there was no where for me to stay, but I stayed anyway
Everest leans forward slightly as Caly presents the bottle, inspecting the label with sharp-eyed focus, as though the weight of the entire evening rests on the typography. It probably doesn’t—but try telling that to the part of his brain already cross-referencing her description with the wine notes he memorized yesterday.
"Peppery is good," he says after a pause, nodding once with deliberate precision. "Complex. But not...aggressive." The corners of his mouth twitch upward, a ghost of a smile more than an actual one. "That’s what I’m hoping for, anyway."
He straightens again, eyes flicking back to Caly with something like relief. "Thank you. This helps more than you probably realize." There’s no casual charm behind the words, but there is a quiet sincerity. "And—chilled. Right. I’ve made a note." He taps two fingers lightly against his temple, then glances toward the exit like he’s running down a mental checklist. One more task complete. Two to go.
"I appreciate your help," he adds, after a slightly-too-long pause. "Your explanations were very clear." And though it might seem like the conversation is over, he hesitates, shifting his weight slightly. "Do you—work here most days?" It’s not a flirtation. It’s logistics. If he needs another wine, it’s best to plan ahead.
"Peppery is good," he says after a pause, nodding once with deliberate precision. "Complex. But not...aggressive." The corners of his mouth twitch upward, a ghost of a smile more than an actual one. "That’s what I’m hoping for, anyway."
He straightens again, eyes flicking back to Caly with something like relief. "Thank you. This helps more than you probably realize." There’s no casual charm behind the words, but there is a quiet sincerity. "And—chilled. Right. I’ve made a note." He taps two fingers lightly against his temple, then glances toward the exit like he’s running down a mental checklist. One more task complete. Two to go.
"I appreciate your help," he adds, after a slightly-too-long pause. "Your explanations were very clear." And though it might seem like the conversation is over, he hesitates, shifting his weight slightly. "Do you—work here most days?" It’s not a flirtation. It’s logistics. If he needs another wine, it’s best to plan ahead.
everest
