by Emily King
Sarah looked over at her. “What are you doing here?”
It wasn’t the greeting she had hoped for, but it could have been worse. Amy offered her a smile. “Looking for you. Can I come in?”
Sarah hesitated but then got up to unlatch the gate and let her in. She looked her up and down, seeming to notice her slacks and blouse. “On your way to family brunch?”
Amy nodded. “Yes, and I was hoping you would join me. I’m sorry our evening got cut short. How about we continue our date today with brunch?”
Sarah blinked. She opened her mouth as if to say something but stopped. Amy couldn’t blame her for not knowing what to say. If the rest of her night had been like Amy’s, she probably had had all kinds of thoughts running through her mind and had been making herself crazy with worry. Especially over the things she had found in Amy’s jacket pockets. But since brunch was the first thing Sarah asked about this morning, it was clearly important to her, something that Amy hadn’t fully realized. Maybe Amy should have extended an invitation to her sooner, despite her misgivings about subjecting her to her difficult family.
“Last night wasn’t very fun for me,” Sarah finally said. “At least, not much of it. The parts with you were fun, but they were few and far between.”
“I didn’t know last night would be like that. I’m really sorry.”
“Tell me, was the night fun for you?”
“No, not at all! I mean, apart from getting to have dinner with you and our friends, of course.”
“So, you didn’t have a good time dancing with all of those women and collecting underwear and phone numbers?”
“No! And I wasn’t collecting… I wanted to dance with you! I didn’t want to dance with any of those women! And I certainly didn’t want their underwear and phone numbers!”
“No? Then why were they in your pocket?”
Amy heaved a sigh and spread her arms in exasperation. “They put them in there while we were dancing, and short of taking them out and dropping them on an empty dinner plate, I didn’t know how to get rid of them!”
Sarah gave a little snort. “That would have been a sight for the caterers.”
“Yes.” Amy risked a small smile. “On the other hand, Samantha or Angelique might actually have gotten a phone call that way, because I have no plans to ever call either of them.”
“No?”
“No.”
Sarah shook her head. “Samantha and Angelique and some of those other women were something else. Robin is, too. I’m sorry you had to meet her again.”
“I was surprised to see you dancing with her,” Amy ventured.
“Yeah,” Sarah said with a sigh. “Me too. She asked me and I was stupid enough to think that she might be able to be pleasant for a few minutes while we danced and you were with Angelique. I felt a little sorry for her that her girlfriend was all over you like an octopus.”
Amy grinned.
Sarah scowled. “What’s that grin for?”
“You were concerned that Angelique was all over me, not me all over her. Your real concern wasn’t that I was interested in Angelique.”
Sarah tilted her head as she pondered what Amy had said. “You’re right. I wasn’t concerned that you were interested in her—I could tell that you weren’t.”
Amy nodded. “I wasn’t. And I wasn’t interested in Samantha, either, or anyone else.”
Sarah took a breath. “The more I think about it, the more I realize it. It’s just… Everyone had their hands all over you, and then Robin… Robin was saying things, putting thoughts in my head. It was all making me a little crazy. And then I put on your suit jacket and found that stuff in your pocket. I just had to get out of there.” She shook her head. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have left last night.”
“I wish you hadn’t. It hurt. But I do understand. And the way Robin eyed you wearing that dress that hugged your body like a dream was enough to make me a little crazy, too.”
Sarah smiled. “Thanks.” Then her expression changed to one of consternation as she apparently remembered something else. “Can you believe that Robin invited me to go on a whale-watching charter with her?”
Considering the hungry way Robin had eyed Sarah a time or two, Amy wasn’t surprised by the notion. “I hope you turned her down.”
“Of course I did.”
“Good, because she didn’t win the bidding on that whale-watching charter—I did.” Amy grinned at her.
“What? You won it?”
“Uh-huh.” Amy nodded proudly. “Want to come with me?”
“You bet I do!” Sarah said. She rushed to Amy and hugged her. She pulled back in the circle of her arms and looked at her. “I had wanted to take you on it—that’s why I bid on it. But how did you know? I didn’t see you go into the auction tent.”
“It was one of the places I looked when I couldn’t find you. I happened to see that you had bid on the charter. And then I saw that Robin had bid next. When I saw the amount, I suspected she raised it that much just to upset you. I figured you must have wanted to go on the charter or you wouldn’t have bid on it, so I bid on it too.”
“Oh, Amy. Thank you. Thank you because we get to go on it after all, and thank you for beating Robin at her little game.”
“My pleasure. I’m sorry I wasn’t there to check out the silent auction with you in the first place.”
Sarah gave a shrug. “It’s okay. You were chatting with your coworkers, and then I kind of forgot about viewing the rest of the items up for bid after encountering Robin and Angelique.”
“Angelique,” Amy repeated with a shudder. “I learned more about her during that dance last night than I wanted to, that’s for sure. Do you know that she told me she had just had a ‘vajacial’?”
Sarah frowned in confusion, looking as perplexed as Amy had felt when Angelique mentioned it. “Is that what I think it might be?” Sarah asked.
“If you’re thinking vaginal facial, or in Angelique’s case, a facial for her ‘va-jay-jay,’ then yes. Apparently, it involved a scrub and a mask after her Brazilian.”
“Ouch,” Sarah said with a grimace.
“That’s what I thought, too. But according to Angelique, it was a pleasant spa day for her ‘lady parts.’”
Sarah raised her eyebrows.
“Yeah,” Amy said. “It was a lot for me to take in, too. Especially since the only ‘lady parts’ I’m interested in are yours.”
Sarah laughed. “Likewise. But can we stop calling them ‘lady parts’ now?”
“Yes, please,” Amy said, laughing also.
Sarah’s expression became serious again.
“What is it?” Amy asked.
Sarah took a breath. “I want to ask you something else. You and I started out with a fling. You made an exception about flings for me, so why not make an exception for any of those other women?”
“Because things are different now,” Amy answered, gazing at her.
“How?”
“Because I love you,” Amy said. “I don’t want anyone else.”
Sarah looked at her with such happy tenderness that Amy thought her heart would melt. “I love you, too,” Sarah said.
Amy pulled her close again, kissing her and then hugging her tightly. She felt she could stay this way forever. But she also wanted to take Sarah to meet her family. “So, would you like to come to brunch today?”
“I thought you’d never ask,” Sarah said, smiling.
“Yeah, I’m sorry about that. And I can see that it’s made you doubt me. It’s not that I haven’t wanted to take you to brunch, it’s just that my family can be difficult.”
“I know you’ve mentioned that, but I think I’ll be okay. I need to change into something nicer, though.” Sarah looked down at her outfit of dirty gardening clothes. “A shower would be a good idea, too. Do I have time?’
“Sure, there’s plenty of time,” Amy said.
“Plenty of time? Does that mean you can join me in my bedroom after my show
er?”
“It does.” Amy grinned.
Chapter Seventeen
“Here we are,” Amy said to Sarah as she pulled in to the driveway of her parents’ home and parked. “Ready for brunch?”
“Yes, but are you sure we aren’t late?” Sarah asked.
Amy reached for Sarah’s hand, brought it to her lips, and planted a reassuring kiss on it. “No, we aren’t late. This is about the usual time I get here.” In Sarah’s bedroom, time had started to slip away from them, but what they had been doing had been too enjoyable to cut short. Just the memory of Sarah’s heat against hers was enough to make Amy’s center give a throb, the sensation making her inhale a short breath.
Sarah cast a knowing glance at her, smiling and raising an eyebrow.
Amy chuckled and gave her a quick kiss. “Really, we aren’t late. Now come on, I want to introduce you to my family.” They got out and walked up to the front door.
Unlocking the door with her key, Amy let them in. “Everyone will be in the living room. It’s this way.” She led Sarah into the living room, putting her arm around her waist as they stepped into the room. But no one was there. Amy had thought it had seemed too quiet. Where was everyone? Her sister, at least, and probably her husband Fred, were around here somewhere, because their SUV was in the driveway. Amy turned to Sarah. “On second thought, maybe they’re starting outside on the patio today. They sometimes do.” Amy shook her head; brunch was already off to an awkward start—just what she had been hoping to avoid.
“The weather is certainly lovely enough for that today,” Sarah said.
Good, Sarah seemed unbothered at having to search for everyone. “Yes, the weather is lovely,” Amy said as she led Sarah toward the back of the house to the patio. At hearing the muted sounds of conversation through the glass patio doors, she breathed a sigh of relief. But the clearer the sounds became, the less they sounded like casual conversation and more like a serious discussion. She stopped, with Sarah stopping alongside her. They looked through the glass to see what was going on.
Aurora, their parents, and Fred were all gathered and talking animatedly as they sat around the patio table. There were frowns, smiles, and a lot of gesticulating.
“I can’t tell whether whatever is going on out there is good or bad, can you?” Amy asked.
“No, but whatever it is, it looks serious.” As they continued to watch, Sarah asked, “You don’t think it’s anything to do with us, do you?”
Amy turned to her. “What do you mean?”
“You know, your bringing a girlfriend over. I know you said your family is gay-friendly, but I also know that people who say they are gay-friendly sometimes change their minds when faced with an actual gay couple.”
“No, my family doesn’t have a problem there, so don’t worry about that. They got over anything like that a long time ago. I don’t know what they’re discussing so intently today, but I know it’s not that.” Amy reached over and squeezed her hand reassuringly.
“Okay, good. I was just checking.” Sarah squeezed back.
“What my family talks about most is the auto business, so it’s probably something to do with that. I just hope it’s not another disagreement about my job. I thought they were moving past that now, but maybe I was wrong.” She paused. “Would you like to leave?”
“Leave?” Sarah turned to her. “Amy, it doesn’t look that bad out there. And we don’t even know what they’re discussing. Maybe they’re discussing sports or politics.”
Amy took a breath. “You’re right. Maybe I’m overreacting.” Brunches had been more civil ever since the conciliatory phone calls with her family after the pier rescue. The articles and interviews that she had done with the media had helped her family understand her motivations and point of view. They were now more accepting of her job change and the fact that she was going to sell her dealership. That’s why she thought it would be okay for Sarah to come to family brunch now.
“There’s one way to find out,” Sarah said. She gestured at the door handle.
Amy reached for the handle. “I’m game, if you are.”
Sarah nodded, and Amy slid the open door.
Her family looked up at the sound.
“Hi, everyone,” Amy said, putting a smile on her face and stepping outside with Sarah. “What’s going on back here?”
“Hello!” Her family members smiled and stood. The greeting seemed upbeat enough and Amy relaxed somewhat, but she looked to her dad for an answer to her question because she wanted to know what she and Sarah were getting into.
He answered, “Oh, just ironing out the details of an idea Aurora has. Now, how about introducing us to this lovely young lady.” He smiled kindly at Sarah.
Amy didn’t like being brushed off, but lately everyone had been making more of an effort not to get so caught up only in dealership talk at brunch and she appreciated it. As long as her father and the rest of her family were being polite to Sarah, she would let the brush-off pass. “Everyone,” Amy said, “I’d like to introduce you to Sarah Wagner, my girlfriend.” She then introduced Sarah to each of her family members.
“We’re happy to meet you, Sarah,” her mother said. “We’re having Bellinis today. Would you like one? Or I can pour you the peach juice without the Prosecco, like Amy prefers, or we also have water.”
Sarah smiled. “Yes, I’ll have a Bellini, please.”
“I can get the drinks, Mom,” Amy walked over to the drink cart to prepare the drinks and her family retook their seats, with Aurora offering Sarah a seat next to her and Fred.
Amy listened to the conversation while she fixed the drinks. Aurora complimented Sarah’s dress and the two of them were soon talking about new clothing colors for the upcoming fall season. If Aurora and their parents had been discussing business details, they must have resolved them, because Aurora and everyone else seemed fine now. Amy returned, handing Sarah the drink and taking a seat next to her with her own drink.
“Thank you,” Sarah said. She took a sip. “This is good.”
Amy’s family nodded as they sipped their own drinks. Conversation resumed, with Sarah remarking on the loveliness of her parents’ Craftsman-style furnishings and her parents telling the stories behind some of them.
When Emilia came out to announce that brunch was ready, everyone stood up, preparing to make their way back inside the house. Amy was a little disappointed for the conversation to end. If she’d known her family would be this pleasant, she would have brought Sarah here sooner. Drinks in hand, everyone began walking toward the door. Everyone except Aurora, who was hanging back and beckoning to their father.
“Dad,” Aurora said, “one more thing…”
Ugh, Amy all but groaned. Just when things were going so smoothly and they were all about to sit down at the table together. She knew this pleasant brunch was too good to be true. If her sister and dad were going to pick up where they left off with their conversation, she hoped it wasn’t going to result in an argument. She took a breath. As Sarah had pointed out earlier, maybe it would be okay. She walked into the house with the others, while Aurora and their father stayed outside. As her mother and Fred headed to the dining room, Amy took a moment to introduce Sarah to Emilia. Afterward, she led Sarah into the dining room
Only her mother and Fred were seated at the table, so apparently Aurora and her father were still talking. She wished they would finish soon or their delay would become rude. She pulled out a chair to seat Sarah and then took her own seat next to her. A moment later, her father and Aurora walked in and seated themselves as well. They seemed calm, so the topic of their conversation must not have been a problem. Amy wasn’t going to ask about it again, though, and get another brush-off.
Before she had time to dwell on the situation any further, Emilia reappeared and served the meal. Brunch was bacon and cheese quiche today, the slices accompanied by a little tangle of baby greens in vinaigrette. Amy loved the flaky, buttery crusts on the quiches that Emilia prepared, and
her mouth started watering. As always at brunch, the food would be good. She turned and smiled at Sarah, who smiled back at her.
Her father cleared his throat. “Before we eat, there is something we want to say.”
Amy looked at him. This statement wasn’t his usual way of beginning a toast at brunch and she felt her stomach sink, worried that this brunch was about to turn into something like the ones before the pier rescue. If it did devolve into an argument, she wouldn’t let her family drag Sarah into it; she and Sarah would leave.
“Or, I should say,” her father continued with a chuckle as he corrected himself, “Aurora is the one with something to say.” He looked to Aurora, smiling.
Chuckling and smiling? Amy blinked and then looked across the table at Aurora.
“Amy,” Aurora said, “I’d like to buy your dealership.”
“God,” Amy blurted, “is this what everyone’s been discussing on the patio? I thought something was the matter!” She leaned back in her chair in relief. “We both did when we got here and saw you out there talking like that,” she said with a glance at Sarah, reaching for her hand and giving it a squeeze.
“Oh, no, not at all!” Aurora exclaimed. “I just wanted to save the good news for the toast!”
“And we wanted to spend time today meeting Sarah,” her mother said, sending a friendly smile to Sarah before turning back to Amy. “It isn’t every day you bring a girlfriend to brunch, you know.”
“I should hope not,” Sarah interjected, and everyone laughed.
“Yes, the business discussion could wait today,” her father said. “Because we enjoyed meeting Sarah and because I figured you could worry about selling your dealership just a little bit longer. After all, I have been.” He winked at her.
Amy shook her head but smiled.
“So what do you think?” Aurora asked.
Amy turned to Aurora. “I’d love it if you were the one to buy my dealership. I’d much rather do business with you than with some of the people I’ve been talking to. But are you sure about it?” Amy needed her to be sure, because she was running out of time to sell and needed to know that Aurora wouldn’t change her mind and the deal fall through.
