Where love leads us (Sequel of BWYDT)

Chapter 21

"I flirted this morning." All four women perked up in interest and stared at the youngest of them, waiting for the details. "I mean, I would tell you all about it but I have to leave to get more coffee it seems. So, sorry. Can't help you there."

"No, no, no." All the women called out but Michelle just kept walking, smiling the whole way. "Michelle, come back! We need details." She didn't stop though. She smiled the entire way to the coffee shop. She was on a high and truly felt like one of the group.

"My, my. Do my eyes deceive me?" Nikki was smirking from her place in front of the counter. The male coworker on the other side smiled but backed away, beginning to clean the work station. "What did I do to deserve a mid-day visit from the local heart breaker."

Michelle rolled her eyes but didn't slow her pace until she was standing next to the brunette. Trying to be as smooth as possible, she leaned against the table, hoping it didn't slide with her weight. "A second coffee run apparently. And we need to come up with a new nickname for me."

Nikki kept her smile and looked Michelle over for a moment before taking a seat at the table she was leaning on. "I like the nickname. It stays."

"It's not accurate though." She argued before moving to take a seat across from her.

"What, you aren't going to sit next to me today?"

Michelle arched an eyebrow and smirked before shaking her head, causing the barista to scoff playfully and kick her under the table. "Oh, playing footsie with me now, are you? You're escalating things quickly."

It was obvious Nikki was blushing as she looked around, seeing if her coworker was close by but he had just disappeared behind the kitchen doors.

"I'm sorry if I embarrassed you." Michelle apologized, feeling that the glance was an attempt at damage control.

The brunette hesitated a moment before meeting Michelle's eyes, even then it was only briefly. The playfulness had faded slightly. Nikki looked down at the table and fiddled with her fingers. "I'm not embarrassed." She assured her with a slight smile but still not looking at her as she took one more look around. "I'm just not out."

Michelle's heart flew into her throat. She was gay. Or at least not straight. Holy shit. This had been flirting. A girl was flirting with her and she was flirting back. "Oh. Sorry."

Nikki waved her off lightheartedly and pursed her lips, trying to lighten the mood again. "You didn't know."

Michelle dropped her head a little to try and catch Nikki's eyes, waiting there until they met. "But now I do, and your secret is safe with me."

The brunette nodded. "So, are you out?"

Michelle sat up and smiled. "Yes. Well, sort of. Most everyone knows, just not my mom."

Nikki stood up and grabbed a cookie out of the nearby glass display case and came right back to the table setting it on a napkin between them to share. Knowing the owners were turning out to be an unexpected perk. "Why not your mom? She wouldn't be okay with it?"

"I'm sure she will be questioning of it as it is a recent realization for me, but I think she will be fine," Michelle explained taking a small piece of the cookie. "But it's something I would rather talk to her about in person and I haven't seen her in a while."

Nikki furrowed her brow and pointed in the general direction of the studio. "But... you work with her."

"What?" Michelle looked at her for a moment in confusion before it hit her. "Oh! No. Lauren." She laughed and placed a hand to her face. "Lauren is my birth mother but I was adopted. My mom, or adoptive mother if you would like, lives in Miami. I haven't seen her for a few months."