You Had Me at Merlot [ Chaennie ]

Chapter 17:Cheers to Happy Coincidences

The two of them touched a lot. Roseanne had noticed it more and more in the past couple of weeks. Little squeezes, like the one Jennie had just given her hand, or the trailing of fingertips on a shoulder as one of them passed the other. She loved their interactions, but the more time she spent with Jennie, the more she craved...well, more. It was a problem, and she knew in her heart that she couldn't stand still waiting any longer. She'd been careful not to step outside the friendship box Jennie had carefully drawn. She had wanted that move to come from Jennie. And yet it hadn't. She had to accept that it likely never would.

Regardless, she'd had a difficult day and needed to talk through her swirling thoughts with someone, and there was really no one better than Jennie.

"What's going on with you?" Jennie asked and popped a bite of bread. They'd chosen the little tapas place a few blocks up from the café because Jennie lived for their patatas bravas. "You're vacillating between breezy and haunted, and that's not normal."

She took a deep breath and thumbed her napkin. "The letter came back. The one I sent my father, and it's messed with my head."

Jennie's knife went still near the butter. She set it down. "Bastard." A pause. "Rosie, I'm so sorry."

"I told myself under no circumstances would I let his response get to me. Now his lack of one has made me feel like I've been rejected all over again." She sat back in her chair and rolled her lips in, gazing on the back wall in refuge. "When I opened the mailbox and found that letter, the air left the room. I'd been punched and literally sat in the lobby of my building like a shell for half an hour." She took a sip of her iced water. "Sometimes I feel like such a loser. Why did I have to send that letter? I set myself up for this."

Jennie leaned in. "Because you're a person just like all the rest of us. You have every right to have feelings and thoughts and wants in regard to how other people treat you."

"Yeah, I guess so. I just have expectations for myself and who I let in. I should never have tried to open that door because now I feel like a nobody."

Jennie leaned to her right, interrupting Roseanne's session with the wall. "Look at me and listen up." Roseanne took a moment but shifted her focus begrudgingly. Facing Jennie while in the emotional trenches left her feeling exposed. She didn't like it. At the same time, it was Jennie, and she couldn't look away.

"In a sea of millions, you shine the brightest, okay? And you know that after all we've been through that I have trouble giving you that kind of credit, which means it has to be true. You're an amazing person."

Roseanne blinked, surprised by the compliment.

Jennie wasn't done. "Everyone notices you when you walk through a door, and they want to get to know you even more after speaking to you for a few minutes. You leave an impact." The intensity with which Jennie said that last sentence resonated, because at one point she'd left a horrible one on Jennie.

"I didn't mean it that way," Jennie said, covering Roseanne's hand. She clearly understood where Roseanne's mind had drifted. "What I said is a compliment. It means you matter to people. Me included."

"You matter to me, too." She tried to smile, but the emotion forbade it. "And thank you."

"And that guy? Your father. We won't say dad because he's never been that. But what he doesn't realize is that he's dimmed his own life experience by leaving you out. He'll never know the light you bring, okay?" Jennie sat back in her chair, and Roseanne couldn't take her eyes off her. The way she'd tossed her hair with such authority as if telling someone off in that perfect way everyone dreamed of. Her eyes blazed blue, and Roseanne's skin lit up with tingles. She was something, this woman. The kindest spitfire you'd ever meet.

"I'm buying you dinner," Roseanne said quietly. "Because that was a good speech."

"And tomorrow, too?"

"Don't push it, okay?"

"I could write another speech."

"We'll see."

Jennie had been the perfect person to turn to after the bad day she'd had. She always came with the right combination of insight, vim, and kindness. They spent the rest of the evening bouncing between topics, never an uncomfortable lull. The more time she spent with Jennie, the more she grew to love them. They were a good duo. Jennie brought Roseanne's sillier side out in a way no one else ever had, with the exception of Courtney back in junior high.

"What are you laughing at now?" Jennie asked around her bite of truffle mac and cheese. She had every right to ask. Roseanne had found Jennie's stories highly amusing that evening. Not that it was anything new. Her job put her in the path of some interesting individuals and exchanges.

"I'm thinking back to that guy talking on the phone through his AirPods and you thinking he was talking to you the whole time."

Jennie shook her head. "So apparently I wasn't the hottest chick he'd ever seen dance on a pole."

"There's always next time."

Jennie nodded. "Guess I have to practice more." She grasped an imaginary pole and flung her hair to the side, which was the best. More laughter. Jennie was going out of her way to cheer her up, and Roseanne happily accepted the effort.

"There won't be poles, but there's one of those holiday street fairs in my neighborhood this weekend, if you want to swing around uptown."

"Rich people like the holidays, too?"

"I've heard rich people love any opportunity to throw money around, but I wouldn't know anything about that."

"Pshh. Not like you randomly bought a coffee and wine bar on a whim."

"Who does that?" They shared a laugh.

"So, if you're up for it, there's something I want to speak with you about. Just some thoughts that have been percolating. Little coffee analogy."

Roseanne nodded. "Sure. I'm definitely up for it. What's going on?"

"Okay, let me figure out the right words." Was it just Roseanne or did Jennie look nervous?

"Okay, this is getting weird." Roseanne looked up to see Helen standing a few feet away in a green and white striped sweater dress, a Chanel bag on her arm.

Helen put both palms in the air. "I promise I'm not stalking you." She gestured to the woman next to her. "My sister and I were just grabbing a quick dinner."

Jennie's gaze moved from Helen to Roseanne and back again.

"I guess we just have really great taste in restaurants," Roseanne said and introduced herself to Helen's sister, whose name was apparently Tamara.

"And this is Jennie, right?" Helen said, filling in the gaps for everyone. "Jennie is Roseanne's business partner."

"Yes, so good to see you again," Jennie said.

Tamara pointed at Roseanne. "Is this the woman you're seeing?"

Helen's eyes went wide. "Sorry. She has no filter. We've gone out a few times. Yes."

"Not a problem at all," Roseanne said. "Your sister's great," Roseanne told Tamara. "And it's wonderful to meet you." She and Helen held eye contact for an extended moment. She really was a sweet person.

"I'll give you a call soon."

"I'd love it," Roseanne said, feeling the warmth hit her cheeks. Was it awkward that Jennie had just witnessed that entire exchange? She quickly decided that it wasn't. Jennie was now a supportive friend who'd made her intentions crystal clear.

"I can't promise I won't see you at another restaurant first. You two enjoy your evening, and I need to come by and see the coffee-wine place soon."

"I'll save you a seat," Jennie said with a four fingered wave. As soon as Helen was out of earshot, Jennie leaned in. "I think the sister thinks the two of you are still dating."

Roseanne stared in Helen's direction as she exited the restaurant. "We are. We went out a couple of nights ago, and it went really well."

Jennie's mouth formed the shape of an 'O' before her voice caught up and said the word. "I had no idea."

"I was planning to tell you, but the thing with the letter happened. Is it weird to talk about dating, given our past?"

"No, not at all."

"Good."

"Well, she's beautiful."

"She is."

"I get a warm vibe from her."

"I do as well."

"So, I vote yes."

Roseanne nodded and sipped her water, wishing quietly that Jennie had expressed just the opposite. "You know what? I think it might turn into something, and I credit running into her after the ballet."

"Cheers to happy coincidences," Jennie said and touched her glass to Roseanne's.

"Now can we get back to what you wanted to talk to me about?"

Jennie regarded the tablecloth for a moment before returning her gaze to Roseanne's. "I wanted to know what you thought of adding sparkling wine to our lineup. You know, expanding our offerings."

"I love that idea. Gives people a choice for celebrations."

"Great. We're on the same page."

"Always," Roseanne said.

As she lay in bed in search of sleep that night, Roseanne played through the events of the day. The returned letter. She flipped onto her back. Telling Jennie about her date with Helen. Back onto her side. Jennie practically tossing her into Helen's arms. She threw the covers off her body and pulled them back on. Her green silk nightshirt felt like it was strangling her, so she tossed it onto the floor, opting to sleep in the nude. Maybe this was a sign she needed to pay attention to, the universe telling her to stop dwelling on the past with her future dangling right there in front of her.

Helen was nice and sweet and smart and attractive.

She also helped take her mind off Jennie Kim and all she couldn't have.