Like a Fine Wine by Rustyoznail,Rustyoznail

Thanks for having a look at my entry for the On The Job Challenge 2023.

A bit of context. I started this early 2021 when the state of Victoria, Australia had two sets of COVID rules. It severely restricted Melbourne residents in their travel, but regional Victorians had greater flexibility. Many Melburnians fled to regional areas, particularly if they could work from a home or a regional office. The State borders were closed to nearly everyone not having an essential reason for travel. I set this story just after those restrictions had ended and interstate travel became less restricted. It’s based in what was Miriam’s office and project during those lockdowns.

I’m glad those days are over.

===

“Well Dan, how do you like it?”

“Wow. Just… Wow. Who’d have thought a pile of old shipping containers would look so good? I can’t believe how much better it looks in real life compared to your sketches.”

Miriam smiled at her client and shrugged. “Well, you gave me a pretty open brief. Ground floor, wine tasting and sales, second-floor – cafe and observation deck, top floor – office and small living quarters. Minimal environmental footprint. Check, check, check and check.”

Dan stood with his hands on his hips and looked at the new base for his winery. He had worked for years at his family’s winery in the Hunter Valley, but always wanted to own and operate his own business. The opportunity to buy a small, but moderately successful wholesale vineyard in Northern Victoria had come up, and he grabbed the opportunity to convert it from selling grapes to producing his own Shiraz. After re-establishing the dilapidated processing equipment and getting it satisfactorily producing hopefully great wine, he had contracted Miriam’s small architectural business to design and build the new visitors centre. It had taken him five years to get to this point, but one thing he had learnt from his Italian heritage – fine things take time.

“You were sneaky. Just sending me carefully framed photos that showed progress, but not the entire structure. It’s amazing.”

“Well, I knew you probably couldn’t risk visiting from New South and being locked down here so I took a chance. It’s not often I manage to really surprise my clients. Coming inside?”

“Yep, definitely.” He followed Miriam down a curving path from the car park to the sales area. Everywhere he looked, there was an amazing attention to detail. He ran a hand over a column made of pressed red brick.

“From the ruins of the old house?” he inquired.

“Yes. The old chimneys, actually. They were blackened from the fire, but I thought they’d be a nice touch with a bit of a clean. Keep some of the heritage around.”

“I like it.” Dan nodded. “And this space is really spectacular. My customers’ are going to be so impressed.”

“Not being modest, but I know they will. I think after such a long COVID lockdown people are looking for a bit of relaxation, a bit of personalised attention. Your idea of booking a curated tasting session is a good one.” Miriam unlocked the full height glass doors and folded them to one side. “Magnificent view over the vineyard and the valley, high tables so your staff don’t have to bend, but a couple of normal ones so people who can’t get on a stool are catered for.”

Dan crossed his arms and followed Miriam around as she thoroughly described the tasting area. It was hard to believe that this room had, until recently, been used to move goods around the world. It fitted in with his philosophy of minimising his business’ environmental impact. Even the expensive looking full-length glass panel doors had been scrounged from a shop in Ballarat that had been recently renovated. He shook his head slightly. Miriam had constantly amazed him with her ability to find and utilise the most obscure items.

“So, next floor?” Miriam asked, enjoying watching Dan’s reaction every time he spotted an additional item. He was examining everything in minute detail, but she wanted to get him to the top floor before the sun set.

“Hmm? Sure, no worries.” He followed her out and around a path to a covered ramp. Walking up, he arrived at an open area created by offsetting the containers over the ones underneath.

“Open air dining. A different view to below. It will have shade sails, but they’re still a couple of weeks away. That’s the chimney of your wood-fired pizza oven. That’s the lift in that vertical container. Been really handy. Now, your cafe.” She unlocked a switch, and the doors slid open.

Dan stepped in and went “Wow. Exactly what I wanted.” He looked closely at a picture on the wall. “These photos. Where did you find them? They look like this property, but I’ve never seen them before.”

Miriam chuckled at his surprise. “Well, first off I have to thank you for letting me set up shop here. Most of my work at the moment is in regional Vic, so being stuck within a five-kilometre lockdown radius of my Melbourne office was giving me some sleepless nights. And well, I spent a bit of my spare time at the local historical society up here. I dug through their old newspaper and photo archives to see what I could find. Quite a lot actually. I have a scrapbook I was going to give you later.”

“Cool. I’m looking forward to flicking through it.” Dan wandered into the small commercial kitchen and rubbed his hands with glee. “Nice. Really nice. I’m going to have some fun here.”

“You’re going to cook for customers too? You’re going to be busy then.” Miriam said, walking in behind him.

“My Nonna made sure all of us kids knew how to cook. Particularly traditional meals with wine. I enjoy it. It’s a nice distraction from running a business.” Dan replied, poking his head out of the small storeroom. “I’m not going to cook for customers, just friends and family. I think I have a great chef lined up. I just need to convince her that this is the best new cafe around.”

“Fair enough. Hope it comes off. Care to follow me upstairs?” Miriam had wanted to show Dan the cafe’s balcony, but her client had spent so long pottering around his new kitchen she decided to go straight to the top floor.

“No worries. Looking forward to seeing how you’ve spent time in my office.” He followed her to a spiral staircase at the back of the kitchen area.

“This really is only for you to use or in emergencies. Everyone else would use the lift.”

“Fair enough. Is it gated at the top? I’d hate for the kids to be running up and down through the kitchen.”

Miriam paused with her foot on the bottom step and turned to look at Dan. “No gate, but there’s a lockable door at the top. I didn’t think you had kids though. Aren’t you and Alessandra just engaged?”

Dan gave her an enigmatic smile and shrugged his shoulders. “Yep, we’re engaged and no kids. That would not go down well with the more religious side of the family. I was thinking of the nieces and nephews.”

“Oh good. No worries about them then. It’s kid safe.” Miriam jogged up the stairs, the hem of her short dress flicking up as she moved.

Dan waited politely until she had moved up a bit and out of the way, but in reality, her long, lithe legs captivated him. Miriam was very good looking, but she was just as comfortable wearing safety boots and a fluro vest as she was today – block heeled sandals and a sleeveless cream dress that finished above the knee. The few times Dan had met her in the flesh, she always had a smile on her cute face which hid a steely inner toughness. She was equally adept at making sure that her contractors knew she took no shit and at charming potential clients.

As Miriam moved up, Dan glanced up and caught a flash of her bare bum. Just a nanosecond of smooth tanned skin, but enough to get his imagination racing. He sniffed and blinked; the image burnt into his mind. His subconscious wondered if she was going commando or wearing a thong. He told it to shut up. Miriam was gorgeous but married.

“This. Is. Bloody marvellous.” Dan exclaimed as he stepped onto the landing. The top floor was split into two areas – private living quarters and an office area. The office area was set up with a couple of desks, and a small conference table. It looked professionally informal.

“The lounge area and the kitchenette is shared between the two sides, but you have your own bathroom. You really don’t want clients checking out what shampoo you use. Your clients will come up in the hydraulic lift and see the view over the vineyard. You can either have the doors folded back so you can have the breeze come through, or you could even sit outside.” Miriam pushed the doors open and stepped outside. The sun was just setting behind the hills, infusing the vineyard with a mystical glow.

“How long did it take you to pick this spot?” asked Dan. “It’s beautiful.”

“Actually, not that long. I came here at sunset one day after our first meeting and the view blew me away. Between working between the vines and a spot for the car park, it really was the only place.” Miriam shrugged. “I just worked the design to suit.”

Dan walked out over the deck and leaned on the balustrade. “To be honest, I had this spot in mind myself. When I saw your first site sketch, I just knew you and I were on the same page. Nobody else I talked to seemed to understand my ideas. I decided to hire you and just let you go. You’ve nailed it. Absolutely everything is great.”

“I’ve loved working here. Even when this was just an empty shell, waking up and looking over the mist-filled valley was magical. To be honest, I’m not looking forward to going back to my house.” Miriam gave a short, hard laugh which raised Dan’s eyebrows. “So, it’s now yours. I’ve packed all my stuff in my car, and I’ll be out of your hair. Thanks for the project. It’s been fun.”

He took a deep, happy breath and exhaled slowly. “And thank you for your expertise. Drop me your final invoice and I’ll get it paid as soon as.” He pushed himself upright and clapped his hands together. “Well, that’s enough of the formal stuff. Would you like to stay for dinner? Nothing fancy, just a pasta all’amatriciana.”

“That sounds nice. I was going to have pasta back at the motel, but a microwaved pre-cooked meal.”

“Ugh. No. Just no. You are not eating that crap. Right, that’s settled then. Let’s move downstairs. I want to play in my kitchen.”

“No worries. Shall we take the lift?”

“Yes, please.” he chuckled. “I’ve never had a building with a lift. That’s pretty cool.”

Miriam pressed the call button and Dan heard a faint hum of the hydraulic pump turn on. “It’s not the quickest thing, but it’s very energy efficient…” she said as the chime eventually announced the lift’s arrival.

“Ahh, all good. Tell you what, you jump out at the cafe and I’ll head down to the car. I’ve got a couple of eskies with everything I need. I’ll meet you back here.” he said as Miriam opened the door to the cafe.

“No worries. Want me to do anything?”

“Yeah, nah. It’s fine. Grab a seat and make yourself comfortable. It’s time to relax.”

Dan waved and closed the lift door. The image of Miriam’s tanned bum cheek floated back up. He smiled to himself and slowly exhaled. He was sure she had that effect on all her clients. Good looks, great personality, and great style. She was very similar to Alessandra in a lot of respects.

“Well, we’d better have a chat with the family when you get back, Dan old son,” he said to no one. “Can’t keep stalling the inevitable.”

He lifted the eskies with the ingredients out of the car and headed back. ‘Huh, didn’t check out the bedroom. Ah well, bet it’s pretty good too. Plenty of time.’

He stepped out of the lift and looked around for Miriam. She was sitting on a barstool at the far end, looking over the valley. Her perfectly shaped backside and body reminded him of a sweet, succulent pear, just waiting to be enjoyed.

‘Dan, settle.’ he thought as he dropped the box with a loud thump. Miriam turned around and smiled – a brilliant, resolve melting smile.

“Okay,” he hurriedly said, “Can you please grab two red wine glasses? I have a special wine for this occasion.”

“Sure. One of yours?” Miriam picked up two glasses and placed them on the counter beside Dan. She flicked a glance at her client. Tall, short curly black hair, brown eyes, a rather large hooked nose that fitted his oval face. He wasn’t a serious person and gave his trust freely. He also paid his bills on time with little or no arguments, which made him the perfect client.

“Yep. The first bottling from just after I bought it five years ago. There’s a small patch of Shiraz grapes that’s about eighty years old. The old guy I bought this block off said they were special. Let’s see if he was right.”

He pulled a waiter’s friend out of his pocket and carefully pulled the cork from the bottle. The spicy aroma of the wine wafted out and caressed their noses. “Well, that’s encouraging. I was worried it would smell like old socks.” chuckled Dan as he poured a small amount into each glass. He swirled the wine in the glass and looked critically at it. “Nice deep mauve, touch of purple. Interesting. Our other vineyard is more crimson.”

Miriam watched him, fascinated by the inspection. She liked wine, but the intensity of the inspection Dan was giving his work was something that she’d never seen before. She could understand it though as she gave her work the same critical eye. Swirling the glass, she took a small sip.

“Oh wow. Dan, this is beautiful. I… I don’t know how to describe it. It’s… just wow.” she said in admiration.

Dan beamed and took a small sip himself. “Hmm, not too bad. Could do with a bit more ageing, maybe just a bit more breathing for the moment. Probably should have used some aged, not new French oak barrels. Pretty substantial and peppery. Good first effort. It’ll go well with dinner. Like some more?”

“Ooh yes, please.” Miriam held out her glass, which Dan half filled.

“Congratulations. You are the first person to taste the wine from the Colline Meridionali winery. Salute!” Dan said, smiling and clinking their glasses together.

“Cin cin, and thanks,” Miriam replied, taking a deep sip.

Dan had a drink, then clapped his hands together and said, “That is breathing nicely. Right. Dinner.” He started bustling around the kitchen, pulling out pans and various implements.

Miriam picked up her barstool and sat by the serving counter to watch him cook. She thought he looked really happy, humming away to himself as he pulled the ingredients out of the cooler.

“Did you bring everything down with you?” she asked curiously. She took a more substantial drink from her glass. The nose and the touch of the Shiraz on her palate was definitely improving with exposure to the air. It was an excellent wine.

“Hmm? Nah, yeah, pretty much everything. The guanciale came from a local guy who cures his own pork, mum made the pasta, the veggies came out of our garden, and the wine. Well, that’s obvious…”

“Well, it’s smelling pretty good already. So, does Alessandra like to cook?”

Dan paused slightly while dicing the onion, then resumed. “No, Aly’s not a cook. She can, like, you know… She’s also Italian, but she prefers someone else doing the work.” He dropped the ingredients in the frying pan and started stirring.

Miriam wasn’t sure why he hesitated. She was adept at reading people’s body language and it seemed like Dan was holding something back. She gave an internal shrug and poured herself another glass. If they were having issues, then it wasn’t any of her business.

Dan tasted the sauce, added a pinch of salt and turned down the heat. “Leave that for ten minutes, then cook the spaghetti. Where would you like to sit?” he asked, stepping around the counter.

“Overlooking the property I think. Shit!”

Dan grabbed her elbow as she stumbled off the stool. “Well, I’m glad you like my wine but I think you’d better think about staying here the night. You’ve knocked off the best part of the bottle.”

Miriam straightened her skirt and looked at the Shiraz, surprised. Thinking about it, she had drunk three good size glasses. “Ummm. I didn’t realise. That went down really well. Guess I’d better ease off.”

Dan escorted her to a table overlooking his property. “I think you’re past that. I’ve got an air mattress and sleeping bag in the car which I can use.”

“Oh, I didn’t show you the bedroom, did I?” Miriam said, plonking herself down in the chair. “King-sized bed, nice view, masculine. Bloody hell, that wine’s done a number on me. Look, it’s fine. I can stop now and drive myself to the motel. I’ve got a meeting in Bendigo tomorrow morning so I’ll need to get going early.”

Dan laughed as he headed back to the kitchen. “No, you’re staying. I don’t want to lose my liquor licence because I irresponsibly served alcohol before I even opened the doors.”

“Fair enough. Thanks. I really want to see how it goes with your pasta. Water wouldn’t really cut it.”

“Nope. That’s sacrilege. Two minutes to dinner.” Dan replied, coming back to put another bottle on the table. “Don’t drink it all before I get back.”

Miriam laughed, “No, I’ll take it easy. But you made a wonderful wine.”

“Thanks. That means a lot.” He quickly served up and carried the plates back to the table. “Buon appetito!”

They started eating, with some conversation about the new building and any tweaking that needed to be done.

“You’ve given it a sophisticated, airy feel, but how you did it with, what? Nearly 80% recycled materials? That’s amazing.” Dan said, pouring another glass.

“Nah, that’s what I do. Always looking for an alternative use for things. Now this…” Miriam said, pointing at her pasta, “is amazing. I’ve had something similar, but it wasn’t the same.”

Dan laughed, “Yeah, it’s probably the guanciale. Not that common. Pancetta yes, pig’s cheek? Nooo… Nonna was very excited when she heard a guy outside of Scone was doing his own Italian small goods. She badgered him into making it, and it’s now a big seller for him.”

“Your Nonna seems to be a tough lady.”

“True. What Nonna wants, she usually gets.” Dan’s voice trailed off, and he looked out the window.

“Alessandra?” asked Miriam.

“Hmm? Yeah. How’d you know?”

“Just an educated guess,” she replied, shrugging her shoulders.

Dan cocked his head to one side and looked hard at Miriam. He put his fork down, took a sip of wine and a deep breath. “We’re not really engaged. It’s just a front for our grandparents.”

“Oh. Well, I didn’t expect that. So, why?”

Dan scratched his head and looked at the roof. “Well, our families are close. Have been for umpteen years. Our grandmothers got it into their heads that we would be the perfect match. So long story short, they announced our engagement just after Aly’s eighteenth birthday, when we really didn’t want to be anything but friends. But, for the sake of the families, we went along with it. We even announced we would be celibate and live away from each other until the wedding. Not really true, but Nonna was happy.”

‘I didn’t think arranged marriages were a thing here. Geez. So you don’t really like her or what?”

“Aly’s wonderful, but she wants a city life. Lights, shops, restaurants, the buzz of a city. This,” he said, pointing out the window, “bores her. She likes the wine, but not the country. So we attend family do’s and make like a couple. Her Nonna passed last year, and mine is slipping away, so we can drop the facade soon. Hopefully.”

“And the rest of the family?” asked Miriam.

“Oh, they knew what the grannies had cooked up. We all had a real blue when we were told about the arrangement, but we settled on this deal. I don’t want to be callous, but it’s gone on way longer than we thought it would. I’ll be glad when it’s over.”

Dan had a long drink and looked morosely at his plate. “Nearly eight years. Met a few women that I got along with, but that was it. A few one nighters but nothing serious. Ah well, shit happens. We get on ok, have the occasional ‘friends with benefits’ thing happening. Could be worse.”

“Yeah, it could be, I guess. You get married to someone, then a few years later you find out they’re not really who you thought. Surprise!” It was Miriam’s turn to look despondent.

“You? Really? I thought you and Dale were good.”

Miriam waved her glass at Dan. “As you said, appearances. We were getting on well when he was on site managing the mine in Sierra Leone. A couple of months over there, a couple of weeks here, then he was off again. I had my work so we never really spent much time together. Then he was stuck home with me. He was, is… unpleasant.”

“Oh. Geez, sorry to hear that.”

“Thanks, but it’s fine. It’s another reason I was happy to bail out of Melbourne and live in a shipping container. He was carrying on like COVID was my fault, and I was the one who had banned him from going back. Fuckwit. I had my own shit to deal with. I didn’t need to deal with his work issues as well.”

“So are you going back, now things have opened?” Dan asked.

“The office? No real choice, so yeah. Dale? Not sure. Ah, look. It’s been brewing for a while. We’ve had a few fairly long, ummm, conversations about his career but he wants to work overseas. He likes the cash. FIFO work is fine by me, but I just wanted him to do his flying in Australia. Now, having him around all the time like a bear with a sore head?” Miriam gave a harsh chuckle and drained her glass. “Oh, and I found out he’s got a site friend. That hurt.”

“Shit. What a prick. Well, if you want, you can set up back here in the short term. I’m only around for a couple more days and I’ll mostly be in the shed. No skin off my nose if you want to use the office. Security wise, it wouldn’t hurt having someone around.”

“Thanks for the offer, but I’ll be fine now things have opened up. He was talking about us moving to Perth so he could fly out easily. That is not an option for me. A discussion we’ll have very soon.” Miriam topped up her glass again. “This is a very, very nice wine, Dan. You should be proud of it. May the Colline Meridionali winery win many awards!”

“Thank you. And may your buildings win acclaim.”

“And I’d like to talk to you about that. Award season is looming. But I had better check your facilities again. Oh, and I need to show you that living area. I’ll visit the amenities and meet you upstairs?”

“No worries,” said Dan. He cleared the plates from the table and went up the staircase. At the time he had thought it was a bit odd Miriam asking if she could run her business from a worksite, but just put it down as another of the strange COVID compromises people had to make to keep working. Being separated from Dale explained a lot. It was also interesting. The image of her shapely arse on the stool came drifting back. This time he didn’t swat it away.

He was leaning against the outside balcony railing thinking about her bum when he heard the lift door open. He looked over his shoulder at Miriam stepping out of the lift with her sandals in one hand and the bottle with two glasses in the other.

“Loo’s good. All in perfect working order. So, shall we check out your bedroom?” She tried to suppress a giggle and carefully placed the wine and glasses on a table. “I definitely think I may have had one too many. That is so different to other Shirazs I’ve had.”

“Yeah, nowadays a lot of larger places are more like labs than traditional winemakers. I wanted to rely on my skill, not what a forensic examination of a grape says I should do. I’m glad you enjoyed it though.” He followed Miriam through the door that divided the office from the living area.

“So, obviously I didn’t know Aly and you weren’t really a couple. Umm, that’s interesting. I’d decorated the lounge area and the bedroom with both of you in mind, but leaning towards the masculine. I can change it if you don’t like it.”

Dan crossed his arms and slowly nodded as he walked around. “Nice. Really nice. Spacious, good use of the view. TV and cooking area away from the bedroom. Split between the office and private areas. Love the large shower.” He turned to Miriam and smiled. “It really is a self-contained apartment, isn’t it?”

“Yep, that was the idea. After work, you close the door and leave it behind. Again, mostly recycled materials. The bed is a virgin, though. Nobody’s slept on that yet.” A little giggle slipped out, which made Dan smile broadly.

“I’ve got some cannoli downstairs, and a bottle of Recioto della Valpolicella. It’s a dessert wine, but I don’t know if you’d better have some. I think you’re slightly pickled. Maybe a coffee instead?” he asked.

“Actually, I could do with a good coffee. It’s been a long day. Cannoli? Yes, please.”

“No worries. I’ll be back in a tick.”

Miriam sat on the couch in the office area. ‘Well, that’s a good outcome. One happy client. One happy, ruggedly good looking, pretty much single client.’ she thought.

Dan was thinking about his new building. Miriam really had woven some skill into the structure. It was functional but captured everything he wanted his winery to express. Modern, with a nod to his heritage. A bold first impression, but elegant when you looked closely at the details. Like Miriam herself. He smiled wryly as he poured two long blacks and placed them on a tray. She was a woman that was hard to keep thinking about only on a professional level.

“Here you go, Mum’s cannoli and a coffee. A long black for this time of night.” Dan said as he stepped out of the lift and placed the tray on a table. “I really like that lift.”

“I noticed,” Miriam said dryly and picked up a cannoli. She nibbled at a piece of the thin pastry shell, then licked the ricotta filling. As expected, the shell was delightfully crispy, and the filling was smooth but packed with serious flavour. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see Dan watching her. Miriam guessed he was waiting for her to comment on his mum’s work.

“That is beautiful. Can’t beat homemade Italian pastries.” Miriam nibbled the shell down, exposing more of the filling.

“I’ll let Mum know you approve of them. She loves getting accolades for her cooking.” Dan watched her lick the cream out of the tube. A hundred different scenarios played out in his head, and most involved Miriam’s tongue exploring a different cannoli shaped object. His gaze drifted towards the bedroom, but he dragged it unwillingly back. “What time do you have to leave?”

“About 7:30. I’ll have a quick shower here, if that’s ok, then I’ll head off.”

“No breakfast? How do you function?”

Miriam laughed, “God no, I need that fuel and some caffeine to kick start me. I’ll pick up something along the way.”

“Nope,” said Dan with a shake of his head, “I’ll be up at six anyway, so when you jump in the shower I’ll make us an omelette and a coffee. Which then leads to my next point – you take the bed.”

“Thanks, and thanks but no. It’s for you. You need to have something I haven’t played with before.”

“I’ll let that one go through to the keeper, but it’s fine. You’ve been out here on your airbed for yonks, so you should have one night of comfort. Besides, you’ll need to get to the shower in the morning and if I’m in there, it could be embarrassing. I can grab a quick shower after you’re gone.”

“Ok, thanks. That would be great.” Miriam finished her coffee and stretched. “Right, back down to the car for the second last time.”

“I’d better follow you down. I need to grab my stuff.”

===

Dan wrapped a chain around a fence post and hooked it to the crane on the back of his old tractor. He could have easily paid someone to remove the old fences, but he didn’t mind doing the work himself. Most of the heavy manual work at his family’s winery had been done years ago, and his father now had employees to undertake maintenance. He found the work on his own property therapeutic and very rewarding.

“Cazzo! Bloody hell, you broke now?” Dan swore as the post broke in half and dropped back in the hole. He moved the tractor out of the way and grabbed a crowbar to break up the remains. “Well, at least you’re pretty soft.”

He rhythmically dropped the crowbar into the hole, and his thoughts drifted off to Miriam. ‘Soft, and I wouldn’t mind dropping my bar into her hole…’

Thud… Thud… Thud…

‘Shame she’s going back home. Ah well, I’m sure we’ll catch up again. Better organise the official opening soon.’

Thud… Thud… Thud…

‘That’s it, nearly done. I’m just going to push in deep and wiggle around in there. Get you nice and loose. God, I need a fuck…’

Once the top of the broken post was below the ground surface, he fired up the tractor and removed the last few posts on the fence run. ‘That’ll do for now. Lunch is declared.’ he thought, smiling with satisfaction as he drove back to the machinery shed. Once there, he picked up his phone he’d deliberately left on the bench. Amongst the usual flood of messages was a missed call from Miriam, and a follow-up message.

‘Can I stay a bit longer?’

‘Of course. Tonight? I was making pizza for dinner.’

‘Thank you. Yes. Back about 6.’

Dan stared at the phone, wondering why Miriam had changed her mind about heading back to Melbourne. He quickly flicked to a news app to see if another COVID lockdown had raised its ugly head and sighed in relief when there was no mention of that. Thinking about possibilities, Dan recalled Miriam saying that the Bendigo project would be a major step up for her company if it came off, so it was possible she needed to stay fairly close to that project. That idea actually made little sense as the distance from his place was about the same as from her office. He shrugged to himself. He’d find out later.

===

“Hi.”

Dan looked over his shoulder at Miriam and smiled. “Hi. Just checking the pizza oven. Didn’t expect to see you back so soon. How’d it go in Bendigo?”

“Good, good.” Miriam rubbed her arm and shrugged. “They liked my ideas, and I’ll find out early next week what’s happening. So that’s good.”

“You ok? You look a bit, I dunno, flat.”

“No, I’m… good. Just been a long day. Thanks for putting up with me again. I appreciate it. It’s good.”

Dan came out from the kitchen and stood in front of her. He said gently, “Miriam, what’s wrong? When someone says good that many times, they’re not good.”

She nodded. “Yeah, probably true. Actually, things could be better.”

“C’mon, grab a seat on the couch and I’ll get you a drink. Water, coffee, or something harder?”

“Just water, thanks.” Miriam slowly sat down and stared at the wall in front of her.

Dan filled a large glass and sat on a chair opposite her. “What’s up?” he asked, handing Miriam the drink.

“The arsehole’s left me. He’s got a permit to get into West Oz. He’ll do the quarantine then stay over there.” Miriam took a large gulp out of the glass. “Just an email. Not even a call. ‘Better for his career’ he said.”

“Oh.” Dan was lost for something to say. Lamely, he said, “That’s not good.”

“No,” she snorted, “not good at all. And just to make life more interesting, he had my office packed up and put into storage so he could put the building on the market with vacant possession.”

“He what? How? Why?”

“Dale took out the loan when I was just starting. He had the money, I was just his wife with an idea. He reckoned it was also the most tax efficient way of doing things. I didn’t question it. He’s been a CFO, so you’d think he knew what he was talking about. I signed a lease, but to be honest, I have no idea what the terms were. It was a month-to-month lease. I trusted him.” Miriam carefully put the glass on the floor, then her hands over her face. “I trusted him,” she sobbed.

Dan moved beside her and gently rubbed her back. “I’m so sorry. What a prick. Stay here for as long as you need. There’s no drama with that. ”

“Thanks.” Miriam took a deep breath and tried to smile. “I’ll be fine. It’s the shock more than anything. Guess it could be worse. He could have just hired a big skip bin and dumped everything.”

“That’s true. And look on the bright side. If Bendigo comes off, you’d probably need to relocate anyway.”

“I suppose. I’m getting more nibbles from regional clients than Melbourne, so I was half thinking about moving. Shit of a way for it to happen though.”

“Life sucks at times. Well, I can help with a really good divorce lawyer, if that’s the way you want to go. She’d enjoy flaying the skin off his financial hide and giving it to you wrapped up with a bow.”

“Thanks. I’ll think about it. To be honest, that hadn’t crossed my mind. A taste of your wine has though.”

Dan gave her a quick hug and stood. “Can do. I’m glad you’re back, even if the circumstances are ordinary. I was getting a tad lonely.” He poured two large glasses of wine and sat back beside her. “Stay as long as you need.”

She flashed him a quick smile. “Thanks. Maybe a week or two until I can get my shit together.”

“No rush. As I said, I’ll be off soon for about a month. I need to tidy some things up, ship some stuff down, then look at opening the doors to the public. Oh, and hire some staff. Any ideas on that?” Dan thought the best way to cheer Miriam up was to distract her with other problems.

“I guess there’s a lot of people who lost their jobs over the last couple of years.” Miriam took a deep drink of wine. “Probably put an ad in the local paper, or talk to the local employment agencies about what skills you need.”

“I’m lousy at the admin side. Guess that’s the first person I need. If you’re going to be here, would you consider helping me recruit someone? I’d like to do interviews onsite so they know exactly where I am.”

Miriam took another sip and nodded. “I suppose I can do the initial screening, but you’ll have to have the final say. They need to work with you, not me.”

“True, but I trusted you with creating my business. You’ve done an exceptional job, so I wouldn’t hesitate to hire anyone you recommend. I trust your judgement.”

Tears welled up in Miriam’s eyes and she buried her face in Dan’s shoulder. “Thank you. Why couldn’t he be like you?” She sat back up and sniffed. “This is so embarrassing. I’ve lost million dollar projects and not been this upset.”

“Guess it’s just the sudden shock of it all. And having your whole office put in a box and stored in a warehouse? That’s not something that happens every day. I’m surprised you’re not more angry.”

Miriam took a large swallow and shrugged. “That comes and goes. I couldn’t believe what I read on the phone, so I opened up my laptop to make sure I read it right. It didn’t change. I tried to call him and it went straight through to voicemail. I yelled at it. I sat in the damn car for over an hour until a parking inspector tapped on the window and asked if I was ok. I must have looked like shit. Anyway, I drove off, bought some junk food, sent you a text, and here I am and I don’t know what the fuck is going on in my life.”

Dan topped up her glass. There was nothing he could say that would make things better. He’d never been in her situation, but it was obvious that Miriam just needed time to vent and process the shit that had landed on her.

“Fuck him. Sorry, I’m swearing a lot.” Miriam said, and emptied her wine.

“All good. Doesn’t worry me.” He stood and gestured to the oven. “I’ve got to push the fire to the sides and sweep the base of the oven. Can I interest you in a pizza? I don’t have a lot of toppings. Just mozzarella, tomato paste, salami, mushrooms and an onion.”

“That sounds wonderful. Beats the bucket of fried chicken and soggy chips I had.” She followed him over to the kitchen. “Can I help with anything?”

“Sure. Slice half a dozen mushies and the onion, please. The dough’s resting in the bowl over there. It should have risen enough. Sprinkle a bit of flour on the bench, then tip it out.” Dan glanced at Miriam. Her cheeks had a red tinge from the wine, and she was chewing her bottom lip. Not unexpected, considering the circumstances.

Miriam found a cook’s knife and rapidly chopped the vegetables. She picked up the flour and liberally sprinkled it on the stainless steel bench. “Shit!”

Dan heard the thud of the dough hitting the bench and turned around. He burst out laughing at a flour covered Miriam. “Oops. Used a bit too much flour, I see. Guess you should have changed first.”

She scowled at him. “You think? You could have said something, like ‘Miriam, I think you’d better change out of that really expensive blue dress before you do any cooking’. Geez.”

“It wasn’t my place to say, although I did wonder if you realised what you were still wearing. I’ll nip down and grab your bags to say I’m sorry, if you like. Meet you upstairs?”

“Yeah, ta. Just the two suitcases thanks. Bloody hell, what a day.”

===

“You look a bit more relaxed.” Dan said, glancing at his guest. After Miriam had changed into a pair of leggings and a tee shirt, they’d made their dinner and moved to the cafe deck to watch the sun slowly descend.

“Hmm? I guess. I’m more pissed off at the moment. I really want to drive home and see what that arsehole has left behind so I can do nasty things to it. But,” she sighed, “that’s counterproductive. I’d prefer to screw him out of every cent I can and I don’t need him accusing me of malicious damage and ruining that goal.”

“Good to hear.” Dan leaned over and clinked his wine glass on hers. “To a fruitful settlement.”

“Thanks. Bottoms up.” Miriam finished her glass and sighed. “This is a beautiful spot. I’m so good at this job. When are you heading back?”

“What’s today? Thursday?”

Miriam nodded.

“I was planning on heading off tomorrow afternoon, but I’m going to stay until Sunday morning. I did a bit of browsing the competition’s websites and I’m thinking about having a look at a few on Saturday to pick up some ideas before they realise I’m here.”

“Not a bad idea. I did the same when I was scoping your project, although that was pre-COVID. Things may have changed.”

“True.” Dan shuffled around to look directly at Miriam. “Can I ask a favour?”

“I suppose. I can’t really refuse the guy who’s letting me use his office.”

“Well, you could. Please come with me? It looks strange when a single person rolls up for tastings. You’re never sure if they’re doing a review or casing the joint.”

“Ooo, a spy! Sure, I can do that.”

“Great, thanks. And you can have the bed again to say thanks.”

“I won’t argue. It’s nice and comfy. You really should try it.”

===

Dan hummed happily as he walked through the vines, making sure the irrigation drippers were all working. It was a job more suited to someone on a quad bike, but he didn’t want to leave one in the shed while the place was vacant. Also, he had to admit, it was just busy work. It didn’t need to be done but after Miriam’s news he felt obligated to see she was ok. It was also the reason he asked her to go snooping with him.

‘You’re an A-grade bullshit artist, Dan,’ his subconscious said.

‘I know,’ he replied. ‘I like her. I like her a lot. And before you conjure up some pornographic situations, she’s going to remain just a friend.’

‘Good luck with that idea. She looks pretty hot in those skin tight leggings, doesn’t she? They don’t leave a lot to the imagination. The frontal form fit is very interesting.’

‘Yeah, true on both counts but that’s beside the point.’ Dan looked up at his building as he heard Miriam yell from the top deck. He checked his phone and realised it was lunchtime. He waved at Miriam and strolled back.

Miriam waved back and leaned on the railing. She hadn’t really accomplished much for the morning. Every time she started on one of her other projects, her thoughts drifted back to yesterday. Preparing a couple of toasted cheese and salami sandwiches was the highlight of the day so far.

‘Well actually, having Dan stick around is a highlight. Wonder what I should wear tomorrow? Jeans or a dress? Suppose it depends on where he wants to go,’ she thought. ‘I should also do something for dinner tonight. Can’t leave it all to him.”

===

“They were some excellent burgers. Good choice.” Dan leaned across the table and clinked his stubbie against Miriam’s. “This beer is great. I think we’ll visit them tomorrow and see if we can do a deal for the cafe.”

Miriam sat back and smiled. “The burgers weren’t anything special. I think you were just hungry from wandering around the property.”

“No, the burgers and beer are special, and yes, I was a bit peckish. It’s a decent walk around a fair chunk of fifty acres.”

“It surprised me you weren’t on the tractor.”

“Yeah, nah, a tractor’s no good for that sort of work. A quad bike is better, but it’s on the list of things to buy when I’m here full time.”

“Fair enough. So what’s the plan for tomorrow?”

“Well, we’ll leave around 10 and drop by the two closest vineyards. I’d then like to meet the owner of this brewery,” Dan said, waving the stubbie around, “to talk about supplying my cafe. Find some lunch, three more wineries in the afternoon, then back here for a bit.”

“That’s a big day. So, what’s happening after we come back?”

“Make some notes, have a rest, then about six we head off towards Rutherglen for dinner. There’s a winery with a highly regarded restaurant I’ve really wanted to visit, and well, having you here is a great excuse to check it out.”

Miriam slowly nodded. “Ok sounds good. What do you want me to wear? Remembering I don’t have a lot with me.”

“Just casual through the day, and maybe that cream dress for dinner?”

“Ok. I’d better hang it up to air.” Miriam sighed deeply. “What a week. Glad it’s over.”

“Yeah. I won’t pretend I know what you’re going through with him, but it’s been a bit of a roller coaster.”

“Yup.”

The sun flared through the open doors before it dropped behind the hills. The slight breeze continued, and the various birds called goodnight to each other. Dan glanced sideways and smiled. Miriam had closed her eyes and appeared to have dropped off to sleep.

Sensing his stare, she opened one eye. “I’m still awake. Just trying to calm everything down.”

“Fair enough. I was thinking about cleaning up, but I didn’t want to disturb you.”

“Of all the people I’ve dealt with this week, you aren’t the disturbing one. I’ll give you a hand.”

“No, it’s fine. The rule of our house is whoever cooks, doesn’t clean up. I think it’s a good one to live by.”

“Not a bad rule at all. I don’t have a problem with that. Well,” Miriam said as she stood, “I think I might go for a walk. I’m… Still thinking about things.”

“Sure. Just take your phone in case a drop bear attacks.” Dan was happy to see a smile break out of the gloom.

“Save your bullshit for the American tourists, but ok. Tripping in a rabbit hole is possible.”

===

Dan closed his laptop when he heard the lift starting to hum. Contrary to what he said to Miriam, dinner was the only thing he had thought about. He had some ideas about places to visit, so he was happy to have the chance to firm up a plan. The thing he had noticed was how many places had moved their tasting rooms to bookings only over the COVID lockdown. It was going to be competitive, but he was certain he could find a market and hold on to it. He had an idea to replace a few acres of young but average Shiraz vines with Italian varieties. A Glera variety looked promising, with the resultant Prosecco having good local sales and export potential.

“How’s things?” he asked Miriam as she stepped out of the lift.

“Not too bad. It’s nice out there. Just a slight breeze going through the vines and the moon lighting things up. I nearly chucked my phone away when a spam message popped up, but I just turned the sound off.”

“Probably the best option. Can I get you anything?”

“No, thanks.” Miriam looked at her phone. “Huh. Didn’t realise I’d been gone for nearly two hours. I’ll go and get my airbed. It’s your turn to finally get to sleep in your bed.”

Dan shook his head. “No, all my stuff’s here. It’s all good.”

“But…”

“No buts. My place, you’re my guest. I insist.”

“No changing your mind, is there?”

“Nope.”

“How about this then? We’re both responsible adults.”

“I’d like to think so.”

“It’s a king sized bed.”

“Yes, that is true.”

“We should share it. It’s basically two singles in size so we won’t be rolling onto, err, into each other.”

Dan scratched his head and shrugged. “Well, that’s your call, but I’m ok with that if you are. I’ve been sleeping in shorts and a tee, and I don’t think I snore so yeah, no worries.”

“Good,” said Miriam. “Same here. Glad that’s settled.”

===

Dan slowly opened an eye, which was strange. Normally he slept through the night, but something had woken him up. Something was different. Pushing the haze away he realised there was an arm draped over his stomach and a body pressed against his back. He started to smile, but that faded when he realised Miriam was quietly snuffling. Gently placing a hand on hers, he drifted back to sleep.

===

Miriam slowly opened an eye and glared at the curtains which hadn’t been completely closed, allowing a bright beam of light to sneak in and slap her in the face. Something else was different. Pushing the haze away she realised there was an arm draped over her stomach and a hand cupping her boob. Dan was spooned in tight against her body and was rhythmically breathing, obviously sound asleep. She smiled and gently placed a hand on his, then drifted back to sleep.

===

Dan yawned and stretched, the sound of light rain whispering in his ears. No, not rain. He opened his eyes and concentrated. Shower. It was a shower. It was the shower. He sat up and looked around.

‘It’s Miriam in the shower, doofus. She’s not in bed, the shower is running, therefore that’s where she is.’

‘Ok, ok. I haven’t had my first coffee, and this is a novel experience,’ he told his subconscious. ‘Aly is usually the one sleeping in when we’re together.’

“Morning Miriam,” he called, “Coffee and a cheese omelette for breakfast?”

The shower stopped, and Dan heard the rustle of a towel. The door opened and she poked her head out. “Good morning Dan. Sorry, I didn’t hear anything much besides breakfast. I’m happy with anything.”

“Righto then. I’ll see you downstairs in about fifteen minutes.” He visited the office loo and bounced down the stairs. He was certain today was going to be a great day. Although it was theoretically about work, he was looking forward to being with Miriam. It was amazing how much a flash of her bare wet shoulder excited his imagination and made the day great already. He hummed while he quickly got things ready – espresso machine on, coffee beans freshly ground, eggs beaten, everything laid out ready to go.

“Freshly ground coffee. Such a distinctive smell.”

“True. Nothing quite like it.” Dan turned and smiled at Miriam who was leaning on the rail at the top of the stairs. “You look pretty refreshed. Did you have a good sleep?”

“Tossed and turned for a bit, but then I seemed to have found myself in a nice comfy spot. The sun woke me up pretty early – remind me to make some adjustments to the curtains, but it was all good. I didn’t mind at all. Eventually I had to get up, so I had a shower as well.”

“Good to hear.” Dan waited until the hiss of steam hitting the milk subsided, and the water pumping through the beans stopped. “Latte ok?”

“Wonderful. I don’t have the patience to do that in the morning. Need a hand with anything?” she asked as she skipped down the stairs.

“Nah, all good. Eggs are nearly done.” Dan said, handing Miriam a mug.

“Thanks. Is what I’m wearing ok for your covert operation? I thought a nice pair of jeans and a casual shirt would be suitable.”

“Yep. You look great.” He slid the eggs onto the plates and sat opposite her. “Should be a fun day.”

“Yeah, I’m looking forward to it. I haven’t been out with someone else for what? Nearly two years.”

“Seriously? That’s pretty rough. Lockdowns weren’t quite so bad at home.” He shook his head. “Need to stop saying that. This is my home now.”

“Oh? I thought this was just a short stay spot.”

“It was, originally. Over the last couple of days I’m been thinking that I’ll spend most of my time here, and less time up north. This is my property and I don’t want to be away for weeks on end. Dad has good backup. He doesn’t need me. And before you ask, you can stay in the office as long as you need.”

===

Miriam hooked her arm through Dan’s as they crunched their way up the gravel path. “So why this restaurant for dinner? It’s a lovely spot though,” she commented, looking around at the grapevines and gum trees. “Very peaceful. Not like some of those other vineyards we visited. Can’t believe how many people are around.”

“Guess they all wanted to get out of town in case there was another snap lockdown. This place, though, has a national food guide award and they aim to only use local produce. Plus,” he said, “their new chef used to manage a top French restaurant in Newcastle. Only went once, and it was brilliant. I’m very interested to see what she makes here.”

“Mmm, sounds great.” She cast a critical eye over the building. “Probably 1880s pressed red brick barn, newish corrugated iron extension. Keeping the old timber doors but using sliding glass behind them is a nice touch. Looks like they put a lot of thought into the look, but then using cement blocks to hold the wooden doors open? Fail.”

“We make a fine pair.” Dan laughed, “You with the architecture, and me trying to guess what varieties they have over there.”

Miriam smiled and patted his hand. “Having a look at interesting architecture is a habit. It’s theoretically a work trip, so a sneaky peek is allowed.”

“I reckon it’s the best way to figure out what works. There were a few ideas I saw today that I’m going to steal.” Dan squeezed her hand and shrugged. “Anyway, enough of that. We’re here for the dinner and wine.”

A waitress showed them to their table and explained a bit about the winery and the chef’s philosophy before handing them the menu. Miriam glanced around, quickly assessing the interior. “This is nice. Understated, quality materials. The panelling on the ceiling is a great idea for noise attenuation. Do they have bands in here?”

Dan looked up from the menu. “They hold weddings and other events, and tonight they’ve got a singer with a guitarist. That open area would be the dance floor.”

Miriam looked over her shoulder at the spot. “Polished concrete. Tricky to get right. Too easy to have it so slippery, you’d go down with any dampness.”

“True. We can test it later, if you like? Purely for research purposes, you know.”

“See what happens. I haven’t danced for a long time. Anyway, this menu looks great. What are you thinking of?”

Dan held up his menu slightly and bit his bottom lip. Images of Miriam in the same cream dress heading up the staircase floated back and did not want to go away. “Umm, would you be interested in sharing a Charcuterie with the rosè?

“I was thinking of that myself. Then the lamb, or maybe the duck.”

“Great. I’m going for the sirloin. I had a similar one Chef prepared up north, and it was fantastic.”

The waitress appeared back to take their order, asking if they’d like the wines suggested by the chef to be presented with their meals.

“Yes please,” said Dan. “I can’t think of a better person to make the choice.”

The waitress beamed. “Trust me, the choices are a perfect match. I’ll be back soon.”

“So what wine goes well with pizza?” asked Miriam.

Dan shrugged. “Depends on the toppings, but beer always works. What they’re doing here is a good idea but I won’t do this all the time. I’m thinking of hosting a night once a month, just to see what the response is.”

“Sound plan.” She smiled up at the waitress with the wine and the server who quickly slid the plate of cured meats onto the table. “Thanks. Looks great.”

The meal breezed by. The meats and patè were tasty, the lamb succulent and the beef exquisite.

“Would you like a bit of my steak?” asked Dan. “The way you’ve been looking at it, I’m expecting you to leap over the table and grab it.”

“Well, I wouldn’t mind. It looks so nice. Tell you what, would you like a piece of lamb in exchange?”

“Sure thing.” He sliced a piece of beef and held the fork out to Miriam, who did the same. “You know this is a couples sort of thing, sharing bits of dinner.”

Miriam shrugged. “Maybe. The only food I shared with Dale was a bowl of chips. He was very possessive about his steak.” She picked the morsel off the fork and rolled her eyes. “Oh, that is so good.”

“Isn’t it? The lamb is perfect too.”

“Mmm, yeah. The whole day has been perfect. Thank you.”

“Ah, no worries. Seriously, I couldn’t have done any of it without you.”

They continued eating while the singer and her guitarist softly filled the old barn with song.

“She’s very good,” commented Miriam. “A nice mix of songs.”

Dan set his knife and fork on the plate. “No, not bad at all. Would you like to test the concrete?”

Miriam smiled back. “I’d like that. It’s been years since I’ve been dancing. I really miss it.”

“Well, hopefully there’s more in the future.” Dan stood and held out his hand. “A couple of songs, then dessert?”

“I’m up for that. The ruby chocolate milk cake looks interesting.” She lightly held his hand, and they paced to the empty dance floor.

Dan placed a hand on the small of her back. “Foxtrot?” he asked.

Miriam nodded, and they glided over the floor, letting the music guide them. The song finished and the singer immediately started a lovely rendition of ‘It had to be you’. “You’re a great dancer. Not a lot of guys are.”

“Well, I’ve been to a lot of weddings over the years. Mum insisted we did ballroom dancing as kids to learn the basics. It’s sort of expected that you dance with all your relatives and not step on their feet.” He whirled the pair in a tight circle and led them off the floor.

“Wow. I’d forgotten how much of a workout dancing can be.” Miriam plonked down in her seat and sipped her water. “And fun.”

“Yep. I don’t mind dancing, as long as it’s with someone not trying to pinch my cheeks and telling me what a big boy I am. That’s embarrassing.” Dan turned to the waitress who appeared by his side and placed their order. “Geez, the staff are good, aren’t they?”

“Sure are.” Miriam leaned back in her seat and sighed contentedly. “So you’re definitely leaving in the morning? That’s a shame.”

“Why’s that?”

“It’s been a lot of fun with you around. And,” she leaned forward and held his hand, “I suspect you’ve only hung around to keep me company. You didn’t have to, but thanks.”

“Ah, no worries. That’s partially true, but I did want to do some investigations. And look around. No singles here. I would have stood out like a sore thumb.”

Their desserts materialised in front of them. Miriam chuckled. “No wonder they’ve won awards. Their staff is as good as the food.”

They slowly nibbled at their dessert, neither seeming to want the evening to end. They chatted about the restaurant, the day, the weather. Anything but the warm sensation they felt as they floated over the dance floor, sensing the growing attraction between them. It was a strange feeling for both. Dan had been shoved by his family into the arms of a woman he thought was ok, and Miriam had been swept up in the illusion of love, then dumped under a wave of disappointment. She thought Dan was lucky. He knew his partnership was a sham from day one.

“Another dance?” Miriam asked, as the singer started on her version of ‘Never Tear Us Apart’.

“Sure. For a rock ballad, it sounds like a waltz. Michael Hutchence could really sing anything.” He led Miriam out, pulling her slightly closer than before. She responded by moving closer again so there was barely a space between.

They were the only couple on the floor. Even if it had been crowded, to them, they would still be the only couple. Their moves were coordinated, flowing like two streams intermingling and becoming more with the joining. The singer watched them and smiled as she used her harmonica to cover the original song’s saxophone solo. She’d seen a lot of dancing and could tell when two people were falling in love. They had arrived as friends, but she knew they would leave in love. She finished the song with another short harmonica solo and muttered to the guitarist. They had a playlist prepared, but she didn’t want to let these two off the floor just yet.

“Now something slower from the TV show, ‘Northern Exposure’.” She picked up her harmonica and after a short intro sang…

When

I grow

Too old to dream

I will have you

To remember

When

I grow too old to dream

Your love

Will live

In my heart

Miriam sighed deeply and rested her head on Dan’s chest. “Just slow please.”

“Ok.” He put his arms around her and gently hugged. They rocked in one spot, Miriam seeming to be lost in a memory. When the song finished, he gently lifted her chin. “Hello? You there?”

“Sorry, yeah. Just thinking about some old stuff. Can we sit please?”

“Sure.” He led Miriam back to the table. “It’s been a long day. Would you like a coffee here, or should we make a move?”

Miriam looked up from her fingernail examination. “Oh, ah. Umm, I’m ok to have something at home… Sorry. Your place.”

Dan reached across the table and held her hands. “Don’t be sorry. You’ve been living there on and off for over a year. It’s as much your place as mine. Actually, more.” He stood and kissed her hand. “Back in a sec. I’ll pay the bill and have a quick chat with the band. I like them, even with the mouth organ.”

Miriam gave out a little chuckle. “She’s good with it. Subbing it for a sax and a violin is no mean feat.” She watched Dan walk around the floor to the singer and slipped her what looked like a fifty, then to the bar and settled the bill after a chat with their waitress. He looked so relaxed. No matter where he was, he fitted in. He could talk to anyone, just a naturally sociable guy. Not like Dale, who always thought of himself as the boss. Looking back, she didn’t know what she ever saw in the controlling prick.

“Ok, all sorted. Ready to go?”

“Hmm? Oh, yeah. No worries. All good.” Miriam returned the wave the singer gave them and thanked the waitress who saw them out. She took a deep breath of the crisp night air and slowly exhaled. “That was the best day I’ve had in ages, Dan. Thanks again.”

“Not a problem, but please, you don’t need to keep thanking me.” He opened the car door and bowed slightly. “It was a team effort.”

“Fair enough. I’ll add it to my list of variations for the account.”

“We’ll discuss that later. I’m sure we can reach an amicable solution.” He backed his car out and turned towards home. After about twenty minutes he asked the question that had been nagging him. “You seemed to really like that last song. Is it special?”

Miriam looked out the side window and started to shake her head, then stopped. “Yeah, sort of, I guess. It’s something I wanted for our wedding dance. After the craziness of the wedding buildup, I was looking for a nice, slow song to dance to with my new husband.”

“Oh. I’m guessing he had something different planned. So, what happened?”

“He badgered me into going with a bloody waltz. The Blue Danube. How fucking original, seriously. ‘It’s a family tradition’ he said. I caved. Every decision about our wedding turned out to be a compromise in his favour. I didn’t want any more ‘discussions’ about the way it was going to be. Thinking back, everything we discussed always went his way. Ah well, shit happens. I suppose I can be happy there’s no kids involved. That was on the plan, but he needed to be in the same country for that to work, and when this all blew up and he was here, nothing happened. Now I know why. He was planning an exit.”

“Thank goodness for small mercies, I guess.”

“I suppose.”

They drove the rest of the way in silence, Dan mulling over what Miriam had said, Miriam thinking about her future. Both had mixed thoughts about where their futures were headed.

Dan pulled up in his carpark and turned to Miriam. “Would you still like that coffee?”

Miriam nodded. “Please.”

“Ok then. I’ll jump out at the cafe and meet you upstairs.” The vague thoughts that had been sitting in the back of his mind had crystallised. They mightn’t pan out, but he thought it was definitely worth a shot.

===

Miriam rubbed her temples and opened the door to the balcony. She felt part angry, part confused, and part trapped. The reason anger appeared was clear each time she looked at her phone. Confusion – that was a mix of reasons, one of them being downstairs. Being trapped was difficult to pinpoint. On one hand, marriage was supposed to be forever, but on the other she had married a self-centred prick who obviously didn’t care for her. Why the feeling? She didn’t know. The lift whirred in the background but she didn’t look around. She needed a couple of minutes to recompose herself.

“Here you go Miriam, coffee and cannoli. I think the cannoli’s still ok. But before that…”

Miriam took a deep breath and tried to create a smile before she turned. She froze, and an actual smile burst out when she heard a scratchy violin start, then a smooth male voice started singing –

When

I grow

Too old to dream

I will have you

To remember

When

I grow too old to dream

Your love

Will live

In my heart…

Dan was standing in the middle of the office, hands held out towards her and an awkward smile on his face. “I think this is a wonderful wedding song, although personally I’d have gone with ‘When I’m sixty four’.” He shrugged. “I just like The Beatles.”

Miriam laughed and took his hands. “You’re just saying that to be nice. No one under fifty really likes that lot.”

“That’s a bit rich, coming from someone who’s a fan of Nat King Cole.” His arm around her waist pulled her infinitesimally closer than they had been at dinner. Even though they had been close then, the tiny change in space seemed to crackle with a different energy, something they had tried to suppress.

Miriam closed the gap further, holding herself tightly against Dan’s body. “Ok, fair call.” She rested her head against his chest and hummed along to the music.

“Never heard of Northern Exposure. What service is it on?” Dan asked, slowly rubbing Miriam’s back.

“Mmm, no one has it apparently. Mum taped all the episodes back in the 90s, then had them converted to DVD when they started to wear out. She loved that show, and so did I. Just sort of clicked with me.”

“Huh. I’ll have to look it up online. I’m sure somebody’s uploaded it.”

“Mr Moretti!” Miriam huffed in mock indignation. She tapped Dan on the nose. “Do you plan to illegally download something I already have illegal copies of?”

“Well, yes. If you like it, I really would like to see why.” Dan stepped back as the song finished and kissed Miriam’s hand. “Thank you for the dance. We’d better have the coffee before it goes cold.”

Miriam gripped his hand as he tried to let go. “Dan, before that… Saying thank you only goes so far.” She pulled his face down to her’s and gently kissed his lips. He raised his eyebrows at her touch but put his arms back around her. One hand fell to the small of her back, the other to caress her head. Miriam happily exhaled and let the tip of her tongue touch Dan’s lips. He stared down into her eyes, wondering what he should do. The rational part of his brain whispered that he was her client, Miriam was still married and to the world, he was technically engaged. The other part yelled that his engagement was a lie, a seriously hot, hopefully soon to be single girl was kissing him, and who the fuck cares what the rest of the world thinks?

Dan let his tongue escape. It happily played with its new friend, frolicking around each other’s mouths like two puppies meeting for the first time. He closed his eyes and savoured the sensation. This wasn’t something Aly and he did much. Sometimes in the middle of a passionate fuck… ‘And why the hell am I thinking about her?’ he scolded himself.

Miriam broke the kiss to ask, “That was nice. Just wondering though, did you deliberately pick the songs or is it just random.”

Dan frowned as he identified the song coming from his phone, then laughed. “Feeling Good by the Bubble. Yeah, nah, I’m not that clever. Totally random. I just asked for crooners.” He kissed her again. “But I am feeling very, very good.”

“Me too.” Miriam stepped back and started unbuttoning Dan’s shirt. She kissed his chest and pushed the shirt off his shoulders. “Best I’ve been for a while.”

“Mmm, yeah.” Dan ran his fingers up the zip of her dress and paused at the top. Miriam gave a slight nod, so he dragged the zip down, then ran his fingers back over her skin. Roy began singing ‘Blue Bayou’ and Dan slid his hand around her bare waist, moving her into a slow shuffle.

Miriam placed her hand on his back, aware of every muscle moving in time to the music. She knew he didn’t mind a bit of manual labour, and the body she was staring at definitely proved that. He was more a greyhound than Fucknuckle’s bulldog body and temperament. She looked up and rolled her shoulders. Dan smiled and eased the dress off, the smile broadening as she let it hit the floor and kicked aside.

“Nice undies, Miriam,” he murmured. “I’m afraid I can’t do that trick. I’ll fall over my pants.”

“Thanks. I got them to match the dress. Anyway, where’s your sense of adventure?” she asked, unbuckling his belt. “Your shoes are going to be the problem, though.”

“Can’t have that, then.” Dan paused and quickly kicked them off. Miriam tugged his pants, dropping them to the floor to be left as they moved off to the next song. Their bodies were pressed hard against each other. Dan could feel Miriam’s nipples trying to escape their lacy confines, and she could feel Dan hard against her.

‘How does this playlist know what I’m thinking?’ she asked herself halfway through Peggy Lee’s ‘You Give Me Fever’. Dan’s hand ran over her back from butt crack to bra strap, slowly lingering at each point. She wanted him to go further, needed him to take that extra step, getting her naked in this place, taking her in his office. Their office.

Her hand was resting on the band of his undies. The song was ending.

Chicks were born to give you fever

Be it Fahrenheit or centigrade

They give you fever

She slid her hand onto his bare arse cheek.

And what a lovely way to burn

Her other hand flashed to the opposite position, and his underwear slowly trickled to the ground. She grunted with satisfaction, watching his penis flick out of its cover. Darkish shaft, a lighter mushroom cap, and thick curly black hair.

Dan crossed his arms and shook his head slowly. “Well, that’s a bit rude isn’t it?”

“Oh. I didn’t think you’d mind. Sorry.”

“Well, I wasn’t ready for that, and they could have been a trip hazard. How’d I explain that to WorkSafe?”

Magic moments

Memories we’ve been sharing

Magic moments

When two hearts are caring

“Office is closed for the day? It’s also a living area?” She moved closer, his penis gliding up her stomach on its own lubricant. “So what should I have done?”

“Well, the hands were fine. Then, a bit of warning like…” He leaned forward and whispered, “I want to see you naked. Can I please remove your underwear?”

“And you’d say ‘Of course’.”

“Uh huh. And then you’d do this…”

Magic moments

Filled with love

He slowly rubbed her cheeks and inched her panties lower until they fell. “Now, step out safely and we can continue.”

Everybody loves somebody sometime

Everybody falls in love somehow

Something in your kiss just told me

My sometime is now

She nodded and stepped out, then pressed back. They moved to a basic 2-step, drifting in a circle around the floor. Dan’s penis painted an arc across her abdomen, almost like a liquid metronome. Having his hard cock press against her felt great and made her feel special, knowing he was excited to be here. She glanced up at Dan. His eyes were closed, and he had a huge smile on his face. She hadn’t had many boyfriends, but one thing they had in common was they all wanted to fuck her as soon as. She had half expected to be dragged off to the bedroom and be shagged silly when their pants came off. Not that she would have said no, but this… This was wonderful.

Dan had wanted to fuck Miriam as soon as. God, from the moment he first met her, he had fantasies about what he wanted to do to her. Rolling around naked in an old press full of grapes was high on the wish list, but now, he didn’t care. Feeling her warm body pressed against his, her bare mound massaging his dick, her head leaning against him was enough. Having sex would be great but the feeling of intimacy right now was special. Aly and the others were fun but there never had been much of a connection. He’d be happy to hold Miriam like this for the rest of time.

Everybody loves somebody sometime

And although my dream was overdue

Your love made it well worth waiting

For someone like you…

Miriam leaned back and raised her hips to let Dan fall between her legs. She opened her mouth, then groaned.

See you later, alligator!

“How did this make it on the list?”

“No idea,” laughed Dan. “Jitterbug?”

“Ok, but no tossing me in the air or sliding on the floor.”

See you later alligator

After ‘while crocodile

See you later alligator

After ‘while crocodile

Can’t you see you’re in my way now?

Don’t you know you cramp my style?

“A basic swing then.”

They swivelled apart, then Dan pulled them back in to spin together. Skip out, skip back, turn, spin Miriam, watch Dan’s penis do its own dribbly dance, Miriam’s lace covered boobs bounce in time.

So long, that’s all, goodbye!

Dan gripped Miriam’s hand and with the other in the small of her back, slowly lowered her towards the floor.

“I think I’ve had it for the night. I’m getting pretty tired.” Miriam panted, looking sideways at Dan. “He seems a very happy chappy.”

Dan pulled her up and kissed her. “I wonder why? Could it be because of the lovely lady that’s been dancing with me?”

Miriam shook her head and laughed. “This old thing? Personally, I think I’m just average looking. You should see my sister though…”

“You’re being too modest. Looks are fine, but personality really does it for me and you have a ton of both. I’ve known some really hot women but they have the emotions of a red bellied black snake. I’ve met more than a few guys like that too. Life’s too short to deal with that shit.” He held her hand and led her back to the couch. “I’m glad I met you, Miriam. I’ve always looked forward to chatting with you, even if it was mostly via Zoom.”

“Same here.” She took a sip of her coffee and yawned, then realised she still had more clothing on than her dance partner. She quickly tossed her bra and shoes to the side and sat back, cross-legged. “Never thought I’d be naked and drinking coffee with my client in his new office.”

Dan found his undies and squeezed out his dripping pre-cum before sitting next to her. “Never in a million years,” he agreed. “Still, I dunno, it feels natural. I was having a blast and hardly watched your bits at all. Most un-guy like.”

Miriam sipped her coffee and patted Dan’s knee. “I couldn’t avoid watching your willy. He left quite a trail across me. And for the record, he’s a very nice looking specimen.”

Dan clenched his bum and made his penis wave. “Why thank you, he appreciates the compliment.” He chewed his bottom lip, wondering where the line was between a fun time and whatever the next step was. He decided to just pass a hand close to her boobs. “And your lady bumps are also delightful to watch.”

Miriam chuckled and glanced sideways. She was feeling much better. “Geez… Lady bumps? They’re boobs. Or tits. Maybe bosoms in polite company.” She turned towards him and rubbed his inner thigh. “What time are you leaving?”

And if you feel like I feel

Please let me know that it’s real

You’re just too good to be true

Can’t take my eyes off you

Dan tried to pretend he was looking outside, but it must have been obvious he was looking at her. “It’s somewhere around a nine to ten-hour trip, so maybe eight a.m. Why?”

“Well, it’s getting late, so you’d better get to bed then.” She stood in front of him and held out her hands. “Coming?”

Dan drank in his first sight of her completely naked body. By any definition, apart from her own, she was way above average. A nicely toned body with curves in all the right places. Clean shaven, a body his Italian heritage appreciated. He took her hands and slowly stood. “I suppose we’re sharing the bed?”

“No, you’ll be driving all day. You need to get a good night’s sleep. I’ve been camping out here for months, so another night isn’t going to worry me,” she smirked.

“Tell you what, we’ll toss a coin to settle who gets to sleep in the bed. How’s that sound?”

“You have coins?”

“Well, yes. Out in the car. I plan to buy fruit and veg from local farmers, and they prefer cash.”

“Ok, but what if it magically lands on the edge?”

“Then we both share the bed, and toss again to see who gets which side.”

“Hmm, ok. And if it again lands on edge?”

“I’ll leave it to you to decide.”

Miriam stepped up to him, pushing his penis back between her legs. “Ok then. We’ll both sleep on one side and toss again to see who’s on top.” She twirled a finger in his chest hair, turned, and sauntered towards the bedroom. Stopping to look over her shoulder, she said, “Or we just do what we did last night, but with less clothes. Maybe a few more things. Your call.”

Sweet dreams till sunbeams find you

Sweet dreams that leave all worries behind you

But in your dreams whatever they be

Dream a little drea-eam of me

Dan hurriedly turned off his phone and followed her swaying hips. Miriam flicked the doona off one half of the bed and lay on her side. He crawled up the bed and faced her. “Hi.”

“Hi.”

“Can I be honest? I’m actually nervous about… Things.”

“Oh good, it’s not just me. I’m… I don’t know why, but I’m feeling odd about it all.”

“Yeah. I guess those bits of gold on you and Aly have something to do with it. Still,” he said, leaning forward to kiss her nose, “I don’t care if we do or don’t. I really like, no – love being with you.”

“Me too.” She inched forward so she could pull their bodies together. “I mean, I love being around here. Around you.”

Dan smiled and pressed his lips to hers. They sank into a haze of gentle kisses and touches, the feeling of closeness enough for the moment. Small, beautiful caresses that felt more special than either had ever experienced. Miriam lifted her upper leg slightly and Dan let himself be encased. The touching never stopped. A light brush of his nails up her spine, a scratch of his scalp. The soft pressure of her on his chest. The hardness of him between her thighs.

Miriam gave Dan a long, tongue infused kiss and rolled on her back. She simply said, “Please.”

Dan nodded and shuffled around to the point where they had spent so much time dancing tonight. He took a deep breath and slowly let it out. ‘Another dance with a wonderful woman, old son. You are one lucky, lucky bastard.’

He rubbed his tip against her pinkness, feeling her liquid warmth inviting him in. Miriam tossed him a quick smile and a nod. He slowly sank into her, then lowered himself onto her.

Miriam closed her eyes and wrapped her arms around her new love. “Thank you Dan. Again,” she sighed contentedly.

“Anytime,” he murmured in her ear. He remained still. This was special, something to savour, something to etch into his memory forever. Their first time. He felt Miriam move slightly around him. Not her external muscles, her internal ones gently squeezing his cock. He leaned back to look at the woman who now had a cheeky grin and a tight grip which he worked against. Not much, just enough hip movement to make Miriam pant a little with each push.

“Do you want me to…”

“Be part of me. That’s all I want. For as long as you want.” Miriam said, interrupting his question.

Dan nodded. “That’s fine by me.”

Miriam lazily reached up and pulled him back down. “Happy to hear that. I hate the ‘first to come, wins’ thing a lot of guys have.”

“Nah, not me. Well, maybe occasionally but to butcher a saying, it’s the journey, not the destination.” He slowly raised his hips, letting most of his penis slide out before pushing back in.

“Yeah. Good.” Miriam sighed. “I could have this level of sex all day.”

“Now there’s a challenge. Can I pencil in a day with you next time I’m down?”

“God yes. Now, please be quiet and keep going.”

“Sure.”

Dan rocked slow, then pumped hard for a few strokes. He stopped for a round of kissing, followed by rotating his hips. Anything to stay inside this wonderful woman as long as possible. Miriam was doing her best to help. She had stopped squeezing and had just relaxed, letting Dan do whatever he wanted. She had no idea how long they had been like this, but it was way longer than any other time she could remember.

“Dan?”

“Mmm?”

“Fair warning. I’ve changed my mind. I’m going to fuck you silly next time you’re here. Assuming this is more than a one nighter.”

“With an offer like that, definitely not. Roll? I think it’s time for you to be on top.”

“You are a gentleman. Ok.” She wrapped her arms and legs tightly around him, and moved. Giggling, she said, “That went well. I was sure you’d fall out.”

Dan stretched, then ran his fingers down her back. “It was all thanks to my super long, impossibly thick cock. Your incredibly tight pussy couldn’t let me go.”

Miriam sat up and laughed. She slapped his shoulder and said, “You’re an A-grade bullshit artist, you know? I’m very happy with your umm, fun stick, and I want to see what else you can do.” She crossed her arms on his chest and lay down. “In the meantime, I’m happy here. You have a comfortable chest.”

“So do you,” he murmured, resting his hands on her back. Miriam closed her eyes and moved her hips. She had been joking. Dan wasn’t huge, but he knew what he was doing. And he was still going strong. This was nice. Being together. Literally being into each other. More than holding hands. A lovely part of him inside. Cuddling him. Close. Nice…

Dan had his eyes closed, but opened one when Miriam stopped moving on his dick and her breathing changed to a deep rhythmic sigh. ‘Well, that’s a new one. Never had someone fall asleep like this. What the hell am I going to do?’

He looked down along his side. Miriam had pulled her legs up and seemed to be very comfortable snuggled on him. The thought that she had fallen asleep on him with a smile on her face was highly erotic. And sweet. He tried to pull out, but she mumbled and pressed down on him. Even sleeping, she didn’t want him to go.

He could see two options. One was to just wait until he was soft and just fell out, the other was to keep going until he came. Normally option 2 would have been his choice, but not today. Not with Miriam. When he came in her for the first time, he wanted them both to experience it. He wanted to look into her eyes as he filled her. Sighing, he pulled the doona over them both and held her.

===

Miriam yawned and opened her eyes. Daylight was filtering through the open door, but not through the curtains. Dan’s hand was cupping her boob and his thumb was pressed against her nipple. She smiled then frowned. She remembered rolling on top of Dan, but that was about it. Miriam cautiously inserted a finger into her vagina and looked at the oddly dry result.

‘We had sex. I know we had sex. Where did he come?’ She tried to piece together her thoughts. ‘Did he come? Maybe he didn’t.’ She groaned quietly as the pieces finally clicked into place. ‘You fell asleep on him, you goose. You actually fell asleep on top of him while he was fucking you, and he mustn’t have fired off.’

She placed a hand on his and squeezed. The roughness of his lightly calloused hand felt great on her smooth skin. He hadn’t come in her. He had waited and let her sleep. She didn’t know why, but she was glad. The feeling of sperm flowing into her was something she enjoyed, and knowing that Dan had held back made her feel special. This guy was awesome. He deserved something nice.

Miriam gingerly lifted his hand and slid out from under it. The doona was next to go, leaving Dan naked and asleep. His penis was also sleeping, tucked away in its warm sleeve. It always amazed Miriam how they could go from zero to six inches in practically no time flat. She moved down the bed until she was eyeball to one eye with him. The problem right now was there wasn’t much to get her lips around, and she really wanted to give Dan something special.

‘Nothing ventured, nothing gained. Let’s see what I can do without waking him.’ Miriam gently cupped his balls in one hand and squeezed his shaft between two fingers and her thumb. Dan hardly reacted, so she stretched his limp cock and let it relax. It stirred slightly with her touch and grew more with a few more moves. Satisfied there was something for her lips to get hold of, Miriam put one arm over his bum and closed her mouth over his cock. That got a reaction. Maybe it was the touch of her tongue or the warmth surrounding him, but Dan slowly grew to his full size. Miriam slowly slid him through her mouth as much as she dared. The sound of her gagging on his cock this early in the morning wouldn’t be a fun thing to wake up to.

Dan moaned and thrust his hips at her. Miriam squeezed his bum cheek and looked up, wondering when he would wake up. Another groan and Dan rolled on his back, Miriam following the movement.

“Well, good morning you. I felt something nice happening, but I thought I was dreaming,” Dan mumbled, sitting up slightly. “To what do I owe this pleasure? Not that I’m complaining…” he hurriedly added.

“Good morning, Dan. Umm, I was hungry, so I decided you’d make a nice snack.” She sat up and started stroking him with her hand.

“Oh. Well, I was planning on scrambled eggs and the last of the guanciale, but don’t let me stop you.”

Miriam moved between his legs and blew on his tip, making him shiver with the cool breeze. “That sounds delicious, but I’ve got a bit of work for you to do. I have a sneaking suspicion you didn’t finish last night, did you?”

Dan groaned as Miriam ran her teeth down his shaft. “No. Ooo, ah, I waited. You, uh, shit, umm… Fell asleep with me in you and you didn’t want to move. I thought I’d better wait. Coming in you without you realising it just seemed a bit off.”

“Yeah, I wondered what happened when I woke up. But thank you for holding off. That must have been hard – umm, a struggle,” laughed Miriam. “No dramas now I’m fully awake. Fuck and fill me Dan. I’m all yours.”

Miriam crawled up his torso and kissed his lips, then rolled off. Pulling her legs up, she said, “You look ready to go. Get in and go for it.”

Dan got off the bed to flick open the curtains. The sun streamed in, adding a sensual glow to Miriam. “This is a morning I’m going to remember for a long, long time.” he chuckled and jumped back on the bed.

Miriam smiled back. “It’s a beautiful morning for it. Are you sure you have to leave today?”

Dan slowly pushed his index finger into Miriam’s hole, making her sigh. “Yeah, I’m not sure I want to, but I have to. Still,” he said, leaning down and kissing her clit, “I will be back. God, you taste so nice.”

He went to go back down, but Miriam put a hand on his forehead to prevent him. “I really, really, like a guy doing that to me, but what I want right now is you back in me. Please.”

Dan nodded and inhaled deeply to imprint her musk on his memory. He sat up, took aim, and plunged his cock deep into her. Miriam groaned at the impact and grabbed Dan’s head. She stared deep into his eyes and said, “Go hard. Don’t stop.”

He nodded and held her hips, then started pounding into her to a rhythm that felt right. Miriam closed her eyes and let her hands explore her own breasts, squeezing and caressing them. Dan brushed her hands away and gripped them tightly, never losing the beat. The extra touch sent a ripple of pleasure through her body, not an immense wave crashing on the beach, just a small wave from the turning of the tide. She was prepared to wait for her orgasm. She wanted his.

Dan ploughed on. Each stroke increased his desire to be with Miriam forever. He couldn’t believe that in a matter of days they’d gone from a purely business relationship to something that was so much more. He felt for her loss, but he wanted to shake her hopefully ex’s hand. Pushing the thoughts of Dale and Aly out of his head he upped his tempo. He rearranged himself for the final moments so he could watch his new love’s expression.

“Miriam? I’m coming.”

She opened her eyes and spread her arms wide. “Good,” she whispered.

Dan pressed in and held himself deep. Miriam felt him unload in her, the warm flow of his cum filling her cunt. Smiling, she held her arms up to cuddle him. “Never get tired of that feeling.”

Dan slowly lowered himself and brushed a wisp of hair off her face and smiled. “For me, it was well worth the wait. Thank you for letting me in.”

Miriam chuckled. “No worries. I’ve been thanking you all week, so you thanking me is fine. But,” she said and kissed him, “I really need to go somewhere, and you need to head north soon.”

“Yeah, fair enough. Tell you what, I’d better have a rinse before I get dressed. How about you do what you need to do, and I’ll meet you in the shower?” He slowly pulled out, dragging a wad of cream with him. “Looks like I’m washing the sheets first.”

Miriam rolled off the bed and glanced at the puddle. “Ooo, bugger. That was a good load, Dan. I’m starting to drip. Yeah, look, I’ll toss them in the wash after you go. I’ll umm, pee, then start the shower. Meet you then.”

Dan watched her hurry off with a hand between her legs. He stripped the bed and sighed happily as he packed the last few items he had to take with him.

“Dan! Coming?”

“I will, with another look at you.”

“Cheeky,” she laughed and lightly slapped his shoulder as he stepped into the shower. “But you’re not even hard. I can help with that.”

Dan shook his head and hugged her. “Thanks, but honestly, at this moment I just want to hold you and try to figure out how I became so lucky. Is that ok?”

Miriam rested her head on his chest and nodded. “Yeah. Actually, I don’t mind that at all.” She wrapped her arms around him. “This is wonderful.”

They let the water cascade down, sluicing away the last of their worries, the last fragments of hesitation. This would not be the end. Their lives still had separate paths they were following, but they knew instinctively they would merge soon. It was too early to tell what the future exactly held for them, but it was going to be fun finding out.

“Guess we’d better get out before the water turns cold,” Dan said and reluctantly released Miriam. He pushed the wet hair from her face and kissed her hard. “This is a good sized shower.”

“It is, although I didn’t expect to be using it with you.” She turned the water off and sharply ran her hands over his body, but slowed when she got down to his tackle. “Just getting rid of the excess water,” she explained.

“Ah ha. Fair enough. My turn?”

Miriam nodded and held her arms up. Dan quickly flicked off the water from her arms and back, then placed a hand under one boob and used the other to lightly flick off the droplets. He swapped sides before kneeling down. Miriam stepped sideways so Dan could run his hands down her legs. He thought about asking if she wanted him to check for leaks but decided no, as tempting as she was. He satisfied himself with a kiss on her mound and stood up.

“Ok, that’ll have to do otherwise I’ll never leave.” He wrapped a towel around his waist and kissed Miriam again. “I’ll get the coffee happening and meet you downstairs.”

===

“You’ll be right Zoe. It’s only a week. If you need us, just call anytime but you’ve got this. We wouldn’t have hired you if we didn’t feel you were the right person to manage this part of the business.”

“Thanks Dan, but it’s only just been three months. I’m still figuring out how it all works.”

Miriam patted her on the shoulder and said reassuringly, “Believe me, we’re still figuring things out as well. But Dan’s right. You’ll be fine. If it all goes horribly pear shaped, well, book it down as a learning experience.”

Dan and Miriam jumped into the car and waved goodbye to their new manager.

“She’ll be fine,” said Miriam.

“I know. You chose her. Well, the training wheels had to come off sometime.”

“True.” Miriam settled back in the seat and looked at Dan. “Is it wrong to be excited about going to a funeral?”

Dan laughed and shrugged. “To be honest, I’ve got mixed feelings. On one hand, Nonna is finally at peace, and on the other Aly and I are released from that stupid pact.”

“Bet she’s happy too. No regrets?”

“Well, just one.” Dan grinned at her confused look and picked up her hand to kiss it. “I wish I’d met you years ago.”

Miriam tossed him one of her brilliant, resolve melting smiles. “Me too. But on the other hand, like a fine wine, good things take time to mature.”

Dan nodded and tapped the music player on the car’s screen. “True. Very, very true.”

When

I grow

Too old to dream

I will have you

To remember

When

I grow too old to dream

Your love

Will live

In my heart…