Page 85 of Flirting Lessons

Right, this was why she’d been worried about telling Luke.

“I guess her flirting lessons worked too well.” Avery shrugged. Luke looked at her. She should have known she couldn’t get away with that with him.

“Okay fine. Nothing happened to all of that, it’s still true. But really, this is just a casual thing. She doesn’t do serious, I know this, she knows I know this, but that’s okay, I don’t want a serious relationship right now anyway. We have a lot of fun together, and when we did you-know-what, that was a lot of fun, too, so we decided to keep doing both things. Actually…” She let out a sigh. “After we did you-know-what the first time, we both said we shouldn’t do it again, and we would go back to the flirting lessons, but that didn’t last very long, so we decided to go with it. Don’t freak out about this. I’m a big girl, you know.”

“I’m not freaking out,” Luke said. “Taylor’s great, I like her a lot, you know I do. I just don’t want you—”

“To get hurt, I know,” she said. “But Taylor’s the first person in a long time who I’ve dated that I’ve had actual fun with. I don’t expect this relationship to lead anywhere, it’s not like you and Margot; I know what Taylor’s like. I’m not going to be one of thosepeople who thinks I can change Taylor, I swear. But it’s been a hard few years; I want to keep having fun.”

The worried look faded—a little—from Luke’s face.

“I’m glad you’re having fun,” he said. “I want you to keep having fun, too.” He opened the car door. “Come on, let’s go get something to eat, I’m starving.”

Avery got out and fell in step with Luke as they walked toward the restaurant.

“Not coincidentally,” she said, “she’s the first person in a long time I’ve dated who you like.”

Luke grinned at her.

“That hadn’t escaped my attention, either.” He threw his arm around her and pulled her in for a hug. “I’m really happy for you,” he said. “I should have started with that. I haven’t seen you this relaxed and happy in a long time. You used to laugh like that all the time, and it’s only now, seeing you do it again, that I realized you’d stopped. I’m glad that laugh of yours is back. I’m glad you’re with someone who makes you laugh like that.”

Avery stopped walking and hugged him back.

“Yeah,” she said. “Me, too.” She took a step away from him. “Now can you stop it with all this mushy stuff and buy me some tacos?”

Luke opened the door of the restaurant with a flourish.

“Absolutely.”

Taylor walked into the kitchenat Noble Family Vineyards on Thursday morning and found Elliot at the coffee maker. She breathed a sigh of relief.

“Oh great, you made the coffee.”

Elliot pulled out a mug and poured her a cup.

“Finished brewing a few minutes ago; I was late today.”

Taylor picked up the mug and breathed in that wonderful, strong dark coffee smell.

“I’m glad you got here before Margot, anyway.”

“He didnotget here before Margot,” Margot said, walking in with a thermos in her hand. “Margot has simply ceded the control of the coffee maker to the two of you and brings her own from home. Did you think I didn’t know you both rush to make coffee before me so you could make it to your weird specifications? I know you weigh out the coffee by the gram, I refuse. I’ve seen the looks you share when I put milk and sugar in my coffee. I know when I’m outnumbered.”

Taylor and Elliot looked at each other, and then all three of them burst out laughing.

“Sorry, sis,” Elliot said. “We didn’t want to hurt your feelings, we just both like each other’s coffee better than…”

“Better than mine, I know, I know. Anyway, good morning to both of you. Busy day all around today.” She turned to Taylor. “Speaking of, we have a few VIPs dropping in later. Definitely not the day for it, of course, but what can you do?”

Taylor followed Margot back to her office, her coffee mug in hand.

“They always pick the worst possible days to drop in, but at least it isn’t Saturday.”

Margot held up her hand.

“Bite your tongue, I’m sure some will come on Saturday, too.”

Taylor made a face. Margot was right. It was August and high tourist season, and every day was booked solid at the winery. Which was great for the health of the business but made it a very busy time for all of them. And probably a bad time to ask Margot about the shower. Unfortunately, she had to do it.

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