Page 15 of Taurus

“I don’t know all of the details, but word through the proverbial… and well, literal… grapevine is that you and Austin used to date?”

I can’t help the laugh that leaves my throat, “Wow, uh… I mean, I guess you could say we dated, yes. We were actually pretty serious when we were teenagers, but things just didn’t work.” With that, I take a much larger chug of the wine. Memories of seeing Austin’s lips on Amber’s still hurt even now, and the things Amber said they did… that still makes me feel ill.

“Damn, I’m sorry, but if it’s any consolation, the energy between you two is thick. It’s like it vibrates.”

“I’m done for the day, baby, are you?”

We both turn at the sound of a new voice echoing through the room and see Val waltzing in with her bag slung over her shoulder.

“There’s my girl,” Linds says with a huge smile as she walks over and cups Val’s face, giving her the softest kiss. Honestly, it makes me jealous. I miss tenderness like that. “Yes, I’m ready to go as soon as I clean the last two glasses and lock up.”

“I’ll take care of these glasses and Austin can help me lock up,” I tell them. “Go. Enjoy your night.”

“You’re the best,” Linds says then looks back over her shoulder to Val. “She’s the best.”

Val laughs and they both say their goodbyes before heading out the door, leaving me alone in the tasting room.

I clean up the last of the glasses we used and wipe down the bar one more time, and by the time I finish, Austin is rounding the corner into my view.

“Linds take off already?” he asks.

“Yes, she did. I told her I could clean up so she could go ahead and leave with Val.”

“Did you have a good day? Linds take care of you?”

“She’s incredible, and the day was great. I enjoyed learning.” I pull my hair out of my ponytail and shake it out, happy to finally be able to ease the tension it was creating on my head.

I can feel his eyes on me, and it makes my skin prickle. Not in awkwardness or in any negative way, but in heat… intensity…awe.

“Good,” he says, then pushes to his feet. “I just have a few more things to do, then I’ll be locking up. If you’re done here, you can just turn in for the night.”

“Okay,” I check the time on my phone, “Hey, Austin, is Briley’s still open? I’m craving a big-ass plate of their buffalo wings.”

He laughs. “Of course they are. That’s a Summer’s Grove staple and they even deliver now.”

“Even better.” I google the phone number, finding it easily. “You want something? Twenty wings, extra spicy with ranch on the side?” I rattle off the order he would always get when we were younger. It’s a lot of wings, but he was always able to polish them off with no issue at all.

“Damn, you remember. Yes, I’d love some. Thank you.”

I head out the door and after I place our order, I take a quick shower, and it’s not lost on me when I’m getting dressed afterward, I’m pulling on shorts that make my ass look great and I’m smearing on lotion scented in just the way he used to like.

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