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She seemed preoccupied, slightly irritated. Olivia wondered if she might have been catching up on the latest family scandal. It would put anyone in a bad mood. She decided not to ask.

“I’m glad you listened to me this time,” she told her with a smile instead.

“How do you figure that?”

“We’re having this drink. Dinner next time. At my house. Yes?”

Grace’s eyes narrowed again slightly in that feline way she had of studying her. It sent a lovely tingle sizzling down Olivia’s spine. She suppressed a shiver.

“Didn’t we have this conversation the other day?” Grace prompted in a voice as silky-smooth as the whisky.

“Yes, but I’m still waiting for you to agree.”

“I told you no.”

“See?” Olivia grinned. “My point exactly.”

As she clinked her tumbler softly against hers for effect, she wondered if Grace could sense how nervous she actually was, flirting with her like this. Olivia surprised herself by doing it. The whole thing with Beth had shot her confidence and left her reeling for way too long. But now something about Grace Michaels, for all her rude glances and apparent dismissiveness, made her feel more alive than she had since the breakup. It felt pretty amazing to want to be playful again with another woman. And bold. Even better was the realization that Grace seemed to enjoy this sort of thing.

“Humor and perseverance are two qualities I appreciate in a woman,” she declared.

“Good for me, then,” Olivia winked.

With what definitely looked like an approving smile, Grace raised two fingers at the bartender, signaling for another round. Olivia was already getting a nice buzz from the quality whisky, but she was not about to stop when the woman showed signs of wanting to pursue the conversation. She just resolved to go slow and be careful.

“What is it you do again? Charlie said you’re an artist.”

“I design nature-inspired furniture using woods like oak or birch. And more artful pieces as well, yes.”

“May I see?”

“Uh… Sure.” Olivia pulled out her phone.

She planned to hold it, as one does, while she showed a few photos of the work she kept on there for just this kind of request. But Grace took the phone from her with no hesitation. And she was both silent and extremely thorough as she flicked through the shots. As a professional artist, Olivia was used to this kind of scrutiny, of course. But because it was Grace, she could not help but be a little nervous again. Not only did she want her to appreciate her work on a personal level, but she knew Grace would be able to assess it on a professional one as well. She knew her stuff and was one of the most influential players in the industry. Not just anyone ended up on the cover of Time Magazine, did they? So, the pressure was on to make a good impression. Forgetting her resolve, Olivia gulped more whisky as Grace used two fingers to zoom in on a specific piece. She did it again on the next photo. Thankfully, when her verdict was delivered, it was positive.

“These are good, Olivia.”

“Thanks.”

Grace held her gaze intently. “I mean, this is excellent work. You are obviously very talented.”

“Thank you. It means a lot coming from you.”

“Yes.” Grace nodded matter-of-factly, demonstrating once more that she certainly did not suffer from any lack of self-confidence. “How come I’d never heard of your work before?”

“Ah… Perhaps because you favor different styles?”

“Not likely.”

“If you say so.” Olivia chuckled. “I don’t know then. Maybe you need to broaden your horizons.”

Grace eyed her like a challenge. “You have a website?”

“Of course.”

“Show it to me.”

Olivia brought it up dutifully. Again, her phone was swiftly snatched. Feedback was quicker than before and a lot less enthusiastic.