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Before Vi realized, she was driving near the Sloan sisters’ stores. She never went straight home from the office. She usually went by to see a client, but there were no clients in this area. That’s why Cory’s new liquor store had come up on her radar.

Vi wanted to hit the bars and restaurants in this area, which was new to her. Without a liquor store nearby, most of the managers and owners would either come to Spec’s to pick up their order or pay extra for delivery. Vi saw an opportunity to bring them in as new customers. Once she’d established the accounts and had the clients ordering regularly, the VP of Sales job would be open.

But with a brand new local liquor store, she could see Cory getting the business she planned to cultivate. That wasn’t going to happen. No one beat Violet Valdez out of a sale.

She looked up and the sign for the shopping center came into view. Cory had made sure the logo and name was large enough for any passersby to see.

Vi couldn’t keep from smiling. When she mentioned the logo to Cory she had simply said they liked to have fun. As a card-carrying lesbian Vi understood Cory’s meaning behind the logo and name of the store. It was a bit sophomoric, but it also conveyed a welcoming sign of inclusivity. At least it did to Vi. She imagined most of the LGBTQ community would understand the meaning as well.

She could almost hear how Cory surely said the name when she first told her sisters: lick her box. Vi chuckled and continued to grin as she drove by the stores.

While she was in The Liquor Box earlier, she not only looked at the inventory and prices, she also observed Cory Sloan. She seemed excited and happy waiting on customers. Vi got the impression that Cory indeed liked to have fun.

Maybe when she got her promotion and didn’t have to work late every day she’d have a little fun, too. She couldn’t remember how long it had been since she’d been on an actual date. Seeing clients in the evenings didn’t exactly line up with dating or at least that’s what she told herself.

Vi could see Cory Sloan’s golden hair that almost looked like a halo and those clear blue eyes. Where did that come from? But then she remembered how Cory smiled at her. It felt like Cory was genuinely happy to see her. For a moment she felt her heart skip a beat and then she quickly reminded herself why she was there.

But Cory had noticed how Vi returned her smile so she just as quickly shut it down. Vi could see confusion pass over Cory’s face, but then she quickly asked how she could help. Yep, Cory Sloan was a nice person. Vi hoped Cory wouldn’t try to sell wholesale because she’d hate to take Cory’s business away when she had such a nice smile.

Vi had always been competitive, even when she was a kid. She played all the sports offered to girls in school. When she graduated from high school, the after school fun was over. She went to college and worked evenings and weekends.

Vi sighed as she thought back to those game nights in high school. Her parents would come when they weren’t working, but they missed a lot too. Vi’s inner drive to win may have started with games, but it translated into her school work, too.

Her parents owned a convenience store in a small town outside of San Antonio. She saw how hard they worked and when an employee called out, one of them had to take that person’s shift. Vi never understood what they loved about that store. They worked together most days and Vi was expected to help out when she was old enough.

Vi worked in the store until she found better paying jobs to fill her summer months when she wasn’t in school. But once she left for college she never looked back. She was determined to do more and be more than just a convenience store owner.

Yes, she had worked in a store much like her parents in the beginning, but that was just so she could get through college. From there she was on the move, climbing the ranks in the company and she planned to keep going.

A smile crossed her face as she thought about her parents. Alberto and Josie Valdez were hard-working, happy people. She hadn’t been home since Christmas and hadn’t talked to her family in a while. Perhaps it was time to call them. She pulled up her contacts and connected the call.

“Violet!” Her mom’s voice echoed around her car.

“Hi, Mama´. How are you?”

“I’m happy now that I’m talking to my beautiful daughter,” Josie said.

Vi could hear the smile in her mom’s voice. “Thanks, Mom. How’s Papa´?”

“I’m right here, Violet. How are you?” Alberto said.

“I’m fine, Dad. Are you at the store?”

“Yes, honey. Someone called out,” Josie replied.

“Of course they did.” Vi shook her head as she turned into her driveway.

She could hear her parents chuckle on the phone.

“You often work late, so I don’t know why it bothers you so much when we’re here in the evenings,” Alberto said.

“One of these days you’ll understand that it doesn’t matter if we’re here at the store or at home. As long as we’re together, we’re happy,” her mom said.

“I’ll have to take your word for it because I don’t plan on working in a store again,” Vi said. “Catch me up on the family.”

Vi listened as her mom and dad took turns telling her how her brothers and their kids were doing while they waited on customers.

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