Christmas All Around Us ; The Perfect Time for Love ; Playing for Keeps

by Carla Kincaid

  "Ha! I knew you had it in you, Counselor," Julie said seductively.

  "I guess I just needed a little inspiration," Rachel said with a wink.

  Of course, Julie wasn't the only one admiring Rachel's moves. The woman was drawing quite a bit of attention from the partnerless women standing along the perimeter of the dance floor.

  When the song ended, Julie was about to teach Rachel a more complicated step to match the Latin beat the band was now playing but their dance was interrupted.

  "Julie," Lorraine said in a voice just shy of panic. "I think there's a bidding war going on over the certificate you donated for dance lessons. No doubt because everyone has been watching the two of you burn up the floor out here. Is there any way I can persuade you to donate another certificate?" Lorraine asked with a pleading grin. "Otherwise I think we might have a blood bath in the next room."

  Julie looked over at Rachel. She certainly didn't want to stop their dance right in the middle but Lorraine looked like she was going to stand there until Julie acquiesced.

  "Go ahead," Rachel said nodding her head. "We can pick this up later." She squeezed Julie's hand and gave her a wink.

  "Thank you," Julie mouthed and then allowed Lorraine to pull her away from her new dance partner.

  ⛄️⛄️⛄️

  "Ladies! Ladies!" Lorraine almost shouted when they got to the not so silent auction room. "I think I have a solution to our little problem."

  Gretchen Daniels and Emily Carson were both standing with pens poised in mid-air. They turned and looked at Lorraine.

  When Julie looked down at the auction sheet, she almost passed out. The two women had gone back and forth each raising the bid above the other until the most recent bid was $400.

  "Wow! If I had known my dance classes would be so popular I'd have sold lessons at Empowerment Now ages ago," Julie said with a giggle.

  Lorraine's eyebrow tightened probably at the thought of losing auction money if Julie just sold her classes directly to one of the two women.

  "But, I certainly don't have time in my schedule to teach private lessons to everyone," Julie said in response to the worry line that was now etched across Lorraine's forehead.

  Lorraine's face immediately eased back into a smile.

  "Since both of you are so interested in the lessons and the highest bid is now $400, let's say I throw in another certificate at $450 and each of you can take one," Lorraine suggested to the two warring would-be dancers.

  "Perfect!" Gretchen said finally lowering her pen.

  Emily nodded in agreement.

  "I'll just run into the office and whip up another certificate right now," Lorraine said as she dashed toward the door to her office. "Nobody move. I'll be right back! Julie, you stay put too. I'll need your signature on the second certificate to make it official."

  Julie had been hoping, now that the matter was resolved, she'd be able to go back to the dance floor with Rachel. She let out a sigh realizing she'd be delayed a little longer. "I'm going to look around," she said not wanting to make small talk with Gretchen and Emily.

  Julie strolled down the row of items neatly lined up on the tables. She saw several pieces of artwork that she would love to have in her home someday, a few gift certificates for experiences like massages, museum trips and suites at the local WNBA game and a cruise on the lesbian exclusive Olivia Cruise Lines. Finally, she got to the table Gail donated.

  "Don't even think about it," Linda said as Julie approached. The woman had appeared out of nowhere.

  "Don't worry. I'm not," Julie assured her even before she laid eyes on the $2500 minimum bid.

  "So, how's Gail doing?" Linda asked still standing guard in front of the auction item she seemed determined to take home.

  "She's doing a lot better. She'll be getting out of the hospital tomorrow." A mixture of happiness and sadness washed over Julie as she thought about her time at Gail's house ending. Linda must have read her expression.

  "Going to miss your new roomie?" she asked with a smirk.

  Julie certainly didn't want to share any of her feelings about the past week with Linda, fortunately, Lorraine walked back into the room and saved her from having to respond to Linda's question.

  "Here we go!" Lorraine said. "Just sign right here." Lorraine handed Julie a pen and the new certificate she'd just printed. "Technically I'm supposed to wait until the end of the evening to close out any of the items," she said waving the signed document in her hand.

  Both Gretchen and Emily's expressions morphed from smiles to frowns.

  "But I think it's okay to make an exception in this case," she said quickly.

  Lorraine drew a dark line under the $450 bid and signed her name below it.

  "Great!" Julie exclaimed, glad that the episode was over. "Now if you'll excuse me. I've got to run to the ladies room and then get back to the dance floor."

  ❤️❤️❤️

  When Lorraine pulled Julie away several dateless women tried to convince Rachel to dance with them. Even though she was feeling a little more confident about her moves, she wasn't interested in dancing with anyone but Julie.

  "I think I'm just going to get something to drink," she said breaking away from the last admirer to corner her.

  Most of the night Rachel's attention had been on Julie so this was the first time she'd looked at the banquet hall in full decor. She had to admit it looked really nice.

  As Rachel stared at the eight-foot Christmas tree in the corner she marveled at the change this Christmas had brought about in her life but one question remained, had things changed enough for her to cancel her plans to move to California?

  Joseph Brighton would be upset if she decided not to join his firm, but Rachel wasn't arrogant enough to believe that she was the only attorney in the country capable of helping Brighton and Myers with their expansion.

  As she stood there, Rachel was seriously considering calling Mr. Brighton on Monday and telling him she'd changed her mind. She was still pondering her situation when a soft voice whispered from behind her.

  "So, that's the little hottie you're going to let unwrap you this year? Julie Peterson?"

  Rachel turned to see Katie giggling at her.

  "Hi, Katie. How are you?"

  'Don't 'how are you' me," Katie corrected. "I've been waiting all week for your call. I can't believe you stood me up like this and then showed up with her."

  Rachel just shook her head. "Katie, I told you I was going to the gala with someone else. I know I made that perfectly clear."

  Katie's eyes twinkled with a mischievous grin. "I know, Sweetie. I just like teasing you," she said with a wink. "So, how is your evening going with little Miss Ballerina?"

  Rachel's face tensed hearing Julie mentioned in such a mocking tone but she didn't want to get into that with Katie. "I'm having a really nice time," she said instead.

  Katie's smile broadened, and she stepped closer to Rachel. So close that her body was almost pushing Rachel into the bar. "Not as nice as you could be having I bet."

  Katie didn't wait for Rachel to respond but instead stepped even closer pretending like she'd done so in order to order a drink at the bar.

  "I'll have a gin and tonic," Katie said leaning around Rachel to speak to the bartender. "And she'll have a rum and Diet Coke. Did I remember that correctly?" Katie asked softly as if she was sharing an intimate secret with Rachel.

  "Yeah. That's right," Rachel confirmed and tried to ease herself from her spot pinned between the bar and Katie.

  Suddenly before she'd managed to escape, Katie pushed herself more forcefully against Rachel's body and then leaned in and kissed Rachel square on the lips. Rachel pulled back in shock.

  "What the..." she began to protest but before she could fully state her objection Rachel caught sight of Julie standing a few yards away staring at her with her mouth hanging open in shock.

  "What's wrong, Sugar?" Katie asked coyly. "You were standing under the mistletoe." She pointed to the c
luster of leaves hanging above them. "It would have been bad luck for me not to kiss you."

  Katie was still giggling but there was no humor on the face of the woman who had Rachel's attention. Instead of continuing on her path toward Rachel, Julie turned on her heels and headed toward the banquet hall door.

  "Wait! Julie!" Rachel called out.

  "Oh, let her go," Katie said taking Rachel's hand to stop her departure. "You know you're not serious about her. She's the type who'll want to keep you all to herself and we know one is hardly your favorite number."

  Rachel shook her arm free and glared at Katie.

  "Katie, stop acting like you know everything about me. There's more to what I want than you understand."

  "Oh, I understand the more part, my friend. That's my point. You can't have convinced yourself that settling down is now your thing."

  Rachel wanted to defend herself and explain to Katie that she was changing but she didn't have the words or the time to say exactly what she wanted to. She needed to catch up to Julie. That was her priority at the moment.

  "You don't understand, Katie," was all she took the time to say. "You don't understand at all!"

  Rachel turned away from the bar and hurried toward the door. By the time she got to the hallway, Julie was nowhere in sight. The only thing that kept Rachel from panicking was that she knew Julie didn't have her car so there was no way for her to disappear that quickly.

  Rachel stopped at the make-shift coat check and grabbed her coat. She'd almost made it to the front door when it opened and Julie came scurrying back inside followed by an icy breeze.

  "Julie, I'm so glad I found you," Rachel said referring to her current search but there was a deeper truth to those words that lingered in her mind.

  "Why?" Julie asked accusingly. "You looked like you were having a lot of fun without me."

  Julie was tapping at her cell phone screen like she wanted to punch a hole in it. Rachel reached out to take her hand but Julie snatched it away.

  "Leave me alone," she stammered. "I'm calling an Uber. You can go back inside and continue -- what you were doing."

  Rachel understood why Julie was upset but she had to explain what happened.

  "It wasn't my fault."

  Julie's eyes met her's in a harsh unfeeling glare.

  "Oh, What? Am I supposed to believe that Katie just tripped and her lips fell into yours?"

  Rachel could see tears beginning to form in Julie's eyes and her heart clenched realizing the woman she cared about was in pain.

  "Look, Julie. I know how it must have looked but really, she kissed me. I was trying to get away from her. I promise."

  Julie was still jabbing at her cell phone screen in frustration.

  "I wanted to be the one to kiss you under the mistletoe," she said softly as tears began to flow down her cheeks.

  Rachel reached out again and lowered Julie's hand. "Please, don't call an Uber. Let me take you home. I don't even have to come in if you don't want me too but at least let me make sure you get home safely."

  Rachel wasn't sure if it was out of frustration or sheer desperation but Julie acquiesced and agreed to let her drive her home.

  As they rode, Rachel put the heat on full blast warding off the cold from outside but while the temperature in the car warmed Julie's disposition remained ice cold. A few times Rachel opened her mouth to speak but what was she supposed to say? She'd already apologized and explained what happen. She looked over at Julie but her head was turned toward the window and her breath was fogging up the glass so Rachel couldn't even see her reflection.

  When they pulled up to Julie's apartment building Julie finally opened her mouth to speak.

  "Thank you for the ride," she said as she gathered her coat around her. "I hope you enjoy California."

  Julie paused for a moment and then threw the next words callously over her shoulder.

  "And I hope the next time you meet someone you at least have the courage, to be honest with her about your commitment issues instead of stringing her along by playing juvenile games!"

  Rachel was stunned. Julie's words cut deep -- as they were undoubtedly meant to -- and Rachel couldn't recover from the injury fast enough to respond. Before she knew it, Julie had jumped out of the car and vanished behind the door of her apartment building.

  Chapter 12

  Julie flung her apartment door shut and stormed into her bedroom. "How could I have been so stupid -- AGAIN!" she shouted to the empty room.

  She'd had all the warnings anyone with any sense should have needed and yet she'd decided to ignore them and let her heart pull her back into something disastrous.

  I don't have anyone to blame but myself, she thought. Why did she think a woman who obviously had commitment issues was the kind of person she wanted to start a relationship with anyway? Who does that? she asked silently as she stared at herself in the mirror.

  The reflection she saw was less joyful than it had been the last time Julie looked at herself. Then her expression had been full of hope and anticipation about going to the gala with Rachel -- and whatever might happen between the two of them after the event was over. Now her hair was windblown and her eyes were red and puffy from crying.

  You can't let your feelings lead you into something unhealthy, Julie counseled herself silently. If Rachel isn't willing to be honest about what she wants in her life, then there's nothing you can do about it.

  In her head, Julie was saying all the things she knew Sarah would say out loud if she was there but none of it was making her feel any better. She needed to relax. She needed to find a way to take her mind off of Rachel Samuels.

  Julie went into the kitchen, grabbed the bottle of wine still sitting on the counter, plopped down on the couch and poured herself a full glass. Then she picked up the remote and turned the television on.

  "You've got to be kidding me!" she said out loud to the television screen.

  Love Actually was playing. The movie was right at the part where Emma Thompson's character realizes her husband didn't buy the necklace she'd found in his pocket for her. Julie felt a pang in her heart. She wanted to turn the channel but she couldn't. Instead, she swallowed a gulp of wine and cried along with the character on screen.

  When Julie woke up the next morning her head was throbbing and her tongue felt like it was glued to the roof of her mouth. She didn't remember watching the end of the movie -- even though the television was still on -- but it was clear that she'd finished the end of last night's wine bottle.

  Julie turned the volume down on the Saturday morning infomercial and reached for her cell phone. It was dead. She'd been so upset when she got home that she had completely forgotten to plug it into the charger.

  Julie drug herself into her bedroom, plugged in her phone and turned on the television so the apartment didn't feel so quiet and lonely. She went into the bathroom and turned the water on for a shower. The warm water woke her up and helped her feel a little more human. It also cleared the wine-covered cobwebs in her brain so that memories of seeing Rachel kissing Katie at the dance became crystal clear. Julie let out a groan and flopped across her bed. That didn't help either because as soon as she was horizontal all she could think about was her last kiss with Rachel on that very spot.