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Taylor burst out laughing.

“Oh, sweetheart, your compliments have to sound like you mean them.”

“I did mean it! I just didn’t mean to say it like that.” Avery had known, even as she heard herself say it, that it was the wrong thing, but what was she supposed to say?You’re the sexiest person I’ve ever met, and that is very evident tonight? She couldn’t say that. She wasn’t supposed to be flirting with Taylor, first of all. And secondly, while she knew Taylor wouldn’t laugh at her, she would probably just pat her on her hand and tell her that was very sweet but Avery wasn’t her type, which would be humiliating.

It wasn’t like Avery wanted to date Taylor, anyway! Taylor was for the 400-level class; Avery was very firmly still in Flirting 101.

Taylor turned to her with a smile. Good, Taylor hadn’t taken offense at her unconvincing compliment.

“Well, thank you,” Taylor said, laughter in her voice. “We’ll work on that delivery. On a different topic: Margot and Luke are together, huh? I always knew he had a thing for her.”

“Oh, she told you?” Avery grinned. “I’m happy for them.”

“She didn’t exactly tell me, but he picked her up from the winery the other day and it was very clear,” Taylor said. “It explains why Margot has been smiling so much lately—it freaked me out.”

They drove over to Sonoma and parked on a side street, a few blocks off the main square. Avery followed Taylor out of the car and toward a divey-looking bar not too far away. She noticed other women were walking in the same direction. Were they going to a lesbian bar? Was she dressed correctly for a lesbian bar? Was a sundress with a high slit and flat sandals the right outfit?

It must be; Taylor had complimented her on the outfit.

Oh God. Maybe Taylorwasgoing to make her hit on women tonight. Should she put more lipstick on? Or take what she had on off? Taylor would tell her if she should, right?

She saw the big chalkboard sign outside the bar and stopped. Then she laughed out loud and turned to Taylor, who had a big grin on her face.

“Burlesque?” she said, still laughing. “We’re going to a burlesque show? Oh my God.”

Taylor patted her on the shoulder.

“I thought it would be a little outside your comfort zone,” she said. “But I wasn’t sure if it would be so far out of your comfort zone that you’d run away screaming; I’m glad that you haven’t done that…yet.”

Avery put an injured expression on her face, even though it was pretty far outside her comfort zone. She’d never been to a burlesque show before—obviously—but what if it was the kind of thing where they did lap dances or things like that? She would die. Or what if it was, like, stand-up comedy where they tried to get audience participation? She would die all over again.

She couldn’t let Taylor know that these scenarios were running through her head, though.

“You think that little of me?” she asked Taylor.

Taylor slid an arm through hers.

“Mmm—I notice we’re still standing outside.”

Avery tossed her head with a bravado that she didn’t feel.

“I was waiting for you. Let’s go inside; we want to get a good seat for the show.”

Taylor laughed again as they walked inside.

It definitely was a lesbian bar; that was clear from the clientele. But it was a very diverse one—women and nonbinary people of many races, ethnicities, and styles of dress. And thank goodness, her outfit wouldn’t be totally out of place here; she saw at least a few other femmes in cute sundresses and lipstick, though most of them also wore Birkenstocks instead of strappy flat sandals like hers. She had Birkenstocks! Next time, she’d wear them. She was probably the only person in the room without a tattoo, but hell, as far as any of them knew, she had a tattoo in a place none of them could see!

Taylor seemed to know quite a few people here, too, from the number of them waving at her from across the room. Taylor knew people everywhere. She nodded back at a few, and then turned to Avery, a sly little smile on her face.

“You said you wanted a good seat—there are still plenty up front?”

Avery blanched, but after what she’d said outside, she felt like she had to do it.

“Sure, okay, yeah, yes, of course. We should definitely grab one of the seats up front. I’ve never been to one of these before; I’ve got to get a good view, after all.”

Taylor looked amused, which irritated Avery a little. Did shethink Avery was scared to sit up front? Before she could make fun of her more, Avery charged ahead and settled into one of the little tables near the stage. Taylor followed her a few seconds later.

“Do you want a drink?” Taylor asked. “I’ll head over to the bar to get them—I know the bartender working tonight.”