Page 77 of Head Over Heels

"I did," I reply simply.

"Would you like your wine now, or would you like to wait and have it with dinner?" She glances at Josie with a hint of curiosity.

I guide Josie to the leather couch. "We're ready for it now," I tell Becca.

Josie sinks into the couch, looking around the room. The walls are decorated with simple, black-and-white photos of vineyards at sunset, simple yet sophisticated.

Nodding, Becca disappears through the door with a soft click. She's back within moments carrying a tray with a bottle of wine nestled in a silver ice bucket.

"The best we have in the house," she states with pride. "Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, 1996. You'll taste notes of ripe black cherries, earthy truffle, and a hint of crushed violets." She pours, ruby red goodness swirling in the glasses.

I breathe deeply as the aroma overtakes me. "To new beginnings," I say, meeting Josie's eyes.

Becca lingers, waiting for our dinner order.

"This is exquisite," I tell her. "We'll have the chef's pairing menu. Surprise us," I say, putting my wine glass down. With a nod, she disappears through the door.

Josie shifts beside me. "This place is incredible," she murmurs.

Leaning back, I let the plush sofa envelop me. "It's my retreat. My hiding place," I admit softly, the words slipping out before I can stop them. "I've never brought anyone here. You're the first."

"Then I'm honored." She's quiet for a moment, but when I don't speak, she encourages me to continue. "Tell me about it," she says gently.

I nod, my throat tight. "When Katie and I started having issues," I start, "this place became my refuge. I'd come to the Nook for hours, and when they closed, Nectar would let me in the back. It became my safe haven."

Josie takes my hand, lacing her fingers with mine.

"It wasn't that bad, but things had gotten uncomfortable at home. Before she left, I came here almost every night for over a year." I swallow the lump in my throat. "Then after she left, it was natural for me to come here when being at home felt empty."

She squeezes my hand gently. "Everyone here became a sort of family for you."

"Something like that." I nod. "So when they had to close their doors a few years ago, I had to do something." I take another sip of my wine, hesitant to go on.

"They didn't close, though. You had a hand in that."

"They had bad management and were making bad business decisions," I defend myself. "I made a small investment in the company and brought in an experienced business strategist to get them on the right track."

"How much is a small investment?"

"Just the cost of the space upstairs. Technically, it's mine. In practice, it's often rented out for business meetings and the like. It generates revenue that way."

"Ever the business woman." Josie smiles at me, her eyes soft. "So you saved two businesses and helped them turn around. You saved jobs."

"It was selfish." My cheeks flush. "I didn't want to lose my safe haven."

"Those two things aren't mutually exclusive," she points out, the corner of her mouth curling up in a smile. "Is that why everyone here treats you like a queen?" she teases.

That pulls a smile out of me. "They treat me like a paying customer, that's all."

"Mm-hmm." She leans over and kisses me. "You're an amazing person. You know that, Florence Pietra?"

I shake my head. "The business strategist and I decided to get the businesses involved with the community. The Nook started a reading program for kids from the shelter downtown," I say quietly. "And Nectar holds monthly fundraisers for different local charities." I like to keep my involvement quiet. Both businesses do good work without my name being attached.

"You really care about our community, don't you?" She sounds surprised.

"Of course. I did a lot of work with community groups when I was young. Now we work with Delmont's Cultural Center. The bookstore has become a safe haven for queer kids—a place to be without judgment, to see characters like themselves in books, to feel represented." I squeeze her fingers. "And let's just say there's a reason certain community groups regularly book the private rooms for their meetings."

She laughs, the wine loosening her up.

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