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“He did,” Alina said in a singsong voice. “He said he missed me.”
Taylor folded her feet underneath her body as her face softened toward her friend. A genuine smile reaching her eyes appeared on her face when she said, “You two are back together. I am so happy for you.” She was about to rant about her friend making their trip successful, but Alina’s silence was disturbing. Alina averted her eyes while biting her lip. “You guys are together, right?”
“Well,” Alina drew out. “We didn’t actually clarify that.”
“Alina,” Taylor exclaimed, causing her friend to toss the pillow, push herself from the bed and pace the room.
“We had sex, Taylor.” Alina held a rigid posture. “That’s progress, right?”
Taylor shook her head. Unable to stay still any longer, she moved closer to her friend. “I also have sex. I can assure you, sex is not progress.” She walked away from her friend and retrieved a bottle of water from the fridge. “You were supposed to have sex after you talked things out with him.” She sighed. “He was probably just longing for a release.”
Alina shook her head and backed away from Taylor. “You don’t know Dereck. He is not like that.”
“Don’t be naïve, Alina,” Taylor blurted, a little more harshly than she intended. “All men are like that. You wouldn’t believe the number of times my exes have come knocking on my door.”
Alina stared at her friend, her eyes wide and wild, her brain obviously calculating. Then her friend dropped her shoulders and moved back to the bed. “Luckily for you, I have bought you a second chance.”
“What are you talking about, Taylor?” Alina allowed her body to drop on the bed.
Taylor leaned closer. “Dereck’s mother invited us to another event.”
When Alina didn’t respond, Taylor continued. “We’re headed to a wine bar this afternoon. It’s part of their anniversary celebration.”
“Are you sure the invitation wasn’t only for you?” Alina threw herself backward on the bed and sighed heavily.
“She said the both of us,” Taylor said.
Alina was still pouting when she said, “She only said that out of hospitality. Dereck’s mother doesn’t want me there and we both know it.”
“So you’re not coming then?” Taylor asked.
Alina shot up from the bed. “What do I wear?”
Though Alina was disappointed when Dereck didn’t come to retrieve the women himself, she tried her best to conceal it from her friend. Taylor still noticed the way Alina’s face fell when the hired vehicle arrived instead.
The road to the wine bar was isolated and lined with fields of grapes and wheat the women did not recognize. Still, they couldn’t help but be awestruck with amazement at the massive size of the fields until they swung onto a dirt road leading to a large building with an extensive patio.
Dereck arrived just after the woman and his mother went to him the moment he entered the room. “Darling,” she said, her eyes bright. “I have a surprise for you.”
“What is it, mother?” Dereck kept his voice indifferent and his eyes on Alina, who stood close by, tempting him with her simple yet seductive dress. It was a peach, backless dress that hugged her waist and showed off her legs. The sight of it was enough to make his manhood throb. So the last person he wanted to speak to at the moment was his mother.
“What is it?” He asked in annoyance.
“You will see when it gets here,” she clapped her hands together.
“Then why bother telling me now,” he mumbled, but when his mother asked him to repeat, he simply said, “Nothing.”
His mother’s mouth slackened in disbelief but before she had a chance to comment, Taylor and Alina approached them.
“Good afternoon, Mrs. Johnson,” the women said in unison. Then Alina addressed Dereck, while Taylor nodded her head in acknowledgment.
“I’m glad you made it,” the elder woman said, although it was unclear to which woman she spoke to, if not both. “Taylor,” she went on to say while linking her arms to Taylor’s elbow. “I have something to show you,” she said as she urged Taylor away, the younger woman looking back at her friend with a pouted lip. Taylor thought Alina would be sad to be excluded again when, in fact, she couldn’t be more thrilled to be left alone with Dereck.
“Do you want to take a walk?” Dereck asked Alina, which she answered without hesitation. They strolled along a stoned road, which led to a smaller building. Dereck opened the wide door and ushered her in. Inside were endless rows of barrels, each with a different label.
“The bar not only specializes in wine but they make their own wine also,” Dereck said as he began walking down the aisle.
Alina looked around with wondering eyes. “Maybe we shouldn’t be in here.”
