realized she was shaking.

“I got you,” Beth whispered.

Clover kissed her again.

Her hands found the back of Beth’s head, and their lips pressed and pulled. Beth’s tongue slipped into Clover’s mouth, and Clover wasn’t sure if the sound that made her dizzy was Beth’s moan or hers. She felt her back hit the edge of the counter.

Without stopping, Beth’s hands found the backs of Clover’s thighs and lifted her up.

“You’re a lot stronger than you look,” Clover said breathlessly, before Beth’s lips crashed against hers again. Clover’s legs

wrapped around her waist, and Beth’s mouth found Clover’s neck, sucking gently on the skin beneath Clover’s ear, then at the

space just below, on the pulse of her throat.

Clover wasn’t sure her heart had ever beat so fast in her life.

Beth adjusted, and her hips met the heat between Clover’s legs, forcing out a delighted gasp that Clover couldn’t think long

enough to contain.

“Too much?” Beth asked.

“Not nearly,” Clover whispered. With her hands on Beth’s cheeks, she pulled her in for another kiss, harder, more insistent,

and Beth responded, her hands grasping Clover’s thighs and swearing low as Clover bucked against her. The husky, delicious

sound nearly made Clover lose herself.

It was then that she realized they were both still fully clothed.

She pulled away slightly, amused at the hypnotized way Beth’s mouth followed hers. Her eyes were hooded and dark with obvious

desire.

“Beth,” Clover said, “do you want to take me to bed?”

Beth let out a low chuckle, brushing her forehead against Clover’s as she captured her gaze. “Do you want me to?” she said.

Clover let her breathing slow to a manageable pace, but she didn’t need to think about what she wanted. She knew.

“Yes,” she said softly. “I do.”