foot rubs, favorite books, endless conversation. It was the heart of their home and for some reason, standing in the middle of it, completely naked and still damp from her shower, Geri Scott finally got it.
Lisa was just untying her apron when Geri came in from cleaning up. “Good timing. Everything’s ready.”
“Smells delicious,” Geri said, taking Lisa in her arms and kissing her more intimately and thoroughly than usual, more than she had in a while.
When she was freed and fighting a slight flush, Lisa arched one eyebrow and studied Geri. “What was that for?”
“What? Can’t I kiss my wife?” She winked at Lisa and grabbed the bottle of wine that was now breathing on the counter. “ Vino ?”
“You better believe it.”
With a nod, Geri poured two glasses. They took their places at the table where Geri held her glass up to toast.
Lisa tilted her head slightly, waiting.
“I love you so much,” Geri said softly. “To us.” She touched her glass to Lisa’s.
“I love you too.”
They dug in, Geri eating slowly, wanting to savor the deliciousness of Lisa’s cooking. After a few bites, she said nonchalantly, “I think it’s time for me to retire.”
Lisa’s gaze snapped up and she blinked several times, her fork stopped in mid-air halfway to her mouth. She watched Geri’s face and Geri wondered what she was searching for. Dishonesty? Teasing? Insanity? Geri simply looked back at her and said again, “I think it’s time.”
An interesting mix of elation, fear, and relief blended together and spread itself across Lisa’s face. She pursed her lips like she was thinking, then gave a nod and took the bite of dinner. Chewing slowly, she never took her eyes from Geri. She swallowed, sipped her wine, and gave one more nod.
“Okay. Let’s talk.”
THE WINE SHOP OWNER
For the first night in nearly a month, Dorian Garrison finished tallying up the days’ totals and did not end up with a massive headache. She actually had a somewhat decent day of business, something that was not happening nearly often enough lately. A large local grocery-store chain had opened a huge warehouse-type liquor store not two miles from her shop. Another long-standing liquor store had expanded, and now she could fit five of her shops into the middle of theirs and still have room to spare. It was getting harder and harder to compete, and she recently had to face one nausea-inducing fact.
It was very possible she was going to lose her business.
Soon.
This year.
The front door locked and the closed sign facing out, Dorian stood in the glass door and watched the street outside. It was a good location. Frankly, that’s probably what kept her afloat for this long. Lots of foot traffic, lots of shoppers from other nearby stores made for spontaneous pop-in customers. A gourmet ice cream parlor was lit up across the street in pink and blue neon, people bustling about, despite the beginnings of fall in the air. A coffee shop next to it housed young urban professionals, college students, and gay couples. Soft strains of piano music could be heard through the wall of her shop coming from the upscale restaurant next door. It was a great street that was only improving as time went on. Her father had chosen the spot well.
Owning the building was also a blessing. There was no way she’d be able to afford the rent in this neighborhood, not for the storefront she had now, all big windows right in the center of the action. Her financial advisor suggested she could collect a nice chunk of change in rent if she were to close the wine shop and rent the storefront out to another business…and she knew he was right. But the thought of letting go of something that her father had built from the ground up, something he’d put his heart and soul into, was too much to bear right now. No, she was determined to hold on as long as she possibly could.
Besides, she loved wine. Loved it. She loved the color, the smell, the taste, the
Lisa was just untying her apron when Geri came in from cleaning up. “Good timing. Everything’s ready.”
“Smells delicious,” Geri said, taking Lisa in her arms and kissing her more intimately and thoroughly than usual, more than she had in a while.
When she was freed and fighting a slight flush, Lisa arched one eyebrow and studied Geri. “What was that for?”
“What? Can’t I kiss my wife?” She winked at Lisa and grabbed the bottle of wine that was now breathing on the counter. “ Vino ?”
“You better believe it.”
With a nod, Geri poured two glasses. They took their places at the table where Geri held her glass up to toast.
Lisa tilted her head slightly, waiting.
“I love you so much,” Geri said softly. “To us.” She touched her glass to Lisa’s.
“I love you too.”
They dug in, Geri eating slowly, wanting to savor the deliciousness of Lisa’s cooking. After a few bites, she said nonchalantly, “I think it’s time for me to retire.”
Lisa’s gaze snapped up and she blinked several times, her fork stopped in mid-air halfway to her mouth. She watched Geri’s face and Geri wondered what she was searching for. Dishonesty? Teasing? Insanity? Geri simply looked back at her and said again, “I think it’s time.”
An interesting mix of elation, fear, and relief blended together and spread itself across Lisa’s face. She pursed her lips like she was thinking, then gave a nod and took the bite of dinner. Chewing slowly, she never took her eyes from Geri. She swallowed, sipped her wine, and gave one more nod.
“Okay. Let’s talk.”
THE WINE SHOP OWNER
For the first night in nearly a month, Dorian Garrison finished tallying up the days’ totals and did not end up with a massive headache. She actually had a somewhat decent day of business, something that was not happening nearly often enough lately. A large local grocery-store chain had opened a huge warehouse-type liquor store not two miles from her shop. Another long-standing liquor store had expanded, and now she could fit five of her shops into the middle of theirs and still have room to spare. It was getting harder and harder to compete, and she recently had to face one nausea-inducing fact.
It was very possible she was going to lose her business.
Soon.
This year.
The front door locked and the closed sign facing out, Dorian stood in the glass door and watched the street outside. It was a good location. Frankly, that’s probably what kept her afloat for this long. Lots of foot traffic, lots of shoppers from other nearby stores made for spontaneous pop-in customers. A gourmet ice cream parlor was lit up across the street in pink and blue neon, people bustling about, despite the beginnings of fall in the air. A coffee shop next to it housed young urban professionals, college students, and gay couples. Soft strains of piano music could be heard through the wall of her shop coming from the upscale restaurant next door. It was a great street that was only improving as time went on. Her father had chosen the spot well.
Owning the building was also a blessing. There was no way she’d be able to afford the rent in this neighborhood, not for the storefront she had now, all big windows right in the center of the action. Her financial advisor suggested she could collect a nice chunk of change in rent if she were to close the wine shop and rent the storefront out to another business…and she knew he was right. But the thought of letting go of something that her father had built from the ground up, something he’d put his heart and soul into, was too much to bear right now. No, she was determined to hold on as long as she possibly could.
Besides, she loved wine. Loved it. She loved the color, the smell, the taste, the
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