by Aurora Rey
“It definitely sounds like flirtation. But, Lia, you know what? That’s not a bad thing. Flirting with someone doesn’t mean you have to jump into a relationship. Or even sleep with them, for that matter.”
“Right.”
“Of course, I think sleeping with someone might be just what you need right now.”
“Sally.” Lia tried to sound exasperated, but it came out more scandalized.
“Okay, okay. Too much. We don’t have to talk about that right now. Right now, I think you should accept the invitation, go out for drinks, and have a little fun. Can you do that?”
Sally had a way of making it sound so uncomplicated. “I can do that.”
“Good. I have to meet with a client in ten minutes. Call me this weekend?”
“I will. Thanks, Sal.”
“My pleasure. Just remember, don’t do anything I wouldn’t do.”
Lia rolled her eyes. Sally had definitely been the wild one in their friendship. “That doesn’t leave much off the list.”
“Exactly.”
Chapter Eleven
Lia sat at the table she’d already come to think of as hers. The lunch crowd had thinned, but Alex was nowhere in sight. Alex had been friendly, but definitely cooler toward her when she arrived that morning. Lia hoped that meant the ball was in her court, not that she’d blown her chance to spend time with Alex.
As if on cue, Alex emerged from the kitchen with a bottle of glass cleaner and a roll of paper towels. Without making eye contact, she walked around the counter and started cleaning the front of the display case. Lia took a deep breath. This was her shot. She got up and walked about halfway to where Alex was standing.
“Hey, Alex?”
Alex stood and turned. She offered a smile. “Hey. Did you want something?” She gestured to the case.
“No. I mean, yes.” Why was this so difficult?
Alex looked confused but didn’t say anything.
“I mean, I don’t want anything to eat, but I wanted to talk to you.”
“Oh. All right.”
“I’m sorry I left so quickly yesterday. I’d completely forgotten I was supposed to be somewhere.” It was a lie, and probably not very convincing, but that was okay. “I’d love to get a drink with you.”
Alex smiled and it seemed genuine. “It’s fine. Yeah, that would be great.”
“Tonight is good or, really, any night this week but Thursday. I’ve joined a poker group.”
Alex chuckled and Lia couldn’t tell if Alex was amused by her change of heart or the fact that she was in a poker group and felt the need to share it. She was nodding, though, so that had to be a good sign.
“Tonight would be great. Is five good for you?”
Lia felt her shoulders relax. She hadn’t blown it. “Five is perfect.”
“You’re welcome to stay here and work if you don’t want to go home and come back. I’ll run up and shower after closing and we can walk over.”
“You live upstairs?”
“I do. There’s an apartment on the second floor. It’s one of the main reasons I fell in love with the place.”
“I bet.” Lia hesitated, then decided she could do this friendly-flirty thing. “I’d love to see it sometime.”
Alex searched Lia’s face for meaning. The woman had gone from practically running out the door to inviting herself to Alex’s apartment. It felt like a game of cat and mouse, but Lia didn’t really seem like the type to be coy. Alex was usually able to read women with ease. Not being able to tell was driving her nuts.
“Sure.” She didn’t know what else to say.
“Thanks for letting me stay. I promise I won’t be in the way.”
“I’ve no doubt. I’ll let you get back to work.” Alex returned to the kitchen, feeling even more unsure about what she was getting herself into than she had before.
At four, she went up to her apartment to shower and change. She stood in her bedroom, naked and damp, obsessing about what to wear. More irritated by the fact that she was obsessing than her choices, she yanked a pair of gray pants and a dark blue sweater from the closet. She dried her hair with just a touch of pomade and assessed herself in the mirror. Satisfied, she pulled on a nicely worn pair of brown boots and grabbed her North Face jacket from its hook by the door. She let Murphy out to do his business, indulged him in an early dinner, and promised she wouldn’t be home too late.
As she entered the kitchen through the back door, Alex made a point of making a fair amount of noise. The last thing she wanted to do was scare Lia out of her skin again.
“You ready?”
Lia looked up and, for a second, Alex was pretty sure she was being checked out. Lia seemed to remember herself, though, and it passed. “That was quick,” she said.
Alex shrugged and smiled. “Shall we?”
With the sun down, the temperature was falling quickly. Lia tucked her hands into her coat pockets and said, “I’m trying really hard not to think about Nor’easters.”
Alex couldn’t help but laugh. “Power of positive thinking.”
In fewer than ten minutes, they were at the Crown & Anchor.
“The Central House is where the locals hang out,” Alex said as they went inside. While the restaurant opened to a fairly large dining room, the bar was small and intimate, with warm lighting and a roaring fire. At this time of night, it had a relaxed, local happy hour feel. She congratulated herself on choosing it.
“I’ll get the first round,” Lia offered. “What’s your pleasure?”
It was unlikely Lia was being a tease, but she couldn’t help but think of an entirely different kind of pleasure. Although tempted to say as much, Alex thought it might be a little soon to test those waters. She got the distinct impression that Lia was less brazen than her banter implied, even if she was wearing high boots and a tight sweater.
“No, no. I insist. What will you have?”
“I’ll have a beer. Whatever you recommend that isn’t a stout.”
“You got it.”
Lia looked around. “Table by the fire okay?”
“Absolutely.”
Lia headed to a small vacant table near the fireplace. She shrugged off her coat and willed herself to relax. She tried to silence that little voice in the back of her head that said Alex felt sorry for her. Then she tried to silence the other little voice that said Alex just wanted to sleep with her. She shook her head. Only she would be obsessing at both ends of the spectrum.
The crowd was light and it didn’t take long for Alex to get their drinks. As she returned to the table, Lia squared her shoulders, determined to be good company.
“I got a winter ale and an IPA. Preference?” Alex asked as she set down the glasses.
“Both sound good. You?”
“Start with the winter, then,” Alex said, sliding one glass across the table and picking up the other. “It’s a local brew.”
Lia picked up the glass, raised it. “To new friends.”
“To new friends.”
As they drank, Alex pointed out several people in the bar, sharing tidbits of information and town gossip.
“I wonder what they’re saying about me.” Lia hadn’t meant to say it out loud. Now Alex probably thought she was a total dork.
Alex made a point of looking around, as though spies might be attempting to infiltrate their conversation. “They want to know who the hot new woman is who’s been hanging around my bakery.”
“They are not.” Not the answer she was expecting. Hot? Surely, Alex was poking fun at her.
“I swear.”
Not seeing a graceful exit, she raised a brow. “And what’s the verdict?”
“That her name is Lia. She’s gorgeous and she’s here for the winter.”
“Get out.” Lia tried to stifle the flutter she got when Alex referred to her as gorgeous. She felt like a silly high schooler, and worried Alex thought as much.
“Yes, they’re also dying to know two very important things.”
“What two things?” This was absurd, but maybe a little fun, too.
“Is she gay and is she single?”
“I see. And what do you say to that?”
Alex shrugged. “After telling them that it’s none of my business or theirs, I tell them I’m just getting to know her.”
“A very diplomatic answer.” Lia considered. She could cloak herself in privacy, but she didn’t see the point. She wanted to feel connected to this little town she called home, for however long that was. Being antisocial wasn’t going to get her anywhere. “Well, I’ll give it to you straight from the source.”
“An official statement?”
She nodded. “On the record. To the first question: most definitely. To the second: recently.” Lia picked up her glass and drank. She watched Alex lean back and mull over the information.
“I’m happy to hear the former, and sorry about the latter.”
“Don’t be. It was my choice and it was the right one.” She was not going to spend her evening rehashing her broken heart. She also didn’t want to spend the whole evening talking about herself. “What about you?”
“What about me?”
“Are you? Gay, single?” She put on her best inquiring-minds-want-to-know, talk-show-host face. It was more about changing the subject than being flirtatious, but that was okay.
“Most definitely,” Alex said, borrowing her phrase. “On both counts.”
She couldn’t decide if Alex was indicating that she was available, or that she wasn’t interested. She hated herself for being completely out of practice when it came to this kind of banter. Even if she wasn’t looking to get involved, Sally was right. A little casual flirtation was good for the ego. Now she couldn’t even do that well. That wasn’t entirely true. She managed to do just fine with other people. It was Alex. Whether or not she wanted to admit it, Alex stirred up things, made her feel things. It brought out every nervous and awkward tendency she had.
“Good to know.” Their glasses were empty, and Lia pounced on the distraction. “May I get the second round?”
“How about you fetch them? I already have a tab open.” When she frowned, Alex added quickly, “I promise you can buy next time.”
“Deal.” Lia stood and picked up their empty glasses.
Alex congratulated herself on planting the seed for another date and watched Lia walk to the bar. She took a moment to appreciate the sexy boots Lia was wearing, the way her hips swayed slightly when she walked. While Lia waited for the bartender to pull their beers, Alex noted that Anita, the local accountant, leaned over and said something that made Lia laugh. It was rich and uninhibited, the kind of laugh that could warm a person from the inside out. It was clear that Anita enjoyed it as well, a fact that hit her with a small ping of jealousy. It was an unfamiliar and unpleasant feeling. Alex pushed it aside as Lia made her way to the table with a pair of pint glasses.
“I don’t mean to pry, but what are you doing for Thanksgiving?” Alex didn’t know what possessed her to ask, but it was out of her mouth before she could stop herself.
Lia looked away. She answered without making eye contact. “I’ll just make a small dinner here. My family tried to convince me to come home, but I’m not a huge fan of flying. Trying to do it during the busiest travel week of the year isn’t worth the toll on my psyche.”
“You’ll come for dinner at my place.” It wasn’t phrased as a question. Alex couldn’t stand the thought of Lia being alone on the holiday.
“Please don’t feel sorry for me. I’ll be fine.”
The sharpness in her voice caught Alex off guard. She’d clearly hit a nerve. “I don’t feel sorry for you at all. I’m already having a mishmash of people over. It’ll be casual. And fun.”
Afraid she was starting to oversell, Alex shut her mouth. She watched Lia mull over the invitation, probably formulating a polite excuse.
Lia looked her in the eye. “Only if you swear it doesn’t interfere with your plans at all.”
“The more the merrier. I really do swear. It will be a few people you recognize from the bakery. My sister Meg and her husband will come out from Boston. A new face will liven things up a bit.”
“Okay. It sounds really nice. Thanks for the invitation. What can I bring?”
Well, that was easy. Alex mentally patted herself on the back. “Got any Southern specialties up your sleeve?”
“I do make some mean praline sweet potatoes.”
“Speak no further.”
About two hours, and three beers, after they’d arrived, Lia and Alex emerged from the bar. There were snowflakes falling around them and everything in sight was covered with a light dusting of snow.
“Oh.” Lia threw her arms out and turned in a slow circle.
Alex couldn’t tell whether Lia’s enthusiasm was genuine or more the result of the drinking. Either way, it was charming, and sexy. Lia had a way of being at once a deeply complicated woman and a disarmingly simple one. It made her want to test the taste of her, the feel of her skin, the response of her body to kiss and touch. Alex readily embraced the desire she felt, but remained unsettled by the additional stirring that seemed both exciting and a little dangerous.
“Can I walk you home?”
Lia turned toward her. She seemed to remember where she was, walked the two steps back to where Alex was standing. “I don’t want to put you out.”
“You’re not, I promise. And it would make me feel better knowing you were home safely.”
Lia poked her lightly on the chest. “You’re one of those chivalrous types.”
Alex had been called a lot of things by a lot of women, but she was pretty sure that chivalrous had never been one of them. “Neighborly. You’re still new to town, and I fear I’ve gotten you a little drunk.”
“I’m not drunk. Tipsy, but not drunk. I will, however, accept your offer, because it’s nice, and I’m usually bad at letting people do nice things for me.”
Alex wanted to ask for an explanation, but didn’t. Instead, she bowed dramatically and gestured for Lia to lead the way. Lia laughed and tucked her hand into the crook of Alex’s arm and the two of them started walking toward the West End. It was hard not to like tipsy Lia. They walked in companionable silence. Lia leaned into her slightly and the proximity allowed her to just catch the scent of Lia’s perfume, the same one she discovered on Lia’s forgotten scarf.
When they arrived at Lia’s, Alex flipped on the flashlight function of her phone while Lia dug out her keys and unlocked the door.
“Thank you so much. I feel more like a local already.”
“It was my pleasure, both to introduce you to a neighborhood hangout and to spend the evening with you.”
Lia turned to Alex. Through the light haze clouding her brain, she had a flash of Alex’s hands in her hair, her mouth taking hers. Lia had to shake off the wave of desire that washed over her. “The, ah, the feeling is mutual.”
Unbeknownst to Lia, Alex was having the exact same thoughts. Her brain, however, was clear. And as much as she wanted to pull Lia against her and kiss her senseless, Alex sensed it was too soon. And if Lia’s judgment was impaired, it could ruin everything. She settled for keeping it light. “Will I see you tomorrow, then?”
Lia smiled. “Absolutely.”
Alex walked the short distance back to her place. She mulled over the decision not to kiss Lia. It was unlike her to be hesitant. Of course, Lia wasn’t like the women she was used to—women who knew what they wanted and had no qualms expressing it. That said, Lia might be exactly the kind of woman who waited for the other person to make the first move.
When she got home, Murphy was curled up on the couch. He got up and stretched, trotted over to the door when Alex motioned for him to go outside to do his nightly business. “Should I have kissed her? I keep thinking I should have kissed her.” Murphy looked at her intently, then lifted his paw. He placed it on her thigh at the exact place her phone sat in her pocket. Alex pulled out the phone
, then scratched the dog’s ears. “Genius, my friend. Genius.”
Lia was about to climb into the tub when her phone buzzed. She picked it up and read the text from Alex.
I really wanted to kiss you. Just saying.
Lia felt a flutter in her stomach that then migrated decidedly south. Whether it was from the beer or Sally’s pep talk, she felt suddenly brave. She bit her lip and thought for a moment before replying.
I really wanted you to. Just saying.
She slid into the hot, sudsy water and thought again about what it would be like to have Alex’s lips on hers. Her phone buzzed again almost instantly.
Duly noted.
Chapter Twelve
Meg and Rob arrived late Wednesday night. Alex could tell that Meg was dying to grill her about the addition to the guest list, but it was after midnight, so she reluctantly went to bed. There would, of course, be plenty of time for questions in the morning.
When Alex woke at six, she made a point of moving around quietly. She let Murphy out and gave him his breakfast, put coffee on, then started organizing the massive pile of ingredients that would become Thanksgiving dinner. Although she was disappointed that her father was already at his winter condo in South Carolina, it remained Alex’s favorite holiday. She didn’t begrudge him the holiday with his girlfriend, a Charleston native, but she did miss him. Since he promised he would be in Boston for Christmas, Alex hadn’t given him a hard time, or at least not a very hard time.
A little before seven, Meg padded out to the kitchen in leggings and a frayed NYU sweatshirt. She poured herself a cup of coffee and sat on one of the stools at the kitchen island while Alex chopped vegetables.
“So tell me about this Lia.”
Alex knew it was coming. It wasn’t just that Meg was nosy, which she was, but also that she knew when Alex was withholding something. Meg called it her twin sense. “Good morning to you, too.”
Meg set her cup down, straightened her posture, and placed a hand delicately on her chest. “Oh, I’m sorry. I didn’t realize we were standing on ceremony. Good morning, sister. Happy Thanksgiving.”