to find out,” Becca said. She approached Joey for the can of snow and stole a quick kiss as she passed. The room didn’t break into applause, but it was close. Suddenly, everyone was decorating with a little more gusto and had a festive pep in their stride. They drank the wine, sashayed to the music, and turned the tasting room into a true wonderland.
As Becca filled her mug a second time, Joey let her arm linger on Becca’s waist as she passed. Yes, it was blatantly affectionate behavior in front of her friends, but Joey didn’t care. Madison caught the intimacy of the touch and passed Joey a questioning gaze to which she merely shrugged. When Becca held her stare with Joey just a little too long after they inspected the window art, Gabriella grinned in approval and awe. When they shared a quick kiss behind the bar, her friends had had enough. With Becca’s back to them as she strung a strand of twinkly lights along the wall behind the bar, Joey’s friends went for it.
“What the hell?” Madison mouthed, silently. She gestured back and forth between Joey and Becca.
Joey grinned. “It’s been good,” she mouthed back. Gabriella sang along loudly to the music to cover their exchange. She didn’t have the most on-key of singing voices, but she made up for it in volume.
“Have you two…” Gabriella mouthed, moving her finger back and forth, as Madison picked up the singing in her place. Even Loretta jumped in, lending her soprano as she followed the conversation with rapt interest.
Joey nodded. “Last night,” she mouthed and offered two hearty okay signs as endorsements. Her friends exploded in celebration, which looked a lot like Muppets when they danced. Joey held out her hands to calm them, not wanting Becca to pick up on the dishing happening literally behind her back.
“Is this high enough?” Becca asked, turning around mid Muppet dance. She quirked her head as the dancers froze. “What’s going on?”
“Gabriella is a dancer,” Joey offered quickly. “As well as a chef. She’s both. She was just teaching Madison this one move.”
“And me, too.” Loretta performed an enthusiastic but poorly executed Running Man.
“Oh.” Becca nodded as if it wasn’t insane. “Well, that’s definitely a…unique approach.”
“Isn’t it, though?” Gabriella said. “I take pride in my work.”
Joey had to give it to Gabriella. She committed.
“But yes, the lights look beautiful,” Joey said. “In fact, the whole place does. Go team.”
Becca climbed down the ladder, and Joey only allowed herself a moment to check out her ass because she did have a modicum of restraint. She remembered gripping it in the throes, and okay, that was probably enough trotting down memory lane in public.
“Your face is red, Jo,” Madison said slyly. “Want some water? It might help that beet-red face. Some might even call you Tomato Face. I won’t, though.” She was enjoying tonight far too much. It reminded Joey of when they were kids and Maddie relished it when embarrassed Joey was called to the front of the cafeteria stage on awards night and honored for perfect attendance.
“Thank you, Madison.” Joey passed her friend a chastising stare, took the offered bottle of water, and swallowed some down.
“Will I see you all at the opening Friday?” Becca asked the group as they consolidated the empty decor boxes.
“Wouldn’t miss it,” Gabriella said, looking between Becca and Joey like a proud mom. “I’ve missed too much already.”
Joey sent her a wide-eyed-blink combo.
“We’ll all be there,” Madison added. “Now we’re going to get out of here and let you two…mingle. It is the holiday season after all. Warm and jolly.”
“And sexy,” Gabriella whispered to the ground.
Loretta kissed Joey’s cheek. “Good night, you sweet girls. See you tomorrow, Joey. Don’t stay up too late now.” Her gaze landed on Becca. “Or do. Your decision. You only live once, right?”
Becca raised an amused eyebrow as the three people Joey enjoyed most scurried from the room, leaving Joey, Becca, and Judy Garland. “They know about last night,” Becca said, simply.
“They know,” Joey said back with a wince. “I’m bad at keeping secrets from Madison, and now from Gabriella, and Loretta has always been a second mother who can read me like a book with large print.” She took a deep breath. “I’m sorry.”
Becca laughed quietly and leaned against the bar. “They’re your friends, your people. You can tell them anything you want.”
“Really? You sure about that?” Joey asked, stepping into Becca’s space. “I can tell them that as sophisticated