by Tina Michele
“What do you think?”
The unexpected voice startled her. “What?” she asked as she looked around for the person who said it.
Alex appeared from the dark corner of the room. “I saw you come in here. So?”
“This is…it’s…” Morgan was speechless. She didn’t know if she should laugh, scream, or cry.
“We worked day and night to get it just right.”
“You…we? Rita—” Morgan slowly clenched her fist.
“No. Lee and I.”
“But Lee said—”
“Lee fired her the day after you left. She and I worked day and night to put this together. For you.”
A knot tied tight in Morgan’s throat. For me? “What do you mean, for me?” Tears threatened to fall at any moment.
“That’s not for me to say. We should get back out there, though. It’s a big night, you know.” Alex smiled. She took Morgan by the hand and led her back out into the crowded rotunda.
*
Lee took a deep breath. She stepped up onto the small stage, took her place at the podium, and gripped the sides for dear life. She scanned the room as she searched for Morgan. She smiled with joy when their eyes met, but Morgan did not respond in kind. Lee’s heart fell, and she had to look away.
For ten minutes, Lee introduced various board members and acknowledged the many donors who made the evening possible. When it was her turn to speak, she froze. She stared out into the crowd of questioning and curious faces as they waited for her to say something. It was a slight smile that she saw on Morgan’s face that reminded her of what she needed to say.
Lee cleared her throat and spoke from her heart. “Six months ago, I made a couple of the craziest decisions in my short career. Some called them risky. I called them scary as hell.” The room collectively chuckled. “But a month ago I made a terrible decision, one that I am here tonight to rectify. Venus: Beauty Revealed is the beautiful concept of a talented and exceptional woman, Ms. Morgan Blake.” Lee looked directly at Morgan, as did many other people in the room. “There is a myth of Venus and her mortal love, Adonis. After being scratched by Cupid’s arrow, Venus falls in love with Adonis. She foresees his death in a dream. Venus begs him not to hunt the wild boar for fear that it will strike him down and risk their eternal love. But he, too proud to heed her warning, hunts the boar and is fatally wounded when he is too slow to escape. Had he only listened. Had he trusted in her, and overcome his pride, he would be alive, and they would have eternity.” Lee stepped out from behind the podium. “Adonis didn’t get to ask his Venus for another chance, but I would like to ask mine.”
*
The entire room was silent and still. Morgan stood in disbelief as Lee spoke to her. The hundreds of people faded into a haze until all that remained was Lee’s voice and the quick beating of her own heart. She covered her mouth with a shaking hand as Lee stepped down from the stage. The crowd slowly parted between them until Lee stood before her. Morgan glanced around nervously to see that every eye in the room was on her. Tears filled her eyes when she recognized not only her family who now surrounded her, but Dr. Melbeau, Adele, and Freddy. Morgan gasped in surprise and clutched her chest. “Freddy?”
He smiled back at her. “Yes, babycakes.”
Morgan looked back to Lee who stared into her eyes. “What are you doing, Lee?” she whispered, knowing that everyone was straining to hear her words.
“Morgan, I’m sorry.”
“Lee, I—”
“Please. Just listen. My whole life, I lived in the footsteps of the wisest man I have ever known. When he died I…I lost the only thing that I ever had faith in. Since that moment, I’ve struggled with the fear of losing everything he worked his whole life to achieve.” Lee took Morgan’s hands and brought them to her chest.
Lee’s eyes welled with tears, and Morgan’s heart ached for her. “Lee, we don’t have to do this here.”
“I do. Morgan, my Venus, you’ve given me so many new things to believe in, beauty, love, and faith. I believe in myself, and I believe in you. Will you please come back to…to me?” Morgan could feel everyone in the room holding their breath for her reply.
Morgan threw her arms around Lee. The room echoed with sounds of joy and deep sighs. “Yes! Oh, Lee, I—”
Lee pushed Morgan away gently. “One second, sweetheart.” Lee turned away toward the crowd of emotional onlookers. “Thank you all for your patience with me. Each of you means the world to us here at the Dencourt. Please stay and enjoy the evening and our new beautiful exhibit.” As everyone applauded, Lee grabbed Morgan’s hand and pulled her away from the crowds.
Lee pulled Morgan into her, and brushed a gentle hand against her cheek. Morgan’s eyes fluttered closed as Lee kissed her softly and slowly with more passion than she’d ever felt. Morgan opened her eyes and looked deep into Lee’s. “I love you, Ainsley Dencourt.”
“I know, my love. I got your voicemail.” Lee winked. “And I love you too, so very much.”
About the Author
Tina Michele is a Florida girl living on the banks of the Indian River Lagoon in the biggest small town on the Space Coast. She enjoys all the benefits of living in the Sunshine State. During the day, she pretends to do what they pay her for but really spends most of that time daydreaming and plotting some wild adventure. She graduated from the University of Central Florida with her BA in interdisciplinary studies—the most liberal of the liberal arts degrees—majoring in fine art and writing with a minor in women’s studies. To say she is motivated by her Right brain is a major understatement. Afflicted with self-diagnosed Sagittarian Attention Deficit Disorder, she spends a lot of time starting projects that she may, possibly, one day, probably finish. When she isn’t writing, playing, drawing, painting, or creating something of some sort, she feeds and waters the three dogs that are permanently tethered to her hindquarters.
Tina can be contacted at [email protected].
Other Bold Strokes Books Titles Available Via Amazon
Books Available from Bold Strokes Books
Venus in Love by Tina Michele. Morgan Blake can’t afford any distractions and Ainsley Dencourt can’t afford to lose control—but the beauty of life and art usually lies in the unpredictable strokes of the artist’s brush. (978-1-62639-220-5)
Rules of Revenge by AJ Quinn. When a lethal operative on a collision course with her past agrees to help a CIA analyst on a critical assignment, the encounter proves explosive in ways neither woman anticipated. (978-1-62639-221-2)
The Romance Vote by Ali Vali. Chili Alexander is a sought-after campaign consultant who isn’t prepared when her boss’s daughter, Samantha Pellegrin, comes to work at the firm and shakes up Chili’s life from the first day. (978-1-62639-222-9)
Advance: Exodus Book One by Gun Brooke. Admiral Dael Caydoc’s mission to find a new homeworld for the Oconodian people is hazardous, but working with the infuriating Commander Aniwyn “Spinner” Seclan endangers her heart and soul. (978-1-62639-224-3)
UnCatholic Conduct by Stevie Mikayne. Jil Kidd goes undercover to investigate fraud at St. Marguerite’s Catholic School, but life gets complicated when her student is killed—and she begins to fall for her prime target. (978-1-62639-304-2)
Season’s Meetings by Amy Dunne. Catherine Birch reluctantly ventures on the festive road trip from hell with beautiful stranger Holly Daniels only to discover the road to true love has its own obstacles to maneuver. (978-1-62639-227-4)
Myth and Magic: Queer Fairy Tales edited by Radclyffe and Stacia Seaman. Myth, magic, and monsters—the stuff of childhood dreams (or nightmares) and adult fantasies. (978-1-62639-225-0)
Nine Nights on the Windy Tree by Martha Miller. Recovering drug addict, Bertha Brannon, is an attorney who is trying to stay clean when a murder sends her back to the bad end of town. (978-1-62639-179-6)
Driving Lessons by Annameekee Hesik. Dive into Abbey Brooks’s sophomore year as she attempts to figure out the amazing, but sometimes complicated, life of a
you-know-who girl at Gila High School. (978-1-62639-228-1)
Asher’s Shot by Elizabeth Wheeler. Asher Price’s candid photographs capture the truth, but when his success requires exposing an enemy, Asher discovers his only shot at happiness involves revealing secrets of his own. (978-1-62639-229-8)
Courtship by Carsen Taite. Love and justice—a lethal mix or a perfect match? (978-1-62639-210-6)
Against Doctor’s Orders by Radclyffe. Corporate financier Presley Worth wants to shut down Argyle Community Hospital, but Dr. Harper Rivers will fight her every step of the way, if she can also fight their growing attraction. (978-1-62639-211-3)
A Spark of Heavenly Fire by Kathleen Knowles. Kerry and Beth are building their life together, but unexpected circumstances could destroy their happiness. (978-1-62639-212-0)
Never Too Late by Julie Blair. When Dr. Jamie Hammond is forced to hire a new office manager, she’s shocked to come face to face with Carla Grant and memories from her past. (978-1-62639-213-7)
Widow by Martha Miller. Judge Bertha Brannon must solve the murder of her lover, a policewoman she thought she’d grow old with. As more bodies pile up, the murderer starts coming for her. (978-1-62639-214-4)
Twisted Echoes by Sheri Lewis Wohl. What’s a woman to do when she realizes the voices in her head are real? (978-1-62639-215-1)
Criminal Gold by Ann Aptaker. Through a dangerous night in New York in 1949, Cantor Gold, dapper dyke-about-town, smuggler of fine art, is forced by a crime lord to be his instrument of vengeance. (978-1-62639-216-8)
The Melody of Light by M.L. Rice. After surviving abuse and loss, will Riley Gordon be able to navigate her first year of college and accept true love and family? (978-1-62639-219-9)
Because of You by Julie Cannon. What would you do for the woman you were forced to leave behind? (978-1-62639-199-4)
The Job by Jove Belle. Sera always dreamed that she would one day reunite with Tor. She just didn’t think it would involve terrorists, firearms, and hostages. (978-1-62639-200-7)
Making Time by C.J. Harte. Two women going in different directions meet after fifteen years and struggle to reconnect in spite of the past that separated them. (978-1-62639-201-4)
Once The Clouds Have Gone by KE Payne. Overwhelmed by the dark clouds of her past, Tag Grainger is lost until the intriguing and spirited Freddie Metcalfe unexpectedly forces her to reevaluate her life. (978-1-62639-202-1)
The Acquittal by Anne Laughlin. Chicago private investigator Josie Harper searches for the real killer of a woman whose lover has been acquitted of the crime. (978-1-62639-203-8)
An American Queer: The Amazon Trail by Lee Lynch. Lee Lynch’s heartening and heart-rending history of gay life from the turbulence of the late 1900s to the triumphs of the early 2000s are recorded in this selection of her columns. (978-1-62639-204-5)
Stick McLaughlin: The Prohibition Years by CF Frizzell. Corruption in 1918 cost Stick her lover, her freedom, and her identity, but a very special flapper and the family bond of her own gang could help win them back—even if it means outwitting the Boston Mob. (978-1-62639-205-2)
Edge of Awareness by C.A. Popovich. When Maria, a woman in the middle of her third divorce, meets Dana, an out lesbian, awareness of her feelings brings up reservations about the teachings of her church. (978-1-62639-188-8)
Taken by Storm by Kim Baldwin. Lives depend on two women when a train derails high in the remote Alps, but an unforgiving mountain, avalanches, crevasses, and other perils stand between them and safety. (978-1-62639-189-5)
The Common Thread by Jaime Maddox. Dr. Nicole Coussart’s life is falling apart, but fortunately, DEA Attorney Rae Rhodes is there to pick up the pieces and help Nic put them back together. (978-1-62639-190-1)
Jolt by Kris Bryant. Mystery writer Bethany Lange wasn’t prepared for the twisting emotions that left her breathless the moment she laid eyes on folk singer sensation Ali Hart. (978-1-62639-191-8)
Searching For Forever by Emily Smith. Dr. Natalie Jenner’s life has always been about saving others, until young paramedic Charlie Thompson comes along and shows her maybe she’s the one who needs saving. (978-1-62639-186-4)
A Queer Sort of Justice: Prison Tales Across Time by Rebecca S. Buck. When liberty is only a memory, and all seems lost, what freedoms and hopes can be found within us? (978-1-62639-195-6E)
Blue Water Dreams by Dena Hankins. Lania Marchiol keeps her wary sailor’s gaze trained on the horizon until Oly Rassmussen, a wickedly handsome trans man, sends her trusty compass spinning off course. (978-1-62639-192-5)
Rest Home Runaways by Clifford Henderson. Baby boomer Morgan Ronzio’s troubled marriage is the least of her worries when she gets the call that her addled, eighty-six-year-old, half-blind dad has escaped the rest home. (978-1-62639-169-7)
Charm City by Mason Dixon. Raq Overstreet’s loyalty to her drug kingpin boss is put to the test when she begins to fall for Bathsheba Morris, the undercover cop assigned to bring him down. (978-1-62639-198-7)
Let the Lover Be by Sheree Greer. Kiana Lewis, a functional alcoholic on the verge of destruction, finally faces the demons of her past while finding love and earning redemption in New Orleans. (978-1-62639-077-5)
Blindsided by Karis Walsh. Blindsided by love, guide dog trainer Lenae McIntyre and media personality Cara Bradley learn to trust what they see with their hearts. (978-1-62639-078-2)
About Face by VK Powell. Forensic artist Macy Sheridan and Detective Leigh Monroe work on a case that has troubled them both for years, but they’re hampered by the past and their unlikely yet undeniable attraction. (978-1-62639-079-9)
Blackstone by Shea Godfrey. For Darry and Jessa, their chance at a life of freedom is stolen by the arrival of war and an ancient prophecy that just might destroy their love. (978-1-62639-080-5)
Out of This World by Maggie Morton. Iris decided to cross an ocean to get over her ex. But instead, she ends up traveling much farther, all the way to another world. Once there, only a mysterious, sexy, and magical woman can help her return home. (978-1-62639-083-6)
Kiss The Girl by Melissa Brayden. Sleeping with the enemy has never been so complicated. Brooklyn Campbell and Jessica Lennox face off in love and advertising in fast-paced New York City. (978-1-62639-071-3)
Taking Fire: A First Responders Novel by Radclyffe. Hunted by extremists and under siege by nature’s most virulent weapons, Navy medic Max de Milles and Red Cross worker Rachel Winslow join forces to survive and discover something far more lasting. (978-1-62639-072-0)
First Tango in Paris by Shelley Thrasher. When French law student Eva Laroche meets American call girl Brigitte Green in 1970s Paris, they have no idea how their pasts and futures will intersect. (978-1-62639-073-7)
The War Within by Yolanda Wallace. Army nurse Meredith Moser went to Vietnam in 1967 looking to help those in need; she didn’t expect to meet the love of her life along the way. (978-1-62639-074-4)
Escapades by MJ Williamz. Two women, afraid to love again, must overcome their fears to find the happiness that awaits them. (978-1-62639-182-6)
Desire at Dawn by Fiona Zedde. For Kylie, love had always come armed with sharp teeth and claws. But with the human, Olivia, she bares her vampire heart for the very first time, sharing passion, lust, and a tenderness she’d never dared dream of before. (978-1-62639-064-5)