Beneath the Surface(5)

They danced in silence until the end of the song. Then their bodies fell apart awkwardly, but Kristin thought it a bit much to ask for the next dance as well.

“How about that drink?” Sheryl asked.

“Oh yes.” Kristin needed it.

“I’ll be right back.” Sheryl headed to the bar.

Kristin watched her until she was out of her line of sight, then looked at the writhing bodies on the dance floor. It was another slow one, but Kristin didn’t know the song. The sight of all these women dancing together emboldened her. Sure, she wanted to dance more with Sheryl, but she would also like to have a conversation with her in a more quiet setting.

“None of Sterling Wines’ delicious offerings for you?” Kristin looked at the glass of water in Sheryl’s hand.

“I’m not much of a drinker.” Sheryl shot her a wide smile.

“Oh.” Kristin mirrored Sheryl’s smile. “And I was just going to ask you to go for a drink with me one of these days.”

“How about coffee tomorrow afternoon instead?” Sheryl countered, not missing a beat.

“That sounds like the perfect compromise.” Kristin stood there beaming, feeling a little foolish but also very pleased with herself for coming to this party. Who would have thought that her job as junior marketing manager at a wine distribution company would have led to a date with a gorgeous lesbian?





Chapter Three





The biggest advantage of not drinking was the absence of hangovers. Having abstained for most of her adult life, Sheryl had never actually been on the receiving end of a vicious hangover. She had seen them in action often enough, however, when the time came to clean up after a party. Her fellow organizers complained their way through their—often poor—performance of their various tasks. Which was why Sheryl thought it important to be present when the LAUS members removed all evidence of the previous night’s party.

Today, she had an even bigger spring in her step than most, because she had a date that very afternoon. A date with Kristin Park, the wine woman, as some of her friends referred to her.

“Good job, sister,” Caitlin said. “You worked your butt off once again.”

“It’s not work when it’s fun.”

“Speaking of fun… I saw you having quite a bit of that with a slender Asian lady last night. Do spill,” Caitlin said as they stood leaning against the now-empty bar.

“Yes, Sher, spill.” Betty, who had been sweeping the floor, joined them.

“There’s nothing to spill just yet, ladies. I am, however, having coffee with her in about three hours.”

“Three hours?” Caitlin said. “Then what are you still doing here? Go home, rest up, make sure you look your best for the wine woman.”

“What’s wrong with how I look now?”

Betty came to stand in front of her, leaning on her broom. “Let’s just say the whole of you could do with some ironing, not just your clothes.”

“Thank you very much for injecting me with an extra dose of confidence.”

“Confidence is not the issue here,” Caitlin butted in. “You already have plenty of that.” Two years ago, Sheryl and Caitlin had briefly dated—an affair that had ended in friendship rather than anything long-term.

“Just go, Sheryl. You’ve more than done your part. We’ll make sure everything is spic-and-span before we return the key tomorrow,” Betty said. “Trust your sisters.” She shot Sheryl a goofy wink. “Go, go, go. And we’ll be wanting all the juicy details at the meeting on Tuesday.”



They had agreed to meet at a coffee shop not far from the university, just because Sheryl knew the opening hours by heart—and perhaps also because it was halfway between her apartment and her work place. But despite living nearer their rendezvous place, Sheryl was last to arrive. How did that happen? She had been constantly checking her watch to make sure to leave on time.

Kristin seemed totally absorbed by the book she was reading and didn’t look up when Sheryl entered the establishment. This gave Sheryl a chance to have a good look at Kristin before they actually started the date. Her appearance was pretty immaculate for someone who had knocked back the wine so easily and into the small hours last night. Her short hair looked like it was styled by a professional. She sat straight-backed, her attention to what she was reading unwavering. Sheryl made a mental note to find out which book it was and add it to her never-ending to-read pile.

“That seems mighty interesting,” Sheryl said.

Kristin looked up, a smile appearing on her face instantly. “Hey.” Her voice was soft, and when she looked up like that, Sheryl could make out some signs of fatigue around her eyes. The telltale frown of the forehead. Sheryl might not have had any hangovers in her life herself, but she’d had ample opportunity to study the effects of them up close. Kristin rose and promptly grabbed Sheryl by the shoulders before pressing a quick kiss to her cheek.