Page 26 of Bottles & Blades
“She’s the woman who’s in charge of all things wine at Oak Ridge. I just get to cut checks, drink wine, and learn little tidbits like this bottle is one that pairs well with meats and rich cheeses.”
Tiff relaxes against the armrest and takes another sip. “Like the food you brought for me.”
I lift a shoulder, drop it in a haphazard shrug. “Yes, but it was also something I could put together without burning it or fucking up the spice ratio.”
“You’re not much of a cook?”
“No, I’m not.”
“Well, now,” she teases, “I guess you can’t have everything.”
I don’t want everything.
There was a time I did, a time I thought it might be the only way to survive, to exist, to thrive.
Now…I know better.
But I don’t want to think about that, don’t want to think abouther.
Don’t want to taint the sweetness of this woman’s space.
Not with Angela.
Not with my many mistakes.
Not with?—
“Jean-Michel?”
I blink at the soft fingers brushing mine, the worry creeping into brown eyes.
“Are you okay?” she murmurs.
I’m okay…and I’m not. Marie would say I haven’t been okay for months, and my daughter, Chrissy, would agree with that sentiment—that I’m functioning, making it through the days, but I’m not okay.
What they both don’t know—can’tknow—is that it’s been years since I’ve been okay.
Decades maybe.
“I’m fine,” I say, forcing my smile back into place as I jerk my chin toward the table. “Tell me about the notecards.”
For a moment, she looks as though she’s going to argue.
But then she passes me the glass of wine again and her gaze shifts to the table. “It’s for school.”
“What are you studying?”
“I want to be a translator.” The words are quiet, as though that’s an outrageous thing to say.
Instead, I’m even more intrigued. “How many languages do you speak?”
Pink spreading out over her cheeks, but she answers me, “Three.” A shrug. “Four if you count sign language.”
“What are the other three?”
“English”—her mouth quirks—“Italian, and Spanish.”
My brows lift. “And working on German, French, and…” I glance at the cards again. “Japanese?”
