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“Coming up,” the waitress said before heading away to get the wine.

“So,” Morgan began. “Tell me what’s been happening with you since graduation!”

Chloë launched into her story.

After graduating from Barrington Woods, she had spent six months backpacking in Europe as part of a gay women’s travel club. Italy, France, Switzerland.

“Best time of my life,” Chloë added.

“I am so jealous!” Morgan exclaimed. “I’ve been to Europe, but not for six months!”

“Next time, you’ll come with me,” Chloë ventured and was pleased when she noticed Morgan blushing.

After returning from overseas, Chloë then started her seemingly endless string of jobs and just trying to figure stuff out. Telling it to Morgan—a schoolteacher—was making Chloë very nervous. The last thing she wanted was for Morgan to think she was some kind of lazy loser who had no intention of ever educating herself or getting a career-type job.

“Hey, what’s wrong?” Morgan asked.

Just then, the waitress returned with their bottle of chardonnay. After opening it she poured a taste for Morgan. Chloë thought it was incredibly hot the way Morgan held up the glass to sniff the wine, swirled it for a second and then took a sip, letting the wine sit in her mouth for moment. Chloë couldn’t help but stare at Morgan’s lips, now slick with the chardonnay, imagining how wonderful it would be to kiss her and taste her lip gloss mixed with the wine.

Morgan nodded at the waitress who then made two full pours before setting the bottle in the middle of the table.

“Oh my God, this is amazing!” Chloë said when she took a sip. Wine usually didn’t excite her, but then again, she’d never been out to a wine bar with a woman who apparently knew her stuff.

“I’m glad you like it,” Morgan said. “Now, tell me…why did you seem to get so nervous all of a sudden?”

Fuck, she noticed that?

“Of course I noticed it, Chloë,” Morgan went on.

Fuck, she’s a mind reader too?

Morgan used her eyes to indicate that Chloë should look down at the table. Chloë sighed at what she saw. She had torn her napkin into little bits which were now piled neatly in front of her.

“You used to do the same thing with paper in class when you were nervous,” Morgan said.

Chloë smirked and held Morgan’s gaze.

“You know me so well, Miss Banks,” she murmured, knowing what would happen. And she was right. She was rewarded with seeing Morgan blush again and it was completely adorable. “Anyway, I got nervous telling you what I’ve been up to because it sounds pretty lame. I didn’t go to college and I don’t have a fancy job and sitting across from you—my former teacher—is making me a little self-conscious about it, I guess.”

“Don’t be!” Morgan chided, reaching across and putting her hand over one of Chloë’s.

Chloë thought she could just die.

“So you’re not following the usual path,” Morgan continued. “There’s nothing wrong with that.”

Morgan took her hand away and Chloë instantly missed it.

“I mean, it’s not like I didn’t want to go to college, it’s just that I didn’t know what I wanted to go to college for, and so I didn’t see the point in wasting time and money until I figured stuff out.”

“I get that,” Morgan said after taking a sip of wine. “And were your parents okay with that decision?” She held up a finger, asking for a moment. “Your parents are…college professors, right?”

“Yes! Good memory!”

Morgan shrugged.

“Well, sometimes. Try asking me what I had for breakfast yesterday morning. Anyway, your parents…”

Chloë smiled. Morgan was funny. Back in high school, Chloë had known her Fine Lit teacher had a good sense of humor but it was nice seeing it come out when it was just the two of them out having drinks.