The Exception Series Complete - Adriana Locke

The Exception Series Box Set by Adriana Locke Copyright © Adriana Locke 2016

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed or transmitted in any form or by any means including electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior written consent of the author. The book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents either are products of the author ’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental and beyond the intent of the author or publisher. The Exception Copyright © Adriana Locke 2014 The Connection Copyright © Adriana Locke, 2015 The Perception Copyright © Adriana Locke 2015 Editor for The Exception and The Connection: Ashley Amigoni, Escapist Freelance Editing www.facebook.com/AshleyAmigoniFreelanceEditor Editor for The Perception: Missy Borucki www.missyborucki.com Interior Design & Formatting: Christine Borgford, Perfectly Publishable www.perfectlypublishable.com Cover Design: Kari March, K23 Designs www.facebook.com/DesignK23











Table of Contents THE EXCEPTION SERIES CLICK ON A BOOK TO READ BOOKS BY ADRIANA LOCKE THE EXCEPTION Dedication Prologue One Two Three Four Five Six Seven Eight Nine Ten Eleven Twelve Thirteen Fourteen Fifteen Sixteen Seventeen Eighteen Nineteen

Twenty Twenty-One Twenty-Two Twenty-Three Twenty-Four Twenty-Five Twenty-Six Twenty-Seven Twenty-Eight Twenty-Nine Thirty Thirty-One Thirty-Two Thirty-Three Thirty-Four Thirty-Five Thirty-Six Thirty-Seven Thirty-Eight Thirty-Nine Forty Forty-One Forty-Two Forty-Three Forty-Four Forty-Five Forty-Six Forty-Seven

Forty-Eight Forty-Nine Epilogue Acknowledgements THE CONNECTION Dedication One Two Three Four Five Six Seven Eight Nine Ten Eleven Twelve Thirteen Fourteen Fifteen Sixteen Seventeen Eighteen Nineteen Twenty Twenty-One

Twenty-Two Bonus Material Acknowledgements THE PERCEPTION Dedication Prologue One Two Three Four Five Six Seven Eight Nine Ten Eleven Twelve Thirteen Fourteen Fifteen Sixteen Seventeen Eighteen Nineteen Twenty Twenty-One

Twenty-Two Twenty-Three Twenty-Four Twenty-Five Twenty-Six Twenty-Seven Twenty-Eight Twenty-Nine Thirty Thirty-One Thirty-Two Thirty-Three Thirty-Four Thirty-Five Thirty-Six Thirty-Seven Thirty-Eight Thirty-Nine Forty Forty-One Forty-Two Forty-Three Forty-Four Forty-Five Forty-Six Epilogue Acknowledgements

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

THE EXCEPTION SERIES (each novel can be read as a standalone) The Exception (book 1) Purchase from Amazon The Connection, a novella (book 1.5) Purchase from Amazon The Perception (book 2) Purchase from Amazon THE LANDRY FAMILY SERIES (each novel can be read as a standalone) Sway (book 1) Purchase from Amazon Swing (book 2) coming Winter 2016 STANDALONE NOVELS Sacrifice Purchase from Amazon Wherever It Leads Purchase from Amazon COMING SOON!

Written in the Scars (a standalone)

To my husband. Thank you for believing in me. You are my rock, my best friend, and my exception. I love you more than words could ever express.

IF I CLOSE my eyes, maybe she’ll disappear. “That was amazing. So good, Cane.” Maybe not. The woman nestled against me, her hand draping across my body. She stroked my skin, the intimacy of the action curling my stomach. I switched on the bedside lamp, letting my eyes adjust to the bright light. Glancing at the clock, I pushed her hand away. It’s not too late. She can still go home. Sitting up, I swung my legs over the side of the bed; my body groaned in response. I stretched my arms overhead in an attempt to work some life back into my exhausted muscles. This girl was a decent choice for a last minute decision. Memories of her contorted in a variety of wicked ways, screaming my name, made my dick harden again. “Do you want me to get us something to eat?” Her nails grazed down my back and I moved out of her reach. Her touch, like her voice, was more annoying than I remembered it being a few hours earlier. That’s because I just dumped a load. I twisted around. Her blonde hair was spread across my pillows, black makeup smeared across her face. A part of me wanted to tell her she looked like hell, but a bigger part of me didn’t care enough to point it out. I just needed her gone. She rolled onto her back, cheap perfume wafting through the air. I’m going to have to do laundry. Hell, I’ll probably just have to burn these sheets to get rid of that smell. “I was thinking I would grab us some hamburgers. I could pick up some things for breakfast while I’m out.” I cringed at the implications saturating her voice. “You’re going to need to tone that shit down.” “What are you talking about?” “Look, I have things to do tonight.” Her face was familiar but her name—not so much. “Oh, that’s fine. I can just wait here while you do what you need to do.” She flashed me her

biggest smile and settled back into the sheets, looking way too comfortable in my bed. “No. You’re going to need to get up, get dressed, and go home.” I massaged my temples with my fingertips, a migraine inching its way into my skull. For fuck’s sake! Why isn’t this ever as easy as they make it out to be? Maybe I should get them to sign some shit, a ‘This is a Fuck and Only a Fuck’ disclaimer or something. “I really have no plans for tomorrow, Cane.” “We discussed this. We fuck. You leave. You know this.” She had the nerve to look hurt. “I didn’t think you were going to say that once we were done.” “It was amazing. It is always amazing with me.” I flashed her a grin and literally watched her swoon. That never gets old. “Look, I don’t do this ‘sex and a sandwich’ thing, but that is not a newsflash.” “But Cane!” “Why does it feel like we’ve been here before?” Frustration took over and I took a deep breath, trying to keep myself calm. All I needed was a hot little body to dump my stress into for a little while and I had made no illusions otherwise. She agreed to this before she followed me home. Why does it have to be complicated now? I ran my fingers through my short blond hair, scrubbing my scalp in annoyance. “When I was here a few months ago, we had lunch, too. Remember? We sat out on the patio.” Remember her face. Do not triple dip this one. “You don’t understand how this works.” I glanced at her reclining against my pillows and fought hard to not sound as brusque as I felt. “I have a bunch of shit to do. You really need to go.” She sighed dramatically as she got up and found her jeans on the floor. I watched her ass jiggle as she pulled them on slowly, undoubtedly for my benefit. It worked. I had to restrain myself from grabbing her and fucking her one more time, just for good measure. That would only make getting her out of my house even harder and she simply wasn’t good enough to waste any more time on. Instead, I sat and enjoyed the show. She turned to face me as she pulled her shirt over her head, her eyes never leaving mine. She tucked her bra in her purse. With a final glance over her shoulder, presumably to give me time to change my mind, she was gone. And I was alone again—just the way I liked it.

STEAM BILLOWED FROM the cup of coffee in front me, rising quickly before disappearing into the surrounding air. A part of me wished I could vanish with it. Another nightmare had rocked me the night before. I had woken up in a cold sweat, scouring the room for a set of wild eyes and testing the air for the stench of whiskey. I could have sworn I heard him yelling at me like he used to. “What in the hell do you think you’re doing? I have to bust ass and work late and I get home to this? To you lying in bed with another book, no worries in the world? You are damn lucky I put up with you.” Bile churned in my stomach, the sound of Decker ’s voice fresh in my mind. My eyes forced closed, trying to block the memories accosting me left and right. “You’ll be back.” I shivered. Those were the last words he said before I left Boston. He was wrong. I wouldn’t be back—not to Massachusetts and not to him. Too many years had been spent at his mercy. Years of worry, heartbreak, and agony were finally behind me. I opened my eyes, feeling relieved to be sitting in my sister ’s kitchen and 2,000 miles from my ex-husband. Kari had decorated her little house in the Phoenix suburbs a lot like our house growing up. It was cozy and warm, with a neutral palette accented with pops of turquoise and coral. Our mother would have loved it and it made me feel at home. The uncertainty I had lived with for so long had begun to lift in the few days I had been back in Arizona. The drive to Tempe had given me ample time to mull everything over from a safe vantage point; there wasn’t anything else to do in a car for six days but think. I had given Decker everything I had for so long. It was time I started to focus on me. I needed to start fresh and charge into the future with a clean slate and clear head. As I lifted the cup of coffee to my lips, I ignored the unsettled feeling in the pit of my stomach. These things take time. Fake it ’til you make it. “Jada, stop this.” Kari made her way into the kitchen, tossing her light brown hair out of her eyes, bringing me out of my daze. Although a few years younger than me, Kari could have been my twin. The only real difference between us was our hair—mine was naturally much darker. “Just watching

you sit there like that makes me want to smack you.” “Stop what?” I smiled and feigned innocence. Kari’s question was completely rhetorical—we both knew exactly what she was talking about. I sighed, gazing at the bougainvillea growing outside the window. Its purple flowers were a bit of happiness in an otherwise drab desert landscape. That’s what I need—a pop of color in my life. “We need to get you out of this funk, do something to shake you up.” Kari bit her lip before her green eyes lit up. “Maybe we need to go to Vegas again!” “Now that was a good time! Do you remember when Lara tried to climb into the fountain at the hotel? And the hot security guard had to basically restrain her?” “Well, I volunteered for him to restrain me! I would totally have taken that one for the team!” “You know, I’m pretty sure he may have taken you up on the offer, had you not vomited into the bushes right after propositioning him! You completely ruined the moment,” I recalled, throwing us into a fit of giggles. I wiped away the tears with the back of my hands. It had been a long time since I had felt comfortable enough to let my guard slip. Decker had kept me on alert; I was always waiting for the next argument, the next battle. I had almost given up hope of a happily-ever-after. Sitting with Kari, laughing at memories I hadn’t thought about in years, made me feel like I could breathe again. I felt lighter, less suffocated. Hope for a better future started to seep slowly through the crevices, exciting me but scaring me at the same time. “See? There’s the sister I used to know!” Kari tossed a turquoise towel at me. “I’m trying to get there. It still hurts.” “It only hurts because you lost a fantasy. Let’s be real for two seconds—he was never the man you thought he was.” Her words, full of truth, pierced my heart. I braced myself for the onslaught I knew was coming. “Obviously, I know that now. But he was my husband and—” “And if you had listened to me,” Kari began, narrowing her eyes, “I would have saved you from that mistake! I told you. Dad told you. The signs were all there.” If she only knew the half of what I went through, she would really be lighting me up! “I know. But don’t go there again. Not now, please.” I closed my eyes, trying to keep my emotions in control. “I thought I would be married once, you know? I did everything to make it work and look at me now! Do you think this is where I want to be?” I leaned forward, my elbows resting on the table. “I have nothing, Kari. I’m a lonely, unemployed, homeless girl living with her sister. It’s pathetic. I’m well aware. There’s no need to rehash it.” Kari rolled her eyes. “Could you be a little more dramatic? The lonely thing is a temporary setback; you just need to meet the right guy. You will be officially employed as soon as you get your ass to the office, so stop the whining about that. But mi casa es su casa for as long as you need.” “I know it’s time to move on,” I sighed, feeling my shoulders dip. I wanted to move forward with

the new phase of my life, but it was a little nerve wracking. I took a deep breath, remembering my mantra. Fake it ’til you make it. “I’m going to start work tomorrow. There’s no need to wait until Monday to go in. I’ll give Dad a call and let him know I’ll be there bright and early.” “Maybe some hottie will walk in the door and sweep you off your feet!” “Yeah, that’s so likely.” “Don’t rule things out! I meet guys in the strangest places. Remember the guy from Texas I met buying a gas can? Stranger things have happened!” “Only you would meet a guy like that,” I laughed. “But in all honesty, I get really nervous just thinking about meeting someone. I don’t want to be alone forever, but I’m going to be really picky this time—like crazy picky. I want to find someone that wants me and only me. I want to be someone’s priority.” “It will happen,” Kari nodded enthusiastically, the optimist in her blazing to the surface. “Everyone has a Prince Charming out there! I just hope yours has a sexy brother!” I grinned. “Exactly! I need to go for the Prince Charming’s of the world. No more bad boys for me.” “But they’re so fun!” Kari laughed before catching herself and pointing a manicured finger at me. “No, I get it. You are right. Some people, namely you, aren’t capable of just having sex. You have to go fall in love, so it would behoove you to play things carefully.” “Behoove me?” “Hush.” The sound of the doorbell rang loudly through the house. Kari jumped in her chair, her eyes widening for a split second. My eyebrows furrowed as I cast a curious look in her direction. “Are you expecting someone?” “No, not really.” Kari stood up and cleared her throat. “It’s probably just Max.” “Max?” She turned towards the door with a coy smile on her lips. “Yeah, Max. Just a guy I’ve been seeing for a little while.” “Seeing him? Want to go into detail because I’m getting the impression you’re downplaying something.” “I’m seeing him in the loosest sense possible.” Kari laughed over her shoulder as she made her way towards the front of the house. The door opened and closed. A deep male voice drifted into the kitchen, whetting my curiosity. Kari had been a loner since getting her heart broken by a surfer from Australia. Since then, she refused to even consider settling down with one man. She operated on the premise of keeping men as close as necessary for maximum sexual pleasure—until said pleasure ran its course. Then she simply found another eager participant and it didn’t take long for a replacement to show up. The fact that Max was dropping by and Kari was fine with that spoke volumes. I was a little shocked.

The voices coming down the hallway grew louder and I ran my fingers through my hair, hoping that I didn’t look as much of a mess as I felt. I patted beneath my eyes, feeling the puffiness beneath my dark green orbs from a lack of sleep. I took a sip of my coffee as Kari appeared in the doorway, a man next to her that I presumed to be Max. He was tall, towering over Kari. I guessed him to be well over six feet. He had a chiseled face, golden tan, and jet-black hair. His eyes were a bright green and they held my gaze. He quirked a brow, seemingly surprised to see Kari have company. That makes two of us. “Jada,” Kari started, her voice shaking ever-so-slightly, “this is Max. Max, this is my sister Jada.” I smiled hesitantly at the man looming large in the doorway. “Hi, Max. It’s nice to meet you.” “It’s nice to meet you, too.” His voice was deep and smooth, with just a touch of a southern drawl. It was the type of voice that made women swoon. “Do you want a drink?” Kari motioned for Max to take a seat at the table. “No, thanks. I didn’t realize your sister was here already. I can always come back.” Kari walked around the table, pulled out her chair, and took her seat. “You aren’t interrupting anything. We were just reminiscing a little.” Max placed his large hands on the back of the wooden chair across from me. He watched my sister intently, his features softening as she fiddled with her cross necklace. His tall, dark, and mysterious appearance would generally have me on edge; he was quite imposing. But there was just something about him that put me at ease. It was a complete paradox. “If y’all are sure. I know you haven’t seen each other in a while.” He looked at Kari and pulled a chair out as she nodded. He sat down and looked at me, tilting his head to the side with a small smile on his handsome face. “It’s nice to finally meet Kari’s sister.” “It’s nice to finally meet Kari’s boyfriend.” I pointedly ignored the look Kari gave me and continued watching Max’s reaction. He seemed entertained by my synopsis of their relationship. “Oh, I am not Kari’s boyfriend.” He glanced at my sister who was giving me a death stare, his grin growing wider. “Isn’t that right?” Kari kept her eyes on me, refusing to look at Max. “Oh, okay. So you are just friends then. Got it,” I said. “Nah, I wouldn’t say we were just friends either. That would imply she liked me.” He strummed his fingertips against the table, a smile creeping slowly across his face. “We fuck.” “Max!” Kari shrieked, her jaw dropping in disbelief. “Seriously?” Max chuckled and shook his head, amused by her reaction. “Did I misrepresent something, sweetheart?” “Well, no, but . . .” Kari looked between the two of us, her face reddening by the second. “My point. You just want me around to deliver the goods. We may as well call it like it is, right?” “Okay,” I said with a small laugh. “I think that was more than I needed to know.” Max and Kari exchanged a smile as they seemed to come to some sort of nonverbal agreement; I

felt like I was intruding on a conversation I couldn’t hear. “Now that you know about me, I think you should tell me something about you.” Max turned in his chair to face me. “I have nothing that shocking to share,” I promised, trying to think of a way to change the direction of the conversation. I knew nothing about him. I didn’t know he even existed until five minutes before. I was at a complete disadvantage. “I didn’t say it had to be shocking,” Max said. We were interrupted by my cell phone buzzing. I snatched it up quickly, breathing a sigh of relief —until I looked at the screen. My heart tumbled to the floor in a spectacular fashion, its beat increasing rapidly. Decker ’s number was flashing across the front, sending a jolt of anxiety through me with each pulse. I didn’t want to talk to him. That was the last thing I wanted. But if Decker was in a mood or had been drinking, there was a good chance he would call over and over until I answered or he fell asleep. If I turned it off, Kari would know something was up. I really had no choice, given the situation. “I need to take this,” I said, standing up. “It was nice to meet you, Max.” “Who is that?” Kari’s face twisted in suspicion. I shook my head dismissively. “It’s no one, just a friend from Chicago. You remember Heather? She has my résumé and was planning on sending it around up there. I was expecting her to call.” I pushed in my chair and headed for the door. She nodded, but I knew she was not buying what I was selling.

I DASHED TO the front door, the ringing phone dead weight in my hands. I swung open the glass, walked through, and shut it tightly behind me. The buzzing stopped and began again immediately. “Hello?” My blood pounded through my veins as I waited to see which Decker I would be dealing with—the sweet, playful side I had fallen in love with or the hateful, condescending part I loathed. As I waited for him to speak, I shook my head at my own stupidity. Regardless of his reason for calling, the conversation wouldn’t end well. It never did; that was the one consistency of our relationship. I filled my lungs with precious air, reminding myself to be strong. Don’t let him sense any weakness. “Hey, Jada. How are you?” The Northeastern accent that I originally found so endearing only served to annoy me now. It was a reminder of the nights when he would come home angry, the nights I would pretend to be asleep and prayed that he would just pass out. “I’m good,” I said, chewing on a fingernail. I walked down the sidewalk, needing to put some distance between myself and the house. I didn’t want to risk Kari hearing this conversation. She had no idea what I really dealt with in my marriage. No one did. It was devastating and embarrassing, for one. For two, my friends would have asked why I put up with it. Quite frankly, I couldn’t explain things that I didn’t understand. Decker could go from a decent husband one minute, bringing home takeout so we could watch a movie together, to an irrational lunatic the next, backing me up against the wall while yelling every insult he could think up. It was my own personal hell. His back-and-forth was dizzying and confusing. I would find the nerve to leave and then he would switch again. He played on my insecurities, manipulating me like the master manipulator he was. He would point out that I would be starting over with virtually nothing. Was I willing to throw away everything we had built together? Didn’t I want to start a family? Didn’t I mean what I said before the officiator? He knew the things that made me reconsider walking out. It was an endless, exhausting roller coaster that I couldn’t get off of . . . until I literally walked in on the truth.

I knew the cheating was happening; I had known that down deep for a long time. My heart splintered with each thrust Decker delivered to our neighbor as she held on to my dresser with both hands. As he pushed Sarah over the edge of ecstasy, he pushed me out the door. The difference was that I had not just suspected it—I had witnessed it and it was the straw that broke the camel’s back. I called my friend Mandi and moved my things in with her that night after Decker went to work. Her husband, Mason, was a professional fighter; it was the safest place I could go. Decker had never hit me, but I wasn’t sure what his reaction would be. As I feared, he went ballistic. He begged me one minute to return and cursed me out the next. In one drunken binge, he showed up at Mandi’s door. I’m not sure what transpired between Decker and Mason, but he didn’t come back. He just complicated my life from afar by fighting me on the divorce. “You can’t make it on your own. You’ll be back.” I rolled my eyes at the memory. “How are you?” I asked, making my way down the sidewalk. “Ah, I’m okay.” Ice clinked against a glass. “Just thinking about you.” “Oh, really? What brought that on?” “I found some pictures today in the back of our closet.” I smiled sadly. “Yeah, I left those there.” Decker was quiet for a few moments. I knew the conversation was getting ready to turn and I fought the urge to disconnect the call. He needs to hear, once and for all, to leave me alone. I am safe here. “You don’t want them?” The sadness in his voice hurt me. The self-help books called it codependency, but, to me, it was just being a human. I had loved him for a long time, before he was this Decker. I couldn’t just forget that. “No, I don’t want them. It is easier to try to forget everything, I think.” I worried my bottom lip between my teeth, hoping this wouldn’t set him off. Every word was a gamble when he was drinking; an arbitrary line could be crossed at any time. He chuckled into the phone, a hint of anger surfacing in his voice. “Really? You don’t want to remember me?” I let out a long breath as I slowed my pace. I needed to focus. Stand up to him. Don’t back down. “Honestly, no. Not really. That wasn’t exactly a happy part of my life. You of all people should know that.” “You were never happy with me? You can really say that?” “I don’t know why it matters at this point.” I shook my head, feeling the exhaustion that accompanied dealing with Decker begin to creep into my bones. “I miss you,” he whispered. “Don’t do this.”

“You know we were great together. We had some bad times, yeah. Everyone does. But just admit that we had some great ones, too.” I continued walking, contemplating what he said. All of the good memories now had a big question mark on top of them. I let out a breath I didn’t realize I had been holding. I felt noticeably less guilty than I normally did when he tried to manipulate me and I smiled at the realization. Maybe I was making progress. “We could have worked everything out. You didn’t give me a chance.” The anger in his voice was heavier, his tone more accusatory. A few months before, I would have started backtracking, trying to find a way avoid the confrontation that was about to happen. But that was then and this was now. “You have got to be kidding me,” I said, entering the park and spotting a picnic table. “I gave you so many chances it isn’t even funny.” “You just didn’t want it to work out.” I recoiled at his accusation, my blood beginning to boil. “How can you even say that? I put up with so much from you! So many nights I sat at home, scared you were going to come barging through the door, irate about something stupid. And how many times did you cheat on me? How many before I walked into our bedroom and found you fucking Sarah? I ignored so much, Decker,” I seethed, the words pouring from my soul, “in order for it to ‘work out’. I put up with so much more than anyone ever should! And all that ended up happening was that you made a fool out of me!” “Jada—” “Do not ‘Jada’ me!” I had never felt free enough to truly defend myself before. My heart pounded in my chest as a weight lifted from my being. “You made me feel like I was worthless for so long! But that is my fault because I let it happen.” “If you would’ve kept me happy at home, this could have been avoided.” “Fuck you,” I bit out, catching him off guard. “Well, well, well. You move away and you get all ballsy, huh?” “It’s hard to be ballsy to someone much larger than you when they’re breathing down your neck, intimidating you all the time!” “I don’t know what you are talking about. You seem to have a case of revisionist history going on,” he laughed into the phone. It only fueled the fire that has started to burn inside me and I reveled in the feeling of being able to let it smolder. “I’m sure you do think that.” “When you are sick of playing house with your sister, maybe I will still consider taking you back.” “Oh, if only I could ever be so lucky—” “Don’t get cocky with me.” I knew his eyes were changing, going from hazel to a dark whiskey. He was sitting taller, his jaw tight. It was like clockwork when his voice deepened like that. “I should’ve left you a lot sooner than I did.”

“Don’t act like I’m some kind of monster, Jada. I gave you a great life. You are having some early mid-life crisis or something. You’ll come back to your senses soon enough.” “Yeah. You’re right. It’s all my fault,” I said, my head held high despite the words that I spoke. “You better watch it.” His voice was almost a whisper, quivering with the fury he was trying to reign in. The power between us had shifted. Whereas he had always had full control, it was now split. I knew he felt it, too. “Or what, Decker? What are you going to do to me now? I’m not your wife. I’m not your girlfriend. I’m not your anything!” “You’re so full of shit. You will always be mine. Do you hear me?” “I’m pretty sure you have a piece of paper that says otherwise.” “I only agreed to it in the end so you could see what life is like without me, you dumb little bitch! Once you see what it is like to pay your own bills, to make your own decisions, you’ll be back. You aren’t capable of making it on your own.” “You’re such an asshole, you know that?” “Maybe, but you will be crawling back to this asshole within a few weeks.” I could hear his grin and I wanted to wipe it off of his face. “You better just pray I’m willing to take you back.” I took a deep breath as I watched two little girls enter the park. Their ponytails bounced as they headed towards the grassy field. One of them tossed a giant yellow ball on the ground and they began kicking it back and forth, laughing. I was distracted by them, their happiness almost tangible and I wanted to reach out and grab ahold. I was reminded of the joy I used to feel before I lost who I was, before I let my self-image be destroyed. The two girls raced around the grass, their giggling tickling my ears, and I suddenly found myself craving that feeling like never before. I wanted to feel happy. I wanted to feel joyful. I wanted to feel alive. “Maybe,” I began, turning my attention back to the phone. “But I wouldn’t hold my breath if I were you. Just stick with what you do best. Go to work, drink some whiskey, and fuck a bunch of whores. And lose my number.” I swiped the phone off and stuck it in my pocket. If I let him rob me of happiness, I let him win. And he’s taken enough from me. All he has of me now is a box of photos and my phone number. I had begun reclaiming my life and the only thing left to take back was my happiness. I knew that was going to be the hardest thing to claim. It felt just barely within my reach. My fingertips could brush against it if I extended my hand as far as it could possibly go, but I wasn’t sure I could grab it, make it mine. I wasn’t sure when the last time was that I was truly happy. It may have been in Vegas with my girlfriends a few months before college graduation. We had drunk too much, danced too much, and laughed too much—and it was perfect. Then again, it may have been the day before my fourteenth

birthday. Mom and I had gone shopping for spaghetti noodles for my birthday dinner. Then she took me to the mall for a new outfit to wear to school the next day. We picked out a light green dress with yellow swirls and pockets on the sides. She said it was very “Jackie-O”. I only wore it once. With one final glance at the little girls with the yellow ball, I started the walk back to Kari’s. Grabbing my phone from my pocket, I turned it on and punched in a few numbers. “Hello. This is Jada Stanley and I need to get my phone number changed, please.”

THE BEAT OF the Mariachi music lifted my spirits as Kari and I sat at a table at Blanca’s, our favorite Mexican restaurant. We had been regular patrons in the “pre-Decker days,” as Kari liked to call them. I thought of them as “the good ol’ days”. “I’ll have the ensalada de pollo,” I told the waiter over the sound of clinking glasses and silverware. “What about you?” Julio looked at Kari, straightening his nametag absentmindedly. A group of men at a corner table began cheering, taking Julio’s attention from Kari. The entire restaurant broke out into laughter, which only encouraged the men, and they waved as they danced in their seats and began humming along with the music. “I’ll have that, too,” Kari replied as the commotion in the corner settled down. She took a sip of the large strawberry margarita sitting in front of her. Julio took our menus and retreated to the kitchen. The smells of spices flowed out of the archway; my stomach rumbled at the appetizing aroma. “I’m so glad you came home! I have missed this so much,” Kari said, sipping her drink again. “I would have been mad if you had gone to Heather ’s. Just so you know.” “I’ve missed this, too.” I relaxed back into my chair, enjoying the peaceful feeling that was starting to settle over me. My conversation with Decker earlier that day had cemented the direction of my thoughts. I had stood up to him and survived, and that was a tipping point for me. I realized that the past was the past. I couldn’t change it, but I could learn from it. And that’s what I was going to do. I would go forward— tentatively, maybe, but forward nonetheless. Just be rational this time. Think things through. I have to think with my head and not my heart. “No, you didn’t,” Kari said, flipping through the little drink menu on the table. “You were too far up Decker ’s ass to miss me.” “I’m not arguing with you.” I flashed her a cool look, warning her not to press the issue. “I don’t want to argue with you, Jada. But do you realize how bad he was for you?” “Obviously. I walked in to find our neighbor bent over my dresser, yelling out my husband’s name while he slammed into her from behind. I’m pretty sure I get it.”

Kari made a face. “Well, I hope so. I’d hate for you to be missing him because I’d have to kick your ass.” “The alcohol is making you bold. I swear I will make the waiter take your margarita if you don’t stop.” I shook my head, seriously considering my threat. “Aw, let’s not do that,” a deep voice rumbled behind me. “Tequila usually makes her fun.” My head whipped to the side as Kari choked on her drink. Max stepped into my line of sight and reached over and gently patted her back, a smirk finding his lips as he looked down at my sister. His long legs were clad in a pair of dark jeans. He had a black t-shirt stretched across his broad chest and a black baseball cap sitting backwards on his head. His dark green eyes were trained on my sister. “What are you doing here?” Kari asked, regaining her composure. “This is a restaurant. Logic would say I’m having supper.” “Oh,” Kari said. “Well, okay. I just wasn’t expecting to see you tonight.” “I’m sorry to disappoint you.” “No! You’re not disappointing me.” Kari’s eyes went wide as she reached over and grabbed Max’s arm, making his smirk grow wider. “Um, do you want to join us?” Kari’s eyes darted to me, silently asking if that was okay. I nodded faintly. If nothing else, this should be entertaining. Max glanced at me and winked, knowing he had just won a small battle. “I’d love to join you.” He sat down and took his hat off, placing it on his lap. I briefly questioned if this run-in had been a total coincidence, but pushed it out of my mind when Max motioned across the restaurant. “Hey, man! Over here.” Max waved an arm over his head before turning his attention back to us, his eyes shining. “I was meeting a friend here for a beer and a bite to eat. I hope y’all don’t mind.” The little hairs on the back of my neck stood at full attention. I had the overwhelming sensation that I was being watched. I felt vulnerable—like prey on the verge of being captured. I looked to my tablemates and their eyes were focused across the room. I glanced at the neighboring tables. Women’s heads were all turning like dominos; all gazes were focused on the same spot. What the hell is going on? “Hey, Max.” The voice to my left was low and rumbled through me. I dropped my gaze to the floor, trying to still my pounding heart. His voice was smooth, confident, with a touch of grit—the kind of voice you could listen to all day and never hear enough. The air was infused with a spicy, earthy scent—notes of cedar and possibly tobacco lingering in the air. The combination was heady. Whoever was standing beside me was pure, unadulterated male. My body heated at the influx of sensations and the feeling of his eyes on me. A pair of dark boots was a few feet away from my chair, and as I moved my eyes up slowly, I

found dark denim covering a set of muscular legs. A brown leather belt wrapped a trim waist. A blue button-up shirt was tucked in, hinting at the hardness that lay beneath the fabric. The sleeves of his shirt were rolled to his elbows, exposing an expensive-looking watch and a set of tanned, powerful forearms. I nervously tucked a strand of hair behind my ear, trying to slow my heart that was threatening to pound out of my chest. “Hey,” Max smirked, his eyes trained on his friend. A hint of mischief danced across his features. “I walked in and saw Kari and grabbed a seat. Wanna join us?” I inhaled slowly, trying to get my bearings. I turned ever-so-slowly to my left. When my eyes met his crystal blues, I froze. A smile lazily broke out across his face. Chills raced through my body and goose bumps broke out across my skin. This man was nothing short of divine. His eyes were the bluest I had ever seen—crystal clear pools of cerulean. They were wild, yet elegant, sort of calm, yet lively. They were the kind of eyes you could lose yourself in for hours on end. The kind of eyes that could get a girl in trouble. His face was sharp and angular; his jaw was strong and square. A slightly bent nose lent a bad boy look to his otherwise perfect face. His short blond hair was cropped close to his head. He was beautiful with a hint of rogue and it was all I could do not to stare. I pulled my eyes away, feeling my cheeks heat. As I glanced down his solid body, I knew without a doubt that a guy that looked like this was nothing but trouble. He was too delicious for his own good. Or my own good, anyway. He gripped the chair in front of him and I imagined his strong hands gripping my hips. I have to calm down! I felt an urge to look back up and when I did, he was watching me intently. He held my eyes with his own and I was pinned in place, unable to tear my gaze from his. I felt defenseless, completely bared, like he was downloading everything from my brain. I wanted, needed, to pull my eyes away from him, but I couldn’t. “Craving Mexican, huh?” He snickered as he sat down at the empty seat next to me, finally releasing my gaze. Max laughed and shook his head. “And how are you, Kari?” “I’m great, Cane,” Kari cooed, batting her eyelashes. Cane slowly turned to me, his grin turning wicked. My breath hitched in my throat as he leaned in. I cleared my throat, hoping it would distract him from the thumping of my heart that I was absolutely certain he could hear. If there was ever a physical embodiment of sex—it was sitting next to me. “Max has apparently forgotten his manners tonight. I am Cane Alexander. And who might you

be?” I smiled nervously. “I’m Jada Stanley, Kari’s sister.” “I have to admit,” Cane said, looking up to Max, “that I was a little pissed about meeting you here. But, all things considered,” he said, giving the slightest nod to me, “I think this is going to work out just fine.” I took a sip of my margarita as Cane turned to me. “What do you do?” he asked casually. I opened my mouth to respond when a set of red fingernails appeared on Cane’s shoulder. His head jerked to the side, taking my attention with it. If the woman touching Cane could have gotten any closer, she would have been sitting on his lap. With big boobs popping out of the top of her short black dress, her long blonde hair floating in waves down her back, she definitely wanted attention. And, apparently, Cane was who she wanted it from. “Cane,” she purred. “Long time no see.” “Hey, Miriam,” Cane said, wearing a cocky grin. I felt a little bubble of jealousy wash over me and I chastised myself. Guys like this were my weakness, my Achilles heel. A gorgeous bad boy type with a cocky flair had always drawn me in. But the fact of the matter was simple—I knew better. This was everything I didn’t need to be focusing on, all wrapped up in one hot package. “What are you doing here?” Miriam asked. “Oh, just meeting old friends. And making some new ones, I think.” Cane turned to me and flashed me a devilish smile. “Oh. What are you doing later?” Miriam angled her cleavage to Cane’s eye level. “I’m not sure yet. Why? Did you have something in mind?” “Maybe. Do you wanna call me later?” “Well, no. I don’t even have your number.” Cane shrugged and flagged Julio down. Miriam’s jaw dropped and I had to stifle a laugh, covering my mouth with my hand. “You mean you don’t still have my number, baby?” She stuck out her bottom lip and batted her lashes again. “I don’t think fucking once warrants keeping your number.” I bit the side of my cheek as I looked at Kari, not sure whether to laugh or be disgusted. She was watching the show, seemingly unfazed by the ridiculousness. I bet she sees this stuff from him all the time. Just another reason to ignore him, regardless of how wet my panties are right now. “Once?!” Miriam nearly shrieked. “We were together four times, Cane!” Cane ignored her as he ordered a Corona for himself and Max from Julio. Julio blushed as he headed towards the bar, drink order in hand. “Lucky for you, I still have your number.” She smiled sweetly, recovering quicker from Cane’s

downplay than I had anticipated. “I’ll just shoot you a text later and you can hit me up.” “You do that,” he said, nodding. “Now I’m about to enjoy a meal here with my friends, so why don’t you go find yours?” “Oh, okay! Talk to you soon, baby.” She walked away, her head held high despite being clearly dismissed by Cane. I was speechless. “That was interesting,” Max said, shaking his head. “You can really find the crazy ones, Cane. That girl has no shame.” “That’s exactly what I was thinking,” Kari said, rolling her eyes. Cane laughed as he took his drink from the waiter. “The crazy ones are the most fun.” He looked at me and laughed at the look on my face. “No, seriously—she’s not nearly as fun as she thinks she is. And I think four times is a stretch.” “I don’t know what to say to any of that,” I mumbled. “Don’t worry.” Cane brought the bottle to his lips. “I’d be happy to take you home tonight instead.” I was appalled for the second time in as many minutes. “Excuse me?” I asked in disbelief, my voice rising. My mouth hung open at his audacity. “I’m not interested in going home with you, thank you very much.” Cane leaned in close, his eyes sparkling and his voice just above a whisper. “Don’t act like you don’t want me, Jada.” The way his voice caressed my name made my entire body light up. “It’s your eyes that give you away.” I forced a swallow as my brain left me hanging, abandoning me when I needed a quick, sassy retort. We watched each other, neither of us saying a word, until a beeping noise drew his attention away. I sagged in my chair with relief, glancing at Max who looked amused. I glared at him and he responded with a laugh before taking a drink of his beer. Cane’s eyebrows furrowed as he dug into his pocket. “Excuse me for one second,” he said, swiping his phone and holding it to his ear. “Alexander,” he said, sitting upright. “Are you kidding me? That’s impossible.” Cane shook his head with exasperation. “Oh, for fuck’s sake. I’ll be there in a little while.” He shoved his phone back into his front pocket and looked at Max as he stood. “I have to go take care of the mess in Queen Creek.” Max nodded, seeming to understand what Cane was referring to. A part of me relaxed with relief, while another part of me secretly wished he would stay. I had never met someone like him before, someone that could walk into a room and own it immediately. I knew I couldn’t take it any farther, but I couldn’t help but wish he could have stayed. “Kari, it was nice to see you again. Jada, have Max give you my number.” He smiled confidently at me.

I was flabbergasted, annoyance at his presumptuousness overriding every other emotion. Is he freaking serious? What kind of girl does he take me for? “Excuse me? I don’t need, nor do I want, your number.” “Are you going to play hard to get? That’s so cute.” He gazed down at me, his eyes daring me to disagree. I was incensed and aroused—and mentally berated myself for the latter. Just as I was on the cusp of giving in to my body’s demands, images of Decker and Sarah flashed through my mind, and I tumbled back to reality with a resounding thud. “I’m not playing anything. I don’t want your number, Cane.” He studied me for a moment, his forehead creased in thought. “Do you have a boyfriend?” “No, I don’t. I’m not sure why that matters.” I glanced at Kari and Max and they were watching us now. And I thought they would be the entertainment. I glared at Cane for putting me on the spot. “I’m pretty sure you have somewhere to be. And time is ticking,” I reminded him, glancing at my watch for emphasis. He let out a deep breath and grabbed his wallet. He tossed a few bills in the center of the table. “I’ll take care of the bill.” Bending down, his breath hot on my cheek, he whispered, “I will be looking forward to seeing you again.” I started to respond, but he cut me off. “Oh, Jada. We will see each other again.” His words, both a threat and a promise, ignited my core and I shifted in my seat. “I’m not sure why you are playing hard to get,” he breathed, his lips so close to my skin that I fought hard not to shudder. “You shouldn’t try to play games with me because I’m not a player. I’m the coach.”

I pulled my Denali quickly out of the parking lot, cutting off some poor fucker in the process. The guy shook his fist at me out his driver ’s side window. He thought he was frustrated. I just had to leave a very promising dinner to take care of some bullshit my employees couldn’t manage. How did I not know Kari had a sister that looked like that? And why didn’t she want my number? Am I slipping? Am I losing my touch? I ran my fingers through my hair in frustration.

Why do I even care that she didn’t want my number? I thought about it for a few minutes and was left with no answers and a little pissed off. My phone began to ring, diverting my attention. “Howard? What’s going on over there?” “We got it figured out, boss.” “What was the problem?” My annoyance began to bleed away. There was no sense in being a dick to Howard. He was the best employee I had, besides Max. “The utility subcontractor called and said they wouldn’t be able to show up tomorrow. I got ahold of the owner and it’s taken care of. They’ll be here. No worries.” No worries my ass. “Are you absolutely sure? It is imperative that we stay on schedule on this. We can’t afford any delays at this point.” “No worries, boss.” I shook my head. It was still odd to hear Howard, who had worked for my father for decades, call me boss. But I wrote the paychecks, so I guess it made sense. “If I don’t worry, who is going to make sure everything doesn’t get fucked up?” “Me. Max. I’ve told you this a time or two, Cane—relax a little. Trust us. You are so hard-headed, just like your old man used to be.” I blew out a breath and swallowed hard, not wanting to go there. “You know I had you put on this job because it’s the most important one. I want the expansion of Benjamin Estates done on time and with no corners cut. I need you to make that happen.” “I’m on it. I’ll bitch out Franklin for calling you. I was on the phone getting everything figured out when he decided we couldn’t handle this on our own.” “Let me know if you have any problems. I’ll be by early in the morning to make sure everything is kosher.” “Will do.” I ended the call before tossing my phone on the passenger seat. I needed to make sure I was there before the guys in the morning. That’s what Dad would have done. He led by example and that’s why everyone respected him. He kept calm, made rational decisions and didn’t get worked up. Unfortunately for me, my maternal DNA was a little stronger than his. Treat me good, I’ll treat you better. Treat me bad, I’ll treat you worse. I saw that in a bar in Newport shortly before my world flipped upside down. I liked the little motto that had been carved into a wooden table and it had stayed with me. It appealed to the side of me that was more like her, the side of me that was a pure hedonist. Fuck her. I tossed my sunglasses beside my phone as I glanced at the clock. 7:54 PM I briefly considered turning around and heading back to the restaurant and to the beautiful brunette

that pretended like she didn’t want me. Traffic was a motherfucker and it would be an hour to get back in the other direction, so I continued towards home. I zipped through the lanes, weaving in and out of the cars, my driving a little erratic; it mirrored my thoughts. I had spent less than thirty minutes with Jada and now my mind was focused on her? What the fuck? This is not how I operate. She told me no. I shook my head, a grin touching my lips. I jumped off the freeway and meandered through the streets before taking a left into my subdivision. The cookie-cutter houses annoyed me as they always did. The idea of it—each house the same but in various color schemes—was the epitome of what I hated. They were just like people, all the same underneath their personal color palette. When you broke ninety-nine percent of people down, they were all assholes. Some people just covered it up a little better. I arrived home and walked into my house. The warm scent of baked goods met me at the door. Although Penny was originally hired to clean up and do laundry, over the years she had taken pity on me. Very rarely did I come home on a day she had been by and not find a cake or cookies in the kitchen. She said I needed a mother; I said I would keep paying her salary. My phone buzzed in my hand as I walked across the tile floor. “Hey, Max.” “Was everything okay in Queen Creek?” “Yeah, Howard took care of it. In more interesting news, how’s my girl?” A cheeky grin broke over my face. “Your girl?” Max sounded confused. “I don’t know. Did Miriam text you?” “Miriam? I mean Jada.” I flopped down on the black leather couch, my thoughts drifting back to her bright green eyes. Max chuckled loudly. “I’m pretty sure she shut you down, man. That asshole thing you have going on turns some people off. Shocker, I know, but you should reconsider that. You’ll catch more flies with honey than with vinegar.” “Don’t start your southern boy shit with me now. She’s just doing that little passive-aggressive thing some women do. She wants me. It was written all over her.” “I thought she may like you, but I’m not sure she does.” His voice was full of amusement, enjoying the fact that Jada didn’t fall all over herself to get with me like women normally did. “She does. Trust me, she does.” “The most troubling times in my life are when I trust you.” “They are also the most memorable.” “Speaking of which, I’m not going to Payson with you this weekend. Kari has some movie she wants to go see and I told her I’d take her.” “You’re ditching a weekend at my cabin with all of the Coronas you can drink for a weekend with her? I’m losing my faith in you,” I said, shaking my head. Max laughed. “You are going to have to find someone else that can stand to be around you for

longer than twenty minutes. I know it’s going to be hard, but there are four million people in this city. It should be doable.” “What-the-fuck-ever. Everyone wants to be around me. I’m the one that can’t stand people.” I sat up and kicked off my shoes. “Come to think of it, I could be around Jada for more than a few minutes. So why don’t I take her out tomorrow night?” “Because she doesn’t like you?” “Fuck you. Seriously—let’s do something tomorrow.” “First—you need to ask her, not me. Second—did the Cane Alexander just offer to take a girl on a real date? And third—she starts work tomorrow. So I’m pretty sure it wouldn’t be a good day, even if she did like you. And I have serious doubts about that.” “What does she do?” Suddenly, I was all ears. “She’s a realtor. Kari said she’s going back to work for their dad in the morning.” I smiled devilishly. “That I can work with.”

I THREW ON a purple shift dress and a pair of nude heels the following morning, twisting my brown locks into a quick knot on the top of my head. I had overslept after a fitful night’s sleep and being late was not something I was comfortable with. I had tossed and turned the entire night. Each time I closed my eyes, Cane’s face flashed repeatedly through my mind. I could hear his laugh, see that sexy as hell smirk. He’s having an adverse effect on my life and I barely had a conversation with him! Cane’s words echoed through my mind as I tried to sleep that night. “We will see each other again.” I slammed my mascara wand onto the vanity. I couldn’t stop thinking about him. But, by his own admission, he was exactly what I had to avoid. I had no business thinking about a man that admitted he took the player role to a whole new level. If I were able to separate things, to block off my heart and operate on a purely physical level, there wouldn’t be an issue. I could get his number from Max and have a good time. But that wasn’t me—it never had been. Even before Decker, I had dated a few guys and wrapped my heart up in the relationship way too soon. I wasn’t sure if that was because I was too caring or because the guys I chose were all the same. Regardless, I couldn’t afford to go that route again. I had to guard my heart and pick a different type of guy. And Cane was the same as the rest of them. I jumped into my Jeep Compass just a few minutes behind schedule. Alanis Morissette’s “Jagged Little Pill” album blasted through the speakers, her girl anthems distracting me from the Adonis who had taken over my subconscious. By the time I reached Stanley Real Estate, I was almost on time. The office hadn’t changed a bit. Dad’s plaques were still on the eggshell-colored walls. The same plant was in the corner, although it was much bigger than I remembered, and the lamp and magazines on the corner table were still in place. All that was missing was Alice, Dad’s longtime secretary. I made my way through the building and to my old office. It had been rearranged by the last occupant, but it still felt like mine and I was relieved. Who says you can’t go home? I tossed my things on my desk and opened my blinds, gazing out at the small grassy patch behind that building. Kari and I played on that growing up, racing around, practicing gymnastics and playing

tag. Mom would pack picnic lunches on the weekends if Dad had to work. We would bring food and a quilt and eat lunch out on the grass. The wave of nostalgia hit me unexpectedly. I had been gone for so long. I had been so caught up in my life that I had forgotten about those little moments—the moments that made me who I was. My throat constricted as the memories flooded by, comforting and saddening me at the same time. “You got this, sweet pea.” I closed my eyes as I remembered the line Mom always said to encourage me. I wished so hard that I could hear her say that to me one more time, to assure me as I started this new chapter in my life. Will I be okay this time? Do I have this? I wasn’t sure, but I had to keep plowing forward either way. “It is so nice having you back,” Alice said, bringing me out of my reverie. “You were very missed around here. But you know that.” I turned and smiled at her, pushing my memories away. She looked remarkably the same as she did when I left, her greying hair pulled tightly back into her signature bun. “Thank you. It is really nice to be back.” “Well, everything feels right now that you are home—where you belong.” She pushed her eyeglasses up on her nose, giving me a motherly look. “Your father wants to see you when you get a chance, by the way. He has a bounce in his step this morning that I haven’t seen for a long time.” She turned to leave and I followed her out of my office and down the hall. We reached my father ’s door and she gave me a pat on the shoulder and a small smile before disappearing around the corner. Alice had always been more to Kari and me than just Dad’s secretary. We had always seen her as a family friend or an aunt of sorts. But after our mother ’s passing, Alice stepped up to the plate. She took care of everything, but gave us all room to grieve—especially me. The seventh day of March, my birthday, would always be a rough day. There would be no celebrations, no parties, no festivities from my fourteenth birthday on. It would always be a sad day for me. It would always be the day my mother died. A stay-at-home mom that made homemade dinners, played Candyland, and volunteered her time at a local women’s shelter, Anne Stanley was the ideal mother; Kari and I were the center of her life. Not having her left a tremendous void, but Alice tried to fill it as best as she could. Not in a disingenuous way, but because she had loved our mother, too. She baked cookies for our bake sales, picked us up from school when we were sick, and I’m fairly certain she wrapped our Christmas presents every year. She kept things from spiraling out of control. “Hey, Dad. What’s up?” I looked across the room at my father. He was handsome, with rugged features and a charismatic smile. He was an astute businessman, but always a father first. There was never any doubt that Kari and I were his first priority. “Good morning, Jada.” He looked up from a stack of papers in his hands. “I hope you are ready to jump in head first.”

“Is there any other way?” Excitement started to build inside me as I took my seat across from his desk. I loved work and the challenge of making things happen. It was in my bones. “That’s my girl.” He smiled proudly. “We had a call come in this morning about listing a property in Scottsdale. It’s a commercial building for a new client. It’s known as Solomon Place. They asked that we get up there today and get the ball rolling.” He sat the papers on the desk. “It’s a good thing you showed up to work today instead of next week.” “And why is that?” I asked, raising my eyebrows. “They asked for you.” “They? Asked for me?” I was baffled. “That makes absolutely no sense, Dad. No one even knows I’m in town.” I racked my brain for a connection, but came up short. “Do you know someone named Max Quinn?” The fog began to lift. “I think so.” “Well, Mr. Quinn asked for you to meet him at the property this morning. I typically like to handle new clients and accounts this expensive myself, but I trust you.” He leaned forward and rested his elbows on his desk. “If you are ready, of course.” “I’d love to do it. That’s why I am here, right?” “Here’s the address,” he said, scooting a piece of paper across the table. “Alice has the rest of the information you’ll need.”

An hour later, I pulled up in front of a one story commercial building at the address listed on the paper. It was stucco and discreet, but fairly large and on the outskirts of Scottsdale. I was excited to get started, to kick off this new phase of my life. But an undercurrent of confusion coursed through me. What did Max have to do with it? Stepping out of my Jeep, I took in a hasty breath. The temperature overtook me as the hair on the back of my neck became damp with sweat. Dry heat my ass. I quickly made my way to the front of the building, ignoring the construction workers that were obviously watching me from the building next door. Looking through the glass, I didn’t see anyone. The door was unlocked, it was hot, and the address matched, so I went on in. “Hello?” I called out into the space. “Is anyone here?” I was met with silence, save the faint sound of the air conditioner working overtime. The building looked to have been empty for a while. The floors were dusty and there were odds and ends of office furniture scattered throughout the large entry room, but otherwise it was vacant. “Hello? Max?” I announced again, peeking into one of the cubicles lining the side wall. A sound

cracked from a back room and my heart jumped to my throat in surprise. I laughed softly and headed towards the sound, hoping that it was Max and not a murderer. As I cautiously approached the doorway, I could hear someone inside. I rounded the corner and stopped abruptly, my heart skipping a beat. He was sitting at the desk in the back of the room, his head resting in the palm of one of his hands. I could see his fingers pressing against the sandy colored strands as if in thought. His watch caught the light and sent a prism of color onto the wall. He looked so out of place—so large and powerful in the small, drab area. It was a play on opposites—excellence meeting mediocrity. He hadn’t heard me arrive, completely absorbed in whatever he was reading, and I took a second to steady myself before I caught his attention. Just looking at him was enough to take my breath away. I briefly considered sneaking out before he saw me, but remembered that I was there on business. Breathe. Taking a deep breath, I knocked gently on the door. He didn’t move anything but his eyes, raising them to mine. A slow smile crept across his face and my heart picked up its pace. Cane leaned back in his chair and grinned smugly, like the cat that ate the canary. “Well, what do you know? We see each other again.” My racing heart was now fueled by irritation instead of lust. This is the first day of my new life, and I’m being toyed with by another jerk? Heaven help me. I briefly closed my eyes and tried to stay calm. Ripping into him, giving him a huge reaction, would be letting him win and I was tired of handing victories to assholes. “It seems that we do. I was told that Max asked to see me?” I forced a smile. “Oh, Max would probably enjoy that,” Cane laughed. “But no, you are here to see me.” “And why is that?” He leaned forward, his elbows on the desk and his grin growing wider. “Isn’t it obvious why you are here to see me?” “I’m hoping there is a valid reason.” “Why do I sense a little hostility?” He smirked. “I guess I’m just confused. I was told Max made an appointment to see me today and then I come in here and you have that look on your face. Sorry if I feel a little addled right now.” Cane looked genuinely amused. He stood up and leaned against the desk, rolling his white shirt sleeves up, baring his forearms one golden inch at a time. It was a completely natural thing to do, but watching him do it was almost like foreplay; I felt my chest rise and fall harder. “Max is a contractor and I am a real estate investor. I buy properties and Max gets them ready to resell. He manages the construction part of Alexander Industries.” “I see.” I adjusted my bag on my shoulder, feeling a little awkward. “So how do I come in to play?” “I want to put Solomon Place—this building—on the market. And I thought you could help me

with that.” “Can I ask you a question? Why did you call our office? You have never done business with us before.” I pushed a breath into my constricted chest, feeling my lungs press against my ribs. This wasn’t what I had in mind for my first day back. I was supposed to be serious, focused, starting my life fresh. Instead, I was looking into the eyes of a gorgeous playboy, trying to decide if his intentions were professional or if he was trying to manipulate me. Why do I always find these guys? Why couldn’t Max’s friend have been an accountant or something? “This property needs to be put up for sale. Max mentioned that you were a realtor. It seemed like it could be a good partnership.” He stood straight and the mood in the room shifted. “What can I say, Jada? You made an impression last night.” I squared my shoulders and fought the urge to smile at his playful tone. “If you want to list this property, it would be my pleasure. But if there are ulterior motives, please spare me.” A smirk slowly made its way across his lips. “I was trying to keep this professional and you start talking about pleasure.” I rolled my eyes, smiling despite myself. “I don’t even know what to say to you right now.” “Words can be twisted to mean a million different things.” His eyes locked onto mine, sparkling with mischief. “That’s true, I guess.” “It is absolutely true. Words can mean anything. It is actions that really speak.” I nodded my head and bit my lip to keep from smiling, staying silent. “If you would rather figure things out physically, I’m good with that. Very, very good from what I hear . . .” I couldn’t help but laugh. While I was absolutely sure that, on some level, he was serious, his carefree way and lighthearted tone put me at ease. “Yes. Let’s get physical immediately,” I said, watching his eyes darken. “Let’s take some measurements and I will let you get back to your day.” I sat my bag down and grabbed a notepad and my measuring tape. “There are a dozens of innuendos that could be taken from that. But,” he said, growing serious as I flashed him a warning look, “I will refrain from making any comments.” I led him to the main room and he chuckled as he followed. “Okay, grab this end of the tape and walk down there.” “How long have you done this type of work?” He moved gracefully to the other wall, holding the tape against it. “I grew up helping my dad do this kind of thing. I worked for him before I moved to Boston and I worked in real estate there, too. Really, I’ve done this my whole life.” “What sent you to Boston?”

My throat constricted. “I moved there with my husband. I’ve just been back here a few days, actually.” “You aren’t married now, right? Or did I misunderstand something?” “No, I’m not married anymore.” My voice gave a little more away than I intended, earning me a suspicious look from Cane. I noted the measurements and started to the other room, his footsteps close behind me. “Are you all right? I didn’t mean to pry.” The genuineness in his voice took me by surprise. “Yeah, I’m good. Things happen, you know?” “This explains a lot.” He held the tape against the far wall and I scratched down the number. I looked down at the notepad for a moment longer than necessary, trying to get ahold of my rioting thoughts. I didn’t want to discuss this with anyone, but especially not a client. Regardless of his flirty nature, amazing looks, or this new side I was beginning to see from him, that is what he was—a client. Nothing more, nothing less. “What’s that supposed to mean?” I huffed, giving in. He held a hand up in defense. “I didn’t mean anything. Just that you are so, I don’t know, halfway pissed off all the time.” “Well, maybe that’s what ended my marriage. Maybe I’m hard to deal with.” “Well, you are hard to deal with.” He leaned against the wall, crossing one ankle in front of the other. “But what I really think happened is that guy did a number on you. Just saying.” “Yeah, well, I don’t really want to talk about it. Just saying.” I made a few notes in my notebook, avoiding his pointed stare. “I didn’t mean anything by that. You’re just a hard one to figure out.” I shook my head. “That’s not true.” “I could form a better opinion about that if you weren’t so damn hard to deal with.” My face jerked to his to see a teasing look. I shook my head, walking back in the office and putting my things inside my bag. “Thank you for your help today.” “Thank you for coming by on such short notice. Let me know if you need anything else.” “I will.” He stroked his chin with his thumb. “I think we made a good team, even though you came in here with a bit of an attitude this morning.” I winced. The sound of him calling me out embarrassed me a little. “I’m sorry about that. I just wasn’t sure what was going on when you were sitting there all smug.” “Words are hard for you, too. We should have started off with the physical. I knew it.” He snapped his fingers in the air. I shook my head, making my way to the front door. I needed to get out of there quickly. He was being nice—that wasn’t playing fair. “Jada.” Cane’s voice was a command and I automatically stopped dead in my tracks. I turned and he was glancing at his watch. “Would you want to grab dinner later? I feel like I owe you something

for coming over here first thing and I don’t like owing anyone anything.” He stood stoically, the light shining through the window casting shadows upon his features. He looked sharper, sexier, and more devastatingly handsome than ever before. And as much as my body wanted to go to dinner with Cane Alexander, and, quite frankly, be his dessert, I knew my heart would ultimately be what was carved up and devoured. I could not buy into his charm, as much as I wanted to. “You don’t owe me anything. Don’t worry about it.” “I can’t help it that I feel that way,” he winked. “You are just going to have to go to dinner with me.” “I’m sorry, Cane. I can’t. Thank you, though.” I started to leave again but stopped when I heard a soft chuckle come from behind me. “What’s so funny?” “Nothing, really. It’s just that I usually don’t invite women to dinner and I never get turned down when I do. Am I losing my touch?” “I wouldn’t know. I don’t know if you had it to begin with.” He put his hand over his heart. “That hurt.” He took a step towards me and my breath caught in my throat. “What is it about me that you don’t like?” “Nothing, per se.” “You are very reserved around me. I think you don’t want to like me. But here’s the thing—I can read women better than anyone. It really is a gift. I know you are interested. So, what’s holding you back? I am just asking for dinner. I’m not out-and-out asking you to fuck—yet.” His words were a match, sending my libido up in flames. I tried desperately to control my response to him, but it was easier said than done. The crudeness should have had offended me, but my body was humming instead. “Do you talk to all your business associates this way?” I asked, trying to distract him. “No. They’re usually overweight, middle-aged men.” He made a sour face. “I actually keep business and pleasure separate. You’re just an exception.” The air between us crackled, but each of us held back. “Cane, look, I’m sorry.” I took a step back until I could feel the cool glass of the front door at my back. “I really do need to get back to the office.” “You have to eat. What’s wrong with sharing a meal with me?” “Dinner leads to dinners, which lead to lunches, and I just don’t want to go there.” “You’re putting the cart before the horse, don’t you think? I may not like you. So, while I admire your ego, I think you are jumping to conclusions.” “My ego? That’s hilarious coming from you, Coach!” I exclaimed. He burst out laughing. “So, while I admire your confidence,” he modified, raising his eyebrows with a cheeky grin, “it’s just dinner. I’m not sure what’s so risqué about that.” There was no way I would have even considered dinner with him the night before, but I found myself now wavering. As I looked at him, all alpha male in front of me, he chose that moment to

reach up and run his fingers through his hair. My heart pounded at the sight of his biceps flexing and my body began to ache with want; I had to fight myself to tear my eyes away as my brain took back over. “I just . . . I can’t.” “You did say you didn’t have a boyfriend, right?” “I don’t.” I rolled the ring my mother had given me as a little girl around my right ring finger nervously. “I just got my life situated again and I really need to focus on me right now.” “Dinner—that’s it,” he reiterated, his eyes searching mine. “It is one meal. I don’t usually do one meal with a female, unless they are making me breakfast.” This is the Cane from last night. This is exactly why I can’t have dinner with him. Before I could change my mind, I pressed on the door with my back, letting the heat rush through. “No, I’m sorry, Cane. Maybe some other time.” I grabbed my bag and walked out into the sun, my emotions a verifiable war zone.

“THIS ONE IS really pretty.” Kari held a green sundress against her body in the middle of a little boutique off of Indian School Road. “I think you should get it,” I nodded, trying to encourage her to make the purchase so we could leave. We had been shopping all day and I was exhausted. My feet hurt, my head hurt, and my interest had waned. Shopping had never really been my thing anyway, but that afternoon had tested my limits. Max had made reservations at one of the fancy restaurants on Camelback Mountain and Kari was adamant that she needed a new dress. She had been talking about him more and, while she still tried to play everything off, I could see through her façade. She was really starting to like him and it was nice to see my sister happy. I just hoped that she could see that, too. “Yes, I think I like this one. It’s the same one I tried on in red, but the green really makes it seem totally different.” She threw the dress over her arm, satisfied with her choice. “My legs do look great in this and Max loves my legs.” “Fabulous. Now can we be done?” “You sort of let me down on the sister front when it comes to shopping. Just so you know. Hold this for me.” She handed me the dress while she dug through her Tori Burch handbag and retrieved her ringing phone. “Hey, Max!” She flashed me a huge grin while she listened. “I’m shopping with Jada. I had to get a dress for dinner at Object.” I walked over to a clothes rack, not interested in hearing her conversation. A cobalt blue dress hung on the end and I picked it up. It was strapless and beautiful . . . and reminded me of a certain someone’s eyes. I put it back quickly. “Bowling? Yeah, that sounds like fun!” Kari’s voice right next to me caused me to jump. She nudged me with her elbow. “Really?” I rolled my eyes, my good nature starting to wear thin. I just want to get home and into my fleece pajama pants. Maybe grab some wine and spend a little time with Tom Hardy. “I don’t know, but I’ll ask her,” Kari said, the coyness in her voice irritating me. Something was definitely up and I knew I wasn’t going to like it. “So,” she began, looking at me while obviously trying to figure out the best way to deliver her

message. “Cane is with Max right now. And he said he surprisingly doesn’t have plans tonight and would be happy to take you bowling.” “I’m sure he can make plans with someone else at the last minute.” “Why don’t you want to go? I mean—you did see him, right? Tall, blond, gorgeous? Sexy as hell? Ring a bell?” “Yeah, I most certainly did. And that is precisely why I won’t be bowling tonight.” I turned my back to her as I pretended to look through the dresses. Cane was the epitome of what I was trying to avoid. Kari knew this. “She said no.” She paused. “He said to tell you that you still owe him dinner.” “I absolutely do not!” I laughed. “He said you very clearly said ‘some other time’ and he is taking that to mean tonight.” Kari smiled brightly, not even trying to hide her amusement. “He can take it to mean whatever he wants, but I have plans tonight.” Sighing, Kari went back to her phone call and I went back to flipping through the garments. I stumbled upon a cute dress. It was a simple cut that I could wear to work or out to dinner. And it was orange, my favorite color. I threw it on my arm with Kari’s green one as she ended her conversation. “I’ll never understand you. You turned down Cane Alexander! I’m just so disappointed—I’m not sure we are even related right now.” “Disappointed? Aren’t you being a little dramatic?” “He’s gorgeous. He wants to take you out. He has money. And I bet he is fantastic in bed, Jada! What is there to lose?” “Have you not heard anything I have been saying since I got here?” I took a breath as inspiration hit. “Look at it this way—how long have you known Cane?” Kari shrugged. “I don’t know. A few months, maybe.” “And have you ever seen him with a woman more than a couple of times?” She thought about it as she took the green dress from me. “Come to think of it, besides the booblicious chick in the restaurant, I don’t know if I have ever seen him with someone at all.” “Thank you for making my point for me,” I said, marching to the cash register. “Aren’t you going to try that on?” “Nope. This is how someone like me lives on the wild side.”

ANTICIPATION COURSED THROUGH me as I made my way to Solomon Place a few days later. A prospective buyer wanted to see the property. Alice had called Alexander Industries to inform them of the appointment. We had a key, so there were no assurances I would see Cane. I wasn’t even sure I wanted him to be there. But I wasn’t sure I didn’t want him to be, either. I tried to push him out of my mind every day since walking out of Solomon Place five days earlier, but I couldn’t shake him. No matter how many different ways I argued with myself, nothing changed. He was everything I wanted and not a thing I needed. If he could have stayed the cocksure asshat I had initially met, I would have been okay. I could have passed off the sexual attraction as just that and moved along. But, just my luck, Cane had to start being a halfway decent person. I never felt like I had Decker ’s sole attention. He would be checking out other women while I sat next to him. But when I was with Cane, his focus was on me. That was a powerful feeling. And when that was combined with his playfulness and a bit of charm, it was a dangerous mix. If I am going to get involved with anyone, they will be serious, mature, and capable of being monogamous. Cane is just a better looking specimen than what I’ve already had and I know how those things end. He is just going to have to replace Tom Brady as my fantasy. That’s as close as I can get. “Are you even listening to me?” Heather asked, bringing me back to the present. I heard her sigh through the phone. “Of course I am,” I lied, making a right onto North Scottsdale Road. “You better be! I have sent your résumé to four places this week. I want you to be a Chicagoan with me.” “I’m not sure that’s a word,” I laughed. “Look, I am meeting a client at a property and I’m pulling in. I need to go. Thank you again for everything. You are the best!” “That’s what he said.” I laughed. “Love you. Bye.” I ended the call and placed my Jeep in park. I surveyed the scene quickly, trying to spot the prospective buyer, Simon Powers. The lot next to Solomon Place was crawling with people and

construction equipment. I grabbed my things and made my way to the front of the building, ignoring the catcalls from the construction workers. A man dressed in grey dress pants and a pale yellow dress shirt leaned against the wall. When he spotted me, he stood straight and smiled. He was traditionally handsome with black hair and light eyes, his body thin but not exactly lean. His clothing was a little wrinkled, like he had thrown them on in a rush. Something about him appeared to be a little off, but I chalked it up to my nerves. “You must be Ms. Stanley,” he said, extending a hand as I approached. “I am. And you are Simon Powers, I presume.” I shook his hand, doing a quick appraisal. He seemed to be in his early thirties. “Let’s get out of this heat! It’s almost unbearable today.” We entered the building and I noticed immediately that it had been cleaned. I smiled in relief and Simon looked around, appearing pleased with the property. “Would you like a tour?” “That would be great.” I led him to the back, showing him the selling points. “There are a number of cubicles for staff, but as you can see, they can be removed. You could have one large space here. There’s a conference room over there and a spacious office in the back—” “I would want to use it as an open space, so I’m glad to see these partitions can be removed.” A slamming sound echoed through the building. Still feeling off kilter, I jumped and Simon grabbed my arm to steady me. “I will call you back.” A familiar voice, cooler than I remembered, uttered behind us. Chills shot straight through me at the terse tone of his voice. “Cane, it’s nice to see you.” I hoped that the cheeriness in my voice masked my nerves. I turned to face him, not sure why I felt on edge without even looking at him. “What’s going on?” He looked at me and then at Simon. His jaw pulsed, his forehead creased as he stood with his fists balled at his sides. “I brought Mr. Powers to see the property. Alice said that she called your office.” Cane stared at Simon’s hand on my arm until he released it. “Have you finished?” “We have, I do believe.” I looked up at Simon, hoping he wasn’t put off by Cane’s attitude. I wasn’t sure what was going on, but this wasn’t the way to treat a potential buyer. Surely Cane knew this. Simon appeared amused as Cane stared holes through him. He glanced at me, then back to Cane, before a small smirk appeared on his face. “I saw this listing and thought it may work for my new venture. Your agent did an excellent job showing me around.” “I’m sure she did.” Simon seemed unfazed—totally cool and collected. He turned toward me and winked. “Thank you for everything, Ms. Stanley. I will get with you tomorrow. Maybe we can meet for lunch?” “I’ll check my schedule, but that sounds great.” I followed Simon to the door, Cane’s eyes never

leaving us. Simon exited first, the door closing snugly behind him. My hand was on the handle when Cane’s voice caught my attention. “Well, if that isn’t a motherfucker.” His voice was low as he scratched his head, a faraway look on his face. “Excuse me?” Cane shook his head, apparently to rid himself of whatever he was thinking. His eyebrows raised, he turned towards me. “So you will have lunch with him and not me? What am I missing here?” “It’s business. Pretty simple, I think.” I peered out the door, watching Simon’s black Avalanche pull out of the parking lot. “I can pretend it’s about business, if that’s what you want.” “Cane,” I warned, turning my head to look at him. “Lunch with him will not be about business. When I walked in here, that was not about business.” “Whether it was or it wasn’t is no business of yours.” Cane blew out a breath, his forehead marred in frustration. “Do you know Simon Powers? Have you dealt with him before?” “No, I just met him today. Why?” He looked relieved. “It doesn’t matter. Look, if he needs to see this property again, I want you to call me first, okay?” “All right. I won’t bring him here without calling you first.” “I’m going to give you my phone number. If he wants to see this property or becomes a pain in your ass, I want you to call me. Don’t put up with any shit from him and don’t bring him here unless you actually speak to me. Do you understand?” “You’re making me nervous. What’s going on?” “There’s nothing to be nervous about,” he said calmly, trying to dissipate the mood he just created. “I just don’t like that guy. I don’t trust him.” “Whatever you say.” “I like it when you just do what I say.” His eyes darkened. “Noted. I have to go, Cane.” “What’s your phone number?” He placed his hand on the small of my back. I stilled at his touch. A jolt of energy darted through my body, landing at the apex of my thighs. I closed my eyes and just felt for a minute. “You can get my number from Max,” I said breathily, throwing his words from the night at the restaurant back at him. Cane spun me around quickly, my back pressed against the wall. He leaned in, his face almost touching mine. I willed myself not to moan, to not give him any inclination that my willpower was melting away. “Oh, Jada,” he whispered, the warmth of his breath only adding to the riot inside me. “Why do

you fight this so hard?” “Cane . . .” I tried to formulate a response but words were not accessible. He smirked, knowing what he was doing to me. “Yes?” “I . . . I need to go.” “You need to. But do you want to?” He searched my eyes with his own. “I know what you want and what you need, baby. Why won’t you trust me?” My eyes widened, my pulse pounding. He was so close and I wanted more than anything to reach out and pull him up against me. But I can’t. He smiled before leaning in, his lips grazing my ear as he whispered, “Why do you fight this? Just give me one night to get you out of my system.” I turned my head to respond, to explain that was exactly what he wasn’t getting, and our eyes locked. The air between us, so hot and rife with energy, boiled over. He captured my lips with his own, tentatively at first. I resisted for a split second before succumbing to his charge. His lips moved over mine, a soft juxtaposition to his hard exterior. The heat of the exchange, of him finally touching me, melted me from the inside out. I opened my mouth, giving him entry, and he took it without hesitation. He explored my mouth with his own lazily, the softness of his tongue making my knees buckle. I tried to focus, tried to commit everything to memory, because it would only happen once. That would be the first and last time I allowed my defenses to be obliterated by Cane Alexander. The sound of blood roaring past my ears and the feel of his body, hot and hard against me, made it impossible to concentrate on anything for long. I hesitantly placed my hands on his back, feeling his muscles ripple beneath them. The sensations were overwhelming and I was on the cusp of bursting at the seams. Cane pulled back slowly and kissed me lightly on the lips, before retreating far enough away to look into my eyes. There were a hundred emotions playing across his gorgeous face, his eyes a dozen colors of blue. I looked away, trying to catch my breath. I wasn’t able to figure out my own emotions—I had no business trying to figure out his. “One night.” He lifted my chin so that my eyes met his. His tongue flicked across his lips. He only wants one night . . . My wits were scattered across the room and I gathered as many of them as I could before responding, “I need to go.” A look flashed across his face that I couldn’t read. He raised his eyebrows. “That’s all you’re going to say?” “I don’t know what else you want me to say.” I sidestepped him and made my way to the door. I looked over my shoulder one last time and he changed before my eyes. The confused, vulnerable look gave way to an impassive, cool veneer. He sat his hands on top of

his head and turned away, heading towards the office. Seeing everything I needed to see, more than enough to convince myself I was doing the right thing, I pushed through the door and didn’t look back.

I TURNED AROUND as soon as the door closed. I watched her walk to her car and drive away, no sign of the Avalanche Simon had been driving in sight. Satisfied that he wasn’t following her, I flipped the lock on the door and retreated to the back office and called Max. Max answered quickly, the sound of hammering loud in the background. “What’s up, Alexander?” “Quite a bit, actually. You’ll never guess who just looked at Solomon Place.” “Enlighten me.” “Simon Powers.” “No shit,” Max said in disbelief. “Hang on a second.” I heard a door slam and the tell-tale sound of Max’s diesel truck start. “Sorry. I didn’t want to have this conversation in front of everyone. Simon Powers, huh?” “I walk in and Jada is standing there with that piece of shit. What the fuck?” “Man, I don’t know. Do you think he knew you owned the building? What are the odds, Cane?” I leaned forward on the desk, my mind going a mile a minute. “They’re not good. Even if he did know, why would he want to buy anything from me?” “Yeah, it doesn’t make any sense.” “I guess it could be a coincidence. It just seems fucked up.” The line grew quiet as we both tried to process the possibility of it being random. “You want me to check around, see what he’s been up to? It’s either the strangest coincidence in fucking history or something is going on.” Max paused. “Why would he even need a building? I mean, what does he do these days? Didn’t his family lose everything when all that shit went down?” “Yeah, they did. So how would he even have the money to think about buying this place? He would have had to have proof of funding to get past Stanley, so where is he getting his money?” “I don’t know. This ain’t good either way. Do you want me to see what I can come up with?” I released a breath that felt like I had been holding forever. “Yeah, if you don’t mind.” “I’ll make some calls now.” “And Max? Let’s keep an eye on Jada.” “I’m not even going to ask.” “Trust me on this one.”

“I’ll get back with you as soon as I have something to go on.”

“YOU HAVE A call on line 2.” I was immersed in a data gathering mission the next day, my head so focused on the project that I jumped when Alice buzzed into my office. “I’ll take it. Thanks, Alice.” I rested my hand on the receiver until her light went off, then held it to my ear and pressed the line. “Jada Stanley.” “Hello, Jada.” Cane’s voice, smooth and rich, was like music to my ears. I hated that my stomach felt like butterflies fluttering when I heard his voice, but I couldn’t help it. What I did have to control was that he didn’t find that out. “What can I do for you?” I had replayed our kiss in my mind, and imagined it going much, much farther a hundred times over. But the more I thought about it, the more I realized how much I enjoyed it. And that just meant I needed to keep my distance. “Have you heard from Simon?” The melody of his voice changed, cooling considerably. “No, I haven’t.” “That’s good.” Relief was evident in his voice as he blew out a breath. “I need to ask you a question. Did he provide you with pre-qualifications for funding?” “Of course. Why?” “No reason. I just doubt he is actually going to purchase it.” “What makes you say that?” “Just a hunch. So don’t waste a lot of time on him, all right?” “I’ll remember that.” I absentmindedly brought my fingers to my mouth, remembering the feeling of his lips against mine. “Excellent.” He cleared his throat. “It’s almost closing time. Want to meet me for dinner?” He was playful again, almost as if he already knew my answer. “I honestly have an entire stack of papers on my desk. I doubt I will be getting out of here any time soon.” “That’s not a no,” he pointed out.

I laughed. “It’s a no, Cane.” “If I were to take you to dinner, where would you like to go?” I couldn’t help the grin on my face. “What does it matter? It. Isn’t. Going. To. Happen.” “Humor me.” I could hear his smile through the phone and imagined him sitting at a large desk, chewing on the end of a pen. “I don’t know. I like pizza. I suppose you would, theoretically, take me for pizza,” I sighed. He laughed loudly. “You are serious?” “What? Pizza’s my favorite!” “Pizza it is, then.” “Pizza it is, dinner it is not,” I countered. “I am not meeting you for dinner, Cane.” “What have I ever done to you?” he asked, a hint of a laugh still in his voice. “Nothing and I plan on keeping it that way.” “Sounds like an innuendo to me.” I heard him mutter a profanity, following by a honking sound. “You said that like you’ve been thinking about me doing things to you. Now there’s a thought I’d like to explore.” “You read way too much into that.” I looked at the clock, back to the stack of papers, and sighed. “I really do need to get this wrapped up if I am ever going to get out of here tonight.” “Talk to you soon, Jada.” I sat the phone down, forced all thoughts of Cane out of my mind, and worked solidly for the next hour. I only looked up when Alice knocked at the door. “Honey, I’m leaving for the evening, but there is a lady here to see you. Should I send her back or send her to the break room?” “I’m not expecting anyone,” I said perplexed, my mind racing through possibilities. “Do you know who she is?” “She said her name was Lucy and she was from Alexander Industries.” “Alexander Industries? Just send her back, I suppose.” Why would they send a courier so late? Did I forget to get something signed? Alice gave me a huge smile, a nod, and then retreated to the front. A few minutes later, a pretty blonde appeared in the doorway with Alice behind her. “Hi! Are you Jada?” She was all smiles and her voice sweet, matching her bright pink dress. Couriers don’t usually look like that. “Yes. Can I help you?” “I have these for you.” She grinned as she held up a bag in each hand. Alice followed behind her with a large pizza. I put my head into my hands, feeling heat rush to my cheeks. “Where would you like these?” Lucy held the bags up in the air. “I’m going to take a huge shot in the dark here, but I’m guessing Cane had you deliver this?” “Absolutely!” She laughed. “I’m Lucy, by the way. I’m Mr. Alexander ’s secretary. He asked that I

arrange dinner for you here since you were too busy to go out tonight.” She and Alice sat the items on the table beneath the window. “I don’t know if you were expecting this or not,” she said, looking at my confused face, “but he just requested this a little while ago. I’m sorry if I interrupted you.” “No, thank you. It’s fine. I appreciate your trouble. I just didn’t realize what he was up to.” “Mr. Alexander said you may be surprised,” Lucy smiled brightly. “That’s a lot of food for one person,” I commented, waiting for the ball to drop. It didn’t take long. “He should be here any minute,” she said, looking at her watch. “He was stuck in a little traffic in Glendale, but I know he is on his way. I actually have a few errands left to run before I call it a day, so, if you don’t mind—” “Go. Please,” I said, feeling sorry that she had to deal with Cane’s shenanigans. “Thank you for going out of your way to do this.” “It is no problem at all.” She gave me a big smile and left, Alice following closely behind. What am I going to do now?

THE OLDER LADY in front of me took her glasses off and let them dangle on a chain around her neck. She walked around the side of her desk and eyed me like the fathers used to do when I picked up a girl before a date. I gave her my best charming smile. “I appreciate your help this afternoon, Mrs. Jewell.” “Alice. Please, call me Alice. And you are very welcome.” She patted me on the shoulder. “Jada has had a rough time of it lately. You better be nice to her, you hear me?” “You have nothing to worry about.” “I better not. Now, I’m leaving for the day and everyone else is gone. If you don’t mind, make sure she gets out of here safely?” “Absolutely.” “Take that hallway and her office is the third on the left.” I nodded my understanding and made my way down the corridor. Jada was standing at a work table beneath a window, her back to the door. I leaned against the doorframe and watched her. She was so beautiful, so natural looking. I figured she woke up looking like that, but with her refusal to see me outside of work, I wasn’t sure. Yet. Lucky for us, I’m not easily deterred by her antics. Her skin was flawless and smooth. Her brown hair was pulled up into a messy pile on the top of her head, pieces falling out and it was sexy as hell. I wanted to wrap it around my hand and pull her head back, watching her face as she came all over me. Easy, Alexander. A pair of heels was tossed on the floor beside the table and she was standing barefoot. I hadn’t realized how petite she was. I’d bet she was probably a foot shorter than me. But what she lacked in height, she made up for in curves. The orange dress she wore hugged her body, flaunting her shape. I craved the freedom to let my hands roam her, explore her curves, commit them to memory. I crammed my hands in my pockets to discourage myself from reaching out and doing just that. I remembered the softness of her lips, the way her body molded against mine the day before. She tasted like heaven, but the last twenty-four hours had been hell. I couldn’t get her out of my mind,

couldn’t stop thinking about what it would feel like for her to be beneath me, what it would feel like to explore more than her mouth. For fuck’s sake! Get in control. I can’t go in there acting like a damn caveman. That’s not going to work with this one. I knew from the start that Jada was different. She didn’t fawn all over me or make overtly sexual suggestions or offers. Not that I minded those, but she wasn’t that kind of girl. Her eyes didn’t light up at my flashy watch or the wad of cash I pulled from my wallet. Hell, I wasn’t even sure she noticed. Her standoffish attitude only made her more appealing, more of an enigma to conquer. She honestly didn’t seem to want to spend time with me and, while I didn’t understand that, I found it amusing. I didn’t want to spend time with her, either—just a few hours here and there. It was the only way to go about things, but she even fought me on that. Life was too short to get involved. Things always ended and they never ended well. I had learned that lesson the hard way. I shifted my weight and Jada noticed the movement. She turned around. Spotting me, she narrowed her eyes and crossed her arms. Let her make the first move. A tickling feeling began in my stomach and my heartbeat increased. Feeling nervous was an odd sensation, something I had little experience with. “I have no words for you, Cane Alexander,” she said finally, trying to hide a smile. “Words are overrated, anyway,” I replied, not bothering to hide mine. “I’m a man of action, but I’m not going to press my luck with you just yet.” I was pretty sure I wasn’t as fucked as I had originally thought. Jada rolled her eyes and my grin grew wider. “Are you going to invite me in?” “I may as well.” She threw her hands in the air. “You seem to have a way of doing what you want anyway.” “I’m glad we’ve established the givens right off.” Her shoulders eased, her posture softening, as I strode into the room. She turned her back to me again and finished organizing the table. It took every ounce of self-control I could muster not to bend her over the table, pull up that orange dress, and fuck her right there. I deserve some sort of award for this shit. Who knew I had this much self-control? You learn something new every day. “I think you thought of everything. I’m slightly impressed.” “I was going to give credit to Lucy, but if you are impressed, just keep on thinking this was all me.” “I said slightly. Since you are here anyway, we may as well go ahead and have dinner.” She winced like she was in pain.

“You think I did this for me? You said you wouldn’t get dinner tonight. I was being a gentleman!” “Uh-huh.” She rolled her eyes. “You are such a gentleman.” “I’m taking that at face value,” I said, taking the plate she offered me. I put some pizza on my mine and poured wine in two red disposable cups, shaking my head as I handed her one. “What’s so funny?” Jada led me to her desk, which she had already cleared, and we sat down to eat. “You would think I had sent Max to the damn store. These things,” I said, lifting up my cup, “are his favorite things in the world. Personally, I like to drink out of a real glass. But Max would use one of these over anything. It’s the country in him or something. But we are stuck with these tonight because someone was hard-headed.” “No, someone can’t take no for an answer,” Jada said, taking a bite of the pizza. Her eyes rolled back in her head. “This is so good. I seriously love pizza.” I imagined what she would look like coming down from an orgasm, causing my dick to go rock hard. I knew I had to be careful; Jada wasn’t going to just spread her legs like most women. I had to focus, use my “A” game. “Well, kudos to Lucy for knowing where to order, I guess,” I said with a grin. Jada sat her pizza down and wiped off her hands. “Cane, I’m sorry. I haven’t been very nice to you and this,” she looked around her office, “is a very nice thing to do.” Her green eyes were filled with sincerity. She was so genuine, so honest—this was a new playing field for me. I really had no experience to go on when dealing with someone like her. “Now that we are on the same page—” “I didn’t say we were on the same page. I just said thank you,” she said. “Why are you so dead set against seeing me outside of work?” Girls begged me to take them to dinner and to fuck them sideways. What am I missing? She was quiet for a minute. “Okay, let’s discuss this.” “Yes, let’s discuss this.” “What do you envision us doing?” I gave her my sexiest smile, the one that usually ensured I would get whatever I wanted. “I would lay you down, on this desk would work, and then I would pull your dress up to your waist.” “Cane!” she said, giving me a pointed look. “This is my point.” I looked around the room, searching for answers. Or a camera. “You are not interested in having sex at all? Or with me? Because I’m kind of a catch, you know.” She looked at me unentertained. I raised my eyes in mock horror. “You aren’t a lesbian, are you? That must be it! It’s the only logical explanation.” Jada tossed her napkin on her desk and laughed. “No. I am not a lesbian, Cane!” “So, are you going to lie to me and tell me that you didn’t enjoy kissing me?” I held her gaze, challenging her to dispute what I knew to be true.

“I think it would be pointless for me to say I didn’t,” she said, looking away. And the truth shall set you free . . . “So you enjoyed our kiss, which I already knew—just so you know. And you aren’t a lesbian— which I also already knew. Although I would have no problems with that, for the record. But another thing I know is that you want me, Jada. I see it in the way you undress me with your eyes. The way your cheeks heat when I look at you, the way your mouth moved against mine, the way your body responds to me.” I leaned a little across the desk, closing the distance between us. Her breath hitched as I took over her personal space, her eyes growing wide. That’s so fucking sexy. “The way you get nervous when we are talking and you twirl that ring or play with your hair. You want it, Jada. And I’m totally up for giving it to you.” She looked down and realized that she was twirling the ring. When she looked up, I was looking at her knowingly. “See what I mean?” I leaned back in my chair, my point made. “That’s a coincidence,” she scoffed, trying to make light of my observation. “No, it isn’t. It’s the truth. And I’m going to tell you another truth right now. A woman knows, within a minute or two of meeting a guy, whether or not she is going to fuck. It is really that simple.” Jada’s mouth opened and shut quickly, flabbergasted at my statement. I stood up and leaned against the table, looking directly into her green eyes. I loosened my tie, stretching my neck at the sudden freedom. Her eyes widened farther and I watched her force a swallow. Game. On. “It all comes down to what a woman needs to hear to go forward with her decision. Some girls want to hear how beautiful they are. Some want to feel needed or smart—witty even. And then there are those that just want a little positive reinforcement that the guy won’t think she’s a whore.” I watched her for a moment as she tried to process what I had just said. “And there are some that just want to have a good time and just want to hear ‘go’.” Jada sat absolutely still, her breath labored and lips parted slightly. I knew what she was thinking, what she was considering, and it turned me on to watch those thoughts run so obviously through her mind. She adjusted in her seat, the sexual tension getting the best of her. “So, the question is, baby—what is it you want to hear?” “I don’t want to hear anything,” she nearly whispered, her voice so soft I almost couldn’t hear it. Some internal battle played out across her beautiful features and I was interested to see what side would win. It was a few moments before she seemed resolute, squared her shoulders, and began to talk. “I was married. I’ve been separated a little over a year.” She paused, hoping for some cue that I had heard enough. But I wasn’t about to give her that; I wanted information. I wanted to know what made this girl tick.

I walked back to my chair and sat back down, waiting for her to continue. “I married Decker after dating for about a year. He was my first love and when he proposed, I disregarded everything everyone said and married him anyway. We had a quick little wedding and then moved to Boston.” She took a sip of her wine and looked across the desk at me. We are finally getting somewhere. “I was always the little girl that dreamed of the happily-ever-after. I wanted to be like my mom, baking the day away in a little house with a white picket fence for my family. My husband would come home from work and kiss me and it would just be so . . . happy. And I thought I would have that with Decker. I thought I would have it all. I thought I could make it everything I wanted, anyway. So when I walked in on him and our neighbor, it was kind of traumatic.” Her voice broke at the end and it caused something to stir inside me. I leaned across the desk and gently gripped her chin, pulling it up so she was looking me in the eye. “I don’t know him, Jada, but I can tell you that it was his loss. I know people say that stupid shit all the time and I know I’ve known you like two whole fucking minutes, but I know he was a lucky sonof-a-bitch.” I held her in place until I was sure she wouldn’t look down again before I let her go. Her husband cheated on her? How is that possible? “I should’ve known it was coming,” she said, her voice stronger. “Looking back, I think he was messing around on me the entire time. I should have left him long before I did. Between the cheating and the other stuff . . .” “What other stuff?” Anger began to rise from the deepest part of me. Dear God, please let me have misunderstood that. “Just his drinking and stuff.” The spinning ring gave her away. “I’m not going to press you for details about that right now.” My voice was hard as steel. “But if my gut instinct is right, and it always is, my path better not ever cross his.” “It’s fine, Cane. I am here and he is there. It took me a long time, but I finally realized that I couldn’t be all he needed.” “Oh, for fuck’s sake! Don’t even start with that shit, Jada. His problems are his problems—not yours.” I’m going to need a good couple rounds with the heavy bag after this. “Anyway, the moral of this story is that there will be no more bad boys for me. No more players. No more games because I always end up losing.” “And how does that preclude me?” I asked playfully, trying to put a smile on her beautiful face again. “Are you serious!?” she laughed. “By your own admission—you’re the coach!” I got up and threw my things in the garbage, considering what she said. “So you think I’m a bad boy and I’ve been blacklisted because of it. Correct?”

“Correct,” she grinned. “That seems tragically unfair. You don’t even know me.” “So, tell me about you. Tell me why you are so damn interested in making me crazy.” “I honestly don’t know. It could be a number of things,” I said, weighing my words. “It could be your charming personality or your fuckable body.” Jada turned two shades of red and I stifled a laugh. “Or it could be that we just have this chemistry that I feel like would be a pity not to explore.” We eyed each other carefully, trying to figure out our next move. It was Jada who broke the silence. “Cane, you’re the poster boy for a broken heart. I know how you work. As soon as you get your fill of me, you will move on. You said that yesterday—you want one night to fuck me out of your system. There’s nothing wrong with that, but I can’t do it. I’m not like Kari, if that’s what you are thinking. I know she and Max have some sort of friends with benefits thing going on and that’s great. But it’s just not me.” I wasn’t convinced that was something we couldn’t get around. “What do you need, Jada?” “I want to feel like the only girl in the world to somebody. I want to be their priority, their everything. I don’t know what that feels like.” The hurt in her voice made me want to pull her onto my lap and hold her tight. I cringed at my reaction. Get a grip, Alexander. “I don’t want to have random sex. I don’t want to be a booty call or whatever you call it.” She looked up at me and gave a weak smile. “So you still want the picket fence thing?” If that’s what she wants, I can’t get around that. “No,” she laughed. “I mean yes. At some point, I do hope I can still have all of that. I’m going to be picky this go around. I wasted years of my life with Decker and I don’t want to throw any more of them away on someone who doesn’t really care about me. I know that makes me needy as hell, but that’s the truth. I may as well own it. I want kisses in the rain. Flowers for anniversaries. Texts for no reason. I want all of the things I have never had. And I know, without a doubt, you are not interested in giving me those things. And that’s fine. But that also seems to make us spending time together pointless.” I looked at the beautiful woman across from me, shocked that it really bothered me that she had never experienced those things. She deserved to be made to feel beautiful and wanted. But that didn’t change the fact that I was not the person who could do those things for her. “Have you ever just been with someone, spent a few hours with them, enjoyed yourself, and went home? There’s something to be said for that,” I smiled, hoping to broaden her horizons a little. “Yeah, of course I have.” She looked up at me again. “You aren’t the only one that can read people. I can read you, too, and I know who you are. And you are what I need to avoid.” My phone started to ring and she motioned for me to go ahead and get it. I looked at the screen

and then stepped in the hall to take the call from Max. By the time I had finished the conversation and came back in her office, Jada had cleaned up the mess and had her bag on her shoulder. I was relieved that she was ready to call it a night. Her little speech, as much as I hated to admit it, got under my skin a little bit. She had her mind made up that she wasn’t going to be with me and that pissed me off a little, even though she was right. You aren’t changing jack shit because of her. This is just some stupid obsession and you’ll have moved on in a few days. We exited the building and Jada locked up. We made our way quietly to our cars, neither of us speaking. “Thank you for dinner tonight.” She fished her car keys out of her purse. “It was really sweet.” I studied her under the moonlight, the warm air blowing her hair around, the smell of her soft perfume swirling around me. She was the closest thing to perfection I had ever seen. “We could do it again sometime. I can always have food delivered. I have people.” “I don’t remember agreeing to it this time.” She raised her eyebrows and I chuckled. “But really, thank you.” “Goodnight.” We exchanged a small smile as we reached her Jeep. She got in and started the engine and pulled out of the parking lot, leaving me standing beneath the parking lamp. I watched her drive away and considered that I may be watching the one woman I could see more than once a week drive out of my life. I briefly considered jumping in my Denali and chasing her down, but the rational part of my brain took control. You aren’t going to go do something stupid. Follow the rules. No exceptions.

“THERE’S BEER IN the fridge.” Max walked across the kitchen and grabbed a Corona. “And that’s all that’s in the fridge,” he mumbled. I ignored him. “How did the jobsite go today?” Max opened the bottle and took a swig. “Well, I didn’t know if we were pitchin’ or catchin’ yesterday, but we kicked ass today. Back on schedule and maybe even a little ahead.” I led Max into the living room and sat down on the black leather sofa. Max made himself at home in the recliner as always. “I thought Franklin really fucked us on the Bluestake. I’m not sure why we keep him around.” Max looked at me, peeling the label from the bottle in his hand. “You know why. He was my dad’s right hand man for a hundred fucking years. I can’t fire him.” “Such a pussy,” Max grinned. I shrugged helplessly. Franklin was getting a bit senile in his old age, but there wasn’t a damn thing I could do about that, other than trying to give him simple jobs and write his paycheck every week. “I got some information on Powers today.” The grin was gone from Max’s face as he sat the bottle on the end table. I leaned forward, my elbows resting on my knees. “And?” “He’s living out past Surprise now at the end of a dirt road.” “Maybe he realized he isn’t fit for society.” “I drove out there this afternoon. Nice house, looks like it’s been there a while but has had some renovations done recently. And our boy has a new Camaro in the driveway.” “Camaro?” I asked puzzled. “He was driving an Avalanche yesterday.” Max nodded. “Yeah, he has one of those, too.” I chewed a fingernail, trying to figure what he was getting at. “So, he’s working as a foreman for a contractor in Phoenix. I happened to know the guy that he works for, so I gave him a call. He said Simon has worked there less than a year. Pretty good employee, I guess. Just takes quite a bit of sick time. He’s been going to Mexico a lot. Like once a

month.” Max’s eyes narrowed, watching me closely as I started to put two and two together. “I see.” “Yeah. I’m guessing he’s going down there, picking up drugs of some kind, and bringing them back. It would make sense. It would explain why he misses a lot of work. It would explain how he has the money to even consider buying a place like Solomon. And it would explain how a job foreman has the money to afford to live the way he does because his income definitely does not explain his assets.” Max didn’t say anything, giving me time to process everything. “That motherfucker.” “Yeah. So what do you want to do?” I leaned forward again, getting a plan together. “I’m going to doubt that he buys Solomon Place now that he knows I own it. Why would he do anything that would benefit me in anyway? But if he does—that’s fine. I will take his money.” “I really don’t think he knew you owned it, Cane. Simon’s boss said he has been all over the place lately, talking about starting businesses and moving to fucking Texas and all kinds of shit. It doesn’t seem like he’s been thinking about you at all, so I think we can chalk this up to one huge coincidence.” “Yeah, well, if I had ran into him at a gas station, I wouldn’t fucking care. But Jada was right in the middle of it.” I looked Max in the eye, driving home my point. “And you know Simon. He doesn’t miss much.” Max nodded. “I see what you’re saying, but do you really think he would bother trying to fuck with you now?” “If this is a coincidence like you think, then no. But let’s be real here. A lot of shit went down and you know he blames me for it. Even though that’s fucking ridiculous.” “No doubt. And if you are right and Simon picked up on something between you and Jada . . . it isn’t fair to her to be put in the middle of whatever bullshit he may try to pull.” “I don’t want to get paranoid here because I think he’s smarter than to do something that will wind up getting him in a cot next to his dad. But we do need to use our heads. Watch our backs.” Max took a final swig of his beer and started fumbling with the label again. “I’ll watch the jobsites. To me, that’s where he will try to hit you. That’s what started all of this in the first place.” He looked at me seriously. “Especially Benjamin Estates. And I’ll keep my ears on the ground.” “Who knew that your college roommates would come in so helpful this many years later, huh?” He grinned. “That’s why you gotta be nice to everybody; you never know when you’ll need them.” “One of these days you will need me. I promise you.” “That’ll be the day.” “Anyway, we need to make sure we keep an eye on Jada. I really don’t think he will buy the building, but if he does, I’ll make sure she doesn’t work on the deal. I’ll cross that bridge when I get there. But I need your help in making sure she stays away from him on the private side.” “And how do you expect me to do that?”

“You are over there all the fucking time. Just make sure she doesn’t mention seeing him or him calling her. I don’t think that will happen, but assholes like him pick up on shit. And it wasn’t a surprise that I was pissed that he was there with her. So let’s just be safe.” “Should we just tell her? Lay it all out there on the table?” I blew out a breath. “No. I don’t think so. I think we are probably overreacting and I don’t want her to be constantly looking over her shoulder, you know? We can look over it for her.” “Do you really think he would go that far?” I exhaled. “There would be nothing I would put past that motherfucker, Max.”

AN ACACIA TREE was beating against my bedroom window furiously, the monsoon in full force. The sky was a nasty shade of brown as wet, sandy rain dumped from the thick clouds above. I felt much like that inside—turbulent, frustrated, and a little heavy-hearted. Cane was right. There was something unnamed that pulled us together. We definitely had a chemistry, like he said, and it was going to be a pity not to explore it. Because things weren’t going to go any further. The look on his face a few days before when I explained that to him made it clear that he understood my reasoning. And he agreed. Which was exactly what I wanted . . . so why wasn’t I more relieved? My emotions were a battleground and my heart was the target. I remembered my mother saying that the best way to predict the future was to look at past behavior. I was adamant that my future be brighter than my past, so I had to change my habits. Unfortunately for me, the one habit I had to break was the one that had taken over my subconscious with his bright blue eyes. I have Muffin and Twilight on my Kindle. I don’t need a real man. Dejectedly, I swiped open the book when I heard a knock on my door. “Come in.” “Hey,” Max’s voice rumbled as the door swung open. “Kari picked me up after her shift at the hospital this morning for breakfast and we ended up over here. She’s now passed out and I don’t want to wake her.” “I can take you home, if that’s what you need. Or I’m sure you can take Kari’s car.” “She has to be at work again tonight, so I don’t want to put her in a bind. And it’s a mess out there right now,” he said, looking out my bedroom window. He shoved his hands in his pockets as he looked cautiously at me. “Look, Cane called me a few minutes ago and he’s in the area. He said he could swing by and pick me up . . .” His voice trailed off as he watched my reaction. “Would it bother you if he came to get me?” I swallowed. “Why would I mind?” “I don’t know what’s going on with the two of you, so I thought I should ask.”

“There is nothing going on with us.” I blew out a breath in exasperation. “I promise you that.” “I don’t care one way or the other. It’s none of my business.” “It’s fine, Max.” He held his hands out. “Just tryin’ to be respectful.” “I know and I appreciate that. But it really is fine. If you are going to be hanging around my sister and plan on continuing to be Cane’s friend, I’m going to assume our paths will cross sometimes.” I shrugged with a fake nonchalance. “I’ll just stay up here and read, so it won’t matter anyway.” “Jada,” Max said, leaning against the doorway, “you’re mowing the sidewalk here.” I laughed hard. “I have absolutely no idea what that means!” “What I’m saying is that you are doing something that isn’t necessary. You are sitting up here avoiding Cane—hell, you’re avoiding life because your ex-husband was a dick.” I began to respond, but Max waved me off. “Look, I haven’t known you all that long and I sure as hell am not a psychiatrist. But not all guys are like the one you married. Take Cane, for example. My man is clearly not a saint. Hell, he could start an argument in an empty house, for cryin’ out loud. But you know what—he isn’t a complete asshole either. If nothing else, he’s a good guy to have in your corner.” He turned on his heel and shut the door behind him. I considered his words until I remembered the part about Cane dropping by. I darted into the bathroom, a burst of excitement coursing through me. He’s coming here! I look like a mess! I brushed my teeth, pulled a brush through my hair, and changed into a pair of yoga pants and a soft pink long-sleeved shirt. He’s going to pull to the curb and leave. He won’t come in here. Why would he? I coated my lips with a thin pink gloss and swiped on some mascara. It never hurts to look cute. Just in case. I headed back into the bedroom just as my phone rang on my bedside table. Maybe it’s Cane, calling to see if he can come in. I rolled my eyes at myself as I looked at the number. BLOCKED was flashing on the phone, so I clicked it to voicemail. I picked up the phone and held it, waiting for a voicemail notification. After a few minutes, it was obvious that there would be no message. My attention was drawn back to the situation at hand as the doorbell chimed. My chest constricted. I’m like a damn junkie. I rolled my eyes at myself, sitting on the bed. He got the memo. This can’t happen and he knows it now, too. Obviously. The door opened and shut. I held my breath, straining to hear the murmured voices downstairs. Everything went quiet, except the pounding of my heart, until I heard footsteps on the staircase. With each step, my heart picked up its pace. As the footsteps reached the top of the flight, a knock sounded on my door. I froze.

There were two more loud knocks. “Max said you were up here, Jada. Can I come in?” Cane asked softly. Goose bumps broke out across my skin at the sound of the voice I had been playing on repeat through my mind for days. I really wanted to see him but I really needed not to. I was screwed either way. In typical Cane fashion, he didn’t give me an option. He opened the door slowly and poked his head around the corner. “Hey,” he said, smiling sweetly at me, causing me to melt a little on the spot. “Hey,” I said, giving him a small grin. “Can I come in?” “Does it matter what I say?” “Good point. I am coming in regardless.” He walked confidently into my room, closing the door behind him. Dressed casually in a pair of jeans and a grey t-shirt, he looked even better than I remembered. “You okay?” he asked, watching me intently. I realized I was still holding my Kindle against me and I sat it down. “Yeah, I’m good. How are you?” “Been better, been worse,” he shrugged. “I know the feeling.” I looked out the window as the silence between us hung thick in the air. The rain was coming in one way and then switching to the other. “You don’t mind that I came inside, do you? Because if you do, I can go.” His hands were in his pockets, water droplets evident on his t-shirt. He looked so relaxed. So gorgeous. I relaxed back against the pillows, trying to control my breathing. “No, I don’t mind.” Cane made his way over to my bed and sat on the edge. “I was hoping you’d be a little happier to see me, but I sense I still haven’t won you over. Yet.” I felt myself settle in to the natural rhythm I always found with Cane. “Actually, I have softened a little where you are concerned. A little!” I laughed when his eyes lit up. “I think you are a really nice guy, although possibly a little self-centered.” “Me? Self-centered? I was the one who brought you dinner out of the kindness of my heart. You’re the one that wouldn’t reciprocate.” “Oh, is that how it is?” “Yeah, I’m afraid so. But I’m all about giving second chances.” “I’m sure you are.” My world felt like it had color for the first time all week. “No, I heard what you said the other night and I understand. I would never want you to do something you didn’t truly want to, even if I think you absolutely should.” I bent forward and smacked him on the shoulder. “You’re terrible!” “Oh, so you do want to get physical?”

“No!” I laughed. “That’s too bad. I thought we were making progress.” I took a deep breath. I was tired—tired of fighting Cane, tired of arguing with my feelings, tired of feeling torn. I knew, down deep and under my raging hormones, we couldn’t be together. But I had to get that across to him. We could be friends, I would learn to navigate that, but he had to stop trying to . . . do whatever it was he was trying to do. Maybe if I just admit that I am attracted to him, it will make him feel like I’m not some challenge. Maybe that will be enough for him to move on, which would make it easier for me to do the same. I can’t keep sitting here ‘mowing the lawn’. Max is right. I have to go on with my life and I can’t do that the way I need to with Cane Alexander. I took a deep breath. “You want the truth?” He stilled and nodded slowly, looking unsure of where I was going. “I do feel a pull between us. How could I not? I’ve never felt anything like it before.” I looked into his eyes, emboldened by the desire burning in them. “That kiss . . .” Having him so close with that look in his eye while I admitted how I really felt was a recipe for disaster. My mouth just started talking, forgoing any filter. “I can’t stop thinking about it, Cane. I—I think about you all the time.” “What do you think about?” The sound of his voice, low and controlled, made my own voice quiver. “I—” “Tell me, Jada,” he demanded, his eyes blazing. “What do you think about? Do you think about me touching you?” I nodded as I tried really hard not to pant, my body temperature spiking. “Where do I touch you?” He leaned towards me, taking over my personal space. He seemed taller, darker somehow. His voice was thick with desire. I twisted my fingers in the sheets so that I wouldn’t reach up and pull him down on top of me. “When you think of my hands on you, where are they?” I tried to look away, but he caught my chin with his fingertips, turning it to face him once again. “Jada,” he said, more forcefully this time. “Where do I touch you?” “Everywhere,” I whispered, my voice overflowing with need. I ached for him to touch me, nearly desperate for physical contact. I tried to hold on to the part of my brain that remembered why that shouldn’t, couldn’t happen but I was losing control fast. “Like here?” He trailed his fingertips lightly down the side of my face. I could feel the connection ripple throughout my entire being. I nodded faintly as my breath hitched in my chest. “Where else?” His fingers lazily trailed down my throat, across my chest. He paused at my breast, my nipple hardening at the contact. My body was throbbing, screaming for a release. And the only thing that could release me was

waiting for a response. “I think about you touching me everywhere,” I whispered. Before I knew it, I was flipped to my back. Cane placed one knee on either side of me, pinning both my hands firmly above my head with one of his. He leaned down, his face inches from mine. “I want to touch every part of your body, Jada. I want to make every part of your body mine.” All thoughts of fighting my attraction for him were long gone. I was putty in his hands. I tipped my chin and his mouth crushed mine, owning it. I kissed him back with everything I had. He growled at my responsiveness, which only made me want him more. His mouth moved more urgently. He nibbled my bottom lip and I couldn’t hold back the whimper that escaped against his mouth. As soon as I made the sound, Cane immediately broke the kiss. He pulled back, panting. My eyes searched his, wild and fierce, as I struggled to catch my breath. “Cane,” I whispered raggedly, not sure why he stopped when I so desperately needed more. He closed his eyes and rolled off the bed, pacing a circle in the room. My head was spinning. I scrambled to sit up, my body feeling bereft without his touch. “Cane?” I asked again, my voice shaking. He ran his hands through his hair, clearly agitated. He paced around a few more seconds before he stopped moving and turned to look at me. My heart pounded, uncertainty and confusion warring inside my head. “I’m not going to do this,” he said quietly, his voice rough. I stopped breathing as I stared at him in shock. “What? You’re kidding me right now, right?” “I can’t do this.” He threw his head back and chuckled. “I can’t even fucking believe this,” he said more to himself than anything. “What’s wrong? Did I do something?” His head jerked back up. “No, baby. You did nothing wrong at all.” The term of endearment wrapped around me, protecting me just a bit from the sting of being rejected. “If we do this—if I push this, you will hate me.” “You’re not pushing anything. I want this, Cane. I really want this.” He took the few steps between us quickly and bent down to eye level. “I don’t think I’ve ever wanted anything as much as this,” he whispered, brushing a lock of hair out of my face. “But you aren’t that girl, Jada. And I can’t treat you like one. I’m probably going to have to give up my man card for this shit, but I won’t let you do this to yourself.” “I’m a woman—we change our minds. I’m definitely that girl,” I reassured him. He laughed softly. “But you’re really not. One day, maybe you will want this for real and I will give it to you like you’ve never had it before. But right now, ironically, I’m the one that has to go.” He kissed me on the forehead as he stood up and walked out of my room. I heard him call for Max and the door slam roughly as I sat there, not sure what in the hell had just happened.

THE WATER WAS cool as I pushed through it, arm over arm, lap after lap, until exhaustion finally set in. I swam to the steps and trudged out of the pool, my limbs deliciously heavy. I walked to the cabinets on the patio where Kari kept the beach towels, grabbing the first one my fingers touched. I tossed it back in the cabinet, exchanging the blue one for a red striped version. Screw everything blue—blue towels, blue skies, and blue fucking eyes. It was a pair of aqua orbs that I couldn’t outswim, outwork, outrun. Cane’s beautiful eyes as he knelt in front of me, full of sincerity, telling me I wasn’t that girl. Bullshit. I scrubbed my face with the red towel. I had managed to keep busy over the last week, filling my days with more work than anyone should ever take on and my nights with dinners with my father, movies with Kari, and epic conversations with Heather. Simon Powers had called the day before about Solomon Place and ended up asking to take me to dinner, but I had turned him down. I just wasn’t in the mood to deal with a date. But on Wednesday, Dad was sick, Kari was working at the hospital, and Heather was at a concert with her new rocker boyfriend, Brian. With only myself to count on for a distraction, I had jumped in the pool and swam as hard and fast as possible. Everything is so confusing! I wanted desperately to believe what I read in Cane’s eyes. I wanted to believe that he was really doing what he thought was best for me. But I knew better. People in general, and men especially, were in it to win it. Cane was no different. Only a fool would believe that. Tears pricked my eyes and I fought them from falling. I blinked rapidly and forced myself to get angry. Remember—he’s ‘the coach’. He was clear that he just wanted one night. I guess getting me to admit that I wanted him was enough. At least he let me down easy. I breathed deeply, holding on to the anger that was surging past the self-pity. He won. I handed another asshole a victory. Accept it for what it is and get over it. I wrapped the towel snugly around my waist and headed into the house, finally feeling like I may

be able to sleep. I was physically exhausted but, more than that, I was emotionally drained. Spotting a new bottle of wine on the countertop, I grabbed a glass out of the dishwasher. Get a hot bath, drink a glass of wine, and I’ll be golden. I grabbed the wine, popped the cork, and poured it into the glass, my mind drifting back to my dinner with Cane. “Personally, I like to drink out of a real glass.” I sat the wine down with a shaky hand. Like a bolt of lightning, all of the emotions I had been keeping in check slammed together with the force of a train. I looked around the kitchen, desperate for something to give me a good memory to latch onto. I needed something to replace the images of Decker watching me leave the courthouse, of Cane walking out the door. But there were only things of Kari’s. Nothing of mine. Because this isn’t my house. I don’t have a home anymore. My lip began to quiver as my reality came crashing down on me with the weight of the world. I’ve lost everything I had, if it was even mine to begin with. And who knows how to get to where I even want to be? Where do I want to be? I don’t even know. I slid down the cabinets until I was sitting on the cold tile. It felt like a series of bombs were exploding inside me all at once, ripping me into little jagged pieces. Tears fell freely and hard, leaving me unable to catch my breath. It was an explosion after explosion, each memory triggering another, reminding me of what I never had and likely never would. I had never felt so alone in my life. If this is really living, like Max said, I’d rather mow the fucking sidewalk.

THE SMACKING SOUND my ink pen made as I tapped it off of my yellow notepad was soothing in some crazy way. It was a distraction from—well, my distractions. I sat back in my office chair, the late Thursday morning sun heating my office. I got up and twisted the blinds shut, blocking out both the heat and the light. I wish I could block shit out of my life that fucking easy. Where would I even start? Jada? Or Powers? Definitely Powers. Grimacing, I headed to the mini-refrigerator across the room and grabbed a bottle of water. Max’s latest bit of information had me perplexed and a little nervous. “My friend at the police department said that they suspect Simon of being involved with the Sinaloa Cartel; they’ve been watching him for a few months now.” It made sense. It explained the apparent trips to the border. It explained the money and even the interest in an open office building to use as a front for his operation, if there really was one. But would a cartel use a tool like Powers? And how would he even get involved with a Mexican cartel? Too many questions and not enough fucking answers. I sat back down in my chair, my mind, like a magnet, going back to Jada Stanley. I am certi-fucking-fiable. I hadn’t seen her since I left her sitting on her bed, her eyes begging me for something I couldn’t give her. The only thing keeping me sane was that Max saw her almost daily. And, with a few threats involved, he divulged how and what she was doing. She hadn’t really said anything about me, but she hadn’t said anything about Simon, either. So I guessed, on some level, that was good news. I wasn’t sure why I gave a fuck. It wasn’t like it made any difference to me. I knew that she didn’t want me—not really. She wanted to fuck me and I sure as hell wanted to fuck her, too. But for some strange reason, I had a conscience about this. I didn’t want her regretting it. Is this what guys like Max feel like all the time? Poor bastards. As much as I hated to admit it, Jada was right. I couldn’t give her what she wanted. I didn’t want complications. I didn’t want a relationship. I didn’t want a responsibility. I didn’t want

monogamy. I didn’t want to fucking prioritize. And even though Jada seemed to turn a one-eighty the last time I saw her, I couldn’t take advantage of that. I kicked my feet up on my desk. When did I, Cane Alexander, not take advantages that were laid out in front of me? Why did I give a fuck about all of this? When did I become such a pussy? My life revolved around a carefully constructed set of guidelines. 1. Trust no one. 2. Take responsibility for your own success and failures. 3. Embrace being alone. Things change. Needs change. Desires change. And this setup ensured that I was able to meet my needs and desires. I was a hedonist and I was okay with that. I preferred it, really. I had lived the past few years without thinking about one girl for very long. Ever since things ended with her, I vowed never to get into a relationship like that again. Women only wanted you for what you could give them and they would always trade you in if something better came along. They would lie, cheat, and destroy your life if they thought they could get a step ahead by doing it. That’s what my mother had done to my father and what she had done to me. Fuck them both. Once I realized that all women were the same, I decided not to bother getting close to any one in particular. There was no sense in it. So why in the hell does Jada Stanley take up so much of my mental energy? I slammed my notepad down on my desk, the force rattling the pen holder. Black ballpoint pens hit the floor and rolled in every direction. There was probably some brilliant analogy that could be made from that, but Max wasn’t around to explain it to me. I rubbed my temples, trying to get some clarity. She’s not different. Not enough to change anything. Not enough to make promises. Not enough to make an exception to the rules. “I’m that girl.” I heard that roll through my mind a million times and each time, I wished it were true. I had almost talked myself into going through with it anyway in hopes that it would end this ridiculous fascination I had with her. But I couldn’t because I knew that she was talking in the moment. Even I had done things in the heat of the moment that I wished I could take back. Letting her do that to herself was unacceptable, even by my standards. It took every ounce of strength I had to walk out of there. I didn’t talk to Max the entire trip to his house, trying to wrap my head around what had transpired, trying to figure out what I was feeling. Because fuck if I knew. I figured if she really wanted it, she would call me. Or she would at least make some sort of indication that she meant what she had said. But that call never came.

Sighing, I sat up and flicked the cursor on my laptop to work on a bid. I needed to buckle down and focus. The monitor sparked to life . . . and the orange in the background reminded me of Jada’s dress. I lay back in my office chair and blew out a breath through my teeth. I needed to release some steam so I could actually be productive. I picked my cell off the desk and scrolled through my texts. A quick fuck would do me some good. Yeah, that’s what I need. That’s my problem. I tapped my phone against my chin, trying to think of the last woman I was with. They all blended to together. There was only one face that was clear. Out of nowhere, something Jada once told me crossed my mind. I pulled up the search engine on my computer. I just can’t let well enough be. I grabbed my phone and dialed the number Google gave me. I need to Google “therapy” while I’m at it. A cheery voice introduced answered the phone. “Hello.” I cleared my throat. “This is Cane Alexander. I’m not sure how to do this, but here’s what I need . . .”

I was on fire. Thursday had begun with a post-crying hangover. Once the tears had started the night before, they didn’t want to stop. I knew that was going to come eventually. Even after my divorce, I didn’t cry a lot. I reasoned then that it was because I cried so much during my marriage, but apparently there were still tears inside to release. And release they did. It was very cathartic to just let go, even if I was on the kitchen floor by myself. I felt purified of the past with Decker, as well as the past with Cane. Decker had left scars that I knew I would carry with me forever. But Cane—I chose to believe his intentions were honorable and my pain was simply a by-product of two people trying to force something that just wasn’t meant to be. It didn’t really matter. He walked away. There was no sense in worrying about it. I left the house earlier than usual on Thursday morning and stopped by a little bagel shop for a

coffee and a cinnamon raisin bagel with cream cheese. The girl working in the shop was sweet and we had a nice, easy conversation while I picked the raisins out of the bread and enjoyed my coffee. She told me about her love life and I offered her some advice like I knew something about the topic. I said goodbye and made my way to my Jeep. I got in the driver ’s seat before I noticed a little piece of blue paper stuck beneath the wiper. I reached out the window and grabbed it, pulling it inside.

The writing on the blue post-it note was jagged, slashed across the paper. It appeared to have been wadded up at some point or, most likely, crammed at the bottom of a book bag of a hung-over Arizona State student. I glanced around the parking lot, but it was empty. Figuring someone got the wrong car, I wadded it into a little ball and tossed it into my cup holder. I got to work early and dug in, catching up from my lack of enthusiasm from the days before. By two o’clock, I had skipped lunch and had nearly cleared my desk when Alice came in. “Hey, sweetie. Do you have a minute?” I looked up. In her hands was a large bouquet of the most beautiful orange tulips I had ever seen. “Those are gorgeous,” I said in awe, wondering who had sent Alice flowers. “These were delivered for you.” She peeked around the foliage and smiled smugly. I was floored, confident I had misheard. “For me? Are you sure?” No one had ever sent me flowers in my entire life! “Absolutely.” Alice sat them down on my desk. “I’m not sure what the dinner and flowers mean, but I hope you are happy, Jada. If anyone deserves someone to dote on them, it’s you.” I nodded slowly as she turned and left. I stood and buried my face in the petals, inhaling the scent of the tulips; the smell and beauty instantly lifted my spirits. I picked up the crystal vase. It was tall, slender and heavy in my hand. The vase was bursting with flowers from all angles. Excitedly, I fished through the foliage until I located the card. It was white with silver swirls in a heavier cardstock. Even it was beautiful. Extracting it from the envelope with a shaky hand, I read it carefully.

I dropped the note, my hands still trembling. I didn’t know how to process that. I took a deep breath and then picked up the card. I re-read it, but it didn’t make any more sense than it did the first time. He hasn’t called me this entire time and now he sends me flowers? I buried my face in my hands, confusion taking up residence yet again. I had pushed him away so hard and he continued to pursue me. He wore me down, had me willing to break every rule I had selfimposed, and he walked away. And now, days later when he hadn’t bothered to contact me at all, he sends me flowers? What the hell? I sat there a long time, pondering what to do, trying to decide what it all meant. Should I take the flowers as a white flag? A sign that he gives up chasing me and has resorted to being friends? Or do they mean that he is sorry for walking away? His note certainly didn’t give me any insight. I spent the better part of an hour going back and forth with myself, trying to decide how to respond. Eventually, manners won. A call to thank him was only appropriate . . . and maybe I would get a hint about his motivation. I picked up the phone and dialed his number. My heart raced faster with every ring, my mind matching my heart beat-for-beat. Do I even care what his motivation was? Does it change anything? Of course it doesn’t . . . does it? On the fifth ring, Cane picked up. “Alexander,” he said matter-of-factly. “Hey, Cane. It’s Jada.” “What can I do for you?” His voice was the epitome of professional, completely devoid of

emotion. “I was just calling to thank you for the flowers. They are beautiful.” “Flowers?” he asked, distracted. “Can you hold on for a second?” Without waiting for a reply, I could hear him talking to someone else. “I’m sorry, Jada. Flowers—you got them?” “Yes. Thank you. They made me smile.” “I’m glad. I will tell Lucy that she did well yet again.” His voice was only marginally warmer and my chest tightened. Any hope I had been holding onto vanished. “Please do. Have a good day, Cane,” I said quietly for fear he would hear my voice crack. “You, too, Jada.” I clicked the END button and stared out the window. I wasn’t sure how I felt. I was embarrassed for thinking that maybe he had wanted me and angry that I had allowed myself to think that. Damn him! Why can’t he just go away? This is precisely what I wanted to avoid. Yet he wormed his way into my life. Despite being very clear to him what I did and didn’t want, my self-confidence was shaken. I sighed. He had been very clear, too. He had never denied that he didn’t want anything serious; he used women for entertainment. This was just a little chess move. I am his entertainment. Or maybe he pitied me. Either way—it pissed me off. I wasn’t some naïve, I-need-a-man woman. I didn’t need anyone, especially not someone like him. I had promised myself that my next relationship would be with someone that wanted me. If I had to guess what Cane was thinking every time we interacted, he didn’t qualify. Fuck Cane Alexander. I moved the flowers to the windowsill so I wouldn’t have to look at them and got back to work.

ANGER PROVED TO be an excellent motivator. I accomplished more in the next few hours than I had all week. Every time I felt like taking a break, I looked at the tulips and found myself furious all over again. He’s just another asshole trying to bring me down. He’s trying to get in my head. He means nothing. Get focused and kick ass. I didn’t stop working until it was a few minutes past quitting time. I was gathering my things to leave when Alice buzzed in. “You have a call, Jada. It’s Simon Powers.” “Put him through, please.” I waited for Alice to switch the line to Simon. Once the phone buzzed, I picked up the receiver. “Hi, Simon.” “Hello, Jada.” “What can I do for you?” “There’s a property in Gila Bend I’m interested in. I thought maybe I could drop by the office. I know it’s late, but this one isn’t going to be around for long. I’d like to see some comps on the area— just see what you think. I’d shoot you a fax with the details, but I’m driving and happen to be in your neck of the woods.” “Sure. I was just leaving, but I will absolutely wait to see you.” “Oh, no worries. We can do it tomorrow.” “I really don’t mind to stay this afternoon. Just give me a few minutes to grab something to eat. I didn’t make lunch,” I paused, “or breakfast.” “I was planning on stopping for a burger at the new place on Bell Road. Do you want me to grab you a sandwich? I looked at the flowers and then at the clock. ”You know what? That’s on my way home. I can just meet you there.” “Hey! That sounds great.” “See you soon, Simon.” I picked up my bag and headed out the door. I got in the Jeep and headed towards the restaurant, which was only a few miles away. Traffic, however, was a mess and at a near standstill.

Just as I had turned up the radio to help me forget the craziness of the day, my phone buzzed. “Hey, Kari!” “What’s up? How was your day?” “I don’t even want to discuss that right now, please. What’s going on?” I asked. “Hey, are you coming home soon by any chance? My sneakers are in your car and I was going to go for a quick hike with Max. I need to work off some stress. Work was insane today!” “I’m actually meeting a client for Dad at that new diner on Bell. You know the one—it has the whiskey barrels out front. I don’t know if I’m just going to get the papers or grab a sandwich while I’m there. You can swing by and grab your shoes on your way, if you want,” I offered. “Perfection! Be there in a few.” Traffic started moving again and I made my way to the parking lot; Simon’s Avalanche was already there. I parked beside it and made my way inside, my stomach growling as the peppery smell hit my nose. “Hi, Simon,” I said, finding him in a booth in the back and returning his smile. “How are you?” I climbed into the seat across from him. “I’m great now,” he smiled. “How was your day?” I frowned. “I’m going to give you the canned ‘fine’ and we can move along, okay?” He laughed. “I’ll let it go at that. Here are the papers for the place in Gila Bend,” he said, sliding me a folder. “I haven’t really decided on Solomon Place. The square footage is a little small. And with the construction next door, it just seems like a headache. And the location is pretty busy—not exactly what I have in mind.” “I totally understand. You should always know your options before you make an investment. It’s just smart,” I said, shrugging. “It is.” He looked at me for a moment and I felt like something wasn’t quite right. My body chilled, the little hairs on the back of my neck standing up. Simon eyed me for a second before handing me a menu. “Do you want to grab a bite to eat?” I didn’t say anything, looking blankly at the options in front of me, trying to process whatever my subconscious was trying to tell me. I’m just worked up from the day and overreacting. Relax and have a meal. It’s probably low blood sugar. He turned his head to the window, his face scrunching. “Uh, do you know the girl trying to get in your car?” he asked, pointing out the window. I looked out the glass and laughed. “Yeah, that’s my sister.” Kari and Max made their way into the restaurant, Max’s arm around her shoulder. They spotted me right away and I dug my keys out of my purse. “Hey!” Kari smiled, leaning her head against Max’s side. “Hi, Kari. Hi, Max.” I felt my smile quickly fade. Max gave me a curt nod, not his usual friendly greeting.

“This is my sister, Kari, and her . . . friend, Max. Guys, this is Simon Powers.” Kari said hello to Simon and he sat smugly, his eyes on Max, nodding. Max’s eyes were cold as he bent down and whispered something in Kari’s ear, causing her eyes to narrow. “We need to get going. Can you run out and let us in your car?” I started to hand her the keys, but Kari made no attempt to take them. I asked Simon to excuse me for a second and followed them outside. “Simon Powers, huh?” Max asked as soon as we hit the doorway. “Yeah. He looked at Cane’s property a few days ago. The one you called me about. He has another in Gila Bend he wants to check out.” “Gila Bend? Right on I-10. Makes perfect sense,” Max said, looking straight ahead. “Does Cane know you’re here with him?” I huffed. “No. Why in the world would he know? And why does I-10 make any difference?” Max turned and looked at me, his eyes unsmiling. “You shouldn’t be here with him.” “Simon is a business associate, Max. For that matter, so is Cane.” I sighed, hating both that I had admitted that out loud and that I had, in turn, admitted that I wished he was something more. “And it’s none of your damn business who I’m with.” Max narrowed his eyes and I rolled mine in response, sick of the interrogation. “I wish y’all would act like you have some sense.” Max shook his head. “I have sense, Max. I have sense enough to know that Cane couldn’t care less where I am or who I am with.” I retrieved the sneakers from my Jeep and locked it back up. Kari took them with one hand and wiped her face with the end of her shirt with the other. “I can’t believe you are going to hike in this. You’re going to die of heat stroke. You’re a nurse. Don’t they teach you this stuff?” “We changed our minds and are going back home,” Kari said. “When will you be there?” “I was just going to order a sandwich, so maybe an hour?” I glanced at the restaurant and saw Simon watching us. He looked away quickly. Max followed my eyes to the window, his jaw tensing. “Why don’t you come home now?” “Because I’m hungry.” I let out a sigh, having had enough of stupid men for one day. “I’ll be there soon.” “Jada,” Max said, running his hand over his chin, “I would really prefer it if you would follow us back.” “Yeah, well, thanks for the misplaced concern. But I’m a big girl, Max.” “I never said you weren’t. But even big girls need someone to look after them.” “I have no idea what’s going on. But after the day I’ve had, I don’t have the energy to even try to figure it out. I am going to go back inside and have a bite to eat and I will be home when I feel like it. See you guys later.” I turned to go, but the force of Max’s voice stopped me in my tracks. “Jada . . .”

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath before turning around to face him. “What?” “Cane’s going to ask me if I have seen you today. I guarantee you that.” “No. He won’t. Because he doesn’t care.” Max grinned. “He will. He asks about you every day.” My heart stilled in my chest and I had to make a concerted effort to find my anger again. I shook my head. “He doesn’t really care, Max. Trust me. I’m just another notch to put on his headboard.” “Apparently he’s pissed you off today. I know the feeling—he’s pissed me off every motherfucking day since I met him.” Max’s face softened, a grin touching his handsome face. “So if you don’t want to go home because of him—don’t. But I’d like to think you and I are friends, so do it as a favor to me.” Max watched me intently, twisting his New Orleans Saints cap around backwards. Kari looked from one of us to the other, her arms crossed in confusion. “You guys give me a headache,” I muttered and stormed towards the restaurant to get my purse. I wasn’t sure what Max’s point was, but I knew firsthand how exhausting Cane could be. And I was kind of exhausted myself. Home sounded better and better. “You better have food for me! And rum!” I yelled over my shoulder, Max’s chuckle following me into the diner.

THE HOT WATER rained down on me, pelting my back. I let it knead the muscles that were taut with stress. The water rolled down the drain and I wished it could take me with it. At least until I could make sense of my life. I didn’t want to run—not like I did after the divorce. I just wanted an escape. I needed a reprieve from the confusion and frustration that found me the same day I met Cane. I jumped out of the shower, threw on a pair of shorts and a t-shirt, and went to the kitchen. Max had his arms wrapped around Kari from behind, his head bent into the hollow of her neck. “You better tell me you got me something to eat,” I warned, catching them off guard. “That was the deal. I’m a man of my word.” Max motioned towards the table and at a bag of takeout . . . and a bottle of Bacardi. “I could kiss your faces right now!” I said, catching myself. “Well, not you, Max.” “Hey,” Max smiled, holding his hands up, “if that’s what y’all are into . . .” Kari smacked his chest and he pulled her back into him, making her giggle. I grabbed a seat and unpacked the contents of the bag, my stomach rumbling. The hot, greasy smell was way more appetizing than it should have been. “Flowers? What’s up with this?” Kari asked curiously, spotting the vase full of tulips that I had sat by the sink. She walked over and picked up the note, a silly smile on her face. “Cane sent you flowers!?” she gushed. “How sweet!” I sat my burger down, my appetite beginning to wane. “No—Lucy sent me flowers. He was very clear about that.” Kari looked as confused as I felt. “This card is very sweet, Jada. And very personal. This doesn’t sound like something he would have Lucy say. And who is Lucy, by the way?” She laughed at her own question. “His secretary,” I sighed, glancing up at Max who was taking everything in. “What’s up with your friend, Max? Has he always been such a dick?” Max slowly walked over to the table and sat down, his face not giving anything away. “What did he say?” “Nothing. Abso-freaking-lutely nothing. I thanked him and he said he would tell Lucy she did a

good job.” I raised my eyebrows, challenging Max to a response. Max shook his head, a small smile playing at his lips. He leaned back in his chair looking amused. “Look, Cane is—” “An asshat?” Kari cut in. “No. Cane is complicated.” “Good for him. I’m not. I’m simple,” I said. “Jada, I don’t want to say too much and I won’t put words into my man’s mouth. But Cane has never sent a woman flowers. Ever.” He held his hand up to stop my forthcoming interruption. “Not even through Lucy.” “Great! Fine. He didn’t have to do that or have her do that or what-the-fuck-ever. I just want him to go away.” I looked Max in the eye, giving him my best intimidating look. When he failed to react, I let out a breath, feeling defeated. “So, why did you trick me into meeting Cane at Solomon Place? I would have never gone to the building the first time if I had thought I was meeting him and not you.” “You tricked her?” Kari asked incredulously. “Max!” Max chuckled. “No,” he began, but seeing the look on my face, he switched tactics quickly. “Yes, in a way. But not really.” “Can either of you just be transparent!?” I leaned back in my chair in disbelief. “You two are like watching trickery in motion!” “What the hell does that mean?” Max laughed. “I don’t even know. I’m just so frustrated.” “I did plan on being there. Maybe not alone, but I did plan on being there. As fate would have it, I got called out to another jobsite and you ended up alone with Cane.” “I liked you until now, you know.” Max smiled as he pulled his phone from his pocket. “Speak of the devil. Should I tell him you said hello?” he asked cheekily. “Yes. Tell him I said hello and that Lucy deserves a big raise.” Max shook his head, answering the call as he walked into the other room. Kari sipped a glass of wine as I finished my dinner. I knew that she wanted answers to what was going on with Cane, but I remained silent. How can I explain something to her that I can’t explain to myself? All I knew for certain was that I was wiped out—completely and utterly spent. I just wanted soft sheets and maybe a little wine. Just as I started to get up, we heard Max’s voice raise slightly from the living room. “Cane—no. That’s not what I’m saying . . .” Silence again. “I handled it, man. We are back at the house. Everything is under control.” Kari bit her lip as Max’s voice lowered, barely audible. “I don’t think that’s a good idea,” he said. My stomach knotted. “After the day I’ve had and your boyfriend in there—doing whatever it is he’s doing, I really think I need a drink.”

“First of all, he’s not my boyfriend. Second of all, I will never turn down wine.” “What’s going on with you and Max anyway?” I asked as I watched my sister get up from the table and make her way to the kitchen. She began to pour our drinks. “He looks at you like you’re his and you seem sure you’re not,” I observed, taking a sip of the cool pink liquid after it was handed to me. “One glass of wine and then I’m starting on the Bacardi.” “She’s just a pain in the ass—that’s what she is,” Max rumbled from the doorway, irritation written all over his face. “And so is Cane.” He moved his eyes to me and I could see the underlying hesitation in them. I struggled to swallow the Moscato. “Why do I get the feeling that you are saying that for a reason?” “Because I am.” Max took a deep breath. “Cane is on his way over here.”

WE WERE SITTING on the back porch a little while later, enjoying the peace and quiet. The ceiling fan whooshed and the pool bubbled. With the white twinkling lights strung overhead and the glow of the tiki torches, the backyard had a relaxing, romantic aura. Kari snuggled into Max’s lap, wrapping her arms around his chest. He leaned his head back on the chaise and closed his eyes, looking completely content with my sister cuddled against him. Jealousy reared its ugly head. That should be me. I miss that. I downed the rest of my wine in one gulp. “I’m going in for a refill. Do you guys need anything?” “I think we’re good,” Max drawled, stroking Kari’s bare thigh. My spirits in limbo, I stalked into the house and considered turning on a movie—something violent and gory. Something where the asshole gets what he has coming. As I entered the kitchen, the doorbell rang. I had struggled over whether to be there when Cane arrived. If I left, Cane would think he got to me and enough was enough. He needed to be put on notice that I was done being messed with. But that didn’t mean I actually wanted to deal with him. Pretending that I didn’t hear the doorbell, I started across the living room in the opposite direction of the entry. It rang again and I caught Max’s eye through the window. He smirked as our eyes met, obviously having heard Cane’s arrival and clearly reading my intentions. I sighed as I flipped him the bird, my gig obviously up, and turned on my heel. I could hear Max laughing and that only irritated me more. I jerked open the door. Cane was standing on the other side, looking delicious in a pair of dark denim jeans and a white t-shirt, his sunglasses tucked into the top of his shirt. He smelled woodsy and musky, the scent making me shiver. He’s like looking at a famous painting in a museum. He’s made to visually appreciate, but there’s no way I can afford to take him home. “Are you going to invite me in?” He flashed me a grin that was undoubtedly his most seductive, but I held tight and shook my head instead of swooning. “Do I have a choice?” I asked dully.

“Do you ever? I think we’ve been in this situation a time or two.” “Whatever, Cane.” I left the door open and walked back into the kitchen. I heard it shut as I rumbled through the pantry, looking for the rum Kari had put away. I knew mixing wine and rum was going to result in a hot mess of a morning, but I needed something a little stronger than Moscato to make it through the night. Maybe I should just go for whiskey. “What did you do today?” he asked, clearly leading me, his voicing growing closer. “Nothing much.” “Really? Nothing interesting happened today?” “Nope.” “You want to do it this way? Okay, fair enough. I’ll cut to the chase. What’s this I hear about you having dinner with Powers?” “Don’t,” I warned him. “Don’t what?” “Don’t start. What I do and who I spend my time with is no business of yours.” I turned my back on him, not wanting him to see how tired I was. He could sense weakness like a lion. “Jada,” Cane whispered, putting his hand on my hip. I froze, squeezing the bottle of rum I had just picked up so I wouldn’t drop it. He pressed the front of his body into the back of mine and swept the hair off the back of my neck. His fingers lightly brushed my sensitive skin, making my nerve endings rapid-fire in succession. “It is my business.” My pulse quickened and body heated, responding to him without thought. “You’re wrong. It’s not.” “I asked you very pointedly to stay away from him and you agreed.” I turned quickly to look him in the eye. “No. You asked me to call you before I took him to your properties. You don’t own the restaurant.” “You are missing the fucking point.” “No, I think I get the fucking point better than you can imagine.” He took a half step forward, grabbing the cabinet on either side of me. The proximity of his body to mine made it hard to breathe. “I didn’t come over here to argue with you, beautiful girl.” I took in a shaky breath. “Then why did you?” He tilted his head slightly, his eyes never leaving mine. “I wanted to know you were okay.” “Why wouldn’t I be okay?” “You were with Simon. You have to stay away from him.” “Tell me something. Is he a threat to me? Or is he a threat to you?” “Come on, Jada. Cut me some fucking slack here.” “You can have all the fucking slack you want. I never asked you to pick up the end of the rope.” Cane’s jaw clenched. “What are we doing here, Jada?”

My eyes squeezed closed as I tried to create some barrier between the two of us. “We aren’t doing anything.” “Can you honestly say that?” “No. You did.” “Fuck,” he blew out in frustration. “Why do you have to make this so fucking hard?” “Seriously, Cane?” I pressed my lips together and shook my head. “This is all you and I am done. I am finished getting sucked into your web, having my head spun, and then watch you act like you are doing me some fucking favor by speaking to me.” He ran his fingers through his hair, looking at the ground. “That’s not what’s happening.” “That is exactly what’s happening and I’m over it.” He snapped his eyes back to me, his mouth in a thin line. “You’re over it? I see. Was Simon that interesting at dinner? Because you don’t have any idea who he is, Jada. He isn’t someone you need to be fucking around with!” “Fuck you.” He laughed. “It would have saved us a lot of trouble.” “And it will never happen.” “Why?” He smirked. “Are you afraid you’ll like it?” His words set me off, the anger I had fought to control erupting like a volcano. “I’m pretty sure I wouldn’t, actually,” I fumed, slamming the bottle on the countertop and whirling around. Cane took a step back and watched me like a caged animal. “All assholes are the same and I’ve had more than my fair share of them. They seem to be the only thing I attract,” I spat. Cane shifted his weight, crossing his arms in front of him. He clearly wasn’t expecting my reaction. “I don’t know why you won’t just go away!” I turned to walk around him, but he blocked my path. “You don’t really want me to go, Jada.” “No, I do. I promise you—I really do,” I seethed. “I’ve told you repeatedly that this is what I don’t want. I’m not a little chess piece. I don’t want to be fucked with, Cane.” “Is that what you think I’m doing?” he asked me, his eyebrows rose in astonishment. “You think I’m just fucking with you?” “You are either cruel or you are just really, really stupid. You are an asshole when we meet, then you are sweet. You deliver me dinner, then grow cold. You come into my room, break me down, and then walk away.” I grabbed on to the ledge of the counter, my hands shaking with fury. “You send me flowers—no, wait. I stand corrected. You have Lucy send me flowers and then are an asshole. I’m noticing a pattern here,” I spouted. “But that’s going to stop now. Leave. Me. Alone.” I pushed him out of the way and took the stairs two at a time to my bedroom, my body feeling the adrenaline hit full force.

I paused at the top of the stairs and turned around. He was standing at the bottom, watching me. His eyes were wide, his hand gripping the railing. “If you have to wonder where you stand with someone, it is probably time to stand up and start walking.” I looked him in the eye, my voice softening slightly. “I’m walking, Cane. Don’t follow me.” I marched into my room and slammed the door behind me. I moved across the floor to the window and stood, trying to calm my heartbeat. It lasted about five seconds. “What the fuck?” Cane stormed into my room behind me. “Can we have a rational fucking conversation?” “The only conversation I am interested in having with you is to ask you why you can’t respect boundaries. That door was closed and you were uninvited.” “Fuck that. You aren’t getting away from me that easy.” He stalked across the room with purpose until he was standing a few feet in front of me. “I don’t know how much clearer I can be, Cane. I don’t want to be near you.” He ran his fingers through his hair in utter frustration and sighed, closing his eyes. “Look, I’m sorry. I really am.” “Why don’t you have Lucy call and tell me for you?” I bit out. “Is that really what you want to discuss?” “No! I don’t want to discuss anything!” “I sent you those flowers today, okay? I called and ordered them myself. Call Lucy and ask her— she’ll think you are a lunatic!” I stilled. “You ordered them?” He nodded, eyeing me nervously. His Adam’s apple bobbed as he swallowed. “Then why did you lie to me?” Cane shrugged his shoulders. “I didn’t mean to. I was in a meeting and I should never have answered your call. But when I saw your name on my screen, I couldn’t help it.” He walked over to my bed and sat down. “I heard your voice and the hope in it and . . . I don’t know. I just knew I had gone too far.” “What do you mean?” “What we both want couldn’t be more opposite . . . and neither of us are willing to make an exception. I was afraid those flowers were going to give you the wrong impression.” My spirits fell spectacularly on the side of despair and smashed into shards, some of the pieces bouncing off of the floor and piercing me again for good measure. “Then why even send them, Cane? Why do you have to go out of your way to make me crazy?” Tears began to prick the corners of my eyes and I blinked them back furiously. “I just don’t get what you are doing!” “I don’t know what the fuck I’m doing, if you want the truth. If you were any other girl, I would’ve had you beneath me days ago. But you aren’t and I’m trying to respect that, but . . . fuck!”

I smiled sadly. “I get that, Cane, and I appreciate it. I really do. But this hot-and-cold thing you have going on is making my life hell! At this point, I just want you to pick one way or the other and I know the kind of guy you are, so I know which way that’s going to be. And I’m fine with that. I’d rather be shut out by you altogether than feel so unsure all the time.” “You don’t mean that. You don’t want me to walk out of your life.” His voice cracked with uncertainty, his brows furrowed. “You’ve never actually been in my life. Hell, you’re doing enough damage being on the fringe! I need you to move on to your next conquest and forget about me.” “Don’t you get it? That’s my fucking problem! You aren’t just some conquest and I can’t figure out how to move on from you!” I swallowed hard as I watched his eyes burn, feeling like I was on a precipice. I had to either hold on for dear life or topple over the edge. “Then don’t,” I whispered, taking the leap without a parachute. Cane’s eyes shot up and he bounded towards me, his body rigid, his eyes hooded. I could see the hasty rise and fall of his chest. I walked backwards until I was up against the window, my heart pounding. “You say you want honesty. Well, be honest with me.” He pinned me against the wall with his gaze. “Do you want me?” My chest heaved, my body wound and needy to the point of breaking. “Answer me,” he demanded, his voice husky. “Look at me, Jada.” My eyes opened and, before I realized what I was doing, I heard myself breathing out, “Yes.” Cane’s mouth was on mine immediately, his tongue darting between my lips like it had been there a hundred times before. I lavished in the feeling of him against me, of him finally taking control of my body—something I had wanted for so long. He grabbed the hem of my shirt and lifted it over my head, discarding it to the side. His fingers slid around my back, unfastening my bra and tossing it to the floor. He found the waistband of my pants and he pushed them over my hips and I stepped out of them, my hands roaming over the ridges and ripples of his body. Cane walked backwards and sat into a chair in the corner of my room, taking me with him by the hand, kissing me ferociously. He pulled back long enough to grab a condom out of his pocket before getting rid of his pants. He sat down in the chair against the wall, and quickly unrolled the protection over his length. He grabbed my hand, his eyes brimming with desire. A small smirk was on his face as he guided me over him, my feet touching the floor on both sides. My body was aching, humming with need as I stood over him and grabbed his cock beneath me. As I slowly sat down on it, the length stretching me one delicious inch at a time, my eyes rolled back in my head. “Fuck, Cane!”

“Does that feel good, baby?” He asked, his eyes glowing, his hands gripping my hips. “Yes,” I breathed out, giving my body a second to get accustomed to his size. “You are so tight. It’s a good thing you are so wet for me.” He licked his lips, his fingers cinching tighter into my skin. I began rocking back and forth, feeling exquisitely full. He took one breast into his mouth, teasing my nipple with his tongue and biting it lightly. I placed my hands on the top of the chair and continued to swirl my hips up and down, the friction driving me insane. He grabbed my hips and lifted me up. I put my weight on my feet and raised myself up and down, swirling my hips. His head fell back as his hands groped my breasts and a low growl escaped his throat. “I’m going to come, Cane,” I said, unable to stop the impending explosion. I ground my pussy harder into him as he forced me down, effectively halting me. My eyes flew open. “What are you doing?” I asked incredulously. “Not yet. You’ve made me wait for this for so fucking long. It’s your turn to wait now.” “But . . .” I began, trying to move, desperately needing a release. “Nope.” He scooped his hands beneath my ass and stood up. I wrapped my legs around his waist and my arms around his neck and he carried us both over to the bed. He laid me on my back on the edge of the comforter and I felt him slowly exit my body. He looked down at me, his eyes a deep blue. Grabbing my legs, he placed one on each of his shoulders, causing my pelvis to tip up. “I want you to keep your eyes open, got me?” I nodded slowly, my eyes wide. He touched the head of his cock to my opening as he grabbed my waist, holding me in place. “Eyes open,” he whispered before thrusting into me with will full force. The movement was explosive and my body tried to scoot backwards across the bed, but his hands held me down. He thrust into me time after time and I grabbed his hard forearms to keep from moving, feeling my body build and build with every delicious movement. My eyes rolled back into my head and the blood rushed to the top, my body on fire. “Open!” Cane growled and I immediately looked up, his gaze piercing me. “I can’t . . .” I began as I tipped over the threshold of my climax, everything inside of me exploding, turning into molten lava. “Cane!” He pulled almost completely out, the tip of his cock barely parting my opening before he thrust into me one final time, holding me still. I felt him swell inside of me as he came hard, his eyes now closing as he groaned in pleasure. He pulled out and I closed my eyes, completely sated. I heard his footsteps as he walked across the carpeted floor and the rustle of the liner as he deposited the condom in the trashcan. Soon, his hands were on me again, picking me up and laying me down against my pillows. I

wondered briefly if he was going to lay with me. “I’m going to grab a drink. Do you want anything?” I shook my head, feeling more relaxed than I had felt in forever. Cane pulled the covers over my body and stood silently, watching me, his face pressed in thought. “What’s the matter, Cane?” A small grin slid over his face, his features easing. “A little bit of everything and a whole lot of nothing.” Confused, all I could do was grin back. He winked before putting on his pants and turning and heading downstairs. I rolled to my side and snuggled down into the blankets. I inhaled the scent of Cane that was everywhere, letting it take over my senses. But the longer he was gone, the more I started to worry, started to second guess my decisions. Don’t overthink this. Just enjoy it for whatever it turns out to be. I had just begun to doze off when the door cracked open again and shut softly. The bed dipped with his weight. He sat for a few moments, not moving, and I didn’t say anything. My heart was racing, knowing this was the moment of truth. The bed shifted again as Cane lay beside me, not touching me, except to brush a lock of hair off my face. “Sleep, beautiful girl.”

“DAMN IT!” I shoved the top of the printer back, spotting the offending piece of paper jammed inside. With the last few days I’ve had, how am I even surprised? I scowled as I squeezed my hand into the tiny space before yanking the paper out. Slamming the top back down, I sat in my chair with a huff. The week was dragging. Everything seemed to have gone wrong since I woke up the Friday before to a text. Cane: You’re beautiful even when you are asleep. “Sleep, beautiful girl.” His words echoed through my brain. Sleep? Why? So he could make his getaway? So he could flee without having to speak or see me again? According to Max, Cane had taken an impromptu trip to Payson very early on Friday morning. So a part of me wanted to believe that is why Cane hadn’t stayed with me or contacted me since then, besides the text. Those thoughts encouraged a seed of hope to grow. The other side of me laughed and stomped harshly on the prospect. This is exactly what I knew he would do. I will probably never see him or hear from him again. Don’t be jaded about this. I hit PRINT on the screen, wishing life could be controlled with simple commands like that. If that was possible, would I DELETE the night with Cane? I smiled to myself. Of course I wouldn’t. I had made the decision to be with Cane with a clear mind. I couldn’t regret that—and I didn’t. I also couldn’t be shocked that when I had woken up, he was gone. All I could do was control how I went forward. I had sent him a return text, thanking him for the compliment and he failed to reply. I wasn’t going to call him or text him again. I couldn’t lose my dignity; I had to be strong. Cane knew how to get ahold of me if that is what he wanted, but I wouldn’t reach out to him.

The ping of my email caught my attention and I clicked on the little envelope. To: Jada Stanley From: Simon Powers Re: Solomon Place—Offer Jada, I have faxed you the details of the offer I would like to make on Solomon Place. I will be out of cell reception this afternoon. If you need anything, please leave me a message and I will call you back when I get back to town. That will most likely be sometime tomorrow. Thank you, Simon This day might turn around, after all! I went into the fax room, found Simon’s paperwork lying on the tray, and took it back to my desk. I pulled the Solomon Place file and began compiling all of the documents for the offer. Lo and behold, one piece of paper was missing Cane’s signature. Confident that the world hated me, I searched our system for Alexander Industries’ fax number. It was nowhere. My spirits sank as I tried to find a way around talking to Cane. Lucy! I searched for the main office number and dialed, perking up in my seat when she answered right away. “Hi, Lucy. It’s Jada from Stanley Real Estate. I have an offer for the Solomon Place, but I need your fax, please.” “Hello, Jada! Just a minute and I will transfer you over to Mr. Alexander.” “Oh, no,” I said hurriedly. “That isn’t necessary. I just need your fax.” “If you call, Ms. Stanley, I’m supposed to send you back. I’m sorry,” she apologized. “Now, if you’ll hold, I will get you back there.” “Lucy, please, can’t you just give me the number?” “I can’t. I have to follow orders. Just a moment.” I bowed my head, trying to brace myself for the uncertainty that was barreling towards me. “I wondered how long it would take you to call me,” Cane answered, his voice calm and controlled. I sat upright, my jawing hanging in disbelief. “You’re kidding me, right?” Cane just laughed. “How has your week been?” “Fantastic. I just need your fax,” I said, cutting to the chase. If he wanted to talk about anything more than Solomon Place, he would need to be the one to bring it up. “That’s all you called to discuss?” I could hear the laugh in his voice and it incensed me.

“Of course, Cane. I can’t think of anything else I need to discuss with you. Words are so overrated, you know. It’s actions that really speak.” “Is that so?” “Well, I take that back. My recent conversation with Simon was interesting.” I smiled into the phone as I heard him tense through the line. “He made an offer on Solomon Place. I need one document signed by you before we can do that.” I was met with silence. “Cane?” I asked again, my voice shaking a little. “Solomon Place is no longer for sale,” he snarled. “Excuse me? It’s not for sale? Are you serious?” “Dead serious.” Silence reigned again. I could feel him boiling through the phone and I wasn’t sure why. I knew he didn’t like Simon for some reason, but to pull the property off the market so he wouldn’t buy it? That was extreme, even for Cane. “I have no idea what is going on right now. You want us to remove the property from the market?” “Let me ask you a question. Is my property the only connection you have with Powers?” “What?” I heard his chair squeak through the phone. “Is my property the only one you have associated with Powers?” “Yes. He was interested in another one in Gila Bend, but my dad had someone else show him that.” I squeezed my temples. “You’re losing me here, Cane.” “That’s what I’m afraid of.” His voice was quiet, just above a whisper. “Excuse me?” “That property, all of my properties actually, are unavailable for purchase by Simon Powers. I don’t care what offer you submit on his behalf, Jada, I will reject it. I will make it impossible. So please, save yourself the trouble.” “That’s insanity, Cane.” “Probably.” I stared into space, trying to find something I understood in the mayhem. “I don’t care if it ever sells. What I do care about is that you don’t see Powers again.” Confusion riddled me. “Do you hear what I’m saying, Jada? Stay away from Simon Powers.” His voice was cool, lethal, and it caught me off guard. “You’re joking, right?” I realized I was holding my breath, but I couldn’t help it. The entire situation was getting out of control. “Does it sound like I’m fucking kidding?” “Why, Cane?”

“Can’t you just trust me?” “I trust me,” I replied softly. “And the more I go through life, the more I see the value in that motto.” “Jada.” Cane’s voice wavered slightly as he said my name. “If this is about me going to Payson—” “It isn’t. Not really. This is going just how I expected it would and it’s fine.” He let out a strained breath. “Look. Simon Powers is very bad news, Jada. I need you to do what I say.” This is stupid! Don’t let him feel sorry for me! He is just another fish in the sea and if this is how he rolls—and I know it is!—then I don’t want anything else from him. Especially his pity! “If I have someone else take over the sale from our side, will you still sell the property?” I asked him, turning the conversation back to business. “And you will have no contact with Powers?” “I’m not promising you anything, Cane. But I haven’t had any conversations with him that weren’t centered around real estate, so the odds are in your favor.” He sighed, his aggression beginning to wane. “Yes. I would go along with that.” “I’ll let my father know. Nice talking to you, Mr. Alexander.”

She hung up on me. A grin slid across my face. I sat holding the phone in my hand, trying to figure out what in the hell just happened. That did not go according to plan. Realizing that she had just managed to do something that people tried to do all the time, and failed miserably at, made the grin grow wider. She had just won a battle, albeit a small one, over me. It was sexy as hell. Damn her, anyway. I shook my head and leaned back into my chair. The last few days had been a clusterfuck. I should have listened to Max and stayed calm when he told me Jada had been with Simon, but calm wasn’t something I was great at. The thought of her with that low life son-of-a-bitch infuriated me. Why couldn’t she just fucking listen? The bits and pieces Max and I were able to put together about Simon looked worse and worse. I had honestly thought that he would just disappear, but now I wasn’t so sure. And if he was going to keep contacting her, I was going to have to clue her in without panicking her. I was going to do that the night she had dinner with him, but she was so fucking mad at me and my plan got put on the back

burner. There has never been a better back burner. Thoughts of her wrapped around me, my cock buried inside her, made me want to go get her from work and take her home with me. Breathe, Alexander. Don’t be a dumbass. It was impossible to think clearly while around Jada. And that was exactly why I had to head to Payson. I had to put some space between us before I really fucked shit up. Just watching her sleep, this potent mix of beauty and seduction, naivety and strength, made me think crazy shit. Like lying beside her, pulling her close, and falling asleep with her in my arms . . . Thank fuck I had just had a major orgasm or who knows what would have happened. Instead, I kissed her on the forehead and raced home. I didn’t sleep at all that night; her scent was all over me. It was something pure and soft, something classy. Just like her. I couldn’t get the feel of her body out of my mind. Even after showering, I could still see her, hear her, smell her, taste her. And I wanted more. I never wanted more. What in the hell is wrong with me? By four AM, I was worried about my fucking sanity. I was still wide awake, my mind not shutting down. Even after six rounds on the heavy bag—something that normally exhausts every cell in my body—I still couldn’t rest. I felt like I had Freud in my brain, prompting me to reconsider choices I had made and choices I needed to make. How did I get myself in this position at all? When did I give a fuck? When did I care about this shit? I didn’t need Freud, I needed Machiavelli. I was at war. With myself, no less. Everything I thought I knew about, well, everything, now seemed challengeable. The rules that I lived by all seemed . . . open to doubt. And that wasn’t possible. Those were the things that made me Cane Alexander. Those were the guidelines that kept me strong, kept me focused, kept me on the path that led to where I wanted to be. Didn’t they? Didn’t I want an uncomplicated life? Didn’t I want to work hard during the day and play however I felt like it at night? Didn’t I enjoy a different girl in my bed a few times a week? Hell yeah I do. Right? I scratched my head roughly, my arms aching from working out so long. I ignored a text from Miriam last night. Worse yet, I wasn’t even interested. What the fuck is wrong with me? This thing with Jada, whatever it was, was ruining my life.

Or was it making it better? Fuck if I knew. All I did know was that things between Jada and I had changed. The illusion of friendship that we had been able to navigate under was no more. There could now be no casual flirting, no more wondering, “what would happen if . . .” I had willingly, and enthusiastically, crossed that line and there was no going back. I just wasn’t sure how to go forward, either. This is why you don’t do dumb shit like this. You should be sport-fucking someone right now. Before the sun came up on Friday morning, only hours after leaving Jada sleeping, I called Max and told him I was going to Payson and that he needed to keep track of everything for a couple of days. I went to my cabin up there, had some beers, tried to organize my brain, and came back late Sunday night. The only contact I had with the outside world had been with Max to ensure that the Queen Creek job stayed on track . . . and that Simon hadn’t been around. Max, as always, took care of everything. I paid him well, of course, but his loyalty was worth more than I could ever pay him. Since he hooked up with Kari, Max had changed for the better. He was more loyal, more focused, more serious. I guessed that is what happened when you fell in love. Is that happening to me and I just can’t see it? No. No, it wasn’t. I was going to keep my balls. As much as I liked, possibly really liked, Jada Stanley, I wasn’t about to get involved. I didn’t have it in me. And Jada wasn’t going to be a fuck buddy. I didn’t want to see the look in her eyes at a certain point. Namely the point when I moved on. That would happen. And that is what it all boiled down to. I had to be able to leave her behind. I had laid everything out there once before and learned a few very valuable lessons. I had adjusted my game after that. There was no room in my life for doing something stupid like falling in love. Love was for the weak, for the fools of the world that couldn’t make it on their own. That’s if it really even existed at all. I would not be getting sucked in to a relationship with Jada Stanley or anyone else. But if Powers wasn’t going to leave her alone, I would have to take matters into my own hands. Picking up my phone again, I dialed the main office number to Stanley Real Estate. Mrs. Jewell picked up promptly. “Hi, Alice. This is Cane Alexander. Is there any chance Mr. Stanley is in?” “Oh, hello, Cane. Yes, I think he’s still around. Can you hold for a second?” “Sure.” I watched the shadows play against the wall while I waited for Thomas to pick up. I considered what angle to take with him.

“Thomas Stanley.” “Hi, Thomas. This is Cane Alexander.” “Well, hello. It is nice to finally talk to you. I hope everything is going all right with your property.” I smiled. “Yes. Jada has done an excellent job; I’m very happy with her performance.” If he only knew . . . “That’s great. What can I do for you, Cane?” I stood up and paced the room. “There is a prospective buyer on Solomon Place. His name is Simon Powers.” “Yes. I heard he made an offer today.” “That’s right. And as happy as I am with the job Jada has done, Mr. Stanley, I would appreciate it if you would reassign another realtor to work with Mr. Powers.” “May I ask why?” “Of course.” I paused, considering my next words carefully. “This decision has nothing to do with Jada, except her safety.” “Please, go on.” “I have known Simon for a number of years. We have a history together and he’s never been a nice guy. My sources are telling me that he is involved in some nefarious activities. Now, if he wants to buy Solomon—that’s fine with me. Money is money. But I hope you trust me when I tell you that he is no one Jada should be dealing with.” Thomas let out a deep breath. “Is that all you are going to give me?” “Well, considering I have no hard evidence on what he’s doing now and the past is very personal, I’d rather leave it there. I hope my word is good enough. If Jada were my daughter or my wife, I wouldn’t want her to be anywhere near Simon Powers.” The line was quiet and my body tensed. Have I crossed a line? “It sounds like you are fond of my daughter. Have you told her what you are telling me?” “I have told her that Simon is dangerous, but she’s pretty hard-headed. I hope you don’t mind me saying that.” Thomas laughed. “She got that from her mother.” “So, as you can imagine, she bristled and now I’m not sure if she’s going to listen.” “I’ll tell you what, Cane. I’ll reassign Powers to Zack, another associate here in our offices. And I appreciate the call. That’s my baby girl we are talking about, so her safety trumps everything.” “And if you don’t mind, I’d like to keep this conversation between us. I’m sure you can understand why.” “Agreed.” “I’ll let you get back to your day now, sir. Thank you for all of your help on Solomon Place and I’ll let you know when I have something else to list.”

“No problem. And Cane,” Thomas paused, “thank you. I appreciate you looking out for Jada.” “The pleasure is mine.”

THE MUSIC PUMPED through the bar, “Touchin’ on My” by 3OH!3 rocking the speakers. The lights flickered rapidly, casting colorful rays on the patrons pressed closely together on the dance floor at Casaar ’s Bar. Sweaty and borderline exhausted after dancing with Kari, I motioned for my sister to follow me to the back patio. It would surely be a little cooler and a whole lot quieter. I had never been one for large crowds anyway, but I couldn’t get rid of the feeling that someone was watching me. I kept scanning the bar, but found nothing out of place. It’s just the crowd coupled with the shot of tequila. You know you shouldn’t drink tequila. I led Kari outside and found a table in a back corner that was, thankfully, next to a fan. “I’m not as young as I used to be,” Kari giggled, holding on to the table to stop herself from swaying. “Damn, not nearly as young. How much did you let me drink?” she laughed. “Enough,” I smiled. “What’s gotten into my big sister, huh?” Kari asked, a goofy smile on her face. “You are actually kinda fun tonight!” “Hush. I earned this night.” “That you do. Did. Whatever,” Kari laughed. “Speaking of deserving . . . well, in my brain that word was dessert . . .” Kari shook her head. “Damn, I am drunk! Anyway, I was going to ask you if you had heard from that piece of man candy of yours.” I rolled my eyes and recounted the conversation about Solomon Place earlier in the week. “He’s such a dick.” “What’s his deal? Even when I’m not drunk, I don’t think he makes sense.” Kari grooved to the beat of Katy Perry’s “Dark Horse”. “I don’t know, but I’m done. I’m finished even being nice to him at this point, Kari. He sent me a couple of texts yesterday, but I didn’t respond. Fuck him.” “Yeah! Fuck him!” Kari shouted, holding her glass up in the air, contents splashing on the table. “Kari! Don’t yell.” “Sorry!” Kari said, putting her hand over her mouth, her eyes widening. “Anyway, what did the texts say?”

“Nothing, really.” “Just give me your phone.” Kari extended her hand. I obliged, the look on her face telling me that it wasn’t worth the fight. Cane: I got the papers from your father. See how smoothly things go when you listen. Cane: Are you just going to ignore me now? Cane: Goodnight, Jada. “He’s obviously thinking about you, but why is he so Jekyll and Hode?” “Jekyll and Hyde?” I smiled at my inebriated sister. “I have no idea. He’s confusing and time consuming and ridiculous.” “And delicious,” Kari hiccupped. “Is Max that way?” “Yeah, he’s delicious all right.” “Not what I meant,” I laughed. Kari’s face fell, sobering. “Oh, Jada. I don’t know what to do with Max.” “Why?” “Because I like him.” I smiled softly, the truth finally coming to light. “That’s good, Kari.” “No, no it’s not. When I met him, it was supposed to be all about sex. That was clear from the getgo.” She fiddled with the edge of her dress. “But he’s so thoughtful, Jada. He worries about me. He goes out of his way to make sure I’m happy. I don’t know what to do with that.” “You enjoy it. I like Max. I think he’s good for you. Maybe you should just see what happens.” “Oh, like you are so willing to see what happens with Cane,” Kari taunted, nodding her head exaggeratedly. “That’s different. I know what will happen with Cane. Unlike you, I’m basing my decisions on experience.” My eyes were caught by the flashing image on the table top. “Your phone is ringing.” She looked down. “It’s Max. I was supposed to call him tonight and didn’t.” “Why not?” Kari shrugged. She looked down, the phone stilling in her hand. She pressed a few buttons and held it to her ear. “Hey, Max. What’s up? Yeah, I know. Sorry. Jada wanted to come to Casaar ’s tonight.” “You liar!” I laughed. Kari giggled, trying to ignore me. “No, we’re actually sitting on the back deck right now, cooling off.” She swirled her drink in her glass while she listened. “Maybe I’m a little drunk. But Jada’s here, so I’m fine.” “No, we are taking a cab. We’re not stupid.” She glanced around. “Yeah, well, I will see you tomorrow . . . Max!” The phone slammed to the table with a thud. “Sometimes, I hate him.” “I totally don’t believe that. If that was true, you wouldn’t have that look on your face right now.”

“He’s coming to get us,” she said smugly. “You secretly love this, I can tell.” “I do and I don’t know why. He said he doesn’t want us in a taxi this late.” I watched Kari for a moment, considering what to say next. “Have you ever considered that maybe you like Max more than you are even willing to admit?” “Now why would I go do something stupid like that?” “Because it’s true.” “Have you ever considered that maybe you like Cane more than you are even willing to admit?” “No. Because I don’t.” I wasn’t about to have a conversation about any feelings I did or didn’t have for Cane Alexander. There was no reason to spoil the night. Kari sighed. “Whatever. I’m going to grab some water. Stay here in case Max comes, ‘kay?” She walked across the stone patio, towards the little bar outside that offered water and soda. She disappeared into the sea of bodies. I placed my head in my hands. Kari has what she needs and she doesn’t even recognize it. For the first time in her life, she has snagged a good man. Why does she keep fighting him off? I tried to remember Kari’s last serious fling. Besides the Australian surfer, the only one she ever seemed serious about was a firefighter from Colorado. That ended abruptly after just a few weeks when he took a job in Northern California. I’m just going to lay it all out there for her. Make her see what an idiot she is being. The last time I had “laid it out there” for her involved hot chocolate, tissues, and a Julia Roberts marathon. I could go for that right about now, anyway. I fiddled with a coaster on the tabletop absentmindedly, when my entire body suddenly tensed. My heartbeat quickened in my chest as my body went on alert. A chill came over me as I lifted my head and scanned the crowd once again. My sight felt drawn to the back entrance of the patio. A man was turning away from me, a dark baseball cap pulled down low over his face. He turned quickly, sliding his way out of the gate as the rest of the patrons in that area stood in a group, absorbed in a conversation. I saw the back of his red shirt and a bit of jet-black hair sticking out the back of the cap, a contrast to the color of his shirt. I craned my neck to get a better look, but he was gone. An eerie feeling settled over me as I sank back into my chair, chewing on my bottom lip. Stop it. I’m just overstimulated tonight. I swallowed hard as Kari appeared again from the throngs of bodies, one of the water bottles pressed to her forehead. “It’s a madhouse over there!” “I can see that. But I do appreciate your sacrifice.” I took one from her outstretched hand, unscrewed the top and took a drink. The coolness of the water felt amazing against the heat of the air. I looked around the patio and until my eyes landed on a

tall, dark, and handsome man. “Water is not what I was expecting to see you drinking,” Max said, smiling at us as he approached. My spirits fell dramatically as my eyes wandered behind Max . . . to Cane. He was ridiculously good looking. His white shirt was pulled tightly over his sculpted chest and abs, the blue design spiraling over his shoulder making his eyes nearly glow. I noticed a table full of college girls watching him walk past, but his eyes were focused intently on me. That made me a little giddy, regardless of the fact that I was still mad. His face was void of emotion; I had no idea what he was thinking or why he was there. “I told you I was fine, Max,” Kari said, before flashing him a seductive smile. “But I’m not going to turn down a ride home from a hot guy.” “I’m hot, huh?” Max grinned. “Let’s go back to your place and I will show you how hot I think you are.” He bent down and nibbled at Kari’s neck, making her giggle. I looked up to Cane, a look of hesitation marring his features. He seemed to be unsure how I was going to react to him being there. He finally offered his hand to me. I timidly took it, allowing him to pull me up. Don’t give him the satisfaction of thinking he gets to me. Play this off. “Miss me?” Cane asked, smirking. His arrogance burned through me, but I pretended not to hear him as I smoothed down my black dress. I caught the eye of a guy to my right. He was decent looking, but a little too metrosexual for my taste. We exchanged a flirty smile and Cane bristled at my side. “Are you fucking serious?” Cane growled. “Am I serious about what?” “Jada,” he warned. “What, Cane? Don’t act like I’m not infatuated with you? Do you want me to pretend like you are the only guy here tonight? Is that what you want?” “It would make things easier,” he said, his jaw tense. “I’m sure,” I said in disbelief. “Because things are always about what you want, right?” Cane’s face contorted angrily. “You like the look of that dipshit over there, peacocking in front of everyone? Fine,” he said, shrugging his shoulders and holding out his hands. “Be my guest.” He turned to look at the guy again before facing me, a laugh in his voice. “No, really, Jada. If that’s what turns you on, go for it. I won’t even say anything—he wouldn’t even be worth me fucking with until he does something besides the pretty boy workout on the Nautilus machine. To tell you the truth, I wouldn’t know whether to fight him or fuck him.” “Fuck you,” I said, fueled by the alcohol. “You didn’t have to come here tonight. You’ve already gotten what you wanted—there’s no reason for you to pretend like you like me anymore. I know how this works. I’ve done it a time or two.” Cane’s eyes blazed. “What is that supposed to mean?” I threw my head back and laughed. “Did you think my heart was going to be broken after you

ignored me after we fucked?” I shook my head, smiling at the shocked look on his face at my crudeness. “What? Did you think I would think we made love?” “No, I didn’t expect you to think that. But I didn’t ignore you either!” “Really? I must be drunker than I thought.” Cane blew out a breath and took a step back. “You know what? I don’t need this shit.” “That makes two of us.” I turned on my heel and marched in the bar. I made my way through the crowd until I got to the front and spotted Kari and Max talking to a couple of people. Cane’s arrogance made me seethe. Who did he think he was? I stood beside my sister, trying to avoid eye contact. “Let’s get out of here,” Kari said, squeezing Max’s bicep. “Where’s Cane?” “I have no idea,” I said as nonchalantly as I could. Max shot me a look before he began scanning the crowds for his friend. “Is that him?” Kari pointed. My eyes followed the direction she was indicating and I saw him walking towards us, a smirk on his face, a bottle of Corona in his hand, and a blonde on his arm. I was stunned. He looked over my head to Max standing behind me, acting like I didn’t even exist. “Hey, man. I’ve been looking for you.” He grinned at Max like there was absolutely nothing out of the ordinary happening. I could feel Max stiffen behind me. “What’s going on, Cane?” Max’s voice was scarily calm. “Nothing,” he said, tipping back his beer, talking a long swig. My eyes watched the blonde running her hand up Cane’s abs beneath his shirt. “Lesley and I are going to head on out. I’ll catch up with you tomorrow sometime.” “You’ve got to be kidding me!” Kari exclaimed, mouth agape. “You’re serious right now?” Cane’s eyes cooled further as he peered down at Kari. “Why wouldn’t I be?” “Acting like a dick isn’t going to make yours any bigger!” Kari took a step towards Cane and Max pulled her back as Cane chuckled. “The size of my dick isn’t something I’m worried about.” He shot a quick look at me before wrapping his arm around Lesley’s waist and looking at Max. “I think I’ve been worried about a little too much lately.” He tossed his beer into a trash can and made his way out of the bar.

What the fuck was I thinking?

I sat in the passenger side of Lesley’s little car as she drove up Mill Avenue. A Playboy bunny bounced off of the rearview mirror. I looked at her, the bright yellow dress she wore riding high on her thighs. They were hot as fuck —a little on the chunky side and shining with some glitter shit. I could be in worse situations. “Do you want to go to my house or yours?” she asked. The sound of her voice grated on my nerves. Why wasn’t she this annoying in the bar? I rested my elbow on the window and rubbed my forehead. This was not how I envisioned the night panning out. “We can just go to your house,” she said, popping her bubblegum. The thought of this chick at my house annoyed me even more. I could tell she was the type that wouldn’t want to leave easily. I should have paid better attention before actually talking to her. I said like five words. I rubbed my forehead harder. I wonder what Jada’s doing now . . . no. I don’t give a fuck. “Maybe I should run by mine first, though, so I have something to wear when we get up,” she said, looking at me out of the corner of her eye and smiling. “Unless I can just wear something of yours.” She reached over the console and grabbed my cock through my jeans, massaging it with the palm of her hand. I could see the top of her lace bra as she leaned across and it only made me harder. I scanned our surroundings, spotting a dark parking lot that was fairly empty. “Pull in over there,” I said, pointing to my right. Lesley’s eyes flashed as she whipped the car into the lot and parked in the very back. She’s done this a time or two. I scooted my chair back and undid my belt, pushing my pants down to my ankles. I grabbed my cock and pumped it a little, looking at her while she licked her lips. I rolled the condom I had taken from my pocket down and over myself. “Just get on,” I said. There was no use in pretenses. She kicked off her heels and pulled her dress up to her waist as she climbed over the console and squatted over me. She grabbed my cock and sat hard on it, slamming it into her. She wants it rough? I’m more than happy to do that for her. Her knees on the seat on either side of me, she bounced up and down, taking me in harder with each movement. I grabbed her hips and raised mine, meeting her thrust for thrust. Her eyes widened as she looked at me, feeling what I had to give her. “Fuck, Cane!” she groaned, throwing her head back a little. I took my left hand and wound it through her hair, tugging her head back roughly as she continued to slam herself onto me. She cried out as she came all over me and I thrust into her one final time before holding her down as hard as I could, feeling my load shoot against the back of her body. She ground her pussy over me, riding out her orgasm.

I closed my eyes, enjoying this little moment of pleasure in my otherwise hellish life. I need to fuck more. I opened my eyes to see her brown eyes smiling back at me. They should be green. “That was so fucking good.” “Not bad.” I lifted her off of me and towards her seat. “Not bad?” She looked surprised as she clamored across the console and sat down. “That’s what I said.” I opened the door, tossed the condom out, and shut it hard. She watched me pull up my pants in disbelief as she tugged her dress back down. I did a quick assessment of the area and grabbed the door handle again. “I’m going to head over there for a drink.” “What? Like, you aren’t riding home with me? Or you want me to wait? Or what?” “I’ll call a cab or something. No worries.” I got out of the car and headed toward Mill. I heard her car start up and she sped past me, sticking her middle finger out the window. I walked towards the lights. The smell of the city—hot, heavy, and impersonal—made me feel very alone for the first time in a long time. Images of a brunette with gorgeous green eyes came to mind, her beautiful face contorted with anger. At me. What in the fuck am I doing? I growled, frustrated by my own indecisiveness, the lights of the street getting closer. I pulled out my cell and scrolled through names, looking for one in particular, until the rational part of my brain took hold. I did what I had to do. I would walk away from her eventually and I’ve already taken the first step. This is for the best. Keep walking, Alexander. Keep walking.

“HELLO?” I GROANED, rolling over and answering my cell. I could hear country music immediately and winced. It’s too fucking early. I glanced at the clock. No, it’s ten o’clock in the morning. Fuck. “Late night?” Max’s voice was cold. “Yeah. The bag and I had a few late night rounds.” “Is that what you are calling them now?” I rolled onto my back. “Typically, that’s what you hit when boxing—or what I’ve always heard them called, anyway. What are you doing today?” “Looking at a bid for the project in Carefree.” “Whatever makes you fucking happy.” “What’s making you happy these days, man? Because from over here, you look pretty sad. And I don’t mean heartbroken—I mean you look pretty fuckin’ pathetic.” “It’s too early for this shit, Max,” I groaned. “Nah, it really isn’t. I’m fixin’ to tell you a few things and I think you should listen. First, that stunt you pulled last night was bullshit. Straight up, Cane—that was bullshit. You know it.” I closed my eyes as I recalled the fuck-up from the night before. “I know. Trust me, I know.” The country music in the background died out. “So here’s the thing—you either like her or you don’t. But you don’t fuck with her. She’s Kari’s sister, so I will make sure she’s fine. That’s my responsibility to Kari, not my responsibility to you. If you want to go fuck the Lesley’s of the world, no one is going to stop you from that. But you have to let Jada go.” “I don’t want to let her go.” The words were out of my mouth before I realized it. I grimaced at the thought of actually admitting that out loud. Max was silent for a second. “Well, that says something coming from you.” “Yeah. Fuck, I don’t know what to do. Every time I try to talk to her, she gets pissed at me.” “I feel her pain.” “Fuck you, too.” Max laughed. “So make up your mind. Either be with her and be good to her or let her find someone else. I’ve got the Simon angle covered, so don’t worry about that if that’s what’s going on.”

I sat up in bed and kicked off the blankets. “I don’t think Simon is much of a threat anymore. He’s buying Solomon Place, which amazes me, but once that’s gone through, it will be over. He doesn’t seem to have called or bothered Jada and he hasn’t fucked with me any. So I think we can relax a little bit.” “Let’s hope.” “I am going to get up and grab a shower. There’s a property I want to check out today. I think if we buy it, we can flip it really quickly. Then I need to go check on the expansion plans for Benjamin Estates.” “Want to grab a beer afterwards? Kari gets off around six tonight and I told her I would drop off her laptop when she gets home.” I scrubbed my hands over my face. “Yeah. Just come by when you’re done?” “Will do.” Max paused before continuing. “You think you’ll call Jada today?” “She’ll just be pissed.” “No doubt about it. But if you don’t want to let her go, you better start making shit right.”

I slammed the dryer closed a little harder than necessary, the force sending one of Kari’s coconut scented candles off of the shelf; I caught it before it exploded against the tile. At least I can avert some problems. It’s the little things, like relationships, that I can’t do. I rolled my eyes at myself. I had spent the most of the morning catching up on errands and chores, trying to keep my mind off of the night before . . . specifically of Cane walking out with the bar whore. I had gotten worked up and pushed him away, but his arrogance mixed with the alcohol I had consumed proved to be a dangerous combination. As much as I hated to admit it—I was angry. I was angry that he came to get me and left with her. I was angry he showed up at all. I was angry that he acted like I was unimportant. I was angry he was so confusing. I was angry I allowed him to get to me. I was angry that I couldn’t stop being angry. He clearly doesn’t want me, but why is he so hell-bent on making sure I know it? I grabbed the mop from the broom closet, deciding that the kitchen tile could use a nice sheen when my cell buzzed in my pocket. Annoyed, I answered the call even though I didn’t recognize the number.

“Hello?” “Hey, Jada! It’s Simon Powers.” I leaned the mop against the door as confusion swept over me. “Hey, Simon. What’s up?” “I’m sorry for calling you on a Saturday afternoon, but I talked to my loan officer at the close of business yesterday and she had some questions. I got busy and worked late last night, so I hope you don’t mind me calling you today.” “I don’t mind,” I said hesitantly, “but Zack is handling everything now.” Although I still don’t know why . . . “Oh. Well, I guess I will try him then. She really needs the answers on Monday morning and Monday’s are crazy in this line of work, you know? I hoped to get everything straightened out today.” “That works. I’m sure he’ll take care of everything.” “How have you been, anyway? I haven’t talked to you in a while.” The change in his voice didn’t go unnoticed by me. “Good,” I lied, thinking back to Lesley’s hand touching Cane’s stomach which, in turn, made my stomach a little sick. “How about you?” “I’m fine, always fine,” he said. “Hey! You had to bail the last time we tried to grab a bite to eat. Wanna try again tonight?” I paused for a second, my chest compressing as I remembered Cane’s warning to stay away from Simon. I recalled Lesley leaning her head into his side and wrapping her arms around his waist and my blood boiled. Don’t mow the sidewalk . . . “Sure, Simon. That sounds good. Where do you want to meet?” I knew he was smiling on the other side of the line. “There’s a great little restaurant over here by me. I can come and pick you up?” Cane’s words rolled through my mind again and I was a little uneasy. Was his warning because he was jealous or was there something else going on? I hesitated, chewing on my fingernail. “You know what? I will just drive over there. I don’t want you making a trip all the way over here and back again tonight. If you text me the address, I’ll meet you there around seven?” “Sounds great! Can’t wait to see you.” “See you soon, Simon.”

I spotted Simon’s Avalanche at the rear of the parking lot and pulled in beside him. I checked myself in the mirror before exiting the Jeep. My hand trembled slightly as I wiped my fingertip beneath my eyes, pressing away the puffiness that I couldn’t see but could feel.

I had worn a pair of black pants and a really cute silver top I found in Kari’s closet. I was a little nervous about this date, or whatever it was, and I felt like the extra bit of fabric covering my body would help put a little barrier between Simon and I, should that be necessary. Not that he had ever done anything to make me feel like that was necessary. I had felt slightly uncomfortable the first time we met. Looking back, that was probably because of my anticipation of seeing Cane again. The only thing that had me slightly on edge at this point was Cane’s little spiel, but that was probably just his arrogance coming through. I grabbed my purse and was about to toss my phone into it when it lit up. Cane’s name flashed across the front. Fuck you. I sent the call to voicemail, set the phone to vibrate, and squared my shoulders. I marched into the little restaurant. It wasn’t a large, corporate affair, but a more intimate place. I pushed open the doors and was taken aback at the beauty of the decor. It looked like a scene out of a vineyard in Tuscany. I put on my prettiest smile when I spotted Simon sitting at a table in the back. He slowly rose when he saw me, raising his eyebrows. He had on grey dress pants with a white button down shirt. He wasn’t breathtaking like Cane; Simon was more attractive in a plain kind of way. He was above average in appearance, but there was nothing striking about him. And while Cane had an inherent charisma, something that pulled you to him, Simon was just the opposite. He seemed to be on guard at all times, calculating. It was a little offputting, but I figured it was just one of his quirks. His shirt was a little wrinkled, his hair just a touch disheveled as he pulled out my chair. “You look beautiful.” “Thank you.” I placed my purse on an empty chair and sat down. “You look very nice yourself.” Simon took his seat across from me and immediately, I felt on the spot. His eyes searched every inch of me and as a sly smile fell into place, I tucked a strand of hair behind my ear nervously. I’m only overthinking everything because this is my first real date in forever. Breathe. “I’m surprised you came tonight, if I’m being honest. I wasn’t sure what happened, but I haven’t really been able to get ahold of you since the night at the diner.” I blushed, embarrassed at being called out. I couldn’t tell him that I had been blatantly ignoring him. “I was assigned a few different projects that have been keeping me pretty busy. Have you been here before?” I asked, trying to change the subject. “Ah, once or twice. I don’t take a lot of people out to dinner, so I don’t have a reason to come here. But I’d love to come here more often.” I pretended to not pick up on his innuendo and scanned the menu, twirling my ring around my finger. “Good evening. My name is Jennifer and I’ll be your server tonight,” said the pretty brunette waitress that arrived, a notepad in hand. “Can I start you off with something to drink?” I went the safe route. “Water for me, please.”

“Same here.” “Great. I’ll go get that and be right back.” “What do you suggest?” I glanced at Simon over the top of my menu. “Everything sounds delicious.” He studied the information in front of him. “If you like fish, the mahi-mahi is really good here. I’ve had the sirloin before and it was great.” “Sounds good to me.” I sat my menu down on the table as Jennifer came back with our drinks. “Do you know what you would like or should I come back?” Simon glanced at me. “I’ll have the mahi-mahi.” “Make that two.” “Very good. I’ll be back shortly,” she said, picking up our menus and walking away. “So,” Simon began, folding his hands on the table. “How have you been?” “I’ve been good. How have things been going for you?” “Really good, actually. I have a lot of balls in the air, so that’s been keeping me busy.” “Better to be too busy than bored,” I shrugged. An unsettling silence descended between us and I fidgeted in my seat. I didn’t know what to say to him. I didn’t know him well enough to even be able to start a conversation. That, coupled with the fact that I felt like I was under a microscope, made me feel hesitant to say anything. “True, although I would like a little more time to relax and go to dinner. What have you been up to outside of work?” He watched me closely and I couldn’t tell what he was fishing for, although it was pretty clear he was searching for something. “Just working and hanging out with Kari. I’m getting ready to look for an apartment, things like that.” “I thought maybe you were seeing Cane Alexander.” I swallowed a lump in my throat as he said his name. “He seemed a little strange when we met him the other day, even for Cane.” He chuckled, never taking his eyes off of me. I swallowed hard, my ring spinning like a top. “No, I’m not seeing Cane.” I smiled as innocently as possible. “His friend is dating my sister, so we run into each other a lot.” “I see. How has he been?” “I have no idea. I wasn’t aware that you knew Cane.” “Oh, it’s a small world.” “He didn’t say anything about knowing you.” Simon bit his bottom lip, scrutinizing my face. “We really don’t know each other. We’ve just ran into each other a few times. No big deal.” “I see.” I had the incredible urge to grab my purse and bolt for the door. Simon rearranged his silverware on the table before looking at me again. “Do you see him a lot?” “No,” I said, becoming increasingly annoyed. “What does it matter?” Simon laughed, leaning back in his chair stiffly. “It doesn’t. I am sorry for pressing. It’s none of

my business.” “No, it’s really not.” The air between us was tense as Simon looked everywhere but at me. I grabbed an advertisement off of the table and pretended to be immersed in the upcoming events at the restaurant. Why am I even here? I felt stupid. I only agreed to this because I was pissed at Cane. Now I was paying the price for it. I didn’t want to be there and it didn’t seem like Simon cared that I was there either. It was like being with Decker but with no bond at all, nothing to even pretend to talk about. Simon tossed his napkin onto the table. “I’m going to run to the men’s room real fast, if that’s okay?” “Yeah, sure.” I was relieved that he needed to get up. Simon got up and walked to the front of the restaurant and I relaxed back into my chair, watching the sweat drip down my water glass. My chest felt heavy and I knew it was going to be a really long night. I sat for a long time, replaying Simon’s words, trying to figure out what was going on. Something wasn’t right, but I wasn’t sure what. Baffled, I grabbed my phone from my purse and turned it back on. I saw a text from Kari and a voicemail from Cane. Ignoring the voicemail, I opened my texts. Kari: Hey! Where are you tonight!? I want to watch Sons of Anarchy! Charlie Hun-yum, baby! Me: I’m out for a little while. Definitely having a movie night when I get back! Kari: What are you doing? I shoved my phone back in my purse, ignoring the last question. I would so rather be home right now with Kari and a bunch of rowdy motorcycle men than in this restaurant, apparently alone. But alone is better than having Simon across from me. “Is everything all right?” Jennifer asked, setting down our plates. “Yes, thank you.” I looked at her face. She had wide, friendly brown eyes and freckles. She seemed like the type of girl that I would be friends with. I half wished that I knew her and could ask her to tell Simon I had an emergency and had to leave. “If you need anything else, please just let me know.” I need a lot of things, but nothing that can be fixed by the mark of a waitress’s pen. I watched her walk away before turning my attention to the delicious looking entrée in front of me. “Hey! Sorry about that,” Simon said with a spring in his step. He pulled his chair out and sat down. “This looks really good.” “Yeah, it does,” I said, watching him suspiciously. “Is everything okay?” “Everything is great,” he said, smiling and digging into his food with a vigor he didn’t seem to

have before. His pupils were dilated and something just seemed strange about him. We ate quietly for the most part, Simon talking pretty much nonstop. I was having a little trouble following along from topic to topic. My appetite had vanished, so I pushed my fish around on my plate, breaking it into tiny pieces and mixing it in with the vegetables. Simon rambled on and on and I tuned him out. “Fuck!” Simon snapped. I jumped in my seat at his exclamation. “I dropped my fork on the floor.” His reaction seemed a little much in light of the situation and I watched him closely. There was a small sheen of sweat across his forehead and his eyes were darting around the room. “I’m sure we can get you another one,” I offered, looking around for the waitress. I sat my fork down, my hand shaking slightly. “I’m done with this anyway.” He flashed me a wicked grin and I tensed. “Are you finished?” I nodded slowly, feeling my senses go on alert. “Can I get the ticket, please?” Simon asked Jennifer as she walked by. “Thank you for dinner tonight. It was very nice.” I quickly grabbed my purse off of the chair next to me, ready to get out of there; I had never been happier to see a date end in my life. I just wanted to go home. Jennifer returned with the check and Simon paid the bill. He escorted me out of the restaurant, the warm air hitting us in the face as we stepped outside. Despite the temperature, I wrapped my arms across my chest and picked up the pace towards my car. The parking lot was busy near the entrance to the restaurant, but as we neared the back, it became almost vacant. The sky was pitch black, not a star in sight. Simon walked beside me, not saying anything until we reached my door. “So, do you want to follow me back to my place?” He placed his hand on my lower back and I instinctively pulled away. “You know, Simon, Kari sent me a text and needs me to come home. So I think I’ll pass.” I hit the unlock feature and grabbed the handle. “Excuse me?” he asked, wedging himself between me and the door. I took a step back. “I need to get home. So, if you’ll move, I’ll be on my way.” I mustered all of the courage I could find within me and looked him directly in the eye, trying to portray strength even though I felt weak. “Your sister needs you an awful lot,” he said, raising an eyebrow. “That’s the thing about having a sister,” I said, taking another step back. “You have to be there for them whenever they need you.” “So, maybe another time?” “Sure.” I opened the door, hoping he would take the bait of an empty promise. I started to step in and he grabbed my arm. Hard. My eyes bugged out as my breath caught in my throat, the feeling of his fingers searing into my

skin causing my heart to race. “Simon! You’re hurting me!” I exclaimed, reaching over to pry his fingers off with my other hand. He leaned into my face, a sick smile crossing his features, his face contorted in anger. Everything inside of me seemed to speed up and the world around me seemed to slow down at the same time. I glanced helplessly around the parking lot, looking for someone to help me. But there was no one. I was on my own. Don’t panic. Don’t panic! “I’m sorry,” he said, easing his grip a little, but his features not softening a bit. “Does Cane not typically grab you this hard?” My skin felt like a blowtorch was being applied to it. I could feel my pulse throbbing in my arm, white noise rushing past my ears. I tried to block everything out except for the man in front of me. I have to take control. “If you don’t get your hands off of me right now, I am going to scream with everything I have.” My teeth were clenched as tears from the pain began to sting my eyes. I continued to yank on his fingers with my other hand to no avail. Panic began to set in. “Oh, Jada.” He pulled me forward. I slammed roughly up against his body, his hand releasing my arm in the process. I tried to pull back, but he had ahold of the back of my neck with one hand and his other arm wrapped around my back. “You’re a little cock tease.” His pupils were dilated now and his eyes hard. I have to find a way out of this. “I’m not,” I said firmly, trying to keep myself from losing control. My stomach was threatening to expel the little dinner I had eaten. I raised my hand to cover my mouth when I realized my keys were still in my hand. I put one between two of my fingers—the sharp point out—and encased the base in my fist. I raised my hand back as far as I could and jammed the key into his back. His eyes went wide from the impact and he loosened his grip. I shoved him away and he stuck his hand out to grab me, knocking me off balance. I caught myself on the side of my car, my hands slamming into the metal. I looked over my shoulder. Simon was rubbing his back with one hand and was watching me, eyes blazing. “Is everything okay over there?” Someone’s voice rang out from a few cars over, but I didn’t look up to see who it was. I jumped in my car and darted out of the parking lot, leaving Simon to deal with any questions.

THE THIRTY MINUTE drive home felt like an eternity. I was in shock, both physically and mentally. I had never been grabbed like that before. Even when Decker had threatened me or backed me against a wall, he had never actually touched me. The feeling of someone’s hands on me made me feel so violated, so vulnerable. At least he’ll feel that pain in his back for a little while from the key. I checked my rear view mirror a few times, fearing that he had followed me out of the driveway. But I didn’t see his Avalanche. Surely he wouldn’t be stupid enough to follow me. I felt numb, unable to clearly process what had happened. My head felt like it was full of Styrofoam packing peanuts. The only thing that I could really feel was my arm and it hurt like hell. I swung my car into the driveway and ran into the house, looking over my shoulder. I burst into the front door, slamming it behind me and locking it. I leaned my back against it, closing my eyes and letting the scent of coconut wrap around me and comfort me. Breathe . . . “Jada? Is that you?” I heard Kari’s voice call from the kitchen. Please, God, don’t let Max be here. “Yeah, it’s me!” I yelled back. I cleared my throat and made my way through the house to find Kari taking a pizza out of the oven. “I don’t know how I burn frozen pizzas! I set the timer and everything!” she whined, smoke coming out of the oven. I sat my things on the counter, jumping when the oven door slammed closed. “Jada? Are you all right?” Kari asked, eyeing me. I rubbed my eyes with my fingertips, not trusting my voice quite yet. “What’s going on?” She sat the oven mitts down and put her hand on her hip. “What’s going on with what?” Max asked, coming around the corner. I must have done something really wrong in a past life. Kari and I just stood there, staring at each other. She knew something had happened and I wasn’t about to tell her yet—especially not in front of Max.

“Nothing’s wrong. I’m fine. So you tried to make frozen pizzas again. Nice.” “You’re a liar.” She crossed her arms in front of her. “Not now, Kari,” I said through clenched teeth. “Don’t we have some Charlie to watch?” “Not until you tell me what’s going on.” I looked away to try to prevent the tears from falling, but my eyes landed on Max. He was standing in the doorway, his hands in his back pockets, Saints hat backwards on his head. His stance may have been casual, but his eyes were unrelenting, accessing the situation in a way that only he could. “Drop it.” I turned back to Kari, my eyes hard. “I’m just going to go to bed, okay?” “Jada,” Kari said, reaching out to pull me in close. As soon as her fingers touched my arm, I jumped back in pain and covered my arm with my other hand. “Jada?” I tried to turn away, but Kari pulled up the sleeve of my shirt before I could take a step. “Jada!” she exclaimed, covering her mouth with her hand. “What happened to you?!” “Nothing.” I brushed her off, pulling the sleeve down over the purple marks that were starting to appear. “Just leave it be.” “I will do no such thing! What happened?” Max quickly covered the distance between us and picked up my arm gently. There was no point in fighting him so I just let him look, closing my eyes, knowing that things were about to get real. I hadn’t had time to process what had happened. I didn’t know whether to call the police, to go to the doctor, or to just go to bed and cry. But this was about to get ugly with or without my consent. “I’m going to ask you this one time, Jada,” Max said, his voice eerily calm, “and you will answer me. Who did this to you?” I pulled my arm away from him and he let it go, but his eyes forced me to stay put. “I don’t want to go into this right now,” I said, my body starting to shake. “Just give me a few minutes to sort this in my head.” “You can take all the time you want to sort whatever you need to. But you have about five seconds to tell me who did this.” His unyielding voice overwhelmed me. I knew he was looking out for me, but I just needed a damn minute. I turned, frustrated, and walked across the kitchen with every intention of grabbing my purse off the island and going to my room and locking the door. I really need to make getting my own apartment a priority. I grabbed my bag and slung it over my shoulder and then picked up my phone. I looked at the screen and gasped, a chill tearing through every fiber of my being. Simon: I owe you one. I stared at the message, my mouth dry. Tears sprang to my eye with a renewed urgency, filling my lids before spilling down my cheeks.

Max grabbed my phone from my hand. “Give that back to me!” I shrieked, reaching up to take it away. Blood was pounding through my ears as I became fully aware that this was no longer my secret. “Max! Give it to me!” “That’s what I fucking thought,” he said, shooting me an angry look as he sat my phone on the counter. “I reckon shit is about to hit the fan.”

There was no sense in trying to get any work done. I slammed my pencil on the drawings, turning a circle in my chair. I had brought a bid home to work on over the weekend, hoping that it would keep my mind occupied, but it wasn’t working. It hadn’t worked all day. Here it was, after ten on a Saturday night, and I was no better than I was twelve hours earlier. All I could see was her face as she watched me walked out of that fucking bar and all I could hear was the sound of being sent to voicemail a few hours earlier. She actually liked my fucked up self. Liked. Past tense. Dumbass. I got up and walked to the window. I rested my head against the cool glass, wishing I could just redo the whole night before. I expected her to be a little pissed at me when I got there, but I should have stayed calm. And I sure as shit shouldn’t have walked out with that chick. That was low. Even for me. My phone buzzing on my desk broke my thoughts. I turned and watched it bounce around. Maybe it’ll bounce off the desk and smash into pieces. I ran my fingers through my hair, tugging it roughly. I needed to feel something other than whatever this feeling was. Is this what guilt feels like? Don’t you need a conscience to feel that? I need to hit the bag for a while. Work this shit out of my system. I headed back to the desk when the phone started ringing again. I saw it was Max. “What’s up?” “We have a problem,” Max bit out angrily. For fuck’s sake. The last thing I wanted to deal on a Saturday night was a construction issue. I pay him to handle this shit. Let him handle it. “Oh, do we now? What can you not take care of yourself, Max?” I instantly felt bad for being a dick, but I really just wanted to be left alone.

“Okay,” Max said, his words and their anger hitting me hard. “I just won’t tell you that Jada has fucking bruises on her arm.” “Whoa. Wait. What?” I sat back down in my chair, confident that I misheard him. “What did you just say?” “Yeah. Jada just got home and she was nervous as hell. Kari grabbed her arm and she pulled it back. Her arm has a bunch of bruises, Alexander.” “From what?” I asked, praying that she didn’t do something really fucking stupid. But I had a bad feeling. “I’d say in my infinite wisdom that they are fingerprints. They look like someone grabbed her.” Adrenaline began to flow through my body and I stood back up, my heart now pounding uncontrollably. “Who did it?” I looked around the room for my shoes, my mind three steps ahead of my body. “Powers.” I stopped dead in my tracks and tried to wrap my brain around what Max just said. “How in the fuck did that happen?” I roared, snapping back to life. “Max! How in the fuck did that happen?” “I’m just guessing that your little stunt last night at the bar probably made her forget anything you said. Hell, that probably made her do it. Just a thought.” “Now’s not the time for a fucking lecture, Max!” I bellowed. “Where the fuck were you? How did you not know she was meeting him?” I grabbed my shoes from the doorway and put them on. “I don’t live there, asshole,” Max said. “But I think the real question is, where the fuck were you? Why didn’t you call her today?” If he wasn’t my friend, I would have made sure he met his maker right after Simon. “I did. She didn’t answer.” “You do realize how bad this could have been, right? Was getting a strange piece of ass worth this?” “Fuck you, Max.” “I’m coming up your street now. Be ready.” “I’m walking out the door.”

THE ONLY SOUND was the crunching of gravel beneath the tires of Max’s Ford truck. The only light came from the headlights as we turned onto the road that led to Simon’s house. Simon lived in the West Valley, on the farthest reaches of the city. There were few houses on this road, just a lot of agricultural land that had not been chewed up by the construction industry. “This is Bumfuck Egypt if I’ve ever seen it,” Max said as he flipped his lights on to the bright setting. Rage was consuming me, eating me alive. I shifted in my seat, my pulse racing. That motherfucker is going to die! “Easy, Alexander.” Max shot me a look out of the corner of his eye. “There it is.” He pointed to a small stucco house that sat back off the road. At first glance, it seemed nice enough. But upon closer inspection, it was a mess. The landscaping was unkempt and the back gate had been left unlatched and was halfway open. The gutter on the front porch had come undone and was leaned against the ground. The parallels between Simon’s home and the man himself were uncanny. Max slowed the truck as we crept past, trying to see if there were any signs of life. The entire area seemed to be dead. There were no moving parts: no cars, dogs, or lights in the neighboring houses. It was a fitting way to live for a piece of shit like Powers. “Yeah, but the Avalanche isn’t in the driveway. So I’m guessing he isn’t home.” “Well, what do you want to do?” Max asked, pulling away. “We wait.” I looked around for a spot that allowed us to still see his house, but not look obvious. “Over there—pull in behind that barn.” Max drove ahead a few feet and then cut it in behind an old barn. Pulling around it and shutting off the lights, we had a clear view of the road. “Well,” Max said, looking around, “at least we are at the back of this dead end. Something’s going our way tonight.” “Whatever. I’d beat him in the middle of fucking Phoenix if I knew where he was. I’m going to tear him apart, Max.” “I know, man. Just don’t waste your energy bouncing around this damn truck. You know how this

shit works.” Max was right. As fucking usual. It wasn’t going to do me any good to get worked up until game time. I needed to breathe and focus. “I’m going to kill him, Max. If you know anything I don’t, now’s the time to tell me.” The fury built again as I imagined her scared and at his mercy. My jaw clenched, my teeth grinding together. “Just that he had sent her a text that said he owes her one or something like that. That was how I know for sure it was him.” “Really,” I said, stretching my neck side to side. “Well, we will see who pays who when he gets home.” “We could sit here all night, you know.” “Then we sit.” I leaned forward, popping my knuckles. “But we may have just gotten lucky.” A set of lights turned down the gravel road and the vehicle sped our way. I focused on controlling my breath as my anticipation grew. I liked to go into fights as controlled as possible. It made picking apart the opposition that much easier. It was something my boxing instructor had taught me growing up and had proven to be right every time I needed it . . . and I had needed it a time or twelve. “It looks like his SUV,” Max said quietly, leaning forward on the steering wheel. “Okay. As soon as he pulls in, slide the truck in behind him. If he gets in the house, he won’t come out. He’ll know why I’m here.” Adrenaline started shooting through me, making me feel like a live wire. I inhaled deeply, trying to keep myself in check and ready for the task at hand. The task of tearing Simon Powers apart limb by limb. Max slowly pulled his truck around the barn with the lights off as the Avalanche approached the house. Simon hit the gravel of his driveway and Max hit the gas, flying up to the mouth of the driveway as Simon exited his SUV. I hopped out of the truck, my nostrils flaring, and rushed around the front. I vaguely heard Max’s footsteps behind me as I stalked forward. Simon stood beside the front of his car, his eyes darting around the darkness. “Well, well, well. Imagine finding you out here,” Simon said, the arrogance I had always known him to have loud and clear. I couldn’t stop the smile that slowly spread across my face. I was going to enjoy this way more than was fucking right. With every step, my heart beat faster, every sense heightened. It was all I could do to reign myself in and not just knock him the fuck out. But I couldn’t do that. Anticipation was half the fight and I wanted him to have the full experience. Simon stood upright, throwing his shoulders back. His fists were balled at his side and I grinned, hoping he would at least fight back so I could extend his pain . . . and my pleasure. “Put your hands up,” I instructed, trying to keep myself from just planting him into the ground.

Simon cocked his head to the side, eyeing Max for a split second before landing his sights on me again. “You know I’m a lover not a fighter, Cane. Just ask the little bitch I took to dinner tonight.” The words were the detonator to my fuse, ensuring that he would be unrecognizable the next morning. “Put your motherfucking hands up, Powers!” I boomed, motioning for him to raise his fists. I brought mine up to my chin and looked down my knuckles, waiting for him to get ready. There would be no mistake this was a fight. Reality washed over Simon like a hurricane. His face paled, his eyes grew wide as his fate became clear. I watched with impatience as he did the predictable—the same thing that every guy that watched too many Van Damme movies did. He brought his hands waist high and began bouncing around like a kangaroo. Good enough. I threw a jab crisply, snapping his head back. Simon stumbled backwards before righting himself, a look of disbelief in his eyes. I took a step forward and threw another jab, landing it flush, causing his head to snap back again. A cracking sound echoed through the night and Simon’s hands flew to his face, his eyes wide. I laughed as blood oozed between his fingers. He withdrew them from his face and held them in front of him, looking down at the crimson dripping off his fingers to the ground. His eyes rose to mine, before back to the blood. “What the fuck?” Simon yelled in disbelief, wiping the blood off his face with his hands. As his hand got near his nose, he jumped back in pain. His nose was bent, clearly broken. “Just giving you something to remember me by in the morning. Don’t worry. I have more presents up my sleeve.” “Cane,” Simon began, his voice frantic, “I don’t know what’s going on.” I took a step towards him and drew my hand back, making him flinch. “I just heard you owed someone something tonight and I came to collect.” “There was a misunderstanding.” Simon took a few steps backwards towards the house. I leapt forward, smashing my right hand into the side of his face. His head fell to his right, but was stopped by my left hand, driving his head the other way. His eyes rolled back upon impact and he fell to the ground with a thud. Round one—me. I breathed heavily, my chest rising and falling with such force that it almost felt like I wasn’t breathing at all. I looked down at the piece of shit at my feet as he found his wits. “We are going to make sure there are no more misunderstandings. Get up,” I commanded. “Cane—” “Get. The. Fuck. Up.”

Simon scooted back in the gravel, his eyes filled with absolute terror. “Max!” I called, turning my head slightly to the side. “Get this motherfucker up!” I heard the rocks crunch behind me. “No!” Simon got up to his knees, bringing his hands back to his face again. His nose was already swelling, his face stained with his own fluid. “Let’s figure this out.” “I’m losing my patience.” Very slowly, Simon rose to his feet, squeezing his eyes shut. He braced for the impact he knew I was about to deliver. I threw a roundhouse kick right below his knee, causing his legs to sweep out from under him. The sound of bones snapping pierced through the night. He landed forcefully back onto the ground, a whooshing sound escaping his mouth as his breath was knocked out of him. He lay on his side, his face in the decomposed granite, his hands wrapped around his calf. He groaned as he rolled onto his back, still holding his leg. I clicked my tongue against the roof of my mouth. “I’m disappointed, Powers. I expected more from you. I really did.” I moved until I was standing over him. He looked up at me, tears rolling down his face. If only I gave a fuck. “Let me help you up.” I reached down and grabbed him by the shoulders, pulling him to one foot. He winced in pain, trying to pull away, but we both knew he wouldn’t be able to move without assistance. I helped him get to the front of his Avalanche and he leaned back against the hood, breathing harshly. His nose made a wheezing sound as he tried to inhale around the mixture of tears and gore swirling around his face. “Now, let’s make sure we are on the same page before I go home, okay?” He nodded, leery. His eyes were beginning to swell shut and the slits that were left were clouded by tears and blood. “When you get up in the morning and you can’t walk or breathe or see, I want you to remember not to fuck with me ever again. You got it?” I grabbed his chin in my hand, pulling his eyes to mine. He nodded again against my palm. I released his face and patted his face sharply before wiping my hand off on his shirt. “If you call Jada again—no, fuck that. If you ever breathe the same air as her again, I will break both of your legs and make you permanently unrecognizable. Are we clear?” His head moved slightly. “I can’t fucking hear you, Powers!” “Yes,” he whimpered, his hands going back down to his leg. “Good.” I smiled as I straightened out his shirt, dusting off the debris from the ground. Simon held his breath, unsure as to what I was doing. “Now, if you call the police about this, I will leave you in a fucking ditch. The irony of that will

not be lost on me. As a matter of fact, go ahead and call them because the thought of following through with that promise makes my dick hard.” Simon’s lip quivered, my words cutting to the core of our problem. The satisfaction I got from seeing his fear was better than I had ever imagined, regardless of how many times I had dreamed about it. “Cane, dude, I’m sorry.” “Fucking really, Simon? After everything that’s happened, you think ‘I’m sorry’ is going to fucking fly with me?” “I lost everything because of you!” He said, spitting out a mouthful of blood to the side. “Everything! It’s taken me years to get back on my feet while you waltz around the city in your shiny car and with your pretty little girlfriend. I had to sit there and watch that development go up, listen to everyone say how brilliant you were. What a great son you were, what a legacy your father had. You think that was easy for me to swallow?” “I could give a fuck if it was easy for you.” “Fuck you.” I took a step back and smiled widely before reaching out and patting him on the shoulder. I took a step towards Max and heard Simon exhale in relief. Like a flash, I turned back around and unleashed a flurry—a right, left, right—to his face. His head bounced like a ping pong ball before his eyes rolled back in his head and he collapsed against the SUV. Slowly, painfully I’m sure, he slid to the ground and toppled over into a lifeless heap. I watched him lay there, reduced to the piece of shit he always had been. Max came up behind me, clasping me on the shoulder. “What now?” “He’s still breathing, so we leave him here. If someone finds him, they’ll think it had something to do with drugs. They won’t even question it.” “Fine. We better get out of here then. You ready?” “Let’s go.” I turned towards the truck. Simon had been taken care of. Now I had to take care of the other piece of the puzzle, the one I should have taken care of a long time before.

“WHERE IS SHE?” I stormed into the kitchen, Max a few feet behind. I hadn’t bothered knocking or ringing the bell and Kari looked a little surprised to see me. Kari stood with her arms crossed, looking at me silently. “Where is she?” Someone better fucking answer me before I lose control. “She’s upstairs,” Kari said softly, “in her room. But I don’t know that you should just go up there, Cane.” “Thanks for your input,” I muttered, making my way to the staircase and taking the stairs two at a time. I had to see her. I had to know she was okay. I knocked lightly on her door but there was no answer. I knocked again. “Jada? Are you in there?” I pressed my forehead against her door. Even if Kari hadn’t told me she was in there, I swear I would have known. I was drawn to that room, like there was a chord attached to me and something on the other side. It was insane and I would have laughed my ass off if I had heard someone else say that. But it was true in this new strange world I was living in. Please don’t let me have completely fucked this up. I waited a few seconds before cracking the door open. My heart paused in my chest as my eyes found her. She lay in her bed, her brown hair splashed across her white pillows. Her face was calm, unmarred, and just so damn beautiful. A peace settled over me as I watched her, a feeling I didn’t have very often. The only peace I was ever able to grasp was from avoiding shit I didn’t want to think about. I had never known peace like she had at that moment and I wished she always had it. Not like the night before when her face had been so twisted in anger with me. For the first time in a long ass time, I was embarrassed of myself. I quietly made it over to the bed and knelt beside the mattress. I pulled the comforter down a little and the purple marks on her upper arm jumped out at me. They were obviously finger marks, narrow prints lying like they were wrapped around her arm. I felt the incredible urge to go beat the shit out of Simon again.

Jada stirred in her sleep and I placed the comforter back over her, tucking it lightly around her small body. She rolled over onto her back and opened her eyes slowly. I rocked back on my heels, giving her a little space. This will go one way or the other . . . Once she focused on me, she scrambled to sit upright. “Cane! What are you doing here?” Her voice was squeaky, verging on panic. “Shh, it’s okay. Calm down.” I smiled softly at her. “I came to make sure you’re okay.” “Of course I’m okay. Why would I not be okay?” I shot her a knowing look. “I know what happened, Jada.” She swallowed hard, pulling the comforter up and around her, creating a barrier between the two of us. “Cane, look, it’s really none of your concern.” “The hell it isn’t.” She sat with her mouth open, like she didn’t understand anything I just said. How is this not crystal clear to her? “How is this any business of yours?” she asked, her eyes narrowing. I shrugged my shoulders, the adrenaline starting to wear off. I scrubbed my hands over my face, exhaling a breath I had been holding for a long time. “Cane? What’s on your hand?” Jada leaned up and took my hand, turning it over. “Is this blood?” I nodded hesitantly, closing my eyes and enjoying feeling her skin-on-skin. Being with her, touching her, feeling her—even if it was only our hands—made me feel differently than I ever had. It was like a part of me instantly quieted. A piece of me found the link it was looking for. It was scary and stupid and amazing. Her eyes were wide as she looked at me in disbelief. “Whose blood is it?” “It’s Simon’s.” “What did you do?” “What do you think?” She let her head fall back against the headboard. “Why did you do this? This was my problem, not yours!” “The moment you agreed to go to dinner with Simon, you made it my problem.” “And how is that, Cane? Are you a knight in shining armor now? I can take care of myself. That’s how I roll.” I clenched my jaw, my eyes blazing. “That’s how you roll, huh? Well here’s how I roll, sweetheart. If someone fucks with you, they fuck with me. There is no grey area.” “That’s asinine! It makes no sense!” “Lots of shit doesn’t make sense. I’ll agree with that. But there’s one thing you need to get through your fucking head—do not fuck with Simon Powers, Jada. It is not negotiable. I’m not kidding.” “You keep saying this shit! You keep warning me off, but you refuse to tell me why! It’s really impossible to tell if you have a valid reason or if you are just jealous.”

“Has it ever occurred to you that maybe you don’t need to know everything?” Her eyes steeled. “No, actually. That logic sounds like someone trying to evade the question.” I glared at her right back. “I’m not evading anything.” “Then you either talk to me or you get the fuck out. Because that’s where I am right now. I am sick of this shit!” Her voice began to waiver and she looked away. Tears began to pour down her cheeks as her body heaved, sobs escaping her throat. “I am so sick of this. All of it.” Instinctively, I gathered her in my arms. She pounded my chest for a few seconds before finally giving in and letting herself be comforted by me. I held her against my chest, her head tucked under my chin as she expelled all of the anxiety she had been holding in. I wrapped an arm around her back, holding her tighter, gathering her hair out of her face. My heart broke as she fell apart and I wished I could take the pain away. I would have done anything in the world to ensure she never felt like that again. And that’s when I knew—there was no point in fighting it anymore. I needed to finish playing the hand that had already been started. It really wasn’t up to me anymore. I looked at the ceiling and uttered a silent prayer that I was doing the right thing. I didn’t know the first damn thing about being a decent guy or how to take care of someone other than myself. But I knew if you wanted something to last, you had to treat it differently. Here goes nothing . . . “Simon and I knew each other a long time ago,” I began once she had quieted down a little. I moved so that my back was against the headboard and her head was on my chest. I expected a fight from her, but she didn’t struggle. She felt so small against me, such a perfect fit curled up into my side. It raised feelings that I had never felt before; something had changed deep inside me. If I thought about that long enough, I may have panicked. So I continued on with my story. “His father is in prison right now for killing mine.” Jada’s eyes went wide as my words sunk in. “I was surprised to see him, with you, at Solomon Place. But it was just a weird coincidence, I guess.” I looked down, trying to figure out how much I had to tell her. “Simon’s family lost everything when his dad got arrested. I pushed for the investigation after Dad died, so he has always blamed me. I haven’t seen him in a long time, but when he showed back up, Max and I did a little digging. He’s bad news, Jada. He’s into some real bad stuff, which is why I kept telling you to stay away from him.” “Why didn’t you just tell me that?” She tentatively placed her arm around my waist. It laid on me for a few seconds before she started to withdraw it, but I wrapped her wrist with my hand and held it against me. She stilled before looking at my face, her smile mirroring mine. “I’m so sorry to hear about your dad, Cane. I won’t push you on it, but I’m here if you do want to talk about it. I can relate, in my own way.” “Yeah, I really don’t want to talk about it.” I watched her delicate arm lay against my abdomen. I

was usually against those types of demonstrations, but I wasn’t sure I had ever felt something as natural as that. It felt like her hand belonged around me, like she belonged next to me. I took a deep breath. “But to answer your other question, I didn’t really think he would do anything to you. I was going to explain everything last night. If you would have talked to me then, or answered your damn phone tonight, you would have understood,” I said, shaking my head. She sat upright, her jaw clenching. “Yeah, we should’ve done that. We could have talked and then you could have taken that girl home and fucked her!” I couldn’t look at her. “I am sorry about last night.” “What? Did she not make you breakfast this morning?” she hissed. “Poor you.” I snapped my eyes up to her. “I did not take her home with me.” “I could give a fuck.” “You do give a fuck! That’s why you are pissed off right now. Admit it.” “It doesn’t matter if I do or not, Cane. You are you.” She smiled sadly before looking at the floor. “That bullshit last night—that was you being you. I don’t know why I was surprised.” I took a deep breath. Sink or swim, Alexander . . .

I watched a flurry of emotions cross Cane’s eyes as he watched me. I wasn’t sure what to expect as he opened his mouth and I braced myself for the worst. “Look,” he finally began, his usually confident voice wavering slightly. “I know I’ve been a dick lately. I know that and I’m sorry. I just—” “Don’t, Cane. I get it. I get you.” “You know what? You don’t. And I know you don’t because I don’t know that I get me anymore. Since the minute I saw you in the restaurant, I’ve not been able to stop thinking about you. There’s something about you that I can’t shake, that I want to get to know. I don’t just want to fuck you and move on, although that would make my life so much easier right now.” “But you did do that to me, Cane,” I said angrily. “No. No, I didn’t,” he said emphatically. “I never moved on. I know I technically did go to Payson, but that wasn’t me running from you. That was me knowing I was in over my head. And if you want the truth, I wanted you to call me. I wanted to know that you wanted me as much as I wanted you.” He took a deep breath, his chest rising and falling rapidly. “I’m sorry for leaving like that. Honestly, there was a part of me that did think if we fucked, I

could move on. Because needing someone, Jada, is not something I know how to do. But you know what? It made it worse. I wanted you more, not less. I didn’t know how to handle that. I wasn’t sure what I was even feeling. Fuck, feeling anything at all is against every rule I’ve ever made.” Cane looked briefly at the floor before raising his eyes to mine. “Me leaving was me trying to give us both time to wrap our heads around everything.” I wanted to latch on to what he was saying, but there was a fear of being rejected that I just couldn’t shake. What if I was somehow misreading everything he said? What if he just wanted five nights instead of one? Choosing to go the safe route and guard my heart, I decided to let him get everything out before responding. I didn’t want to look like a fool by jumping to conclusions. “Did you decide anything?” He turned around and lay down beside me. I scooted backwards, allowing space between us. I didn’t want him that close because I wasn’t sure how things were going to end. And it always seemed to end. “Yeah, I decided that being with you is this conundrum. I want to be with you, but you deserve the best and I don’t know how to be a nice guy, Jada.” “That’s not true. You are one of the nicest guys ever when you aren’t being an ass. But here’s the thing about that,” I turned, squaring myself up with him, “you choose to be an ass. I really believe that. You did that thing at the bar to intentionally hurt me, Cane. And it worked.” He flinched. “That thing last night was one major fuckup. I can’t believe I did that and I won’t even ask for you to forgive me because I won’t forgive myself.” He didn’t continue until our eyes met. “I am embarrassed. I regret that. And I am sorry.” I weighed his words in my mind. He said he was sorry and that means something, but is it enough to offset the pain he put me through on purpose? I felt my shoulders sag as I realized . . . it wasn’t. “I don’t know that I can forgive you for that, Cane. Knowing for a fact that you knew you were hurting me, I don’t know if I can get over that.” He looked down at the blanket and I watched his body droop. He slowly raised his eyes and they landed on my arm, the blue turning into a violent storm. “When Max called about . . . that, I realized something. I feel like you’re mine, Jada. That’s stupid and out of line, I know, but that is how I feel. I’ve felt that way for a while.” “That is stupid and out of line, Cane.” “You were what I worried about when I saw you with Simon. That’s why I had Max keep an eye on you.” He looked to the ground, biting his lip in hesitation before continuing. “That’s why I asked your dad to assign Zack to the Solomon Place account.” “You did what? Why would you do that, Cane? I can’t even believe this! You totally overstepped your bounds.” “You don’t understand! I had to make sure you were safe! And you obviously found a way around that, anyway. But part of that is my fault. I knew last night that something was different for me,

something really different, when I hated myself for leaving that bar without you.” I spun my ring around my finger as I absorbed his words. When he left that bar without me, I felt so inconsequential. And that was the same thing Decker had always made me feel and the one thing I swore I would never feel again. “I realized that there are things out there worth fighting for, both literally and figuratively. Things were put into perspective for me tonight. The idea of you being hurt killed me, Jada. The thought of some other man’s hands on you had me seeing red. My reaction was worse than I even thought it would be. I could have killed him. Fuck, I still want to kill him.” “I may have listened to you if you would have just told me. I felt like you were trying to impose your will on me and I don’t do well in those situations. I don’t know.” He placed both of his hands on the sides of my face and stared intently into my eyes. “All I know for sure is that I want to be with you. Just me and you. Give me a chance. Have some patience because there’s a learning curve for me, but I promise you that I won’t hurt you. Not on purpose. I can’t believe this is even coming out of my fucking mouth, but I can’t control it. I can’t get anything done; I can’t focus on anything besides you because you are the one thing that’s hanging out there. I just . . . nothing feels right until the moments we are together.” He grinned nervously. “I just want to be with you.” No matter how badly I tried to tell myself I didn’t want him and that I couldn’t need him, no matter how hard I pushed him away or how angry he made me, I still wanted him. It didn’t make any sense why I would be drawn to him after everything I had been through until I broke it all down. In spite of all of his imperfections—he was real. He wasn’t perfect, but he didn’t pretend like he was. He didn’t try to feed me a line about Lesley and he didn’t lie to me, even though it would have saved my feelings a little. And he went after Simon, right or wrong, as soon as he heard what had happened. If Simon would go to the police, Cane could be in serious trouble. But his first thought was me. And that was the difference. In my relationship with Decker, it was never about me. He would lie, cheat, steal and pretend to be the perfect husband. Cane and Decker, while appearing on the outside to be the same, were actually very opposite. But that didn’t mean Cane was the right answer for me. “I’m scared,” I whispered. “Don’t be afraid of me, baby. Don’t be afraid of this. I’ve fought it for so damn long, but I’m tired of pretending. When Max called me tonight and told me what had happened, it was like he wiped away all the fog. It was all of a sudden crystal clear,” he said as he stroked my cheek with his thumb. I couldn’t help but lean against his hand. “Let’s just take it slow. See what happens. Just let things happen because if the past few weeks are any indication, things are going to happen anyway. We can’t seem to stay away from each other.” A knot of uncertainty was wound tightly in the pit of my stomach and I couldn’t work it free. The last time I allowed myself to believe another man’s promises led to the destruction of my heart. “It’s not that easy for me. You hurt me on purpose last night, just like Decker used to do. No

matter how attracted to you I am or how much I want to be with you, there is a part of me that feels like it is really ridiculous to even consider it. Why would I?” “There is a difference,” he said simply. “What’s that?” “I have never given you my word. I have never made a commitment to you. Hell, I’ve never even wanted to think about making a commitment to anyone before. But I want to make one to you. I want to give you my word that I want to see where things go with us and I want you to give me yours, too.” He tilted his head, his forehead wrinkled in thought. “I don’t break my word, Jada. I’ve never said this shit to anyone else. You are the one exception to every rule I’ve ever made.” My heart swelled and I fought back the tears that were congregating. He flashed me one of his brilliant smiles and it warmed me from the inside out. “For someone that doesn’t like words, you are doing pretty good with them right now.” I bit my lip as he leaned in closer. “You just said a second ago that you know who I am. Jada, you know who I have been. But I can be who you need. I’ll do my best to be that man. I want to be that man.” I reached up and touched the side of his face. Please don’t let this be a dream. “Are you sure about this? What if you wake up and hate the person that you’ve become?” “Stop arguing with me. You know I always get my way, so just say you’ll try with me.” I closed my eyes, trying to listen to my head over the pleadings of my heart. My thoughts were a jumbled mess, thoughts flying in from every part of my life, every part of my body. “Agree to try with me. Let me make you happy.” I stilled. “Let me make you happy.” No one had ever said that to me before. His simple request was the most complex thing anyone had said to me. My brain started processing everything that could go wrong, while my heart nearly burst with possibilities. It all boiled down to trust. Do I trust Cane enough to hand over my heart? Cane sat quietly, his eyebrows furrowed, his bottom lip between his teeth. Outwardly, he looked relaxed, but I could see the anxiety behind his eyes. He was nervous, too. Knowing that gave me a little comfort. Head up, heart strong. “Okay,” I breathed. He pulled back and raised his eyebrows. “Really? You’ll try?” “We can’t seem to stay away from each other and you are too stubborn to argue with. So do I really have a choice?” I bit the side of my lip to keep from smiling as he absorbed what I had said. “I don’t care why you agreed, just as long as you do.” He lay on his side behind me and pulled me in close. “Thank you,” I whispered, letting the rise and fall of his chest soothe me. He squeezed me tighter, making sure to avoid my arm. “For what, baby?” “For everything, I guess.”

“If you had asked me to do anything, you could thank me. But everything I did, I did for me.” “How do you figure?” “Because I had to know I did everything in my power to protect you. You were mine even though you didn’t know it.” I couldn’t stop the grin on my face. Maybe this could work out. I thought back to the parking lot and to Simon’s face as he grabbed ahold of me. “Do you think it’s over? Do you think he’ll come after me again?” Cane stilled behind me. “Honestly, I don’t know. I don’t think so. Did you get pictures of the bruising?” “Yeah, Kari took pictures after Max left to get you or whatever happened.” “Do you want to call the police?” “Can we figure it out tomorrow? I just can’t deal with this tonight. I’m so tired.” Cane’s chest began to rise and fall again in a steady pattern. “If that’s what you want.” “Don’t you need a shower?” I asked, my eyes getting droopy. He kissed the top of my head. “I just want to hold you while you fall asleep.” I snuggled into him, closing my eyes. I had fought against being in that exact position for so long on the basis that it would leave me feeling incomplete. There I was, wrapped in his arms, and I felt more comfortable there than I ever had anywhere before. “I could get used to this.” “It is pretty nice.” “I’m afraid to close my eyes,” he whispered against my ear as I began to drift off. “Why?” “I don’t know. I guess I feel like we just got our shit straight and I want to live in this moment a little while longer.” “I told you that you could be a nice guy.” Chuckling, he kissed the top of my head again. “You tell anyone and I’ll deny it.” “Your secret is safe with me, Cane.”

THE ARIZONA SUN was relentless the following morning. Despite the drawn curtains, the bright light woke me early. I groaned, turning to look at the clock. I held my arm in the air to get a better look. There were distinct purple marks, but it wasn’t too bad. I glanced over beside me to see an empty bed. The covers were torn back, reminding me that Cane had been there with me. It hadn’t been a dream. My eyes roamed the room, searching for any sign of him. There was nothing, besides my memory and the wrinkled comforter, to indicate he had ever been there at all. My stomach sank. I’m a fool. He woke up regretting everything, just like I knew he would. I took a deep breath and seriously contemplated staying in bed for the rest of the day. I’ve been through worse. I’ll make it through this, too. Get up. Get some coffee. One foot in front of the other. I forced myself up and into the en suite and looked in the mirror. I really looked no worse for the wear. I looked at my reflection and realized that the majority of the pain I was feeling was internal and had nothing to do with the bruises on my arm. It was more about waking up alone. I brushed my teeth and washed my face, pulling my hair into a messy bun. I smiled at myself in the mirror. Fake it ’til you make it, remember? Throwing on a soft white robe from the back of my bathroom door, I pulled it tight against me, wishing it could somehow fill the little void that had made its way into my chest. I lifted my chin as I walked through my room. Life would go on, it always did. So I may as well just catch the next rotation. I need to figure out what to do about Simon, anyway. I heard Max’s voice in the kitchen as I made my way downstairs. The anger I had felt the night before when I realized he was going after Cane was muted a bit. I recalled the fury in Max’s eyes when he realized Simon was responsible for my arm. Max wasn’t just a friend to Cane or to Kari; he was a friend to me, too. I rounded the corner and paused in the doorway, holding my breath that maybe Cane would be sitting there with his friend. I glanced around the room and saw Max leaning against the island and Kari sitting at the table, holding a cup of coffee. And that was it. Any hope I had been holding on to melted away. I sighed, accepting reality and made my way

dejectedly to the coffee pot. I gave him every chance. And last night was the last one. “How do you feel?” Kari watched me move across the room. “Wonderful,” I uttered sourly, pouring creamer into my mug. “I’m betting that Simon is feeling worse.” Max chucked, shaking his head. “Cane would’ve killed him. I’ve seen that look in his eye a time or two and it never ends well for the other guy.” I sipped my coffee and gave Max a look over the brim. He shook his head at my demeanor and that just irritated me farther. “Something wrong, Jada?” he smirked. “Why would anything be wrong?” The sound of the front door opening took me by surprise and I nearly dropped my coffee. Max’s smirk deepened at my reaction, obviously knowing what I came downstairs thinking. Maybe I don’t like Max after all. I held my breath as a rustling sound making its way towards the kitchen, trying hard not to wish too badly that it was Cane. I didn’t want to be disappointed, but it was pointless to deny the hope that had blossomed. I looked to the doorway and there he stood—light denim jeans, a plain black t-shirt, red baseball cap, and his sunglasses tucked through the front of his shirt. When our eyes met, I could see his smile in them and I melted a little. He hadn’t left me after all. Cane sat three bags on the countertop and made his way to me slowly, narrowing his eyes. The corner of his mouth was upturned. I started to speak but he kissed me before I could get any words out. Holding my head in his hands, he examined my face with his eyes, trying to read what I was thinking. “How are you today?” “Fine,” I whispered, embarrassed. “Better now.” “I just ran home to grab some clothes and then to the grocery for some stuff for lunch,” he said as I looked away, my heart bursting. “What? You didn’t think I left you, did you?” “No, you would never do something like that,” I laughed. He laughed and kissed me gently. “We are in this together. Just relax.” I turned into a little puddle. Together. He wants us to be in this together. I couldn’t wipe the silly grin off my face if I tried. That one word, together, held so much promise. “It’s none of my business, I know that,” Kari said loudly. “But you know I make everything my business, so . . . what’s up with you kissing my sister?” “Kari,” Max warned, shooting her a look. “It’s about damn time,” Kari said. “I’ll say,” Max said, taking a sip of his coffee. “Cane was getting soft on me, crying around all the time.” “Really? That’s interesting,” Cane replied, pulling me in front of him and wrapping his arms

around me, careful to avoid my arm. “I don’t recall crying. Ever.” “Whatever you say,” Max smirked. “I won’t tell everything I know.” “That’s the biggest load of dumbfuckery I’ve ever heard.” Cane shook his head at Max and I laughed at his choice of words. “I think it’s cute that you guys cry in front of each other,” Kari said, egging them on. “Who would have thought?” “Keep it up,” Max said, raising his eyebrows towards her. “Or what?” Max sighed as he stood up, grabbed Kari, and threw her over his shoulder. Kari squealed, pounding her fists against Max’s wide back. Cane and I couldn’t contain our laughter as Max carried her outside and threw her into the pool while she screamed for mercy. “They seem occupied,” Cane said, leaving kisses up my neck. “We really need to see about getting you in an apartment of your own.” “I know. I’ve been looking.” I tilted my head to the side. He made his way back to my mouth before pulling away, his eyes turning serious. “On second thought, maybe you should stay here just a little while longer.” His throat bobbed as he forced a swallow. “I like knowing you aren’t alone right now.” “I would probably be a little nervous by myself right now anyway, considering the past twentyfour hours.” Cane pressed his forehead to mine. “Speaking of which, what do you want to do about that? Do you want to call the police?” I closed my eyes, wishing I had never answered Simon’s call. Why did I have to answer that?! But if I hadn’t, would Cane be here right now? “I just want it to go away, Cane.” He pulled back and kissed my forehead. “I know, baby. I wish this never happened, too. But you can’t pretend it didn’t happen.” “Do you think this will be the last we hear from him?” “I think so. I’m still going to keep an eye on him. But I think even he is smart enough to know better than to come after you again.” “Well, I would rather not call the police. I know I should.” I bit my fingernail. “I just don’t want to deal with the drama. And who knows if they go to arrest him, he’ll say what you did to him. And I don’t want you in any trouble because of me. And then there’s the tie to my father ’s company. He doesn’t need bad publicity.” “It’s your call. Don’t factor me into the equation; I can handle myself. I want you to be confident that you are doing what you want to do.” I sagged against him. “Kari has pictures of my arm, so if I want to do something about it later, I can. I really just want to go on with my life.” He kissed me gently and positioned himself between my legs. I wrapped them around his waist,

locking my ankles behind his back. “I will just have to keep an eye on you then. Be warned, I can be a little overprotective. And I have no intentions on leaving you alone . . . in a number of ways.” “I think I like the sound of that.” He lifted me off the countertop and carried me to the staircase. He took them two at a time before reaching the top and kicking the door open with his foot. He sat me on the bed before taking a step back, his eyes becoming darker. Focused. “Take off your robe,” he said, his eyes hooded. I untied it slowly, my eyes never leaving his, and tossed it on the floor. “Your shirt, too.” I looked down to see that I was only wearing the t-shirt I had worn to bed. I pulled it over my head and tossed it to the floor. I took a deep breath, feeling nervous about being so exposed in front of him. He nodded towards the bed and I lay back, my chest rising and falling quickly, anxiety and sexual need coursing through me. He added his shirt to the growing pile on the floor and I just wanted to run my hands down his sculpted chest. “I don’t know if you are more beautiful or more sexy.” His voice was gravelly as he grabbed my ankles and dragged me across the bed until I was laying on the edge. He threw both of my legs over his shoulders and then laid kisses up the inside of my right leg until he reached the apex of my thighs. He blew gently on my throbbing sex, making me shiver. “Please,” I begged, my body desperate for a release. “Patience,” he whispered teasingly as he ran a finger between my legs. “You are so fucking wet. I love that.” “Cane,” I whined, sticking out my bottom lip. He pressed his thumb onto my clit, rubbing it in a small circle. “Are you ready, Jada?” “Please.” I whimpered as he strummed my clit methodically, inching my body closer to its peak. I was so worked up, so wound with need that it wasn’t going to take long. He licked slowly up my slit and I could hear him growl before pressing his face between my thighs, licking up, swirling at the top, and down again before dipping his tongue into me. I was so close to the brink, my body humming, sparking, demanding more. He removed his thumb before inserting a finger, then two, inside me and I literally saw stars as he moved them in and out in a fluid motion. He watched me, the corner of his mouth upturned, as my world began to spin out of control. He leaned in slowly, my body anticipating what was to come. His mouth was back on me again, roughly this time, licking and sucking, sending me higher and higher. I could feel his stubble on my sensitive skin, a contrast that added its own element to my overloaded senses. It was more than I could take. It was my undoing. I could feel his eyes on me as my fingers found his hair again, pulling his face into my body as I rode out my orgasm. His gaze never left me, watching me, taking his cue from me, decreasing the tempo slowly until I shuddered as I came back to Earth. It was ecstasy. Cane stood and wiped his face with the back of his hand, smiling mischievously.

“I’d ask if that was good, but I fucking know it was,” he said cockily. “You are so responsive.” I wanted to refute his declaration, to knock him down a few pegs, but I couldn’t work the brain-tomouth function yet. He knew what he had done to me, anyway. There was no point in trying to dispute it. “That was amazing,” I said, trying to catch my breath. The white sparkles I had floating across my sight were beginning to diminish. “Get on your hands and knees.” I rolled over and got onto all fours without a second thought. I normally hated being in this position. It seemed so crass, so unattractive. But with Cane, it didn’t seem like that big of a deal. I could hear him remove his pants and the sound of cellophane crunching as he removed a condom from its wrapper. He wrapped one arm around my stomach and pulled me to the end of the bed, until I was actually standing on the floor with my stomach lying on the top of the mattress. He caressed my ass with his hands, smacking it smartly before grabbing his cock and guiding it into my wetness. “This is going to be quick. I need it too much to make it last.” I was still sensitive and the contact made me yelp. He grabbed my hips with his hands roughly and pounded into me, his pace growing quicker with each thrust. I called out, my body exploding again before he pressed into me and stilled, finding his release. He pulled out of me slowly and I climbed onto the bed, burying myself in the blankets. Cane was quick to join me, pulling me into him, my back into his front. He rested his chin on top of my head and I could hear his heart beating steadily . . . reliably. I took comfort in that, nestling back against him. “How are you feeling?” His voice was soft against my ear. “Good. Relaxed. How do you feel?” “Strange.” I turned to look at him. “Care to explain?” He laughed. “I’m not a cuddler, Jada. This is cuddling.” “Don’t worry. I won’t tell anyone.” “I am kind of liking this right now. I hope you don’t have any plans for a while.” “It’s your lucky day.” “I haven’t had any of those in a while.” “Me either,” I said with disdain. “Hey! I don’t want to hear any of that,” he said, kissing my cheek. “We’ve both had some shitty days, but they got us here.” “I like being here.” “Me, too, Jada. Me, too.”

BREATHE, JADA. BREATHE. I pulled up to Kari’s cream colored stucco house and looked around nervously before I got out of the car. Everything looked normal. The neighbor lady across the street was watering her bushes and a teenager a couple of houses down was tossing a basketball through a hoop. I gave the house a final once over. The curtains were all drawn, the wooden door closed, the landscaping tidy. Nothing looked out of place. I exited the Jeep and made my way to the house. My steps were quicker than normal, my heart matching my steps stride-for-stride. Even though none of us had heard from Simon since the incident, I still felt a lot of anxiety when I was alone. What if he came for me again? I unlocked the door swiftly and locked it behind me. The security system began beeping and I disarmed and rearmed it, before tossing my things on the chair by the stairs and making my way over to Kari’s sofa. I sat down and kicked my feet up on the coffee table, smiling to myself that if my sister was home, she would be going on and on about how unsanitary it was. I closed my eyes and breathed deeply. Cane had stayed with me the entire weekend; he seemed as unsure about leaving me as I felt about him going. We had the house to ourselves because Kari worked a couple of shifts and then spent the rest of the weekend at Max’s. I was worried that it would feel weird because we knew so little about each other. Despite my concerns, everything was great. Maybe even perfect . . . until Sunday. I needed to call my father and explain most of what had happened. Cane thought we should go see him in person and then drive to his house stay the night. I didn’t want to discuss everything with my father in front of Cane. Moreover, I didn’t want to leave the house. And staying at Cane’s so soon just seemed like a bad idea. It was too much, too soon. With Cane in the shower, I had called my dad and told him I had dinner with Simon and that it had ended badly. Of course he was angry that I had been with Simon at all, thanks to Cane’s phone call.

When I told him I was fairly certain that Simon wouldn’t follow through with the purchase of Solomon Place, he said he had received a phone call Friday afternoon from Simon’s lender. Dad wasn’t sure what was going on, but apparently Simon’s financial backing had fallen through. So many things had happened so quickly. As I sat on Kari’s couch, a mixture of emotions rolled through me. I was still nervous about Simon, even though Cane assured me everything would be taken care of. I was excited and nervous about my relationship with Cane. I was grateful things didn’t end worse with Simon. And I was disappointed that I let myself get played by him in the first place. I looked at the clock, feeling my stomach start to flutter. I had enough time to jump into a shower before Cane came over. I made my way upstairs to change out of my work clothes, a silly grin breaking out across my face as my phone chirped. Cane: Be ready in an hour. Wear the orange dress. Me: What if I have plans? Cane: You don’t. Me: Maybe I do. Cane: Cancel them. I laughed at my phone, thinking up a response while another text from him came through. Cane: It doesn’t matter. I will be there in 57 minutes. Be ready. Me: What if I’m not here? Cane: You will be. Me: A bit arrogant, wouldn’t you say? Cane: I’ve been called worse. Me: You are impossible. Cane: 55 minutes. Time is ticking. I smiled and headed for the shower. Fifty minutes later, I was standing in the kitchen when I heard the doorbell ring. My heart began to race as I made my way towards the door. “Who is it?” I called, standing on my tiptoes to see through the peephole. “There better only be one man coming to take you out tonight,” Cane said from the other side. He was standing on the doorstep, looking more handsome than I had ever seen him. A tight black shirt stretched across his broad shoulders, a white t-shirt peeking out of the bottom. His hands were shoved in the pockets of dark jeans and he wore white sneakers. He looked young, carefree, and divine.

I smoothed out my dress before popping open the door. Cane slowly removed his sunglasses from his face when he saw me. “Hi, beautiful girl.” He reached his hand out; his fingertips lightly touched my skin right below my ear, sending shivers down my spine. He slowly let them drift down my neck, a wave of goose bumps following in their wake. He took a step forward through the threshold. “I told you that you would be here,” he whispered in my ear. I leaned my neck over to give him access. He stood up and laughed. “Come on. You look beautiful and we have places to be.” “Where are we going?” I was curious as to what he had planned. We had never been anywhere together and he had told me he didn’t normally take women to dinner. “You’ll see.” This should be interesting. I grabbed my purse and shut and locked the door behind me. Cane held the door to his black Denali open and I stepped inside the cool, clean cab. He got in beside me and grabbed his sunglasses out of the front of his shirt, sliding them over his eyes. He smiled sexily and threw the car into reverse and jetted through the neighborhood until he hit the exit for the freeway. “Holy hell, Cane!” I cried as he zipped through the traffic. “You’re going to kill me! Stop! Seriously! Or I won’t get back in here ever again, I swear to you.” Cane threw his head back and laughed. “Well, being as though we just got on the same page, I’ll behave. It’s too soon to have you threatening to leave me.” He slowed to a more agreeable speed and turned on the radio, Sheryl Crow and Kid Rock singing about pictures. I relaxed back in the seat, watching the cacti fly by, feeling completely at peace and reveling in it. “How was your day?” I asked. “I got a lot of shit done, if that’s what you mean. How was your day?” I sighed. “It was good, I guess. I wasn’t quite as productive as you, apparently. I just still feel so, I don’t know. Off, maybe. At least when I’m alone I do.” He scowled. “I hate that you feel that way, baby. I wish I could do something to show you that everything is okay.” He reached his hand across the console and grabbed mine, running his thumb over my knuckles. “When I’m with you, I believe that. But for some reason, when we are apart—” “I get it. I feel the same way.” The corner of his lips turned up in a grin. “It’s fucking crazy, but with you, I feel really . . . centered? I don’t know what word to use. I just feel like everything is in focus when we are together. I can concentrate at work. I know what needs to be done.” Warmth blossomed in my chest. “I know what you mean.” “Crazy, right?” I nodded. We rode in silence for a while, Cane stroking my hand with his before linking our fingers

together. Finally, Cane turned south towards the mountains and I became curious. I held my tongue until I couldn’t take it anymore. “Where are we going?” Everything you would traditionally consider as date material was getting farther and farther behind us. “Patience is a virtue,” Cane said. “A virtue I’m lacking.” “That’s okay,” Cane said, pulling into a little parking lot. “We’re here.” We were on the outskirts of the city next to a little cantina, as the sign described. It was a little stucco building, the size of a large bedroom, with a metal roof and a little overhang where you could walk up to place your order. There were picnic tables scattered around the structure beneath the massive palm trees and other makeshift tables with hay bales as seats. White lights were strung haphazardly around and I couldn’t help but laugh. This was so quaint, so random, and not at all what I expected. And I loved it. I looked at Cane, curious, silently asking him if he wanted to explain. He shrugged his shoulders and tucked his sunglasses into the front of his shirt before shoving his hands into his pockets; he looked a little embarrassed. Puzzled, I reached out and took his hand and gave him a soft smile. I loved seeing this other side of him that I was sure very few people got to see. He looked to the ground and toed a rock, looking a little sheepish. “I grew up out here and used to come here all the time when I was a little boy.” The image of a little Cane with bright blue eyes flashed through my mind. “The city didn’t come out nearly this far,” he said, his eyes soft in the setting sun. “It was really quiet out here. I would walk over here all the time for dinner.” He looked over and waved at the little old lady behind the counter. Her face lit up like the sun. “Dad wasn’t much of a cook, so she,” he nodded at the lady, “did a lot of our cooking.” The lady motioned for us to come to the counter excitedly and Cane blushed. “This place is as close to home as I can ever take you. I don’t know why I brought you here. I just thought, I don’t know, maybe you’d like it.” He smiled hopefully. “I love it, Cane. This is perfect.” We made our way up to the stand and the old woman’s smile grew. She leaned over the counter and kissed both of Cane’s cheeks. “¿Mijo, como estàs?” she asked, beaming at Cane. Cane smiled back, obviously very fond of the lady in front of him. “Bueno. I’m good, abuelita. This is Jada,” he said, nodding at me. “Jada, this is Mrs. Munoz.” We smiled at each other and I was unsure what to say. My Spanish was horrible and I wasn’t sure if she spoke English. “¿Como estàs, abuelita?” “Ah, bien, bien. Sentarse,” she said, nodding at the seats. “Voy a la comida.” “Do you want to sit at a table or a hay bale?” Cane asked, his eyes dancing with laughter.

“Well, the hay bale does look inviting, but in this dress, I’m not so sure,” I laughed. “Why did you ask me to wear this if you knew we were coming here?” “I love that dress on you,” he said quietly. “I won’t apologize for that.” I swooned as he grabbed my hand and led me to a table. We got settled and within a few minutes, Mrs. Munoz brought us an entire spread of food. “Hágamelo sí usted necesita cualquier cosa,” Mrs. Munoz said. Cane looked so young, so respectful, as he watched the grey-haired lady return to the building with a fondness I had never seen in him before; it was endearing. I imagined this is how he interacted with his mother. Watching their interaction reminded me of my own mother. It wasn’t something I liked to think about a lot. “Please send Jada to the office, Mrs. Costa. She won’t be back for the rest of the week.” I packed my things into my backpack and walked to the office with such trepidation I was almost sick. I knew, in the pit of my stomach, that something was very, very wrong. I rounded the corner and saw Kari sitting in one of the stiff black chairs. Her hair was sticking to her face from tears, her eyes wide with fear. My father stood behind her, his hands on Kari’s shoulders. I had never seen my father cry before and I had never seen him cry since. But that day was etched in my memory forever. Tears fell so quickly down his face that it looked like a constant stream. And I knew. Dad had never been to the school for anything. That was Mom’s job. And Mom wasn’t there. I stopped in my tracks, my heart dropping to the floor with my backpack as I waited for the words that I knew were coming. “Jada,” Dad choked. “It’s your mother . . .” “So you used to live all the way out here?” I asked him, placing some sour cream on top of my quesadilla and trying to bring my thoughts back to the present. “I did,” he said quietly, all of a sudden engrossed in his enchilada. “Where?” “Over that way,” he said, nodding his head across the street. “Does your mother still live there?” I realized I didn’t know where his parents were or if he had brothers and sister. I knew so very little. “No,” he said, swallowing hard. “She doesn’t.” He picked up his water and took a sip, staring off into the desert. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to push.” I felt embarrassed and curious all at the same time, my cheeks heating. “You’re not pushing. My father passed away a while back, as you know,” he muttered, his eyes betraying his cool exterior. He swallowed again. “Kellie, or my mother as my birth certificate shows, ran off when I was a little boy. She found someone worth more financially than my father. Just your classic gold digger.”

“Oh, Cane, I’m so sorry! That must have been awful! Were you an only child?” I suddenly felt very alone for Cane. I couldn’t imagine being by myself in the world. Even through my divorce and my feelings of loneliness then, it couldn’t compare to what Cane had to feel. “Yeah, just me,” he shrugged, moving his enchilada around on his plate. “Did you ever see your mother again?” He shook his head. “Nah, she married the guy she left Dad for and had some other kids. Or so I heard.” My heart broke for this strong man in front of me that, in that moment, looked so mortal. I knew he was trying to hide what he was feeling, but I could see the memories cross through his eyes. “I lost my mother when I was fourteen,” I said quietly. “She was pregnant but didn’t know. She had an ectopic pregnancy and bled to death before my dad found her. So I understand what you feel like. I know how it feels to lose your mom, Cane.” He sat his fork down on his plate, staring at me. He didn’t move for a few moments and then began to speak. “She left when I was really young, maybe five or six. I don’t have a whole lot of memories of her.” He looked out across the desert. “I do remember waking up one morning and she was gone, though. I kept thinking she was going to come back. I sat outside with my little Tonka trucks for days, pushing the sand one way and then pushing it the other. I’d jump up every time I heard a car, knowing it was going to be her.” He dragged his eyes back to mine and shook his head. “Dad carried me inside every night as the sun went down, kicking and screaming. I’d climb into my bed and bury myself in my Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles sheets and cry myself to sleep.” “That breaks my heart, Cane.” “Don’t let it. What you went through was much worse. A whole different scale entirely. You probably loved your mother.” “And I’m sure you loved yours, too,” I said softly. I wondered if Cane’s mother had loved him. How could she if she left him? But how could she not? I imagined a mini-Cane with messy blond hair, mischievous eyes, and his playful smirk. How would you not love that? I thought back to my mother and how much she loved Kari and me. I couldn’t fathom her willingly walking out of our lives. Even though I wasn’t with her when she died, I knew she would have been fighting to stay with us. She loved us with everything she had. “My mom is a coldhearted bitch. I could never love someone like that. For a very long time, I wasn’t sure I could ever love anyone again.” He grinned. I wasn’t sure if I should read into that, so I chose to ignore the last part of his statement. “But she was your mother. I’m sure you loved her then. Maybe not now.” “I don’t love her now. I’m not capable of loving her now.” “You’re capable of a lot more than I think you realize,” I smiled. “Not that. She doesn’t exist to me anymore. The secret of moving on is to focus your energy on the future and not on the past. She’s the past. And I’m too busy looking ahead to remember her.” “I love it that you told me about your family. I’m sure you don’t like to talk about it.”

“Yeah,” he said, picking up his napkin and wadding it into a ball. “I don’t talk about this shit. It worries me that I find myself running off at the mouth when you’re around.” He smiled slowly at me and I got up, walked around the table, and sat on his lap, running my hands through his hair. I tugged his head back lightly and kissed him. “Well, I like that you find yourself telling me things.” I kissed him on the top of his head. “You know, I like to think my life is kind of like the books I read, only I’m the author. I can write the story I want. The future can be anything I want it to be.” He moved his head side to side, considering my words. “That works, as long as your story has a blond stud that fucks like an animal.” “Well, he’s blond . . .” His lips covered mine and all thoughts of anything but Cane vanished.

“I’D LIKE TO show you one more thing, if you don’t have to get home,” Cane said, as we got back into the SUV. I buckled my seatbelt. Cane laughed as he watched me click the latch in place. “Is that a hint?” “Maybe,” I winked. “But no—I don’t have to get home. I’d love to see whatever you would like to show me.” Since the topic of his parents came up, Cane had been a little quieter than usual and I didn’t push. Surely he realized it would come up if he brought me here. And then it hit me like a ton of bricks. This is his way of telling me who he is. Actions speak louder than words. I turned my head and watched Cane drive. He was cool, in control, and utterly handsome. Any person looking in wouldn’t have any idea of the flood of memories I knew he was dealing with right now. He was very guarded to the world. But he chose to let me in. Damien Rice crooned on the radio and I gazed out the window, finding myself in a contemplative mood as well. What would it feel like to not have experienced having a mother? How would life be different if you didn’t have memories of your mother tucking you in at night or reading you a bedtime story? The thought made my heart drop. I watched Cane as he focused on the road and realized how much he had missed. I wondered how that had changed who he was as a man. And then to lose his father on top of it . . . he must feel incredibly alone in the world. Before long, we were driving up a winding gravel road at the base of the mountains. There were homes littered around, but few and far between as the elevation rose. We turned up a lane and started up the side of one of the smaller peaks. As we inched higher and higher, it felt like we were leaving the world behind us. I watched the lights grow farther away as we reached the top and everything flattened. Cane put the Denali in park and turned off the lights. I was stunned. We were practically sitting on top of the city, the twinkling lights lay at our feet like a sea of flashing stars. It was one of the most beautiful things I had ever seen.

It was simply magical. Cane got out of the SUV and walked to the back. Soon he came around, opening my door. He kissed me gently on the lips before I stepped out and the magnificence of our surroundings hit me. I was truly in awe. The constant noise of the city ceased to exist. Silence reigned and it was like being in another world, looking down on Earth. I inhaled a breath of fresh, cool air as I spun in a circle, taking it all in. Cane grabbed my hand and led me to the front of the vehicle. He spread a blanket across the granite pieces strewn about the desert floor and sat down, pulling me gently with him. He wrapped his arms around me and held me close. I nestled against his chest, my new favorite place to be. “This is just fabulous. I don’t even know what to say, Cane. This literally takes my breath away,” I whispered. He hugged me tighter. “This may be the most perfect place on Earth.” “It is more perfect with you here,” he said before kissing my cheek. “I thought maybe you would enjoy it. Or I hoped you would, anyway.” “I really do. How did you find this place?” He looked at me for a long moment and I could tell he was searching for words. Finally, he said, “It’s mine.” “What do you mean it’s yours?” His face smoothed out, hiding whatever he was really feeling. “My grandfather owned a lot of this ground back in the day. Practically everything around here. He sold a lot of it off as the years went by, but this is still one chunk out here that we, I mean, I, own.” “I love that you brought me here. This place is really special; even before I knew that it was yours, I still felt it.” He brought his head down to mine and pressed his cheek onto my head. “I’ve never brought someone up here before.” “Why?” I asked. “It’s amazing. Why wouldn’t you want to share this with anyone?” “I mean, there have been people here before,” he laughed. “Max has spent many nights up here back in the day. We camped up here a lot growing up. There’s been many beers drank in this very spot.” “We should bring wine next time.” “That sounds like a plan.” The city lights twinkled below, the only sound coming from the wind whistling through the canyons around us. I felt so at peace sitting in this remarkable place with this remarkable man; at that moment, I wouldn’t have traded places with anyone else in the world. “This place is kind of sacred to me.” I felt his shoulders rise and fall. “I’ve never brought a girl up here before. I didn’t want to taint it or something. I don’t know how to explain it.” “Tell me about your grandpa.” I hesitated as soon as the words left my mouth, hoping I wasn’t pushing for too much too soon. “I spent a lot of time around here with him growing up. Dad worked a lot, trying to build his own

empire, trying to give us the best life he could. Mom hated that he worked so much. She thought he should just get a little pudfuck job from my grandfather. But Dad wouldn’t do that. He wanted to do his own thing.” I frowned. “So that’s why she left, right?” He nodded. “So, with no one around to watch me, Grandpa Ben got stuck with me,” he said, smiling fondly. “We hiked up here, searched for gold. Well, I searched for gold. And snakes. And cool rocks. Grandpa just kind of walked around. I bet I’ve walked every bit of desert out here at one point or another.” “See that rock ledge over there?” Cane asked, pointing to a rock wall on the left. “Ask Max about that one of these days,” he chuckled. “What’s that about?” The thought of Cane and Max together in their teenage years made me smile. “That’s not my story to tell. But it’s a helluva laugh, I promise you that.” “Sounds interesting.” “Yeah, more like entertaining.” “It sounds like you had a nice childhood.” I hoped the smile on his face would remain. “I did, all in all. What about you? What was your childhood like?” I relaxed, letting my mind wander to the past. “I had a great childhood. Kari was born a few years after me, so I always had someone to play with. Dad always worked a lot, but he would take us with him into the office sometimes on the weekends and let us ‘help’. Mom stayed at home and made dinner, did laundry, all of that stuff. Our house was always decorated for the nearest holiday. That kind of thing.” “Was she a lot like you?” I sighed. “I hope I’m like her. She was stronger than me, that’s for sure. She always knew what to do, what to say. I always feel so unsure.” “Some of that probably comes with age, don’t you think?” “Maybe.” We sat quietly, watching the lights twinkle. “You know I think you’re really fucking strong, right? I’ve never known anyone like you. Every woman in my life, besides my grandmother, has always been weak. Needy. Wanting shit from me or someone else if they had something better to offer. But not you. ” I shrugged. “I can get things for myself. I don’t need a man for that. I don’t need a man at all, actually. I just want someone around to enjoy things with, to laugh with, to look forward to things with.” I watched him smile to himself as he looked across the city. “I’m glad you opened up a little and told me things about you.” He turned to face me, shrugging. “It must be the air out here making me act all dumb.” He scrunched up his face, making me giggle. “I don’t really know why I told you all of that. You’re just really easy to talk to and this place just brings back so many memories. I don’t have anyone to share

them with but Max. And he’s a dipshit.” I pulled my legs up beneath me. “I’m glad you have this place to remind you of your family. I hate that they are all gone.” “Yeah, well, my grandma used to call family ‘the tie that binds’. I never understood that until my dad passed away. It’s okay most of the time. I stay busy with work and working out, things like that. It’s just my normal. But holidays and things are lonely.” “I’ve never been alone on a holiday, so I can’t even tell you I understand how that feels. But it must be awful.” “Yeah, it does suck a little. But I don’t have to buy gifts, so that’s a plus.” He laughed. “I’m always invited to Max’s family stuff, but they are this huge southern family and all touchy feely and not really my speed. Those are the times I wish I still had my family around. I remember when my dad was alive how that felt, just the thought that someone would love you no matter how much you fucked up. And I fucked up a lot, as you can imagine. But there was a safety net built by blood. I miss that.” “You can have your own family someday, you know?” I threw that out there, hoping that it was something he could hold on to and look forward to. “Yeah, maybe,” he smiled. “It would be a shame not to carry on the Alexander name. We are Alexanders!” He shook his fist in the air and laughed at himself. I looked at him like he was crazy. Cane laughed. “Grandpa used to say that. Our last name means ‘strength’ in Greek. He used to say we were naturally stronger than other people. It was our namesake. So when things got hard, we had to remember that it was a time to get stronger, add to our name.” “That is kind of hysterical.” I tried not to laugh. “He was something, Grandpa Ben.” “I think you’re something, Cane Alexander.” “You do, huh?” He suddenly flipped me onto my back. “I’ll show you a little something . . .”

“SAY THAT AGAIN.” I slid my sunglasses on my face as I threw the Denali in drive, things becoming a total clusterfuck. “It’s a fuckin’ pond out here, Cane. It’s a disaster.” I tore out of the parking lot of Alexander Industries, heading for Queen Creek. “For fuck’s sake! What in the hell happened?” I heard Max shout to someone before he came back on the line. “Looks like someone pierced a couple of the exposed waterlines last night. Everything is soaked. Water is literally running down the fucking street right now. The City is here and they’re pissed.” I groaned. “Did you get it stopped?” “Yeah. The cuts have been saddled and the water has stopped, but it’s still a mess, man.” “First things first. What’s the City saying?” “They are mad as hell. We have water and mud flowing down fucking Ocotillo Road.” Max shouted again to someone else. “You are going to want to let me handle the City.” “What’s that supposed to mean?” I flew onto the freeway towards the East Valley, my foot even heavier than usual. “I’ll be there in twenty minutes.” “That’s fine, but they’re pissed and you’re going to be pissed. Just let me handle this. Your public relations skills need work anyway.” I leaned against the window. “So how in the fuck did this happen? These were just random cuts in two different waterlines? That’s what you’re telling me?” “That’s what I’m telling you. There were gashes sliced in both lines that the utility sub uncovered at the end of the day yesterday.” I chewed on the side of my cheek. “So this wasn’t a random burst then.” “Nah, someone sliced them sure as shit.” “Powers?” “That’s what I’d bet my money on. I told you right off that this is where I thought he’d hit you. This is the reason why your dad is in the grave and his is in the pen. It makes sense.” “You’re right. And it’s our most visible project. This is going to be a mess, PR-wise, so this fucks us a few different angles . . . the most bang for his buck.”

“Exactly.” “We need to see if anyone saw anything,” I said, chewing on my fingernail. “I already have the word out to check surveillance cameras from the neighboring buildings and threw up a reward if someone knows something, but I’m not holding my breath. It’s so fucking dark out here once the sun goes down and people aren’t alert enough these days to see anything.” “All right. Well, go smooth things over with the City and I’ll be there in a few minutes.” I glanced at the clock. “Don’t pull up here raising hell, man. Remember—flies. Honey.” I couldn’t help but smile. “Whatever.”

THE FOLLOWING SATURDAY afternoon was blistering hot and Kari and I sat in her car outside of Cane’s house, the air conditioner blasting cool air. I picked at the hemline of my black bathing suit cover-up, while Kari checked her makeup. I had lost a bit of weight since the Simon ordeal and my cover-up was a little looser as a result. My nerves were beginning to settle; I wasn’t looking over my shoulder as much as I had originally. The bruises had faded and every day felt like another day away from the craziness. “Have you ever been here before?” I asked, looking up at the brown and ivory house sitting before us. It was a two story home with a fence coming off of both sides, encompassing the backyard. The landscape was clean and tidy, a sprinkler going off as I watched. It was just the kind of place I had pictured Cane would live in. It was a gated community. All of the houses looked relatively new and all relatively the same. Cane’s house backed up to the golf course that meandered its way through the subdivision and I vaguely wondered if Cane played golf. He had never mentioned it and I couldn’t see his lack of patience faring very well on the course. “Uh, no,” Kari said, looking at me like I was crazy. “Why would I have ever been here?” “I don’t know. I thought maybe you’d been here with Max,” I sighed. “I have only been here once before and . . . I don’t know. What if it’s weird being here?” “Why would it be weird being here?” I shrugged. “Well, he clearly wants you here, Jada. He asks you all the time to come and you always end up getting him to come to my house. So relax.” I took a deep breath and exited the car, not sure why in the hell I was nervous about this. “Stop fidgeting with that ring! You’re being dumb,” Kari said as she forged ahead and rang the doorbell. As we stood there waiting on them to answer the door, we could hear music playing inside. “Seriously? What are they listening to?” Kari said, twisting her face in disgust. “It’s Five Finger Death Punch. I heard it playing in Cane’s Denali the other day.” “We’re going to have to fix that!” The door flew open and Max stood there in a pair of camouflage swim trunks, sans shirt and

shoes. A dark tattoo ran up his left side, a mixture of art and words. His left pectoral muscle had a tribal design, too. His dark hair was wet and looked like he had been running his hand through it, the one presumably not holding the red plastic cup. I stifled a laugh as Max smiled seductively at Kari. “Hey,” Kari said in her flirtiest voice, giving him a megawatt smile. “Ladies,” Max said, eyeing us for a second before bending down and kissing my sister. “Come on in. Cane is out back.” I stepped through the doorway and glanced around the great room. The house was bright and airy. A black leather sofa and love seat faced a large flat screen television mounted on the wall, a pool table sitting behind the sofa. There was a selection of magazines on the coffee table, but not a lot of personal touches. Everything was very masculine, but organized. We sauntered into the kitchen and I could see Cane outside, tending the grill. He had on a pair of white swim trunks with a blue checkered print that hung low on his hips and sunglasses. And that was deliciously it. His body was golden brown and chiseled to perfection. He wasn’t too big and bound up looking, just athletic and strong. I couldn’t help but whimper a little at the sight; he looked like he walked straight out of a magazine. Cane looked up and slowly removed the sunglasses. He scanned my body and a slow smile spread across his face. He raised his hand and crooked his finger towards me and I felt like Baby in Dirty Dancing. I exchanged a smile with Kari, who was sitting on a couch in the family room off the kitchen. I made my way to the back patio. Cane wrapped me up in his arms and dragged me against him, his hands going up my cover-up and palming my ass. “For the love of fuck, woman! Forget the orange dress—this is my new favorite.” He bent down and kissed me roughly on the lips. I giggled against his mouth and wrapped my arms around his neck. “Well, this is your best look. Clothes just detract from you, Cane Alexander.” I rubbed my hands down his chest. “Words don’t do you justice.” “Words are messy, remember?” He winked at me. “And they are not necessary for what I have planned later. You will only need one, actually. My name. On repeat.” “You aren’t burning that shit, are you?” Max asked, coming outside and breaking our moment. “Oh, hell!” Cane laughed, turning to the grill and removing the steaks onto a platter. I laughed as I went back inside to help Kari get the drinks. Max came in behind me. My nerves had eased, replaced by a feeling of contentedness. I felt alive with Cane and comfortable in his home, not at all like the outsider I had feared. He didn’t seem to feel weird with me here either, which I had feared the most. “I’m changing this music,” Max said, walking over to the deck and replacing Cane’s iPod with his own. “What are you doing?” Cane yelled through the glass. “This shit is giving me a headache!” Max yelled over his shoulder.

“I can’t help you have bad taste in music!” “Ah, here we go,” Max mumbled before Florida Georgia Line began playing through the speakers. “He really loves this. He just doesn’t want to admit it.” “No, I do not!” Cane shouted from the patio as we all made our way back outside. “Your music taste is about like your football taste—it blows!” Max chuckled as he turned his head to Kari and I. “Not sure why I like him, really. He’s irritable, a total asshole, likes shitty music, and the San Francisco 49’ers.” A tapping sound on the glass caught our attention. Cane’s face was close to the window. “I can hear you, you motherfucker.” We laughed as we made our way outside and got settled around the glass table and filled our plates with the juicy steaks and potatoes that the boys had grilled. “So what’s your deal with actual glass cups,” Cane asked Max, sipping on a bottle of water and nodding to the drink in Max’s hand. “Did you cut your finger or some shit as a kid?” “Fuck off, Alexander,” Max said. “These are the perfect drink accessory.” He held his red cup in the air. “See this bottom line,” he pointed. “This is the ‘liquor line’. The second one is the ‘wine line’, which, I may add, no man should ever use. Now the top one is the ‘beer line,’ but you can live a little and go over it if you want.” “Wow. You’re getting all cosmopolitan on me. Next thing I know, you’re going to want to add some color into your Sharpie tattoos.” “Whatever. These tattoos were made with a needle,” Max said, drawing out the last word. “You’re too big of a pussy to actually get one.” “No, I’m not. There’s just not anything that I want permanently etched on my body.” “Speaking of you being a pussy, you’ve been drinking wine these days. No self-respecting man should ever drink wine.” “You drink sweet tea! And you think wine is a bad thing?” Cane asked, barely containing his laughter. Kari and I couldn’t contain ours as we wiped tears away from our eyes with the backs of our hands. “Don’t even start on sweet tea or I’ll kick your ass. It’s the lifeblood of the South. That kind of talk will get you killed where I’m from,” Max said, trying to keep a straight face. “Remind me to never go there,” Cane muttered. “You’re such a fuckstick.” “Whatever. You haven’t been south of the Valley since you were twelve and you still won’t let go of this southern boy routine.” “Doesn’t matter,” Max said, shaking his head. “When you are born south of the Mason-Dixon Line, it’s in your blood. It’s who you are.” “It’s amazing that you can even function in society.” Cane grinned as he leaned back in his chair. “Coming from you, the most asocial person I’ve ever met, that’s hysterical.” Max raised his eyebrows, fighting a smile.

“Hardly, Max. Everyone loves me.” “Yeah. That was just how it looked yesterday with the City of Queen Creek. They loved you.” A stormy look crossed Cane’s face as he narrowed his eyes and subtly shook his head at Max. “Hey, is that your phone going off?” Max asked me, changing the subject with a quick glance to Cane. “Um, yeah. I think so,” I said, digging through my bag until I located it. Heather ’s name was on the screen. “I’ll take this inside.” I stood up and Cane stood, too. He grabbed some empty beer bottles and joined me in the kitchen. “Hello?” I grabbed a seat on the couch. Cane tossed the bottles into the trash and threw some silverware into the dishwasher. “Hey, Jada!” Heather said cheerfully. “Hey! How are you?” “Fabulous! I’ve been with Brian at rehearsals today! So fun!” I could imagine her smile through the phone and it made me grin. “You really like him, huh?” “I do! I didn’t think I would when I agreed to dinner, to tell you the truth,” she said. “But he is really fun and a total hottie. And a lot smarter than I thought he would be. Go figure that. Anyway, what’s going on with you?” “Not much,” I said, watching the muscles in Cane’s back flex as he wiped off the counter. My mouth watered. “Um, can I call you back a little later, though? I’m at Cane’s having dinner.” “Cane?” Heather asked curiously. “Who’s Cane?” “Well, he’s . . .” I shuffled my eyes to him. He had turned around and was leaning back against the counter watching me. I turned away, blushing. “I don’t know who he is exactly,” I said warily. This was not a question I wanted to answer in front of him. “Hmm. Sounds like there’s a story there.” “Kinda. Kari’s here, too, so we are hanging out.” “I see. I’m assuming he is right there and you don’t want to talk about it, so I will call you later and you can give me the dirty. I was actually calling for a legit reason. Do I have your most updated résumé?” “Yeah, I sent you the most current résumé I have. Why? Is something wrong with it?” I scanned through my memory, confident I had sent her my latest version. “No, it’s fine. Human Resources just asked me today. I don’t know if they have an opening or what, but they’ve apparently been looking at it.” “Okay, well let me know if you need anything else,” I said, feeling Cane’s eyes on me. “I will! I’ll let you go spend time with Cane. Don’t forget to call me and tell me all about the good stuff! Love ya, Jada!” “Love you, lady! Bye!” I disconnected the call. I turned around and Cane was still leaning there, watching me curiously, a slight look of irritation on his gorgeous face.

“A couple of things . . .” he said, moving over to the counter. He poured himself a shot. “First, are you looking for a new job?” He slammed the liquor and made a face as it burned down his throat. “No, not really.” I watched him carefully. He totally didn’t believe me. “My friend Heather lives in Chicago. When I got divorced, she wanted me to move there. I probably would have, but I didn’t have a job or anything, so I came here instead. She has been submitting my résumé around.” I shrugged, feeling errant all of a sudden. “Someone asked if it had been updated, I guess.” “Chicago?” he asked, eyebrows raised, voice cool. “You still thinking about going?” I tucked a piece of hair behind my ear nervously. “No, not really. I haven’t thought about it in a while.” “So, there’s a chance you aren’t going to stay here?” His voice was tight. I thought for a minute and then turned, looking him in the eye. “Do you want me to stay?” He shook his head, amused. “I always want you to stay.” I couldn’t wipe the silly grin off of my face. “All right. Then I’ll stay.” I expected Cane to react, but he didn’t. He just watched me closely. “Don’t you think you should tell her that?” he asked finally. I looked up at him as he strummed his fingertips against the marble, waiting to see what I was going to do. “Yeah, I probably should.” Neither of us moved for a second, both feeling the other out. He was adorable and I was having a little fun watching him sweat. “There’s no time like the present,” he pointed out, raising his eyebrows again. When I didn’t move, he tilted his head. “I’m pretty sure your phone has a callback feature.” I couldn’t hide the huge smile that crept across my face. My heart swelled at his display. He really, truly wanted me to stay with him. I unlocked the phone and hit the reconnect button, my eyes never leaving Cane’s. If he would put it out there so blatantly that he wanted me to stay, I would make sure he knew how certain I was that I wanted to. “Hey, Jada! Everything okay?” Heather asked when she picked up. “Yeah, everything is great, actually,” I said, smiling at the man across the room. “I’ve been thinking lately and I really think I should stay here.” “What? No!” Heather pouted. “I know. I’m sorry! But I have a workload with Dad now. And it’s really nice being back with him and Kari again. I really missed that, you know?” Cane pointed towards himself and smirked and I couldn’t hide my giggle. “And there’s this thing with Cane now. He’s amazingly hot, Heather. Totally sexy,” I said, as he stalked across the room towards me, his eyes hooded. “And I really just want to see where it goes.” “He’s standing right there, isn’t he?” Heather asked, knowing me better than almost anyone. “Yup,” I said with a pop on the ‘p’. “I totally understand. No worries!” she laughed. “Just come visit me soon, okay? I so want you to

meet Brian! Just don’t judge with the mohawk, okay?” “I won’t. Thanks for being such a good friend, Heather. And I will come visit you soon!” I clicked the button to end the call. He was smiling this time at least, but still not saying anything. “Well . . .” I began, twirling my ring around my finger. He cocked his head to the side, giving me a half smile. “Now that is taken care of, that just leaves the other thing.” “I’m not sure what the other thing is.” “I believe you just told your friend . . .” “Heather,” I supplied. “Yes, Heather, that you don’t know what I am.” He took the last few steps to me quickly, his eyes daring me to move. He stood directly in front of me, looking down. “What am I, Jada?” he asked, his voice caressing my name. The way it rolled off his tongue made me shiver. I looked down at the ring spinning. “I don’t really know.” “Stop spinning the fucking ring.” He grabbed my hands and threw them over his shoulders. “There’s nothing to be nervous about. Now, back to what I was saying—you don’t know what I am or what to call what I am? Those are two very, very different things.” He picked me up and carried me to the kitchen, sitting me on the counter. “I don’t know what to call it,” I said, as his hands ran up my legs. “Boyfriend is so . . . juvenile,” I said, widening my eyes for effect. He shook his head, amused, as his fingertips reached the fabric of my swimsuit between my legs. “You can call me whatever you want, as long as it means that this pussy is mine.” His fingers pressed lightly over my opening. My body pressed into his hand, craving the contact. “It’s yours, Cane,” I said, my voice raw. “It better be.” His fingers pushed back the fabric and entered me slowly. “You’re so fucking wet, baby.” “I can’t help it,” I said, glancing out the window at Max and Kari in the pool. “I have no control over my body when you are around.” “That’s because it’s mine and it knows it.” He worked his fingers in and out. My breathing became jagged as my body demanded a release. “Cane,” I drug out, trying to move to maximize contact. “What do you want, baby?” he asked. “You’re going to have to tell me.” “Damn you, Cane,” I said, feeling myself edge closer to the breaking point. “Make me come. Please.” He pressed his thumb against my clit and rubbed a small circle. That was my undoing. “Oh!” I moaned as I threw my head back and felt the rush of the orgasm wash over me. Cane grabbed the back of my head and pushed my head up, catching my mouth with his and kissing me fiercely while I endured the onslaught of feeling. The sensations from high and low hit me hard, causing me to explode on levels I didn’t know were possible. It was a chain reaction. As I came down

from a crazy high, I lay my head on Cane’s chest. “Are we having fun yet?” he asked cockily, withdrawing his hand. He licked my wetness off of his fingers, a smirk playing across his features. I was unable to speak as what must have been an orgasmic aftershock rippled through me. He caught my gaze in the only way Cane could. “Are you going to stick around?” “Yeah,” I said, looking him straight in the eye. “I’ll stay a while.”

I LAY IN a state of bliss beneath Cane’s blankets later that evening, listening to him rummage through the refrigerator downstairs. It had been a fun, relaxing day. I tugged the black comforter up against my chin and snuggled against the soft sheets. I drifted off for a minute, but was awakened by the bedroom door opening. “Hey, beautiful girl,” Cane said, smiling as he sat down on the bed. “Need to rehydrate?” He tossed me a bottle of water. “I think so. That was a workout.” “If you had said no, you were getting another round,” he said wolfishly. I tossed the water back to him playfully. “I’m not the least bit thirsty,” I pouted, my eyes slowly running up his chiseled torso. He lunged across the bed and straddled me, holding my hands above my head. “Really? You better dial that shit down, woman, or I’m going to make you regret it,” he growled, running his finger down my face and chest. “That’s pretty hard to believe, though. It’s nine and you—” My eyes shot up. “Nine? Are you serious?” He nodded, looking confused at my outburst. “Cane, I better go. I have Kari’s car and I’ve been here all day.” “So?” “I’m sure you have things to do, that’s all.” I didn’t want to hurt his feelings, but I wanted to give him an out. He had gone from wanting to see me for one night to having me stay at his house. I didn’t want him to feel any pressure. “If you leave, I will have nothing to do. But if you want to go . . .” He released my hands and rolled off of me. I felt the loss of his body immediately. “I don’t,” I said softly, closing my eyes. “Then don’t.” “Really?” “You say that like you’re surprised!” He laughed. “Why is that so hard to believe, Jada? I’ve spent a lot of nights at your house. Why wouldn’t I want you here?” I looked around his room. It was decorated in all blacks and whites and it reminded me of the

initial hot-and-cold Cane. Where did all of this greyness come from? “I don’t know,” I shrugged. “I just didn’t want to wear out my welcome right off the bat.” “I like having you here. When I’ve brought women here before, I couldn’t wait to see them go. I felt like they were invading my space or something.” I made a sour face, earning a chuckle from him. “But really, they were never meant to be here. You, on the other hand,” he said, dipping his chin to grin at me, “I kind of like having here. I don’t know why. You just, I don’t know, seem like you belong here. With me.” I tried not to swoon, but it was futile. “Are you sure?” “Stay,” he whispered, pressing a searing kiss on my lips. “Okay. Just let me make sure Kari doesn’t need her car.” I reached for my phone on the nightstand. “She doesn’t. Max went home with her and I’m sure that pussy is willing to cart her anywhere she wants to go until you get home.” “I like Max,” I said, falling back against the pillows. “He seems really good for my sister.” Cane lay next to me on his side, stroking my arm lightly with his fingertips. “He is a good guy. The only person I really consider a true friend. Max isn’t from the city; he’s a country boy. A transplant. Country people are a different breed.” “How did you meet?” “We met when he moved here when we were twelve or so and we just hit it off. Well, I totally saved his ass and he still owes me for that.” “Oh, really? What happened?” I smiled, happy to get some new insight into the two new men in my life. “It was his first day at school. Coincidentally, it was my birthday. Anyway, he was the new kid, right? Well, if you haven’t noticed, women think Max is cute or something,” Cane rolled his eyes. “I mean, not as hot as me, but cute anyway.” “No one ever said you were humble!” He winked at me. “Max’s first day was your birthday? When is that?” “Yeah, some birthday present,” he laughed. “November 4th. Anyway, some girl at school liked him right away and her little boyfriend, or whoever he was, got mad. After school, that kid and his buddies jumped Max. They had him pinned against a wall and were talking all kinds of shit. I happened to be walking past and saw it. I essentially saved his ass.” “Is that the same way Max would tell that story?” I asked, laughing. He was talking freely, his eyes shining. It was fun to watch. “It better be! That’s what happened. So, because of that fateful day when I cleaned house for my man, he’s owed me.” “You’re too much.”

Cane chuckled. “All joking aside, Max is the most loyal person I’ve ever met. He just has a different set of standards than most people. Even when your sister was being difficult, Max kept at it. I would’ve said to hell with her a long time ago.” “Oh, really?” “Really. Because she isn’t you,” he whispered. I watched his face. He didn’t smile, didn’t smirk; his face was as serious as I had ever seen it and I realized how far we had come. I wondered how many people got to see this side of Cane Alexander, the sweet, disarming side of him that I had come to love. My heart lurched in my chest as I replayed that last thought. Do I love him? Is that what this was? “What are you looking at me like that for? What’s going on in that beautiful head of yours?” “Nothing.” I smiled shyly. “So, what do you do around here all night?” “Well, normally I’d be working on a bid or working out. I hit the bag a lot at night. I started doing it as a kid to release some of my anger and it kind of stuck.” “Were you a fighter or something?” The thought of Cane fighting brought back thoughts of Simon and I pushed them quickly out of my mind. “No, not really. I was a wild kid; I’ve always liked to do things my way.” “That’s so hard to imagine,” I said sarcastically. “I know. It’s almost impossible to believe. Anyway, my dad boxed a little his whole life. I think he may have been pretty decent, but it wasn’t something he ever talked about. He had a heavy bag that hung in the garage and he got me to focus my energy on that in my teenage years. I loved it. I spent hours in the garage, working shit out in my mind by hitting the leather.” “You talk about it like you love it.” “Yeah, I feel really free when I’m at the bag. You can just be you. The bag doesn’t care who you are or how you feel or if it is right or wrong,” he shrugged. “It just stands in front of you and takes whatever you throw at it without judgment.” “I don’t want to keep you from anything. If you need to work or whatever, that’s fine.” “Hush, woman,” he said, clicking on the television and pulling me in close. “What do you like to watch?” “Whatever you want,” I said, snuggling into his chest, thinking that it didn’t matter as long as I was next to him. “I don’t watch a lot of TV.” “Yeah, I don’t either,” he said, shutting it off. “I think it’s a waste of time usually.” “Time is a precious thing.” “That it is.” He pulled me closer into him and I breathed in the scent that was Cane, a smell that was quickly making me feel at home. “Life really does just fly by. You have to reach out and take what you want or else it will be over before you know it.” “What do you want out of life, Cane?” I felt him still so I scrambled for a better way to put it. “Where do you want to be in five years?” He pursed his lips together, his brows furrowing. “I’m not sure,” he said, clearly mystified by my

question. “Is it bad that I don’t think I’ve ever really looked that far into the future?” “No, I guess not.” “I’ve never thought about it before but I didn’t care. Each day was a day to get through. There was really no point in looking any farther unless it was something for work. But now that I think of it, I have been thinking ahead a little more, wondering what we will do a few days from now, what we will do next weekend. But five years is a lot different than a few days.” He sat quietly, pondering my question. “Where do you see yourself in five years, Jada?” “I’m not sure. I had thought I would have a home of my own, complete with a little white picket fence. I figured I would be sharing my life with someone, starting a family maybe. But obviously that got blown out of the water.” A hint of sadness wiggled its way inside my chest. The dreams I had for my life since I was a little girl seemed so far out of reach. I was afraid I would never be able to grasp what I wanted out of life. “You can still have that.” “Yeah, I guess. I don’t really even know. My life has changed so much.” “Life gets better with change.” “Sometimes,” I said, considering his words. “But sometimes it doesn’t.” “Look at me,” he said, smiling nervously. “I changed the way I live. And if I hadn’t, you never would have had me. Change is good.” He ran his fingers up my arm. “I didn’t plan it, but you’re the best thing that has ever happened to me. Do you know that?” “Oh, Cane,” I said, his words causing me to choke up. “I don’t even know what to say to that.” “You could say you feel the same way,” he said, shrugging his shoulders casually, making me grin. “I do feel that way.” Cane wrapped one arm around my waist. “I haven’t felt this content in a long time. Probably since my dad died.” “What was he like?” His chest fell quickly as he blew out a breath. “I’m sorry. You don’t have to answer that.” “No. I want you to know me.” His hand stilled and cupped my waist, pressing my body against his, like he was afraid I was going to pull away. “My dad was a great dad. He was reliable, even-keeled. And he was the hardest worker I’ve ever known. He wanted me to step up at Alexander Industries—to really throw myself into it.” “You seemed to have done that.” Cane stilled. “I was dating a girl after college named Ashley. She moved back to Providence. I thought I loved her.” I could feel him shake his head. “Anyway, Dad wanted me to stay here and I didn’t. I just followed her across the country.” “That’s kind of romantic.” He snorted. “That’s all kinds of fucking stupid, that’s what it is. So I get there and see the real her.

She’s around her family, her friends, and she isn’t the girl I thought I knew. I complained about it to Dad and he wanted me to come home. He was looking at this property in Queen Creek to buy to build a subdivision on and he said he needed my help. Well, one night Ashley and I went to a bar and some things happened and I realized I had made the wrong choice. So I called him up that night, it was a Saturday, and told him I was coming home.” Cane’s body stilled, his heart picking up speed beneath my cheek. “He was thrilled. So I was supposed to go home on that Tuesday. But on Sunday Ashley told me she was pregnant with my baby.” I pulled my head back in shock as my stomach fell to the floor. I pushed a swallow down my constricted throat, the thought of a baby Cane running around Rhode Island making me sick. “Really?” He laughed menacingly. “Really. So Dad calls me Monday night to go over my travel plans and stuff and I told him what Ashley said. He was really disappointed, angry, all that stuff.” Cane adjusted his position but made sure I didn’t leave his side. “He had finally decided to buy this property in Queen Creek that belonged to this widow lady, even though it was a mess. There was a guy that owned a small piece of land next to this parcel that wanted it, too, and he was driving potential buyers away so he could end up getting it for a cheaper price.” He brushed a strand of hair out of my face. “That other guy was Simon’s dad.” “Did he go ahead and buy it?” “We were on the phone. He was telling me he had made an offer and how I had messed up by knocking Ashley up. That I should be there learning from him, helping him. All of a sudden, I could hear a change in his voice and he said he needed to get off the phone. He said he thought he was being followed and the car behind him had begun driving really erratically. So we hung up. And an hour or so later, Max called that my dad had died in a car crash.” All the air left my body. “Cane! What happened?” He nudged my head back down to his chest. I wasn’t sure if he needed me close or didn’t want me to see his face as he recalled the tragedy, but I leaned against him. “Well, of course I thought of Simon’s dad, Lee’s his name, immediately. The police originally ruled it an accident, but I came home right away and hired a private investigator. Nick worked on it for a few months before it was proven that it was Lee that did it.” He bent down and kissed my head. “And, for the record, the baby thing was a boldfaced lie. So there is no little Cane running around.” “I don’t know what to say. I am so sorry.” “Yeah, well this is my burden to bear, not yours. I hate talking about this. I just thought it was time for me to try to be open with you, you know?” “Thank you, Cane.” He pulled the blankets up over us. “Sleep now, beautiful girl.”

“Are you awake?” Cane nudged me in the side as I lay next to him. “I am now,” I answered sleepily. “I have a craving.” “Cane!” I laughed, wiping my eyes to help me wake up. “What? Oh, you thought I mean for you?” “I’ll play along. What do you have a craving for, Mr. Alexander?” “Chocolate chip cookies,” he whispered. “Are you serious?” I glanced at the clock. “It’s one in the morning.” “I can’t help it. I want chocolate chip cookies.” I fell onto my back and sighed. “Do you have some Chips Ahoy or something?” “Nope.” “I’m sure there’s a grocery open around here. This is a major metropolitan area.” He leaned in close and whispered, “I want us to make them.” “You want us to make homemade chocolate chip cookies right now?” He nodded his head eagerly like a child. “Do you have the stuff to make them?” I yawned again. He shrugged. “Probably. We can always improvise.” “Cane, you can’t ‘improvise’ when baking. You have to follow the instructions.” “I’ve never been good at that,” he said stubbornly. “Come on.” He hopped off the bed and dragged me across it by my hand. “Cane!” I shrieked, laughing at his ridiculousness. He held onto my hand and led me to the kitchen, flipping on the light. “Okay,” I said, letting my eyes adjust to the brightness. “Do you have a recipe book or something?” “Yeah, I’m looking at it,” he said, cocking his head at me. “Heaven help me,” I muttered, throwing my head back in exasperation. “I’m sure there’s an app for this. Where are our phones?” “Yours is dead. Shocker, I know. And mine is upstairs somewhere and I’m not going to look for it.” “Cane. How are we supposed to do this without a recipe?” “Have you never made cookies before?” he asked in disbelief. “Yeah, a few times. But—” “Nope. No but’s. What do we need?” He looked at me expectantly. “You know what? Fuck it. We will make our own recipe. It can’t be hard. I’ve watched some of those cooking shows. They have no idea what they’re doing. Except the hot Italian one. That chick can do whatever she wants.”

I had never seen Cane so spontaneous, so playful. Where is this coming from? He was typically so controlled, so scheduled. To see him like this—carefree and excited—was quite entertaining. “You’re insane,” I sighed. “Okay. We will need flour, sugar, chocolate chips and eggs. Probably vanilla and some salt. And baking soda so they’ll be fluffy.” “Baking soda? Who has baking soda lying around their kitchen?” “People who want to make cookies,” I deadpanned. “I’m going to pretend like you didn’t just say that,” he growled as he pulled out the flour and sugar and sat them beside the vanilla and salt. “Are you going to help or you going to watch? The chocolate chips are in the freezer.” “Um, this was your idea, so I’m totally okay with watching. And why are the chocolate chips in the freezer?” I rolled my eyes as I made my way across the room. “Have you ever had a frozen chocolate chip?” I shook my head no. “Then don’t knock it until you try it, woman.” I grabbed the chocolate chips out of the freezer and tossed them next to the other items. “Grab a bowl. I’m going to need a big one,” I instructed him. He burst out laughing. “Oh, I have a big one, all right. But let’s make the cookies first, okay?” “You are incorrigible. Since we are refusing to use a recipe, I have no idea what measurements to use. So we are going to have to guess.” Cane grabbed the bag of flour and dumped some into the bowl. “That looks like a good start.” “This is going to be a long night. Give me some sugar.” I felt his breath hot against my neck as he pressed his body up behind mine. “I have your sugar right here,” he whispered, kissing up and down my neck. “Cane,” I whispered breathlessly. “Can we just forget the damn cookies?” He smacked me on my behind and I yelped. “Sugar,” he said, handing me the bag. “Now what?” “Baking soda,” I demanded as I dumped some sugar into the bowl, my annoyance obvious. He smirked as he silently handed me the canister and I plopped some of it into the bowl. I added a bag of chocolate chips. “Ah, is someone frustrated?” he asked teasingly. “Me? No.” I grabbed some butter out of the refrigerator. “I’m going to melt some of this. Put an egg or two in there.” I threw a stick of butter into a bowl and popped it into the microwave, glancing at the clock. This is ridiculous, I thought, as I stopped in my tracks. “Cane!” I yelled. “What are you doing?” “Putting a couple of eggs in here.” He tipped a carton of egg whites into the bowl. “I don’t think you can use that!” “This is my recipe, so I can use whatever I want.” “Whatever. I’m not eating any of these.” I removed the butter from the microwave and added it to

the bowl. “Stir.” He grabbed a spoon and roughly stirred everything together. I watched his muscles ripple with every motion and my thoughts quickly turned away from the cookies. I walked up behind him and wrapped my arms around his middle, letting my fingers slide lazily down his abs. “Don’t try to distract me with your wicked ways. This is serious business.” He laid the spoon on the countertop and stuck his finger in the bowl. Turning to face me, he held his finger in the air. “It looks good,” he smiled. “Now let’s see what it tastes like, shall we?” He brought his finger up and popped it into his mouth, sucking the dough off. “Mmmmm,” he said, letting his eyes roll to the back of his head. “This is really good. Do you want some?” I shook my head and he jutted out his bottom lip, giving me puppy dog eyes. “Come on, Jada. You’re hurting my feelings.” He dipped his finger back in the bowl, holding it in front of my face. “Just a little taste?” he asked, wagging it in front of me. “Just one.” I was going to use that little opening to get what I wanted. I grabbed his hand with both of mine and slowly inserted his finger into my mouth. I wrapped my lips around his finger and let my tongue lazily caress it. His eyes widened as he caught on to my game. I pulled his finger out through my lips and licked it clean. His Adam’s apple bobbed as he watched. “That is good,” I said, smiling at his reaction to me as I dropped his hand. “Can I have more?” He grabbed my hips and lifted me up, sitting me on the counter. “What, exactly, do you want more of, Ms. Stanley?” “Cookie dough, of course.” “Sure.” He scooped out a small bit and licked it off of his own finger. Smiling, he grabbed the back of my head and leaned in to kiss me. I tried to pull away, laughing, but he pressed his lips to mine. His tongue passed my lips and I could taste the sweetness in his mouth. He scooted me closer to the edge of the counter and I wrapped my legs around his waist, cinching our bodies even tighter. His body was hard against mine and I pressed myself against him, wanting every possible inch of my skin to be touching his. He was a walking aphrodisiac. We kissed long and hard, our mouths moving against each other in perfect sync. My body was firing on all cylinders as all rational thought left me. He moved his hands beneath me, cupping my ass in his hands, and lifted me up, never breaking our kiss. As he turned, the bag of flour fell to the floor and a cloud of white dust went up, engulfing everything in the vicinity. “Cane!” I laughed, pulling away a little. “What?” he growled, kissing up the side of my neck as he bent on his knees and laid me in the middle of the mess on the floor. He picked up the hem of my shirt and dragged it over my body, sitting back on his knees. “You are so damn beautiful, Jada,” he said, admiring my body. Although he had seen me naked before, I still blushed at his unadulterated view.

He leaned forward and palmed my breasts, bending down and sucking on one nipple as he rolled the other with his fingertips. The sensation had me panting with need, the ache between my legs becoming too much. “Cane,” I begged, grabbing his hair and pulling his face up to mine. “I need you.” He pushed his shorts down with one hand and kicked them off. He grabbed my legs behind both of my knees and wrapped them around him again before sinking slowly and deliciously into me.

THE SUN WAS hot and I was sweaty and ready for a shower. “How far have we walked? Ten miles? Twenty?” I asked, panting at Kari’s side. “Two. You have walked two little miles around our subdivision.” She glanced at me out of the corner of her green eyes. “You need to exercise more. You have no stamina.” “If I ever exercise, I think it’ll be in air conditioning. This is ridiculous. It’s like working out in a freaking sauna.” Kari laughed, her ponytail swishing side to side. “Well, I normally walk on the treadmill in the gym at the hospital, so I can’t say I completely disagree with you on that.” I watched her pump her arms up and down, a smile on her face. “The only good thing about this walk is that I got to bust out my old tie-dyed shirt,” I laughed, knowing Kari hated it. “That shirt is disgusting. I hate to be seen with you wearing it. It would be so sad if that was lost in the laundry.” “Don’t you even think about it!” I warned before noticing my shoelace flopping along the pavement. “Okay, solider. Can we stop a second? My shoe is untied.” Kari stopped but kept marching in place. “Hurry up! We will lose our heart rates!” “God forbid,” I muttered as I bent down to retie my sneaker. Something caught my attention out of my peripheral vision and I jerked my head to the side. There was nothing out place. Kids were playing and people were watering their plants like they did every day at six in the evening. Still, the hair on the back of my neck stood up. “What’s wrong?” Kari asked, beginning to do jumping jacks. “Nothing, I don’t think.” I stood up, looking around again. “I just feel like something is wrong. Maybe someone is watching us?” Kari stopped moving and scanned the area, too. “I think you’re just paranoid. There’s nothing out of the ordinary. These are our neighbors.” She shrugged. “Do you want to go home?” “Yeah,” I said, nodding my head. “I’m tired anyway. “You’re so weak.” We headed off towards the house, Kari’s smile replaced with a frown. “Do you really think

someone was watching us?” I looked around again, waving back to one of the little girls that had been playing with the yellow ball in the park. That feels like years ago. “No. I’m just a little paranoid. You’re right.” “I can’t blame you. That shit with Simon was strange.” I shook my head. “It was strange and awful.” “But you haven’t heard anything else from him, right?” I exhaled, blowing away the stress that I was beginning to feel accumulate in my body. “No. And I don’t think Cane has either. He hasn’t mentioned anything, so maybe Simon moved on or whatever.” “Did you ever figure out why he was after you? Or Cane?” I shrugged as I smoothed back my ponytail. “Yeah. Simon’s dad basically murdered Cane’s dad.” “What? You’re kidding me?” “I wish. But that’s what happened. I think the thing with me was just some outburst at Cane and it’s over now. I hope, anyway.” We turned the corner to our house, dodging a little boy on a skateboard. “Me too. I just resigned the contract on the security system at the house. So if that gives you some peace, there’s that.” Kari smiled brightly at me. “There’s that. It does make me feel a little safer, actually.” I chewed my lip. “I need to find my own apartment. It’s time, I think.” We walked up the steps to the front door, Kari looking at me out of the corner of her eye. “Yeah. I wonder how Cane is going to feel about that . . .” I shrugged. “I don’t know. But it isn’t his choice.” “Do you think he’ll want you to move in with him?” My eyes widened. “I, uh, I don’t know. But I won’t. It’s way too early, sis.” Kari nodded subtly as she took the key from her pocket. “So now that we have burned a million calories . . .” I began. “Try like two hundred.” “We only burned two hundred freaking calories? Why bother?” I moaned as Kari unlocked the door and we walked in. “That’s almost a waste of time!” Kari laughed. “That’s why everything you eat matters.” “Screw it. I’m ordering pizza. Do you want some?” “Pepperoni and mushroom,” she called over her shoulder as she walked towards the kitchen. “And extra cheese,” I muttered as I grabbed my cell. I headed up stairs to erase the grime from the walk that would never matter. Me: Ordering pizza. Want some? Cane: I’ll have some of you first.

Me: Deal. Cane: 90 minutes. Me: <3 Cane: I don’t do emojis. Me: <3 Cane: Insert emoji here. Me: You suck. Cane: Heart. I laughed, tossing the phone on the sink. “Jada!” Kari’s voice shouted from downstairs. There was something about the tone and volume that caused a ripple in my chest. “Yeah?” I jogged to the top of the stairs. “What’s wrong?” I took the stairs quickly and headed towards the kitchen. “I am in the kitchen! Come here a second.” Her voice was too controlled, too level and I picked up my pace. Kari was standing at the island, her hands on her chest as she looked out towards the pool. I followed her line of sight slowly until it landed on the back door to the patio, standing wide open. “Did you leave the door open?” She turned her head slowly to me, her forehead creased. “Because I remember shutting it before we left the house. I know I did.” “I haven’t been out that door all day.” I bit the inside of my cheek, narrowing my eyes. “Was that open when we got home?” Kari nodded her head, a confused look on her face. “Yeah. So weird. Maybe it was the wind?” We both knew it wasn’t the wind. “Did you set the alarm when we left?” Kari walked to the door and swung it shut. “No. I didn’t think we would be gone that long.” I surveyed the kitchen and the attached family room. Everything seemed in place—television on the wall, the sofa undisturbed. “Everything looks fine. I was in my room and the bathroom and it was all fine there, too.” Kari took a deep breath before releasing it quickly. “It’s probably the wind or that it wasn’t latched tight. Like you said, everything looks fine. Probably no big deal.” “Except we should always set the alarm,” I pointed out. “Except for that.” I walked backwards out of the room, raising my eyebrows at Kari. “Now, if you have nothing else to panic over, I’m ordering pizza and getting a shower.” She opened the freezer door and stuck a bottle of wine inside it. “And I have the wine chilling.”

BLISS. That small, yet meaningful, word was bouncing in my head as I pulled my car into the driveway after a successful day at work. The last few days had been nothing but blissful. I had spent most nights with Cane, falling into an easy rhythm of day-to-day activities. Simple, mundane things, when done at his side, were a whole new experience. Being with him was enjoyable, easy; there was no walking on eggshells that I had experienced in my marriage to Decker. I shook my head, realizing that line of thinking could very well get me in trouble. As soon as I opened the door to the house, aromas of garlic and tomatoes flooded my senses. I tossed my bags on the couch as I walked through the living room to the kitchen. Kari was standing at the stove over a boiling pot of water and a simmering pan of pasta sauce. Her brown hair was pulled back into a bun, one hand on her slender hip that was jutted to the side. The whole scene reminded me of my mother. Kari looked much more like her than I did, with the same brown hair and green eyes. Mom’s specialty dinner was spaghetti and Kari had found her recipe in an old binder in Dad’s basement when we were teenagers; she had perfected it over the years. “Hey!” My voice came out in a singsong way, causing Kari to turn around from the stove. “That smells delish!” “It will be, as always!” She winked at me before turning back to stir the sauce. “How was your day?” “Great! I was on a roll today,” I said, grabbing a bottle of water from the refrigerator. “Do you want me to make a salad?” “That would be awesome.” “What did you do today?” I asked, getting to work on the salad. “I finished my shift early this afternoon and did a little shopping.” She smiled brightly as I winced at the thought. “I bought a gorgeous new pink dress! You have to see it! Anyway, it was just a very productive day, so now I’m continuing the amazingness with spaghetti!” “I love that you celebrate with food. It is so my style.” “Yeah, didn’t figure you would mind! Oh!” Kari turned to me, setting the wooden spoon on a little

dish beside the stove. “A box came for you today.” I raised my eyebrows. “Really? I didn’t order anything.” Kari wiped her hands on a towel. “It did. I sat it on the table.” I followed her to the table, noticing a parcel sitting in the middle. “It doesn’t say who it is from,” she said, picking it up and flipping it over in her hands. It was larger than a shoebox and completely nondescript. “Strange. I have no clue.” I took the package from Kari and opened it on the table. “What the . . .” The box was full of the pictures I had left in the back of Decker ’s closet. Image after image stared up at me, reminding of me of a different lifetime. “Jada,” Kari began, her hand to her mouth, “did Decker send these?” “I guess.” I dug through the box, feeling my heart ping as memories of a life I had wanted to leave behind rolled past me like a slideshow. I pulled out a photo of us at the Tempe Town Lake Marina when we were in college. Decker was smiling at me while I was smiling at the camera. When did that dynamic change? A blurry photo of our little wedding ceremony, taken by one of Decker ’s friends, was a little torn on the edges. There was a picture of our first house in Boston. We had looked at it on a rainy summer day and fell in love with it immediately. I was so proud of that house. Leafing through the pictures, I had to ask myself if these memories were even real. Did the smile on his face mean he was happy in that moment with me? Or was he happy thinking about the girl he was going to take to Columbus for the weekend in the guise of “work”? Everything was tainted, a cloud around each and every memory that the box held. Kari reached in and pulled out a sheet of folded paper, handing it to me. “Has he called you lately?” I shook my head. “Why would he send these now? I don’t get it.” I sighed. “It’s hard to tell. Maybe he’s been drinking lately and is reminiscing. Maybe he’s hungry and no one is home to make dinner. Heck if I know. He’s totally unpredictable.” I straightened the paper and I held my breath as I began to read:

I released the breath I was holding slowly. This was typical Decker: almost sweet at the beginning and then his true colors show at the end, a confusing mess of sweet and sour. But I had let myself live in such a confused state for far too long, never able to just relax with Decker and know what the next day would bring. And I had a taste of that with Cane and it was something I didn’t want to live without. “I don’t even know what to say to that,” Kari said, taking the note from my hand and wadding it into a ball. She turned to me, her face stern and concerned. “How does that make you feel?” I sighed as I slumped into a chair. “Annoyed. Frustrated. Kind of sad, but not sad enough to do anything about it.” Kari tossed the paper back into the box and walked to the stove, turning everything off, before returning to the table and sitting down with me. “Why does it make you sad?” “What are you, a therapist?” I shook my head, not wanting to get to the bottom of anything, except maybe a wine glass. She frowned. “No, but I am your sister. And it’s my job to help you figure things out. So spill.”

“I don’t know. I left those pictures because I wanted to forget those times existed.” “Those times, the ones where you were happy, never happened,” she said, knocking her hand against the box. “You were happy under a false reality. If you had known for sure what all he was up to, would you have been happy?” I shook my head, seeing her point. “That’s like seeing half of a picture and thinking it’s pretty. But when you put the other half up there, it’s this awful mess. And it changes your entire perception on the picture as a whole. Do you understand what I’m saying?” I laughed at her analogy. “You’re nuts. But yeah, I get it.” We sat silently for a minute, Kari watching me as I looked at the box, expecting it to do something or some revelation to hit me. But nothing happened. “Well, we have to do something with this,” I said, not taking my eyes off the cardboard box. “What do you think?” “That is up to you.” My pocket began vibrating and I pulled my phone from it, my breath hitching in my throat when I read the name on the screen. “It’s Decker,” I said, looking up at Kari. “How did he get my new number?” “I have no idea, Jada. Maybe you shouldn’t answer it.” Kari’s eyes were wide and I could see the uneasiness she was feeling in them. “No, I am not going to let him know he gets to me.” I straightened my shoulders, gathering my courage. “If he bothers me too much, I’ll get a restraining order or something.” I answered the call, watching Kari watch me. “Hello?” I said, clearing my throat. “Hey, Jada,” he said, his voice low and sexy. At one point in my life, I would have swooned. Now, I fought myself from rolling my eyes. “What do you want?” I figured we may as well cut to the chase and not delay the inevitable. I blew out a breath, hoping it would take the host of nerves running through me out with it. “Someone’s had a bad day!” he laughed into the phone. “I sent you something earlier this week and the tracking said it was delivered today. Are you home yet?” “I got it,” I said dismissively, trying to reign in my emotions. “And?” he prompted me, his voice sounding contrite. “And what? I got them. I will dispose of them now.” I felt a war brewing and stood up, needing to be on my toes. “Dispose of them?” I could imagine his face twisting, his eyes narrowing. “That’s interesting.” “Not really. Look, I’ve asked you not to call me anymore.” “I didn’t for a long time.” He sounded annoyed and I didn’t care. “And finding your new number was a pain in the ass, but not impossible. So nice try. Now it’s time to stop these petty games you are playing. You made your point.” “I made a point?” I should have expected him to say something like that, but it was over the top,

even for him. “The only point I am trying to make to you is that I don’t want you calling me!” “You know as well as I do that you will end up back here again. I wish you would just stop fighting it and get your ass home! You’re wasting my time,” he growled into the phone. “No,” I said, feeling the disbelief turn into fury, “you are wasting my time, Decker. We got divorced, which should make it clear that I want to never see you again. How hard is that to comprehend?” “You’re such a brat,” he said, his voice rising. “You are acting like a child!” I recoiled from the sound of his voice, now booming through the phone. “Decker . . . Let. It. Go. If you call me again, I will look into a restraining order. Leave me alone.” He laughed sardonically. “Really? You think that it is that easy?” “No. I know it is that easy because it is my life now. You don’t have a say in what I do.” “Ah, I know what’s happening! You have a little boyfriend out there, don’t you?” “That’s none of your damn business.” “You do! And he’s filling your head with all of this nonsense.” He laughed as anger consumed me. “He’s probably telling you how awful I am and how he isn’t anything like me at all.” He paused. “He is, isn’t he?” “He is nothing like you! He doesn’t have to tell me anything because he shows me what he is!” My hand shook as the anger rolled through me. “Don’t call me ever again, you fucking bastard!” I slid the phone off and sat it down before I dropped it. I turned around to see Kari standing with her arms crossed and a satisfied look on her face. “I’m impressed,” she smiled, nodding her head in agreement. “You did well.” My phone lit up again on the table and I watched his name flash across the screen. I waited until it stopped before picking it up and turning it off. “I have no idea how to block his number. Do you?” I looked up at Kari. She picked up the phone and turned it on. “I don’t know how you survive being so technologically challenged.” Kari’s fingers flew across the screen before she sat it back down. “Done. He’s blocked, from that number, anyway.” My eyes fell back to the box. “Do we have a lighter or matches or something?” A slow smile slid across Kari’s face. “We do, indeed.” Kari pulled open a drawer and rustled around until she pulled out a box of matches. “I am thinking it would be a great night for a fire on the patio.” I picked up the box and faced Kari, returning the smug grin she was flashing at me. “Would you care to join me? I have the kindling if you would so kindly bring the matches.”

“RISE AND SHINE!” I tugged the blankets over my head, trying to pretend like Cane wasn’t standing at the foot of the bed. If there was one thing I disliked about him, it was his chipper attitude in the mornings. “Jada,” he said sweetly, “it’s almost noon and I told Max we would meet him and your sister for lunch.” “Why did you do that?” I mumbled, snuggling farther into my bed. Suddenly, the covers were ripped over my body. “Cane!” “Don’t hoot with the hoot owls at night if you can’t soar with the eagles in the morning.” I huffed. “That is so not funny. It’s Saturday!” Cane smirked. “You are so fucking cute. But you need to get up.” “You are such a pain.” I rolled onto my side and looked up at him. He was dressed in a pair of jeans and a grey polo shirt, the collar popped up and looking downright edible. It was as if he had been awake for hours as he stood over me. “That’s been said before. You are so unoriginal.” He smiled cockily and smacked me on the butt. I rolled over onto my back again and looked at the ceiling. “How long have you even been awake?” “I had to work this morning, so I rolled out of here around five.” He sat on the edge of the bed and turned towards me. “And as much as I would like to lay back down with you, I told Max we would be at lunch.” He bent down and kissed me on the forehead. “You still smell like smoke.” “I can still smell it on me.” I rose up and drug myself off of the bed. “I guess I need to get another shower before we go.” “What was the impromptu fire about last night?” I could see the suspicion in his eyes. I shrugged as I walked my way towards the door. “We just wanted a fire. I had some things from my life before that I didn’t want around, so I burned them.” “Okay,” he said, lying back on my bed. I heard the bed squeak and I flew around, hands on my hips. “Hey! You can’t lie down if I can’t!” He put his hands behind his head and smiled, looking ridiculously gorgeous. “I typically do what I want, you know?”

I shook my head. “Can you make me some coffee while I get ready?” I said, jutting out my bottom lip. “If it will make you a little happier today, sure,” he said sitting up. “But get your ass moving, woman.” I trudged to the bathroom and showered quickly, using the body wash with the strongest scent to try to mask the smoke smell that wouldn’t leave. I hated that Cane was suspicious about the fire, but I knew he would overreact. Decker was a loudmouth and an asshole, but he wasn’t a threat to Cane in any way, shape, or form. So the less he knew, the better. I had endured enough drama to last me a lifetime. I toweled off quickly and threw on a coral sundress and a turquoise bracelet that had been my mother ’s. I twisted my hair into a knot and slipped on a pair of flip-flops before joining Cane in the kitchen. “I smell coffee!” I said, perking up at the aroma of beans. He was sitting at the table with two mugs of energy, reading the Saturday morning paper. Seeing him so relaxed while doing something so normal made my entire body flood with warmth. “That you do,” he said, nodding at my cup. “I sent Max a text and told him we’d be leaving in a few minutes, so drink up and we will go.” I sat down and lifted the cup to my lips and breathed in the heavenly aroma. “Thank you,” I said, smiling at him as he got up and put his cup in the sink. He turned to say something when the doorbell rang. He looked at me curiously and I shrugged. “I have no idea.” “Want me to get it?” he asked, flipping the coffee maker off. “If you don’t mind. I’d like to sit here and nurse this liquid gold.” Cane smiled and shook his head as he walked to the front door. I heard the door open and Cane’s voice grow louder. I sat my mug down slowly, listening closely. “I’m here to see my wife. Is she here?” I would have recognized that voice anywhere. It was so agonizingly familiar; I knew the tone like the back of my hand. I knew what he was feeling, what his eyes looked like, the rise and fall of his chest by the sound of the words alone. My stomach dropped to the floor as a cold chill ripped through me; I scrambled to get up from the table. I knew I had to get to the front door before the two of them went toe-to-toe. “You’re wife? You’ve got the wrong house,” Cane replied as I entered the living room. He was standing with his back to me and I could see Decker over his shoulder. Our eyes met and he took a step forward and a rush of adrenaline tore through me. Cane extended his arm, grabbing onto the door frame with his hand, effectively blocking Decker from entering. “Jada!” Decker watched me from the other side of Cane and I could feel the fury rippling off of him as I approached. “Get out of my way,” he said to Cane, trying to sidestep him. “What are you doing here, Decker?” I asked, stopping a few feet behind Cane. My stomach rolled at the sight of him and I wrapped my arms across it.

Decker ’s eyes were wide with fury, just like I knew they would be. His body was tense, his chest rising and falling rapidly. His jaw was tense, his fists clenched at his side. I vaguely wondered if I got close enough, if he would smell of whiskey. I knew every ripple of his body, every shade in his eyes. But at the same time, he felt like a complete stranger. It was confusing, stranger than I ever thought it would be, to see him again. Then again, I never thought, nor did I want, to see him again. I just wanted him to leave. “So you’re Decker?” Cane’s voice was frigid, his body completely still, never taking his eyes off of the man in front of him. “I told you yesterday that I had enough of your games,” Decker said, looking at me over Cane’s shoulder. “Get your shit packed. We are going home.” Cane bristled, the muscles in his back flexing at the revelation. “You talked to her yesterday?” Decker laughed arrogantly. “Are you jealous?” “No,” Cane said, standing taller. “You get jealous over things that aren’t yours. She’s fucking mine.” “You need to get out of my way,” Decker bit out, his Boston accent thick. Cane turned a bit and I could see the side of his face as a smile spread across his lips. “You seem really angry. I would hate for something ugly to happen in front of my girl, so you better get out of here while you can.” Decker ’s eyes blazed at Cane’s words. “I don’t want any shit. Just move out of my way.” “Don’t start shit and there won’t be shit.” Decker took a step towards Cane, his jaw tight. “Move it, boy.” Cane chuckled, releasing the doorframe and standing in the middle of the threshold. “This guy wasn’t even in your league, Jada,” Cane said loud enough for me to hear. “You can’t tell me that this pussy did shit for you.” My heart leapt in my chest as Decker rushed Cane, closing the distance between them in a half a second. Cane grabbed him by both shoulders as he came in, driving towards Decker with his head in an upward motion, smashing the top of his head into Decker ’s face. Decker shot back, blood pouring from his nose, his eyes wide. He was clearly not expecting Cane’s aggression. My entire body went stiff at the scene. I couldn’t shout, I couldn’t cry, I couldn’t do anything but watch the chaos unfold in front of me. Cane burst forward, grabbing Decker by the shirt. Decker swung wildly at Cane, connecting with the side of his face. He stood still, shaking his head, an eerie smile on his face. “Now you’ve fucked up,” he said as he threw a kick, knocking Decker to the concrete with a thud. The impact caused one of Kari’s aloe plants to fall off the stand by the door. Tears began to prick my eyes, my past colliding with my future in front of my eyes in a way I never imagined.

“Stop it!” I finally choked out, my hands covering my mouth, trying to hold back the bile that threatened to spill from my gut. Immediately, Cane’s fist was blasting into Decker ’s face—once, twice, three times. Decker stopped swinging and lay still in the fetal position, his hands trying desperately to cover his face. Cane stood up as Decker lay still, his face already swelling from the blows it was dealt. His eyes were wide with fear. My stomach was volatile, a pit of acid. I hated everything about this situation and there was nothing I could do to stop it. Cane stuck his foot on the side of Decker ’s face, pushing his head roughly to the side, before turning to me. “I can’t believe you didn’t tell me this motherfucker called you yesterday,” Cane said, his eyes wild. “Didn’t you feel that was a little fact maybe I should fucking know?” Cane’s lips were a thin line, his jaw pulsing with anger as he looked at me. “He sent me a box of pictures I had left behind and I burned them, Cane. The smoke? It was the smell of my life before you going up in flames.” His face softened a bit. “He called me and I told him to never call me again. I didn’t tell you . . . I should have, I guess. But I didn’t want to cause a bunch of drama for nothing.” “Yeah, for nothing. Right,” he said, holding my gaze for a few more moments. He looked down at Decker and removed his foot from his face. Cane peered down at my ex-husband. “I am going to let you up. I want you to get in your fucking car and get the fuck out of here. Got it? Move on with your life because her future? It’s with me.” He shook his head as he bent down and grabbed him by the shirt, helping him to his feet. “Now get.” Decker spit a mouthful of blood onto the porch as he looked at me. “This was your last chance.” The eyes that I once knew so well, that I once saw my life in, seemed so alien to me. “I won’t be around when you decide you’ve messed up. You are on your own.” With that, he turned and walked to his car, got in, and backed out of the driveway. My chest felt tight, like a band was wrapped around it, squeezing the life out of me. I bent over and put my hands on my knees, trying to get air into my lungs, trying to calm myself down. Cane walked slowly across the room. He wrapped me in his arms and rested his cheek against the top of my head. He took a deep breath. “You will never be on your own.” He squeezed me tighter as my tears overflowed my eyelids. I sighed as I wiped my face and sagged against him. “You know,” he said, kissing the top of my head, “it doesn’t matter what’s in front of you as long as you know who’s behind you. And I’m always going to be behind you.” I smiled into his chest. “Even when you fail to tell me shit like your ex-husband called you.” “I’m sorry. I should have told you.”

“Damn right you should have told me.” His voice was crisp, laced with frustration. I let out a breath, causing my shoulders to slump with it. “Things just seemed to have calmed down, to be going right for once in my life. And I didn’t want to rock the boat.” I raised my head to look into his eyes. He placed his hand beneath my chin, angling my face up. I watched as the anger melted from his face as he searched my eyes, his jaw slacking, his eyes softening. “Jada, it really bothers me that you didn’t tell me that.” “I know. I’m sorry.” Cane’s body relaxed as he looked away. “My feelings are hurt. I’m turning into Max,” he said, wincing, making me laugh. “But seriously, are you all right?” “Yeah. These blasts from the past are going to have to stop at some point, right?” “Let’s fucking hope.” “Forgive me?” I reached up and cupped his face in the palm of my hand. He tried to look stern, but a grin crept its way in. “I suppose. But you’ll have to make it up to me.” “Deal.” “Oh, my beautiful girl. You should always ask for the fine print before agreeing to a deal.” I shrugged. “I trust you.” “Famous last words,” he said, wiggling his eyebrows. “Let’s go back inside. Someone has some baking to do.”

I SMOOTHED DOWN my dark brown dress I had bought right before leaving Boston. I had never worn it before and it felt nice to be dressed up. It was the color of my hair, a chestnut brown, and tight around the waist. I had accented it with gold hoop earrings, bangle bracelets, and a pair of strappy heels. I curled my hair into beachy waves and was pretty confident as I made my way into the kitchen. I rounded the corner and my eyes fell on Cane, standing with his back to me overlooking the pool. He had a pair of grey dress pants and a white dress shirt, sleeves rolled up as usual. His blond hair was a little longer than normal and the ends fell just to the tip of his collar. I had hoped that going out to dinner would ease the strangeness between us that had seemed to linger since the Decker incident. Cane had seemed to be busier at work since then and a lot quieter around me. He promised nothing was the matter, but it just wasn’t the same as it had been before Decker showed up. I leaned against the doorframe to adjust a strap on my heel and just watched him. He ran one hand roughly through his hair, the muscles in his back rigid. In his other hand, he was holding his cell to his ear. The sound of my heel hitting the tile caused him to turn towards me abruptly. His face was stern, his forehead creased in frustration, his lips a thin line. He raised an index finger to me and turned his back to me again. Something about the way he was standing there made me nervous and I spun the ring on my finger. “No, I understand.” Cane stretched his neck side to side. “Are you sure?” His head fell as he nodded it subtly, more to himself than anything. My stomach dropped. “Yeah, I get it. We need to get to the bottom of it. I don’t like the way that sounds.” He exhaled harshly. “No, I can absolutely meet you now. I’m in Tempe now, so it will be a little bit, but I’m on my way.” He shoved his phone in his pocket and hesitated before turning to me again. “I’m sorry, Jada. I have something I need to take care of, so I’m going to have to cancel our dinner plans.” His face was stern, his body rigid. His eyes were soft, yet somehow still maintained an underlying blaze that had me worried. “Okay. Is everything all right?” My mind rolled through a million possibilities, causing my

heartbeat to spike. Calm down. “Yeah. Nothing for you to worry about.” He strode over and kissed me on the head. “When is Kari coming home?” “Uh, I’m not sure. I think she is getting off work in an hour or so, but I think she’s going to Max’s house after that.” Cane started towards the front door. “She’s coming home; Max will be with me. Follow me to the front and set your alarm, okay?” My heart began pounding in my chest. “Should I be worried about something, Cane?” He stopped in his tracks and turned to look at me. “You should be alert. You should always be alert. Eyes open. But I wouldn’t leave you here if I didn’t think you would be fine. You should know that.” A small smile spread across his face. “You’re my priority.” “Cane,” I whispered, my heart swelling. I took a few steps forward and wrapped my arms around his waist. “Will you call? Let me know you’re okay?” “Of course. Now set this alarm. I have to go.” CANE My fucking head hurt. Pounded. Throbbed. It could have been because my blood pressure was so fucking high that my head was about to shoot off of my body like a cartoon character. That would have been a funny vision, if I hadn’t been ready to lose my shit. And losing my cool in front of the private investigator sitting on the other side of my desk at Alexander Industries probably wouldn’t be the best idea. Max gave me a look to keep myself in check and I glowered at him all cool and collected. How can he always be so calm? One of these days, I’m going to make sure he goes ape-shit crazy, just for the fun of it. I rolled my head around my neck, trying to loosen the straining muscles in my body. “So what do you suggest we do?” I asked, sitting back in my chair. I really hope he suggests that I just destroy him . . . “Well, Cane, there isn’t a lot we can do at this point. The witness that says he saw a man that looked like Simon the night of the waterline bust isn’t going to talk to the police. He’s a young, gangster-looking type and he doesn’t want any involvement with law enforcement.” “Fucking punk,” I muttered, waiting for Nick to go on. “But there is security footage of an Avalanche in the area that night?” Max glanced at me and then back to Nick. “There is. But do you know how many dark Avalanches there are in the greater Phoenix metropolitan area? It isn’t clear enough to get a license plate number, so there’s no hard evidence that we can do anything with.”

I scrubbed my hands over my face. “I should have killed him when I had the chance.” “Do I even want to know what that means?” Nick raised his eyebrows. “No. No, you don’t.” Max flashed me a warning look. “Cane’s just running at the mouth.” I leaned forward on my desk, frustration eating away at me. “So what? I just wait around like a sitting duck while he goes around tearing up my jobsites and assaulting my girlfriend? Fuck that!” “Cane,” Nick said, his voice even, “stay calm. We are doing everything we can at this point to ensure Powers doesn’t do anything else to you, your assets, or Ms. Stanley.” I looked Nick over. His face had changed in the roughly ten years since I had met him. It was harder, more seasoned, but his eyes were still the assessing, evaluating ones I remembered. He was one of the best PI’s in the state and one of the few that was willing to take on a case from a rambling kid that had just lost his dad. As his investigation progressed into my dad’s case, Nick and I became close. He never had gotten married nor had children, so I don’t know if he looked at me like a kid or a friend. Regardless, he saved me from drinking myself to death on more than one occasion. “I know, Nick. But you know who this son-of-a-bitch is. I want him eliminated as a threat and, since I’m guessing you aren’t going to support me killing him . . .” Nick shook his head. “If anyone knows what that family is capable of, it’s me, Cane. But we have to do things in order.” “He’ll slip up,” Max chimed in, looking between the two of us. “Max is right. Simon will slip up and we will nail him to the wall. Think about it: we know that the police are watching him due to his involvement in apparent drug activities. We have a guard watching Jada 24/7. We have undercover security at Benjamin Estates as well as rewards out for information leading to the waterline burst. We are doing everything we can.” Nick eyed me shrewdly. “What would have helped the most is for Jada to have contacted the police after the assault.” I shook my head, scrubbing my hand down my face again. “They wouldn’t have done anything anyway. It would have been her word against his and you said so yourself; the security cameras there didn’t catch anything.” “He’s a slippery one, but I think that’s genetic,” Nick said, shaking his head. “But we will get him, Cane. I promise you that.”

“THIS LOOKS GREAT,” Cane said, flashing the waitress a brilliant smile. He looked devastatingly handsome in a pair of dark dress pants and a blue dress shirt, sleeves rolled up. “Thank you.” The waitress flushed and glanced quickly at me as if to apologize for being charmed by my man. I smiled back at her, telling her it was okay. I understood. Females just didn’t have a chance around him. My father always said you could tell someone’s true nature by how they treated waiters and bellboys. If that was true, Cane was a keeper. The only problem with that was that he wasn’t around much lately to keep. Maybe I just got used to being with him so much . . . Since the night he canceled our dinner plans, he had been very hit or miss. Some days I would see him as he crawled into bed with me, some days I would just get a phone call at some point in the day, and even when he was with me, he seemed so preoccupied. So distant. “It’s just work, beautiful girl,” he’d say when I asked him what was going on. But the parallels between this behavior and Decker ’s were more aligned than even I cared to admit: a busier work schedule, an evasive attitude, spontaneous calls that make him leave, and a preoccupation when he was with me that worried me more than anything. “This is almost too pretty to eat,” I said, appreciating the pasta dish set in front of me. It was a gorgeous mixture of colors and textures and smelled divine, like oregano and garlic and Italian goodness. “Almost,” I laughed. “Have you been here before?” I looked around the Italian restaurant. It was really busy. Always a sign of a good business. “Yeah, I come here sometimes,” he said. “I come here for lunch a lot, actually. I hate fast food.” I thought back, scanning through my memories, trying to think of him eating something from a paper bag. “I don’t think I have ever seen you eat fast food, come to think of it.” “I never do. You don’t know what is in it or who made it.” “You don’t know that here, either,” I pointed out, sticking a forkful of pasta into my mouth. He thought for a moment. “That’s true on some level, I suppose. But the food here looks like real food. Look at the chicken in your pasta. That’s easily identifiable as a piece of chicken.” “Just stop talking now because sometimes I crave a fast food burger.”

He shook his head as he cut into his steak. “There are some things I will never understand about you.” He raised his eyebrows as he slid a piece of meat between his lips. “Oh, really? Like what?” “Like why your phone is always almost dead. Why you listen to shit music. Why you eat food that isn’t even food.” “You’re ridiculous.” I wrapped pasta around my fork and took another bite. It was better than it even smelled. The flavors of the tomatoes and mozzarella married perfectly inside my mouth. I closed my eyes and smiled. “You are ridiculous,” Cane laughed, watching me. “I don’t know what I even see in you,” he winked. “Then you must be blind!” I gave him a sideways glance. “You are lucky I put up with you!” Cane cut another piece of steak, his face losing the playfulness. He studied his plate intently, pressing his lips into a thin line. “There’s a lot of truth to that.” “This place reminds me of what I think Rome would be like.” I looked around the room, trying to change the conversation. “I’ve always wanted to go there. So much history. So much food.” His eyes lit up. He wiped his mouth with a linen napkin. “Rome? That’s where you would go if you could go anywhere in the world?” I nodded. “Yeah, I think so. Maybe Australia. I hear Bondi Beach is pretty amazing.” “I’ve never heard of it, but I’ll be sure to Google that when I get home.” The corner of his mouth upturned and I felt relieved. I sat back in my chair, letting my foot trail up the inside of his leg. “If you could go anywhere, where would you go?” He looked at me thoughtfully for a moment. “Macchu Picchu,” he said simply. “Yeah, that would be amazing,” I said dreamily. “What’s your favorite color?” He laughed. “What is this? Twenty questions?” “I don’t know. I just want to know the little things about you.” I shrugged. “We never seem to get around to those.” “Well, it used to be blue, I guess, until I saw you in that orange dress.” “If I wore the orange dress more, would I get to see you more?” Cane sat his fork down on his plate with a sigh. “I know I haven’t been around a lot, but I’ve just had a bunch of things I have to take care of. It sucks for me, too. But I can’t help it right now.” “I know. I just miss you. I got spoiled seeing you every day there for a while. It must have been the honeymoon stage of our relationship.” “Don’t act like that.” He grabbed my hand with his own, stroking my palm. “I’m sorry.” I watched my hand in his; it felt so small, so delicate yet so protected by his strength. He closed his hand on mine, enveloping the entire thing in his palm. He held it firmly, yet with such reverence that it took my breath away. He lifted my hand to his mouth and kissed it lightly. “Soon. Things will be back to normal soon,

okay?” “Soon,” I whispered, exchanging an intimate smile with him. We finished our meal in a comfortable silence, exchanging comments here and there, but generally just enjoying being together. Time flew by as it always did with Cane and, before I knew it, the waitress was taking away our dishes. “I’m going to go to the ladies room real fast, okay?” I asked, grabbing my purse from the chair next to me. “Do you want dessert?” He sat back in his chair and checked his watch. “Seriously? Where would I put it?” I felt slightly uncomfortable with the amount of food I had eaten. “Good. I’m ready to get going and eat my dessert at home, if you know what I mean.” “Let’s just go now,” I said, my cheeks heating and my panties dampening. He laughed. “I have to wait on the check, anyway, so go do what you have to do.” I stood, kissed him on the cheek, and made my way through the restaurant. Once inside the ladies’ room, I washed my hands and checked my makeup, applying a little more lip gloss. I hope it doesn’t take Cane very long to remove this gloss. I smiled to myself in the mirror before walking back into the restaurant. I made my way to our table and saw another woman approaching it from the other side. Cane didn’t seem to notice her coming towards him, but I slowed my steps, watching the blonde. She said something and caught his attention. He tensed, even though he sat back in his chair nonchalantly. I knew him well enough to pick up on his idiosyncrasies. The woman was smiling and giggling and when she touched Cane’s shoulder, I saw red. Who the hell is this? I picked up my pace and walked to my seat, the woman’s voice, laced with a fake sweetness, eating at me. “I’m back,” I said, plastering on a fake smile as I pulled out my chair. Cane’s eyes jumped to mine as I sat down. When our eyes met, he winked and I relaxed just a little as I turned my gaze back to the woman standing at his side. “Nicole,” he said, sitting upright and turning to face her. “Please meet my girlfriend, Jada. Baby,” he said, twisting towards me and smiling, “this is Nicole.” My heart swelled with the introduction and I smiled brightly at Cane before turning my eyes to Nicole, who was obviously a little shell shocked. “Nicole, it’s a pleasure to meet you,” I said, extending my hand across the table. Nicole glared at me for a split second before recovering and meeting me smile-for-smile. “Jade,” Nicole said with false affection, reaching out and taking my hand. “It is so nice to meet Cane’s newest girl.” “It’s Jada,” Cane said, obviously annoyed, his eyes turning cool. “And she’s the only girl that’s ever been mine.” I smiled smugly at Nicole.

“Well,” Nicole said, adjusting her game plan, “it is nice to meet you nonetheless. I’ve known Cane forever and it’s always a pleasure to meet his dates.” She smiled at Cane. “I’ll let you enjoy your dinner.” As she turned to walk away, I felt my body give way as the tension I had been carrying eased. It was short-lived. “Oh, Cane, I forgot. One more thing.” She turned around and smiled, her eyes gleaming wickedly. “Guess who called me this week? Ashley! Can you believe that? Have you heard from her?” Cane took a deep breath and fidgeted a little in his seat. “Why in the hell would I have heard from her?” “Oh, I don’t know,” Nicole said, holding back a laugh. “It was just pretty odd that she looked me up out of the blue! I haven’t heard from her in such a long time! Anyway, I just thought she may have called you, too,” she said, flashing me a pointed look. I took a few deep breaths, trying to control my rising anger. “No. And if she had, I would have had nothing to say to her, anyway.” Cane glared at Nicole. “Now, if you’ll excuse us, we are going home.” Cane stood and held out his hand to me. “Have a great night!” Nicole laughed as she walked back through the restaurant.That made two of us. I had to admit that Cane had handled Nicole well. He’d been very clear who I was to him and pretty much put her in her place. But Ashley? What was that all about? I watched the lights of the city pass by in a maze of colors as we flew down the freeway to Colbie Caillat’s voice on the radio. I was lost in my own thoughts about Ashley, Cane’s past, Simon, and my own history when Cane reached out and placed his hand on my thigh, giving it a little squeeze. “Jada, I’m sorry about that back there,” he said quietly. “I’ve known Nicole for years. She’s always been a bitch.” “You don’t have to apologize. That wasn’t your fault,” I said. “I didn’t even care about her necessarily, but your reaction is making me worry.” “She only said that shit to get a reaction out of me,” he said, taking an exit well before the one we needed. “I have to run by the office real quick, if you are wondering where we’re going,” he said, glancing at me with a half a smile. “So, Ashley. She’s the girl you left Arizona for, right?” I asked hesitantly as Cane squeezed my leg again. He blew out a breath and drew his hand back up to the steering wheel. “Yeah.” “Why would Nicole think Ashley would call you?” I twirled the ring on my finger. “Couldn’t fucking tell you.” He caught my eye, “Don’t fuck with that ring. There’s nothing to worry about. Ashley hasn’t been a part of my life for years, Jada. I haven’t seen her since before my dad died. I’ve talked to her a few times off and on after that, but fuck, I don’t even know when the last time was.”

I waited for him to continue, but he didn’t. “So there’s no story there? Nothing for me to get all crazy jealous about?” He pulled up to a large stone building with “Alexander Industries” written across the front in large blue letters, the awnings covering the parking spots were a blue metal that matched the letters. It was a very masculine structure—large, sturdy looking—exactly like Cane. “Nope,” he said, gazing seductively at me as he whipped the Denali into a parking spot next to a side door. A silver and blue sign labeled “Mr. Alexander” was at the front of the spot. “The only thing you need to be crazy about is me. And I believe you promised me dessert and I don’t want to have to wait until I get home to eat it.”

“I DON’T KNOW, Heather. He’s just busy all the time. And when I do get to spend time with him, he’s so preoccupied.” I sighed into the phone, watching the Moscato swirl around in my glass in time with the ceiling fan. I was supposed to be seeing a movie with Cane, but he had been called away at the last second with little explanation. Again. “Well, maybe he is just busy. It doesn’t seem to be anything to really get yourself worked up over.” I gave the wine a final swoosh before sitting the glass down with a clink. “This is how the end began with Decker. There was a slow pull away then, too.” “Don’t,” Heather said and I knew she was rolling her eyes. “Don’t even go there. Decker was a complete douchebag and, from what you’ve said about Cane, he’s done nothing douchey. Comparing anyone to Decker is like comparing them to Satan. So let’s keep things in perspective, shall we?” I laughed, relaxing back into the turquoise throw pillows on Kari’s couch. “I see your point. It’s just that this whole thing with Cane has happened so fast. One day I was saying that I would never be with a guy like him. And, before I know it, he’s staying the night.” I clicked my tongue against the roof of my mouth, replaying my relationship with Cane back through my mind. Things had happened so quickly just like I knew they would. From the moment I saw him, I knew he was going to be a drug to my bad boy addiction. But like a true addict, I couldn’t help myself and I needed to make sure I had control of the situation before I was in too far to save myself. “I just want to make sure I’m seeing things for what they are, not what I want them to be. I don’t want to get so lost in this relationship that I end up being a fool like before.” “Totally understandable,” Heather said. “But at the same time, you have to evaluate each person for who they are, not for what the guy before them did.” “I know. But the same little things are starting to happen. At what point is it okay for me to let my panic take over?” I chewed on a fingernail. “Never. Panic is not a good look, Jada.” Heather cleared her throat. “I wish I was there to take you

for coffee and a movie, but I’m not. You just need to relax a little, give it some time. If things don’t change and you aren’t happy in a few weeks, then by all means . . . kick him to the curb. But from where I’m sitting, he seems like a good guy and you are just letting your raging insecurities get the better of you.” “Yeah.” “Yeah.” I smiled to myself. Heather got me in a way that no one else really did. Her way of cutting through the crap and just telling me what I needed to hear could be painful, but if it was what I needed, she would lay it out there. “You know, he hasn’t even said he loves me, Heather.” I shrugged to myself. “Maybe I feel more than he does.” “That could be good or bad. I mean, maybe you are right. Maybe you are into him way more than he is into you,” she said, her tone matter of fact. My heart dropped at her admission, a huge dose of sadness swamped me and took me under. That was my biggest fear . . . that this relationship was predominantly a one-way street and that one way was leading to Heart Break City for me. “Or,” she emphasized, “maybe it’s not a word he just throws around, you know? It could be that he’s just saving it for the right time.” I took a sip of my wine, shaking my head. “Why can’t you ever just say what I want to hear?” Heather chuckled. “Because I’m a good friend. You know better than to ask me shit if you don’t want my real answer. There’s no sugar coating here.” “Thanks,” I said, half sarcastically. “Anytime.” I laughed easily. “Okay, I’m going to drink this glass of wine, take a hot bath with candles and bubbles alone because we all know Cane won’t be by tonight, and then go to bed with this hot fighter named Deacon, I think.” “I’m guessing that’s a book boyfriend I’ve never heard of and I’m disappointed you haven’t shared him with me yet.” “You are the only person I’d share my boyfriends with,” I laughed. “That’s going a little too far,” Heather cracked up, making me smile. “Okay. Brian is on his way over anyway so I need to go.” A pang of guilt twisted its way through me. “How are things with him? I’m a bad friend. I didn’t even ask!” “This call was about you. I’ll call you one day and it will be about me. I won’t even let you say anything but, ‘Explain that more, Heather.’” “Make sure you do that. Now go get ready for your man.” “Talk to you soon.”

The lines on the drawings were starting to blur, each line indicating a wall or a utility line starting to become one large, unintelligible mass. I squeezed my eyes shut. I needed to find some peace. I tried to focus on what would be the patio in Project AH, as Max had begun to call it. It was going to be the best part of the entire project, the focal point for the intended buyer. That is if I can get it finished. The tension of the last few days finally caught up with me with a throbbing pain behind my temples. I got up from my desk and made my way down the stairs and to my kitchen. I grabbed the bottle of tequila and poured a shot, slamming the liquid back, feeling the burn as it went down. The house felt so empty, cavernous . . . lonely. How did I never notice this before? I looked around the room, realizing for the first time how cold everything seemed; how much I missed the little things that told me Jada had been around. A grin crept across my face as I looked at the floor in front of the oven. Her naked body, her shy smile, her voice asking me to take her right there in the middle of the spilled flour . . . I shook my head. Damn I miss her. My chest began to tighten, a twitch that I wasn’t used to feeling rippling through my torso. It was strange and uncomfortable, almost a hollow pain . . . like there was something missing and a part of me was gone. What the hell is happening to me? I poured another shot and downed it, clenching my teeth as the liquor tore its way down my throat. The burn was a welcome feeling, covering the emptiness that I felt inside. She should be here right now. I grabbed the DeLeon tequila and tipped it back, taking a shot right from the bottle. But she can’t be. Not until I know that everything is okay. I can’t risk her safety by being with her all the time. I needed Jada like I needed air. I wasn’t sure how in the hell I had gotten to that point or when it had happened, but I couldn’t really deny it. I thought back up to the plans on my desk and laughed at myself. I’m such a fucking tool. I walked through the living room and into the guest bedroom I had converted into a workout

room and grabbed my boxing gloves. I need to stop the insanity now, while I can. I haven’t committed; I can still walk away. Go back to the way things were. Remember that? When you followed the rules? Things were easy. Fun. Focused. I stuck my hands into one of the red gloves, laughing at myself. Who am I kidding? I can’t go a fucking hour without thinking about her. There’s no way I can call anything off. I got my other hand situated in its glove and stretched my arms out to the side. My body was tense, my muscles stiff. I threw out a couple of jabs, getting warmed up. Why couldn’t Simon have stayed in California? Why did he have to move back to Phoenix a few months before Jada? I threw a couple of jabs and followed them with my left hand, getting into the flow. Did I really have that much bad fucking karma? I began to pepper the bag with combinations, the sound of the gloves smacking the leather loud, but not louder than my thoughts. The harder I threw, the madder I got. With each punch, a bit of the bullshit that clouded my fucking head cleared out and I was able to focus. Boxing had always done that for me, given me a way to see who I really was. What I really wanted. The bag didn’t care who I was or what I should want. It stood in front of me and let me assault it, let me work shit out for myself without trying to talk me out of or into anything. Regardless of what it takes, I am going to make this fucking work. If I have to kill the bastard myself, I will. But I won’t lose Jada over this. This may be a fucked up few months, at best, but she’s mine. The bag bounced on its stand, shaking the chain that held it in place. The sound of my fists slamming into the leather was like music to my ears, reminding me that I was in control. I created my own destiny. I could get what I wanted. I threw a hard overhand right and watched the bag shake until it stopped. I have what I want. I want Jada Stanley. Fuck everything else. I pulled my gloves off, my moment of clarity more like a moment of acceptance of the things I already knew, and picked up my phone. Me: I miss you. Hope you’ve had a good night. Jada: Just got into bed. Me: I should be with you. Jada: You know where to find me. I smiled as I felt a pull overcome me to do just that: find her and never let her go. Soon. Me: I’m working on AH tonight. I have a few things I have to get worked out by Monday.

Jada: I heard Max talking about that. He said it was going to be the death of him. I chuckled. Me: He’s just wanting sympathy. Jada: LOL Me: I just wanted you to know that I was thinking of you. I’ll try to come by tomorrow, if that’s okay? Jada: I’d love that. I miss you. Me: Goodnight. Jada: Goodnight <3 Me: Heart.

“YOU LOOK LIKE hell,” Kari observed the next morning, giving me a once over and wrinkling her nose. She walked into the kitchen, her teal and cream robe wrapped tightly against her. Her hair was pulled into a messy bun and I could tell that Max was lurking around somewhere. I picked at my toast. “Thanks.” I hadn’t been able to sleep the night before, a kaleidoscope of images shuffling through my dreams keeping me awake. Memories of Decker at the harbor, Cane on the mountain, my drive to Arizona all rotated, interchanged, and replaced each other into a twisted, jumbled mess. And that’s exactly how I felt, sitting at the table and watching Kari pour herself a cup of coffee . . . like a twisted and jumbled mess. Why can’t I be more like Kari? Controlled, determined, put together. I was none of those things; I couldn’t even keep my damn dreams straight. It was the story of my life. I would think I had something figured out and then I would see it was all a ruse or wishful thinking. Kari sat down across the table and picked up the newspaper. “Let’s do something today,” she said, undoubtedly looking for the travel section. “I want to do something fun.” Max sauntered into the room, a pair of wrinkled jeans hanging off of his hips. He broke stride for a half a second to scan my face, before heading to the coffee pot. “You want to do something today? Let’s go to Pinnacle Peak.” “Yeah, let’s not,” I said, giving him a look. Kari’s eyes shot up in stark contrast to mine. “Yes! I love Pinnacle Peak!” Max shook his head at Kari before turning to look at me. “Do you have something better to do, Ms. Stanley?” “No, actually I don’t. Cane said he may come by today, not that I’m holding my breath at this point.” I wrapped my white robe around me tighter, trying to somehow protect myself from disappointment. “Why are you so grumpy today?” Kari asked, taking a sip of her coffee. “I don’t know. I just am.” “Tell you what,” Max said, “give Cane a call and see what his plans are today. I think you both need some sunshine and I need some exercise.”

I rolled my eyes. “I don’t want to go.” “You need to go. So go get your ass ready.” Max looked to Kari. “Asses. Both of you.” “And to think I liked you when I first met you. Funny,” I commented, getting up from the table. “But you are right, as much as I hate to admit it. I do need to get out of this house to somewhere other than work. So let me call Cane so he can tell me he’s busy and then I’ll be ready. Give me twenty minutes.” “That’s the spirit!” Kari exclaimed. Her exuberance was a little more than I could handle. I headed to my room and sat on the chair by the window. If I call Cane, he’ll say he can’t see me today and I’ll have to pretend it doesn’t matter. Or I can just text him and save face. Nodding at my decision, I pulled up his text box. Me: Max wants to take Kari and me to Pinnacle Peak today for a hike. What are the odds you may come by? I chewed on a nail, waiting for his response to come in. It took a few minutes before I heard the ping. Cane: I have a couple of meetings today, so if I do get a chance, it’ll be this evening. Why don’t you go ahead with Max? Me: Will do. Cane: I’ll see you soon, okay? Me: Okay. Xo I waited for a return message, but it didn’t come. With a heavy heart, I pulled on a pair of yoga pants, a yellow and grey striped t-shirt, and some sneakers and went back downstairs; Kari and Max were waiting by the front door. “Let’s get this over with.” My voice was decidedly less enthusiastic as it had been a few moments before. Having Cane bail on me again took the wind out of my sails. We made our way out the front door and to his truck. He drove a black on black Ford F-150 that was all jacked up; it was pretty formidable. “I only like you because of this truck, you know,” Kari mentioned as we climbed into the cab. “Good to know,” he said before shutting his door and turning on the engine. A low rumble reverberated through my body as he backed out the driveway, flipping to a country station on his radio. Besides Max answering a few work calls on his cell, the ride was pretty quiet. I found myself wishing that Cane was with us, but I reminded myself of his words: things would be back to normal soon. I really hoped that was true. I missed him. The more I thought about it, the more down I felt. I tried to focus on the banter between my sister

and Max and the songs on the radio but nothing could overtake the worry, the fear that something was falling apart. Before long, Max pulled into the parking lot of Pinnacle Peak and we got out of the truck. “Seriously. Could this thing be any higher?” I asked as I descended to the ground. “It could. But I felt any more would be overkill,” Max snickered. “Ha, ha.” Max grabbed us bottles of water from the cooler in the back and led the way. It was a beautiful day, the weather finally beginning to cool off just a bit. The sun was bright but not baking and an easy breeze flowed. With each step on the granite-strewn trail, my mood elevated, too. Max paused dutifully as Kari and I stopped to take silly selfies by the cacti. As we got to the actual pinnacle, I was actually smiling. Kari and Max walked to the other side, taking a selfie of their own, and I sat by myself on the hard ground. The desert looked beautiful from that elevation and I recalled a similar view I had seen with Cane by my side. I smiled as I remembered him opening up to me a little bit that night, sharing stories about his family. Looking out across the city from a different point than I did that night, I realized everything looked differently, depending on the perspective. I glanced over to my right and saw a little flower growing in the midst of a strip of bare desert floor. It had a thick stalk lodged in a crack in the earth; its spectacular peachy-hued petals were basking in the sun. This little flower made it, I realized, through tons of adversity. It overcame the rocks, the heat, and the location and blossomed because it fought for what it wanted. I stood and looked out across the desert. I needed to fight for what I wanted, too. As we got back into Max’s truck a little while later, my phone went off. Cane: I miss you. Me: I miss you, too. The sun had begun to set in the west, casting shadows across the back yard. Kari and I sat by the pool watching Max push a broom across the floor. After our hike, we had stopped for lunch at the Mexican restaurant where I had first met Cane. I was in the same boat leaving Blanca’s as I was in the last time—quietly hoping for a call from Cane Alexander. A light breeze tickled our skin as we sat stretched out on the chaise lounges. The sun was hidden by the acacia trees in the yard and I felt my body begin to relax. I closed my eyes and listened to the pool swirl, the water splashing against the sides as Max pushed the pool broom across the floor. “Why do you have an automatic pool cleaner if you have to clean the thing yourself anyway?” he asked.

“You don’t have to,” Kari said, tipping down her sunglasses. “You are just picky.” “We need to move somewhere that doesn’t require having a pool for survival.” Max submerged himself in the water and came back up hot and wet, his tattoos glistening with water droplets. “Move?” This was news to me. “Not specifically.” Kari looked to Max for help. “We have been talking about moving in together.” I could tell by the nonchalant way about his voice that he was testing me out, seeing how I would respond. “Oh,” I said, a little surprised. “I didn’t know that.” “We aren’t sure or anything,” Kari said hurriedly. “Just something we’ve been throwing out there.” I looked at my sister and Max as they shared a smile. “I actually think that’s great.” I set my ereader down. I couldn’t concentrate on Blake and Cam anyway. “Are you getting a new place or moving in here or Max’s or what?” “We don’t know. I said we were just thinking about it,” Kari said laughing. I watched Max work his way around the pool, his muscles pushing and pulling. “I have been checking out apartments online, too. I need to just pull the trigger on one.” Max looked at me. “Have you talked to Cane about that?” “I would have to talk to Cane at all before I could talk to him about that.” I raised my eyebrows, challenging Max to a response. I watched him force a swallow before swinging his eyes to the side gate. “What’s up, Alexander?” My breath caught in my throat as my eyes followed Max’s eyes to the side gate. Looking rumpled and without the cocky swagger he usually had, Cane came around the corner. He flashed Max a little wave before his eyes found me. He walked over with a determined look on his face, taking his sunglasses off and training his eyes on me. He bent down and buried his face in the side of my neck, kissing me lightly behind the ear. “Hey,” he whispered. He pulled away to study my face before sitting on the edge of my chair. “Did you get Howard’s call?” Cane turned towards Max. Max’s forehead creased as he stopped pushing the broom. “No. Why?” “We had a boatload of copper pipe go missing from the Benjamin site sometime last night.” Cane’s face was awash in frustration. “You’re kidding me.” Max shook his head, the laughter in his eyes from a few minutes prior now evaporated. “What the fuck?” Cane shrugged. “I’ve been dealing with that today. Security makes rounds in two hour intervals, so someone must have been casing the joint or it was an inside job.” “None of our guys are going to steal that shit. We’ve had the same guys forever.” Max disconnected the broom and hopped up, sitting on the side of the pool. Cane shrugged again, his shoulders tense. “We filed a police report. They’ll notify the local pawn

shops and shit to watch for it. But we’ll probably never find it.” “Did you call Nick?” Cane flashed Max a look, causing him to blanch. “Yeah.” Max nodded, his knuckles white as he gripped the ledge of the pool. “Do you need me to do anything?” “You did everything I needed you to do today,” Cane said, his voice softer. He looked down at me and smiled. “Now I’m taking my girl upstairs. Unless the fucking house is burning, I don’t want to be bothered tonight.” He shook his head. “On second thought, with the way shit is going, just let me burn with it.” He chuckled as he stood up with me in his arms and carried me inside. Cane buried his face into my hair and I wrapped my arms around his neck, pressing my head against his chest. I could hear his heart pounding inside his body and it caused mine to speed up, too. He kicked open the door to my bedroom and sat me down at the foot of the bed. Grabbing my head with both hands, he stood as close as possible to me, our noses nearly touching. His eyes bored into mine. I didn’t know what to say. I couldn’t read him. Silence filled the room, neither of us able to say anything. “Jada,” he whispered, bending his head down and finding my lips with his own. “I am glad you’re here.” My voice cracked with emotion as I looked at him. He looked exhausted. He motioned for me to climb into bed. I lay in my normal spot and he climbed in behind me, pulling me backwards so that my back was pressed firmly against his front. He wrapped his arms around me and tucked my head beneath his chin. “You are mine,” he said softly. “Do you know that?” “Yes,” I whispered back. “I’m yours.” He held me like that, not saying another word, until I felt his breath even out and his heartbeat slow. I knew he had fallen asleep. I lay awake for a long time, enjoying being wrapped in his arms. It seemed like such a long time had gone by since I had been able to breathe him in, feel him, relax with him and I didn’t know when the next time would come. Things have changed so much. I pushed the thought out of my mind, closed my eyes, and relaxed back into him. Before I knew it, I was fast asleep, too.

THE FOLLOWING MORNING, we lay together in my bed, Cane still holding me tight. Every time I tried to move, he would clamp down tighter, like he was afraid I would leave. Even in his sleep the night before, his arms were around me like a vise grip. We talked about a few unimportant things, but mostly we just lay together quietly. I got the feeling he just wanted to be and I was okay with that. I had missed the physical connection with him as much as anything. Being with him felt like a part of me had been missing but was now back, and I didn’t want to ruin that. As good as it felt being in his arms, I knew that he would probably have to leave long before I wanted him to and I wanted to soak up as much Cane as I could to tide me over until he came back. “Cane,” I said, turning my head to look at him. His blue eyes missed a bit of the sparkle and mischief that they normally held and that worried me a little. “Are you okay?” He kissed my forehead. “Of course I’m okay.” “You know what I mean,” I said, spinning my ring around my finger, hesitant to ask the next question. Cane blew out a breath and looked at the ceiling. “There is something different between us. I just feel like I am on the outskirts of your life.” He grabbed my shoulder and rolled me over to face him. “You are never on the outskirts of my life.” My throat tightened right along with my chest. I gazed into his eyes, the blues swirling fast and hard. “I just feel like you never want to see me, that it burdens you to have to make time for me.” Tears began to prick at my eyes. I had just thrown my worst thoughts out there and now I awaited his response. It was quick and hard. He grabbed my waist and laid me on top of him, crushing me against his body. “Jada, no.” My tears fell softly onto the heated skin of his torso before running off the side. “I know things have gone to shit. I have had a lot going on, baby. I’m hoping it will all be worked through soon. I miss . . . this. I miss you. I miss holding you, talking to you, teasing you. Baking with you.” He wiggled his eyebrows, making me smile. “When I say I want to be with you, it’s because I

do. More than I’ve ever wanted anything.” I rose to look at his gorgeous face. He was chewing his bottom lip furiously, his eyes searching mine. “Okay,” I finally said. “But I want a rain check. Every hour I have to sacrifice will be paid back with interest. Capiche?” Cane’s chest bounced as a chuckle escaped his throat, his eyes now alight with humor. “Fuck, I love you.” As soon as the words were out of his mouth, his eyes went wide. My heartbeat raced, goose bumps breaking out across my skin. My throat swelled, my breath hitching in my throat. Breathe. That was probably a mistake. “Jada,” he said, his voice rough. “I—” “It’s fine.” I plastered on a smile to cover my disappointment. “It’s fine, Cane. I know how you meant it.” His eyes began to blaze as his breath picked up. I turned to roll off of him but he grabbed my waist with both hands, holding me in place. “Fuck this,” he whispered, his eyes wild. Forcing a swallow, he continued, “This isn’t how I thought this would happen. Hell, I wasn’t sure if I would ever feel this way at all. But I do, so it’s stupid not to just say it, right?” His forehead was wrinkled and a small sheen of sweat broke out across it. “Cane—” I began before his fingertips touched me lightly on the lips, effectively hushing me. “Jada,” he said, taking a deep breath. “I love you.” Each word was clear, crisp, as if he wanted to make sure I didn’t misunderstand that he was saying it, not just the words, but the meaning behind it. I smiled through my nerves, my heart bursting with joy. My chest shook as I suppressed a giggle that was awfully timed. “You don’t have to say that.” He shook his head, his eyes wary. “Damn it, woman. If you don’t say it back in about two seconds, I am going to lose my shit.” I let the laugh escape. I loved him. It was really that simple. “I love you, too.” His face broke out, mirroring mine, before he grabbed the back of my head and crashed his mouth to mine.

Who would have fucking thought I’d be so happy after telling someone I loved them?

I shook my head. Who would have thought I would ever even consider that I loved someone at all? I worked my way through the streets of Tempe on my way to my office, a dopey smile on my face. I need to figure out how to look like a normal person before I see Max. I need to get pissed off about something. I laughed at my thoughts, at the insanity of the morning . . . at how fucking happy I was. Who knew? I hooked a right onto the freeway as my phone went off. BLOCKED was flashing across the screen. What the fuck? “Hello?” I said into the line, curiosity getting the best of me. “Hey, Cane.” The tone was crisp, cool, and full of complete bullshit. My blood ran cold. “Simon Powers.” I scanned for a spot on the freeway to pull over. I couldn’t drive with any sense and deal with this motherfucker. “How’s that leg treating you?” “Better now with this wad of cash I got from some copper I came across. Money makes everything feel better. But I know you know all about that.” I pulled over to the side of the road. I needed to concentrate. “You really are the scum of the earth.” Simon laughed maniacally over the phone. “Just getting a little back from what you took from me.” “I didn’t take jack shit from you.” “I’m about to take everything that fucking matters from you.” “What the fuck is that supposed to mean?” “How’s that girlfriend of yours? What’s her name? June? Jenna? Hot little piece, I’ll say that for ya.” “You motherfucker!” I seethed. “Don’t you fucking say her name! I will find you, fuck the law. Fuck everything. Do you fucking hear me?” “Cane, Cane, Cane,” Simon laughed. “You are like taking candy from a baby. Just tell that baby of yours not to wear that tie-dyed shirt when she goes for a walk. Makes it too easy to spot her. At least make me work for it.” The line went dead. I replayed his words again as I fumbled with the screen and dialed Jada. I felt like I had walked into a freezer, my entire body chilled. “Hey, baby!” her melodic voice rang out. “Jada,” I said hurriedly, “do you have a tie-dyed shirt?” “What?” she asked, obviously confused.

“Do you have a tie-dyed shirt? Just answer me.” I scanned the inside of the car for something to focus on, something to help me calm the fuck down. “I . . . yeah, Cane, I do. How would you even know that?” “FUCK!”

“PARKER.” “Nick, it’s me.” I swerved through the traffic, heading to my office but not sure that is where I should be. Where do I go? I slammed my hand against the steering wheel. I’ve got her involved in this! This is why I don’t get fucking involved! “I was just getting ready to call you,” he said in his typical calm voice. “Look, I just got a call from Powers,” I rushed out. Nick cleared his throat. “That’s interesting. That was why I was going to call you.” I took the exit I needed and flew up the ramp. “He’s watching Jada, Nick. He made a comment to me about a certain shirt she was wearing when she was walking.” “And you checked to make sure she has a shirt like that?” “Of course. I’m not worried about the fucking shirt, Nick.” He sighed. “I realize that. Calm down.” “Don’t tell me to calm down!” “Cane,” he said, his voice stern. “I was going to call you because no one has seen Simon in a few days. He’s not been showing up to work, he’s not been at home. Seems like he has fallen off the grid.” My tires squealed as I flew into my parking spot, the nose of my Denali kissing my parking sign. I cut the engine. Now that I was there, I wasn’t sure what I was supposed to do. There was no handbook to follow on what to do when assholes fuck with your life. “What does that mean? I mean, what does that mean to me? What does that mean to Jada?” “I’m not sure. He could be lying low. He could be planning something. He could be in Mexico for all we know. But Simon is a character of habit and this is out of habit for him, so I’m a little concerned.” I rested my head on the steering wheel. It felt like there was a minefield in my mind, little surprise explosions going off left and right. “What do we do?” “I have gotten ahold of my contacts at the police department. They have reason to believe a large

shipment of drugs will be flowing through the Valley soon and they’re watching Simon, too. They want any information we have on him to add to their files, so I’ll give them a call about this. Maybe we can get a restraining order for you and Jada, although it would be pointless, I think. He’s going to do whatever he is going to do.” “Fantastic. That does shit for Jada right now.” Nick sighed reluctantly. “I would suggest you see if she can go out of town for a few days. We have security on her, yes. But if what you are saying is true and if he isn’t making it up, then the farther away she is while we sort this out, I say the better.” “I’ll try. She’s stubborn.” That was typically an endearing quality, but I knew it was going to be the death of me. Maybe literally. I slammed my palm against the steering wheel again, making the green air freshener hanging on my rearview mirror shake and spin. “I see how the two of you are a good fit then.” I shook my head. “What are our other options?” “We don’t have any. Did he block his number when he called?” “Of course.” “We have every eye we have trying to find him, as well as the law enforcement. A lot of what I’m getting out of them is insinuations; they can’t really come out and say anything. But it seems that they think he’s involved with this drug movement. Let’s hope they find him and can wrap him up in something and get him off the streets.” “Nick?” “Yeah?” “Find him.”

I had ignored Jada’s five calls as I drove back to her house. This day went to hell in a hurry. She’s going to be pissed that I didn’t tell her all of this before. A sick feeling had taken over my stomach. I should never have pursued her, wrapped something as perfect as Jada up in my fucked up world. I knew better and I have to take responsibility for this. This epic fuckup is my fault. I pulled up to Kari’s house, thinking that I should be pulling up to move Jada’s shit out of it and into mine. Instead, I was going in to probably make her never want to talk to me again. Par for the fucking course. I parked the Denali, got out, and made my way to the door, a sense of foreboding hanging over

my head like a storm cloud. I rang the bell and waited. “Who is it?” Her sweet voice sounded through the door. “It’s me, baby.” The door flew open. She stood there in a pair of grey shorts and a cute little pink shirt. She looked gorgeous, as always. I wanted to scoop her up and take her away somewhere far away. “Hey,” she said, her eyebrows furrowed. “What are you doing back here?” She stepped to the side as I walked in. “I need to talk to you.” My voice was rougher than I would have liked, but this wasn’t a conversation I wanted to have. “Okay.” She closed the door behind me and followed me in the kitchen, her steps hesitant. “Is Max here? Kari?” I asked, looking around. She shook her head, her ponytail bouncing. “Nope. Just me. What’s going on? I’ve been trying to call you.” “I know. I didn’t want to discuss this over the phone.” I sat down at the table and motioned for her to join me. She pulled out a chair slowly and sank into it, her eyes never leaving me. “What’s going on?” she repeated. I blew out a breath and caught her up on the events related to Simon. “Cane,” she said, her eyes wide in horror as a realization of what I was getting at hit her full force. “The day I wore the shirt . . . first of all, I never wear that shirt. Kari despises it. I’ve had it forever. That day when we went for a walk, I felt like someone was watching me.” My stomach lurched, bile hitting my esophagus. That motherfucker was watching her! Her jaw dropped open and she visibly shivered. “When we got home,” she swallowed, looking around the room. “Cane, when we got home that afternoon, the back door was open.” “Why didn’t you tell me?” I narrowed my eyes, in complete disbelief that she wouldn’t find that just a little fucking important. “Because I thought I was paranoid!” She looked around the kitchen like she was thinking. “And the night at the bar! I felt it then, too. That whole night, I just felt like something was wrong. I even thought I saw Simon standing there.” “You should have told me this!” “Well, maybe if I had known everything that was going on, I would have! You didn’t tell me anything!” I watched the clarity wash over her eyes and I braced myself for her reaction. “I’ve been walking around every day with no idea. I was completely vulnerable!” She gasped. “How could you let me do that, Cane? I . . . I don’t even know what to say!” I had never felt so stupid. “You’ve been trailed for a while now, Jada.” I tried to keep my voice controlled, flat, to avoid incensing her any further. I watched her reaction.

“What is that supposed to mean?” Her jaw dropped further and I winced. “I’ve had someone following you, making sure no one got to you.” I sighed, feeling defeated for the first time in a long time. Maybe ever. “He works for the PI company I hired to go after Simon. It’s the same one that helped me when Dad died.” “How could you not tell me this? Cane!” “I didn’t want to worry you. I didn’t know if this shit was from Simon or a coincidence, if he was after you or me. I didn’t know anything for sure, Jada.” Her eyes were as wide as saucers. “I can’t believe you didn’t even tell me.” “Look, this is my fault. My life is one fuckup after another. I should have never went after you like I did. You don’t deserve this.” I hung my head. “I didn’t want you affected by all of this if you didn’t have to be, baby.” “Well I obviously am! Damn it, Cane!” My shoulders slumped forward. I was exhausted in every way possible. “I need you to go out of town for a few days until we can find Simon. Something is going on and until we know what, I want you out of the way.” “Oh, so now you get to come in here, spill your guts, and then tell me to leave?” “Jada, please.” I met her eyes. “This is for your own good. Don’t make me pull crazy shit to get you out of here, because I will. You know I will.” She crossed her arms against her chest, eyeing me coolly. “Just a few minutes ago, it seems, I was telling you I loved you. And now I sit here and wonder what relationship I’ve even been in because obviously my reality and yours have been very different.” “Come the fuck on.” “You were all angry that I didn’t tell you Decker had called me, yet you keep this entire thing from me for weeks! Pot calling the kettle black, don’t you think?” “Stop with the Max bullshit.” “Don’t even go there right now, Cane!” She put her hands on her hips and glared at me. “At least Max is honest.” “Oh, you think Max didn’t know about this? Think again, babe.” Jada sprang up from her chair and paced the kitchen. “So what? I go out of town and you come with me?” I shook my head. “I can’t go, Jada. I have to be here.” “How do I know you’ll be okay?” I smiled. “Because if you are okay, I’m okay.”

I MARCHED INTO the offices of Alexander Industries with a renewed purpose the next morning, wearing the orange dress that Cane loved. Max had been delegated to find me a flight and it left that afternoon, much to Cane’s dismay. I had insisted on seeing my father the night before and telling him goodbye, since he had been feeling ill and I had no idea when I would be back. Cane had insisted on staying the night and, when he left that morning, a black car had replaced his Denali in the driveway per Cane’s orders. I wasn’t a fan of having a guard sitting in the driveway, but I could see Cane’s point in having him there. When I had exited the house, Ryan, as I learned was his name, insisted on driving me wherever I wanted to go. So he drove me to Cane’s office. I just wanted to see him again before I left, to make things right. The night before had been awkward and frustrating and, as I thought about leaving him for a few days and the danger he was quite possibly under, I just wanted to make sure things were settled between us. He had promised to come by and take me to the airport, but I didn’t want it to be a rushed goodbye. I wanted to take my time and make sure we were on the same page. Or at least that we knew what each other ’s page was. I found the front office vacant. Cane’s SUV was out front, so I knew he was there. I waited impatiently for a few minutes and, with my anxiety building and no Lucy in sight, I started back towards Cane’s office door, smiling to myself as I recalled our rendezvous there. The way he had ordered me to bend over his desk. The sound of his zipper coming down in the stillness of the room. The feeling of the cold air hitting my skin as he raised my dress to my waist, the warmth of his hand touching my skin, caressing me softly. The feeling of him pounding into me, hard as steel, while papers flew wildly to the floor. It seemed like both yesterday and a lifetime ago. Every step I took closer to his office had my heart beating faster. I had missed him so much: our talks, his lame jokes, and our physical connection. I felt like a part of me was missing and, when I had realized that, I knew it spoke volumes. By the time I got to the hallway to his office, I felt ready to pass out. I took a few deep breaths as my strides got longer, ready to see him and wrap my arms around

him. I could hear voices as I turned the corner to his office. The door was cracked and I stopped in my tracks at a female’s voice coming from the other side of the door. “Cane, I am so sorry,” the woman said. Her voice was soft, intimate. She spoke to Cane like she was familiar with him and that had my guard up immediately. I stepped to the side of the door, eavesdropping. “You’ve said that a number of times. I hear you.” “I know. I need to stop apologizing. But I just feel so bad about the way we left things.” “For fuck’s sake.” Cane’s voice was laced with irritation. “Can we not talk about it, please?” I heard a chair squeak. “You are right. It’s time we focus on the future.” My mind raced with possibilities. Who is this woman he clearly has a past with? And what do their futures have in common? Dear God, is he cheating on me? The lump in my throat was the size of a baseball and, try as I might, I couldn’t get past it. “Focusing on the future is exactly what I want to do.” Cane’s voice was soft. It destroyed me that he was using that tone with another woman while discussing his future. Tears sprung to my eyes and my hand grabbed my throat. I could feel my body heating as fear and a pain so real tore through me. What the hell is going on? “Let’s do that. Come by the hotel tonight. I have a little kitchenette. I’ll go to the grocery and find some seafood and make you a dinner that you can’t find out here. Or I could come to your house, if that’s better.” “Ashley . . .” And, just like that, my world stopped spinning. I swung my hand to my mouth to stop from crying out. “I know what you like, Cane. I know you better than anyone. I even brought you some coffee milk. Remember that?” I heard Cane’s laugh and it reverberated through me. “I’ve spent the last few years wondering what happened to you and feeling like you were the one that got away, that you would always be the piece of my life that was missing. We were so great together, baby. And we still are. I know you know what I mean,” Ashley said. “The one that got away, huh?” Cane laughed. I could imagine his face, how the lines around his eyes crinkled and the smile across his gorgeous lips. The tears, hot against my cheeks, fell quicker. “Remember how we sang that song about buffalo in that karaoke bar in Newport? I still can’t believe that really happened,” Ashley giggled. “Lots of tequila made that happen,” Cane said. They were silent for a moment and I struggled to keep myself from making any noise for fear of being discovered. I wanted to walk away, knowing that listening to their conversation was wrong, but

I couldn’t force myself to leave. It was like watching a train barrel at you, knowing you were going to have your legs cut off at best, but not being able to move. I was a glutton for punishment. “That tequila made a lot more than that happen,” she giggled. “Look, Ashley. You seem to be doing really well and I’m glad to see that, but—“ “Jada!” Lucy said brightly, coming around the corner. I jumped at the sound, accidentally bumping the door. “I didn’t know you were coming in this morning. It’s so good to see you.” As I stood upright, I looked to my side into Cane’s office . . . and into the eyes of the man I loved. Our eyes found each other immediately, as they always did. Panic filled Cane’s eyes as he realized I had heard everything. Bile rose in my throat as I felt wave after wave of sorrow, anger, frustration, jealousy, and loneliness roll across me, drowning me in despair. It was just too much. Turning on my heel, I bolted towards my car. And Cane didn’t follow. That was the loudest thing I heard all day.

I jumped from my chair and stormed past Ashley, going after the one person in my life I couldn’t live without. The look on her face, knowing what she must be thinking, ripped a hole into my soul. I have to get to her! I can’t let her walk away! Hurry the fuck up! “Cane, baby,” Ashley said behind me. “No, Ashley,” I said, turning towards her, my body shaking with fury. “I am not your baby.” Her face fell as her lips pouted together. “Cane? What’s going on?” I laughed as my voice rumbled with the anger that I couldn’t unleash. All of the stress, the fucking torment, I had been dealing with all came to a nasty head. “It’s pretty fucking easy,” I said, looking into her eyes for some sort of warmth, something to make me feel like she wasn’t the cold manipulator I knew her to be. “I don’t understand what’s going on,” she said, standing up in front of me, her hand grasping the arm of her chair for support. “Oh, I bet you do. As a matter of fact, I’ll bet that Nicole called you the other night and let you know that she ran into me. And you decided to make an appearance because I ignored your calls.” Ashley struggled to keep her composure. “Well, no. I just . . . I’ve been thinking about you. That’s all. I had a dream a few nights ago that we were getting married and I couldn’t shake it. It just felt like

an omen or something.” I took a step towards her, my blood searing. “The answer to every dream I’ve ever had is on her way home now, pissed as fuck at me,” I seethed. Ashley’s eyes grew wide. “What is that supposed to mean?” I strode over to the door and swung it open, holding it in place. “That means you need to get the hell out of here and forget that we ever knew each other.” “So because your little girlfriend is now mad at you that I was here, you want me to forget our history together? I don’t think so, Cane. How can you forget something as magical as we had?” “Magical? For fuck’s sake, are you serious?” I laughed in disbelief. “She’s more than you could ever hope to be and by some fucked up chance, she likes me. She may even love me. And if you’ve fucked my life up again, so help me God, Ashley.” Ashley whipped around to face me, her eyes wild with fury as she realized that her plan was crumbling down. “How could I fuck your life up, Cane? Huh? You’ve always managed to let everyone down on your own.” My body shook angrily and I took a step back, not trusting myself to be so close to her. “You have no idea who I am. You never knew me because you were too fucking worried about you. I have someone for the first time in my life that I would do anything for.” “That hurts,” she whispered, her face falling. “Nothing hurts you. You don’t have a fucking heart! But the love of my life does and now I have to figure out how to explain this bullshit. So get out of my office and book yourself a flight back home.” “I’ll always love you,” she whispered. I shook my head. “If you can love anything, maybe you do love me. But the feeling is not mutual.” “You have my number,” she said as she made her way down the hallway. “Lose mine!” I called after her. I stepped back inside my office and closed the door. I ran my hands through my hair, my mind racing in a million different directions. I picked up the phone and clicked SEND. As soon as I heard it pick up, I began talking. “Ryan? It’s Cane. Is she all right?” “I think so, sir.” “Are you taking her back to her house?” “Yes, sir.” “Good. Go straight there and I’ll be there shortly.”

“I DIDN’T FUCKING know!” I bellowed, causing Jada to jump back and away from the bed. I ran my fingers through my hair. “I’m sorry for yelling. But just listen to me!” Jada was sitting in the chair by the window. Her eyes were swollen from crying and it killed me to see her like that. “It’s just too much, Cane. This is all just too damn much.” I took a step towards her and she held up a hand. “Just . . . don’t. I can’t process anything else today, okay?” “Baby, I am sorry for all of this. I literally walked into the office this morning and she was there. I had no idea.” Her bottom lip quivered. “I believe you. I just . . . I can’t.” She laughed a small little laugh that only made me feel worse. “I just can’t deal with anything else right now.” I watched her sitting there with her face streaked, her hair pulled partly down from her ponytail. The orange dress she had worn earlier just for my benefit, lying in a heap on the floor. I felt like a complete fucking ass. “Can I hold you? Please?” She snorted. “I have to finish packing. I need to leave for the airport in an hour.” She looked down at herself. “And I need to get cleaned up. I’m a mess.” “You are just overwhelmed. Everything will be okay, baby. Let us find Simon and you can come back.” Her bottom lip quivered and a sick feeling took over my stomach. “What are you thinking?” I asked, afraid of the answer. “Nothing,” she said, looking away. “You are lying to me.” “You can spot one of your own kind.” “Jada. Don’t go there.” “Why, Cane? You don’t like being put on the spot? You don’t like it when I call you out on lying to me for weeks now? Even when my life might have been at stake? Or the fact that I walk in today and see Ashley in your office? You don’t want that open for discussion?” I tried to stay calm, to stay in control of my body, but it was spinning out of control too quickly.

“Damn it, Jada! It’s not like that!” She leaned forward, her eyes angrier than I had ever seen them. “Here’s what it’s like, Cane. The fact that I’ve been feeling you pull away and scared to fucking death that it was going to end like it did with Decker. But you convinced me otherwise and I believed you. And now I have to go out of town because someone may want to kill me, yet I have to leave you here when he might be trying to kill you, too! How am I supposed to manage that, Cane? How am I supposed to live while worrying that something is going to happen to you?!” She took in a rush of breath and her body shook. “And then I come in there today to see Ashley sitting there.” Her eyes narrowed as she spat her name out like a poison. “Once again, I thought my life was headed in the right direction and I feel . . . I feel like everything has been thrown into a mixer and shaken beyond recognition!” Tears flowed down her cheeks again and I couldn’t stop myself. I bounded across the floor and wrapped my arms around her. She pounded her fists into my chest as I held her tight, before giving in and wrapping them around my back as she poured herself into me. “I’m so sorry, beautiful girl. So, so sorry,” I apologized, kissing her head. Tears began to prick my eyes. “This will be over soon and you can come home. We can pick back up where we left off.” She sniffled as she pulled away, keeping her eyes on the floor. “I don’t want to pick up from here.” My body stilled, my blood running cold. “For fuck’s sake! What’s that supposed to mean?” “I’m just tired, Cane.” She shook her head. “I need to get packed, okay?” “I will be there to get you. I promise you.” I tilted her head to look in my eyes. “I love you.” Her eyes clouded again as she tried to look away. “I love you,” I repeated. “You are my world. My happiness. My exception.” Her lip shook as a smile made its way across those beautiful lips. “I love you.” She pulled from my grip and I let her chin drop. “You won’t go with me?” Her voice was so soft, I almost didn’t hear it. “I can’t, Jada,” I whispered, my voice cracking. She nodded, but I could see that the anger she had when I first arrived was making a comeback. My chest felt heavy as I considered walking out of this room. She was clearly irate at me. I just hoped like hell it would dissipate as she cooled down. “You are leaving Arizona because I asked you to, right? And not because you want to get away from me?” She refused to look at me as she muttered, “Yeah.” I grabbed either side of her head and pressed my lips firmly to hers. I rested my forehead against hers, not wanting to let her go, but knowing I had to. “You are mine. Whether you are here or in Chicago—you are mine.” She stayed silent as I turned and walked out of her room, leaving my heart, my happiness . . . my whole fucking world in her hands.

Max was standing by the front door when I made my way down the steps, looking as wary as I felt. “How’d that go?” he asked. A pained look was on his face. “You’re going to have your hands full. That’s all I’m saying.” Max tilted his head. “Does she even know I’m tagging along?” I shook my head, waiting for his reaction. He snorted in disbelief. “You fucking owe me, man.” “When do I not, Max?” We eyed each other, a million words exchanged and not one spoken. “How mad is she?” “Madder than I would like. But at least it will encourage her to stay away from here until I can get this shit sorted. My biggest fear was that she would just show back up, but I think she’s pissed enough to stay away until I can come get her. Although she didn’t mean to, Ashley just may have done me a favor.” “Do you think you should try to smooth things over before you go? I mean, she was going to move to Chicago at one point, man. I’m just saying,” Max pointed out. “I would rather have her in Chicago and alive than here, with me, and in danger.” I shook my head, crazy ass thoughts flying through my mind, making me feel sick. “I can’t have anything happen to her, Max. This is a risk I have to take.” I paused. “I love her.” Max raised his eyebrows, a grin sneaking across his face. “Tell me something I don’t already know.” “Yeah. Well . . .” “I know you have your plate full right now, but don’t forget about the delivery in the morning for AH. I’ve asked Howard to go over there and coordinate the subcontractors until he hears from me, but you or I have to sign the delivery ticket tomorrow.” “Thanks. I give you shit all the time, but I appreciate your help. You’re the only person in this world I can count on.” I clapped him on the shoulder. “Yeah, I know.” He smirked. “But honestly, keep your head up, Alexander. I have Jada taken care of, but you take care of you. There’d be a few people that would miss you if something happened to you. And I’d be pissed as hell to have to finish these projects myself.” I chuckled, shaking my head at my best friend. “Fuck you, Max.” He nodded. “Fuck you, too.”

MY LUGGAGE MADE a thumping sound as it hit each stair on the way down. I probably could have picked the bag up and carried it, but it seemed like more effort than it was worth. “What are you doing?” Max grabbed the bag from me and threw it over his shoulder. “This is going to be a long trip if you don’t start acting like you got some sense.” I rolled my eyes. “You are taking me to the airport. It’s a thirty minute trip. You will survive.” “I’m ready!” Kari’s voice called out from behind me at the top of the stairs. “Come get this thing, Max! It’s heavy!” Confused, I turned around. “What’s going on? Where are you going?” Kari flashed me a huge grin. “We, my dear sister, are going to Chicago!” I glared at Max. “Care to explain?” I asked, crossing my arms in front of me. “Simmer down. I owed her a vacation anyway, so why not Chicago?” “Yeah! Don’t try to talk him out of this!” Kari pouted from behind me. I blew a piece of my hair out of my face. “This is ridiculous, Max. Utterly ridiculous.” He leaned in close, winking. “This is ridiculous, I agree. Cane should have killed Simon the night he grabbed you and this would have been over. But, alas, he didn’t and here we are.” He leaned back again and gave me a look. “The tickets are bought and we are going. You may as well suck it up and smile.” I glared harder. Max shrugged. “Or not.” He took the stairs two at a time, grabbed Kari’s bags, and passed me on his way back down. “Let’s get it, girls.”

“Now, Max,” my father said, shaking his hand. “You do understand you have my entire world in your care. I should warn you that while I may appear to be an old man, I can still come after you.” Max laughed. “Mr. Stanley, I promise you I will keep them safe. That’s why I am going . . . no

matter how much Jada objects.” Dad looked at me and then back at Max. “I think I like you.” “We really need to board,” Kari said and I elbowed her in the side, flashing a look to silence her. “This is kind of sweet. Let them have their moment!” “Kari,” Dad said, nodding his head back and forth. “Behave.” “I will, as always.” She kissed him on the cheek and joined Max in line. “Goodbye, Papa.” “My Jada,” Dad said, eyeing me curiously. “I know something’s going on with you. But I won’t push. Just be safe and check in every now and then. And although you haven’t worked long enough to ensure I have to hire you back when you return, the odds are in your favor.” I watched him and he winced, placing his hand on his chest. “Daddy? Are you okay?” “Of course,” he said, looking a little uncomfortable. “My breakfast just isn’t settling the right way. And I hate seeing you go.” I hugged him once more before joining Kari and Max in the boarding line. I hated leaving him, but hopefully it would just be for a few days. We boarded quickly and I got comfortable in my seat. As I watched Max and Kari across the aisle, I smiled. “You okay, Jada?” Kari asked across the aisle. “Yeah, I’m good.” “I know that’s a lie, but I’m going to take it as a good sign that you care enough to lie,” Kari smiled. “You can take that for whatever you want to.” I leaned back against my chair, getting situated so I didn’t bother the old lady on my right. “Chicago seems like a fun place,” Kari said thoughtfully. “We will just think of this like a mini vacation.” “I suppose so.” I sighed sadly, knowing this was not going to be a vacation of any sort. “You know, Chicago is where I wanted to be originally after my divorce. It’s kind of bizarre that I’m ending up there now, don’t you think?” I paused, thinking about what I had just said. “There’s that saying, ‘For every door that closes, another opens.’ Mom used to say that. Do you remember?” Kari nodded. “I feel like a door in my life may be closing. I’ve worried about it for a while, but sitting here on this plane, heading for Illinois, it just seems very . . . real.” I closed my eyes for a second, absorbing the words I had just spoken. “I’m grateful for this door opening, Kari. I have options and a lot of people don’t. But I just really liked the door that closed, you know?” “Yeah,” Kari said, looking at me warily. “I’m really not liking how you’re talking right now.” I shrugged sadly. “I can’t be afraid to lose something that may not be meant to be.” “I’m calling bullshit on that.” Kari reached over the walkway and grabbed my hand. “For the

record, although I’d like to chop his balls off right now, I don’t think necessarily that any door is closed right now. Just leave that one cracked a little, okay?” My heart clinched. I loved Cane. There was zero doubt about that. But with everything that happened, I wasn’t sure that I could trust him. He didn’t tell me about Simon and he was pulling away before any of that started. Well, before I thought it had started. He had lied so much about that, I wasn’t even sure when it began. And then Ashley was in his office. Had she been calling him? Did she have something to do with his retraction from me? Or was his pulling away really about the Simon thing and work, like he said? Was I in the beginning stages of the same thing I was in with Decker? I began to feel overwhelmed and a bit claustrophobic as the last people boarding the plane took their seats. I had a vision of Cane running on to the plane and asking me to stay and as the doors began to close, I knew that wasn’t going to happen. I was leaving him behind in harm’s way. My chest began to squeeze and I forced air in and out of my lungs. In. Out. In. Out. He has to be okay. He just has to be. I blew out a breath hastily, shaking my head. I needed to stay calm. Panicking wasn’t going to help anything, but it was easier said than done. The loudspeaker buzzed and the flight attendant went through the rules and safety regulations and I was reminded that I hadn’t turned off my phone. I rummaged through my carry-on until I found it at the bottom and touched the screen to turn it off. The screen lit as it unlocked and I saw a message staring back at me. Cane: I love you. My eyes filled with tears as Cane’s name sat on my screen. Me: Be safe, please. <3 Cane: <3 I smiled at his emoji before turning my phone off, burying my head in a pillow, and silently crying myself to sleep.

“I love Escalades!” Kari exclaimed as we walked to our rental car a few hours later. “I’ll drive.” “Yeah. No,” Max said sternly. “What?! I let you come on this trip. The least you can do is let me drive!” Kari whined.

Max raised his eyebrows at Kari, giving her a no-nonsense look. “You didn’t let me do anything, sweetheart. You had no choice.” “That’s what you think,” Kari said, rolling her eyes. I couldn’t help but laugh at their banter. We piled into the SUV and Max took the wheel with only a sigh from Kari. I took the backseat, needing a little space of my own for the ride to Heather ’s. I took out my cell to text Heather and was disappointed that there were no additional text messages from Cane. I didn’t know whether to send him a message or not, unsure of what he was dealing with. I scrolled past his name and clicked my friend’s instead. Me: Just landed! Be there in a few. Have wine. Heather: LOL! I’m excited to see you, Jada! And I always have wine! ;) “No! Absolutely not,” Kari said as I looked up to see her changing the radio station. “I let you come. I let you drive. I will not let you pick the radio station. I can’t even begin to take Miranda Lambert right now.” I laughed as Kari gave Max a look and switched through the stations until she found a nineties pop station and Britney Spears blared through the speakers. “You’ve got to be kidding me,” Max grumbled. Kari leaned over and kissed him on the cheek. “You know you love it!” “I love Miranda. Not Britney.” Kari rolled her eyes as she started singing along to the music. I watched the city pass by the window and I wondered where Cane was, what he was doing . . . and where in the world was Simon Powers?

“THAT’S IT!” I said, reaching over Max’s shoulder and pointing at a little white house with black shutters on a corner lot. It was a cute little house in University Park, an area that Heather raved about. I looked around, feeling like I could like it there. “Finger out of my face,” Max grumbled and we laughed at him. “I haven’t complained one time, but the Britney Spears marathon put me over the top.” “You shouldn’t complain at all! You were the one that insisted on coming!” Kari said brightly and I giggled. Max didn’t look as amused as he steered the car into the driveway. We opened our doors and got out, eager to stretch our legs, as Heather came out of the house, a huge smile on her face. “Hi!” she shrieked, her eyes glowing. “I’m so excited to see you!” She ran to me and gave me a big hug. “Thanks for letting me come,” I began, holding her at arm’s length. “That’s what she said,” Heather said and I laughed. Her sense of humor hadn’t changed at all. “I’ve missed you.” We stood in the driveway, the evening sun turning the sky into a web of pinks and purples, introducing each other and catching up on the trip. Kari and Heather had met before and got along really well. I took a deep breath, feeling like maybe things were going in the right direction. “Hey, not to ruin this little party,” Max said, silencing their chatter, “but I’m starving.” “Do you all want to go out to eat or do you want to order in? Or I can fix something,” Heather said, raising her eyebrows. “I can bake excellent chocolate chip cookies, but I’ll not guarantee anything else.” I swallowed hard as memories rushed through me. “Let’s go out,” I said, not wanting to be anywhere near cookie dough. “I am going to show you the best part of Chicago: deep dish pizza!” Heather said, clapping her hands. “I knew I was meant to be a Chicagoan!” I laughed as I caught Max’s eye. He flashed me a warning look. “Do you want to take the rental car?” Max asked, holding the keys tightly.

“No! Are you kidding? We have to take the Metra line and get the full experience! It goes right to Grant Park and it just so happens that my favorite pizza place ever is across the street!” I smiled at my friends. “Sounds perfect to me. What about Brian? Do you think he’d like to come?” “Oh, he loves to come,” she smirked. “Heather! Do you think he’d like to come for pizza?” She laughed. “I don’t know, but I can ask him!”

“This is a piece of heaven. That’s all there is to it,” I said, leaning back in my chair completely stuffed. “I don’t think I could eat another bite!” “Heather, you have now ensured that I will be visiting a lot,” Kari laughed. “I’ve never had pizza like this! Does the world not know about Chicago pizza? Why do we not have it in Arizona?” “You girls and your food,” Max said, shaking his head. “Not that I’m complaining. You just don’t hear women love food like you two.” I shot him a look. “And your point?” Max held his hands up. “I didn’t have one!” he said and we all laughed. “Now I want to show you Grant Park!” Heather said happily, snuggling against Brian. “It’s right across the street and seriously, besides shopping downtown, it’s one of my favorite things about the city.” “She should really be the Grant Park Ambassador or something,” Brian said. “She tells everyone about it.” I was happy that Heather had invited him to come to dinner. He was very friendly and seemed to be a decent guy. I knew that he was in a band, but wasn’t prepared for his mohawk when he walked through the door. But any sort of shock from that was tempered by his adorable dimples that appeared when he smiled. “A park?” Kari asked. “Can I just wait here?” “It’s not a park like you’re thinking,” Heather explained. “There’s Buckingham Fountain that is the best at dusk—so we should make it for that. And then the bean! You have to see that!” “Here we go,” Brian muttered. Heather smacked him on the arm. “Hey! I saw that on TV,” Max said, his interest piqued. “It’s this huge stainless steel piece of art that appears seamless, right?” “Exactly,” Heather said, obviously happy that Max was interested in her city. “You’re so hot, yet such a dork,” Kari said, shaking her head. “Kari!” I laughed. “Be nice.” “I said he was hot,” Kari said, defending herself.

“It’s okay,” Max said, grinning at Kari. “As long as she wants my body, I don’t care what she thinks about my mind. We do have to see that.” He looked down at her before looking back at Heather and I. “But then we will head to our hotel room.” “You didn’t have to do that! You could have stayed with me!” Heather sat up, looking disappointed. “I know. But this is doing double-duty as a vacation and I need some alone time with my girl,” he winked at Kari. “I’m going out of town for a gig late tonight and I can leave my car at Heather ’s if you need it, Jada,” Brian said, looking at me. I smiled. “I don’t know if I have anywhere to go, but yeah, that would be great!” “I’ll just have my buddy Matt swing by and pick me up from there and it’s all yours,” Brian said. I smiled at my group of friends, overwhelmed by their generosity. “Thank you all for helping me through this. You all have sacrificed for me and I don’t know what to say. I appreciate it so much.” “Hey, I am just lending you my car. From what I hear, Max deserves a real apology,” Brian said, cocking his head to the side, his eyes wide. “Britney Spears? That’s tough, dude.” Max and Brian exchanged a head nod. “On that note, all I do ask is that you leave my radio alone,” Brian said seriously, making me giggle. “I promise.” My phone began to ring in my purse and, with a heavy heart, I pulled it out. I expected it to be Cane, but when BLOCKED flashed across the screen, I froze. Max had been watching me and didn’t miss a beat. “Who is it, Jada?” “Blocked,” I muttered, looking at him with wide eyes. His jaw set as he pushed his chair away from the table. “Excuse me. I’ll be right back.” “Max!” I said as he stood. He looked at me, his phone in his hand, his eyes wary. “Make sure he’s okay,” I choked out. He flashed me a small grin. “He is going to be okay because he won’t leave you by yourself. Remember, he’s a selfish asshole.” Please, God, keep him safe.

“JADA?” HEATHER CALLED down the hallway the following morning. “Yeah?” I asked, my voice giving away the sadness that I felt. It sounded raw, broken . . . not like me at all. Well, not the usual me but maybe that was the new me. The me without Cane. The me without any certainty of the future. The me sick with worry, frustration, and anxiety. “My coffee maker just broke,” she said, coming to the doorway of the bathroom where I was getting ready. “I don’t know what bad karma I spread for this to happen, but it’s not cool.” “I’ll be fine.” The only reason I’ll be fine today is because he sent me a text, letting me know that he was fine. “I’m not worried about you,” Heather said seriously. “I can’t function without two cups flowing through my system. I’m going to jump in the car and run down to the coffee shop and grab a cup. Do you want me to bring you one? Or do you want to go with?” I sat my toothbrush down on the counter. “Yeah, you know what? Let’s go grab some coffee and doughnuts. Caramel topped doughnuts would make me happier today.” “I’ll have coffee cake, but okay. We’ll take Brian’s car. He blocked me in, but he left his keys on the floorboard,” Heather said, shaking her head. “It’s like he doesn’t realize that it could actually get stolen. It’s a good thing he’s cute.” I smiled. “His dimples are adorable.” “One day soon, I will give you all the details,” Heather said, eyes twinkling, as she led me out of the bathroom. I scrunched my face. “Not all the details. I don’t want the nitty gritty.” “You’re lame,” Heather said in mock disgust as we stopped in the kitchen. Heather found her keys while I slipped on my sneakers. “Now let’s go get some coffee!” We left the house, jumped into Brian’s car, and made our way into town. It was a beautiful morning in Chicago and we rode with the windows down. We grabbed coffee at Starbucks and then found a little bakery with all kinds of fresh goodness, ordering a dozen different things because we were indecisive. “Will Brian care if I eat in his car?” I asked, peering into the bakery box that was sitting on my

lap. “Because I’m not sure if I can wait until we get to your house.” Heather laughed. “I’ll make it up to him, don’t worry. Give me one of those,” she said, pointing to a piece of coffee cake in the box. The car was filled with that fresh baked scent as I opened the lid and handed Heather her slice. I grabbed a caramel topped doughnut with nuts and took a bite. “I may move here just for the food,” I said through a mouth of confection. “I can’t argue with that.” Heather wiped her mouth off on a napkin I handed her. I took a deep breath, swallowing passed the lump that had formed in my throat. “Speaking of that . . .” My eyes darted to hers before looking back at the doughnut. “If I wanted to stay in Chicago, could I stay with you?” Heather ’s eyes flew to mine and I felt my cheeks heat. “I’m not saying I want to. I just . . .” I searched for the right words to explain what I was thinking. “I don’t know, Heather. Things are just such a mess. They were a mess before I got here, I think.” She sat her cake on the middle console. “You can always stay with me. You know that. But can I ask where your head is right now?” I smiled sadly. “I wish I knew. I just feel like everything is out of control. I couldn’t control the fact that I had to come here, you know?” I watched the traffic signal turn red and Heather slowed the car, coming to a stop. She looked at me. “The last time I talked to you, you were worried that he was pulling away. Does this have something to do with that?” I shrugged. “I don’t know. I just feel like if I don’t watch it, I’m going to be the same person I was before. No control of anything. At the mercy of a man and his life. Always worried about something going on, about things happening that I don’t know about. And I want to make sure I don’t get back to that.” “And you feel like if you know you can stay with me, that will help ease your nerves?” Nodding, I said, “I’m just trying to remind myself that I have options.” She laughed as the light switched to green. “I’ll be your backup plan. That’s fine with me. Just don’t go deciding anything too quickly, okay?” “Okay.” We rode in silence the rest of the way home, Heather giving me some space to think, which would have been great if I could have concentrated on anything. I would start to figure something out and my brain would go back to Cane. In Arizona. With Simon. And the internal anxiety attack would begin all over again. We finally reached Heather ’s. We got out of the car and made our way to the house. Something on the stoop caught my eye and I zeroed in on it as we approached. “What’s that?” Heather asked, taking a couple of steps ahead of me and reaching it first. I held my breath as I got up to it, a beautiful bouquet of colorful roses sat on the steps, a white

card sticking out of the foliage with my name on it. Heather unlocked the door and I picked it up, my heart fluttering in my chest. I kicked the door shut behind me and sat the flowers down on the coffee table, Heather standing back and watching with a smug smile on her face. Finding the card in the midst of reds, yellows, oranges, and whites, I opened it.

My eyes teared up. I held his note in my hand and looked up to Heather. “I don’t care what you say. He is a keeper,” she said matter-of-factly. “He may not be perfect, but aside from Synyster Gates, no one is.” I laughed, sniffling back tears. “He isn’t perfect. Not close. But damn it if he doesn’t try.” “Trying,” Heather said, her voice softer, more serious, “is half the battle, my friend.” She gave me a wink as she walked out, leaving me with my flowers . . . and my thoughts. I snapped a picture of the flowers and sent it to Cane. Me: They are so beautiful. Within seconds, his response came. Cane: You are more beautiful than those flowers. Me: Thank you, but I don’t know if that’s possible. Cane: Those flowers won’t be beautiful two weeks from now. You will be beautiful forever. My lip quivered as I sent my response. Me: I love you. Cane: I miss you. And I love you. Me: The orange ones are my favorite. Cane: Mine, too. They remind me the most of you. And that dress.

Me: And red cups and wine? ;) Cane: LOL And fancy pizza dinners in offices. I giggled at the memory. Me: I wish you were here. Cane: No, I wish you were here. With me. Where you belong. I just looked at his message, not sure what to even say. Cane: Soon. Me: Goodnight. <3 Cane: Goodnight, baby. <3

I woke up as the sun came up and reached out to pull Jada close. My hand brushed against the sheets and they lacked the warmth that her body usually brought to them. I opened my eyes to search for her and remembered that she wasn’t there. I felt my world fall out from underneath me again, the loss of her almost more than I could bear. I pulled my black comforter over my head and tried to go back to sleep. But every time I closed my eyes, I saw her green eyes, heard her laugh, and felt her skin against mine and I was reminded, yet again, of what I didn’t have. And why. “This is fucking bullshit!” I yelled out, my voice bouncing off of the walls. The echo made the room feel so empty just like I felt inside. So fucking empty. How did I let things get this way? How did I so royally fuck this up? I threw back the blankets and jumped out of bed, fueled with my own stupidity. I tugged the legs of my boxers down as I heard my phone ringing faintly. Where the fuck is it? It stopped ringing and a few seconds later the ring indicating a voicemail went off. I scratched my head, trying to remember where I had sat it the night before. My office, the workout room, the shower . . . I remembered sitting it on the vanity while I brushed my teeth, fighting myself on whether to call Jada or not the night before. I walked towards the bathroom as it went off again.

I walked in and it was sitting right where I had left it. I looked at the screen and swiped it on. “What’s up, Nick?” “Hey, Cane. I have some good news for you, for once.” I stilled. “I could use some good news right about now.” “My sources tell me that Simon is hiding out in Casa Grande. There’s a pickup spot there for the cartel he works for. The police are watching it closely, but they can’t go in there guns blazing without a warrant and, unfortunately, they don’t have probable cause.” “So we wait?” “We wait. But at least we have somewhere to start.” I looked at myself in the mirror. I looked like shit: bags under my eyes, the color of my face dull. “Let me know if you hear anything else. He’s still around. The call to Jada proves that.” “I know. We will get him. Just hold tight.”

Jab, cross, hook. Jab, cross, hook. Jab, cross, hook, uppercut. I hit the bag over and over again as Powerman 5000 blared through my phone. I had to get some of the aggression out of my system so I could settle down. It had been a long fucking day. I got nothing done. I couldn’t focus on anything. I went from being insanely pissed off that Simon wasn’t found, to being sadder than I ever imagined that Jada wasn’t around, to angrier than hell that I couldn’t do anything to fix any of it. I glanced at the clock. 2:19 AM Jab, cross, hook. Jab, cross, hook, uppercut. I had been at it for a couple of hours and felt no better than I had before. The clarity, the peace I normally found in the gym was out of reach. I squared up again and started throwing right, left, right when the music cut out and a ringtone took its place. I tossed off my gloves and grabbed my phone off the dock. “What’s up?” “Cane. It’s Nick . . .”

I STEPPED OUT of the Escalade in front of Heather ’s house the next afternoon following a goodbye brunch with Kari and Max. This was the moment I had been dreading more than anything. I watched them get out of the front seats and join me at the back of the vehicle. “Are you going to be okay? No, don’t even answer that. I know you are going to be okay,” Kari said, blinking back the tears forming in her eyes. “I’m going to be fine.” I sounded much more confident about that than I felt. Just thinking about the two constants in my life—the two people that had been there for me no matter what—leaving me and going back to Arizona destroyed me. But I couldn’t go back yet . . . if I could at all. I just wasn’t sure which way was up. Or if up was even a viable option. “Come here,” Max said, pulling me into a tight embrace. “If you need anything, anything at all, you call me. I’ll figure it out.” He pulled me in tighter. “Cane is a handful. Just remember that everything he does is because he loves you, all right?” “What’s that supposed to mean?” I said, sniffling. His shoulders rose and dropped, a smirk on his face. “Thank you for everything.” I pulled back from him and smiled. “Take care of my sister, okay?” “Don’t worry about that.” I turned to Kari, hugging my sister goodbye. Neither of us could find the words to express what we were feeling, but we both knew the other understood. “So, call me when you make it home. Your flight leaves first thing in the morning, right?” I asked, wiping my face dry with the back of my hands. “Yeah, at ten, I think,” Kari said, looking at Max for confirmation; he shook his head. “Okay. Well, let’s not delay the inevitable and make this hurt more than it’s going to,” I said, walking backwards towards the house. “I will see you guys soon.” I watched as they got into the Escalade. Max drove and Kari blew kisses out of the window as they pulled out onto the street. They pulled farther and farther away and a piece of my heart went with them. I had never felt so alone in every way. Taking a deep breath and summoning all the strength I could muster, I put on my bravest face and

marched back inside. “I’m back!” I called as I walked through the front door. “I’m in the kitchen,” Heather shouted back as I made my way through the living room. “Where in the world did you go? I was getting ready to call someone to go find you.” “You mean you wouldn’t come look for me?” I asked, laughing. “Hell, no! If you had gotten kidnapped, I wasn’t putting myself out there to be a victim, too!” “Nice,” I said. “Anyway, we had brunch and then did a little sightseeing. I’m pretty much worn out. I think I’m going to hop in the shower and go to bed.” Heather looked alarmed. “I mean, unless you had plans . . .” I looked at her skeptically, worried that I had hurt her feelings by not wanting to hang out. “No,” Heather said quickly. “No, not at all. Actually,” she said, wiping the counter nervously, “I was going to go to Brian’s. He, um, he needs my help with something. I probably won’t be back until morning, if that’s all right.” “Yeah, have fun,” I smiled. “I will see you tomorrow sometime.” “Bye, Jada,” Heather said, smiling. She grabbed her keys out of the basket on the counter and headed to the front door. I watched her leave and stood there, looking around the empty house, feeling the emptiness seep into my bones. I kicked off my tennis shoes and left them, too depressed to even bother to pick them up. I shrugged off my jacket as I walked down the hallway to my room, smiling sadly when I saw Cane’s tshirt on my chest. It was one of the few physical mementos I had of him and it made me feel like there was still some connection, like he was still close. I opened my bedroom door and stopped dead in my tracks, my hand still on the doorknob. On my bedside table sat a red plastic cup and a plate of chocolate chip cookies. Cane’s scent was everywhere and I wondered how that was possible. My heart raced as a chill ran down my spine. A mixture of confusion and hope melded together with memories and I could barely stand. I pushed the door farther open and tears sprang to my eyes. He stood by the window, his hands in his pockets, eyes conflicted and as beautiful as ever. A smile broke out across his face tentatively, as if he were afraid to really believe what he was seeing, too. I forced air into my lungs as I removed my shaking hand from the knob. “Jada,” Cane said, his voice rough and needy. “Cane,” I gasped. “You’re all right? I don’t understand . . . how? What are you doing here?” “I’m just coming after my girl.” He grinned nervously and my legs began to go weak. “I—” “Simon was arrested last night, Jada. I don’t know the details because I didn’t ask. As soon as Nick told me, I hung up and called the airline to get here as soon as possible. All I could think about was getting here to you.”

I felt a huge weight lift, rising up off my shoulders. I felt like I could breathe again. “So, he’s not a threat anymore?” I asked hopefully, the sting of tears blurring my vision. “You’re okay? You are going to be fine?” “Yes, baby, I’m fine. And no, Simon is not a threat anymore. Not to me and, more importantly, not to you.” My knees buckled and my shoulders sagged with relief. Thank you, God. Thank you. I wasn’t sure of anything else, but if this was the only thing I could be certain of—it was enough. Cane was safe. Cane took a step towards me. He was a mess. His clothing wrinkled, a five o’clock shadow lining the jawline that I loved to kiss. His eyes were swollen and I wondered if he had been staying up at night, too, thinking about me . . . about us. “Jada, it’s over. It’s all over now.” My head felt light, like the room was spinning, and I shuffled my way to the bed and sat on the edge. The revelation that Simon was locked away, that Cane was all right, that no one was looking for me anymore . . . that Cane was standing in front of me was too much. I put my head in my hands, forcing air in my lungs. It’s over. My mind was racing, not quite believing the words I was hearing. This is too good to be true. I struggled for air, my lungs feeling compressed. What does this mean? Does this mean everything is okay now? Am I supposed to just go home and pretend this never happened? This is the end of Simon, maybe, but is this the beginning for Cane and I? There was just too much to think about, too much to consider. Too many things to be thankful for and too many things to worry about. Cane crossed the room quickly, kneeling in front of me. He kissed the top of my head, wrapping his arms around me. The feeling of touching him calmed a part of my soul, healed a piece of my heart that had been hanging in the balance. His touch was warm, a mixture of hard and soft that was uniquely Cane. He smelled of cedar and a hint of tobacco. It made me feel at home. I felt pieced back together as he wrapped me in his arms. My world was righted again. That up was a viable option. “I am so sorry.” His voice started to break. There was a vulnerability in him that I had never seen before. I reached up and wrapped my arms around his chest. Emboldened by my action, Cane scooted me to the edge of the bed, pulling me in. “I am so sorry,” he repeated again, his voice barely a whisper against my skin. I ran my fingers through his hair, longer than I had remembered, not sure what to say. Everything was still in such disarray, such a convoluted mess. I couldn’t find the words that he needed to hear and I didn’t know the truths of my feelings to

share. So I said the one thing, in the midst of all the disorder in my head, that I was certain of. “I love you,” I whispered. “I was so afraid.” His body stilled, his warm breath halting against my neck. He pulled back slowly, looking at me with wide eyes. “I love you, beautiful girl. Your strength amazes me. Fuck, I think you are stronger than me.” “I don’t know about that. I just . . .” I tilted my head to the side, studying his face. “The only thing, and maybe the only thing, that I know right now is that I love you.” He pressed his lips to mine gently, holding my face on either side with his large, calloused hands. I closed my eyes like I did the first time he kissed me and tried to commit it to memory, willing my tears to stay away. “That’s the one thing that matters. We can figure out the rest.” Can we? What else is there to figure out? I wasn’t even sure. I had been so focused on Cane and Simon that I hadn’t had time to sort everything else out. Ashley, him pulling away before all of this went down, the fact that he had been lying to me . . . My head began to pound as all of that came back. “What’s going on in that head of yours?” I shrugged. “I don’t know. I’m so glad to see you in front of me. I was so scared something was going to happen to you.” “Hey. I’m here. I’m fine. It was you I was worried about. That’s why you had to go.” His voice was like music to my ears, music I had been dying to hear and was now being played just for me. “I know.” “But that’s over now. You can come back home,” he whispered, brushing a lock of hair out of my face. I looked into his eyes, knowing exactly what I wanted to do but not at all sure what I should do. I vowed once to always listen to my brain and not my heart, but I couldn’t tell them apart from one another anymore. Cane pressed his mouth slowly to mine, his lips soft, gentle. I closed my eyes, releasing some of the worry I had been holding inside of me at finally being able to touch him again, of knowing he was safe. Of knowing that he came for me. I pushed all thoughts from my brain, pressed all decisions that needed to be made to the back of my mind as I focused on the present, of Cane laying me back on the bed and covering my body with his. His body was heavy as he pressed it on top of mine, our bodies making contact at every possible point. He laced his fingers through my hair on each side of my head, holding me firmly in place as he kissed me like his life depended on it. Maybe it did. Maybe mine did, too. I became putty in his hands, my body responding to his like a siren’s call: letting him, trusting him, needing him to take the lead.

He broke the kiss, both of us struggling to catch our breath. He stared at me intently, his gaze as heavy on me as his body, until I finally became nervous. “Cane? What’s going on?” Very slowly, his face broke out into a smile. “If you only knew how much these little moments meant to me . . .” He looked down, blushing. “I do know,” I whispered, “because that’s what got me through these last few days.” I wrapped my arms around his back, my hands going beneath his shirt, feeling his muscles flex at my touch. I stroked his skin with my fingertips, feeling his body respond. His lips found mine, more aggressively this time, as the fire that was always burning between us intensified once again. “I need you,” he muttered against my lips. I nodded subtly and his hands found the hem of my shirt. He drug it lazily over my head and tossed it away. I unbuttoned my pants, pushing them down and kicking them off. He grabbed a condom from his pocket before removing his pants, and depositing it onto the floor; his shirt quickly followed. He was a sight to behold. His body was leaner than it normally was and chiseled to perfection. His shoulders were bigger, his abs more serrated. Men spent hours trying to achieve this level of definition. Noticing my curious look, Cane smiled. “I’ve been boxing a lot. Hours a day.” He tore open the wrapper and rolled the protection over himself. “I approve.” He climbed onto the bed and over me again, holding himself above me in a push-up position. “I approve of this. And I’ve made a decision.” “What’s that?” “You are more beautiful than sexy.” “Okay,” I said, not sure exactly how to take that. “Don’t get me wrong—you are sexy, too. But that doesn’t explain who you are. Not to me. Being sexy is just on the outside. It would do you a disservice not to take into account the person you are on the inside. You are beautiful everywhere.” “And you say you hate words,” I said, reaching up and pulling his face down towards me. “It’s you. I lose the filter. It’s the only thing I don’t like about you.” He lay on top of me and I could feel his hardness against my leg. I wrapped my legs around his waist and he guided himself into me. He pushed slowly, spreading me apart as he plunged deeper, inch by inch. “I’ve missed this,” he said, pulling back and then rocking forward slowly again. “Me, too.” My body stretched with his size as he pressed in and then pulled out. He repeated the act until he found a delicious rhythm, not too hard and not too easy. He propped himself up on one hand, his

other finding my nipple and rolling it between his fingers. I closed my eyes and escaped the mental prison I had been in, enjoying the pure physical pleasure from the glorious man above me. He pressed harder, pulled quicker, my body building quickly until he pulled out altogether, causing my eyes to fly open. “I want you on top.” He lay beside me, propping his head up on a stack of pillows. I straddled his waist and hovered over him. I palmed his girth, solid against my hand, and sat down slowly until he was fully seated inside my body. Cane reached up and squeezed my breasts in his hands, massaging them lightly as I began to move. He closed his eyes, a low growl escaping his throat. I moved faster, emboldened by his response, the friction of my body against his working me up quickly. I rocked my hips as I moved, causing his mouth to drop open. He rumbled again, moving his hips to meet mine with every movement. He bent forward, taking one of my nipples into his mouth, licking and sucking the tip. I couldn’t take it anymore. “Cane . . . I’m—” “I’m coming with you, baby.” I swirled my hips with a flourish, grinding myself on his cock. I let out a moan as I tipped over the edge, my body firing harder than ever before. Cane pressed himself deep inside me, groaning as he emptied himself into my body. All I could see was little white flecks as I came down from the high. I could feel Cane pull out. I watched him through the haze as he made his way across the room, his muscles tight, before coming back to the bed. He lay beside me, brushing my hair from my face. “Well, that’s it,” he said sighing. “What’s it, Cane?” “You.” “Me? What?” I laughed. “You. You are it for me, baby.” I leaned my head against his chest sighing as the weight of the decisions that had to be made make their comeback. The past predicts the future. But is that a good thing?

I SAT ON the couch in the living room the next morning, nursing my cup of coffee and trying to figure out what to do. I had managed to avoid the question of going home the night before. It was fairly easy because Cane kept my mind and body occupied most of the night. But it was a new day and I knew it was do or die time. A decision is going to have to be made. I knew, without a doubt, that Cane was the love of my life. Even as I thought back to Decker, I never loved him like I loved Cane. But, just like it was with Decker, my love wasn’t the problem. It wasn’t my feelings that had me questioning everything. It was his. He was acting like everything was fine, that he was in love with me. But I was worried, sick even, that it was just because he felt relieved that Simon was behind bars . . . and guilty for putting me in such a precarious position. He had lied to me. He had kept things from me. He seemed like he was pulling away from me . . . and Ashley had been in his office. Those sorts of things are exactly what Decker did before the end. If things with Cane ended up like they did with my ex-husband, I would be completely and utterly destroyed. Gutted. Annihilated. I sat my coffee cup down on the table and put my head into my hands, praying that I would wake up and this would all be sorted out and that someone would make the decision for me. But I knew that wouldn’t happen. I felt him watching me before I could see him, his gaze causing the little neurons in my body to go spastic. I sat up not looking up as I felt him come closer. The sofa dipped with his weight as he sat beside me, not giving me a choice but to look. He sat there, wrapped from the waist below in a purple towel, watching me intently. “Good morning, beautiful girl.” I smiled softly, his grin crushing me. My heart was heavy, like it was being jerked around by a set of strings I couldn’t control. “Max just sent me a text to make sure I made it through the night,” he winked, trying to lighten the situation. “I told him so far so good.” “He and Kari are leaving today, right?” I asked hesitantly.

“Yeah. They are on their way to the airport now, I think.” I looked at the floor again, my heart beginning to sink. I wasn’t ready to think about everything else. With Kari and Max leaving, it was going to be a matter of time, minutes perhaps, until Cane wanted to go back to Arizona. I just wasn’t sure what to do. If I go back, am I going to be throwing myself into the same dynamic I have been trying to avoid? But if I don’t, will I regret it? Possibly for the rest of my life? “What? What’s going on?” He took my hands in his and squeezed. “Jada, talk to me.” “I know Simon is gone now, but . . . even before I left, before all of the Simon stuff came to light to me,” I raised my eyebrows, driving home my point, “I was worried.” “About what?” “That you were pulling away. Maybe it was because of Simon, since you obviously knew more than I did. Or maybe your new project at work. I don’t know. But then Ashley in your office just set fire to that little bit of insecurity that had been trying to turn into a wildfire on its own.” “No. That’s crazy talk.” I forced a swallow. “Crazy or not, that’s what I’m thinking. You asked.” I spun my ring on my finger. “Yes, I knew about Simon when you did not and I had a lot going with that. Yes, my new project at work has been a giant pain in the fucking ass, but it will be worth it in the end.” He stroked my cheek with his thumb, his voice softening. “But the Ashley thing is bullshit. Plain and fucking simple.” I smiled shakily, almost afraid to believe what he was saying. Like he could read my thoughts, Cane smiled. “Believe it.” “I want to. I never wanted anything more than I do for this to work, but—” “But?” He sat upright, the fire back in his eyes. The Cane I remembered was back. “There are no fucking buts, Jada. I’m sick and tired of feeling like my life is over. I haven’t seen the sun shine since you left. I didn’t know what it even looked like until I saw you in that little restaurant and I never want to go a day without it now.” He took a deep breath. “I should have been honest with you from the start. But I wasn’t. And I take responsibility for that. But I’m also taking responsibility for our future, Jada. Our future. Because my future doesn’t exist if you aren’t in it.” The tears I had been fighting welled up again. “I may not be perfect but I am real, Jada. I’m going to fuck up again, probably. But I told you once I would never hurt you on purpose and I haven’t. And I won’t. Ever.” Tears silently slid down my cheeks, my emotions stripped raw. I wrapped my arms around his neck, tears pouring freely down my face. He held me tight against him, crushing our bodies together. I held on for dear life: for my hopes, my dreams, my fears and for our future. “Just because someone doesn’t love you the way you think is perfect, doesn’t mean that they don’t love you with all they have. And I love you with everything I am, Jada,” he whispered. I pulled away from his embrace far too soon, but I couldn’t allow myself to get hauled back into

things without really thinking them through on my own terms. “When are you planning on leaving?” I asked, looking out the window. He smiled. “As soon as you are ready to go home with me.” I shook my head sadly. “Cane, I don’t think I can go now.” He sat up straight, his eyes wild. “What do you mean you’re not going now?” I looked away from him and towards a pic of Heather and Brian kissing and laughing at what appeared to be a concert venue. That is how things should be. Easy. Enjoyable. Fun. “I’m not going to Arizona,” I said softly. “Okay. So you want to wait a few days? I understand that.” His voice was full of hope that I had to shatter. I turned to look at him, his Adam’s apple bobbing. “Cane,” I began, “please don’t make this harder than it has to be.” “This doesn’t have to be hard at all. You go pack your stuff and we get on a plane and go home.” He bit his lips as he watched my reaction. His mannerisms betrayed the coolness of his voice. I had to look away from him before I spoke. I didn’t want to hurt his feelings, but I had to make sure that whatever I did was the right thing. If this wasn’t going to work out, I wanted to know now while I could restart easily and not be completely wrecked. “There’s just a lot of stuff that I haven’t had time to process. I don’t want to just run back to Arizona and pretend like everything’s perfect. Decker lied to me, hid things from me so many times and I just listened to his apologizes and I—” “I’m not fucking Decker! You can’t punish me for what he did to you!” “I’m not punishing you for what he did to me, Cane. I am learning from what he did to me. And now that you are doing things that are very, very similar, I have to change the way I react. Otherwise, that’s the definition of insanity!” “Jada,” he said as he knelt down in front of me, “please don’t do this.” I looked into those blue eyes that I loved, the ones that made me feel safe and adored. There was a storm brewing. My chest burned with the feeling that I had caused that. “I’m looking out for myself. That’s all.” “I want to look after you. You are my girl.” I smiled sadly. It was so hard to hold myself together while I was breaking his heart. I knew I had to be strong and say what needed to be said. No time for more tears right now. “I love you. I just—I have to make sure this is the right thing. I’m not saying I won’t go back, I’m just saying I need a little time to breathe.” “You need time to breathe? Fine. Do it from Tempe. But I’ll be damned if we have gone through all of this for you to back out now.” “Cane, don’t do this to me. Don’t make this harder.” “What do you want me to do, Jada?” He asked, his eyes blazing. “Do you want me to just walk away and not fight for you? Not fucking beg you to come with me? Because that’s what I can’t do. I

won’t ever do that. You can’t expect me to fucking do that!” I leaned back on the sofa, my eyes wide. “That’s not your decision to make.” “The fuck if it isn’t!” He leaned forward, resting one of his hands on my knee. “I’ve gone my whole fucking life and never had this, never thought it was possible to have this! And now that I do, I won’t give it up. I won’t, baby. Everything I have done—every fucking thing!—has been to protect you, to give you what you deserve. I won’t back down now. I won’t lose you over this. Especially when I know you love me, too.” He stood up, running his hand through his hair. I knew his brain was working overtime, the wheels turning wildly. “You want time?” He shrugged. “Fine. I’ll be in your room packing my shit.” The lump that had been plaguing me formed again as his words hit home. He was really going to leave me. It’s what I wanted. “But I’ll be ordering our tickets home in about an hour. So go ahead and get your thoughts together or whatever you want to do. Because I am not leaving without you. Period.” Smirking, he turned on his heel and walked down the hallway. This is the Cane I know. My Cane. The Cane that won’t take no for an answer. My body flooded with warmth, the tears changing from sorrow to love in a second as I watched him walk down the hallway. There was no point in fighting it anymore. I recalled the flower from Pinnacle Peak. I need to fight for what I want, not against what I need. “What if I say no?” I asked, trying to stay mad but fighting a grin. “You haven’t been gone that long, baby. Surely you will remember that I always get what I want.” He paused in the doorway to my room, a soft smile playing across his lips. “And the only thing I want is you.”

Cane bent down and kissed me sweetly, his eyes lit up like they used to before all the madness happened. “I’m going to go for a run so you can say goodbye to Heather, okay? Then we can head to the hotel?” His cocky grin was back in full force and I rolled my eyes. “That sounds good.” I shook my head as I grinned. “I’ll get my stuff gathered up while you are gone.” He kissed me again, a little longer this time. Pulling his head back, he said, “I love you.” My heart turned cartwheels in my chest. Things may be all right, after all. “I love you.”

He walked to the front door, looking casual in a pair of black mesh shorts and a grey hooded sweatshirt, and passed Heather in the doorway. “See ya later,” he called out as he headed down the sidewalk. Heather watched him until he was out of sight, turning to me with a wicked grin. “I’m going to guess that went well.” I sighed happily. “It did. I think all of my insecurities just reared their head at the same time as everything else. Just a recipe for disaster, you know?” “He’s a recipe for sex on a stick. Holy hell, Jada.” I giggled. “I know, right?” Heather headed to the kitchen and I got up to follow her. “So, what’s your plan now?” “We are going to stay a night or two downtown before heading back to Arizona. I think we owe ourselves a little time together . . . just us, you know?” Heather sipped her coffee, her eyes smiling at me over the brim of her mug. “Yeah. I agree. So you are leaving tonight?” I nodded. “Yeah, when he gets back, I think. I’m supposed to get my stuff together while he’s running.” She sat her mug on the counter top, watching me intently. “I think he makes you happy. And after everything you have been through, that makes me happy.” She narrowed her eyes. “Give yourself a little break, Jada. Give him some room to mess up. He is a guy but I think he means well. Just give him a chance.” My eyes widened. “He has charmed you, too! That bastard!” I laughed. She held her hands up in defense. “He came out of the bathroom yesterday before you got home without a shirt on. Those abs won me over.” She wiggled her eyebrows. “You’re an idiot!” I laughed, shaking my head. “I’m going to get everything together. Thank you . . . for everything. You are such a great friend.” She smiled widely. “I am. I really am. Now come visit me more often!” “I will. I promise.” She picked her mug back up and made her way to the refrigerator. “Now I’m going to eat some ice cream and pretend like my life isn’t going back to normal.” She swung open the door, taking out a tub. “Now get ready so you can leave when that hottie gets back. I can’t promise I can behave myself.” I laughed, shaking my head as I made my way to my room. I opened the door and spotted the red plastic cup on the table, warming my heart. My happily-ever-after starts now. It’s not a fairy tale. It’s a choice. With a bounce in my step, I began to gather my belongings, putting them back into my suitcase. My mind wondered to how things would be when we got home. I needed to find an apartment. I needed to come clean with my father. I needed to thank Nick, whoever he was. There was a knock on the door. “You left your phone in the kitchen. Here, it says it’s Max.” Heather ’s hand was extended, my

phone in midair. “Thanks,” I said, taking the phone. “Max?” “I don’t know, Jada!” Kari’s voice broke over the phone. “Kari? What’s going on?” “It’s Dad, Jada. The hospital just called me and he’s been admitted!” “At the hospital!? Kari! What’s happening?” “I don’t know. He was taken to Mary Sherman Hospital where I work. One of my friends on the staff put two and two together and just called me. They think he’s had a heart attack. We just landed at Sky Harbor and are on our way, but I knew you would want to know.” “I need to be there,” I wailed, thinking of my dad in a hospital bed and my sister all alone. “We weren’t going to leave for a few days, but I have to get back there now.” “I don’t know anything. It may be nothing,” she said softly. “I don’t want to scare you, but I had to call you.” “I will catch a flight home as soon as I can.” “Jada, I called you from Max’s phone because I was charging mine. But it’s charged enough now and I need to call the hospital back. Can you talk to Max?” “Sure,” I said, throwing the last of my stuff into my suitcase and sitting on the bed, looking at Heather nervously. “Jada?” he asked, his voice gravely. “Max?” I spun my ring around my finger, wishing I was home. “It’ll be all right, Jada. We don’t know how bad he is or what is the matter for sure. Just stay calm, all right?” His southern drawl settled my nerves a bit and I remembered to breathe. “Where’s Cane?” “He went for a run. I will be there as soon as I can.” “When were you coming back?” he asked. I sighed, looking up at the ceiling. “In a couple of days. We hadn’t decided. As soon as he gets back, we will head to the airport.” “Keep me posted okay? Have Cane call me when he gets back.” “I will,” I said, my voice breaking before pressing END. I threw Cane’s things in a bag haphazardly, grabbed my purse, and headed to the front door. I sat our bags off to the side and paced the room. “It’s going to be fine,” Heather assured me. “Kari will be there soon, right?” I nodded, thinking the worst. “I need to get plane tickets. Where’s my cell?” Heather shrugged, looking around. “Did you leave it in the bedroom?” I raced down the hall, searching frantically for my cell. It was lighting up, alerting me of its location as I neared the bed. Max: Southwest A1278 leaves at 3:45 PM. Just use the self check-in, I already bought them. I smiled, looking up at Heather. “I hope my sister knows what a great guy she has.”

KARI PUSHED OPEN the door to Dad’s room and we made our way inside quietly. He lay asleep on his bed, an oxygen tube up his nose and various monitors taped to his chest. He looked pale and grey, not at all like the strong, vibrant man I once knew. I instinctively grabbed Kari’s hand. My heart broke at the sight before us. The blood pressure cuff on his arm made a sound and Dad’s eyes fluttered open. “Damn thing,” he muttered before he saw us standing in the doorway. His face lit up and he tried to move before giving up. “There are my girls,” he said with as much enthusiasm as he could muster. “Hey, Daddy,” I said, my lips trembling as I made my way to his bedside. “How are you feeling?” “Like garbage.” He held out his arm as the cuff released the air. “You didn’t come all the way home because of this, did you?” I nodded, looking at all of the wires extending from his body. “Of course I did. I was worried.” “Ah, I’m a tough old guy. Don’t worry about me.” “You didn’t do this on purpose, did you? Just to get her back here?” Kari winked at me. “Maybe I did,” he chuckled. “How are you, Jada?” “I’m great. Fantastic.” Even I didn’t believe it by the sound of my voice. Dad reached over and took my hand. “You should be great. You should be great every day of your life. Both of you girls,” he said, looking at Kari. “Because once you are lying in a bed like this and realize that you can be called to the heavens faster than you want to be, you realize that the only thing that mattered in your life is what made you happy.” He smiled wistfully. “Do you know what I would give this very minute to go back and redo everything?” I choked back my emotions and Kari squeezed my hand. “I spent too many hours in the damn office. I let your mother go to bed angry at me for stupid things because I wouldn’t just say I was sorry. I got irritated with you girls and your doll shoes scattered all over the house when you were little. All of that was wasted energy, girls. It is a waste of energy to not just be happy.” A nurse came in behind us and walked to the side of Dad’s bed. “Ladies, visiting hours were over a long time ago.” She looked at the clock. “I would suggest coming back in the morning.” “I don’t want you staying in the waiting room. Go home and get some rest.”

I bent down and kissed him on the lips, his aftershave scent only barely detectable. “I’ll see you in the morning, okay?” Kari patted his hand. “See you in the morning, Papa.” “Girls,” he called as we made our way to the doorway. “I love you both more than anything.” “We love you, too.”

I watched Cane slip into the Denali beside me, the street lights casting an orange-like glow over him. He patted my leg before buckling himself in and starting the engine. He took his hand off the gear shift and turned to face me. “I’m taking you home with me,” he declared, his eyes braced for my response. “I really think maybe I should go to Kari’s.” He bit the side of his cheek thoughtfully. “Why?” His simple question struck me by surprise and I found myself searching for words. “Well, I live there, for one. Two, I need a shower and a change of clothes and my things are there.” He worked his head side to side, considering my point. “Good points, both of them. And I think they both need to be addressed.” I leaned back a little. “I don’t follow you.” He smirked, putting the car into reverse before speeding Cane-style out of the parking lot and onto the road. “You live at Kari’s. Your stuff is there. Both of those things are ridiculous.” “Uh, you just said they were good points.” He squeezed my thigh before returning it to the wheel. “It’s ridiculous that you live there.” “I know,” I said, letting my head rest against the seat. I looked at Cane and he flashed me a surprised look. “That was easy.” He pressed his lips together in satisfaction. “I was planning on looking for apartments before this, anyway. I want to start looking right away and get back to a normal life. I can’t live with my sister forever.” “Ah,” Cane said, tsking. “Not what I was getting at, sweetheart.” The lights on the side of the road got brighter as we exited onto the freeway. The little lizards and desert flowers carved on the retaining walls lining the roads made me smile. When I failed to comment, Cane continued, “What I was getting at is that you should move in with me.” “Move in with you?” “I didn’t stutter.” I collapsed back, letting my body completely sag against the leather. “I don’t know about that,” I

said warily. “We just are getting everything figured out. We probably shouldn’t overcomplicate things right now.” “Overcomplicating things means that I can’t have you when I want you. That I have to drive across the fucking Valley to see you or not sleep in my own bed.” He narrowed his eyes at me, raising the corner of one lip. “I believe it was you, beautiful girl, who said she likes to keep things simple. Simple means that we see each other all the time without traveling. That I don’t have to wonder if I will see you that day. That I don’t have to worry about you not having your fucking stuff when I want to go home.” My stomach began to flutter and, as my brain told it to calm down, it just got worse. “It makes sense. It falls along your rules.” He smiled brightly, sitting up straight. “See that? I’m compromising! You want things simple, so I’m agreeing. You can’t argue that!” His pride made me burst out laughing and he feigned horror. “Are you laughing at me?” I tried to stifle my giggles. “No. I wouldn’t do that.” “Good. Because that shit will get me to hire movers tomorrow and have your stuff at my house by the end of the fucking day.” “You wouldn’t!” His eyes widened, a sexy smirk crossing his lips. “Try me.” “What am I going to do with you?” He shrugged nonchalantly. “Easy. Move in with me. I just told you that. Now that is taken care of . . .” He whipped the Denali on an exit, clearly meaning we were going to his house. “Nothing is taken care of! Can you at least let me think about it since we are so obviously going to your house tonight?” The light was red at the intersection and Cane slowed to a stop. He leaned across the vehicle and kissed me happily. “Sure. Think about it. Just don’t take too long.” With a wink, we sped across the city: me and my infuriating, frustrating, and loveable Cane.

“I REALLY WANT to spend the entire day with you today, but Max is dealing with some stuff at Benjamin Estates and we have a delivery at AH this afternoon that can’t be rescheduled.” Cane stuck his bottom lip out and I reached up and bit it lightly. He eyes heated immediately. “Keep it up. Fuck up our day. It would make me really happy.” He leaned out of my Jeep, grabbing hold of the doorframe. The morning sun was shining happily, reflecting our moods, even though we got very little sleep the night before and was up early. Cane had driven me to Kari’s so I could get changed before I headed back to the hospital. “I want you to pull out of here first. I’ll follow you to the freeway.” “Cane, really?” He winked as he began to shut the door. “Just humor me, okay?” I blew him a kiss and started the engine. He slammed my door shut. “You have the key I gave you to my house, right?” He asked as I rolled down my window. I nodded. “Do you want me to meet you there this afternoon?” “Yeah,” he said, his voice taunting. “Go ahead. Make yourself at home.” “We will discuss this later.” “We will discuss this tonight.” I blew him another kiss and backed down the driveway. Cane jumped in his Denali and followed me to the freeway, before turning right when I turned left.

The day had been long, emotional, and all-around draining. The only bright spots of the day were Cane’s texts every hour. The doctor had come in and explained the results to Kari in all kinds of medical lingo. She had translated it to me to mean that he had a heart attack, but the permanent damage had been minor. They were going to keep him overnight to monitor him while one final test result came in, but with better

diet, exercise, and stress management plans, he should be fine. By the time I got into my Jeep in the late evening, I was spent. The families in the waiting room, crying and worrying left and right, were downright depressing. I didn’t know how Kari did that day in and day out. I sat in my car as the sun sat beautifully in the sky just above the horizon. It was a mix of blues, purples, and rosy pinks, like a painting hanging above me. I picked up my phone and dialed Cane. It rang twice before he answered. “Hey, baby! Is everything okay?” His voice was laced with concern and it made me smile. “Yeah. Dad’s going to be all right, but they’re keeping him overnight. I’m just leaving the hospital now.” “I’m on my way home now, too. I had a few things to take care of at Benjamin Estates that I didn’t expect, but everything’s okay.” I flipped my visor down as I pulled out of the parking lot. “Do you want me to grab something to eat on my way home?” Cane chuckled. “What?” I asked. “You just referred to my house as ‘home’. You just made my fucking day, baby.” I laughed, my energy waning by the minute. “You sound beat. How about I pick up dinner and you grab a bubble bath until I get there?” His voice was low and sexy. I just wanted to make it to his house, get undressed, and lay in his arms. “That’s the best thing I’ve heard all day.” I knew he was grinning. “I am driving through Gilbert now, so it’ll be a little bit, but I’ll be there.” “I love you, Cane Alexander.” “I love you, beautiful girl.”

I TURNED THE radio up, the beat to the random hip-hop song on the radio matching my mood. Lighthearted, optimistic, fucking happy. I’m listening to fucking hip-hop? I leaned back in my seat and couldn’t help the smile on my face. In a few minutes I would be at home—home—with Jada. Don’t fuck this up, Alexander. I laughed out loud. At least I knew myself. The sun dipped below the horizon as I made my way west, towards my house and my girl. She called it home. There’s hope for me yet. I exhaled some nervous energy, knowing that the next day was going to make it or break it. It had to go right, I had too much damn time and money invested in it. Not that I gave a shit about the money. It was made to be spent. But I wanted her to want what I had to give her. What I had to offer her. Besides my heart. Because she already fucking owned that. An excitement I couldn’t remember feeling before sparked through me, reminding me vaguely of Christmas morning as a little boy. The feeling of knowing something great could possibly happen, if the stars aligned and everything panned out like you planned. But just like a little kid on Christmas morning, I really had no control over how this went. That would be up to Jada. My phone lit up on the dash and I recognized Lucy’s cell number. “Hey, Lucy.” “Good evening, Mr. Alexander. I just wanted to remind you that I’m off work tomorrow. You haven’t been in the office for a few days, so I wanted to make sure you remembered.” I hadn’t fucking remembered, but she deserved the time off. And I had apparently already approved it. “Yeah, Lucy. That’s fine.” “Great. Enjoy your evening.” “Hey!” I called out quickly. “Yes, Mr. Alexander?”

“It’s Cane, Lucy,” I muttered for the thousandth time. “Where is that pizza shop you ordered from the night you delivered pizza to Jada? Do you remember?” “Yes, sir. It’s right next to our office. Would you like me to order for you?” “Yes, please. Have them deliver it to my house, okay?” “Yes, sir!”

By the time I got to Cane’s house, the night sky was cloudless, starless, and black. I was exhausted, mentally and physically, and the sound of a bubble bath while I waited for the love of my life to get home was bliss. Home. I smiled to myself, realizing that Cane was right. I did refer to his house as mine. Could I do that? Could I live with him? I shook my head, a warm feeling taking over me from the inside out. I wasn’t sure if I could, but I wasn’t sure if I couldn’t either. The neighborhood was quiet. The only sound was the crickets making their humming sounds. A small wind glided through the streets, whipping my hair behind me. I finally felt that I was where I belonged. I used the key that Cane had given me the night before and pressed it into the lock, turning it to the left. It clicked easily and the door swung open. I took a few steps inside the dark room to the alarm pad instinctually, before I realized that it did not go off. I stared at the pad, lit up all blue and not flashing or asking me to press in Cane’s code of 7282. A chill rippled up through my spine, snaking slowly through my limbs. My legs felt heavy, even though my brain was screaming at them to move. Fast. Now! I shoved my cell into my pocket quickly so I wouldn’t drop it. A clicking sound echoed off the walls of the great room. Panic coursed through me and adrenaline flowed through my veins. Fight or flight survival mode kicked in full force. I turned to bolt towards the door, but it was just like a bad dream. I couldn’t move as fast as I needed to. As fast as I wanted to. As fast as I knew I must. I didn’t get two steps away before I felt the worst pain I could ever imagine.

Out of nowhere, something slammed against the side of my head, impacting me with such force that I immediately lost all control of my body. The pain was searing. A loud noise barreled through my ears. Burst of colors, like a fireworks display, lit up as my eyes closed and I hit the ground hard, unable to catch myself. And everything went black.

I BLASTED ALICE in Chains as I made my way home. I turned into my subdivision, too focused on seeing my girl to even be annoyed by the Jack-and-Jillness of the fucking place. I’m so turning into a pussy. I smiled as the thought crossed my mind. Yeah. I’m fucked. I pulled up to my house on Sheffield Road and parked beside Jada. I turned to open my door and something caught my eye. There were no lights on in the house. I cocked my head to the side, trying to figure out why she wouldn’t have turned one light on at all. Would she have gone to bed? I looked above the garage to the master bathroom and it was dark, too. This is just your paranoia from the last few weeks, asshole. I hopped out of the Denali, but entered through the side gate, the neighbor ’s dog barking its fucking head off. The rooms on that side of the house were guest rooms and I didn’t use them for shit, so I wasn’t surprised when there weren’t any lights on. There would be no reason for Jada to be in there. I knew I was being paranoid, but I couldn’t shake it. I opened the door to the walkout basement quietly, slipping in and closing it softly behind me. My senses took over: looking, listening, feeling for anything that seemed off. I stood still, knowing that the kitchen was right above my head. I listened for any sound of life but was met with quiet. I’m fucking paranoid! I just need to go find Jada and make love to my girl. I shook my head, knowing I was right. I was wasting precious time. I took a few steps ahead before the floor above me to the right squeaked, the joists giving way to the weight on them. My brain did a quick assessment. My office. Someone was in my fucking office.

My stomach lurched in my throat as a cold chill broke out across my skin. Something was really fucking wrong.

My head felt like a bomb had exploded inside it. My eyes struggled to open against my heavy lids. The pain on the left side of my head was almost unbearable and I couldn’t figure out why. What was going on? I tried to reach up to touch it but I couldn’t move my hands. I tried to roll over but my legs wouldn’t work, either. A wave of panic hit me as I finally forced my lids to lift and saw that I was in a real life nightmare. This can’t be happening! I struggled hard against the restraints holding me tightly to the chair. My eyes darted around the room and I recognized it as Cane’s office. The glow from his computer screen and the light from the security lamp outside were the only light. My eyes were swollen and hazy and I had trouble making out much detail. I fought to breathe around a bandana that was wrapped around my mouth. With it, I couldn’t make much sound. I tried to figure out what was happening. Trying to see through my swollen eyes made the pain pulsing in my temple worse by the minute. I scanned the office, too scared to even cry. I worked my hands back and forth as I tried to yell for help. This isn’t fucking happening to me! “You should sit still. You are only making things worse, bonita.” I struggled to breathe as my entire body began to shake, fear and panic mixing together in one volatile concoction. I choked back the vomit that was rising quickly as I scanned the room for the source of the voice. A large figure stepped from the shadows dressed all in black. As he approached, I could make out a bit of silver coming towards my face. A gun. It took every ounce of energy I could dig up to not pass out.

At the word “bonita”, my first instinct was to race up stairs, burst into the room, and rip his heart out with my bare hands. I wanted to watch his heart beat as I held it, while his blood dripped onto the floor. I swallowed past the lump in my throat and forced air into my lungs, knowing I had to stay calm. I had to think fast. I had to get to her. The floor creaked above me again and I moved a few steps to the right, directly beneath the sound. “Ah, bonita. How are you feeling? Frustrated, yes?” I clenched my hands at my side as I listened for some sign from Jada. Please, baby. Where are you? The man chuckled and the floor creaked as he moved across the room, towards the back of the house. I stepped in time with him and stopped as the sound stopped. He stopped what I figured was right in front of my bookshelf. I heard my desk chair roll a few feet and stop directly above me. “It’s okay. I’m just waiting on your boyfriend to come home and then things will be better for you. I will release your bonds to that chair. I know it hurts, bonita. And I am sorry. It wasn’t you I was after. It was him.” He began to laugh maniacally. My nostrils flared, my heart almost leaping out of my chest. I forced myself to stay calm. Breathe, Alexander. Figure a way out of this. “I was paid ten grand to deal with Cane. You are just going to be a little bonus.” My entire body raged with fury and I had to clap a hand over my mouth before I yelled out in frustration. I paced a circle, pulling on my hair, trying to release some of the energy that was threatening to bound up the stairs. The joists creaked again as he made his way to the other side of my office and away from Jada. I was still standing beneath where I thought she was and I heard a small whimper. My throat closed tight, nearly suffocating me. Think, Alexander! Fucking think! I pulled my phone from my pocket and set it to silent. I found Max’s name in my text box. Me: Call the police and send them to my house. Can’t answer questions. Do it now!

Tears were flowing down my cheeks, getting caught in the bandana in my mouth. My hair had escaped my ponytail and was now stuck to the sides of my face, glued to my skin by the tears. My head was so heavy, the pain so bad that I had to force myself to stay awake. I had to be present. I had to find a way out of this. Cane will be home soon. The thought made me cry harder. I had no way to warn him. I felt beyond helpless, completely and utterly useless. I couldn’t do anything but be tied to this chair and pray that somehow Cane would not walk in to this unknowingly. The man in front of me was leaning against a wall in the shadows, watching out the window. He was watching the wrong way for traffic to be coming in, but maybe that would benefit Cane somehow. I gave up trying to openly struggle, I could barely concentrate. The pain was so bad, my energy so sapped, that I could barely move anyway. I did work my hands back and forth, side to side, against the restraint. It was sharp, thin, and really hard. It felt like the zip ties my dad used to hold ‘For Sale’ signs to posts. It probably hurt, but everything hurt, so it was hard to tell. “Bonita, you may as well stop. You won’t be getting away.” His voice was placating. His shadow moved against the floor as he changed positions, staying encased in the shadows. I tried to move the bandana in my mouth with my tongue, but it was useless. My tongue was swollen and dry somehow, despite the soaked fabric of the gag. “Your boyfriend will not take me long to sort out. I didn’t get paid to dispose of his body, so I just need to end him and then you and I,” he laughed, “you and I will have a little fun before I go.” Vomit surged up my throat and I began to choke on it, the bandana refusing to allow it to exit my mouth. The acidic taste of the bile caused my eyes to water again causing me to panic. It was the one thing I had tried not to do. I couldn’t breathe, I couldn’t see, I couldn’t hear anything but the man’s awful laugh getting closer. He pulled the fabric out of my mouth and I spat the fluid all over his shoes, my tears now mixing with the vomit dripping down my chin. I tried to drag air into my lungs as my face hung pathetically forward, the fluids still dripping out of my mouth. “You little bitch!” he said in a very controlled tone. He took a step back and slapped me across the face, the loud smack against my eardrum causing it to pop and feel wet. My eyes began to close again, unable to deal with the pain. I’m going to die tonight . . .

I WAS LOSING control. All sense of rationality was slipping away. I heard her get sick and the sound of him hitting her. Each sound ripped through me and I winced as if I could feel it myself. My blood boiled with the need to make him—whoever he was—pay and to get to my girl. If they are in my office, I could get to the stairs and down the hallway. But there was no way to get to Jada with him in the room. Fuck! Even if he was after me, he’d kill her in a fucking second. Me not going up there was saving her life. As soon as he realized I was in the house, we were both dead unless I could kill him first. And he was obviously prepared for war. I just needed a distraction. Where was the fucking police? Please, Max, please have gotten my text! The chiming of the doorbell caught my attention and I heard him move above me. “Doorbell, bonita? Are you expecting someone?” I moved quickly to the end of the staircase, realizing that Lucy’s little connection may provide just the opportunity I needed. The ceiling began to creak as whoever was in my office made his way to the front of the house. Quickly, I went upstairs, my heart pounding in my chest. I had to get to her while I could. I had taken my gun off and put it in the glove compartment on my way home and, like a dumbass, hadn’t grabbed it when I got out of the Denali. What the fuck am I going to do? Think! I made it to the top of the staircase before pausing, listening for any clues as to where the intruder was. The doorbell chimed again and I heard the click of his gun in the foyer. I padded quickly down part of the hallway and into my office. And. My. Heart. Fucking.

Broke. What had this motherfucker done to her? I had thought a few times before that if I had a heart it would have cracked. Well, I fucking knew I had one now because I could feel it splintering into fucking tiny little jagged pieces. It felt like shrapnel blistering its way, ripping its way, through my chest. Through my life. Through my fucking soul. My eyes filled with tears as I made my way across the room. She sat there so broken, so helpless and it killed me. It slaughtered me. It fucking incensed me. As her eyes began to lift to mine, I knew one thing was for sure. This was going to fucking end my way.

My head hung against my chest like weights were tied to my neck, pulling it down. My eyes were so swollen from the hits that I couldn’t see. I couldn’t even fucking cry. I just wanted to close my eyes and let go, get a respite from the pain for a few seconds. The scent of cedar and a touch of tobacco caused me to slowly lift my heavy head. I struggled with my eyes, understanding the urgency but not able to focus on anything. It was all a haze. But I knew he was there! I could sense him like I always could. I have to find him! I have to warn him! He has to know what was going on before it’s was too late! I began to struggle against my bounds again, not nearly as forcefully as I had originally, but with everything I had left in me. I wanted to yell out, but my throat was too raw. Suddenly, his beautiful face was right in front of mine, his breath warm on my face. “Shhh, Jada. I am here. It’s me, baby.” I began to struggle harder, trying to tell him the things he needed to know. Listen to me, damn it! Tears felt like they were trying to pool in my eyes, but there was nothing there. There was no room for even a tear beneath the swollen eyelids.

“Sit still. The police are coming but he can’t know I’m here. Do you understand? Sit still, Jada.” Cane’s voice was nearly a whisper but stern. My chest rose and fell quickly. I wanted to grab him, to hold him, to protect him from whatever evil plan the bastard in here had devised. But I was bound, beaten, and unable to even cry out. Hell, I couldn’t even cry. There were no more tears. Only pain. So much pain. Cane kissed me quickly on the forehead before whispering one final time, “Be still,” before stepping out of my sight.

I stepped back towards my bookshelf and into the shadows. Shit was about to get fucking real and I didn’t even have a weapon, but I’d use my fucking body as a shield to protect her if I had to. No more pain would come to my girl as long as I was still breathing. I heard heavy footsteps crossing the wood floors, making their way down the very same hall I had just come from. They grew louder with each step. I searched for a weapon, something to even out the playing field. I tucked myself into the side of the bookcase. My eyes made out the shape of the antique sword my Grandpa Ben had given me before he died. He had gotten it during a trip with my grandmother to Greece in the 1970s. He had told me it was a real sword, used by real Greeks in battle. Let’s hope this motherfucker has one good battle left in it. I gave a last look at Jada. Her head was slumped forward, her body only held up by her hands tied behind the back of the chair. I wasn’t sure she was even conscious. My heart fell briefly before I found my focus. I grabbed the golden sword, took a few steps to the side and stood by the doorway, my back pressed hard against the wall, my heart pounding in my chest as the footsteps got closer. Regardless of what happens to me, please let her be okay. “Someone ordered pizza.” A man’s voice said right outside the door. “I would like to get it. You and I could have a bite to eat before we end our little time together. Aye, if your boyfriend had been fucking home when he was supposed to have been, maybe we could have had dinner before I fuck you and kill you. Too bad.” I clenched my jaw, gripping the sword with all of my strength, willing myself to shut the fuck up. His black boots crossed the doorway before his body, head to toe in black. A glimmer from the street light hitting the metal of the gun at his side caught my attention.

At least I knew where it was. “This is taking longer than expected. I am going to have to ask Mr. Powers for a bonus for my time.” Holding the sword tightly, I took a step forward before twisting and slicing across the man’s abdomen with every bit of fury, rage, and strength I could possibly find. The blade ripped through his shirt and into his skin, bright red blood oozing out, dripping off the ridge of the blade as it cut across him. The gun dropped hard against the floor as his hands flew to his stomach. A whooshing sound escaped his throat as all air left his body and he stumbled into the light, eyes wide. I took a step forward and his eyes widened further as they found me. He looked down and saw his internal organs beginning to spill outside his body. He frantically began patting his stomach, his chest heaving, hands sticky with his own blood. He stumbled another step farther before falling onto the floor face first in a heap of his own blood and organs. I breathed heavily and looked around the room, ensuring there were no accomplices, before landing on Jada. She was struggling against her restraints, her sounds weak and muffled. I walked across the room, my body shaking with the effects of the adrenaline. Sirens began to come into earshot. You are a little too fucking late. I knelt down in front of my girl and set the sword next to me. Her eyes were frantic and swollen so much that I knew she couldn’t see me. “It’s me, baby. He’s gone,” I said softly. I pulled the gag out of her mouth and up over her head. She began working her mouth up and down, trying to swallow. “Cane,” was all she could make out. I kissed her forehead before moving behind her. I worked at the ties around her bleeding wrists. “It’s okay. You don’t have to talk. I’m going to get you out of here.” My front door burst open and I continued to fumble with the ties. A swarm of officers descended upon the room, guns drawn, in police formation. “The light switch is by the door.” I said, still fumbling with the ties. “And there’s a guy bleeding to death under the window if you give a fuck.” The lights came on and the noise level in the room went up immediately as the scene in the room became apparent. Police began to bark orders to each other, ordering ambulances, drug teams, and K9 units. Everything but Jada fell to the wayside as I freed her hands. She began to fall forward immediately, the pain and exhaustion too much for her to hold herself up. I caught her against my chest, pulling her hair back away from her face. I could see the pain in her eyes, the green laced with so much agony that it fucking hurt me. It killed me.

Tears began to build in my eyes as I was finally able to wrap my mind around everything that had just happened. “Sir, I’m going to need you to step back,” an officer said behind me. “I’m going to need you to shut the fuck up,” I growled, not bothering to turn around. I looked at my beautiful girl and wrapped her in my arms, holding her close. “Are you okay, baby?” I smoothed her hair back as an officer unfastened her feet. “No,” she groaned. “I hurt so much.” I kissed the top of her head before picking her up and cradling her like a baby. “Sir, you can’t take her anywhere. An ambulance is coming.” My eyes flashed to his, causing him to blanch. “I’ll put her in the ambulance myself. But there’s not a chance I’ll be putting her down before then.” He nodded uncertainly before grabbing the little radio on his collar and turning away from us. “Cane?” Jada muttered against my chest. “Yeah, baby?” “Please don’t leave me.” I squeezed her tighter. “There’s not a chance that will ever happen again.”

I LOOKED AT Cane in the driver ’s seat of his Denali. We were pulling out of the hospital and he looked in total control—sunglasses over his eyes, one arm resting on top of the steering wheel. It was the most relaxed I had seen him in the last three days. He had never left my hospital bed. Kari had brought him clothes and he had showered in my room. He slept in a chair next to my bed every night. The hospital kept me for tests and observation, but luckily no permanent damage was done. It was going to take some time for me to heal completely, but at least it would happen. My eyes were still black and my face was still swollen, but the ringing in my ears started to wane. A counselor had come to see me in the hospital and explained that I may feel some sort of posttraumatic stress. He encouraged me to make an appointment with someone to discuss my feelings if I became overly anxious or scared. The thought of going back into Cane’s house terrified me and I didn’t think I would ever be able to go there again. But otherwise, I wanted to try to live my life without looking over my shoulder. If at all possible, I didn’t want to become a victim. I made a couple of appointments with a therapist at Cane’s urging, just in case . . . and because he wasn’t to be argued with. Cane grabbed my hand and sat it on his thigh, covering my hand with his. He chewed on his bottom lip as we made our way across the Valley towards Kari’s. “How are you feeling?” he asked, looking at me out of the corner of his eye. I shrugged, wincing a little. “Okay. My head hurts, but I think it may hurt for a while.” “Yeah.” He furrowed his brow. “Can I show you one thing before we go to your sister ’s? If you don’t feel like it, baby, just say so.” “I’d like to see whatever you have to show me.” I smiled widely as I tried to readjust my sunglasses on my swollen face. Cane turned on the radio and John Legend came on. “Hear this?” he asked, turning it up. “This is me to you.” He grinned shyly, making my heart burst. “I love you.” “I loved you first,” I whispered. His eyes found mine and I could see the wheels turning. “What’s the matter?” I swung my ring around my finger. He shook his head. “Nothing,” he said as we passed the exit to Kari’s.

“Where are we going?” “Patience is a virtue.” “Funny, I’ve heard that before,” I laughed. I relaxed back into the soft leather and felt some of the tension float away. Maybe things were getting back to some sort of normal. He took his sunglasses off and chewed on the end. “I think I’ve said that to you before,” he said, thoughtfully. “And I think it was the last time we came out here.” “Are we going to your mountain?” I asked him, wondering what the city looked like from there with the sun still up. He grinned. “So that is where we are going!” I exclaimed and he shook his head at me. “I really love it out there, you know. I’m excited to see it in the daytime.” “I hope you are.” I watched the scenery float by, everything so colorful. After everything that had happened, every color, every flower, every single thing looked more beautiful, tasted better, smelled better. “So what do we do now?” I asked. His eyes flashed to me in a panic. “Not like that, Cane. We can’t live at Kari’s forever. Where do we go? I just can’t go back to your house.” I looked to the floorboard, a little disappointed in myself that I couldn’t get over that. “I just feel so . . . homeless. And you won’t go home without me and I can’t go there and it’s just—” “Home is wherever you are, baby. That place my shit was at was just a structure. That wasn’t a home.” I tried to suppress the ridiculous grin on my face to no avail. “So what do we do?” “That depends,” he said softly, sticking his sunglasses in the top of his shirt. “On what?” He nodded ahead. I looked up through the windshield and realized we were making our way to the base of his mountain. Sitting at the top was a building. I couldn’t make out much as we pulled to the back and made our way up the hill. “When did you sell this?” I asked in disbelief. “That’s great and not-so-great at the same time!” The tires crunched on the hard ground as we inched our way to the top. The building began to come into sight again. It appeared to be a house. It sat low to the ground, a ranch style, of sorts. I could see a lot of glass and a tile roof. We pulled to the top, Cane saying nothing as he put the car in park. He turned to look at me but my eyes were fixed on the white picket fence lining the back of the house. “Cane?” I asked nervously, anxiety building. My eyes scanned the rest of the scene in front of me. The house wasn’t complete. I could tell from the materials lying around, but it was coming along. I opened my car door—not even looking at Cane although I felt his eyes on me—and got out, taking everything in.

It was absolutely perfect. I walked up the small sidewalk and towards the door. The view was incredible. I hope whoever bought this place appreciates it. I got a few feet from the door and stopped dead in my tracks, my hand flying to my mouth. The plaque by the back door read Alexander House, built in 2014. “Cane?” I said, whipping around, looking at him for an explanation. He smiled sheepishly, his hands stuck in the front pockets of his jeans. “Yeah?” he asked, bowing his head a little like he was afraid of my reaction. “What is this?” I whispered, looking around again, afraid to believe what I thought I was seeing. “This is Project AH, otherwise known as your happily-ever-after. I hope.” He chewed on his bottom lip, watching me intently. “My happily-ever-after? What do you mean?” I sat on one of the lounge chairs on the concrete slab, not trusting my legs. My heart pounded as I looked out across the city, the most amazing view I had ever seen, until I pulled my eyes back to the man standing in front of me. That was the best view in the world. “I built this for you.” “Cane . . .” Words seemed so inadequate. “When did you do this?” He smirked. “This has been in the works for a while now. I wanted to show you before, but everything was just a fucking wreck.” His face smoothed, his smirk turning into a small smile. “For the first time in my life, I know what it means to be happy. I know what it means to look forward to the future. I know what it feels like to love someone . . . to love them so much you’d literally die for them. You’d let them go across the country so they wouldn’t get hurt, even though it tore your heart apart to watch them leave.” He sat on a chair next to me, fidgeting in a very un-Cane-like way. “I just need to know one thing now,” he said, smiling nervously. “Will you move here with me?” I couldn’t say anything. I was just in total shock. “Jada, you’re killing me here,” he laughed nervously. “Of course I will,” I breathed out, my chest heaving with excitement, the smile on my face touching my eyes. It was the happiest I had ever been. “I have a confession.” He winced as he tilted his head. My heart dropped to my knees and my smile slipped. Please, God, please don’t let us go backwards again. “What’s that?” I asked hesitantly. “I lied to you.” He looked to the house so I couldn’t see his face. My shoulders began to sag, my words coming out harsher than I expected. “About what?” “I have another thing I need to know. I want you to change your address—move here with me. But I also want to know if you will change one more thing.”

“What’s that?” Cane reached into his pocket and got down on the ground on one knee in front of me. My heart jumped to my throat. Tears came to my swollen eyes and my hands flew to my mouth. “I want you to change your last name. Will you marry me?” He opened a black velvet box and the most beautiful ring I had ever seen sparkled inside. Not too big and not too small—it was perfect. “Cane!” I squealed. I felt lightheaded as my blood pressure soared, excitement taking over me. He removed the ring from the box and slipped it gently on my finger. He held my hand in his hands, as mesmerized by the sight as I was. He lifted it to his lips and kissed it before pulling me into him. He kissed me long and hard, his hand wrapping in my hair and holding me still as he took his time telling me everything he wanted without words. He broke the kiss and held my head with both hands. “You were right,” I smiled. “About what?” “Words are overrated.” I grinned as he laughed. “So, this means you’ll marry me?” “Yeah, I’ll be your girl.” “Baby, you must have been confused,” he smiled mischievously. “You were always my girl.” “You think?” I asked, raising my eyebrows. “There was never any doubt.”

We drove in silence through the city towards Kari’s house a little while later. My beautiful girl was sitting in the passenger seat, looking more content than I had ever seen her. I felt more at peace than I had in a long time; just being with her, having a promise of being with her forever, gave me more happiness than I ever thought possible. I watched her examine her ring. She was always beautiful but with that ring on her hand . . . She really did say yes. I shook my head in disbelief. I pulled the Denali into Kari’s driveway just as Kari and Max walked out of the house. Jada bent over the console and kissed me sweetly before jumping out of my car and racing to her sister. Kari had Jada’s hand in the air, inspecting the ring as I closed the door behind me. “I still can’t believe she said yes to you, man,” Max joked, shaking his head. He walked toward me with his hand extended and I shook it.

“Of course she said yes to me. She’s not crazy.” “She has to be a little crazy if she’s going to marry your dumb ass.” We watched the girls talk animatedly, their hands flying through the air. “Are you going to make things solid with Kari any time soon?” I asked. Max shrugged his shoulders. “I don’t know. Sometimes I feel like it’s a matter of time and sometimes I feel like if I asked the question, she’d bail. She’s a tough one to crack.” He never took his eyes off of Kari and I almost felt bad. “Well, watch how I do things and maybe you’ll learn a thing or two.” I tried to fight a smile but the look on Max’s face made it impossible. “Let me go put my boots on—shit’s gettin’ deep out here.” I started to retort, but the word Vegas from the girls’ chatter caught my attention. “Vegas?” I asked, raising an eyebrow. “Yes. I’m planning her bachelorette party as soon as possible! If I know you, you won’t wait too long to marry her. You are kind of the impulsive type,” Kari said, her hand on her hip. “I just might be. I might marry her tomorrow if you are thinking you are taking my girl to Vegas.” “I don’t think so, Alexander,” Kari said, narrowing her eyes. Max elbowed me in the rib. “See what I mean?” Kari shot him a look before focusing again on me. “I’ve already called Lara, Heather, and Mandi. The ball is already rolling. We are going to Vegas.” “We can go to Vegas. That’s fine. I’ll book the room.” I marched over to Jada and wrapped my arms around her. I looked at Kari, daring her to challenge me. “Damn you, Cane! That’s not what I meant!” “There’s no way in hell she’s getting out of my sight. Forget it. You want to go to Vegas? Okay, we will go to Vegas. Take whoever you want and I’ll pay for it. But we are going.” “It’s a bachelorette party,” Jada said, resting her head against my chest. I could tell by the softness in her voice that she didn’t care about the party; she was appeasing her sister. I glanced at Max. “I also need a bachelor party then. How do you feel about Vegas?” Jada giggled, her eyes glued to the ring on her left hand. I knew it belonged on her finger as soon as I saw it. The lady said it was a French band with a round halo diamond or some shit. All I knew was that it was made with her in mind. And, by the look on her face, I did a good job. Hell, I always do a good job. “I thought we’d stay at my house tonight and give y’all a little privacy. I figured Jada would want to be somewhere comfortable and not at a hotel,” Max said, changing the topic. “I appreciate that. I have our things being moved to the penthouse at Benjamin Estates in the morning.” I watched Jada’s jaw drop out of the corner of my eye. If she thought I was going to spend a night without her again, she must have gotten hit harder than I realized. I wasn’t about to stay at Kari’s for

any longer than necessary. I had money and I had means. And now I had the girl. “If there’s anything I can do for you guys, call me.” “Don’t I always?” I laughed. “True. I fix everything and you get the credit. Same shit, different day.” “Thanks, Max. Really.” I looked solemnly at my best friend, wondering what could have happened if he hadn’t read my text. I shook my head to clear it of the thoughts filtering through my mind. “Yeah, yeah, yeah.” He punched me lightly on the shoulder. “Keep an eye on that back door. I came over here yesterday and the fucker had blown open somehow. It isn’t latching or something. I’ll take a look at it tomorrow afternoon.” Kari tilted her head as she looked at Max. “It’s done that a few times lately.” “I’ll fix it, sweetheart. Now let’s get out of here and let Jada get some rest.” Jada gave Kari a quick hug. “I’ll see you tomorrow.” “Congratulations!” Kari squealed. She brought her eyes to mine and whispered in Jada’s ear loud enough for me to hear, “And I’ll get the Vegas party planned. Don’t worry.” Kari smirked as she extended her arms for a hug. “You have to learn to hug me. We are family now.” “God help me.” She swatted me as she pulled back. “He better help you if you mess with my plans!” “Stop riling him up, Kari,” Max said, shaking his head. He kissed Jada on the top of the head before heading towards his truck. “I’ll talk to you guys in the morning.” They climbed into the Ford and pulled out of the driveway, leaving me and my girl behind. “Mrs. Cane Alexander. I like that,” I said, grabbing Jada’s hand. I led her to the front door. “Do you have any ideas on how you want to get married?” “I want to wait until I don’t look like this.” “Baby,” I said, twisting her face to look at me. “You’ve never been more beautiful to me.” She stood on her tiptoes and kissed me. “I love you.” “I love you.” I reached down and picked her up, her legs across my arms. “Cane! We aren’t married yet! You don’t have to carry me over the threshold.” I rubbed my cheek against her head as I carried her inside, kicking the door closed with my foot. “It’s all semantics, beautiful girl.” She snuggled into me, wrapping her arms around my chest. “I’m so tired. I’ve never been this tired in my life.” “Well, as much as I want to ravish you again—” “Can you imagine making love on the top of your mountain every night? It’s so romantic—even today on the cold concrete and my sore body.” “Our mountain,” I corrected her, making her blush again. “And I can’t wait for that. But tonight, I’m going to lay you down and we are only going to cuddle.” “I thought you didn’t cuddle?”

“Only with you.” “I’m glad it’s with me, Cane.” “What can I say? You are always the exception.”

The End

THEY SAY IT takes a village to raise a child. I can assure you it takes more than that to write a book! What a wild, wonderful journey this has been and I have so many people to thank for helping me along the way. I have just finished The Exception and am trying to remember those that have so selflessly helped me in the past few months. If I fail to mention you—I apologize in advance. My mind is a bit scrambled. Please know I appreciate all of you that have bolstered my resolve, cheered me on, offered support, and prayed for me. Your encouragement and guidance worked and this is the proof. Mr. Locke, you inspire me every day to do better, be better, work harder, and to live more. Your encouragement to write this book was overwhelming, your belief in me astounding. Every good thing in my life is because of you. You are truly my best friend and soul mate. Thank you for understanding Cane, for your help in those certain scenes, and for all the laughs along the way. I love you more than all the cats and dogs in all the nine states. My children, I don’t know if you will ever read this (and honestly, I don’t want to think about that!), but I want you to know that I did this for you. I want you to see that you can do anything you set your brilliant little minds to. I’m sorry about all the pizza dinners and that the socks weren’t always matched up in the mornings, but I did this for you. Everything I do in my life is for you. You are my heart and soul and the best thing I’ll ever do. Now let’s go have a real meal, okay? I’ll even make brownies. Mom and Daddy, you have always believed in me, regardless of what I wanted to do. Even when this short little girl wanted to play basketball, you thought I would be the best one on the court! Growing up with that type of safety net allowed me to become the person that I am. Thank you for giving me the confidence, opportunities, and support to reach for my dreams. I love you. Kari, my partner-in-crime: How do I even begin to say how much you mean to me? They say true friendships can be measured by how readily someone is there for you after not speaking for a week. You are always there for me in so many ways. Here’s to late night sticker wars, Friday night Kellan fights, intensive “research”, long distance telephone calls, and “He really just gave us that address?!” freak outs. Ha! We will share that bottle of FSOG wine yet! I love you more than I love Cam. Okay, that’s a stretch. But I do adore you. ;) Heather, I really have no words. I know that’s cliché, but it’s true. You are one of the kindest, most supportive, most hilarious people I have ever met. You believed in this book, in these characters, in ME from the start. Hell, you believed in it all before I did. You are more than the #bestpaever—you are my music maestro, my cheerleader, my encourager, my ‘I would so bring you coffee’ person, and, most importantly, my friend. YOU are the reason this book is complete. YOU are the reason

Cane didn’t lose his mancard. YOU are the reason his POV’s are intact. YOU are the reason this book was published. If the world likes Cane and Max, they should thank YOU. Just like I do. Now that this is over, I’m going to send you a message longer than three words, ‘kay? ;) Mandi, my QQ, my #synopsislesssister. Thank you for talking me off the ledge, for making me laugh, for your love of a good douchebag, and for telling me when the jeans fit and when they didn’t look so hot. I’m so excited to be on #teamStickyD! Are you still working on your mantra? Because I’m now officially able to help beta that! ;) I really have no idea what I would have done without our sprints, our #atison, and our #mambasanddoughnutsforever. I do believe it’s COFFEE TIME! 3. .2. .1. . BREAK! Amy, if no other good thing happens with this book, I got your notes! Ha! Thank you for taking the time to read it in the middle of ‘moving hell’ and your humble offer to writing my dedication and acknowledgements. ;) Your laughter and wisdom kept me from jumping off a cliff a number of times (and kept my laundry done!). Your guidance was invaluable and I appreciate you more than you’ll ever know . . . even though I didn’t discuss certain things with you. Our friendship is one of my most prized relationships—I just want you to know that. I love you, my stabby friend. Why are we not comedians again? #haveityourway #copyright #illallowit #chandeliersandsparkplugs #idfriendme #myperson Jennifer C, your taste in football teams may suck majorly, but I’m glad we were able to move past that, sistah. ;) I feel like I’ve known you forever and a day. Thank you for EVERYTHING. (I used all caps to try to encompass everything—I wasn’t shouting.) I could never even begin to go into detail for all the things you’ve done for me through this journey. Your excitement was contagious, your support game changing. Your encouragement pushed me through many dark nights. Thank you for reading this a million times (no exaggeration). Who knows? Maybe the Red Sox will win the Series this year? Life’s funny like that . . . Linda, I PRESUME you know how much you affected me and “book 1” and “book 2”. ;) Your willingness to help and your attention to detail were amazing, but it’s your friendship that I appreciate the most. Thank you for letting me vent, for being honest with me. Thank you for not only listening to my ramblings but going out of your way to SHOW ME why I was right or wrong. You’ve went above and beyond and I am terribly lucky you call you a friend. I am going to come and read with you in that beautiful sunny room one day! You better be ready! And again, I’m sorry this book doesn’t have angst. ;) Ha! <3 Lara, you are the sunshine in my life, my California friend! If there were more Lara’s out there, the world would be a much better place. You are a sweet, supportive, and funny when I’m writing or when I’m not. You remember the little things and go out of your way to make me smile. You are a friend even when I’m having a bad day (or week). The size of your heart, the way you love is an inspiration. I hope you know that I love you. Kimberly, even though you always seem to make me cry, I thank God that I “met” you. Thank you for holding my hand, for hooking me up with your contacts, and eating cookies for me. Your phone

call “that one day” probably saved my sanity and this manuscript. You are a true friend, Kim. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. Now I just need to book a flight. I believe there is peanut butterchocolate ice cream, shots, and a “spa” (term used loosely) waiting on us! Ha! Jesey from SchmexyGirl Book Blog, there are a handful of genuinely “good” people in the world and you are one of them. You jumped in to help me with absolutely no hesitation, just a barrage of questions. And your weekly check-in’s on my sanity always made me smile. I could thank you a million times over and it wouldn’t be enough. Raquel and I both love you. ;) Ashley, as I sit here writing this (Ha!) . . . you are more than my editor. You are my friend. I can’t imagine going through this process with anyone else. Your patience with my quirks (i.e.—dashes), your lengthy explanations (I could write a book with everything you taught me!), and your cat stickers to my dog stickers were so appreciated. You pushed me without mercy, you encouraged me without relent. Your notes were spot on, insightful, and often times hilarious. You’re the best! Michele, I appreciate you so much. I know you don’t want to hear that and you are probably telling me to hush right now, but it must be said! Your honesty and attention to detail came at a time when I had never needed it more. Thank you for your weekend and for giving me your feedback . . . and that one line. I now know who I need to go to when I need to make things hotter! Ha! Thank you, thank you, thank you. Seraphina, I will always think of you as “The Guru”. You have been so willing to help me through this process, to share your knowledge with this rookie. I’ve always loved you, you know that. But I hope you know that I also respect you as a person. Your heart is beautiful and I’m honored to call you a friend. Now where’s that Gresham County t-shirt? Kidding . . . ish. <3 Suzie, thank you for being one of the sweetest souls I know. You amaze me on so many levels— your writing, your baking, your sense of humor . . . and your willingness to jump in and help me navigate this new world. I am so thankful we found each other, although I feel like I’ve known you forever. You’ve provided me with an entire soundtrack to my life. ;) I’ve not managed to take that one song off of repeat yet . . . Lauren, you have always been and always will be one of my favorites. You have a million things going and still manage to remember the important dates in my life. You amaze me, you inspire me, and your friendship means the world to me. Rebecca, you render me speechless! Your willingness to read my story and offer feedback in the middle of everything you have going on takes my breath away. I appreciate your time, your expertise, and your opinions more than you’ll ever know! Maybe one of these summers we can hook up for lunch. It is such a small world . . . Jennifer W, I see now why you are always booked! Your insight changed this book in a very literal way. Thank you for taking the time to read it and for giving me such amazing feedback. Your eye is unmatched! Your check-ups on both my sanity and plot made me smile many times over. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. Lisa with TrulySchmexy Promotions, your patience with me and my mess-ups is beyond

impressive. Your professionalism knows no bounds, your ability to stay on top of everything even when I can’t makes you one of the best in the business. Thank you for your help in getting The Exception out there (with the right attachments! *facepalm*). I appreciate you more than you’ll ever know, lady! Jessica D, your encouragement and love of Charlie Hunnam has been SUCH a help through this process! I am so glad fate brought us together. Okay, maybe Sweet Addiction brought us together. Ha! Thank you for everything. I appreciate you and your picture files! <3 Ninfa, Emersyn, Stephanie “Tejas Girl”, Mindi, and Tessie, your early excitement of this book has made me smile! Your messages and comments have rejuvenated me many times throughout the past couple of months. Thank you so much for your friendship and for being you! I love you all! Sarah Prais, thank you for your Spanish consult. Heaven knows what it would have said if you hadn’t stepped in. Christine from Perfectly Publishable, this rookie appreciates your patience, professionalism, and work ethic in getting this project complete the best and prettiest way possible! Thank you for making this process amazing. Stacey, isn’t the world a crazy place? We found each other on Twitter and our friendship just merged into real life. I wish I had known you were in my part of the world sooner! I would have loved to have dinner with you, my beautiful friend! Your words encourage me, your strength amazes me. You are light in my life. I love you in so many ways. Katie, sometimes when I’m writing late at night, I bounce back to Facebook for a little breather. How many times have I been greeted with a little surprise from you? *giggles* I am thankful for the friendship we have created, the many #gasps we have shared, and that you don’t ask questions when I tell you have I “certain” questions. (I promise—it was legit! It just popped up!) Don’t worry—I’ve been working on the “red and black themed wedding” this whole time. #KiddingNotKidding Holly from Holly’s Red Hot Reads—you were the first blogger to post my release date! Thank you for supporting indie authors as much as published ones! I appreciate you, everything you do, and everything you stand for. Muah! Summer’s Book Blog—you so graciously offered your blog up to me for a takeover—even before I hit the magic button! Your early support encouraged me in ways you’ll never know! Thank you! Hetty from BestSellers BestStellars—I asked you for help and you answered with “What can I do?” You didn’t know it, but that was a rough day for me and your willingness to help made a huge difference. Elizabeth from Crazii Bitches Book Blog—you picked up The Exception right off the bat and pimped me like no other! Your tags every day have made me smile (and a little giddy!). Julie from Lookin’ For A Bookin’—girl! Thank you so much for your messages, your encouragement, and for being you. I love you and am comin’ down for some sweet tea soon! Jamie from J&J Southern Spice Book Reviews and Blog—you are always so willing to go the extra mile for those you love. I have so much to repay you for. If you ever need me, you know where to find me. Shaunda from Smut Sisters Orgasmic Book Club—you made me squeal when you loved Cane! I’m not going to lie! Thank you for reading and your encouragement.

Bloggers, I know how busy your schedules are and how many books there are to choose from. So many of you made room for me on your schedules without knowing who I was or what I had written. I’m amazed. I’m humbled. I’m so eternally grateful. Thank you for giving me a chance! If you are reading this, thank YOU. There are so many titles out there to click! I know this because, after all, I am a reader first and foremost. I appreciate your willingness to take a shot on a new author. I will never be able to express my gratitude to you for picking up this novel. I hope you enjoyed The Exception and I look forward to hearing from you!

This book is dedicated to Heather Peiffer. You knew these characters before anyone else. You pushed me to dig deep and do things I never thought I was capable of doing. Your friendship means more to me than I could ever express. Thank you for standing by me, loving me, and for your (sometimes brutal) honesty. You’re a keeper. I love you.

“DAMN IT, CANE! Stop it!” Kari’s hands dart to the sides, grabbing the arm rests in the Denali for dear life. “What? I’m just making sure you’re awake for the flight.” “I’m awake! For heaven’s sake! Slow down!” “You’re just encouraging him, sweetheart,” Max laughs. “He’s just getting warmed up.” The traffic is heavy, even for early afternoon in Phoenix. Cane weaves us in and out of lanes, causing Kari to alternately squeal and curse my fiancé out. We are cutting our flight time close, but unlike my traveling companions, I don’t really care. I’m too happy to be bothered by missed flights or speeding tickets. I flip through the bridal magazine on my lap in a state of bliss that I’ve never known before. I feel like I’m trapped in my own little world of happiness, a little bubble of near-perfection that I want to float around in forever. A few months ago, I hoped for more. But I never even dreamed for this. Just a few weeks ago, Cane Alexander asked me to be his wife. A man that seemed to be every wrong thing ended up being everything. They say you can’t judge a book by its cover. I’ve learned that you can’t judge a man by the one before him, either. I turn the page of the magazine and my engagement ring catches the sunlight. I can’t help my silly grin as I watch it sparkle. This ring is stunning. A 4-carat cushion halo diamond on a platinum, diamond-encrusted band, it’s perfect aesthetically. But it’s the sentiment behind it that makes the breath catch in my throat every time I look at it. It’s the thought that the love of my life, this cocky bad boy, picked up my sister on a Saturday morning. They walked into a jewelry store—four, to be exact—until he found a ring that he thought I’d like. He nearly drove the salespeople crazy in the process, according to Kari. She said he wouldn’t settle and asked to see tray after tray of rings. He knew what he wanted and ultimately selected the exact ring I would’ve picked myself if I had the chance. I feel him watching me. My cheeks heat as I glance up and meet his beautiful blue eyes in the rearview mirror. He holds my gaze for a moment; the look he gives me sets my body aflame. All I need to know about how he feels about me is reflected in the mirror hanging off his dash. He winks before sliding his sunglasses back up and focuses on the road.

I might be his girl, but he’s my guy. The only guy in the world for me. I’m sitting behind Max strategically because I love to watch Cane drive. He does it the same way he does everything—completely at ease and a little wild, but in total control. He takes charge of the road much in the same way he took charge of me: with aggression, passion, and unapologetically. Cane is perched behind the wheel, his blond hair, in need of a cut, combed back. The ends are touching the popped-up color of his blue polo shirt. His angular jawline has yesterday’s stubble. The late night we had last night caused us to oversleep this morning . . . and caused us to have cookie dough for breakfast. I sigh with a grin and watch the city go by. I do a quick mental checklist, hoping I have everything packed. I wasn’t expecting a trip to Vegas. Cane had adamantly opposed the idea as soon as Kari mentioned it the day we got engaged. He told her then that he wouldn’t let me out of his sight and I figured that was just because of all of the stuff we’d just been through with Simon Powers. Regardless, I didn’t hear any more about Vegas until Wednesday night, less than forty-eight hours ago. We’d been to dinner with Kari and Max and she brought it up again. Cane excused himself from the table. When he came back, he let us know that there were four tickets booked to Vegas this weekend. I thought he was kidding, but Kari and Max seemed more than willing to go. So I played along. It wouldn’t be a bachelorette party per se, considering we didn’t even have a wedding date set. But it would be fun to get away and relax and, truth be told, I’d rather go with Cane anyway. “Look at that,” Kari says, pointing to a bouquet on the page on my lap. “Those roses are gorgeous!” “They are. But I want pink flowers.” “Pink? What about orange?” “I’ve always wanted pink flowers in a wedding.” “Then she’s getting pink flowers,” Cane says, glancing at us over his shoulder. “Pink flowers. Got it,” Kari sighs, leaning back in her seat. “Do you realize flowers are the one thing you know for sure?” “Kari, I really just don’t care. I just want to be married. The details are irrelevant to me.” “What happened to wanting a princess wedding?” I shrug because I don’t know. It had been a dream of mine since I was a little girl, the beautiful wedding I didn’t get with Decker. But now, it just seems unnecessary. I just want to be Mrs. Cane Alexander. I’ll skip the ice cream, fudge, and sprinkles and go right to the cherry on top. “You’re so not a girl,” Kari mutters. “So pink flowers. What else? What kind of dress do you like? How do you want your hair done? What color is my bridesmaid dress?” “We’ve been through this a million times. I. Don’t. Care.” “It’s important! I look really good in warm colors. You should keep that in mind.” “You’re ridiculous.” “Why? Because I don’t want a puffy pink princess gown? Call me crazy . . .”

“You’re crazy all right,” I say, rolling my eyes. Max turns around in his seat and looks at Kari. He grins, his dimple setting deep in his cheek. “You could wear a trash bag and you’d be gorgeous.” Kari blushes at the compliment, but doesn’t say anything. She grabs the magazine off my lap and pages through it. They’ve been together longer than Cane and I. They introduced us, after all. It’s obvious to anyone watching that Max is in total love with Kari and I know my sister adores him. But there’s always a slight rift between them that I can’t put my finger on. Cane and I have talked about it a hundred times and we can’t figure it out. “If Jada wants you to wear a pink dress, you’ll wear a pink dress. Got it?” Cane says, tapping his fingers against the steering wheel. “If you know what’s good for you, you’ll shut it, Alexander,” Kari says, narrowing her eyes at the back of Cane’s head. “Okay, back to the dress. What style are you thinking?” “I’m thinking something simple and pretty. I’ll know it when I see it.” “Simple and pretty,” Kari nods, ignoring my hint at not pushing the issue. “Like that one?” She points to a sleeveless, form-fitting gown made of lace. It brushes the floor with a small train. It’s perfect. “Just like that, actually,” I breathe. “I love how it isn’t really fancy but it’s still just . . . pretty.” And it is. It’s perfect and beautiful and I know when we get back from Vegas, I will try to find this gown. There is a list of shops beneath it. I fold the corner of the page so I don’t lose it. “You picked a date yet?” Max asks, smirking and looking at Cane out of the corner of his eye. Cane turns and glares, making Max laugh. “I’m not sure,” I say, raising my eyebrows at their interaction. “We haven’t really discussed it. Maybe October? There’s so much to plan, even if we keep it small like I want to. I just don’t think I can get it figured out before then.” “October, huh? I think that sounds great,” Max says. “I’m not a fan of October.” Cane looks at me in the mirror again, taking his sunglasses off and sticking them in the front of his shirt. He casts me a stern look before concentrating on the road again. “November, then,” I say, baffled. “I don’t really care, but you’re going to have to give me time, Cane. And you want to write our own vows! Ugh! I might just hire a wedding planner for this. You’re going to have to be patient.” “That’s not one of my finest virtues.” “No shit,” Max mumbles. “I have to be lacking somewhere.” Kari rolls her eyes. “Whatever, dude. You are so awesome—just ask you, right?” “Honesty is a virtue I do possess, yes,” Cane deadpans. Kari shakes her head and looks shocked. “Is he serious?” I laugh. They’ve been disagreeing a lot lately, like they are in some constant playful pissing

match. It’s almost like they like disagreeing with each other just for the sake of it. It’s entertaining but it’s starting to drive me a little crazy. “I don’t know why you two can’t stop with the back and forth,” I say. “Because he thinks he trumps me now,” Kari says. “Because she obviously doesn’t know her place,” Cane says simultaneously. “My place? You’ve got to be kidding me!” Kari nearly yells. “You guys are making me want to drink already and we’re a helluva long way from Vegas,” Max groans, taking his hat off and running his hand through his hair. “You two are oil and water.” We turn into a parking garage, Cane taking a ticket from the machine. He glances at Kari through the mirror and then speeds forward, taking the turns much faster than necessary. Kari squeals as Cane slides the Denali into a parking spot and shuts off the engine in one smooth move. “How do you two ride with him all the time? I’d kill him!” Kari opens her door and hops out. “Oh, Jada likes to ride more often than not. She can give you details if you’re really curious,” Cane says, getting out and stretching his arms overhead. “But that might not be good for Max’s ego.” Cane opens my door, leaning against the frame and smiling. I start to undo my seatbelt, but my hands freeze. The way he looks at me, the way his gaze sees through every defense mechanism and bores into my soul, will never get old. With a single look, he makes me feel like I’ve always wanted . . . like I’m the only girl in the world. “Are you ready for Vegas, beautiful girl?” he reaches out and touches my cheek. “I am. I’m ready to put all this Simon stuff behind us and just start fresh.” I unbuckle my belt and lean forward, pressing a kiss against his chest. “I have a feeling this will be the start to the rest of our lives.” “I have a feeling you’re right. I have a feeling you are so right.”

THE CITY SHINES at my feet like a chick across the bar. It looks good until you get up close and see it was a 50 foot paint job. I’ve never particularly liked this city. I had a few good nights here when I was younger and dumber. Everyone you meet on the Strip is a shark playing their own game and that shit gets old. I can find people wanting to use me at home; I don’t have to come to Vegas to get it. There’s no way Jada was coming here without me. Damn Kari for even suggesting it in the first place. Although, I think after my initial reaction, Kari kept bringing it up to watch me squirm. So I took this fucked up idea and do what I always do—bend it to suit me. And suit me it will. I hope. Nah, it will. Cause I’m me. I take a sip of water and wait for my girl. We chilled by the pool all day and have reservations for dinner shortly. She wanted to go for pizza, but I want to spoil her a little bit. So she’s in the shower doing the girly stuff she likes to do. I love when she makes the extra effort for my benefit, but she looks just as beautiful when she rolls out of bed in the morning, pissy because she didn’t get enough sleep. Calm or riled up, made up or in my t-shirt, she’s gorgeous. And she’s mine. I feel her walk in the room behind me. The air gets hot and the hair on the back of my neck alerts me to her presence. If I didn’t know better, I’d swear she had a magnet inside of her that draws me. As she comes closer, I can see her reflection in the glass. She has her hair up and is in a red dress that hugs her curves. I breathe in deeply, yet quietly, searching for her scent. A blend of her perfume and her natural essence washes over me and brings everything into focus. She’s the calm in my chaos. Her scent races through my senses and my nerves awaken. I need my hands on her. Now. I set the bottle of water on the windowsill and turn to face her. She smiles at me, twirling her ring on her finger. She smoothes her dress down and my eyes go with the motion: down her voluptuous chest, around the sweet curve of her hip, and trail down the legs that seem to go forever in her heels. Sexy. As. Fuck.

“You ready, babe?” Her voice is quiet. It makes me grin. She’s different than any woman I’ve ever met in my life. She’s beautiful and elegant, approachable yet sophisticated. She’s the complete fucking package and, to top it off, I’m more attracted to her than I’ve ever been to anyone. Because that’s the thing; regardless of how beautiful or sexy a woman is, it doesn’t necessarily translate into chemistry or desire for more than a night or two. But with Jada, I want her. I fucking need her every single day and night. “I’m ready to take that dress off of you.” She laughs softly, her cheeks blushing. “Not yet, Mr. Alexander. We have to have dinner first.” I make my way across the room, the plush carpet sinking with each step. My fingers itch to touch her skin; I want to feel her move beneath my touch. “All of that is irritating,” I grumble, pulling her into me. I bury my face in the crook of her neck, kissing her lightly. “All of what?” “That I can’t have my dessert first . . . and that I can’t call you Mrs. Alexander.” “Ah, well, you will soon. You’re just going to have to be patient.” “We’ve been over that,” I say, leaving a trail of kisses from behind her ear to her mouth. I capture her lips with mine. She sighs into my mouth. She runs her fingers through my hair like it’s hers to do with what she wants. I love it. I’m ready to call off dinner whether she likes it or not. She’s saved by a knock on the door. “It’s probably Kari and Max,” she whispers. “Fuck them.” “Cane! We can’t bail on dinner the first night here.” “Why not? They’re grownups. They can eat without us.” She twists her head away from me towards the door. “Come in!” “Y’all ready?” I groan at the southern drawl and lift my head to see Max and Kari standing in the doorway. Max is grinning, knowing he’s interrupted me and obviously enjoying my frustration. Bastard. “We are,” Jada smiles. “Let me grab my purse.”

THE WAITRESS REFILLS my glass of Moscato. The liquid seems to flow slowly, yet the glass is full before I realize it. I try to remember how many glasses this has been. Two? Three? Four? Six? I shrug and thank her, lifting it to my lips again. It’s delicious and smooth, the pink color making me smile. It’s the color of the flowers I showed Kari. Or maybe it’s the alcohol making me smile. Who cares? I giggle and nearly choke on the drink. “You better eat more,” Cane warns, patting me on the back until I stop coughing. “You’ve drank a lot and barely eaten anything.” “I’m fine.” I compose myself the best I can and smile at my fiancé. The haze sitting over my mind is thick, but even a touch inebriated, I know it’s true. I am fine. No, I’m more than fine. I’m happy. Who would’ve thought Sin City with Cane Alexander, the one man that embodied everything I was avoiding, would’ve made me this deliriously happy? I watch him try to decide how to respond. It’s his nature to protect me, to be overbearing sometimes. I know he’s having a hard time not jerking the drink out of my hand and, secretly, I love it. I love looking into his eyes and see him try to balance making me happy and him happy. Because I know better than most how easy it is for someone to only think about themselves. Cane’s tanned skin contrasts with his white dress shirt and his blue eyes glimmer under the restaurant lights. He has his shirtsleeves rolled up to his elbow. His toned forearms make me wish they were wrapped around me, holding me against the abs I know to be rock solid beneath his shirt. He’s seriously the best looking man I’ve ever seen. “This is your last glass,” he says, furrowing his brow. He traces his bottom lip with his finger and I watch it skim the surface. It’s just a sexy display. I tighten my thighs, trying to reel myself in. Between the Moscato and the look he’s giving me, I’m a hot mess.

“Oh, Cane. Let her enjoy herself,” Kari interjects, smiling brightly at me. “This is Vegas. You’re supposed to be wild and crazy here.” “Then get crazy,” he responds, shooting her a warning glance. “Have fuckin’ at it, Kari. But Jada isn’t.” “I’m right here,” I remind them. They all turn to look at me and I feel like I’m under a spotlight. I feel my cheeks heating under their gazes and I shift in my seat. “What?” Max chuckles. The timbre of his voice always soothes me in a way. He’s one of my favorite people. He’s kind and dependable . . . and ridiculously handsome, especially in his khaki pants and black polo shirt. “Nothing, Jada,” he smiles. “Are y’all about finished eating?” A waitress comes by and asks the same thing. We let her take our plates—and my drink, thanks to Cane—and we wait on the check. There’s a small current of uncomfortableness at the table and I can’t place it. I know it’s there, but I can’t quite make sense of it. Everyone is discussing tomorrow’s plans, but my head is too fuzzy to think about tomorrow. It seems like so far away and so pointless to consider. We are on vacation. I don’t want to think about plans and tomorrows. All I want do is look at my fiancé and think about how lucky I am. He loves me. He protects me. He would do anything for me. I glance at my engagement ring and my mind starts swirling. I know I’m a bit tipsy, but maybe that just helps me think without the clutter and doubt I usually have. Because even though I’ve nearly drank my weight in Moscato, I know that the one person that would do anything for me, that wants to marry me, is sitting next to me. And I’ve been putting off marrying him for what? Convenience? Well, it doesn’t get more convenient than Vegas. “Hey,” I say rather loudly, causing everyone to stop talking. I giggle at their startled reactions, but look at Cane. “Sorry. That was a little loud. Anyway, I was thinking . . . We’re in Vegas. And I love you. And you love me. And we are getting married anyway. And why don’t we just go get married tonight?” “No, Jada!” Kari shrieks. I ignore her and watch Cane. He’s sitting quietly in his chair, his face a touch paler than normal. Most people wouldn’t recognize it, but I know him. Even a little drunk, I know something’s wrong. Cane takes my hand and holds it. His eyes are soft, but there’s a hint of discomfort in them. I’m not sure why. It causes my stomach to sink and the Moscato to swirl around it, churning with a force that makes me queasy. “You don’t want to do that,” he says, his voice barely a whisper. “You don’t want to go to some ridiculous Elvis-inspired building and get married.” “I do. I want to be Mrs. Alexander tonight.” He doesn’t respond. He squeezes my hand, his eyes raging like a storm at sea. I see the love I always see in them, but also a resolution that we are not getting married tonight. “What?” I feel a bit humiliated. I try to take my hand away from his, but he holds on tight. “You don’t want to marry me all of a sudden?”

“Jada,” Max says, “you don’t want your wedding done like that. Just take it easy, darlin.’” “How do you know? I want to get married tonight. You all have been pushing me to make decisions and I haven’t and you’ve been annoyed and then I want to get married . . .” My eyes fill with hot tears. I know on some level they’re right, but it hurts my pride that they shut me down. I finally do what they want and all of a sudden it’s the wrong thing to do? “I want to marry you,” Cane says, a touch of a smile on his lips. “But not like that, beautiful girl. I don’t want to marry you without your dad and friends. I want you in a white dress and a sexy garter belt I can take off you later.” I sniffle. His words make me feel a bit better. “You said we could get married as soon as I wanted . . .” “Not like this, Jada,” Kari says softly. “You’ve had a lot to drink. Let’s just discuss this tomorrow.” “Fine. But stop asking me wedding questions all the time. Don’t push me and then not want me to go through with it.” “Oh, we’re going through with it . . .” “But not tonight,” I say pointedly, earning a glare from Cane. He drops my hand to take the check from the waitress. I grab my purse off the floor and stand, smoothing out my dress. I don’t know at this point if I’m hurt that he doesn’t want to marry me tonight or if I’m happy he wants a real wedding. It just stings regardless. Cane signs the check and stands, wrapping his arm around my waist. “Do you want to walk through the hotel? Gamble a little?” Max asks, locking his fingers through Kari’s. She looks up at him and grins and he places a kiss on her forehead. Cane looks at me, his brows pulled together, before answering. “Nah, we are going up to our room. I need to have a little discussion with my fiancée.”

I TRY MY hardest not to drag her through the damn hotel. She’s had a lot to drink, is teetering on her heels, and is sulking because I wouldn’t marry her in some cheesy-ass wedding chapel in the middle of the night. I’m pissed and I’m not sure where to really even direct it. At myself for turning her down, even under the circumstances. At her for putting me in that spot. At Kari for making us come here in the first place. At Max because he’s always a good person to be pissed at, reason notwithstanding. The elevator door chimes open and I pull her down the hall to our room. She’s slow behind me and I have half a notion to pick her up, toss her over my shoulder, and carry her the rest of the way. I insert the card and press the door open, pulling Jada in the room behind me. I toss my wallet and the card on the table by the lamp and turn to face her. Her cheeks are red, her eyes wide. She’s biting her bottom lip and I’m not sure if it’s because she’s nervous or to keep from crying. But I’m not having it either way. My hands cup the sides of her face and I bring my mouth to hers. She places her palms on my chest and tries to push me back. “Cane . . .” she says, but I don’t let her finish. I work her lips over with mine, feeling her struggle against me. She can struggle all she wants, but my point will be made. “Cane, stop,” she says again. I allow her to pull back, dropping my hands to my sides. Her chest heaves as she catches her breath. “What?” “I need a minute.” “Why?” She drops her chin and walks passed me, stopping at the foot of the bed. Her back is to me as she kicks off her heels. “Are you mad at me?” I ask. “No. Yes. Kind of?” Fair enough.

“Okay. Take your clothes off.” She spins around, wobbling a little. “What?” “You wanna fight?” I shrug off my shirt and toss it aside. I begin to unfasten my pants. “We can fight. That’s fine. I’m more than happy to argue with you. Just get that dress off.” “I completely don’t understand.” “If we fight, we fight naked. Now get the fucking dress off or I’ll take it off of you.” She tosses her shoulders back, trying to look defiant. She crosses her arms over her chest. I remove my shoes and socks and feel her gaze on me. I slip out of my pants and kick them to the side with my shirt, ignoring her. I can hear her breath pick up but I don’t look up. I undo my watch and sit it on the table beside my wallet. Finally, I hold my hands out to the side. “Your turn.” “I’m not getting naked.” “Oh, my love, you are.” “I am not—” she starts, but I reach her before she knows it. I kiss her hard, breathing in her protests until she finally gives in. I press my body against hers. I palm her ass and drag her roughly to me. Her arms wrap around my neck, her tongue mingling with mine. I feel her resolve weaken. My hands trail up her back, finding her zipper. I jerk it down and step back, guiding the dress down her body until it drops to her feet. “My God, woman.” She’s standing before me in a pair of white lace panties and a matching bra. “I should’ve just married you tonight. Fuck.” A shadow crosses her face and I wish I didn’t mention it. But I had to. I have to let her know why I won’t marry her tonight. Or . . . sort of why I won’t. “Stop,” I say, picking her up and carrying her to the top of the bed. Her eyes are wide, her body radiating her need for me to take her. But I know her well enough to see the hint of nervousness lying just below the desire. I know she felt a bit rejected earlier and I have to make that go away. I won’t have her thinking I’d ever reject her. I toss her gently in the middle of the mattress and climb in beside her. Brushing a strand of hair out of her face, I kiss her lightly again. “You’ve had a lot to drink tonight and I’m not letting that ruin everything.” I let my fingertips play at the hem of her panties. “Ruin what?” She covers my hand with hers and nudges it beneath the lace, her eyes locked on mine. I shrug. I want to speak, to explain, but I can’t. Not yet. Not all the way. Her silky skin is warm beneath mine. Her eyes flutter closed and a small, sweet sigh escapes her mouth as I press against her opening. “Mine,” I whisper.

“Yours,” she says breathlessly. I dip a finger into her, her back arching at the intrusion. I press again, feeling her body tighten around my finger. “Back to the topic at hand,” I say, watching her dark lashes open and close. “I’m not about to let you ruin the moment we become Mr. and Mrs. Alexander because you drank too much. When we do say our vows, when I promise you all the things I’m going to swear to you, I want you coherent. I want you to remember each and every one.” She moans softly and I sink another finger into her wetness. I rub her clit and press in again, her body moving against me. “Cane . . .” “Jada . . .” I push her bra down one cup at a time, her full breasts springing free. Her nipples are hard, begging for attention. I lick one, then the other, before sucking it into my mouth. I roll her nipple with my tongue while working my fingers in and out of her body. “I want you so fucking bad,” I growl. “Then have me.” I slip my fingers out and grasp onto the lace. I rip them down her body and toss them to the floor. “You ruined those,” she laughs, her hands reaching out and grabbing my sides. I position my body over hers. “I’ll buy you another pair.” She grins, running her hands down my abs and then onto my back. Her touch leaves my skin feeling like it’s on fire. I’ve never experienced that before her and I hope it never stops. I guide myself to her opening and enter her in one swift push. Her eyes fly open, a hiss escaping her throat as she adjusts to my hard cock. “You like that?” I pull out before pressing in again, more controlled this time. “Yes,” she moans, her heels locking at the small of my back. “I do.” “Me, too.” I feel every sinful inch of her body, slick with want for me. For me. She presses her heels into my skin, encouraging me to move faster. I speed up, finding a tempo I know she likes. I watch her face, her lips swollen from my kisses, her eyes heavy with desire. She’s so fucking beautiful I almost can’t look at her without spilling myself inside her. “Cane . . .” I feel her pussy clench around my cock and her legs start to tremble. I pick up my pace, angling the movement so my shaft guides against her clit with every stroke. It’s her undoing. “Ah!” she wraps her fingers in my hair and tugs hard. “Cane!” Her body erupts around me, pulsing and squeezing my length. Her nipples go hard and I lick them again, trailing my tongue up her chest before capturing her mouth with mine. She falls apart, moaning into my mouth, making it incredibly fucking hard not to lose it myself. I

slow my strokes, guiding her back to Earth. Her legs and hands topple to the sides. I kiss her gently, easing in and out of her slowly. “Damn, Cane,” she whispers, her voice heavy. I laugh, pulling out and laying beside her. My dick is hard as a rock, pointing to the ceiling. I want to flip her over and pound into her from behind. But she’s emotional tonight and I don’t want her to ever feel less than . . . my everything. She breathes sharply and gets up to hover over me. “Your turn.” I grab her narrow waist and guide her onto me. She glides down with precision, sinking our bodies together inch by inch. Her wetness coats my cock. It’s fucking heaven. She places her feet on each side of me and rises up. I palm her breasts, one in each hand. They’re engorged, filling my hands like they were created for them. “Ready, baby?” she grins, shaking her head so her hair spills off her shoulders. I tip my hips and she begins to rise and fall, pumping up and down. The sensation of her breasts shaking in my hands is overwhelming. I meet her thrust for thrust, listening to her little moans. She can read me like a book because as I get close to exploding, she increases her force. “Jada, I’m gonna lose it.” “Lose it.” I grip her hips and pull her down, feeling every fucking nerve in my body burst. Energy zaps through me, head to toe, rendering me useless. My body shakes, my sight blurred by a barrage of colors. She sits on me, rocking her hips around, milking my orgasm. When I finally open my eyes, she’s looking at me. I want to say something, but I don’t, because I’m smart enough to know when not to trust myself. Instead, I wrap my arm around her waist and lay her beside me. I pull her close and rest my head on her chest. “See?” I say, yawning. “See what?” “I know everything.” “How do you figure that?” “Was that not the best fight we’ve ever had?” “I think I’m going to have to say no just so you don’t start fights with me.” I chuckle and kiss her neck. “I love you.” “I love you.” “What do you want to do tomorrow?” She doesn’t answer. I look at her and her eyes are closed, her chest moving slowly. I kiss the top

of her head and pull the sheet over us. “Sweet dreams, beautiful girl.”

I’M BLISSED OUT. My body is relaxed, my mind beautifully washed from any stress or lingering effects of the past few weeks. I don’t feel the tightness in my shoulders that I’ve been experiencing and the low-grade headache is gone. I expected it to be worse this morning after all the wine last night, but I was surprised to wake up feeling good. Great, even. The sun rays are hot against my skin. There’s a gentle breeze flirting by. It dances across the water of the pool, carrying the smell of chlorine and pop music from the speakers. I lay on the chaise, eyes closed, enjoying the peace. Cane’s hand rests on my stomach, the heat and weight of his skin startling me. I look to my side, to him lying on the chair next to me. He’s in a pair of white swim trunks, his skin a chiseled and tanned piece of perfection. He gives me his shy smile and it does to me what the sun cannot. I melt. For him. “You okay?” he asks, stroking my skin with his fingertips. They leave a trail of goosebumps despite the heat. “I’m great.” “You’re perfect.” “Stop!” Kari cuts in, her voice thick with sarcasm. “You’re gonna give her an ego to match yours!” My sister winks at me. She stands at the end of my lounge with her hand in Max’s. A couple walks behind them, the girl’s eye on Max. It makes sense . . . he does look like a cover model in his dark green trunks. His abs are rock solid, his golden skin showing each ripple of his muscular body. But sadly for the girl, Max doesn’t notice. His attention is focused solely on my sister in her dark blue bikini. “Oh, please,” Cane says, pulling his sunglasses down and looking at Kari over the top. “You’re the one with the ego the size of the Grand Fucking Canyon.” “Don’t. Don’t even start your shit with me, Cane Alexander,” Kari laughs. He laughs and sits up. “What do you wanna do today, Max?” They exchange a look that I can’t quite read, but I feel like I’m missing something. When Kari

starts grinning, I’m sure of it. “I’m about ready to head inside and grab a sandwich. Y’all hungry?” Max asks. “We just ate,” I say, thinking back to the huge buffet Cane and I had for breakfast. “Or it feels that way, anyway.” “I could eat again,” Cane says. Kari looks at me, her eyes shining, and I know I’m in trouble. “I’m not hungry either, so let’s go shopping!” “Yeah! Let’s do my least favorite thing ever on vacation!” The annoyance is apparent in my tone and I flop back in my chair. “Well, it’s my vacation, too, and I wanna go shopping. Just come with me. Please. Otherwise, I’ll have to make Max go and he’s less fun than you, if you can believe that.” “It’s the only thing you don’t enjoy with me,” he winks. “True,” Kari sighs dreamily. “I’d love to partake in the more fun things with you . . . After shopping.” Kari looks at me intently. I roll my eyes. I don’t want to go with her now or later. “Jada,” Max begs, “do me a favor and go with her. I love her, but shopping with her makes me want to kill her.” “See? It’ll make everyone happy!” “Everyone but me!” “It won’t kill you,” Kari says, crossing her arms over her chest. “It’s sister bonding. Just go. Please.” “All right. But not all day, Kari. Just for a little while.” Cane leans across the space dividing us and kisses me. “Buy yourself something, okay?” I groan. “I mean it. Make sure she buys herself some stuff, Kari.” “You mean, make sure she spends your money? Got it.” “I knew you were good for something,” Cane grins. Max pulls Kari into his side and kisses her forehead. “She’s good for a lot of things.” “Keep it up, Quinn,” Kari purrs. She runs her hands over the tattoos dotting Max’s body. “Or you’ll not be having a sandwich for lunch.” “Sandwiches taste better after sex anyway.” “Let’s go on up to the room,” Kari croons. “I’ll make sure that sandwich tastes fantastic . . . a couple of hours from now.” “No,” Cane says, standing. “You two can fuck like rabbits later. We’re going to lunch.” “I’ve lost my appetite,” Max says, nipping at Kari’s bottom lip. “Too bad. I’m starving.” “I’m sure you fuckin’ are,” Max groans. “I am,” Cane says, glaring at him. “And you’re fuckin’ hungry too. Remember, asshole?”

Max shakes his head and pulls his black Saints cap over his head. “Yeah, yeah, yeah. Let’s go eat.” “That’s what I thought,” Cane says. “This is gonna be the longest damn weekend of my life,” Max mutters. I stand and put on my cover-up. I’m not looking forward to shopping, but I can tell Cane and Max have plans and I don’t want to get in the way. “Let’s get this over with,” I say to my sister. Kari kisses Max before grabbing my bag off the ground. “Way to start this with enthusiasm, Jada. Love it.” “I try.” “Have fun,” Cane calls as I follow Kari out of the pool area. “See you soon.”

“I don’t need more swimsuits!” I exclaim as Kari thrusts an orange bikini and a yellow one-piece with the sides cut out into my arms. I try to balance them on top of the sundresses she’s burdened me with. “Seriously, Kari. I’m not buying these.” “Oh, you are. Try them on first, though.” “Why? I don’t need any of this!” “Because,” she says, adding a white sundress to the stack. “Cane instructed me to make sure you spent his money. He knows how I like to shop, so I’m taking it as he wants you to make a dent in his credit card. And I,” she says, tossing on a dark purple tank top, “am not one to disappoint.” “Since when?” “Since now!” She shoves me into the dressing room. “Pick a door. Any door!” She stretches her hands out to the side and I do as instructed. I try on everything. Kari, of course, loves it all. Before I know what’s happening, I’m watching her deposit the entire load onto the counter beside the cash register. “This is ridiculous!” I say, forking over Cane’s credit card. The lady hands it back to me after swiping it and Kari picks up my bags. “No, it’s sweet.” She flounces out of the store and I follow, still not sure how I got talked into this. “You didn’t even get anything!” “Yeah. That purple tank top is mine. If it fits you, it’ll fit me.” We enter the parking lot, find our rental car, and climb inside. “Why does shopping exhaust me so much?” I ask, reclining back in the passenger seat. “I seriously feel like I’ve just ran a marathon.”

Kari laughs and starts the car. “Because you’re lame?” “Funny.” I watch the city fly by as we make our way back to the hotel. “Want to tell me why we really just spent a few thousand of Cane’s hard earned dollars on things I don’t need?’ “Because you need them?” “Seriously, Kari. I’m not stupid.” “Because he wants to make you happy?” I roll my eyes. “He knows this stuff doesn’t make me happy. Try again.” “Because he doesn’t work very hard for his money?” “Not true.” “Because you look amazing in that stuff and that’ll make him happy?” She bites her lip, her dark hair pulled into a messy bun on the top of her head. I can tell by the way she keeps re-gripping the wheel that something’s bothering her. “I’ll take the last one just so we can switch topics.” “To what?” “To . . . what’s wrong with you?” She releases a quick breath and glances at me out of the corner of her eye. She didn’t expect me to catch on, but I know her better than anyone. Something is definitely on her mind. “Nothing,” she grumbles. “You lie. You have that same look on your face you’d get when Dad would ask if you ate all of your broccoli. You’d say yes but we both knew you’d fed it to Snoopy under the table.” A grin touches her lips. “It’s just . . . I don’t know what to do about Max.” I turn to the side and watch her fidget in her seat. I’ve never been able to figure out their relationship. They seem completely together at one moment and then like they tiptoe around each other the next. It’s confusing to me, so I’m sure it has to be confusing to her. “Because . . .” “I just . . .” She sighs and smiles sadly at me. “I really like him.” “I know you do. What’s wrong with that?” “Everything.” “Um . . . Care to develop that sentence a bit more?” She laughs half-heartedly. “He wants everything. He wants what you and Cane have.” “Yeah, don’t you?” She shrugs. “I don’t know. If I did, it would be with him, no doubt. He’s pretty perfect, you know.” “I do,” I laugh. “I get Max. But I still don’t get you.” “I don’t get me either.” We pull into the parking garage of the hotel and she finds a spot. We grab the bags and head to the elevator. We’re silent as we enter the elevator to our rooms. I know she’s thinking about our conversation. I want to press the issue, but I don’t. I know some things you have to figure out yourself and relationships are one of them. As much as I want her with Max, if she doesn’t want to be, then she

shouldn’t be. That’s for her to decide. The elevator dings and we step out. “What are your plans for this evening?” I ask, sticking my room card in and pushing the door part way open. I look at her doing the same thing to the room next door. “I’ll call you. I believe besides spending his money, Cane also told Max and me to fuck like rabbits later. I told you I’m not one to disappoint.” I shake my head and sit my bags on the floor inside. “Have fun.” “Always,” she says with a sparkle in her eye. “If there’s one thing I have figured out in life, it’s how to have fun.” She winks before disappearing inside.

THE RESTAURANT INSIDE the hotel is busy, people darting in and out, the staff trying to keep up. The food was good, not great, but the service has been attentive. The waitress makes her way to us. Tall, blonde, wicked green eyes, huge tits that are on display in a low-cut, tight top . . . our waitress is definitely an 8.5 on a 10-scale. A year ago, I would’ve been all over that. Or she would’ve been all over me, more likely, and I would’ve taken her up on her offer. These are the easy pieces, the ones you don’t even have to work for. Today, however, I have zero interest. I take a swig of my beer and watch her approach. I try to gauge my response, try to see if there’s still something inside me that wants to fuck her sideways. I wait for my dick to twitch. With each bounce of her round breasts, I wait for the indication from my body that it wants to release. In hers. It doesn’t. Not one fucking part of me reacts. And while this normally would’ve been a concerning reaction, I couldn’t be fucking happier about it. She catches my eye and smiles, fluttering her lashes. I’ve seen this look a million times. It says, ‘if you wanna fuck, I’ll fuck.’ Instead of smirking like usual, patting myself on the back for not even having to try to get her attention, I look away. She huffs, but not before trying the same thing on Max. I actually laugh out loud. There’s zero chance of me banging this chick, but with that being said, there’s less of a chance than that of Max doing it. I have loyalty. He has loyalty and morals. “Can I get you guys anything else?” She holds our plates so her tits squeeze together, the tops rounding above the neckline of her shirt. “I don’t need anything,” I smile, nodding to Max. “What about you?” “Nah, I’m good. Thank ya though.” I’ve always considered predictability a bad trait—boring, monotonous. But the longer I live, the more I’m starting to appreciate it. Sure, I still like being spontaneous. We are in fucking Vegas. But there’s a level of comfort, a feeling of being able to let your defenses down when you know how someone’s going to react to a situation. I always know how Max will react to things. I just wish I knew how other people would react to certain things . . .

“Wanna bring us the check?” I ask the waitress. She nods and flaunts off, swinging her hips for my benefit. “You about ready?” “I wanna finish this beer first,” Max says, taking a sip from the bottle in his hand. “So, you ready for everything?” “Yeah. We’ve got everything nailed down, I think. Can you think of anything we overlooked? You made a schedule and a bid list and everything for this, right?” “Yeah, I’ve approached this like any other project we’ve been on. We have a schedule, contracts, the whole shebang,” he laughs. “I think everything is covered, but it’s not like I’ve done this before.” “Yeah, well, this may be your practice round, but that doesn’t mean you can fuck it up.” “I won’t.” We exchange a look and I know he won’t. It’s Max, after all. He’s predictable. What’s important to those he cares about is important to him. And he doesn’t want me to kill him. That helps, I’m sure. There’s a comfortable silence between us, the product of a friendship that’s spanned years. He’s seen me at my best and my worst, helped me make decisions, helped me bury my father. We’ve loved some of the same people, lost some of the same friends. Looking at what my life is now and what it’s going to become, he’s the only consistent part of my life both pre and post-Jada. “Who would’ve thought I’d be getting married before you? Man, life’s fucked up,” I say. “It is.” He watches the television above my head. His jaw tenses and the vein at his temple pulses. “What’s going on?” “What do you mean?” “You’re acting strange.” “Thanks.” “I’m fucking serious, Max. What’s up?” He sighs and sits the bottle on the table, peeling the label back. He thinks about what he’s going to say. “Kari and I were watching television last night and a commercial came on about a wedding package or some shit. I made a comment about getting married. I wasn’t even insinuating that we should get married here because you know I wouldn’t do that. I was just talking in general and she completely balked. She put that wall up of hers and changed the subject.” “You’ve said that before. She doesn’t want to talk about it.” “Yeah, man, she doesn’t. If she just would say, ‘I don’t wanna get married right now,’ I’d be okay with it. But she won’t even say that. She just gets pissed off or walks out of the room. And being here is making her even weirder about it. Like she expects me to drive her to a chapel and make her marry me.” “Maybe you should,” I laugh. “It’d take the pressure off.” “Yeah. She’d have my balls faster than I could blink.” “What do you think is her problem? I don’t get it. She’s all crazy about helping Jada and I get ours together. And you want to get married.” He shrugs and I feel sorry for him. He’s a great guy. There’s no reason Max Quinn shouldn’t be

married and having babies, except for the fact that the one girl he wants doesn’t want either thing. It sucks. “We’ve all had time to run around, play the field. I don’t get what her hang-up is. She obviously loves you.” “I don’t know. I can’t figure it out to save my soul.” “So, what do you do? I mean, do you just stick it out with her and hope she comes around? Or do you just call it quits and find someone that requires less work?” He shrugs again. “I don’t know, Alexander. I love her. I love her more than anything, you know that. But I feel like I can’t make any progress with her because I don’t understand her. And she won’t let me in far enough to figure it out.” “Well,” I say, climbing out of the booth. “I, for one, am totally for the white chapel shit. I’ll drive you there myself.” “I bet you would,” he says, tossing a twenty dollar bill on the table. “You’d love to see her kill me.” “Kari’s a good girl. If you don’t lock her up quick, you might get stuck with something like that.” I grin and nod towards the waitress coming back our way. “She’d be a good piece of ass.” Max quirks a brow, not wanting to encourage me to continue. Too late. “You might want to try that out since you’re so unsure about what you’re gonna do with Kari. Sampling the goods never hurt anybody.” I smile, trying to gauge his reaction. I want to rile him up just a bit. “Hell, she might be down at the pool right now getting some—” “Shut your mouth, Cane. I’m not fucking kidding.” I roar with laughter. “Now we’re getting somewhere!” “You’re such an asshole.” “It’s been said before.”

THE CASINO IS bursting with people. There’s so much to see and do that it’s hard to focus. I have no idea how people pay attention to the games enough to win anything. Everything is one giant distraction. The guys played in a poker tournament earlier this evening. Kari and I had a late lunch at a little bistro in the hotel and then played slots while our boys finished up. Cane was eliminated in the fourth round and Max made it a little longer, but they both came out empty handed. We meander through the maze of machines when I spy a roulette table. Kari and I watched a few games of it earlier and it looked like fun. I think most games are rigged to beat you, but roulette seems fairly objective. “I wanna try roulette,” I say, tugging on Cane’s hand. “I like this game.” We all stop and watch the table in front of us. The bets are made and then the ball bursts outs and spins around the wheel. “You played before?” Max asks. “No. But I think I’d be good at it.” “It’s just luck, Jada,” Max says. “You can’t be good at gambling unless you know how to count cards.” “Well, she is lucky. She’s got me.” Cane wraps his arm around my waist. I giggle and lean against him. “Yeah. She got you. Good point,” Kari says, taking Max’s hand and leading him towards the table. “Let’s see if we can change her luck and save her before it’s too late.” “Better watch your girl, Quinn,” Cane mumbles. Max snorts. “She’s your sister-in-law. You deal with her.” Kari shoves Max’s arm. “You’re not going to defend me?” “Nah, it might be good for you two to just have at it. One of you is going to have to establish dominance eventually.” “Dominance? Really? If he even thinks he’ll dominate me, he’s crazy!” She turns to look at Cane. “You’re stuck with me and my mouth.” “Yeah, but I,” Cane grins over her head at Max, “don’t have to live with ya.”

“I don’t either,” Max mutters and places his chip on the eight. “But on the bright side, I can think of numerous ways to occupy her mouth.” “I’m not even going to honor that with a response,” Kari says, taking a chip out of Max’s hand. Cane hands me a few tokens, studying the table. I place mine on the red seven next to Max’s eight. Kari studies the table before placing hers on the black thirty-three. Just as the dealer calls for all bets to be placed, Cane places his on the black twenty. Cane kisses my neck as we watch the ball roll around. It bounces and rolls before landing on the twenty. “We have a winner!” The dealer says, nodding at Cane. The crowd cheers. Cane grins and takes his winnings and follows Max and Kari back to the aisle. He takes my hand and kisses my knuckles. “Good ‘ol twenty,” he says, chuckling. I do a quick run-through of all the dates I know and I can’t find a reason to like that number. “Lucky for you?” He shrugs. “I hope so.” “What’s that supposed to mean?” “Well,” he says, pausing mid-step to allow a scantily-clad waitress to pass by. She makes eyes at Cane and he ignores her, much to my delight. “I met you on the twentieth day of the month. So it’s lucky to me.” I can’t help the ridiculous smile on my face. I didn’t realize he knew the date we met. I knew the date he brought me pizza and wine at my office, but not the date we met at Blanca’s. “Aw, Cane. I can’t believe you knew that!” He grins sheepishly. “Yeah. And today’s the nineteenth. So you should be extra good to me tomorrow and keep it lucky for me.” “Want to watch a show?” Max asks, looking at Cane, as we approach. “Nah. I think we are going to turn in early.” “We are?” I ask. “Yeah.” I shrug. “Okay, then. We’ll see you guys at breakfast.” Kari grins at Cane and I catch him winking at her. “Yup,” Kari smiles at me. “See you at breakfast.”

“Have you had a good time so far?” I can’t take my eyes off Jada. She’s sitting at a small table in the bedroom with a large mirror in front of it, brushing her long dark hair. Her small body is covered by a pinkish gown that is so her. It’s long, touching the floor . . . it’s classy and elegant. She looks like a lady. My lady. “I have,” she says, glancing at me in the glass. “It’s been fun. Exactly what we needed.” I nod, a small ball of nerves starting to amass in my stomach. “I think so, too.” “I’m really glad Kari was so adamant about it.” “Me, too.” She stands, flipping her hair over her shoulder. Her large breasts fill out the lacy cups, the material clinging to the curve of her hips. She’s a fuckin’ goddess. She gets to the side of the bed and my hands find her hips. Before she knows it, I’m lifting her up and laying her next to me. “We only have two days left,” she says, tracing some unknown design onto my abs with her fingertip. “What do you want to do?” I swallow hard, hoping she doesn’t notice my chest suddenly rising and falling a little quicker. “I don’t know. Nothing in particular. You have anything in mind?” “Not really. Just relax.” I laugh, my voice bouncing a little more than usual. She raises her eyebrows at me. “What?” I gotta divert. Fast. “You’re gorgeous.” She snorts. “That wasn’t what you were just thinking.” I grab her hand and place it on my cock. Her eyes grow wide as soon as she feels how hard I am for her already. “Tell me that wasn’t what I was thinking.” “Okay,” she giggles, stroking my length, “maybe you were.” “Maybe I was,” I say, bending forward and kissing her. “Maybe I always am.”

“ARE YOU SURE?” I look at Cane, still lying in bed. His chest and one leg are sticking out of the white sheets and all I want to do is climb back in with him. “I’d really like to just jump back in there with you.” He grins his boyish smile. “That’s not helping things,” I laugh. He folds his arms behind his head, the muscles in his arms flexing. “That’s not either.” “I really want you to go with Kari. She made reservations last night for you two to have all that girly shit done.” “But we do spa days all the time. I don’t need to do them here.” His face grows serious. “I think she and Max are having problems. I’m not sure. I think they’re trying to get a little time apart while we’re here. So just go and relax and enjoy your day and I’ll take Max golfing or some stupid shit.” “I can’t see you golfing.” Images of him tossing his clubs across the lawn make me giggle. “Yeah, I wasn’t really built for it. We do a lot of business on the golf course, but Max goes to a lot of that stuff. Golf pisses me off usually.” “Imagine that.” He shrugs. I don’t really want to go. I want to climb back into bed and just spend the entire day in his arms. But if he’s right and Kari needs me, I can’t say no. I look at him again. His hair is tousled and he has a sleepy, sexy grin on his face. It’s for Kari . . . “Last chance to keep me here. In bed. Naked.” He growls. “Stop.” I sigh dramatically. “Okay. I’ll go take my clothes off and have someone else’s hand on me.” I turn and hear the sheets rifle behind me. I grin and before I even expect it, he’s spinning me around. “If there’s a guy working and he’s not one hundred and fucking twenty percent gay, he’s not allowed to touch you. Hear me?”

“Don’t be silly.” “There’s nothing silly about it.” I kiss him sweetly. “I’m your girl. You have nothing to worry about.” “I better not because it won’t matter. If anyone tries to take you from me, I’ll kill them.” I kiss him again, feeling his fight wane a bit as our lips touch. I love him and all of his possessive tendencies because I know they come from the very best place. Turning towards the door, my hand is on the handle when I hear him say my name. I turn to see him watching me, biting his bottom lip. “I hope you have a good day today,” he says. “I will.” I blow him a kiss and force myself to walk out before I disregard what he says and stay with him. Kari is standing in the hallway, typing away on her phone. A smile as wide as the hall graces her face and she shoves her phone in the pocket of her shorts. “Ready?” “Yes. You’re sure chipper this morning,” I laugh. “Yeah, well . . .” She pushes the button for the elevator and it dings immediately. We step inside the empty car. “Max made sure that I left with a smile, if you catch my drift.” “I thought you and Max were having trouble?” “What in the world makes you say that?” “Something Cane said.” She laughs, her voice echoing off the walls around us. “I’m sure he did.” She sticks her hand in her purse and pulls out a pink envelope. “I have something for you.” “What’s this?” She shrugs, but smiles coyly. I open the envelope and pull out a white card with a pink and silver design on it. One letter is printed on the card: “I.” “An ‘I’? What’s this supposed to mean?” I ask, thoroughly confused. “I don’t know. Guess we’ll have to wait and see.” “You’re a liar,” I laugh. “And a poor one at that.” “You know what else I am?” “What’s that?” “Not about to ruin this.”

The spa is gorgeous. I love the one we go to in Scottsdale, but this one is even more posh. It’s luxuriously decorated in whites and golds. A fountain is in the corner and the entire atmosphere is completely tranquil. A beautifully coiffed woman sitting behind a slab of marble checks us in. “We have you both down for aromatherapy massages. Is that correct?” “Yes,” Kari says. “Perfect. Please head through those doors and Shera will get you all set up.” We turn to go, but stop as she speaks again. “Which one of you is Jada?” “Me,” I say, my eyebrows pulling together. “Is something wrong?” “No, not at all.” She smiles sweetly at me. “I have this for you.” In her hand lies another pink envelope. It’s identical to the one Kari gave me earlier. I take it and look at Kari. “Another one? What is this? Some sort of Bingo?” She laughs as I open it. I pull out another pink card. This time “Want” is typed out across the center. “I want,” I grin, “a lot of things. But the first thing is to know what this is all about!” Kari shrugs and heads through the doors, leaving me standing alone with the card in my hand.

I TAKE A sip of my coffee. Max is sprawled out on the couch on the other side of the room, flipping through a newspaper. “What do we need to do today?” I ask him. “I got everything done you asked me to do plus about a hundred other things I know you’d never think of. So nothin,’ I don’t guess.” “I’ve never done this before, asshole.” He sets the newspaper down. “And I have?” “No, but you are better at this than me. You get this shit.” He laughs and sits up. “Well, I intend to take credit for all this after the fact.” “The hell you are!” “I am. Without Kari and me, you’d be fucked.” “What else is new?” I mutter, standing up and refilling my cup. “The pink notes were a good call by you. I’ll give you credit for that.” “Did she get them yet?” I smile. “Yeah, Kari texted me that she’s got two so far.” “Hey, we do need to pick up a few things today. Wanna get dressed and then we can get it out of the way?” I take a deep breath, feeling the excitement start to creep in. I’ve been trying to fight it, keep it at bay, so I stay in control. But the closer we get, the harder it is not to feel antsy. It reminds me of lying in bed on Christmas Eve when I was a little boy. Just knowing that in a matter of a few hours, my dreams will come true. The anticipation is almost too much. “Getting nervous?” Max smirks. I consider his question. It’s a fair one. I’m anxious as fuck, but I have zero second thoughts. Not one. Not an inkling of one. “You know what? I’m not. I’m not at all, actually.” He chuckles and stands, swiping his black cap off the couch and putting it on backwards. “My life just gets more bizarre.” “Why’s that?”

“I feel like I’m in some alternate reality or some shit.” “Alternate reality? Nah, that’s just too much History Channel on your part, that’s what that is. Now go get your shit together and I’ll meet you in the hallway in thirty.” Max watches me, smirking. I know he’s gonna say something to try to piss me off. I see it coming. “What if this doesn’t work?” he asks. “Fuck you.” “No,” he says, grinning. “What if this whole thing plays out and it doesn’t go your way?” “Did you forget who you’re talking to, asshole? Everything goes my way.”

The white robe is ridiculously soft against my skin. It smells vaguely like lavender and feels like a cloud wrapped around me. I cinch it around my waist, my body humming in a state that has to be total relaxation. The masseuse, a one hundred and twenty percent gay man, had the hands of an angel. My body is purring and I’m glad I ended up coming with Kari after all. My sister comes into the room, a white robe like mine clothing her body, her dark hair in a messy knot. “That was the best massage I’ve ever had,” she purrs dreamily. “I could just lie down and fall asleep and wake up a month from now.” “Let’s do that,” I say. “I bet the guys are out golfing or something. Let’s just go back to the room now and sleep.” For a brief moment, her eyes go wide. “No. I . . Um . . .” The door opens and Shera comes in. She’s a pretty blonde, probably our age, and has a notebook in her hand. “I hope you liked your massage, ladies,” Shera smiles. “Can we get you anything else today?” “No, I think that’s it,” I smile. “I’m ready for a nap.” Shea laughs. “Everyone says that.” She runs her finger down the notebook in front of her, scanning the pages. “What brings you ladies to Vegas? Do you live here or are you visiting?” “Visiting,” Kari says. “We leave tomorrow evening. My sister is getting married soon, so we have some planning to do.” “You’re engaged?” Shera’s eyes light up and she drops the notebook to her side. “I’m such a romantic! Ah! What do you have in mind for your wedding day? Are you doing something big and beautiful or small and intimate?”

“I have no idea. Pink flowers. That’s all I got.” Her jaw drops. “That’s it? No hair? No makeup? No dress?” “She found a dress. Finally,” Kari says sarcastically. “I can’t believe she’s my sister. The girl has no vision. None.” The notebook is back in front of Shera’s face, the pages turning. “If you girls don’t have anything to do today, my favorite stylist in our wedding department is available for the next couple of hours. We could play around, give you some ideas. It would be fun!” “Oh, no. You don’t have to—” “Yes. Yes, she does!” Kari squeals. “Can we do that?” “Kari . . .” “Cane said to keep you happy!” “This makes you happy.” She rolls her eyes. “It’ll make you happy, too, getting all fussed over. Come on, Jada. Please.” She bats her eyelashes at me and I laugh. “Are you sure, Shera?” “Absolutely!”

“YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL dah-ling,” Pierre swoons, tapping my lips with a gloss. “You make this so easy!” “Oh, stop it,” I giggle. I’ve been sitting in Pierre’s chair for the last two hours. When I agreed to this, I had no idea they meant two actual hours. I have no idea what this is going to cost, not that Cane will care, but it seems so silly, really. My hair has been washed, conditioned, and curled. It’s been pulled into an up-do that Pierre spent a half hour perfecting. I need to remember to get a picture of this so I can have it replicated when we get back to the Valley. I can’t see myself wearing my hair any other way for the wedding now. My makeup has been done with colors I never would’ve thought of using. As the layers were being applied, I thought I’d look like a call girl. It was way more makeup than I ever use. I wouldn’t know how to use most of the products Pierre applied. But when he whirls me around in the large, plush, black chair so I can see myself, I’m astonished. I look like me, just a glamorous version of me. If I didn’t see him apply a million layers of makeup, I’d swear he used none. Everything looks so natural. Pierre stands behind me, his eyes sparkling. “Gorgeous, right?” “Pierre . . .” I start to touch my hair but stop. “I just . . . Can you come to Phoenix and do this for my wedding?” He laughs and places a comb back in its container. “I wasn’t kidding. This is incredible. You did an amazing job!” “Jada!” Kari exclaims, her hand flying to her mouth as she walks in the room. “Oh my God!” “He did an amazing job, didn’t he? But look at you! So gorgeous!” Kari’s hair has been curled into large waves and hangs down. Her eyes are wide and gorgeous. She has a pinkish lipstick staining her lips and her skin is flawless, as always. ”You like?” “No, I love! Have you looked in the mirror, Kari?” “I have. They really did an amazing job. Can we kidnap them and take them home with us?” Pierre laughs. “If I wasn’t gay, I’d just go home with you two. Just saying.”

I smile and start to speak when Shera comes back in, a large bouquet of flowers in her hand. They are in a multitude of different shades of pink. She hands them to me. “These are for you, Jada.” Kari grins, a knowing look on her face. I don’t bother to ask her any questions because I know she won’t answer them. Instead, I dig through the foliage and pull out a pink envelope. Just like the others, there’s a card inside. ‘To Marry You’ is printed on this one. I feel the sting of tears hit my eyes. I knew from the first card that this was Cane’s doing, but the longer this goes on—the longer he had to plan this—it just gets sweeter. And so un-Cane like. Cane’s sweet, but he’s not overly romantic. And this? This is romantic. I wipe the tears away from my eyes and Pierre rushes over to fix the smudges. “I’m dying over here,” Pierre says, dabbing my cheeks with a tissue. “So jealous! Why doesn’t a man ever send me flowers like that?” “Mine normally doesn’t do things like this,” I laugh. “Max must be giving him pointers.” Kari grins. “Max does get a gold star in romance. You ready to get out of here?” “Yes. Let’s go find our guys.”

“She’s not texting me back.” My jaw pulses in frustration. I check my texts again. Nothing. “She just fell off the face of the Earth.” “Nah, she didn’t,” Max says easily from across the room. “Just relax.” “Relax?” I look up, my eyebrows raised in astonishment. “Really?” “Yes, really. She’s probably getting her nails done and shit and can’t type.” Me: What’s going on, Kari? I set my phone down and drum my fingers against the tabletop. “I’m gonna kill her if she messes this up.” He quirks a brow. “You won’t and she won’t. Seriously. Calm the fuck down, Alexander.” My phone buzzes and I snatch it up. Kari: If you text me again, I’ll fly her home to Arizona. Me: I’m starting to hate you. What the fuck is going on? Kari: We just got our hair done and are on our way to the room. Relax. Me: Why does everyone keep saying that? Kari: Because you’re acting like an idiot.

Me: Just get her to the room and then text me. Kari: Okay. Me: TEXT ME. Don’t ignore me. I’ll be one room away and can be there in a second flat. Kari: I’ll try. MUAH! “I just made your life a little easier, Max,” I say, setting my phone down. “How ya reckon?” “You don’t need to worry about figuring Kari out because I’m gonna kill her.” He laughs like he thinks I’m kidding. “I think she’d take ya.” “She better get her part of this done.” “She will. Now get in the shower and let’s get this show on the road.”

THE FLOWERS MAKE the entire elevator car smell beautiful. I look at them in the reflection in the mirrors on the walls and they are so sweet. It’s almost like he’s proposing to me again. “Will you stop bouncing around?” I turn to look at Kari. “Did they spike your champagne in the spa or what?” “I don’t know. I just feel so relaxed. So happy!” I roll my eyes. “I have no idea what’s gotten into you.” The elevator stops and we exit, heading down the hallway to our adjoining rooms. “Let’s nap and then go to that little bistro down by the spa for an early dinner. Want to?” I ask. Kari doesn’t respond. She’s engrossed in her phone, a huge smile on her face, typing away. “Kari?” “Oh,” she says, her voice an octave too high. “What?” “I said . . .” I stop at my hotel room door. There is a pink enveloped taped to it. I remove it slowly, feeling Kari’s gaze on me from behind. A ball of anxiety twists tightly in my stomach as I open it. I pull out the card. My cheeks heat immediately at the one word staring back at me: TODAY “Kari?” I whip my head to the side. Kari’s watching me, all of the cards in her hand. Her smile is even wider now, if that’s possible, and her cheeks are pink, too. “What’s going on?” She flips over one card at a time and then points at my hand at the end. I WANT TO MARRY YOU TODAY. “He wants to marry me today?” I want to think this is a joke, some silly little thing Cane is doing for hurting my feelings a couple of nights ago. But the look on Kari’s face, coupled with the little blossom in my belly, makes me think it’s not that at all. “Is this for real?” “Open the door.” Her voice is quiet, like she’s trying not to wake a baby. I hold the flowers in my hand and fidget in my pocket for the room key. I swipe the card through the slot too quickly and it denies me entrance. Grimacing, I try again. It buzzes and I push open the door. I take a few steps in, Kari behind me, and stop dead in my tracks. “Oh my God,” I say, my hand flying to my mouth. Tears blur my eyes before I even know what’s

happening. “No crying yet!” Kari sniffles beside me. “You can’t ruin your makeup yet!” I fix my gaze on the wedding gown hanging off a garment hanger in the living room. It’s the same gown, the same beautiful lace piece, I saw in the magazine on the way to Vegas. “How did you? What does this mean? How did—” “Stop, Jada,” Kari giggles, physically turning me to face her. “This was all Cane.” She rolls her eyes. “Okay, not all Cane because God knows that man would’ve been screwed without Max and I. But this idea was all him.” “Is he really marrying me tonight?” I choke out. I’m trying desperately not to start bawling, not to break down. My legs feel weak and I clumsily place the flowers on a table so I don’t drop them. “No. You are marrying him tonight, sister.” “Oh my God.” She pulls me into a hug and I can’t fight the few tears that escape. “How did you arrange all this?” “The night he came in with the plane tickets? Well, when you went to the bathroom, he told us what he wanted to do. So we all sort of pitched in and got it done.” “Oh, Kari. Thank you.” I grab one of Cane’s shirts off the sofa and try to dry my face. “I don’t know what to say!” “You’ll be saying yes in a couple of hours. Right now, we need to make sure you’re ready. I have an entire suitcase in the closet of stuff for the wedding.” She shakes with excitement. “For your wedding! Ah!” “I can’t believe this. I’m marrying him tonight!” “You so are! Now let’s get you ready for your wedding day!”

I BUTTON MY shirt, my hands shaking as I work my way from the bottom to the top. I hope this was the right thing to do. I hope she isn’t upset that I basically just planned this fucking day for her. I hope she’s not pissed because she didn’t get to do her hair the right way, knowing what was going to happen . . . Maybe I should’ve told her. Maybe I should’ve asked her to help . . . I leave the top button unfastened and look around for a bottle of water. I know I had one just a second ago. “Max? Where’s my water?” “In the refrigerator.” “Why in the hell is it in there?” “To keep it cold.” He comes around the corner and looks at me like I might jump out the window. “Relax, Alexander.” “Stop fucking telling me to relax.” “Okay. Chill out.” I roll my eyes but let his comment go. “I keep thinking this was the wrong way to do this. Did I just fuck this up? Tell me the truth.” He laughs loudly and tosses me a water. “No, you didn’t just fuck this up. This was a very you way to do this.” “What’s that supposed to mean?” “That you do what you want, when you want, and fuck what everyone else says.” “You make it sound like I’m an asshole.” I take a swig and watch him over the bottle. “Go figure.” “Fuck you.” We both laugh, a bit of stress leaving my body. “Have you seen my cuff links?” “Yes.” “Can you leave anything fucking be? For fuck sakes, Max, I just sat them down!” “Can you put anything away?” “Uh, no. This is a hotel. Nothing has a place.” “For the record,” he says, picking up a towel I had used earlier after my shower, “I didn’t move

them.” I ignore him and pick them up as Max’s phone starts to ring. “Hey,” he says. He eyes me closely, like I might pounce on him. “Yeah, he’s here.” I place the cuff links back down again and listen. “No, you can’t talk to him. Why’d Kari even let you call?” He listens a second and starts laughing. “You’re not as different from Cane as I thought.” “Let me talk to her,” I say, reaching for the phone. He turns his back and ignores me. “Tradition says you weren’t even supposed to see each other at all today—” I grab the phone out of his hand. “Fuck tradition.” Max sighs as I walk across the room, his phone to my ear. “Hey, baby.” “Cane . . .” “Having a good day?” My voice is wavier than I’d like it to be. But this is the question of the day. No, this is the question of my life. “I’ve never had a better one,” she whispers. I can’t help the shit-eating grin that spreads across my face. A weight lifts from my shoulders. “Yeah?” “Yeah.” “So you’re okay with me just kinda doing everything?” “That’s an oversimplification!” she laughs. “But yes. I’m so okay with this. I’m a little sad my daddy won’t be here, but I think he’ll understand.” “He will. I’m sure of it. You’re marrying me. I’m sure he’ll love it.” “I’m sure,” she giggles. “Either way . . . I love you, Cane. I love you so much.” “Not as much as I love you, beautiful girl. Now get ready because in about,” I glance at my watch, “an hour and a half, you’ll finally be Jada Alexander.” “I love hearing you say that,” she breathes. “I love saying it. I’ll see you in a little bit.” “Okay.” “Oh, Jada. One more thing?” “Yeah?” “Tell Kari we’ll discuss her lack of texting me later. She’s fucking killed me today.” Jada laughs and I lose the touch of annoyance I had. None of it matters, really. All that matters is that she officially becomes my wife sooner rather than later.

I STAND IN front of the full-length mirror in the lingerie Kari purchased for me. The attention to detail that went into this astounds me. We had a wine-fueled conversation about what to wear beneath a wedding dress a few weeks ago and I didn’t realize it was more than a random discussion. She found exactly what I said I thought I’d wear. It’s feminine and delicate, a pure white with the lightest of blue embroidery, just like Cane’s eyes. “You ready to put on your dress?” Kari asks, walking up behind me. “It’s about time to get downstairs.” I look at her in the reflection. A lump forms at the base of my throat and I try to swallow it back. I am ready, but I need to ask her something first. “Do you think Mom would’ve liked Cane?” Kari smiles softly. “I know she would’ve.” “How do you know?” It’s a question that has been weighing on my mind. I knew when I married Decker that my mother wouldn’t have liked him. Kari and Dad both didn’t. I shouldn’t have either. Although Cane seemed initially to be so much like Decker, he really isn’t. Not in my eyes. I know Dad gave him his blessing and I know Kari likes him, but I wonder what my mom would’ve thought. I know I’ll never really know, but it’s important to me to think I’d have her blessing this time. Because in my heart and soul, I know this is the last time I’ll ever do this. Cane is it for me forever. “I know Mom would’ve loved him because he loves you.” I smile back at her and feel the sting of tears again. I laugh, hoping they’ll retreat, but they don’t. “Am I gonna be trying not to cry all day?” “Yeah,” she laughs, choking back her own. “Probably.” “I should call Dad. Not that it will help this tear situation, but I hate that he’s not here.” Kari picks up her phone and hands it to me. “Call him. Cane talked to him about this before we left, so he knows it’s happening.” “Were his feelings hurt?” She shakes her head. “Nope. Dad just wants us happy, Jada.”

I dial his number and wait for him to answer, but he doesn’t. It goes to voicemail. I feel like such a baby, such a little girl, but I can’t help it. I just wanted to talk to my dad. “Daddy? It’s Jada.” My voice cracks and I watch Kari, trying to gain some sort of strength from her. This is so much harder than I thought it would be. I sniffle back tears and realize that I only have a few seconds before the recording ends. “I love you.”

“IT’S A SUIT, Cane,” Max laughs behind me. “You’ve worn these before.” I straighten the gold tie and twist my neck, trying to get comfortable. “I feel like a fucking monkey in this thing. You think I could just leave the tie off and the top button of this shirt undone? If not, I might die from asphyxiation before I get there.” Max’s hand lands on my shoulder. “Look at it this way: Jada could bail on you at the last minute. You gotta jump through all the hoops, including wearing a suit and tie, to make sure she doesn’t change her mind.” “She’s not gonna change her mind, asshole.” “Nah, she won’t. But you still gotta wear that.” “You sound like my dad.” As soon as the words slip from my lips, a heaviness comes over me. I don’t think about him a lot, not in depth. I allow myself to consider how he’d handle things from time-to-time, but normally I just push forward and stay focused on whatever is in front of me. But today . . . what’s in front of me is the rest of my life. I turn and see Max watching me from the other side of the room. His eyes are narrowed, cautious, and I know he’s waiting on me to speak. He knows this is a touchy subject and he’s known me long enough to know how I work. He’s giving me space. And that space is making me suffocate. I shrug helplessly. “What do ya think, Max?” “I think he’d be damn proud of you.” I snort and turn away. “Look at what you’ve done with your life, man. You were in your early twenties and lost the only family you had. Instead of just saying, ‘fuck it,’ you picked yourself up, took over the company built by your grandfather and father, and made it into something more.” “I just did what I had to do.” “But so many people don’t. You could’ve let it all go or sold it all. But you didn’t. You kept the legacy of your family and built on it. That’s impressive.” “Did you just call me impressive?” I grin, turning to look at him. He rolls his eyes. “No. I said what you did was impressive. Slightly.” There’s a comfortable silence between us, something I only have with Max. We may not be blood

but we sure as fuck might as well. I twist my neck again. “Am I supposed to wear a flower or some shit on my jacket?” Max laughs, glancing down at the pink one on his. “Yeah. Kari did mine. She’ll be over in a minute and she’ll do yours, too.” “She’ll probably jab me with the needle.” “Probably.” There’s so much unsaid between us and I know I don’t have to say any of it. Max knows. I don’t think I could verbalize all the things I’m feeling right now, but I need to try to say something. “Thank you.” “For what?” He takes a drink of water and watches me, looking thoroughly confused. “For this. For putting all of this together. For introducing me to Jada.” “Nah, don’t thank me for this.” “Why’s that?” He laughs and pulls on his suit jacket. “I only introduced you to Jada so someone else can deal with your bullshit. I’ve suffered long enough and am more than ready to pawn you off onto someone else.” “Fuck you, Max.” “Fuck you, too.”

I HEAR THE zipper go up my back and I hold my breath, hoping this dress fits. I say a silent prayer that there are no hiccups. I feel it climb from my waist, to the middle of my back. It stops right below my shoulder blades. The front cinches against my chest perfectly. “It fits,” I breathe out, relief washing over me. “Did you doubt me? I mean, really, Jada.” “Well, you never know!” Kari turns me to face her. The corners of her mouth touch her eyes as she gasps. “What?” I look down. Everything looks right. It looks like it fits. What if there’s a rip? What if it’s torn? What if . . . “It’s perfect,” Kari whispers. “Absolutely perfect.” “Are you sure?” She points to the mirror and we turn, staring at our reflection. My dress fits me like a glove, exactly how I envisioned it when I saw it in the magazine. I look demure and sophisticated, just like I wanted. “Cane will love this,” I breathe, turning both ways to get the full effect. “Yeah, on the floor!” I laugh, knowing she’s right. Cane never cares what I wear. I can wear sweatpants or a miniskirt and he’s happy all the same. He’s happy when I’m happy. The thought causes warmth to slide throughout my body. I think back on our relationship and how much I’ve changed since I met him. How broken I was the night he walked into Blanca’s and how whole I feel now. I hated what I went through with Decker. I cried more tears in those years than all of the tears I’ve shed through the rest of my life together. But if it took that experience to get me here today, I’d do it all over again in a heartbeat. I look at my sister, fitted with a gorgeous gold bridesmaid gown. It is strapless, the color of warm honey, and cinches at her narrow waist. It flutters out a touch and stops at her knees.

“Look at us,” I smile. “We look like we should be walking a runway!” “We are. Right into the rest of your life.” Tears swell up and I pull her into me. “I can’t thank you enough for this. You thought of everything, made it all perfect.” “No, you made today happen. You had the strength to walk away from things that weren’t good for you. You’re the one that got you here, Jada. I just got to be the one to help you finalize it.” “I’m going to marry him,” I whisper. “I’m going to marry the absolute love of my life.” “You are. And he’s marrying his. That’s what makes this so special. I know I give him all kinds of crap, but you should’ve seen him help plan this. He wanted everything perfect for you. He can’t wait to see you walk down the aisle.” “The night we met at the restaurant, he told me we would see each other again.” I think back on that night, the way I was drawn to him from the moment he approached our table. “I wasn’t sure if I wanted to see him again or not. And here I am . . .” “And here you are, getting ready to do the deal.” She winks at me. “Now let’s make sure we have everything. Something new, your dress. Something old?” I hold up my right hand. “Mom’s ring.” “Okay. Something borrowed . . .” She slips off her bracelet and puts it on my wrist. “Something blue, the embroidery. I think we’re good to go.” “Kari!” “What?” “I don’t have a ring for Cane! Oh my God!” “It’s taken care of.” My shoulders sag. “Of course it is.” She laughs at the same time a knock raps on the door. Kari grins. “I’ll see who that is.” I look in the mirror again while she answers the door. I hear it open and close. When I look back up, I can’t stop the tears. I don’t even try. “Daddy!” He walks to me, tears glittering in his eyes, too. He’s carrying a gorgeous bouquet of pink flowers, a smaller version of the ones delivered to the spa, and is wearing a dark grey suit. “How are you, baby girl?” I walk as quickly as I can in my heels and fall into his arms. “You’re here!” “You think I’d miss this?” I pull back and dab my face with a tissue. “I can’t believe you’re here.” I dry his cheeks, too. “That man you’re about to marry didn’t give me much choice.” “That sounds about right,” I laugh. “I had two plane tickets hit my desk a week ago for Alice and me.” “Alice is here, too?”

“She is. Cane went all out for this, Jada. His approach would normally be off-putting, but when everything he does is for your benefit, for your happiness, I can’t argue.” “I can’t get anywhere arguing with him anyway.” My father hugs me again and then hands me the bouquet. “These are for you. Are you ready?” I nod. “Before we go downstairs, I want to say something.” His face darkens. “You’ve been through a lot in your life from losing your mom to that whole incident with Simon Powers. You continue to amaze me with your strength and kindness.” His voice breaks and he takes a second to compose himself. “I am so proud of you, Jada. Your mother . . . she would’ve loved all of this girl stuff and I wish so badly she could be here today to watch this happen. She would’ve loved the smile on your face today.” “Oh, Daddy,” I cry. “In a few minutes, I’m going to walk you down the aisle. And although we’ve done this before, this is the first time I’m handing you over to another man. There’s not an ounce of hesitation on my part, not a second thought to his motivations. Even though I don’t necessarily agree with his methods,” he laughs, “I’m proud to call him my son-in-law, too.” I wrap my arms around his waist and hug him tightly. His words mean more to me than anything. “Are you ready?” “I am.” “Let’s go.”

I’VE NEVER DONE this before. Fuck, I’ve never wanted to do this before. I bite the inside of my cheek and look around. I’m not sure how much of this is normal and how much of this is Kari’s doing, but it looks nice. I think Jada will love it. I’m standing on a stage of sorts, a fountain behind me. Little pink flowers are floating in the water, lights shining up through it. A table to my right has one empty vase, one vase with pink sand, and one vase with gold sand. I have no fucking clue what that’s for. There were no instructions for this and I’m a little out of my depth. To my left sits Brian, Heather ’s boyfriend from Chicago. He’s perched on a stool, strumming his guitar softly, looking up every now and then at Heather who watches him with the look in her eyes that Jada gives me. Yup. He’s fucked. I chuckle under my breath and watch the back of the room. I’m fidgety and I try to stop moving, but I can’t. Alice smiles at me from her seat and I try to smile back, but I think it’s more of a grimace. My lungs feel like they’re struggling for air and my legs want to move. This whole thing is nervewracking enough by itself, but I have all these people staring at me. Besides Alice and Heather, who’s not technically watching me, Jada’s friend Lara from Phoenix is here. So is her friend Mandi and her husband Mason from Boston. Kari got a hold of them and they were happy to come. I met them a little earlier and they’re cool as hell. Mason told me how he handled Decker for Jada when she left him, so I have mad love for that guy. To show my gratification, I bought them tickets to watch Jeremy Tide and Hunter Davidson fight tomorrow night. It cost me a fucking fortune, but it’s the least I can do. The officiate walks in from a side door I didn’t notice and stands beside me. He’s tall, balding, and has a white robe draped over him. I give him a nod and he smiles. “Are you ready to be married, Mr. Alexander?” “Yes.” “Okay. We’re ready to begin. You just look a little pale. Are you sure you don’t need a drink of

water?” “Start.” He laughs and motions to Brian. He looks at me and starts playing the song we picked out.

I’M GETTING ANTSY. The day flew by but it feels like I’ve been standing outside these doors for a lifetime. I just want to get inside and get married. “Can we start now?” I ask, adjusting my arm through the crook of my father ’s. I look at Kari and Max, standing in front of the double doors that lead into the room. “In a second,” Kari says. “Be patient.” “I’m two seconds from busting the door open and just going in there.” Max chuckles. “You’re about as bad as him.” “I love ya, Max, but I’m not really in the mood to be teased right now.” “I’m sorry. You’re right.” He fights to stop from grinning, but fails. I grin back. “How do we know when it’s time?” “When I tell ya it is.” He looks incredibly handsome in his suit and tie with his hair spiked up in the front. Standing next to Kari, they look picture-perfect. I love them together. They love them together. I hope we are standing outside their wedding next. Max flashes me his trademarked smile, the one with his dimple popping in his cheek. “You ready, Jada?” “Obviously.” He nods. “Let’s do this. Mr. Stanley, you know when to go, right?” Dad nods. Kari wraps her arm through Max’s and he kisses her forehead. Music floats through the door a little louder than I’ve been able to hear, and the doors swing open. Max and Kari disappear into the room I can’t yet see into and my father turns to me. “Ready, sweetheart?” “I am, Daddy.” He pauses a few seconds and then leads me to the doorway. My face nearly splits in two at the sight before me. All of my close friends are standing, their eyes on me. Max and Kari flank the end of the aisle. Once my eyes land on Cane, I can’t pull them away. He’s wearing a black suit and a gold tie and his hair has been cut short since I saw him this morning. He’s clasping his hands in front of him, a smirk on his face. I know he’s trying to play it

cool, but I also know him better than that. He’s rocking slightly back and forth, his eyes have a little wild look about them. I know he’s trying to talk himself out of barreling down the aisle to me. The thought makes my smile grow even wider. Brian begins to play “The Book of Love” by Peter Gabriel and my father begins to move. We walk slowly down a golden strip of carpeting leading to my world. With each step, Cane’s smirk lessens and a grin takes its place. His eyes widen and the blues swirl and I have to choke back the mass of emotions stirring inside me. It’s really happening. This man is so much more than I’ve ever even wanted. Just looking at him, standing as patiently as Cane Alexander can, waiting to marry me, is more than I’ve ever dreamed.

I can’t breathe. I’m holding my breath and I know it, but I can’t force my lungs to work. The sight of Jada walking down the aisle to give herself to me forever knocks the air out of me. She’s so fucking beautiful. Just as beautiful on the outside as I know her to be on the inside. She’s the best person I’ve ever known. It amazes me that something so perfect would willingly want to be with me. Jada came into my life and turned it on its head. She gave me a reason to do better, be better. She made me want to do those things. She made me want to be a better man, to make her proud of me. I know there’s a room full of people, but all I see is her. Why is she walking so damn slow? My fingers itch to grab her and kiss her, to say ‘I do’ and have her say the same. It’s not that I don’t want to enjoy this, I just want it done. Signed, sealed, and delivered with an “Alexander” at the end. Hurry the hell up, Jada . . .

I want to race down the aisle and into his arms. Kari told me to try to remember every detail and to take the time to commit it all to memory. She said it would all be over before I know it. I try to live in the moment, but I’m really just waiting for the one at the end. I know my friends are watching me, I can feel their gazes as we walk to the front of the room. I know I should acknowledge them, but I can’t. My heart is drifting down the aisle, waiting to become one with its other half . . . the half I’ve been looking for my whole life. The song fades away as we reach the front. My father stops us in front of Cane. The room quiets and I can hear everyone sitting down. Max stays standing slightly behind Cane and I know Kari is still standing, too, behind me. Cane’s eyes are boring into mine, his shy smile on his lips. I want to kiss him. I want to tell him how many ways I love him and I know he feels the same. I can see it written all over his face. My father unwinds our arms and kisses my hand before placing it inside Cane’s. “I’m trusting you with one of the two most precious things I have,” my father says. “I know you’ll take care of her and love her.” “I give you my word,” Cane says, his tone somber. My father nods and walks away.

I WATCH HER eyes, looking for some sign of hesitancy. I search her face, feel her hand in mine. She simply smiles and hands her bouquet to Kari, looking far less anxious than I am. The officiate clears his throat and we turn to face him. He starts the ceremony, saying all the things we went over earlier. I try to listen to what he says, but can’t help but be distracted. I watch Jada out of the corner of my eye. She’s absolutely peaceful as she watches the man droning on before us. She seems perfectly content, like she’s listening to someone read a book. I take a deep breath and blow it out. Just a few more minutes. “On this day, you blend two lives into one. Though your new life together will have hopes and disappointments, successes and failures, pleasures and pains, you will battle through them all as one unit. The sand ceremony is to remind you of the blending of your lives. And, although you are now one, may you continue to radiate the traits that drew you to one another.” I lead Jada to the table and pick up the gold sand. She picks up the pink and we pour our sand into the empty vessel, our respective colors mixing together. She grins up at me and I fight myself from blurting out something hostile and making the officiate cut to the good part. I grab Jada’s hand and guide her back in front of the officiate. He talks again and I wait for Max to give me the ring. I know he’s paying attention because that’s what Max does. My palms begin to sweat as this guy goes on and on. We get it. This thing is forever and we have to treat each other right. Come on, man. Hurry the fuck up. Shit! I shouldn’t think like that about a man of God. I’m going to hell. Forgive me, Father, please. But hurry him up, too, will ya? After what feels like far too long, Max hands me Jada’s ring.

Cane takes the ring from Max and turns to face me. His shy smile streaks across his face, making him look so vulnerable. It almost breaks my heart, in a way. I glance around the room quickly and realize there is no one here for him. He has no family here to watch this part of his life. No one from his past, no friends, no one that’s ever loved him. Just Max. I want to wrap my arms around him and smother him with kisses. I want to kiss away all the pain, the loneliness I know he feels on some level. But I don’t because I know the best way to fix him is to give him me. He reaches for my left hand and begins to slip the band on. I wait for the officiate to say, “repeat after me” like they do in ceremonies, but he doesn’t. My breath hitches in my throat when Cane begins to speak. “They sent me a lot of canned language they said I’d have to repeat today, but I couldn’t do it,” he says softly. So softly, in fact, that I’m not sure if anyone can hear it but me. He’s watching the band settle against my engagement ring, rubbing his thumb across it. “None of those words say what I want to say to you. But then I sat down and couldn’t figure out what I wanted to say either.” He brings his eyes to mine and smiles. “I promise to love you until the day I die. I promise to protect you without thought, to push you to achieve your dreams, and to try to be the man you deserve. “I promise to send you flowers for anniversaries, texts for no reason, and to kiss you in the rain. I promise to be faithful to you and only you for the rest of my life.” “You remembered . . .” I whisper, the words coming out in hiccupped sobs. My heart squeezes, so in love with this man that I almost can’t deal with it. “You’ve given me everything I didn’t even I know I wanted, Jada. You give me a reason to stop being the coach,” he winks. I can’t help but laugh, my chest shaking with the force of my tears. “I always felt like a part of me was missing. But when I found you, I found what was missing. It’s like you had my heart my whole life and it’s just now that I’m put back together. You connect my life, put all the pieces into one man. And it’s with this ring that I give you all of these promises and my last name. With this ring, I give you . . . me.” He gazes into my eyes, his filling with tears. It causes my own to flow harder. He wipes them away with the pads of his thumb, his skin rough and warm against my skin. He leans in to kiss me and the officiate clears his throat. “Not yet, Cane.” The crowd laughs. A low growl emits from his throat and I giggle. Kari steps beside me and hands me a platinum wedding band, simple and masculine, for Cane. It’s exactly his style and I know he’s picked it out. That makes me happy.

I glance at the officiate and he smiles kindly. “Would you like to repeat a set of vows or say something on your own?” he asks softly. I begin to tell him that I’ll repeat a set of vows because I have nothing planned. I had no idea I’d need them today. But as I start to speak, I realize I can’t. I don’t want to. I don’t know what I’m going to say, but I want him to know I love him more than a set of preconceived promises. I take his hand and hold it in mine. I slip the band over his ring finger and then encapsulate his palm in both of my hands. I can barely see through the fog of tears as I begin to speak. “I wanted to have something beautiful to say to you, some speech with wonderful words that told you how much I love you. But in typical Cane fashion, you just sprung this on me.” The crowd laughs and I laugh, too. “But that’s one of the things I love most about you. Your passion, your drive. Your determination once you set your sights on something. I love the way you go after things, the way you went after me. “When I look into your eyes, I see more love and respect than I’ve ever seen reflected back at me before. I promise you to give you the same love and respect to you each and every day until I die. I promise to take care of you, to stand by your side when things are great and when they’re challenging, and I will push you to be everything you can be. I’ll be your lover, your wife, but most of all, I’ll always be your friend. And I promise to make cookies with you in the middle of the night any time you want. With this ring I give you all of those promises as well as my heart and soul. Forever.” My voice breaks as the emotion takes over. Cane shakes his hand out of mine and wraps his arms around me. “By the power vested in me by the State of Nevada . . .” I don’t hear the rest. Cane’s lips are on mine, my tears staining his cheeks. He pulls back just enough to whisper, “I love you, baby,” and kisses me again.

EVERYONE IS TALKING, the conversation flowing as easily as the champagne. Voices bounce around the large, yet intimate, room. Our friends and family seem to be enjoying themselves. Family. I now have a family. Warmth erupts from my chest and carries through me. This feeling isn’t something I’ve had often, if ever. It feels like I’m connected to people in a way I haven’t been since my dad died. I glance around the table at the faces I’ve seen before, but now look at differently. These people are my family. They’re talking, laughing, telling stories, but once my gaze settles on Jada, I can’t pull it away. My wife is sitting on my right between her father and me. Her cheeks are pink, blushed from the alcohol, her hands folded beneath her chin. She’s watching Mandi across the table tell a story, her lips forming a grin that I can’t help but crave. I touch her cheek with my finger and sweep her face to me. Her eyes light up in that way they do and her smile widens. I kiss her gently, needing her, wanting her. Even though she’s now Mrs. Alexander, I need some kind of affirmation that I didn’t dream this. And physical contact is the best way, in my opinion. She pulls away breathlessly and licks her bottom lip. “I’m right here,” she whispers, like she knows what I’m thinking. “I know.” Standing up, I clear my throat. Everyone watches me, waiting to see what I’m going to say. Hell, I don’t even know what I’m going to say, exactly. I just feel like I should say something. “I wanted to thank you all for coming. Especially on such short notice. It means everything to me, and to my wife, that you came. I hope you enjoy the rest of your stay in Vegas.” I sit down, not sure if what I said was right. I don’t know these things. I should’ve asked Max about this earlier. I feel their eyes on me and I try not to squirm. If this was a business meeting, I’d handle it. But these aren’t my adversaries or people I can bark something random at. Thankfully, Max stands. “As the best man, I’d like to take a moment to say a few things, too.” He looks at me for approval

and I nod. “First of all, I’d like to thank Mr. Stanley for allowing Cane to marry Jada. This will assuredly make my life a lot easier going forward.” Everyone laughs and all I can do is shake my head. “I’ve known Cane my whole life,” he continues, “or it feels that way, anyway. Although he can come across as an arrogant prick a lot of the time, I’ve known him long enough to know that’s not completely true. He’s also smart, loyal, and the best friend a guy could want. I’m proud to be standing here with him today. “When I met Jada awhile back, she was gorgeous, intelligent, and, like her sister, didn’t take any crap. Naturally, I thought she could be Cane’s kryptonite and I was right. Between you and me, I knew from the minute he looked at her that it was over. His stupid rules were about to be broken. But it was Jada I wasn’t so sure about.” He looks at my girl and smiles. “Jada did exactly what she had to do, whether she knew it or not. She was the first woman to put Cane Alexander in his place. She took his game and taught him a few things about how to play, how to live, and, ultimately, how to love. “Cane, I’m happy for ya, man. As much as you make me crazy, you inspire me. I wish you the best in this new life you’re creating. And Jada, I’m honored to welcome you into the Alexander family. While I may not technically be an Alexander, Cane is my brother and I will always think of you as a sister. May God bless ya with the patience of a saint because I think you’re gonna need it.” He sits down as the room erupts in laughter. Max scans the table until he lands on me. A moment passes between us, a nod to our friendship and the understanding that comes with years of ups and downs. Kari raises and clears her throat. “Okay, well, Max got to talk so do I.” She winks at me and I grimace, not sure what she’s going to say. She’s as gorgeous and feisty as her sister but there’s a touch of unpredictability with Kari that always makes me nervous. Jada grabs my arm and squeezes my bicep before laying her cheek against me. I wrap my arm around her and bring her in close, planting my face in her hair and breathing her in. “I never pictured my sister getting married in Vegas. But, then again, I never pictured her marrying Cane, either.” “Kari . .” I warn, my voice trailing off. Everyone laughs, but she laughs the hardest. “I’m an ER nurse, so I’m in stressful situations every day. Nothing I’ve ever done has been as stressful as putting together a wedding, for my sister no less, this quickly. But it came together beautifully and it came together in the way that I think is so demonstrative of Jada and Cane. It was a whirlwind, a touch impulsive,” she glances at me and I grin, “but absolutely perfect. “Jada asked me earlier today if our mother would’ve liked Cane and I said no.” Her voice breaks and she takes a second to recover. Max’s hand finds her waist and she looks at him with tear-filled eyes. “I told her Mom would’ve loved Cane because he loves her so completely. Even though I give him hell, I’m so proud to welcome him into our family.” Tears flow down her cheeks and Jada wipes her eyes, too. I can’t help but bat back a few of my

own. Fuckin’ Kari. “Thank you both for letting me share in this day with you. And thank you, Cane, for being the best thing to ever happen to my sister.” Jada looks at me and smiles, her eyes saying everything I feel. This is love. This is the feeling of being completed by another human being. This is what I’ve not had my whole life and will fight until they day I die to keep. “She’s right, you know,” Jada whispers. “You’re the best thing to ever happen to me.” I kiss her forehead and push back my chair. I take her hand, pulling her to her feet, too. “Thank you all for coming,” I say. “And thank you to Max and Kari for not only helping put this together, but for their words, more or less.” I wait for the laughter to subside before I continue. “Now, if you don’t mind, I’d like to dance with my wife and then whisk her upstairs.” I guide her to the open area of the room and turn her to face me. I wrap my arms around her as she drapes hers around my neck. “You’re going to dance with me?” she asks, her voice full of astonishment. “It’s your wedding day, beautiful girl. I’m going to give you every part of it that you want.” “I want to dance and then go to the honeymoon phase.” My cock hardens immediately and I press it into her leg. Her eyes widen as she feels what she does to me. “I couldn’t agree more.” The first few notes of “How Long Will I Love You” by Ellie Goulding begin on the piano, Brian starting to sing the lines. Jada’s eyes sparkle. “How did you know?” she whispers. “Know what?” “This song. I always think of you when I hear it! Why did you pick this?” I smirk, letting my fingers play against the top of her back. Her skin is warm, silky, and the intimacy of the wedding is starting to wear off. I want to be with her intimately. Now. Just a bit longer. “Well, honestly, Kari gave me a list and let me choose. I wanted it to be “Gorilla” by Bruno Mars but she nixed that.” “Thank God,” Jada giggles. “That would be weird with my father sitting over there!” I shrug. We sway to the music and I try to do what Max said and commit this to memory. “What are you thinking?” she asks, watching me closely. “That I’m the luckiest son-of-a-bitch in the world. That I don’t know how I managed to get you to say yes, but you did, and I’ll never let you go back on all the promises you made to me today.” “I’d have to want to in order for you not to let me.” She rises up and kisses me sweetly. “Thank you for everything today. Everything was perfect, just beyond anything I ever expected. You blew my mind today, Mr. Alexander.”

“Let’s ditch this party and go upstairs so I can blow it again, Mrs. Alexander.”

THE ROOM IS cool and dark when we arrive. The bedroom double doors are open and candle light flickers inside, casting shadows over the walls. The blinds are pulled shut, the glitz and glamour of Las Vegas, Sin City, out of reach. It’s just my husband and I. Cane closes the door behind him and I feel him nearing me. I stand in the center of the room, my breath rushing in and out in anticipation. He plants a tender kiss on the back of my neck, sending a jolt of energy through my body. I moan softly, not for the eroticism of the act, but for the sweetness of it. “Have I told you how beautiful you look today?” His words are hot on my skin, his voice barely above a whisper. “Have I told you how amazed I am that you actually went through with it?” I grin, turning to face him. His features are even sexier in the dim light, his jawline catching the rays of light and appearing even more angular than normal. A touch of scruff is just beginning to appear and I reach out and run the pads of my thumbs across his cheeks. “Have I told you that you’re the sexiest man I’ve ever seen?” His lips touch mine, his kiss as tender as his words. When he pulls back, his eyes are full of what only can be called reverence. “I never thought I’d get married, Jada. And I sure as fuck didn’t think I’d be this damn happy about it.” I laugh, watching his lips upturn. The boyish smile, the one I love more than all the others, the one I’m sure no one sees but me, becomes visible. “I’m glad to hear that, considering we’ve only been married a few hours. There’s still a lot of time for you to get sick of me.” “Not possible, beautiful girl.” I bring my face inches from his, our lips almost touching. “Even if you do,” I say, letting my words hit his mouth, “Too. Damn. Bad.” A growl escapes his throat and his mouth crashes into mine. He works me over like I’m his to take, his tongue passing between my lips abruptly, causing me to lose my breath. My hands lock against the back of his neck, encouraging him to continue. His assault is more than welcome; it’s needed. I know he speaks with physical gestures and today, I need it, too. I need to not

only look the part of his wife, but to feel it, too. I want to feel like Jada Alexander in every sense of the word. “I love you,” I say, through kisses, feeling his hands run down my back. I squeal as Cane lifts me off my feet and carries me into the bedroom. We cross the threshold and I laugh. “Max told me I was supposed to carry you in the room, but I forgot. So this will have to do.” “It’s into the house for the first time, not the hotel room, babe.” “That shit doesn’t mean anything to me, but I’m going to do it in case it does to you.” He sets me down on my feet and takes a couple of steps back. “This marriage thing is something I’ve never done before. Therefore it’s the one thing I’ve never fucked up. And I’m going to do my best not to do it wrong.” “You won’t.” He shakes his head, the tiny amount of insecurity I know is buried inside him starts to surface. “I might. You know how things get with me. I try and then before I know it I—” “You won’t mess this up. I won’t let you. If you start to get out of line, I’ll just crack you back in again. I’m the coach this round, remember?” He blushes, his secret grin gracing his lips. “This is one game I’m ready to get schooled in: how to please my wife.” “Oh, baby,” I say, stepping out of my heels and kicking them to the side. “You already know how to please your wife.” His eyes heat, his blues darkening. The grin moves quickly to a smirk, my heartbeat quickening. “Do I?” “Mmhmm,” I say, taking a step backwards as he takes one towards me. His smirk deepens, the bubble of anticipation in my core building. “You do.” “I’d like to please her right now. It seems like the husbandly thing to do.” “Well, as your coach, I’d recommend you helping your wife out of this dress.” He watches me, his gaze locked on mine, for a long second. Finally, he moves behind me. I don’t move; I can barely breathe. I watch the wall in front of me, feeling my heart pound in my chest. I’ve been with this man so many times before, but for some reason, this feels like the first. His fingertips slide from one shoulder blade to the other, causing me to shiver. He plants a soft kiss at the nape of my neck, blowing on the dampened spot as he pulls away. “Cane . . .” “Shh.” His fingers dance across my skin, from the top of my shoulders down my spine, ending at the top of my dress at the middle of my back. I feel him lift the zipper and hear it lower. The top half tips forward and then the entire thing melts, inch by inch, to the floor. I hear him take in a ragged breath as he sees the white lingerie wrapping my body. I still don’t turn around.

“My God,” he rumbles. “I don’t know if you’re an angel or the devil.” His lips find the back of my neck again, his hands roaming freely over my body. Each touch fires my nerve endings, my body revved and ready for action. “All I know,” he says, turning me around, his hands never stopping their frenzied path across every inch of my skin, “is that I’m gonna be a fucking sinner tonight.”

The candles burned out hours ago. The sun is probably starting to rise, but the blinds are still drawn so I can’t see. I’m glad for that. I want to stay tucked away in this hotel room for as long as I can. It isn’t the room that makes me want to stay. It’s just another fucking room in another fucking hotel. But what this room does have that no other room I’ve ever been in has is this feeling. Jada’s naked body is tucked against my side, a sheet haphazardly tossed across her. I can feel her breathing, so sweet and peaceful, drift across the room. Her scent is all over me and I have no need to wash it off. Maybe ever. I settle against the pillows and try to make sense of everything. How did I get here? What did I ever do to deserve this? What if I fuck this all up? I squeeze my eyes shut. I don’t know how I got here and I’m sure as shit certain that I don’t deserve this. All of the debauchery and crazy shit I’ve done in my life, I don’t deserve this woman lying beside me. I can’t help the grin that tugs my lips when I think back to her thanking me for the wedding. Doesn’t she know she gives me more than anything I could ever give her? She stirs against me and I still, not wanting her to wake up. Not yet. I just want to enjoy this . . . this peace, for a little while longer.

“ARE YOU READY to go?” Cane kisses me quickly as he walks by. His hair is still damp from the shower. He smells so fresh and clean, yet the musky scent that is Cane is still here. It’s my favorite scent of all. He’s walking around the room in a pair of jeans and a blue button-up shirt, sleeves rolled to midforearm. His sunglasses are tucked inside the top and he seems a bit flustered. He’s tossing his remaining belongings in his open suitcase and stops, scratching his head. “I am. But I have to admit, I hate we have to go home so soon.” I pick up my bag and toss my brush inside, scanning the room to be sure I didn’t forget anything. “Who said we’re going home?” He turns to look at me and smirks. “Well, you did.” “No, I said we have to leave. Our flight leaves in two hours.” “Yeah . . .” He laughs, puzzling me even more. The door to our room pops open. “Good morning!” Kari chirps, walking in with Max behind her. She hands me a cup of Starbucks and kisses my cheek. “Are you ready to go?” “Yeah, I think so.” I shoot Cane a look. “But it seems we aren’t going home . . .” Kari laughs and walks back to Max. She leans against him, the side of her head against his chest. “Is that so?” she asks. I shrug helplessly. I’m not sure what’s going on, but I am sure I’m the only person that doesn’t get it. “Max? Help a girl out.” “He’s taking you to—” “Don’t you dare,” Kari says, elbowing him in the ribs. Max laughs. “Ah, sweetheart. Are you gonna get mad? Because that just might make me tell her. You’re stuck here, alone, with me for another day. Think of the make-up sex we could have.” “We don’t have to fight to have make-up sex, Max.” “Oh, for fuck’s sake,” Cane interrupts. “Nobody wants to hear that shit right now.” “I do,” Kari smiles. “I want to hear about all the things Max wants to do to me.”

Cane narrows his eyes playfully and slams his suitcase closed. “You, my beautiful sister-in-law, and I have some things to discuss.” “Oh, do we now?” “Yeah, we do. You about fuckin’ killed me yesterday with your lack of fucking texts. I was sweating balls up here, going outta my mind, waiting on some indication of how things were going downstairs.” Kari tosses her head back and laughs. “Yeah, well, my nails were wet. Sue me.” “I would,” Cane says, coming up behind me, “but I forgive you. You called me amazing in your speech last night.” “Oh, I surely didn’t.” “No. You did. I heard it.” “It was the champagne talking.” “It’s a win for me. I’ll take it.” Cane kisses the top of my head. “You ready to go?” “Depends on where we’re going,” I huff. “Rome. He’s taking you to Rome,” Max blurts out, wincing as Kari elbows him in the stomach again. I whirl around, my pulse rapid-firing. “Rome? Is he joking, Cane?” He pulls me into him, winding my hair in his hands. “No, beautiful girl, he’s not. We’re going to Rome in a couple of hours.” I squeal, much to my own embarrassment, but I can’t help it. I bounce up and down and kiss him on the lips. “I’ve always wanted to go to Rome! Oh my God! Cane! Thank you!” “Someone told me that one night at a restaurant. Right before they told me they didn’t see me enough. So I’m taking you there and you can see me the entire time.” “You are amazing. Absolutely amazing.” “It’s my job to make sure you keep thinking that,” he winks. “Wait,” I say, pivoting on my heel, “I can’t go to Rome! I don’t have any clothes for a trip like that!” Panic ensues. I do a quick mental recap of everything in my suitcase, of the things I packed away in the box to UPS back home with my wedding dress. I have nothing that will work. “I don’t have—” Out of nowhere, Kari scoots a large orange suitcase across the floor. “You have everything you need in here.” “What?” “Our little shopping trip the other day? That was your honeymoon shopping expedition. You’re welcome.” I’m shocked in the very best way. I walk across the room and hug my sister, my heart filled with more love than I’ve ever felt in my life. She pulls back and I head to Max, wrapping my arms around

his waist and hugging him, too. “Thank you, too, Max. I can only imagine what you’ve put up with over the last few weeks.” “You have no idea, darlin.’” I laugh. “I do. I really do.” “Well, I’d do anything for you. You know that. We’re family now.” “You know,” Cane says, his voice full of mischief, “if you two’d get married already, we really would all be one happy family.” “One wedding at a time, Cane,” Kari says, rolling her eyes. “What? You’ve just proven that you can plan a helluva wedding in a couple of weeks. I say let’s do it again.” I wait for them to answer, but it never comes. Max has a small grin on his face and Kari looks at the floor. I’m not sure how to read her response. “She won’t marry me,” Max says simply. “She only wants me to deliver the goods.” “I don’t want you just for that.” Kari looks at him defiantly, but her eyes soften once her gaze meets his. “But you are pretty good at it.” “Pretty good at it?” “Really good at it,” she say, huskily. “So get married,” I say, pushing the envelope. Something tells me this needs brought to a head and I’ll be the one to do it. “Yeah, you two make it official and Jada and I will plan your wedding when we return.” “You, Mr. Alexander, will do no such thing,” Kari says, her hand on her hip. “You aren’t touching any wedding I may or may not ever have.” “See? She won’t marry me,” Max drawls. “I didn’t hear her say that,” Cane says coyly. Max shrugs and sighs. “Kari, will you marry me?” She stiffens, but it’s so briefly that I’m not sure anyone else notices it. She looks at him and smiles, like she’s brushing it off. “Not today.”

I’M STILL SLEEPY, even though it’s nearly noon. I don’t normally sleep in, so the fact that I’m still laying on the sofa in the middle of the day is strange. I watch Kari sit by the window, looking over the Strip. She has that faraway look on her face that I see a lot. She’s such a complicated person in a lot of ways. Outwardly, she’s this charismatic, beautiful woman that’s always in control. And privately, she’s quieter and a lot more sensitive than she lets on. She wraps her arms around her knees and sighs. I wonder what she’s thinking, but I know the odds are against me finding out. She doesn’t open up much about things that matter and pushes me away when I try to get in. It’s frustrating, yet I find myself more determined to break her code with every shove. “What ‘cha thinking about, sweetheart?” A small smile touches her lips before she turns to look at me. “Nothing much.” “You seemed to be thinking about something.” “No, not really. Just wondering if Jada and Cane made it to Rome yet.” I know she’s lying, but I let it slide. “Yeah, I don’t know. I haven’t heard from Cane.” “They might not call. They are on their honeymoon.” She swings off the windowsill and walks towards me. “You know what happens on honeymoons, right?” “I’ve heard stories,” I grin. “But I’ve never been on one.” “Me either.” “Want to go?” Her lips fall for just a split second before recovering. “Not exactly. But I tell ya what: I’m all up for playing pretend.” “You want to play pretend honeymoon?” I laugh, wrapping my arms around her waist. She pulls my head into her stomach and sighs. “I can’t believe we pulled the wedding off. I mean, we planned a wedding in a few days and it went off without a hitch. That’s pretty cool.” “We’re a good team.” I wait for her to respond, to see if she reads between the lines. “Yeah, we do. We’re like peas and carrots,” she grins. I nip at her stomach, cupping her between the legs. “I’d liken it more to sex and candy.”

She grinds against my hand and I feel her heartbeat pick up pace under my cheek. “Well, I’m happy to be candy if you’d like a taste.” The walls come down over her eyes and I know she’s done talking about us. I’m going to have to say the things I want to say to her in the only way I know she’ll listen. Physically. “I have no intentions on passing up an invitation like that.” Relief washes over her. She grabs the hem of her shirt and starts to draw it over her head, but I stop her. “I just want you to know that I love ya and not just for your candy, sweetheart.” She blushes and presses a kiss against my lips. She doesn’t say it back, but half the time she doesn’t. And that’s okay because sooner or later, when she’s ready, she’ll come around. I won’t have it any other way.

The End

New Years Eve THE SMELL OF burning pine and the sound of the fireplace crackling take over the entire cabin. Jada is curled up next to me, her head on my lap, sleeping. I couldn’t have created a more perfect New Year ’s Eve. I brush back her hair and watch her sleep. Ryan Seacrest is yapping away on the muted TV. The world waits for the ball to drop; I wait on my world to wake up. She is so peaceful, so damn beautiful that I just stare at her. I committed every angle of her face to memory a long time ago, but I still can’t take my eyes off of her. Her eyes lazily open and the corners of her mouth turn up. “Watching me sleep again?” I nod, my grin growing wider with hers. “I’m sorry,” she yawns and sits up beside me. “This place just makes me relax. It's like the world doesn't exist when we're here.” She stands and walks through the archway into the kitchen. My father built the cabin in my late teens. Alexander Industries had really taken off and he needed a spot to get away from everything. I didn’t get it then, but I do now. It’s pretty simple in design but the layout and features he did implement, such as the fireplace and a master loft, make it a perfect getaway. There is a wrap-around porch and a pond in the back. I always laughed when Dad would say he was going fishing because he just cast his line in and fell asleep. I think Max has fished here more than either of us. After he passed away and Simon’s dad was arrested, I took Max on as a partner in the company. I gave him the keys to the building and came here for God knows how long. It’s all sort of a blur to me; I don’t even know what I really did for days on end. Maybe it was weeks, hell if I know. All I really remember is Max showing up and giving me one of his speeches, telling me it was time to grow up. Thank fuck for that or I might still be sitting here. Without her. Jada comes back in carrying a glass of water and a beer. She hands me a Corona and sits beside me again, snuggling into my side. Damn it if she didn't fit against me like a puzzle piece.

“I brought some of the Moscato you had at the house. Did you see it?” I ask, kissing the top of her head. “I did. I just needed some water. The fire makes me feel dried out.” “Want me to put it out?” “No. Please don’t.” I wrap my arm around her shoulders and pull her even closer to me. The television cuts to the big apple. The crowds of people are jumping up and down and making a fool out of themselves. “I’ve never understood why people stand out in the cold and act like idiots like that.” She laughs. “They’re celebrating, Cane. They’re excited about the New Year. Who knows what a new year can bring?” I consider this, a very basic idea that has never really occurred to me before. Before Jada, every year was another to get through. Plain and simple. But as I think back through the past few months, I get it. “I see your point. But my life is about as perfect as it’s ever going to get,” I say, squeezing her tight. “You think?” “I know.” “What do you want this coming year?” she asks. “Like resolutions or whatever?” “That or just what would you like to do this coming year? What would you like to see happen?” I blow out a breath. “Resolutions are dumb as hell. Just because a calendar page turns doesn't mean you're all of a sudden gonna get some inspiration you've never had before. But what would I like to do? Just keep on going down the path I’m on, I guess. Keep you happy,” I wink as she looks at me, her eyes soft. “Keep Alexander Industries busy. That’s about it, I guess. What about you?” She hesitates and it makes a lump form in my throat. Did I miss something? Has she wanted me to do something and I forgot about it? “I know one thing you need to do,” I laugh, trying to put her at ease. “Keep Kari from killing Max. I need him.” She giggles. “I don’t know what I can do about that.” “So, what about you? Any resolutions or things you want to do?” She places the water glass on the coffee table. “I do have one thing. But I don’t know how you’re going to take it.” “Seriously?” I laugh. “I’ll take you anywhere you want. I’ll do whatever you want. You know that.” “Okay,” she says, drawing out the last syllable. She hesitates, her eyes filled with worry. “Our house isn’t right. I know you put so much time and energy into it and I love it. I love it so much. But I need to make a couple of tweaks.” “You didn’t know how I’d take that? I thought you were going to tell me you wanted to move across the country or go scuba diving or something.”

"Scuba diving?" she laughs. "Yeah. I'm not feeling that. But," I wink, "I'd do it for you." "Well, it's nothing like that.” “Good. House stuff we can do. What do you want? To paint or something?” “Kind of. I . . . Um . . .” She looks to the floor, her cheeks turning pink. “Whatever you want, beautiful girl. Just consider it done.” A glimmer shines in her eyes as she looks at me again. “Okay, then. We are adding two feet to Alexander House.” She is crazy. She might be beautiful, but she knows nothing about construction. What the fuck is two feet going to do? If she wants to expand a wall or something, it’s going to have to be more than two fucking feet to do any good. “Two feet isn’t going to get you any space, Jada. If you want more room, we can add on, although we are limited by available ground up there. I’ll have Max come by the beginning of the—” “Cane.” Her voice is firm, but her eyes soft. It stops me in my tracks. “Stop thinking like a contractor.” “Two feet is two feet. I don’t care if you’re a—” Oh. Fuck. I shoot off the couch, knocking over her water glass. “Jada . . .” I say, my heart pounding in my chest. “Two feet. Are you talking measurements or quantities?” I want to shake her, to have her just spit it the fuck out. No, fucker. If it is what you think it is, shaking is no good. She giggles nervously, watching me try to figure this out. “Jada, talk to me.” My mouth is dry. I can’t fucking think. I grab my Corona and down the whole thing. The little beauty just sits there and smiles. She’s definitely talking quantities. Mother fuck. Mother. Fuck! I’m having a baby. Or she’s having it. Or we’re having it. I squeeze my temples and shut my eyes, the room starting to spin. I’m gonna pass out. No, I’m not. Man the fuck up, Alexander. I can’t be freaking out right now. She needs me. The baby needs me. Oh, hell. The baby. I’m having a baby! I open my eyes. She’s watching me, her face falling. She twirls her ring on her finger and I can see her nerves starting to take over. Well, I haven’t really given her anything to work with. Yes, I have. That's why we are having this conversation! I kneel down, taking her hands in mine. My hands shake as I rub my thumbs over her palms. “Jada,

I’m kind of dying right now. Can you just tell me in plain fucking English? Please.” “I’m pregnant, Cane.” I bury my head in her lap and kiss our interlocked fingers over and over. I feel her bend forward and nuzzle the top of my head with her cheek. Somehow, in the middle of all of the wicked fuckery that is my life, this brown headed, greeneyed angel appeared. Every time I think my life is perfect, is more than I ever dreamed it could be, she makes it a little better. “I promise you I will take care of you and the baby,” I whisper, not really sure if she can even hear me. “I will love you both until the day I die. I will make sure you have everything you ever need and never feel alone.” I raise my head enough to kiss her stomach. As my lips touch her, tears began to sting my eyes. If this scene was on TV, I’d laugh my ass off. But I don’t give a fuck. Growing inside the love of my life is a little human, half her and half me. I don’t deserve her or this, but I’ll be damned if I don’t make it my life’s mission to try. “I’m your daddy,” I whisper, feeling a little dumb talking to her shirt. I don’t even know if babies can hear outside the womb, but it’s worth a shot. “And you have the most beautiful mommy in the entire world.” I look up into her eyes. Seeing love in them, the tears flowing down her cheeks, make mine spill over, too. “We are going to love you and probably make you rotten. If you’re a boy . . . Do we know if it’s a boy or girl?” She laughs and shakes her head, wiping the tears off her face. “If you’re a boy, we will go fishing and play Tonka Trucks in the sand and drive cars and watch football. I'll have Max teach you to fish and your Aunt Kari will take you hiking. And if you’re a girl, there will be . . . well, I don’t know what there will be. But there won’t be boys, that much I’m sure of.” Jada laughs again and I can’t help but smile, although if she thinks I’m kidding she’s crazy. “Either way, we are going to love the shit out of you. Sorry. I probably shouldn’t say shit. As you can see, Daddy has a lot to learn. But I promise you and your mommy that I’ll figure it out.” I stand and pull Jada up, too. “I love you, Jada Alexander.” “And I love you, Cane. So much." Read on for an excerpt of The Perception

THIS BOOK IS the product of a few people specifically: My family, I don’t know how I got so lucky to call you mine, but I thank God I do. I love you all. Books by Adriana Locke, so many of you asked for more Cane & Max! I hope you enjoy! Heather, if you hadn’t pushed me to finish The Exception originally, this novella wouldn’t be necessary. Thank you for being you. Kari, you get me like no other person on the face of the planet. I could thank you for a million things, but I’m going to assume you know what I mean since you always do. <3 Jen, I’m pretty sure the majority of this book was written as I talked to you while I walked around the park. Thank you for always listening and never getting impatient. You’re the best. Susan, you asked for this book from day one. Without your “What happened in Vegas?” messages every week, I never would’ve written this. Huge hugs, lady! Mandi, the boys are back! ;) No worries if you don’t make it through Family Day—I got Love Burns covered. Ha! Michele, you are always so enthusiastic about beta-ing my work and this was no exception. Thank you for reading and making sure Cane wasn’t too much of a romantic. I appreciate you! Tiffany the Bibliophile your love for Cane never waivers. I love your dedication to him and your texts (even when I forget to check them!). Charlie Hunnam Forever, your enthusiasm for all things Cane never fails to make me smile! And your posts do, too, but that goes without saying. Joy, you never fail to encourage me in every crazy idea I come up with. I am so blessed to know you. One of these days, we will meet! Jillian, you literally have a gift for proofreading. Your attention to detail and willingness to drop everything and help me out amazes me. I love you, your heart, and your friendship. Randa Lynn, my Ouiser, you took time out of your writing to read mine. There aren’t enough words to express my gratitude or love. Stephanie, you always drop what you’re doing and update my Goodreads. You are one of the sweetest ladies I know and I appreciate you SO MUCH. Suzie, thank you for pushing me to do this sooner rather than later. You single handedly changed the way this was done. Ashley with Escapist Freelance Editing, thank you for whipping this manuscript into shape! Sorry about the sentence structure. I’ll work on it. ;) Christine with Perfectly Publishable, you never cease to amaze me. I’m a fan for life.

My Instagram girls, you know who you are. You make social media fun! MUAH! To each and every blogger out there that gives their time and energy so willingly for next to nothing in return—THANK YOU. You give so many of us a chance to succeed by helping get our words to readers. Sending each of you a huge hug! Last but so certainly not least, thank YOU. It is not beyond me that you have a million titles to choose from. The fact that you chose mine means the world to me. Thank you for selecting my book. I hope you enjoyed it. I love you all. xo, Addy

This book is dedicated to Kari March. You’ve taught me so much in the years we’ve known each other. You’ve redefined my understanding of loyalty and friendship; you’ve given me so many reasons to smile. You are one of the smartest, most creative, most giving people I’ve ever known. I am so blessed to call you a friend and my partner-in-crime. Max was yours before anyone knew he even existed. I hope you enjoy this story.

WELL, WELL, WELL. What do we have here? I spotted a woman standing in front of her car a few spots from mine in the parking lot. Her head in her hands, she stared at the front of her vehicle. I just finished my meeting and really wanted to go back home, but I couldn’t leave a woman stranded in the heat. Not with a clear conscience. And not with an ass like that. “Somethin’ wrong?” I asked, shutting my truck door behind me and walking slowly towards the brunette. She turned her head and a smile slowly spread across her pretty face. She stood, wiping her hands down the sides of her green workout shorts. Her body was lean and tight and I wanted to run my hands all over it. She was little as hell, probably a good foot shorter than my 6’2” frame. Her tight white tank top showcased her breasts in the best way possible. Her hair was piled on top of her head, strands sticking to the back of her neck. Her smile grew wider as I made my way across the parking lot. Sweat dotted her smooth, tanned skin and she wiped her brow with the back of one hand. The beauty raised her eyebrows, her green eyes lighting up. “My car won’t start.” She ran her gaze down my body, making little effort to conceal the fact that she liked what she saw. That makes two of us. I flashed her a smile and cleared my throat. I needed to focus, but that was easier said than done. The last thing I wanted to do was come across like Cane, my friend with no couth. “What seems to be the problem?” I unlatched the hood and raised it open. “I turned the key and got nothing but a buzzing sound,” she huffed, crossing her arms in front of her. I looked up, the movement catching my attention, and my gaze landed right on her chest. “What are you looking at?” she asked cheekily. “Nothin’ you shouldn’t be proud of.” I blew out a breath and laughed. She giggled and I immediately wanted to hear it again. I wanted to make her giggle, to see that

smile, over and over. Trying to put some distance between us, I made my way to the side of the car. I felt her eyes on me, the smell of her coconut perfume messing with my mind. I needed to focus on the task at hand and not on the thing I wanted to be handling. Damn, I’d love to handle that little body. I checked the battery and saw the problem right away. I tightened the loose cable and checked the other before standing back up. I leaned against the car and folded my hands in front of me. I had to figure out how to play this to my advantage. My mind raced through possibilities and I shot her a serious look. “This is just my luck,” she said, reading way too much into my expression. “And I thought this week couldn’t get any worse.” “Wanna talk about it?” I grinned, watching her cute-as-hell act. I didn’t know what her week had been like, but I knew I was more than willing to take her mind off of it for a couple of hours. “So you’re a mechanic and a counselor?” “I can be whatever you want me to be.” Her mouth twisted in amusement, her eyes lighting up. “Is that so? You’re a jack-of-all trades then, Mr.—” “I’m Max Quinn, the man that can service any and all of your needs.” She laughed, her cheeks blushing. “Okay, Max. The first need I have is getting this car running.” “The first need, huh? Does that imply that there may be more needs that require my services?” She pressed her lips together, obviously enjoying the innuendos. “It’s a possibility. You know how things go—you take care of one thing and then suddenly something else, you know, pops up.” “Pops up? Interesting choice of words . . .” She laughed again, tossing her head back. Drops of sweat rolled down her neck and it took everything I had to not leap across the car, throw her over my shoulder, and into the back of my truck. I could imagine that little body wrapped around mine, that giggle piercing the air as I had my way with her. “If I can get this car running, and that’s a big ‘if,’ what do you think is a fair price for my time and effort?” I figured I’d give her a chance to either play along or opt out. As much as I’d like to get to know this little beauty, I wasn’t going to press myself. It wasn’t my style. “I’m not sure,” she smiled. “What are you thinking?” “Well, I don’t really have anything else to do today. But it could take hours.” “Really?” She looked alarmed. “I don’t want you—” “It might take minutes,” I cut her off, shrugging. She tossed me a flirty smile, one hand on her narrow hip. “Are you sure you’re up for the challenge?” “Ah, sweetheart. You have no idea.”

Biting her bottom lip, her eyes sparkling, she ran a hand down the side of her neck. She knew exactly what she was doing to me. “Fair enough. What’s it going to cost me?” “It’s going to cost you two things.” I tapped my fingers against the hood of the car and waited for her response. “Two things?” She sighed dramatically, rolling her eyes for effect. “Well, my options seem pretty limited, so let’s hear it.” “The first thing is your name. Only seems fair that I know whose car I’m fixin.’” The gorgeous girl in front of me cocked her head to the side. She was smarter than I gave her credit for. I knew she was attracted to me and I knew she’d give me her name, but she was smart enough to consider it first. “Kari Stanley,” she said finally. “Alright, Kari Stanley. The second thing you need to do before I fix your car is say yes.” “Say yes?” “Say yes to having dinner with me tonight. I think that’s totally fair. If I get this fixed, the least you can do is share a meal with me.” She pretended to consider my proposal, her tongue darting out to lick her bottom lip. “How do I know you’re not a serial killer?” she asked playfully. I grinned mischievously. “I never said I didn’t bite.” Her jaw dropped. She started to speak but nothing came out but another laugh. “But I promise you’d like it if I did.” I narrowed my eyes, fighting the grin on my face, too. She looked shocked for a split second and then regained her composure, trying to play it cool. “Okay. If you can get this started, I’ll go to dinner with you. But I have to say—I’m a little disappointed in your creativity. For some reason, I expected you to want more than a meal.” I tossed her the keys and a wink. “Don’t be. You don’t know what all dinner entails.” She caught her key ring with a grin. “Fair enough.” “It’ll be better than fair, I promise. Now quit wastin’ time and use those,” I said, nodding to the keys in the palm of her hand. “What do you want me to do with them?” “I want you to start the car.” She stared at me blankly. “What part of ‘this car doesn’t start’ don’t you understand?” “What part of ‘start the damn car ’ don’t you understand?” She eyed me curiously before climbing into the driver ’s seat. A look of disbelief crossed her face as the engine roared to life. “What the . . .” I shut the hood of her car. “Meet me at Maisano’s on Scottsdale Road at six, sweetheart.” “Wait. How did you . . .” I laughed, starting towards my truck. “Maisano’s at six—be there.”

Approximately one and a half years later THE BOX JADA handed me felt light in my hands. It jingled as I turned it over, the contents clamoring inside. It was the size of a shoebox but held enough memories to fill a Mack truck. A sharp pain tore through my chest at the realization that my secrets had been in someone else’s hands. I looked up at my sister. Jada’s long brown hair was in a knot at the top of her head, her round cheeks pink. She looked a lot like me, only my hair was a lighter shade of brown and falling across my shoulders. Our noses were identical, our eyes a bright shade of green. We had our mother ’s dark complexion, although Jada was much more like her than me. My eyes settled on her growing belly. And, right now, she’s a lot more like Mom than I’ll ever be. “Did you look inside?” I tried to keep my voice even. The thought of her possibly knowing the items buried at the bottom of the box made me queasy. At one time in our lives, I would have told her my secrets. I needed to tell her. But she was dealing with her then-husband Decker at that point and didn’t need any more stress. When I called her that day to tell her what was going on and she was already crying, I choked. I masked the pain from my voice and worked her through her problem. Sadly, even to me, that was something I was pretty good at. It was a coping mechanism I’d learned at a young age. Things were sometimes easier to deal with if you just kept them to yourself. Our mom died when I was eleven, Jada fourteen. Mom was pregnant and died from an ectopic pregnancy. It was hard on all of us, but Jada seemed to pick up the pieces faster than I did. Dad had done his best to keep things from falling apart. His secretary at his realtor office, Alice, came to the house a few days a week to help out. Alice was great and did our laundry, made cookies, and tried to talk to us the best she could. But our mom was perfect and, as much as I loved Alice, she always seemed like a fill-in. I remember watching her mill around Mom’s kitchen one afternoon a few months after the funeral, Jada sitting at the table peeling an orange. Alice was making plans to take her to a play she wanted to see.

I sat and sketched on a notepad, drawing little doodles of arrows, and felt so utterly alone. I just wanted to scream that everything was wrong, pound my fists on the table and yell at Alice to get out! To stop touching all my mom’s things. Every item she moved made things a bit farther from the way Mom had left them. It destroyed me, but I felt trapped. I didn’t know what to say. When I tried to bring it up to Jada later, she shushed me. She told me that I didn’t need to be so hateful and that we were all doing the best we could. That we were in it together. Over the next few years, I mastered the art of being “in it together,” yet being absolutely alone. I realized that saying how miserable I was only made Jada more miserable, too. So I learned to keep my mouth shut and deal, to not spread the pain. Let happy people be happy—why ruin that? It was a life lesson I learned way too early. Pick your heart up off the floor when it was smashed, put it back together as best you could, and paste on a smile. You could be a mess on the inside but still look put together on the outside. As long as things looked okay, everything was fine. Smoke and mirrors wasn’t just acceptable, it was preferred. Sad but true. The sunlight streamed through the windows of Jada’s bedroom and I turned to look at my sister. The light made her even more radiant. “I didn’t go through it or anything,” she said. “As soon as I saw the cassette tapes, I knew it was yours so I closed it back up.” I released a heavy breath and walked to the window looking over the base of the mountain. Cane Alexander, Jada’s husband, had positioned their bedroom for optimum viewing pleasure. They could literally lie in bed and watch the lights twinkle below. He hadn’t missed a single detail, which was a testament to how much he loved my sister. Cane typically did things with wider brush strokes. But when it came to Jada, his attention to detail was relentless. The thought of Cane being so caring and considerate to Jada was endearing. When I met him originally, he was the ultimate bad boy. I had been at Max’s house one night and Cane had swung by. He had given me a smirk and made more vulgar comments about his evening than I cared to remember. He was the opposite of Max in so many ways. Although Max’s moves in the sheets outdid the tales Cane was telling, Max would never say that. Not in front of me, anyway. He was too thoughtful, too sweet. Cane, on the other hand, was giving us a play-by-play. Max really liked Cane and there was something about their interaction that night that cut through Cane’s vulgarity, something that gave me a clue that there was more to Cane Alexander than the man whore he portrayed himself to be. That’s the only reason I didn’t object to him meeting my sister when she returned to Arizona after her divorce. If Max trusted him, I trusted him, and obviously it was the right choice. Cane had become the best husband I could ever imagine for my sister. “Thanks for not throwing this out,” I laughed nervously, tucking the box under my arm. I turned to watch Jada struggle to get off the bed. Her belly had begun to pop, swelling with the growing baby inside. She put a hand on the bed and the other on her stomach and slowly got to her feet.

“You okay?” Jada asked me, rubbing her belly. I smiled, walking to her and rubbing it, too. “I am. I’m excited to meet the little jellybean.” “I’m so excited, Kari,” she confessed. “I mean, I have quite a bit of time left, but I’m already sad thinking about it being over. It’s just that once you find out you’re pregnant, everything changes. Silly, I know, but it’s true.” “It’s not silly,” I said weakly, feeling a lump form in my throat. “You were made to be a mom.” “Well, I don’t know about that.” “I do.” I heard Max and Cane in the other room and figured Max was about ready to leave. I knew he had to work the next day and he’d want to get home before it got too late. “I think we should probably get going, but I’ll be by later this week. I found some of your things when I was cleaning your old room yesterday. I’ll bring them with me.” She gave me a puzzled look. “I don’t remember leaving anything. What was it?” “Just random stuff. A phone charger under the bed and a pair of boots. Oh! And a tube of red lipstick called Ruby Woo by MAC.” I furrowed my brow as I recalled the fiery color. Jada and I were both a darker complexion and I couldn’t imagine her wearing it. “Red? That must be yours because I don’t wear that color. You know that.” “Well, it isn’t mine. Maybe it’s Lara’s,” I said, shrugging my shoulders. Lara hadn’t been over for months, but the tube was dusty when I pulled it from behind the plant by the back door. I let out a sigh and turned back to the glass. My house felt so empty without Jada. She had lived with me after her divorce from Decker and I missed having her around. I found myself spending less and less time there . . . and more time with Max. But the more time I spend with Max, the messier things get. “I’m not prying, but is everything okay? You just seem . . . off. I know I’m married and having a baby, but I’m still your sister. And I also know that I’ve not always been there for you like I should have been, but I want to be now.” “Everything’s fine. I’m not going to burden you with my stuff.” I turned to face her. “You are never a burden to me.” I blew out a breath. “I just think all this marrying and baby making from you and Cane is putting ideas in Max’s head.” Jada laughed. “And the problem with that is what again?” “Things with Max were never supposed to get to this point.” I let out a sigh. “It’s not that I don’t want to live with Max, I just don’t want him to get the wrong idea. But it’s Max, so he would. He’d have a nursery painted before I got my boxes unpacked.” “I don’t get it. Why in the world would you not want to settle down with Max Quinn? He’s gorgeous and charming and successful and adjusted-” “He’s perfect. I get it. I know.” “So? What’s the problem, Kari?” “Max comes from this big family. He wants a wife in the kitchen, babies at his feet, Sunday family

dinners. It’s just,” I swallowed and looked away, “not something I see for myself.” Jada touched my shoulder. “You might not want that right now and that’s perfectly okay. But . . .” “But what?” “But you need to figure out what you want. If you’re sure you don’t want Max for the long-term and he does, then you have to consider that.” A frown touched her lips and I could see she was torn. She was trying to be honest with me, but knew it wasn’t the easy answer I wanted to hear. “Have you talked to him about this?” “Constantly. He asks me to move in nearly every day. And I would, Jada, I really would. But then that leads to the next step and that’s the one I don’t want to take.” She tilted her head and frowned deeper. “You don’t want to get married?” I looked at my sister ’s hand on her tummy. “I don’t think I’d mind getting married.” I took a deep breath. “But I don’t want to have a family.” The words came out softer than I would’ve liked, but saying it too loudly would’ve given my voice too much room to crack. ”I never knew you didn’t want kids,” she breathed, looking at me like I was a stranger. Whether she realized it or not, she was right. There were things about me she had no clue about. “Yeah, well . . .” I moved the box from one arm to the other, looking everywhere but at her. It was so much easier keeping things from her when she lived in Boston. “It’s just . . . complicated.”

“Joe Montana was the greatest quarterback that ever played football. Now that,” Cane said, tipping his Corona towards me, “is a fact.” “I’m still going with Tom Brady. He has four Super Bowl rings and we both know the Patriots should’ve beaten the Giants in the other one. That was a loss I’ll never believe.” I sat my red plastic cup down on the end table. “I’m sorry. I can’t handle you liking the Patriots.” “Jada likes them, too,” I pointed out, watching his face twist in disgust. “Fuck that. She only likes Julian Edelman and I think that has very little to do with football.” I busted out laughing, glancing at my watch. “You’re probably right about that. Hey, it’s getting late and we should probably get going. I’m sure Jada needs to rest and I need to look over a few things for work tomorrow.” Cane ran his hands through his short blond hair. “I got a letter from the court yesterday. Simon plead guilty to the drug charges against him and conspiracy to commit murder.” “That makes it easier, right?” I asked, watching him try to keep his shit together. Simon Powers

and Cane had a long, twisted history that had ended with a kidnapping and enough drama to write a book. I told Cane a number of times that there was no way Simon would get out of jail, not after everything that happened. I hoped this would settle him down a bit. “Yeah,” he muttered, cracking his knuckles. “I guess.” “What else is going on?” I asked, knowing something else was bothering him. Cane had been jittery all night and I wasn’t sure why. If Powers was going to be locked up for the foreseeable future, he should be calm. “This pregnancy thing is making me fucking crazy,” Cane said. “It’s the only time I can remember not knowing what to do. I want her to eat so the baby gets vitamins, but it’s a double-edged sword. She’ll just puke it up, then I have to worry about that. It’s a fucking nightmare.” I chuckled. Seeing Cane worry about someone other than himself still caught me off guard sometimes. “And now she has these hormones going through her and she just starts crying. And I have no idea why. I left the toilet seat up this morning. She cried.” He looked at me wide-eyed. “For fuck’s sake! I’m screwed anyway I go.” “Has she told you to put the seat down before?” “Yeah, but it’s hard to remember in the middle of the night.” I laughed a little louder. “Maybe it’s not about the seat. Maybe it’s about you not listening to her.” “This isn’t funny, Max.” “I never said it was. I don’t envy you.” He leaned back and then stood slowly, smirking. “Yes, you do. You’d give your right nut for Kari to be pregnant right now.” Standing and stretching out my long legs, I spun my Saints hat around on my head. “I’m not sayin’ I wish things with Kari weren’t more serious.” “So why not make them that way?” “It’s not that simple.” Cane didn’t say a word, just watched me, waiting on me to explain. I rapid-fired through memories, trying to condense everything into a few words. “If Kari is anything, it ain’t simple,” I muttered. “I just don’t know what to do with her. If I act like I’m not paying attention, not pressuring her for anything, she relaxes. She allows herself to get into a routine with me. She’ll stay at the house, talk about things, be a normal human being. But as soon as she thinks I’m pushing, she backtracks. Reminds me we are just about sex.” He tilted his head, chewing his bottom lip. “There was a time when I loved those words—‘we are just about sex.’ Now we’re sitting here talking about how to make things more fucking complicated. What the hell is wrong with us?” I laughed at the appalled look on his face. “We’re turning into women. Those women,” he said, glancing down the hallway, “are ruining us.” “I’m not a woman. I still have my freedom. Now you, on the other hand, are fucked.”

“You’re fucked, too, asshole. It’s not like you’re out getting strange pussy. Just marry her and get it over with.” I shook my head in frustration. “I ask her all the time. And she always says, ‘Not today.’” “Want me to talk to her for ya?” “Abso-fucking-lutely not.” “I’ve always said you’d need me one day. Maybe now’s the time.” Cane’s trademark cockiness was written all over his face. “Yeah. Let the guy that knows what he’s doing help out.” I rolled my eyes and walked to the kitchen, tossing my cup in the trash. “I don’t know what I need to fix this shit, but it’s not you.” I watch Cane toss his bottle in the trash. “She’s it for me, Alexander. She’s the one. I just need her to see it.” Cane grabbed my shoulder as he walked towards the island. He leaned against it, crossing his arms in front of him. “She sees it or she wouldn’t still be with you. Maybe she wants you to get on one knee and all that bullshit.” “If I go doin’ that, she’s gone. There’s no way she won’t run. I just . . .” I looked out the window at the leaves swaying with the breeze. “I need to figure out what she’s so scared of. That’s the key. And then change her perception.”

I SPRITZED MY brush with coconut body spray and ran it through my hair. I pulled it through slowly, hoping for the calming effect the motion used to have on me as a little girl. My mom used to brush my hair and Jada’s before bed every night. She’d spritz our long locks with strawberry-scented detangling spray and tell us stories while she worked out the knots. Sometimes they would be funny stories, sometimes she’d recite poems or retell nursery rhymes, sometimes Aesop’s fables. It became one of those things that soothed a part of my soul. It was that effect I was looking for while standing in Max’s bathroom, dragging the brush down my hair. It never came. I set my brush on the vanity. My things were strewn across the countertop like they belonged there. My red toothbrush was in the jar by the sink, right next to Max’s green one. My toothpaste was next to his because I hated his mint-flavored brand and he wasn’t a fan of my cinnamon one. I glanced at the medicine cabinet, knowing that my Tylenol and tampons were in there, too. I grabbed the edge of the counter and bowed my head. Lying in bed a few steps away was a man that many women would jump all over—literally and figuratively. He was gorgeous, smart, completely put together. And he wanted me. And I’m just too broken for him. A part of me wanted to grab my things and bolt back to my house, the house I refused to give up. It was the one thing that reminded me, and Max, that I had not given him any assurances. I had not promised him forever. Truth be told, I hadn’t guaranteed him tomorrow. When I looked into his eyes, I knew that he knew I wanted to be with him—tomorrow and the next day and the next one after that. But there was no sense in committing myself. There was no sense in pretending like there would be a forever with Max. Because, as heartbreaking as it was, there wouldn’t be. There couldn’t be. That’s why it was supposed to be just a sexual thing. Just a friends with benefits, minus the friend’s part, if necessary. I really thought that could work. It had worked with other men before him. It was the best way to operate, the way to disengage, to keep a distance. To not become entwined. At the end of the day, or night as it were, I really underestimated the draw of Maxwell Jacob

Quinn. A few weeks after meeting him in a serendipitous way at Pinnacle Peak, I realized I wasn’t talking to any other guys. I wasn’t taking the bait when a hottie would toss me a line. I wasn’t returning calls. I wasn’t scheduling dates, for a lack of a better, more courteous, word. I was with Max. Once I realized how far I had fallen without knowing it, I knew I had to keep some sort of barrier up. He was gorgeous with his jet-black hair, spiked up in the front. His emerald-green eyes shone like gems. His tall, muscular frame was as hard as a brick wall and when I was held tight against it, breathing in the smell of him, it was a grown woman’s version of Disneyland—the happiest place on Earth. He was irresistible. But I had to resist because it would end. It wouldn’t be fair to him for it not to. I wondered if every morning would be the last I would wake up to a sticky note on my purse. If every evening would be the last time we’d play Jeopardy together, wrapped up together on the couch. Each day was like the tick of a bomb, another click to the inevitable detonation of this perfect little world I’d allowed myself to succumb to. Max had been so patient with me, so kind, like he knew I needed to maintain space between us. He’d never pushed me for anything and let me call the shots, more or less. But now that we had been together for over a year and Cane and Jada were married and having a baby, things were starting to change just a little. I could see it in Max’s eyes—he wanted that, too. With me. A part of me wanted to sprint into his bedroom and wrap myself around him. I wanted to demand that he ask me the question he asked me routinely, half in jest because he knew my answer. I wanted to look in his eyes and let myself see the emotions in them, the things he tried to tell me through his mossy gaze. But I just couldn’t. I loved him too much to do that do him. Because I did love him. I knew it, I had for a long time. Loving Max Quinn wasn’t a problem. Loving Max Quinn was the problem. I made my way into the bedroom. I could smell the candle he was burning, scents of vanilla wafting through the house, before I got there. I leaned against the doorframe and watched him. Max hadn’t heard me enter. He was sprawled across the bed, a pair of crimson boxer briefs the only thing covering his divine body. His abs muscles rippled as he played with Titus, the puppy he found abandoned on a job site. In typical Max fashion, he brought the puppy home. Titus slept on Max’s chest that night, obviously in love with him from the start. I couldn’t say I blamed him—it was my favorite spot to snuggle, too. Max rolled the chocolate-colored puppy a few times, his large hand bigger than the puppy’s head. Titus rolled across the bed and Max chuckled, stretching out on his back. The dog padded across the blankets and plopped down beside him, panting from the play. Max reached over and stroked his stomach. “How are ya, boy? You like this, huh? You like playin’ with me?”

“I’m not sure how anything wouldn’t like you touching it like that,” I laughed, walking into the room. Max popped up on his elbows and smiled sexily. His dimple shining in his cheek, his hair a wild mess, he looked downright edible. “Get your ass over here and I’ll touch you like that, too.” I shrugged off my robe and tossed it onto a nearby chair. “I don’t want to interrupt . . .” “Woman,” he growled, picking up the puppy and sitting it gently on the floor. Titus whined immediately, his little cobalt blue eyes begging for Max to pick him back up. Max reached down and petted him. “Be good and go on.” He nodded his head towards the fluffy pillow he bought the dog and Titus obediently walked over, marched in a circle, and laid down. Max shook his head and sighed. “If only I could get you to listen half as well as that dog.” “Not a chance, babe,” I laughed. I stood between his legs. He wrapped his arms around my waist and nuzzled his face into my abdomen. “I bought you all of those things to sleep in and you are wearin’ my old Sun Devils shirt?” “I like this shirt. It’s all cozy and soft and it smells like you. And I took all of my things to my house to wash yesterday.” “You’re the perfect storm.” His voice was rough, his breath hot on my skin through the thin fabric of the t-shirt. “What’s that mean?” Ignoring me, he said, “Would it do me any good at all to point out the ridiculousness that you don’t live here?” “Nope,” I said, grabbing his hair and pulling his head back so I could see into his eyes. They were so easy to get lost in. I had found myself on the verge of agreeing to things I knew better than to agree to when gazing into them. He grabbed my thighs, pressing his fingertips into my bare skin. His touch, coupled with the earlier unobstructed view of his body, made me ache with want. “It wouldn’t do you any good at all to go there,” I continued, “but it might do you some good to go here.” I grabbed his right hand and placed it between my legs. He rubbed his thumb over my opening, the fabric of my panties pressing into my wetness. I pushed my body against his hand, needing the friction to ease the buildup that was beginning to grow out of control. Max withdrew his hand and placed both of them on the backs of my legs, pulling me closer to him. “What are you doing? I want you. Now,” I all but begged. “I know you do, sweetheart. But I want to slow down a minute.” I looked at him in disbelief. “I don’t want to slow down. I want you inside me.” “And I want to be inside you,” he said, his voice deep and husky. I could hear the need in his tone, mirroring mine. He ran his hands up the backs of my legs, setting my skin on fire, until he reached my backside. He cupped both cheeks in his hands. “I always want to be inside you. But I want to enjoy your body. This,” he said, squeezing my ass, “should be appreciated. Let me love on you a minute.”

I felt myself tear into two jagged, painful pieces. The first one wanted to do just that and let him “love on me,” but the other knew good and well that I couldn’t let sex and love bleed together. Max broke my thoughts by standing up, lifting me with him. He planted a kiss on my lips as he turned and lay me on the bed. He stood over me, his eyes darkening, taking in every inch of me. Once his gaze made its way to my face, his eyes locked onto mine. His hands ran slowly up my legs, the coarseness of his palms mixing with the gentleness of his touch causing me to shiver. He reached my hips, caressing the curve of my waist. He lowered his lips to mine and kissed me in the way only Max could. It wasn’t a physical gesture, nor was it a simple exchange. It was a statement, a promise. It was a damn guarantee of things I didn’t want to think about. “Fuck me, Max,” I whispered, turning my head to allow him access to my neck. “Please.” He growled in response, leaving a trail of kisses from my mouth to my ear and then down my neck. I knew he hated my crudeness, but it reminded him, me, us, of what we were. “I’m just going to bend over the bed,” I said, trying to roll out from under him. “Not happening, sweetheart.” He kissed me again, harder this time, as he placed a knee between my legs. “I want to see your face.” He grabbed the hem of my shirt and drew it over my head, our lips only breaking to allow the material to pass between us. He kissed down my throat and to my chest, licking and sucking lightly on my hardened nipples. I ground my sex against his leg, needing a release of the pressure that had built in my core. Putting my hands on the back of his head still at my breast, I encouraged him to lick and suck harder. I could feel him harden against my stomach. I let my hands travel lazily down his back, feeling his muscles ripple. I dipped my fingers beneath the waistline of his briefs. I grabbed his cock, squeezing it roughly as he kissed back to my mouth again. His tongue darted out, the wetness creating a cooling sensation on my already oversensitive skin. “Max,” I begged. I felt the loss of his body as he stood up. His eyes never left mine as he pushed his briefs down his legs and stepped out of them. “Tell me you have a condom close,” I pleaded as I ran my hand beneath the lace of my panties. “What if I don’t?” he asked, his eyebrows quirking up. I touched my clit, closing my eyes and releasing a moan. The sensation stopped as soon as it started. Max’s hand pressed against mine and effectively halted any movement. I lifted my eyes to his, the greens blazing. I loved this side of him, the side that took control. The Max that didn’t let me make decisions, didn’t let me dig too far inside my head. “Well, if you don’t, then I guess I’ll just make myself come,” I taunted, watching his eyes darken. “Don’t get too big for your britches.” I tried to move my fingers beneath his hand, raising an eyebrow in challenge. He lifted my hand and dropped it unceremoniously on the bed next to me; I tried not to smile in response. “I have one, but don’t touch yourself. Hear me?” He looked at me sternly, all Alpha male, until I raised my hands over my head. Satisfied, he grabbed my panties and pulled them slowly down my

legs, tossing them on the floor. He walked to his nightstand and didn’t say a word as he rolled the protection down his length. He climbed back on the bed, hovering over me. I ran my hands down his back, his muscles flexing against my touch, turning me on even more. “I want to be right here when I go inside you,” he whispered, his face inches from mine. “I want to see the pleasure on your face and hear the little noises you make. I love watching you respond to me.” He pressed his lips softly to mine. “I love making you feel good.” I could feel him at my opening. Just as I registered it, he pushed his way inside, parting me in one heavy move. The feeling of being empty to being completely full in one second was overwhelming. I moaned as I relished the feeling of being stretched and then the sensation of him pulling back out and then pressing into me again. “Max,” I groaned, my eyes rolling back in my head. He thrust into me again, wrapping one hand through my hair and placing his other arm under my neck, holding me still. I wrapped my legs around his waist as we found a delicious rhythm. He lowered his face the remaining distance and kissed me, his mouth soft and delicate, a fierce opposition to the hard and bold movement below. His cock built me up physically, bringing me closer to an orgasm with every thrust. His tongue parted my lips and worshipped me, licking and sucking and causing all of my senses to misfire. I tightened my legs, feeling the rise and then the explosion. I broke the kiss and yelled, my orgasm hitting me hard. I shook from the force, too overwhelmed by bliss to care that Max was watching my reaction. He continued to stroke in and out, milking my climax for all it was worth. I opened my eyes, my lids heavy, to see him smiling. “Was that as good as it looked?” he asked, a smirk planted across his gorgeous face. I let my eyes adjust back to the light, my body tingling with the aftershocks. “I don’t know what it looked like, but it felt amazing.” “I could watch it over and over again,” he whispered. “That one, sweetheart, was for me. This one is for you.” My belly clenched as he pulled out and flipped me onto my stomach in an instant. He grabbed my legs and jerked my feet to the floor, slamming into me before I knew what was happening. He grabbed a mess of my hair, pushing my head down into the bed. “Damn it,” he groaned, smashing his body into mine. I felt my own wetness slide down my legs as he built me up again. I dug my hands into the blankets, knowing that the orgasm coming would be one I needed to hold on for. I always came better this way. It was less personal, less attached. It was fucking at its simplest and what this relationship with Max was supposed to be. Carnal. Raw. Hedonistic. He drove into me, attuned, as always, to my body. I braced myself as I hit the peak and toppled over the edge. “Max!” I yelled, pressing myself back against his cock.

He grabbed ahold of my hips to keep me in place. He buried himself inside me and held me down as he released himself, a growl escaping the back of his throat. I barely registered the sound, but the vibrations of his voice pulled at my core like they always did. It was the low, sexy timbre that caught my attention the first time. But it sure as hell isn’t what kept it. I lay lifelessly against the sheets as he pulled out. The bed shifted as Max got up. I heard him rummaging around the room, the door opening and Titus running down the hallway. Before I knew it, Max picked me up, cradling me in his arms, and climbed across the bed. He lay me against the pillows and stretched out beside me, pulling the blanket across our bodies. I squeezed my eyes closed, fully spent. He pulled me against his side, tucking me up against him like he did every night, and kissed the top of my head. As I dozed off, I heard him whisper, “Goodnight, sweetheart.”

THE ROOM WAS cool and dark, the only sound was the whirring of the ceiling fan. When I had first stayed overnight with Max, I hated the sound and the feel of the moving air while I slept. He, on the other hand, couldn’t sleep without it and now I even turned it on the few nights when I was home in bed alone. I lay still and closed my eyes, hoping that I could fall back asleep. I tried counting sheep and my blessings, but neither relaxed me. When the sun went down, my mind turned on and reminded me of everything that had gone wrong in my life; sleep was a sort of Purgatory. Max was sleeping on his stomach, his right arm draped across me. The white sheets were bunched at his waist and his back was on full display, inviting me to touch. My fingers itched to trace the compass tattoo on his shoulder. It was his favorite of all of his art and my favorite, too. I loved the arrows in the dial. They reminded me of the arrow on my wrist. I reached out to touch it, but he rolled onto his side facing away from me. I waited until his breathing evened out and then pulled back the blankets and made my way to the kitchen, Titus following me. I flipped on the light. I poured the puppy a little bowl of kibble and then went about making a cup of coffee. Max had bought a Keurig after I made a comment about making a whole pot just for me since he didn’t drink it. “Why did you buy this? What if I never come over here again? It’ll be a total waste,” I asked him, half kidding and half not. “Oh, you’re comin’ over here again. And you’re comin’ again. And again,” he had grinned, pulling me in close and silencing any objections with kisses. I pulled my mug off the console and sat down at the table, kicking my feet up on another chair. I looked around the room, seeing my touches on everything. A few months before, the refrigerator had broken and I had picked out the replacement. I’m not sure why I spent an entire day looking at models because its doors were covered in Max’s trademark sticky notes. There were notes about meal plans to maintain muscle mass, notes about meetings, and notes from the two of us to each other just because. The red Solo cup by the sink had my wine glass beside it. His keys sat on the counter next to the

candle I had picked up at the grocery store. My eyes wandered to the box Jada had given me sitting on the counter. I stupidly forgot to put it away when we arrived home the night before. I eyed it like it might jump off and bite me because, truth be told, it definitely had the power to inflict pain. Slowly, I got up and walked over to it. I picked it up and carried it back to the table and took my seat. I lifted the lid, seeing the cassette tapes Jada had mentioned sitting on top. I couldn’t help but smile as I picked them up, reading the labels in bright pink ink in my teenage handwriting, before laying them beside the box. Beneath them was a turquoise and white silk handkerchief that had been my grandmother ’s. Our mom let Jada and I choose one thing when her mother died years before. I always remembered Grandmother having a hankie in her pocket and I wanted one of those. They were delicate, yet strong, just like her. It was sort of token as to what I hoped I’d be someday. I held it to my face and breathed it in, trying to find the smell of her. The years had sadly erased the floral scent that never failed to take me back to her bedroom vanity and the pretty little bottles that used to sit beneath her mirror. I sat it off to the side and continued through the box, finding old notes from friends folded into mini-envelopes, Valentine’s Day cards from random people, and a picture of Jada, Dad, and me at the Grand Canyon. My heartbeat picked up, my hands beginning to tremble, as I took out the contents piece by piece. I knew what lay at the bottom and I felt pulled to it like I hadn’t in a very long time. Breathe, Kari. I lifted a delicate gold chain from the box, holding it in the air. A small purple orchid dangled from it. I touched it, spinning it in circles as my mind fluttered to a different time and place. I held the chain in my hand, my palm sweaty with apprehension. I pushed open the doors, much heavier than they looked, and breathed in the smell of sanitizer. I asked for Jett, the artist I had made the appointment with. A few minutes later, he came around the corner, his kind smile a contrast to his dangerous appearance. “Kari, right?” I nodded nervously. “Follow me.” We walked through the studio, the sound of instruments humming and music playing lowly through a set of speakers I couldn’t see. I clasped my fingers around the necklace and held it against my stomach. “What are we doing today? The orchid we talked about?” I nodded again, knowing I needed to speak but my mouth seemed too dry. From the moment I knew how things were going to end, I knew I wanted something to symbolize what was, what had been, and what would always be a part of me; the orchid was the first thing that crossed my mind and the only thing that ever felt right. But standing in front of Jett, I suddenly felt like passing out. Not as much from the physical pain that would surely be inflicted in a matter of minutes, but more from the

emotional pain that would undoubtedly rise with it. I touched the ink on my hip instinctively. The orchid was the symbol my mother had worn around her neck for the date of my birth. I wanted something to honor what the month of October should have meant to me in the same way. If only things hadn’t gone wrong. I gazed back inside the box to the wrinkled sheet of paper. It had been folded and unfolded so many times, balled up and then pressed back out more than once. Tears stained the ink, the blue writing faded in the spots where my sadness had spilled over my lids and onto the words. I didn’t touch it. I didn’t have to read it to know what it said. I’d read and re-read it so many times, usually in the middle of the night when my soul hurt so badly that I needed some sort of connection to the person I was before. Sadly or strangely, maybe both, I found it in a letter that was never sent and a picture that was placed carefully beneath it. Movement in the doorway caught my attention and pulled me back from the trip down memory lane. Max was watching me, his arms stretched overhead and grasping the doorframe. His hair was a mess, his chest and feet bare. “What ‘cha doing up so early?” he asked, yawning. “Couldn’t sleep.” He padded his way across the tile and stood next to me. He bent down and kissed the top of my head. “What’s all this?” I let the necklace collapse into my hand. “A box of things I’ve kept over the years. It got mixed with Jada’s stuff somehow. She gave it back to me last night. Max picked up one of the tapes. “Mix Up Radio?” “Didn’t you record stuff off the radio when you were a kid?” “Uh, no, sweetheart. I didn’t,” he laughed. “Well, every girl my age did that at some point. You’d listen to the radio and have your cassette in your tape player, ready to go. When a song would come on that you loved, you’d click the record button. Then you’d have a tape full of your favorite songs.” “How resourceful.” I laughed. “So what would be on here?” he asked. “I don’t know. Boys II Men, probably. TLC. Maybe some Salt N Pepa if we’re lucky.” “No George Strait?” he asked, wincing. “George Michael, possibly.” He sat the tape back on the table. “What else is in here?” I scrambled to put the tapes and hankie back in the box, covering the things below. “Nothing, really. I was just trying to keep busy and not wake you up.” I closed the lid, earning a puzzled look from Max. “Want some hot chocolate?” I asked, trying to take the attention off me and the box. He rolled his eyes. “I’ll grab some tea.” “Have you made anything in the Keurig yet?”

“Of course,” he laughed. “All the damn time.” “Sure you have.” I realized that the necklace was still in my hand. I studied it a little longer. The purple had begun to fade around the edges of the metal. Max touched the chain in my hand. “What’s this?” “This was my mother ’s necklace. My father gave it to her the day I was born. It’s an orchid, the flower of the month for October.” His eyes softened and he pulled me into his side. “For your birthday, October 1st,” he said, thinking he had it all figured out. “It’s very pretty. I bet she loved it.” “She always wore it. And she had a bracelet for March that he got her when Jada was born.” I forced a swallow. “Dad got her a ring with a lily for the baby she was carrying when she died. He buried her with it.” Max kissed the top of my head, letting me have a moment to get myself together. “I could never wear this, but having it means a lot to me. Just knowing that she wore it and thought of me and now I look at it and think of her . . .” I blushed. “That sounded dumb, didn’t it?” “Nah, sweetheart, it didn’t. And it explains the orchid tattoo on your hip. I never knew that it meant something like that to you.” If he only knew . . . I lifted the lid to the box again and sat the necklace back inside before closing it. “This is a little too much for six in the morning.” He brought his forehead down to mine. “She’d be proud of you, ya know.” “I hope so.” “Oh, I know so. You’re the most amazing person I’ve ever known.”

“THIS IS IT,” Max said a few hours later, nodding towards a house in front of us. We pulled into the driveway of Max’s cousin’s house. He’d just moved back to town and he and his wife had invited us over for dinner. I was a bit nervous; it always made me anxious to meet Max’s family. It was the natural progression of things for most relationships, a step to more, which was why I felt like I was walking the plank every time another Quinn or family friend was introduced. “When was the last time you saw Pierce?” I asked Max. We climbed out of his truck in front of a quaint stucco house with a red tile roof. The breeze was warm and purplish bougainvillea leaves were scattered across the driveway and a stone pathway leading to the front door. Max met me at the front of the truck and immediately grabbed my hand, rubbing his thumb across

my palm. “I saw him a few days this past summer. But before then? Hell, I don’t remember. He must’ve moved to Texas five, six years ago or somethin’? I went out there once a while back . . .” He grinned to himself at some memory he didn’t share. “He’s married, right?” I asked, chewing a fingernail on my free hand. “Yeah. He met Isabella in Texas. She’s really sweet. You’ll love her.” The door in front of us flew open and a man immediately grabbed ahold of Max. “Maxie! Damn, buddy! It’s good to see ya!” They shook hands and smiled at each other, exchanging greetings while I took it all in. The man, who I presumed to be Pierce, reminded me a lot of Max. He had the same dark hair and tall frame, although not as built. His face was softer than Max’s and his eyes a sparkling blue instead of Max’s wild green. “It’s good to see you, man,” Max said. He turned towards me. “Kari, this is my cousin, Pierce. Pierce, this is Kari.” “It’s nice to meet you,” Pierce said, wrapping me in a big hug. I looked at Max, causing him to laugh. The Quinn’s were apparently huggers all-around. Max took my hand again and led me into the house behind Pierce. It was a typical tract home with high ceilings and fresh white paint. There were boxes lining the hallway to our left. Family pictures hung on the walls and were sitting along nearly every flat surface. A playpen was in the middle of the floor, loaded with pink toys. “Pierce! Is that Max?” a woman’s voice shouted from another room. “Yeah, babe.” “Isa has been waiting for you. She made you tamales,” Pierce said, leading us to the kitchen. “She didn’t have to do that,” Max grinned. I could tell he clearly loved that she had. We entered an eat-in kitchen that was open to a small family room. A short, dark haired woman was standing in the kitchen, holding a baby. She was absolutely gorgeous with dark eyes and a smile that would light up a room. She looked exotic, yet approachable, and I knew she turned heads wherever she went. “Look, Jos! It’s Uncle Max!” Isa said to the baby on her hip. “Isabella, you get more beautiful every time I see you.” Max kissed her on the cheek. “Hey, Joselyn! Remember me?” He patted the baby’s head much in the same way he did Titus and it made me and the baby coo. “Come here.” He looked briefly to Isa before taking the baby, earning a squeal from the child. She immediately reached for his hat and removed it from his head. “Hat,” she said clearly. “Yes. Hat. And you shouldn’t take a man’s hat, Miss. It’s a good thing you’re pretty.” “Pretty,” she repeated, making everyone laugh. “Isa, I would like you to meet my Kari. Kari, this is Isabella.” He turned to me, his eyes soft. My Kari.

I felt the air stutter in my chest at the sound of his words and the picture of him with Jos. It was almost too much to handle. I smiled, tearing my eyes away from his. “It’s nice to meet you, Isabella.” “Oh, please. Call me Isa. Everyone does,” she said, smiling and tossing a towel onto the countertop. “Can I get you something? Water? Wine?” “I’m alright, thank you.” “I made Max tamales. Are you hungry?” “You know I’ll never turn down those,” Max grinned at her. “Y’all go sit down and I’ll grab it out of the oven.” Pierce and Max headed to the table, Joselyn grabbing at Max’s nose. He laughed, pulling her hand away while she used her other to grab his hat again. I watched Isa work around the kitchen, feeling a little out of place. She moved effortlessly around the room and looking like a million bucks while doing it. She wore a pair of black pants with a purple sleeveless shirt, showcasing her toned arms. Her hair was glossy, almost out-sparkling the diamonds in both ears. “Can I help?” I asked, not sure what to do. Besides spaghetti, kitchens weren’t really my friend. “Absolutely,” she smiled. Joselyn squealed from the table and Isa went to take her from Max. Instead, he swirled her around. “Jos wants to stay with me, right? Tell her. Say, ‘Max,’” he instructed the baby. “Mwax!” “Yes, that’s right. Max.” I watched Max and the baby. He looked so natural, so perfect holding her. It broke my heart. “There really isn’t much to do,” Isa said, coming back into the kitchen. “I already put plates and utensils on the table. Do you want to get us drinks?” “Sure. What would you like?” I asked. “I’ll have water. Pierce will have a beer. There’s bottled water and Coronas in the fridge. We have tons of stuff, so just get whatever you and Max want. I sent Pierce to Costco yesterday and he came back with everything they had,” she laughed. “There are red plastic cups in the pantry if Max is still crazy about those.” I laughed, grabbing the drinks. “So the plastic cups have been around for a while then?” She nodded, pushing a set of gold bangles up her arm. “As long as I’ve known him. Pierce is the same way, unless it’s a Corona out of a bottle. I don’t get it, but it’s an easy way to make him happy, right?” “Exactly. If I get an extra point for having those stupid cups around—good for me.” Isa laughed as she took a pan out of the oven. “Men are simple creatures, really.” “Is that recipe simple? Because that smells so good,” I noted, taking in the spicy goodness floating through the air.

She smiled wide. “It’s my grandmother ’s recipe. One of those old-fashioned ones that you can’t find anymore. I’m so glad I was able to get it written down before she passed away. Her cookbook is one of the first things I’d grab if my house caught on fire.” “Do you like to cook?” “I do. But I make Pierce take me out to dinner once a week. Just because we’re married doesn’t mean he is gonna get out of wooing me,” she raised her eyebrows. “Gotta keep them working for it, you know what I mean?” I laughed nervously. “Well, Max and I aren’t serious like that. But I see what you’re saying.” She pulled back the foil, steam billowing out of the pan. “How long have you two been together?” “Oh, a year or so, I guess.” Isa leaned against the stove and looked at me. “That man of yours is one helluva guy. You better snatch that one up, let me tell you.” She shrugged her shoulders. “If you want him, that is. Someone will scoop him up if you don’t watch it.” Her words scraped me to the core because they were true and I knew it. I couldn’t fathom seeing Max with someone else. The mere thought made me want to go wild or ‘ape-shit crazy’ as Cane would say. “You know what? Forgive me. It’s none of my business. I have had a hard time keeping my mouth shut. Pierce says I have no filter,” she laughed. “Let’s take this stuff to the table.” She handed me a tray and I placed the drinks on it and followed her. “Ah, Isa. That smells so good,” Max said as we got close. His hair was all rumpled from being under his hat and I just wanted to run my fingers through it. “You didn’t have to go outta your way to do this, ya know.” She sat the pan on a mat and swatted Max’s shoulder. “Of course I did! I’ll put Jos in her high chair.” She reached for the baby but Jos buried her face in Max’s shoulder. “Mwax!” she said, her voice muffled. Isa laughed. “She’ll get it all over you. Just be warned—she’s trouble at the table.” “She’s fine. You won’t ruin my shirt, right, Jos?” She lunged for the silverware as I took my seat across from him. “Who all have ya seen so far?” Max asked as we got settled in and began spooning the food onto our plates. “My parents and my brother. A couple of guys from college.” Pierce lifted his fork to his mouth. “Your mama brought by a casserole this afternoon. She looks good.” “Yeah, she’s doin’ real good. Dad’s retired now, so they just go around on their golf cart and they’re all into taking cruises these days.” Isa unscrewed her water bottle. “Your mama is just a sweet thing. And Brielle, too. She’s supposed to be by tonight, actually.” She glanced at the large wrought iron clock on the wall. Brielle, Max’s younger sister, was the feminine, younger version of Max with long, shiny dark hair and wide eyes. Max was very protective of her. I could tell he wanted me to get to know Bri, but

she had an invisible wall built around her. She very clearly did not want to get to know me. I got the feeling she didn’t like me much and I wasn’t sure why, but we didn’t see each other often so it really didn’t matter. “She doing okay?” Pierce asked, taking a drink of his beer. “Yeah. She’s doing well. She’s been working for a dentist for a while now. She lollygagged around long enough and Dad finally had to tell her he was gonna stop paying her bills. That straightened her up pretty quick.” “Is she still hanging around Samantha?” Pierce asked, smiling. “Yeah,” Max laughed. “Those two are as inseparable now as they’ve always been.” “Samantha? Is she the one that came to our wedding with Brielle?” Isa sat down her fork and patted her lips with a napkin. “That girl rubs me wrong. I know, I shouldn’t rush to judge and I was really busy when they were there, so I didn’t really get to know her. But there’s something about her that strikes me wrong. I just don’t know what it is.” “Ah, Isa, she’s harmless,” Pierce laughed. “Settle down.” She flashed him a look. “I’m not unsettled. I’m just saying. Do you know her, Kari?” I nodded, thinking back to Brielle’s blonde, leggy friend. “I do, but not well. I just see her at Max’s family events and things sometimes. Brielle’s brought her to Max’s a couple of times when I’ve been there. She’s alright. Kind of annoying,” I said, looking at Max out of the corner of my eye. Jos reached over his shoulder and grabbed his hat off the back of the chair and tossed it into the middle of his plate. “Ah, Jos,” Max pouted, sticking out his bottom lip. She grabbed ahold of it and squealed. “I warned you,” Isa laughed. “I know trouble when I see it.” The doorbell rang and Pierce excused himself to go answer it. Isa got up, too, to grab more napkins from the kitchen. I sat quietly and watched Max play with Joselyn. He was such a natural, tossing her in the air, blowing raspberries on her cheek, making her shake with laughter. She was clearly smitten with him . . . and him with her. “Look who’s here,” Pierce said a few moments later, leading Bri into the room. I looked up to see her making a beeline for Isa and her friend standing still behind her. Sam’s eyes were trained on Max. She was wearing tight brown pants, making her legs look like they went on forever, and a creamcolored knit shirt. Her long blonde curls were perfectly cast across her shoulders, her blue heels making her eyes pop. I never would’ve thought that outfit would work, but it looked seamless on her. She cast a small smile at Max, watching him as he turned to face her. “Hey, Sam,” he said, bouncing Jos up and down on one knee. “How are ya?” “Good, Maxie. How are you?” Her gaze stayed on him, acting like the rest of us didn’t exist. “Good. Busy with work.” Her grin grew wider. “Well, work is what you do. I’m not surprised there.” The familiarity between the two irritated; it always did. I understood she was a family friend, but it

annoyed me to no avail that she seemed to pop up everywhere. And the way she looked at Max and the ease in which he looked back at her, like she was special to him in some way, drove me insane. I looked at Pierce and he was watching me with a smirk. He tossed me a wink, a dimple just like Max’s sinking into his cheek. “Isa, let’s eat!” he said loudly, standing up. He pulled a chair out across the table from Max. “Sam, why don’t you sit over here?” He looked at me and grinned. I returned the smile, feeling like I finally had a friend in the Quinn family. Once everyone had settled down at the table, Pierce cleared his throat. “So, Kari. Max tells me you’re a nurse. Beauty and brains, huh?” “You’re a nurse? That’s fantastic,” Isa exclaimed. “Now I know who to call with questions instead of using those websites. They’ll make you think you’re dying of some super rare disease. Every. Time.” “They really will,” I agreed. Max turned to me, melting me in my chair with his sexy smile. “Nah, Pierce. She’s more than beauty and brains. Kari is the whole package.”

I PULLED MAX’S favorite red lingerie set out of my drawer. We made a quick stop at my house after leaving Pierce’s. Dinner had been nice. Pierce was easy to like, a slightly more mischievous version of his cousin. Isa was kind and generous and funny, telling me stories about her family back in Texas. After dinner, she had put Joselyn to bed and Brielle and Sam had left. We sat around and drank wine. She promised to teach me how to play Euchre, a Quinn family favorite card game that I didn’t know. “That little shit got sauce all over my shirt,” Max said, brushing himself off as he walked out of my bathroom. “Think this will come out?” He was grinning and I knew he didn’t care one way or the other. That was one of the best things about Max—he didn’t sweat the small stuff. “Probably. That’s one of the perils of babyhood, I think. They ruin everything. Hope Jada’s ready for that,” I laughed, closing the drawer with my hip. “Jada will be fine. Babies don’t ruin everything. As a matter of fact, I think they make everything even better.” I sat on the edge of the bed, suddenly uncomfortable with the conversation. “Yeah, maybe.” Max stuck his hands in his pockets and watched me. His gaze was heavy and I was unable to move. Time stood still as I waited for the next words to come out of his mouth. Somehow, I knew what he was going to say and if I could have stopped it, I would have. 3 . . . 2 . . . 1 . . . “Do you want kids, Kari?” The room started to spin. The conversation I had evaded for months was staring me in the face. He finally flat-out asked the one question I had managed to avoid. This wasn’t a yes-or-no question. This was the question that would end it all. I wasn’t ready to wake up without Max’s sleepy smiles. I wasn’t ready to reach into my pocket and not find a sticky note when I got in the car to go to work. I wasn’t ready to complain that he ran faster than me and I couldn’t keep up when we took early morning jogs. I. Wasn’t. Ready. For. It. To. End. “After seeing Joselyn ruin your shirt and picking up Titus’s accidents, I can only imagine the joy

of having a little human,” I deflected. “So that’s a ‘no’? Or a ‘not right now’?” I took a deep breath and decided how to answer the question. Even after months of going over the question in my head, I still hadn’t decided how to answer it. I stood and walked quickly to my closet, needing some distance. “Kari?” he asked again, his voice soft but curious. There was no way out of the conversation this time. I could hear it in his voice. There was nowhere to run, no jokes to make, nothing on his mind that I could bring back up to take it off of this. “I don’t think I’ll ever have a baby, Max,” I whispered honestly. I placed my hand on the wall, bracing myself. The room seemed to shrink, the walls forcing everything closer, suffocating me. I squeezed my eyes shut, terrified of his response. “Well . . .” Max began, apparently not sure what to say. That was fine by me because I sure as hell didn’t know how to respond, either. I gave him a vanilla answer to a chocolate fudge sundae question, but it was honest and the best one I could give him. “Look,” I said, forcing a swallow. “I know that’s important to you. I do and I never would want to rob you of that experience and I’ve known this conversation was coming around and I’m so sorry, Max, but I don’t know what to do and I . . .” He was across the room to me in a second flat. “Hush,” he whispered, grasping my chin in his hand. He tilted my face up until I looked him in the eye. “Breathe, sweetheart.” My chest shook as it rose and fell. I fought back tears. I don’t cry. I don’t cry. I don’t cry. “I don’t know why you’re scared shitless about this topic, but I know you are. I’ve known it for a lot longer than you realize. And you know what?” He actually waited for a response, but that was entirely beyond my ability. “I don’t care. I love you,” he said simply, his eyes searching mine. “Whatever made you so scared, whatever else is going on in there . . . I wish you’d let go. I wish you’d tell me your secrets. You don’t have to be strong and keep shit to yourself. Let me help.” I took in a shaky breath. He let go of my chin and chuckled, confusing me. “You . . . you’re laughing at me?” I didn’t know how to process that. Of all the responses I thought might happen, laughing at me wasn’t one of them. He chuckled louder and smiled. “I’m not laughing at you. I’m laughing at your reaction. It was like you thought I’d just go off half-cocked and walk out the door.” “Well, I did,” I gulped. “I should be offended by that.” “I’m sorry. I just . . . I know that sooner or later that will be the cause of things ending between us. That’s a deal breaker to people and I can’t blame you for that.” “Sweetheart, you and me—we’re permanent. You’ll see one of these days. I’m just waitin’ on you to come around.”

Without knowing what I was doing or how it happened, I ended up in his arms, my head buried in his chest. He smoothed out my hair and held me close, quelling my anxiety one stroke at a time. I loved this man more than I’d ever loved anyone. And because of that, even with his reaction, I still knew right from wrong. “I won’t do that to you,” I whispered into his shirt, wondering if he even heard me. “Is this why you pull away from me all the damn time?” The words were soft coming out of his mouth, but with an irritated edge. “You think because you don’t want kids right now that I’ll leave you? Damn it, Kar . . .” I blew out a breath. Just let him think that. “Something like that. You ready to go?” I pulled back and looked up at him hovering over me. He smirked. “Marry me,” he asked, a half-grin gracing his lips. I shook my head, partially amused and partially heartbroken. I wished on a million stars that things were different and he could ask me that, for real, and I could answer him with every fiber of my being. But the stars weren’t in the business of granting wishes. I rolled my eyes, playing it off, and gave him the answer I always gave him. A reply that wasn’t a ‘yes’ or a ‘no.’ “Not today.”

“I’M GOING TO fucking kill him!” Cane bellowed, slamming his fist on the top of his desk. “You better handle this shit because we’ll have a lawsuit if I do.” “Settle down. I’m in just the mood to take care of this,” I said. Kari had been quiet the evening before. I had given her space, let her work her shit out in her mind. She got into these funks sometimes, just really introverted. I didn’t know what to do or what caused it to happen, so I did nothing except let her know I was there if she needed me. We went to bed late and got little sleep because she had a nightmare, which happened every-sooften. She woke up in the middle of the night, tears falling down her cheeks. I hated seeing her so upset, especially not knowing why, but it was in those moments that she let herself need me. If only I can make her see that she needs me in the daylight, too. I wished, more than anything, that I knew what the cause of it all was so I could fix it. I wanted to make her troubles go away. I wanted to protect her from the world, to keep a smile on her face, and that would be easier if I could get to the root of the problem. “He didn’t have the fucking bid bond with the bid? Who the fuck does that? He just cost us a five million dollar job!” Cane roared. “I’m fixin’ to fire him when he gets here. Hilah is getting his check ready now.” “Where is he?” “Dan is picking up plans and specs for another job this morning. Just let me handle this. You flyin’ off the handle isn’t going to help anything.” “We needed that job, Max. We had that fucking job, that’s the worst part about it.” “I know and they aren’t going to let us just send the bond now. We’re fucked. But there’s a job next week in Chandler that I have an ‘in’ on. It’ll probably end up being 5 or 6 million before it’s over. I’ll work on that today.” “After you fire Dan.” “Yeah.” A knock sounded through the office. “Mr. Alexander?” Lucy popped her head around the corner. “Oh, Mr. Quinn! I’m sorry to interrupt.” She smiled and looked to the floor before looking back up to Cane.

“No, you’re fine. What’s up?” Cane asked her. “I know this is bad timing and I’m really sorry,” she said, stepping through the doorway. “But is there any way I can take some time off? My dad’s test came back and my mom called this morning. It’s cancer. I need to go be with her for a while. I’m not sure how long. Could be a day, could be—” “Yes. Family first. We’ll make it work,” Cane said without hesitation. “Are you sure?” “Absolutely.” “Mr. Alexander, thank you so much. I don’t know what to say. Do you want me to call a temp agency?” “No, temps never work. We’ll figure it out. I’ll talk to Hilah later.” Lucy had worked for us since we took over Alexander Industries after his father was killed. She was the first person Cane actually hired and he always seemed to have an affinity for her. “Just let me know if you need anything, okay? I’ll finish out the day today.” She flashed me a quick grin before shutting the door behind her. “It’s so weird seeing you be nice to someone other than Jada,” I said to Cane, once the door was closed. “I’ve always liked Lucy.” “I always figured you’d marry her,” I chuckled. Cane snorted. “She’s like a little sister or something. Not fuckable. Well, not to me,” he said pointedly. “I didn’t fuck her.” “Sure you didn’t,” he taunted. “Whatever. I’m going to go fire Dan and work on the Chandler job. Some of us have real shit to do.” “I’m going to the doctor with Jada this afternoon. She hasn’t been feeling good.” I paused in my tracks. “She’s alright though?” “I think so. It’s the normal appointment, but I’m going to be there.” “Yeah, ya should be. Just let me know if you need anything, alright?” We exchanged a nod. We’d been friends for so long that a nod was enough most times. I left his office and made my way down the hallway towards mine. Our offices were at opposite corners of the building at Cane’s insistence. He said that it helped “balance our power,” whatever in the hell that was supposed to mean. I passed by the break room and Lucy was making coffee. “Lucy, can you ask Dan to come see me when he gets in, please?” Her cheeks turned a bright pink. “Sure, Mr. Quinn. Anything else?” The hope in her voice was thick and it made me want to laugh. She was a beauty for sure, just not my type. Even though it had been very clearly laid out for me in the most literal way after the Christmas party when I took her home after too many Patron shots.

“No, that’s it. Thanks.” I felt her eyes on me as I made my way out of sight. My office was bright and I wasn’t in the mood. I rolled my blinds down and sat in my chair. I checked my email before anything else. I couldn’t help the grin on my face as I clicked the top message. Subject: Red Since I know you check this first thing because you’re OCD, I wanted to start your day off by telling you that I’m wearing something red today. And it isn’t my shoes, although I could add my red heels to the mix later. ;) xo, Kari It wasn’t the first time she had emailed me in the morning and I loved it when she did. I clicked the arrow. Subject: Blue Since you just planted vivid images in my mind, I want you to know that because of your email, I’m starting the day off with something blue and it isn’t my shirt. Your skills will be required to rectify this situation this evening. Stay at my house tonight? A few minutes went by before I heard the ping. Subject: Pink Only if rectifying your blue requires the use of some of my pink. I hit REPLY. Subject: Purple Keep it up, sweetheart, and you’re going to be fucked so hard you’ll be purple tomorrow. This is not a request—be at my house after work. A knock on the door ruined the moment. “Come in,” I said, clearing my throat. I hated firing people, but it was better in this case that I did it than Cane. Dan opened the door. “Hey, Max. Lucy said you wanted to see me?” “Shut the door behind you and take a seat.” I found the termination papers that Hilah had placed on my desk. Dan Collins was younger than me—mid 20’s and had just gotten married. He had sandy brown

hair and green eyes that always looked like he was confused. But he did good work . . . until last week. “Something wrong?” he asked, looking at my face as he took the seat across from me. “Yes, there is. I had a call from Mr. Fifer at the City of Mesa this morning. The bid bond was not attached to the bid and we have been disqualified.” His face fell, an ashen color washing over it. He readjusted himself in the chair. “What? You’re kidding me, right?” “I wish I was.” I folded my arms on the papers. “What’s going on, Dan? This isn’t like you.” He fumbled around, his eyes scanning around the room. “I . . . uh . . . I don’t know. I swear I put it in there, Max. I know I did. Oh, God . . .” He put his head in his hands. “Alexander Industries needed that job. We all had a lot of work in that bid and to lose a job of that size to something so avoidable is asinine.” “I know, Max. And I’m sorry. It’ll never happen again.” He looked me right in the eye with everything he had. I knew he was trying to prevent me from saying what we both knew came next. I took a deep breath. “I’m going to have to let you go.” “No!” he said, his voice bouncing around the room. “This won’t happen again. I can’t lose this job, Max. I can’t. I just got married. I . . .” He looked at me, begging me to rescind my words. “Please, don’t fire me.” “I don’t have a choice,” I said with more conviction than I felt. It had to be done, but I still hated it. “Here is your final pay. I had Hilah pay you for the vacation and sick time you had accrued, which I didn’t have to do and normally don’t.” “You are seriously letting me go?” he asked. He sat upright, his mouth forming a grim line. I sat back in my chair, putting a little distance between us. I had one guy come across the desk once and it was a lesson painfully learned. “I am. You have a family to take care of, but so do the rest of us. This was a careless mistake that we can’t afford to have repeated and I can’t justify it to the rest of the guys that work their asses off.” “I work my ass off, too!” “I’m not saying you don’t. I’m saying you made an error that cost us a huge contract and I can’t overlook it. Word travels fast around here. Once the other guys know what happened, especially if we don’t get another job soon and we have to start laying people off . . . I don’t have a choice. ” He was on his feet in a second, grabbing the papers off my desk. “Fuck you,” he bit out, his eyes on fire. “This is bullshit.” “Losing that job was bullshit that didn’t have to happen.” My sympathy was being replaced with anger quickly. “And now the rest of us have to fix it.” “You wanna fuck with me?” He smiled menacingly. He swung the door open and it hit the filing cabinet behind it, causing my hardhat to fall off the top and hit the ground. “You’ll regret this. You hear me?” “I hear ya and I’m going to assume you’re spoutin’ off at the mouth because you’re angry. I get that. But I’m going to have to ask you to leave the premises immediately and not cause a scene. Do

you hear me?” His eyes widened for a split second, a little taken aback at my tone. He started to say something, but I beat him to the punch. “Don’t bite off more than you can chew, Dan.” He turned on his heel and walked out, closing the door tightly behind him. I let out a breath and rolled my neck a few times. I heard the side door outside my office that led to the parking lot slam shut and could see him, through the blinds, heading to his car. I reorganized the papers on my desk and got back to work. Work was a form of stress-relief for me. I learned at a young age that when you feel like sinkin,’ the best thing to do is to swim as hard as you can. Just going along with the undertow will you get you one thing—sunk. Since we were short one job thanks to Dan, I needed to stay on top of the budgets for the other projects. Construction jobs could go south in a second. I also needed to replace the missed bid in our upcoming work list. I worked straight through lunch, reviewing project reports until Lucy buzzed in. “Mr. Quinn? There’s a Samantha West on the line for you.” Why would Sam be calling me in the middle of the day at the office? I glanced around the room and my eyes rested on the date on the corner of my computer screen and everything was clear. “Mr. Quinn?” she repeated in her happy-go-lucky tone. “Yeah, I’m sorry, Lucy. Put her through.” I watched the light flash on my phone, signaling an incoming call. I didn’t want to answer, but I couldn’t ignore her. Not after everything that had happened. “Hello?” I asked, watching the arms on the Saints clock tick on the wall above the door. “Max?” I took a deep breath. “Yeah, it’s me. How are you, Sam?” “I’m good. How are you?” I could hear the hesitation in her voice. “Good. Workin’ my life away,” I laughed, trying to ease the tension between us. “Why does that not surprise me?” “Some things never change, I guess. What are you up to?” I heard her take a quick breath. “Ah, not much . . .” Samantha was a fixture in my life since I could remember. She became friends with Brielle in elementary school and she’d been around ever since. Her parents were divorced and she lived with her mother and us a lot of the time, it seemed. Especially as she got older, she was always around. She didn’t seem to have many friends besides Brielle and never seemed to have a steady boyfriend; I never really understood that. I was like a big brother to them both. I gave them rides, helped them out here and there, basic shit. They were good girls, a little ornery but nothing serious. Some of that changed after the incident.

Mama had arranged for them to get counseling for awhile. Brielle kind of acted out, getting into some trouble on her own. Sam kind of kept quiet about it, though. We all waited for her to act out, too, but it never came. “You alright?” I asked softly. “Yeah,” she whispered back. “It’s a tough day.” I nodded, although she couldn’t see me. “I’m sorry, Sam. Damn it, I’m just—” “Stop it, Max. I shouldn’t have called you.” “Of course you should have.” I felt my chest rise against the imaginary band wrapped around it. “Are you okay? Are you alone today?” She laughed lightly, sounding so innocent. “I’m meeting Bri at your mama’s in a little while for lunch. She always has us come over on the anniversary.” Sam sighed. “I hate calling it an anniversary. That makes it seem like a good thing.” “I’m with ya on that.” “But Mama Fern is making Beef Manhattans and Better than Sex cake, so the day should get better.” “Please don’t say my mom’s name and the word ‘sex’ in the same sentence ever again,” I deadpanned. She laughed again, sounding happier this time. “Weird, right?” “On so many levels.” “How’s your day?” “Not good, actually. Fired a guy earlier. That always sucks.” “Well,” she drawled out, “your mom always says that everything can be fixed with food. Wanna meet us all there for lunch?” I considered it, but my cell starting flashing Kari’s picture with an incoming call. A smile broke out across my face as I envisioned her in ‘red.’ “I’d love to, Sam, but I have a few things I have to do that I’ve already committed to. But if you need anything, you have my number, right?” “Yeah, no worries. I won’t take up any more of your time. I just, you know . . .” Her voice trailed off. “I just wanted to hear your voice for some reason. I don’t know. I’m sorry if I bothered you at work.” “I needed the break,” I smiled, looking down at a voicemail notification from Kari’s number. I felt guilty for trying to get off the phone with her. “Alright, I’m off to your mom’s. I hope you have a good rest of your day.” “Hey, Sam,” I said quickly before she hung up. “Yeah?” My stomach turned into a knot. “If you need anything, call me. I know that seems ironic—” “Maxie,” she said, frustration in her voice. “Stop it.” I blew out a breath into the phone.

“What happened had nothing to do with you. I didn’t call you today because I wanted to blame you for that night. I called you that night and today because you are probably the only person that might have answered the phone. I had no one else and I still don’t. So, ya know, thank you for always being there.” I laughed sadly. “That’s messed up, Sam.” “It’s not. Your family is the only family I really have. What would I have without you?”

“YOU HOME?” I called out as I slipped off my sneakers. My feet were tired, my heart was heavy, and my brain was mush. “I’m in my office.” I dropped my bag and walked through the house. Max’s two-story home was on a cul-de-sac. It sat back off the drive a little and was really quiet, especially for a house in the city. He had just enough furniture to make it seem homey, but not too much to seem stuffy. He had a few framed pictures, a few pieces of sports memorabilia, and little odds and ends here and there. I always smiled when I walked in. Titus raised his head from his spot on the leather sofa and then, apparently finding me uninteresting, he laid back down. I knew he wasn’t supposed to be up there, but I didn’t have the energy to deal with it. I made my way through the house until I stood in the doorway of Max’s office. He was standing, his hands on his desk, looking at a set of plans. A lamp on his desk was lit, the bulb bent over to give him more light. All the walls in the house were white, except in his office; they were a tobacco brown. Max said it was that way when he bought it and he liked it. A large, basic, rustic-looking wooden desk sat facing the doorway with a black leather chair behind it. There was a poster-sized picture of his Grandpa’s ranch in Texas on one wall and an aerial picture of the first project he completed as a contractor on the other. “New job?” I asked and leaned against the doorway. He put his head down for a second before raising it back up. “I sure as shit hope so. We lost a big one today and I had to fire Dan over it. If we can get this job next week, it’ll get us back to where we need to be.” “Sounds like your day went about as good as mine,” I muttered. “What happened, sweetheart?” He moved gracefully around the desk and wrapped me up in his arms. I lay my head against his chest, both firm and comfortable all at the same time. He kissed the top of my head and rubbed my neck with one hand. “We lost a guy today in the ER. He was young and his parents . . .” My voice trailed off as I remembered hearing their sobs. I didn’t think that sound—one of pure devastation—would ever leave

me. It was so haunting, so tragic. I had seen a lot of things as a nurse, but losing the 20-something to a random exposed electric line was just heartbreaking. He kissed my head again. “I could never do what you do.” “I need a bath. A long, hot bath. Want to join me and we can talk?” “You think I’m going to turn down seeing you naked?” He grabbed my hand and led me up the stairs to the master bathroom. He ran a bubble bath silently while I tossed my clothes in the hamper. I looked up while I unfastened my red bra and Max was watching me. “My favorite,” he smiled. “I wore it for you.” “That’s as good as anything. Just knowing you thought of me when you put it on this morning makes me happy.” “I always think of you.” I pushed my panties down my legs and tossed my lingerie into the hamper as well. I slipped into the warmth, letting the water relax my muscles and my mind. “This feels so good.” “I’m glad.” Max pulled the chair I used to put on my makeup around to face me. “Everything else go okay today?” “No,” I said, blowing out a breath. “The nurses are all up-in-arms about this new doctor. He just started at the hospital and can be an ass. And then this morning,” I said, scooting up the wall of the tub, “I went by my house before work. I searched everywhere for my silver bracelet with the dangling heart. Do you remember the one I’m talking about? It had a blue bead in the center.” He furrowed his brow. He knew I never misplaced things and looked as confused as I felt. It had bothered me all day. “I think so. When did you have it last?” “I know I wore it to dinner with you a few months ago and I put it back in my jewelry box. It’s just gone.” Max grabbed his cell out of his pocket, looked at the screen, and put it back in his pocket. He sighed. “Everything okay?” I asked, knowing it wasn’t. “It’s Dan, the guy I fired today. He’s blown up my phone all evening. He thinks we short-paid him for this week, so I told him to call Hilah. He’s acting like I slighted him somehow, but I paid the guy for sick and vacation time that he had saved and I didn’t have to do that. So why he thinks I withheld some of his pay is beyond me. He got more than he should have!” I gathered some bubbles in my hand and blew them at him. “Like you’d do that anyway.” He shrugged. “It’s frustrating, but I want to forget about it. I want to turn this phone off and just think about you. Want me to order something for dinner?” “I actually have to go home. The pool guy was supposed to be by this afternoon and I need to make sure everything is done, gate shut, all that.” Max’s eyes narrowed. “I know I’ve said this a million times, but I just don’t get why you won’t move in with me. You’re here all the time anyway. You’re paying a mortgage and we spend a week’s

pay every month in gas driving back and forth.” “I . . .” “No, Kar,” he said, putting his head in his hands. He looked tired. “We’ve started to have this conversation a million times and you always deflect.” He looked up to me again and I could feel my wall lock into place. “Why don’t you want to live with me?” He rested his elbows on his knees. His hair was a mess and I knew he’d been running his fingers through it, pulling on it in frustration. His eyes had circles under them, the lines on the corners more identifiable than normal. “I don’t want to push you, baby. But right now, I just want to pick you up out of the bath, wrap you up in a towel and carry you to our bed and forget the world and all the bullshit going on. As frustrating as you are,” he smiled, “you’re what I look forward to at the end of the day.” A knot formed in my throat hard and fast. I tried to swallow by it in hopes it would take the sting in my eyes with it, but it was futile. I looked to the door, to the ceiling, to anything but at him. “Someday, I want you to tell me. Even if it’s just that you don’t want me like I want you . . .” “It’s not that, Max. Please don’t think that.” He shook his head, letting his shoulders dip before standing up. “Finish your bath. Just let me know before ya head out, okay?” He started to walk out of the room. “Max! Wait!” I called after him, sitting up. “Don’t go. Let’s just . . . let’s order pizza and have it delivered and eat in bed. Okay?” His face broke out into a huge grin. “You sure?” I couldn’t help but smile back.

I GRABBED MY purse and jacket out of my locker, said a quick goodbye to Chandra, a nurse that I had grown really close to, and started down the hallway. My shift started off pretty crazy, but it calmed down towards the end. I was excited to get home to Max. The sticky note he left in my car promised a fun night and I was looking forward to seeing what my man had in store for us. “Ms. Stanley? Do you have a second?” I turned to find Dr. Connor Manning, the new doctor just picked up by the hospital, coming towards me. He was staggeringly good-looking. It’d been fun to watch women’s reactions to him when he pulled back the ER curtain. He was a GQ-looking doc with blonde hair, deep blue eyes, and a smile to die for. A heady mix of Alpha male, yet consummate professional, he had to know the nurses and patients alike were whispering behind his back. “Sure. How can I help you, Dr. Manning?” “Are you finished with your shift?” He stopped a few feet in front of me and I had to look up. He wasn’t as tall as Max, but tall enough that I had to adjust my line of sight. I got the eerie feeling that I knew him—something about him seemed so familiar. “I am. I think Misty took over for me.” I adjusted my purse on my shoulder, hoping that he didn’t need me to stay over. His lips quipped up. “I’m off, too. I wanted to talk to you about something, but I don’t want to do it here. There’s a little coffee shop across the street. Would you mind meeting me there for a quick cup?” I took a deep breath, not really wanting to, but it probably wasn’t a good career move to say no. “Sure. That’s fine. I’m heading out now, so I’ll just meet you there?” “I’m going to grab my things and I’ll see you in a few minutes.” I found my phone in my purse and made my way through the hospital. I knew the coffee shop that Connor was referring to; I had been there a number of times. I sent Max a quick text and let him know I would be a few minutes later than I thought. Me: Hey! I had something come up at work, so I’ll be a few minutes late. Maybe fifteen or

so? Shouldn’t be long. Max: No worries. I was getting ready to text you. I got pulled in to a late lunch over this bid I’m working on. I’m actually close to the hospital. The thought of him being close made me smile. I stopped before opening the exit to finish our conversation. Me: So I’ll be home first then? Max: Probably. I’ll be a good half hour or so. Me: Since I don’t know your plans, should I prepare in some way for later? ;) Max: Wear red. Me: Done. xo I laughed as I shoved the phone in my pocket and started to open the doors. “Let me get that for you.” Connor pushed his hand in front of me and held the door open. “Thank you.” “No problem. Thank you for taking a few minutes to talk to me.” I walked into the bright sunlight and shivered a little. “It’s finally starting to cool off,” I remarked, putting on my jacket and sticking my hands in my pockets. “It is. Reminds me more of Salt Lake City than usual.” “Is that where you’re from?” I asked as Connor pushed the button to change the pedestrian signal. He smiled. “It is. I’ve lived here for a year or so now. I like the sunshine, what can I say?” “I like the sunshine, too. This is definitely the place to live for that.” The light changed and we made our way across the street and up the sidewalk. “What brought you to Mary Sherman?” We walked leisurely in front of a couple of restaurants before Connor opened the door to the coffee shop. “I took a spot in a doctor ’s office that is associated with it. So now I do rounds here. I’ve worked out of Phoenix until the last couple of weeks.” We walked to the counter and ordered our drinks. The barista, a pretty brunette, made small talk and bedroom eyes at him while he ordered. Eventually, I just walked to a booth in the front by the windows and grabbed a seat. It was such a pretty day and would be a great day for a hike. I considered seeing if Max would want to go for a walk later on. Unless he wears me out first. I was pulling my phone out to send Max a text, demanding a hint as to what was to come, when Connor arrived with our drinks. “One cappuccino for you and a black coffee, two sugars for me.” He grinned as he sat down. “Thank you.” I wrapped my hands around the warm foam. “So what do I owe the pleasure of this coffee meeting?” He watched me over the brim of his cup while he took a sip then cleared his throat. “I want to offer you a job.”

I laughed. “I have a job.” “You do. And you’re very good at it.” I felt my cheeks heat. “Thank you.” “Stop thanking me for everything. I gave you a compliment that you deserve. You’re smart, levelheaded. You’re thorough. And you know how to deal with all sorts of personalities—which is why you should come to work for me in my office.” “Really?” He nodded, his blue eyes gleaming. “I think we make a good team and I know you’d be an asset to our team at Rhodes Medical. The way you handled everyone today, from the angry old man to the screaming baby . . . you’re a natural.” “Wow. This isn’t what I expected.” I looked up and he had a smirk across his face. “Not that I expected anything exactly, but a job offer was way down the list.” He laughed loudly. “Well, if we didn’t work together, I’d be asking you to dinner. But I respect you too much professionally to do that, unless you’d like to quit your job and work somewhere unrelated to me.” He smiled a smile that probably got him everything he wanted. It was almost as breathtaking as Max’s. Almost. “Not happening,” I grinned. “So you’ll think about my offer? It would be a nine-to-five job. You’d have benefits and it’d be a whole lot less hectic than the hospital.” “I’ll consider it, I really will. But I do like the unexpectedness of the ER, so I’m just not sure.” He removed his phone from his pocket and looked at the screen. “I have to get back over there now. I’m on call.” “Go. And thank you for the coffee.”

“Fuck me,” Max groaned behind me. I was standing with my back to the kitchen doorway, dressed in a red bra, panties, heels and an apron. I had jumped in the shower as soon as I got home and curled my hair into large, sexy curls that were hanging down my back. With a touch of scented lotion in all the right places, I was already keyed up when I heard him come in. But I didn’t turn around. Instead, I tossed my head to the side, letting my hair all flow to my right and kept cutting fruit into small cubes. I heard him cross the kitchen floor, his boots heavy on the tile. Before I expected it, his hands

were on my waist, his fingers burning into my skin. His mouth was on my neck, nipping the skin below my ear. I moaned as moisture pooled between my thighs and I dropped the knife as I sucked in a quick breath. “My God woman,” he growled into my ear. “You said to wear red,” I said sweetly, turning my face to look at him. “I complied.” “That you did. For once.” He whirled me around and picked me up, cradling me across his strong arms. He brought his mouth to mine, kissing me passionately, licking and nibbling at my bottom lip. He made his way dangerously fast into his bedroom, lying me down on the sheets with an almostthud. I giggled as I hit the mattress. Max stood at the end of the bed, his eyes dark. I lifted one leg into the air, twisting my foot back and forth. “Like my new heels?” “I’d like them better on the floor.” I pursed my lips together in amusement and kicked them off. “Any other suggestions, Sir?” His gaze was heavy, pressing me farther down into the mattress. I could tell by the look on his face that he was thinking, assessing. “Yeah. Toss me your apron.” “What if I don’t wanna?” I asked coyly. “Oh, you wanna,” he said with a growl. I almost didn’t want to comply, just to see what he’d do. Lucky for him, I was already so worked up that I sat upright, forgoing any thoughts of being cheeky. I licked my lips and his hand instantly went to the bulge in his pants. I tossed all of my hair to one shoulder and reached back slowly behind my neck, my eyes never leaving his, and untied the ribbon at the neck. The strings came loose and the front dropped forward slowly, leaving my bra on full display. I cupped my breasts in my hands and pressed them together. “They just needed a little . . . readjusting,” I said, winking. I pressed my chest out and undid the ribbon behind my back and then tossed the apron to the gorgeous man watching me. I leaned back against the pillows, my arms extended over my head casually. “Anything else?” A slow, seductive smile spread across his features. He laid the apron on the bed and tore off his shirt before removing his boots and jeans. He grabbed the apron and walked to the edge of the bed beside me, a man on a mission; I feigned boredom. “What ‘cha got, Quinn? I’m getting a little bored over here.” “Ah, sweetheart. Don’t you worry that pretty little head of yours about that,” he chuckled deviously. He climbed on the bed, wearing only a pair of dark green boxer briefs, and straddled me. The scent of him was heady, all musky and male. I moved my hands to run them down his abs when he caught them. Before I knew what was happening, my hands were tied to the bedpost with my apron. Tightly. When Max settled on top of me again, I noticed the glimmer in his eye. “You and I are going to have a little discussion, darlin,’” he said, pushing my bra up until it was

sitting on top of my breasts. He leaned down and licked a nipple tenderly, softly, before biting down. I squirmed beneath him and moaned as he rolled off to the side. He drew a finger slowly, teasing me, down my midsection, past my navel, until he landed at the edge of my panties. “What do you want to discuss? I’m not thinking clearly,” I whimpered, trying to move my body so his hand would land right where I wanted it. He ran his fingertip beneath the edge of the lace, only making me wetter. “I think you’re going to think very clearly. I think, as a matter of fact, we are going to get to the bottom of a thing or two.” “And why do I need to be restrained by my apron?” I asked. I began to pant as his fingers worked their way towards my slit. There was no way I could be rational, not like this. “To remember who is in charge.” “Fuck you, Max. You know I’m—” I took in a sharp breath as he stuck a finger inside me abruptly. “Ah,” I breathed out. “You were saying?” he chuckled. “I don’t know. Do that again.” He tsk’d me, removing his fingers from my body altogether. “What are you doing?” I cried, struggling against the ties. “You aren’t playing fair!” “What do you want, Kari?” “I want your cock, that’s what I want.” I watched him cringe at the crudeness I knew he hated. “What? You don’t like when I talk like that? I know a way to shut me up.” He shot me a look. He stood slowly, his eyebrows pressed together in frustration, and removed his boxers. I opened my mouth, but he rolled his eyes, telling me he knew what I was going to say. “Yes, I have a condom,” he muttered. He reached over me to the bedside table, letting his body press against mine just hard enough to make me moan, before retracting. He opened a packet and rolled it onto his length, ignoring me the whole time. “If you don’t do something soon, I’ll take care of myself.” He laughed loudly. “How ya going to do that, sweetheart? I can leave you there all night and there’s nothing you can do about it.” “Damn you,” I said, trying to work my hands out of the knot. He slowly worked my panties down my legs and I knew the lack of speed was just to torment me. I kicked them off to the side. He grinned cockily and positioned himself over me. Just when I started to protest the lack of contact, he slammed himself into me roughly three times. I tried to shout, but my breath was stolen, my voice just a trembling exhale. I wasn’t sure what happened to the conversation, but I didn’t care. This was exactly what I wanted. Just as we were finding a rhythm, he pulled out and held himself over me on his forearms. “Do I have your attention now?” “You can have whatever you want now,” I said, wrapping my legs around his waist.

“So tell me,” he said, cocking his head to the side, his eyes peering into mine, “who were you having coffee with after work?” “What?” He slammed himself into me again. “Who was it, Kari?” “A doctor from the hospital,” I moaned, trying to get some friction going again. I could feel the wetness dripping down my ass. “It’s no big deal.” “It’s a big deal when I’m sitting at a restaurant and you walk by the window with another man.” He slammed into the back of me with more force than I had ever felt. “His only saving grace was that I could see you through the window and I was in a business meeting that I couldn’t walk out of. Otherwise, I’d have been in there quicker than shit.” “Damn it, Max!” I yelled through clenched teeth, locking my heels behind his back and tilting my pelvis up. “He was just offering me a job! Calm down!” His eyes blazed. “It takes every bit of effort I can find to keep calm about a lot of shit. I let you fight me tooth and nail but I won’t watch you with another man.” He pushed himself into me and swirled his hips, making it hard to think coherently again. “I draw the line there, sweetheart.” He stilled. “I wasn’t with another man like that,” I moaned, wanting him to shut the hell up and move. “I can’t tell you how lucky that makes him.” I worked my hips in a circle, closing my eyes and feeling my body light up. When I opened them, two pools of green were staring back at me. “Did Max Quinn just get jealous?” I pressed my lips together, teasing him. He didn’t respond for a minute, just worked his cock in and out, inch by inch. “Maybe.” “That kind of turns me on.” “You make sure I’m the only one turning you on.” I pressed my head into the pillows, feeling him increase his pace. “You’re mine, sweetheart, whether you admit it or not.” He reached up and undid the apron strings, my arms falling to the pillows above my head. “This,” he said, reaching down and pressing on my clit, “is mine. Are we clear?” “Yes,” I said, breathing out as my body began inching its way towards relief. “These,” he said, touching my lips and then the spot over my heart, “are mine, too. Got it?” I moaned as he swirled his hips deep inside me. He chuckled. “I’m going to make sure you remember that.” He kissed me on the lips and then drove his point home.

“WHOSE IDEA WAS karaoke night?” Cane took a swig of his beer and looked pointedly at Isa, a hint of a grin on his lips. “This sounds like something you’d come up with.” “Don’t start with me,” she warned him playfully. “I’ll have your ass up there singing before you know it.” “Not happening,” he muttered, taking another drink. We were all sitting in Casaar ’s Bar, a local place that Jada and I had been to a few times. It was fun and laid back most nights. Isa had called me earlier in the day and wanted to get everyone together. She’d met Cane a few times before and wanted to meet Jada, so I suggested Casaar ’s. It was smokefree and pretty tame, perfect for all of us. I laughed. “Cane singing karaoke? Now that sounds entertaining.” Cane tipped his bottle towards Max. “How about your boy getting up there? I want a replay of Friends in Low Places, man. They probably have Garth Brooks.” Pierce roared with laughter, elbowing Max in the ribs. Isa just giggled while Cane watched him for a reaction, a smirk lodged on his face. “What are we missing?” my sister asked me; I shrugged. “Cane and Max came to visit us in Austin a couple of years ago. Max here had a little too much Crown and did a little rendition of Garth’s classic,” Pierce said, not bothering to hide his grin. “You did?” I turned to Max, my jaw dropping open. “Come on! Sing for me tonight!” “There’s nothing that will get me on stage again,” he said, holding his hands up in defense. “Just let it be.” We all laughed as Max blushed, something he didn’t do very often. I could only imagine how much he would’ve had to have drank to sing karaoke in front of a bunch of strangers. Max was pretty reserved and karaoke wasn’t something I could imagine him doing. “Maybe if we switch out that Corona for Crown,” Pierce winked. “Oh, stop it,” Isa said, shoving on Pierce’s shoulder. “Leave Max alone.” She took a sip of her wine. “But it is a shame I didn’t get that on video.” Max groaned, tugging the brim of his hat over his eyes. I squeezed his thigh under the table and he peeked up, rewarding me with a shy smile.

Trying to turn the attention away from my man, I looked across the table. Jada was leaning against Cane, looking adorable in a pair of black pants and a white top. Her hair was so thick and shiny, the light from overhead reflecting off the strands. “How are you feeling, Jada?” She shrugged. “Alright. I’ve been too tired to do much lately. Just getting dressed felt like climbing Mt. Everest.” “I felt that way in my last trimester with Joselyn. I was too tired to do anything, so I didn’t. Just enjoy being pregnant, make Cane take out the trash and run the vacuum.” Jada laughed. “You think he lets me do anything? I’m surprised he hasn’t found someone to brush my teeth for me.” We erupted in laughter and my gaze met my brother-in-law’s. He winked. “I’ve been looking for someone to do that. You busy next week, Kari?” “Stop it, Cane,” Jada said, shaking her head. “It felt good to actually get out of yoga pants this evening. But now that I’ve experienced it, I’m ready to put them back on.” “You look so pretty,” I smiled reassuringly. “I look like a whale.” “I don’t want to hear you say that. You’re beautiful,” Cane whispered to her, but loud enough for us all to hear. Isa smacked her lips together. “So sweet! Why don’t you say sweet things like that to me,” she said, turning to Pierce. He was waving his hands over his head. “Hey! There’s Brielle,” he said. “Brielle?” Max asked, his eyes following Pierce’s. “Why is she here?” “I invited her. I thought it would be fun,” Isa said. She watched Max’s face and twisted her lips. “She’s old enough to be here, Max. Relax.” Max shifted in his seat, clearly uncomfortable. He glanced at Cane and a look passed between them, making me uncomfortable. I wasn’t sure what was going on, but something was up. “Hey!” Brielle squealed, making a beeline for Isa. “How are you? Oh my God! Look at you! I love that dress!” She wrapped her arms around Isa’s neck and hugged her tight. Pulling back, she kissed Pierce on the cheek. “How are you, Trouble?” “You’re calling me ‘Trouble’? Ah, the irony.” “Hey, Max,” Brielle said, her eyes softening as she looked at her brother. She bit the inside of her cheek. “How are ya?” Brielle was younger than Max by a few years. She had the same sort of exotic look going on that Max had—dark hair, amazing green eyes, and gorgeous skin. Where he was sharp and defined, she was rounder, curvier with a body any girl would kill for. “Not expecting to see you here,” Max said, his eyebrows raising. “Why not? It’s a reunion in here tonight!” She glanced at me and plastered on a fake smile. “Hi, Kari.” From anyone watching the interaction, it would seem like she was just another sweet girl saying

hello to her brother ’s friend. But the air between us, the feelings she sent without words, was anything but polite. It was always like that with her. “Hey, everyone,” Brielle said, turning to Cane and Jada. “How are you, Bri?” Cane asked, watching her curiously. “Good! How are you? And how is the baby, Jada? I can’t wait to see it!” She smiled genuinely at my sister, making me more confused. Jada put her hand on her belly. “The baby is good.” “Heyyy!” Our eyes all shot behind Pierce at the sound of a woman’s voice. She was average height, a tan face and had on large, silver hoop earrings. A white lace dress hung fashionably off of her thin frame and brown cowboy boots were on her feet. Samantha always looked pretty. I sat up in my chair, following Sam’s gaze . . . to Max. He was looking at her, a smile making the dimple in his cheek sink in. My cheeks heated immediately as I watched their exchange. “How are ya, Sam?” Max asked. “I’m good,” she said brightly, her eyes never leaving him. “How about you?” “I’m good.” He cleared his throat. Screw her and her red lips. Pierce stood up and grabbed a couple of chairs from a nearby table as a group of guys finished at the mic. The only open spot at the table was between Max and Cane. “Why don’t you ladies grab a seat? I’m going to get us some drinks. What can I get you?” Cane asked, standing up. “Ah, thanks, Cane! I’ll have a Stella,” Brielle said. “Um,” Sam said, smacking her lips together as she looked at Max’s drink. “I’ll have a Corona, please.” “Want me to go with you?” Jada asked her husband. He gave her a look like she was out of her mind. “No and I’ll get you another water.” He turned to me. “Hey, Kari. Why don’t you come with me?” I looked quizzically at him and the look on his face told me to just go with it. I pushed back from the table. “Be right back.” I followed Cane to the front of the building as a girl with no musical ability what-so-ever belted out Genie In A Bottle by Christina Aguilera. The place wasn’t too busy but had enough patrons to be entertaining. Cane rested against the bar while we waited on the bartender. He looked at me like he was waiting on me to speak. I took the bait. “Not that I don’t love hanging out with you, but wanna explain?” “Maybe I just wanted to spend some time with my beautiful sister-in-law?” I rolled my eyes. “Not your style, Alexander. So spill it.”

“Alright,” he said, standing up to face me square on. “How well do you know Sam?” “I’ve seen her a few times.” Cane snorted. “Keep it that way.” “What?” “Look, I’ve known her a long time. She’s harmless, I think,” he tapped his chin with his fingertips, “but I’m not a huge Sam fan. Just . . . keep an eye on that one. Max has this sense of obligation to her or some shit, which I understand, considering the circumstances. But she’ll walk all over you if you let her.” “Uh, Cane? Did you forget who you’re talking to? No one will walk all over me.” He winked. “Good girl. Just keep that in mind when you deal with her. She’ll chew you up and spit you out if you don’t watch it.” I nodded, thinking back to something he said that didn’t settle with me. “What did you mean about ‘the circumstances’?” “Fuck,” he muttered and shook his head. “What?” The bartender arrived to take our order. She took one look at Cane and began batting her false eyelashes, pressing her cleavage together. He completely ignored all of her innuendos, barked out our order, and turned back to me. She stomped away in a huff at being outright rejected. “Look, Kari. Max feels some sense of obligation to Sam. It’s a long story and not my story to tell. I just fucked up mentioning it, probably. Imagine that. But it’s nothing for you to worry about, just water under the bridge that still causes a few ripples.” “Fabulous,” I groaned, taking two of the drinks the bartender sat on the counter. I waited as Cane paid and then followed him back to the table. I always suspected there was something between Max and Samantha, something that had changed the dynamic between them from “family friends” to something a touch more. It’d never seemed inappropriate, just more intimate than I would’ve expected. Than I would’ve liked. It bothered me a few times when Max seemed to almost cater to her or go out of his way to help her with her car or something. He always eased my nerves and blew it off, but now Cane had piqued my curiosity. What was it? Isa was telling a story when we got back to the table and had everyone cracking up. I gave Brielle, who had taken the chair next to Cane, her drink. She gave me a half smile and turned back to Isa. I walked around Samantha and Max and took my seat on the other side of him. He grabbed my hand and squeezed it, sitting it on top of the table. “Max, are you still living in Guadalupe Estates?” Samantha asked sweetly. “Yeah,” he said, taking a drink of his beer. “Why?” “I was looking at a house over there. It’s the perfect location being so close to everything, but it’s so expensive! You don’t need a roommate, do you?” She laughed as if she were joking, but she wasn’t.

I took a deep breath and looked at our hands, trying desperately to not lunge across him and knock that blue eye shadow off her face. It’s my hand locked with his. It’s my palm he’s running his thumb across. Stay calm. I turned my head to look at Max, before Isa caught my eye. She just winked and pressed her lips together. I knew she wanted me to mark my territory but I was too angry at Sam’s blatant come on that I couldn’t think straight. Max chuckled. “I do need a roommate, actually.” Sam looked delighted and my blood singed my veins. “But I can’t seem to get Kari to agree to move in,” he said, turning to look at me with a lopsided grin. “I even promised to sleep naked and not watch The Discovery Channel in bed.” “You probably scared her off with the sleeping naked bullshit,” Cane offered. “Fuck you, Alexander,” Max laughed and squeezed my hand again. “There’s nothing Max can do to get you to say yes?” Isa asked, a glimmer in her eye. I pretended to think about it. I needed to look amendable to the offer so Samantha wouldn’t smell an opening, but I didn’t want to agree on the spot because that would be obvious. All the while, I needed to avoid the alarm going off in my head about how jealous I was. Jealousy means you have something to be jealous over. I shook my head, trying to focus. “Well, if Max really wants me to move in with him, he’ll sing karaoke tonight,” I smirked, knowing good and well he wouldn’t. He’d said so himself a few minutes earlier. Max returned my smirk and pushed away from the table in one effortless movement. He stood and twisted his Saints cap backwards on his head. “What are you doing?” I asked in disbelief. My eyes bulged, my throat going dry. I glanced quickly at Samantha and the look on her face mirrored mine. We were both struck with fear for the very same reason. Sam caught herself quickly and smiled before bending down and pretending to rummage through her purse. “Seriously, Max. Sit down,” I said softly, tugging at his hand. “I gotta pick out a song. Any suggestions?” He asked the table. “You’re really going to do this?” Pierce asked in disbelief. “Isa, make sure you get it on video this time!” “Don’t even think about it,” he warned her with a grin. He bent down and kissed me loudly on the lips. “Better make hay while the sun shines,” he laughed, heading towards the stage. He paused and turned to me. “Be thinkin’ which side of the closet you want, sweetheart.” I couldn’t even respond. I couldn’t formulate a “Don’t do this!” or an “Are you crazy?” or a “Wait a second!” because, for one, I had been rendered completely speechless. I never, ever dreamed he’d actually do it. And for two, I didn’t know which response I wanted to go with. A part of me was terrified of the idea and another part of me felt like a salve was being applied to my wounds as he

walked to the stage. Max stuck his hands in his pockets and made his way through the crowd. A bachelorette party was finishing up, murdering one of Ariana Grande’s hits. “You know you have to go through with this now, right?” Cane asked, glancing quickly at Samantha with a huge smirk on his face. “You’ve finally agreed. He’s not going to let you out of this.” “I’m sure he’s kidding,” Sam said, giving Cane her best innocent look. “He’s too much of a gentleman to hold her to this.” “Of course he’s kidding,” Brielle laughed, rolling her eyes. “Don’t be dumb.” Their banter was broken by the emcee taking back the mic. The final beats to the song pounded through the speakers, as the man on stage began to speak. “The ladies out there are going to love this one! Keep your panties off the stage, please!” I couldn’t hide my satisfaction at Samantha’s reaction when Max took the stage. He looked downright edible in his dark denim jeans that hugged his thighs in a way that made me want to remove them. He had a black t-shirt with a motor company logo stretched across his chest and his black Saints cap on. The bachelorette party, now seated in the front row, began to cheer and yell at him to take off his shirt. He ignored them, fiddling with the mic instead. He looked nervous, completely out of his comfort zone. As the beat to We Rode In Trucks by Luke Bryan started to play, Max raised his head towards the crowd. I laughed out loud at his song of choice, the tune he sang constantly. He held his hand over his eyes, shading them from the bright lights, until he found me. He pointed at himself and then at me, before raising the mic to his mouth, the equipment catching the last bit of a rough chuckle. He watched the screen as he began the words to the song. “I can’t believe he’s doing this,” I said to no one in particular. My eyes were focused on my man, who kept chuckling instead of singing, like he was in as much disbelief as the rest of us. The first chorus ended and the second began and he settled down. His southern drawl was pronounced, his voice low and sexy. Encouraged by the cheers, he began to sing a little louder and laugh a little less. As his confidence grew, his voice evened out. I’d heard him sing a number of times to himself in the truck or while he was building a bookcase or something, but I had no idea he could really sing. Not like that. The song ended and everyone clapped, the bachelorettes asking for an encore without clothes. Max looked across the crowd and smiled. “One more! Throw me your shirt, baby!” someone yelled from the front of the room. “Sorry, but there’ll be no encore tonight. I gotta go help my lady pack her stuff.”

I LOOKED AT her face and it told me everything I needed to know. Her lips were pushed down, her eyes sorrowful. I tried to simultaneously sit up and push her hands away, my throat tightening as the panic set in. I didn’t want her touching me, didn’t want to hear her voice tell me what I already knew. I wanted her to leave! To get out of the room! To leave me alone! Alone . . . Hot, golf ball-sized tears welled up in my eyes, spilling over my lids in a spectacular fashion. She scooted back in her little round, wheeled chair and away from the examination table as I scrambled to sit upright. The sound of the chair rolling across the floor amplified the emptiness of the room. The emptiness of me. “No! No!” I shouted, trying to force myself to breathe but failing. My throat was too tight, my chest too constricted. “I’m sorry, Kari . . .” My eyes flew open. I scanned the room, my heart pounding in my chest. I gulped a breath of air and batted back the tears and fears, not necessarily in that order. The sound of the ceiling fan. Max’s boots by the door. My purse on the chair in the corner, right next to Max’s belt. Titus’ pillow empty against the wall. I inhaled deeply, letting the air hold in my chest before blowing it back out. I lay back, putting my hands on my stomach, and tried to relax. Everything is fine. It was a dream. I’m at Max’s and he’ll be walking in through the doorway in a minute and my world will be right. Breathe, Kari. Breathe. I remembered Max on stage the night before, singing about trucks and telling me to pack my stuff. I held onto those thoughts and summoned the happiness I had felt as he walked off the stage. As he whisked me out of the bar. As he brought me to his house and made me forget everything but him for hours on end. But is he going to hold me to that little deal we struck? Do I want him to? I needed to stake a claim in front of Samantha, but could it work if I moved here? What would be the point?

I looked around the room. Could this be home? It already felt like home in so many ways and it had absolutely nothing to do with possessions or belongings or locations. The door to the bedroom burst open. Max walked through, giving me a brilliant smile while Titus licked his cheek. That’s home. I rolled over onto my side to face him and he sat the puppy down. “Mornin,’ sweetheart.” “Good morning. Where have you been?” “I took him outside and then he got to chasin’ the neighbor ’s dog around.” Max shrugged. “She’s a cute little poodle, I’ll give him that.” I laughed. “Did he learn that from you? Chasing the neighborhood ladies?” He sat beside me. “Nah, he learned that shit from Cane.” He bent down and kissed my forehead. “What do you want to do today?” He gave me a curious look and I knew what he was getting at—he wanted to see what I’d say. But I didn’t know. Hell, I wasn’t even sure how I got in this quandary. Damn Samantha. “I need some exercise. Maybe we can go hiking today?” I suggested, figuring that getting him to agree on an activity would put off the conversation to another day. He smirked. “Exercise sounds right up my alley.” “You mean the dancing on stage last night wasn’t enough for you?” “It was a means to an end,” he winked. “Speaking of last night, did ya have fun? I know Brielle kinda gave you the cold shoulder. I don’t know what her deal is.” “I don’t know why she doesn’t like me, but it’s probably just because I’m with her big brother.” Max watched me hesitantly. “What did you think of Sam?” “I don’t know. She didn’t say much to me because she was too busy watching you.” He blew out a breath. “I need to talk to you about something.” “Okay.” I watched him figure out how to say whatever was on his mind. I got the distinct impression that I wasn’t going to be a huge fan of whatever it was. “Lucy asked for some time off and Cane let her have it. Neither of us are fans of temps,” he said warily. “Yeah, so?” “Sam asked me for a job last night.” I gave him a look. Whatever I thought he was going to say—this. Was. Not. It. “I didn’t say yes or no, just that I would think about it.” “She wants you,” I said matter-of-factly, cutting to the chase. “And I,” he said, kissing me on the lips, “want you.” I tried to pull him to me for more, but he

chuckled and backed away. “If you say that this will bother you, I’ll tell her no. You come first, Kari. But,” he took his hat off and ran his hand through his hair before looking at me again, “I would like to do this for her.” “Why?” He looked to the ceiling and then back to me again. His Adam’s apple bobbed. “I just do.” I remembered what Cane had alluded to the night before and a sick feeling rolled through my stomach. Maybe it’s time to get to the bottom of this . . . I quirked an eyebrow. “You just do?” He blew out a breath. “Yeah. Will you accept that?” “You know, Cane said something last night and it made me curious. He said you feel obligated to her ‘considering the circumstances.’ What does that mean?” He ran his hands up and down his thighs. “It’s a long story.” I wasn’t used to seeing Max look nervous and it wasn’t like him to not just be forthright with me. It only increased my curiosity and left me feeling unsettled. “I have time,” I said softly. He bowed his head, his shoulders slumped. He stayed that way for a minute before clearing his throat and turning towards me, his gaze staying on a picture on the wall. “If I tell you this, you have to promise me something, alright?” I nodded, feeling more unsure about the whole thing as each second passed. He turned to face me, his eyes filled with something I couldn’t pin point. Sorrow? Fear? Anger? It all seemed to be there, floating and mixing together and it caused those same feelings to rise inside me. “You know that look you give me,” he said, his voice soft, “when it’s just the two of us? I’ve never had someone look at me the way you do. It’s like . . . It’s like you think I could do anything. Like I could hang the damn moon.” “You could,” I whispered. He shook his head sadly. “Please don’t change that. I never want that look in your eyes to go away. It’d kill me, alright?” I nodded. Our eyes fixed together, I rose and kissed him gently on the cheek. “I don’t know how I’d ever see you for anything but what you are. And that’s a kind, good man.” “Damn it,” he muttered, taking off his cap and tossing it onto the chair by the door. Titus popped his head up and looked at us, startled by the sudden movement. “Alright. I might as well go ahead and do this.” He let a breath whistle through his teeth. He nodded, like he came to some sort of agreement with himself. “Sam’s been around my whole life. She has a way of, I don’t know, putting people off. She didn’t have a lot of friends besides Brielle and her immediate little click.” “I can see why,” I said, crossing my arms over my chest. “I was kind of her big brother growing up in a way, too,” he continued, ignoring me. “She just

had her mom and she worked a lot and I think she drank a lot, too, so our family became hers in a way. So when she’d get in trouble or need a ride, one of us would give it to her. The older she got, the more she stayed with us. Bri’s room was half her stuff and half Sam’s by the time I left for college.” He stood up and walked in a circle. “One night, when I was at ASU, Sam called me. It wasn’t unusual for her to do that, but I was at a party with Cane.” His eyes darkened, his back stiffening as he relived the story. “I had gone home the weekend before. She and Bri had been out one of the nights and came home. I was the only one up. I think I was studying for a math test or something. Anyway, they had been drinking.” He shoved his hands in his pockets and faced me, resolution written across his handsome features. “I lit them up. Not for the drinkin’ part, although they were too young to be doing it, but for the drivin’ part. That’s just a no-go, dumb as shit. I took Bri’s keys and went to my room to get away from them. A few hours later, Sam came into my room and . . .” “And what?” I asked, getting the picture this was going to make me hate Sam. “She just started babbling in the way only someone drunk can. Telling me she loved me and that she didn’t have anyone that loved her. She had put on this little dress to look cute, I guess, but her arm wasn’t even in one of the straps. She reeked of alcohol and it would’ve been funny if she wasn’t such a mess. I just took her back to Bri’s room and told her to go to bed.” “The next morning,” he continued, “she came into my room again. She didn’t remember everything, but enough to know that she made a fool of herself. She just apologized and said she was embarrassed. I understood, I mean, we’ve all had those moments. She promised not to drink and drive again and I blew it all off.” “Did she remember professing her love for you?” I asked. He shrugged. “I don’t know. I didn’t bring it up and she didn’t either. She was so out of it that she probably didn’t remember. I figured if she was going to hang around our family, it was best not to bring it back up and make things weird.” “So the next weekend, Bri called and asked if I was coming home. I told her I wasn’t. Awhile later, Sam called and asked me to come home that night. I told her I had plans.” “Good for you.” I smiled to myself, a little relieved, that he had put her in her place. If he was looking for a chance at Sam, that would’ve been the time to take it. But he hadn’t. And that made me overjoyed in the midst of the growing disdain I had for her. He laughed sadly. “So Cane and I go to this party, do our thing, drink a little, whatever. I don’t know—I can’t remember much at this point. It’s all kinda a blur. Sam’s number called a couple of times but I ignored it. It just irritated me that my little sister ’s friend was blowing up my phone. I always tried to do right by her, but I’d had enough. I just ignored her all night. A few hours later, I got a call from my dad.” He turned away from me. “Sam and Bri were at the hospital.” “What? Why?” I asked, trying to figure out how they had ended up there. Max was looking at the floor, motionless.

“They were out doing God knows what and got a flat tire in the country. A couple guys stopped to help them but instead of changing their tire . . .” Max swallowed hard, his jaw working back and forth. My breath caught in my throat as I waited for him to continue. He started moving again, shifting his weight from one foot to the other. He finally drew his eyes up to mine. “Sam was raped.” I gasped in horror, my hand grasping my throat. “Brielle wasn’t, thank God. They just kind of tossed her against the car a little.” “Max, oh my God. I’m so sorry.” “Some guy pulled up on the scene and the guys took off,” he said, not even seeming to register that I had said anything at all. “Did they find them?” He shook his head and turned to face me. “Nah, they got away with it. The hospital did a rape kit on Sam but neither of them could really give much detail about what the attackers looked like. It was really dark out there, so there wasn’t much to go on.” “I am so, so sorry.” I got up and went to him, wrapping my arms around his waist. “I had no idea. Those poor girls.” “Yeah. If I would’ve just answered the damn phone, that wouldn’t have happened. It’s my fault.” The pain in his voice, all of the emotions I had seen in his eyes earlier now breaking through in his tone, about broke me. I had no idea he was carrying around so much pain, so much guilt. My beautiful, in control, as-sweet-as-he-was-sexy guy was nearly as broken as I was. “The hell it is,” I said, refusing to allow him to blame himself. He brushed my hair back and held me tight against him. “It was not your fault. How can you blame yourself?” He snorted but didn’t say a word, just held me close for a long time. I finally pulled my head back and looked him in the eye. “It wasn’t your fault. There’s no way you could have known what was going to happen.” The sparkle in his eyes was gone, the greens cloudy, murky, dull. I’d never seen him like that and it shook me to the core. I wanted to erase his pain, to make him smile. To figure out how to show him the truth. He smiled sadly. “I shouldn’t have been a dick and should’ve answered the phone. After the weekend before, I should have—” “They weren’t your children, Max! It was your little sister and her friend, not your responsibility! And I can see why you were annoyed with them, especially after the weekend before. Cut yourself some slack.” “I’ll never forgive myself for that.” My mind swam with ways to convince him it wasn’t his fault. “What happened was a tragedy, but who knows if you would’ve been there in time anyway?” “Easy for you to say,” he mumbled. “You didn’t sit in the waiting room, watching your mom cry her eyes out. Watching your dad try to keep his shit together, knowing what could’ve happened to his

daughter. You didn’t see the looks in Bri and Sam’s eyes when I went back into their rooms for the first time.” His jaw clenched as he worked it back and forth. “You don’t know what it felt like to think I was throwing back beers without a care in the world while my little sister needed me, really needed me, and I was chasing tail with Cane. What does that make me, Kar?” “It makes you a human being that was in a bad situation. It makes you a man whose little sister and her friend made a bad decision. It. Wasn’t. Your. Fault.” He spun around to face me, looking at me like I didn’t get it, a look of disbelief written across his face. “Max, listen to me. You can’t blame yourself for this.” He watched me for a minute, his jaw pulsing. “That night messed up so much. You had the physical stuff—the bruises and . . . stuff.” He swallowed roughly. “And Mom and Dad went crazy, into total over-protection mode. Brielle went wild, got into some trouble. I just sat back and watched my whole family start to crash and . . .” He hung his head. I reached out and grabbed his arm. “What happened was awful, but everyone seems to be okay now, right?” He nodded. “Yeah. Bri got through dental school and seems alright. But Sam . . . She doesn’t have anyone to help her. Her mom is pretty much non-existent. Sam says she’s not around much and I know she doesn’t help her. I just feel like I should. Do ya know what I mean?” The vacant look in his eye began to float away, hope filtering its way in. “If it’s gonna bother you, I get it and I won’t bring it up again. But I’d like to do this for her.” I understood why it meant so much to Max, why he was always going out of his way to help Sam. The thing that had annoyed me was really his way of trying to make up what he deemed to be his failure towards her. Even after hearing all of that, I still didn’t trust Samantha. But, I trusted him. And he needed this. “If you want to hire her, go for it, babe.” A small smile spread across his lips. “I appreciate this.” He squeezed me again before letting me go. “Yeah, well, just make sure she keeps that red lipstick off of you and everything will be fine,” I joked, trying to get some levity back in the conversation. Max laughed. “No worries there. Now get ready for some exercise.”

The turn-off for Pinnacle Peak flew by an hour later and I gave Max a look. “Um, you missed your exit.” “Nah,” was all he said, humming along to Tim McGraw on the radio. He tapped his fingers against the steering wheel and seemed lost in his own thoughts, effectively ignoring me for the most part. “Yeah,” I countered, switching off the radio. “The exit was back there.” “The exit I’m looking for is about 3 miles ahead, give or take.” He bit his bottom lip to keep from smiling, but his dimple still shone in his cheek. “You’re seriously going to hold me to this?” “A deal’s a deal, sweetheart,” he grinned. “I got you locked in and there’s no way you’re getting out of it.” “You said we were going hiking!” “I never said that,” he laughed. “I said I needed exercise and loading your shit in the back of my truck is going to cause me to break a sweat.” “You’re a tricky bastard,” I pretended to pout. I couldn’t let him see the bubble of excitement rising in my core. Living with him would make things so much easier and it was what I really wanted. My opposition to it had been to protect him and my heart. He clearly was pushing for this. We drove the rest of the way in a comfortable silence. Max’s happiness at his victory over me creating an undercurrent of warmth in the truck. The sun, which hadn’t been out in a couple of days, was shining brightly. Max pulled the truck into my driveway and we went to the door, unlocked it, and walked inside. He disabled the alarm while I looked around, the enormity of the situation slamming into me. What am I going to do with all this stuff? We can’t fit it all in his truck. What am I going to do with this house? What about the mortgage? Do I call Dad and list it? Oh, hell, I can’t do that! I need to . . . “Stop,” he whispered in my ear. “Stop what?” “Don’t overthink this. I know you’re rolling a thousand things through your pretty little mind right now. We’ll figure it out. Just take it a day at a time, okay?” I relaxed, relieved. “Okay. So we are clear that this isn’t permanent?” He laughed loudly, turning to walk up the stairs. “Don’t kid yourself, sweetheart. This is as permanent as it gets.” He took the stairs two at a time and disappeared into my bedroom. I followed, each step adding to the dread I felt. “I’m overwhelmed,” I muttered, looking at all of the things I owned. “What do I take? How did I accumulate all this stuff?” “Just take enough stuff to get ya through the week. We’ll get a U-Haul or something for the rest of the stuff.” He was making this too easy. “What if I want to take my bed? What do we do with yours?” I asked,

challenging him. “I’m not attached to my bed. For all I care, you can sell everything I own and move your shit in, as long as it means you are moving in with it.” I turned to face the wall so he wouldn’t see the huge grin on my face. I cleared my throat. “I have some big boxes left in the garage that Jada didn’t use. I’ll go get them. Can you gather my shoes out of the closet?” I asked. “You’re worried about your shoes?” “I can stay here,” I warned him. He saluted me. “Shoes. Check.” I laughed and left him to his task while I grabbed the boxes from the garage. I swiped a few pictures I wanted out of the living room and made my way back to the bedroom. He was standing outside my closet, his hands on his hips. “Do you even realize how many shoes you have?” I nodded. “I do. I know each and every pair, so don’t think about leaving any behind. I’ll know.” “For shit’s sake,” he muttered. “Excuse me? Did I hear you complain?” He took a box and started filling it with shoes, making me laugh. I grabbed another and tossed in some scrubs for work, workout clothes, and lingerie. I opened another and laid a blanket inside. I sat my jewelry boxes and trinkets off my dresser carefully on the material. A pair of sunglasses fell out of a dish and hit the floor, cracking the lens. I tossed it in the trash, the sound getting Max’s attention. “What was that?” he asked, nodding at the trash. “A pair of sunglasses.” “Do you have another pair?” “Yeah, those weren’t even mine,” I said, emptying my bedside table into the box. “Who do they belong to?” I shrugged. “I don’t know. They were just here a while back.” He looked puzzled. “What’s that supposed to mean?” “It means I don’t know where they came from. They were on the kitchen counter a few months ago. Jada lived here then and she and I went for a walk. We came home and they were laying on the counter. I saved them in case someone asked if they left them here, but no one did. They look expensive, too, so I’m surprised no one was missing them. It was kind of a joke between us for a while.” “That’s weird,” he said, standing up. “I think that’s all the shoes. What else do you wanna take?” “Can we take my treadmill? Do you think it’ll fit in your truck?” It was the one thing I missed not having at Max’s. I ran outside when I was there and it was just too hot most days. “Yeah, it’ll fit. Want me to take these boxes down now?” I nodded, smiling at him. Instead of picking up a box, he walked across the room and stopped a few feet in front of me.

“I’m glad you finally agreed to live with me,” he whispered, the sparkle back in his eyes, gold flecks catching the light. My heart swelled, burst, and pooled at my feet. “Me, too.” “You know I love you, right?” “I do,” I said breathily. “I love you, too.” “Marry me?” he asked, grinning from ear-to-ear. “Not today.”

I ENTERED ALEXANDER Industries from the side door outside my office. I tossed my briefcase and the plans I should’ve been working on the night before onto my desk. I tried to wipe the smile off my face, but I couldn’t. I knew I was going to be as useful as a bucket without a bottom all day. I leaned against my desk and recalled Kari placing her things around the house. A picture of her parents next to the one of mine on the mantle above the fireplace. Her necklaces draped off the mirror in the bathroom. Her jewelry boxes on the dresser in the bedroom. Her things mingled together with mine settled something inside me, soothed a part of me I didn’t know was raw. It just felt natural. Complete. I smiled wider as I checked my email and voice messages. “Max. Dan. If you don’t get my last check sorted out today, I’m going to come in there and raise hell. I’ve left Hilah a couple of messages and I’m not fucking waiting anymore.” What a way to start the day. I shot Hilah an email and cc’d Cane, asking her what was going on with it. A reply came back right away that she took care of it and that Dan was coming by later that morning to sign off. She also asked a few questions about our new hire, Ms. Samantha West. As soon as I read the last word, my email pinged again. This time from Cane. To: Max Quinn From: Cane Alexander Re: Seriously? Tell me there’s a huge fucking mistake somewhere. I know I didn’t just read that right. I grabbed the back of my neck and heaved out a breath. This might be harder than I expected. I pushed away from my desk and started towards Cane’s office. Might as well grab the bull by the horns. I saw Sam’s blonde curls through the glass doors separating the offices from the front desk. She

caught my eye and flashed me a wide smile and a small wave. Figuring I should say something to her before Cane, I walked up the hallway and pushed through the glass. “Good morning, Max,” she said happily. “Hi, Sam. Are ya settled in?” She was poised behind the marble-topped front desk, mailing labels shooting out of the printer beside her. “Yes. Hilah met me up here when I arrived. She showed me around.” Sam glanced around the front desk and shrugged. “I have everything organized already and was kinda bored, actually. I’m helping Norm in accounting with some invoices now.” See? This will work out just fine. “Great. If you need anything, just let me or Hilah know.” “I do need one thing, actually,” she said. “Lucy seems to have taken her keys with her and I don’t have a key to the plan or supply closets. Hilah said she’d make me a copy this afternoon, which is fine, but I need to grab some printer paper now and she’s with a guy named Dan.” I looked through the other glass door to Hilah’s office. “Dan came in?” She nodded. “He was pretty upset. I’m not sure what’s going on, but Cane flew in there right behind him.” “If you need anything, just buzz me, okay?” I reached in my pockets and grabbed my keys and tossed them on her desk. “Those are my keys. You can copy all the ones with a blue ring around them. They’re just the communal keys for the office and should be everything you need.” “I’ll use them now and then get them copied at lunch, if that’ll work.” “That’s fine.” The phone rang and Sam picked it up. “Alexander Industries,” she said cheerfully. Hilah’s door opened and Cane stormed out, heading straight for me. He swung open the glass forcefully, his face marred in frustration. He looked down at Sam and scowled and nodded to me and towards my office. I sighed and turned towards the hallway. “Good morning, Mr. Alexander,” Sam said to Cane’s back as he followed me out. Cane ignored her. We were silent as we marched down the hall. It was never good when Cane was riled up first thing in the morning. It just made for a long ass day. I took my seat in my office and Cane shut the door behind him. “What the fuck is that sitting at the front desk?” Cane asked, his hand on my filing cabinet. “Sam needed a job—” “Good for her. Why is she here?” “She’s filling in for Lucy.” “Are you kidding me?” “No.”

Cane blew out a breath and sat across from me. “You know she’s certi-fucking-fiable, right?” “Cane . . .” He propped one ankle on the other knee and scratched at his chin. He eyed me curiously. “There are seven different personality types of women. Every woman will fall into one of those seven if you pay enough attention to figure it out. Apparently with Sam, you can’t do that, so I’m gonna break it down for you. She, my friend, falls into the category of Crazy As Hell.” “She’s not crazy.” “Oh, she certainly is. I know you don’t see it because of all that shit that happened, but she’s nuts. Do you know how many times I could’ve tapped that over the years? Hundreds, Max. But I didn’t and you know me—there were times in my life where I fucked anything and everything.” He leaned forward. “But I never fucked her.” “No one is asking you to do anything to her. We had a job opening and she needed a job. It’s the nice thing to do.” Cane dipped his chin and looked sternly at me. “You do realize that you don’t owe her jack shit, right?” I rolled my eyes. “This has nothing to do with that.” “The fuck it doesn’t. You still think you need to help her put her life back together. She’s a fuckin’ head case, Quinn, and that has nothing to do with you. It never has had anything to do with you.” “Cane—” “Nope. Not done,” he cut me off. “Most of what that girl says is garbage. I know she has you wrapped around her little finger and I get that. I do. You’re a nice guy and you always try to do the right thing. But it makes you a sitting duck to people who want to manipulate you. And she wrote the book on that.” “I know you don’t like her. I get it. But it’s just a job. What can it hurt?” “It better not hurt anything. I don’t have the time or the energy to deal with anything that crazy bitch comes up with. Between Jada and Dan, I have a full plate.” I rested my elbows on my desk, exhausted before eight in the morning. “I heard he was in this morning. How’d that go?” “I didn’t kill him.” “That’s a point in your favor.” “Yeah, well, he had a little fit about not getting paid but Hilah was right. She deducted the balance he owed us back for the advance he took when he got married that you approved. Danny Boy forgot about that, conveniently. He tossed a few threats and more than a few profanities, but I think he got the picture.” Cane stood quickly and walked past my desk to the window, looking across the parking lot. We watched Dan get into his green Chevy and speed out of the parking lot. “There’s one crazy down.” He looked at me and shook his head. “One to go.”

Maybe it’s a full moon. I gathered my things after a longer-than-expected shift at the hospital. The ER had been full and wild with everything from the flu to gunshots to a finger dangling by an inch of skin. Everyone’s craziness, plus the call-offs by a couple of nurses, equaled a very long shift for me. Regardless, the ER was what I loved. It was fast-paced, ever-changing, and you had to stay on your toes. I had been thinking about Dr. Manning’s job offer. It would give me predictability in my schedule and an easier patient base. But when I imagined myself working in an office from nine-tofive, dealing with routine flu shots and diabetes checks, I was bored out of my mind. I knew I couldn’t take the offer. I just had to tell him. I picked up my bag and walked out of the nurse’s locker room and into the lounge we shared with the doctors. Connor walked in right after me. His face looked heavy, bags under his eyes. “Hi, Dr. Manning,” I said, stepping out of his way. “Hi, Kari. Your shift ending?” “A couple of hours later than it was supposed to, but yeah, I’m heading out.” I swallowed. “When can we talk about . . . what we talked about the other day?” There was no one else in the room, but it still felt wrong to discuss it openly. He closed his eyes briefly. “Whenever you would like. Did you decide?” “I did. I’m honored that you would trust me enough to ask me to work with you, but I really can’t. The ER is where I belong. My heart and soul is here.” “I understand. I want you to know that if you ever change your mind, the offer stands.” “I appreciate that.” “I don’t mean to pry, but are you okay, Dr. Manning? You seem exhausted.” He forced a smile. “I am exhausted, actually. My mother was just diagnosed with lupus. I’m heading back to Salt Lake City for a couple of days to make sure her care is in order. I leave tomorrow.” “I’m so sorry.” “Me, too.” His face fell. “I’ll let you get out of here. I just came in to check on a few patients and then I’m off as well.” I nodded, unsure what to say and made my way out to my car. The trip home was uneventful and faster than normal. The sky was dark. The city seemed peaceful and I tried to let the peace settle into my system. I always used the car ride home from work to detox from the events of the day, to try to rationalize the things I saw, the feelings I couldn’t allow myself to feel while on the clock.

I pulled into the driveway and next to Max’s truck. I walked in through the garage and into the kitchen. Max was standing over the sink, washing a plate. “Hey,” I said, closing the door behind me. He turned to look at me, the corners of his lips meeting his eyes. “There’s my girl. How was work?” I tossed my bags on the table. “Crazy. This guy came in tonight with a steel ring around his penis.” He dried off his hands on a towel as he walked towards me. “You’re kiddin’ me?” “Could I make this up? Apparently he saw something about cock rings and thought he’d do one better.” Max laughed. “How’d you get that off?” “I didn’t. I had to tend to the gunshot wounds in the next room. I’ve never been more excited to stop someone’s bleeding,” I laughed, shaking my head. Max wrapped his arms around my waist, pulling me against him. “Hungry? I made you a chicken breast on the grill and stuck it in the fridge.” “That sounds really good. But what I really want is a shower and to go to bed.” He leaned down, his breath hot on my cheek. “I want to do both of those things with you.” “Let’s go,” I whispered back. Max opened his mouth to respond, but his ringing cell phone caught his attention. “Let me grab that. It’s probably Cane. He’s been wild all day. I can’t wait for Jada to have this baby so he can settle the hell down.” Max held the phone to his ear. “Hello?” I watched his eyes dart to me and then at the wall in front of him as he listened to the person on the other line. “Nah, that’s okay. No worries.” He took a step backwards and leaned against the counter. He listened for a minute and then laughed. “That doesn’t surprise me. Just do what you can and we’ll see how things go. Don’t lose a lot of sleep over it.” His grin grew wider as he listened. “Alright. See you in the morning.” He ended the call and looked at me. “Who was that?” I asked, knowing good and well it wasn’t Cane. He was nicer than he would’ve been with him. No curse words were exchanged, no questions about Jada. And his tone was just a touch more . . . intimate. “Samantha,” he said warily. I didn’t say anything, trying to figure out why she would be calling him at nine o’clock at night. “She started work today,” he began. “Apparently Norm thinks she is meant to work in accounting.” “That didn’t take long,” I muttered and turned to walk upstairs. I was tired and cranky and didn’t want to discuss her. Max closed the distance between us quickly, wrapping his right arm around my chest. “Hey, now. What’s this about?”

“What’s what about?” “Don’t play games with me, Kar. Why are you annoyed about her working for me? You said it was fine, otherwise I wouldn’t have hired her.” I sighed and leaned my back against his chest. “She just had to call you at home on her first night to tell you that? Is this going to be a ‘thing’—her calling and bleeding into our life?” “She’s probably just nervous and wanted a little affirmation that she did a good job today.” “She couldn’t have called HR? Or Cane?” Max’s chest bounced up and down as he laughed. “Cane hates her.” “That makes two of us,” I muttered, walking towards the stairs. “You don’t know her well enough to hate her.” “You’re right, I don’t.” I said, grabbing the banister and looking at him. “I’m just tired and pissy.” “And jealous?” Max asked, his lips quirking up in the corners. I rolled my eyes and smiled. “No, I’m not jealous.” “That’s good. Wanna know why?” He took two wide steps towards me, his face full of amusement. “Because there’s nothing for you to be jealous of.” “I hope not.” “Kari,” he said, drawing out my name in that southern way of his, “you know how I feel about you.” I wrapped my arms around his shoulders. “I do. But I’m still a girl and we get nervous about stuff. I can’t help it. I get that you want to do something nice for her. But her working for you doesn’t mean you’re going to have to talk to her all the time, right?” “Nope,” he said, doing that thing with his eyes that I couldn’t resist. “I’ll make it clear to her that she doesn’t need to call me after work. My after-work hours are set aside for a Ms. Kari Stanley.” He kissed my forehead. “Unless Ms. Stanley would like to change that last name of hers sometime.” I laughed, pulling his head down to meet my lips. “Oh, Max.”

I GLANCED AT the clock while I pulled my hair back into a ponytail. It was still relatively early, although I knew Max had been in the office for a while. He’d woken me up by accident when he was getting ready, but I couldn’t say I didn’t enjoy the show. Watching him walk into the room, damp from his shower, smelling all fresh and clean with a touch of the woodsiness from his cologne was intoxicating. There was something inherently sexy about a man getting dressed. The routine of it all, the care of their appearance. The way his muscles rippled as he moved, the shy smiles he gave me when he caught me watching. Wishing he had stayed home instead of going into work, I grabbed my phone off the kitchen counter and opened my Gmail. To: Max From: Kari Re: Buenos Dias Getting ready to run to my house and pick up a few more things. Just wanted to tell you that I miss you and packing and carrying all of those heavy boxes won’t be nearly as fun without getting to watch your muscles while I do it. :( I’m probably going to need a full-body rub down when you get home. Just saying. I waited a minute to see if he’d respond and he did. To: Kari From: Max Re: Sounds like a buenos noches, too. Maybe we make it a buenos . . . well, I don’t know how to say weekend in Spanish. I was talking to Cane this morning and told him I’d like to take you to his cabin in Payson. We can relax, fish, maybe do a little horseback riding? Sound fun? Oh—just pack the boxes. I’ll move them, sweetheart.

Horseback riding? Who does he think I am? To: Max From: Kari Re: This is me you’re talking to . . . And I’m not a country person. I’m all about the relaxing part, but you lost me at fishing. And the only thing I’m going to be riding is you. ;) Within seconds a response came. To: Kari From: Max Re: This is me you’re gonna be riding . . . Sweetheart, I have a shit ton of things to do today and I can’t concentrate when I’m thinking about you on my cock. You’ve simultaneously ruined me and energized me, you little troublemaker. I laughed and closed my email. I grabbed a bottle of water out of the refrigerator, noticing a new sticky note from Max stuck to the front.

I grabbed the Sharpie out of the drawer next to the refrigerator and peeled off a new sticky. I stuck it next to his and wrote:

I grabbed my things and jumped in the car, heading towards my house. Florida-Georgia Line blared through my speakers, making me laugh when I realized I was singing along. It was just another way Max had rubbed off on me. I turned the volume down, the music interfering with my thoughts. Max had changed my life. He filled some sort of emptiness I didn’t really even realize was there. I had lived feeling alone for so long, I didn’t even realize it. It just became who I was, a part of me. Max changed all that. He filled the vacancy with laughs, smiles, and warmth. My life had been dull and now it was vibrant, bursting with red cups, multi-colored sticky notes, and the most beautiful green eyes I’d ever seen. My smile faded as I realized the pain I would feel when it was over. It would, without a doubt, be worse than any pain I’d ever felt before. It wasn’t so much that I had chosen Max, it was that he had chosen me. He endured my mood swings and just kept coming back when I pushed him away. Hell, he didn’t budge when I’d shoved him back. He’d just smirk, his dimple sinking into his cheek, and wait for me to realize he wasn’t leaving. But he would. And I couldn’t blame him. All I could do was enjoy it while it lasted. I’d have to figure out my sunshine later when he took the warmth from my soul when he left. Because if he wouldn’t leave, I’d have to make him once he knew. I couldn’t look in his eyes and see the pity or the resentment that would undoubtedly be there. With a frown, I picked up my ringing phone. “Hey, Jada,” I said with more enthusiasm than I felt. “Hey, sister! How are you?” “I’m just pulling into my house, actually. Going to get a few things from here.” She snickered. “How are things going now that you are officially living with Max?” “Good. I mean, it’s really no different.” “So I don’t need to plan a wedding soon?” “Hardy har har,” I mocked. “Did you call for something besides to annoy me?” She laughed. “Yes, actually. I think we picked out the baby’s name.” “And?” I asked, pulling into my driveway and turning off the car. “Maybe I shouldn’t tell you for being mean.”

“Maybe I’ll call Cane because you know how forthcoming he is about all things baby,” I said, taunting her. Cane had called to tell me that Jada was pregnant before Jada had a chance to, much to her chagrin. It was the best New Year ’s Eve news I’d ever gotten. He went on and on, ignoring Jada’s protests in the background. It was pretty adorable. “Don’t even,” she warned, making me laugh. “If it’s a boy, it’s going to be Benjamin Thomas. Benjamin is after his grandfather and Thomas after Dad. We’re still a little unsure about a girl’s name. I like Anna Marie, Anna after Mom and Marie after Cane’s grandmother. Cane likes Carmin Elizabeth. I have no idea why.” “Oh, Jada! I love them!” I squealed, giggling at Cane’s randomness. “Why won’t you just find out if it is a boy or a girl? I want to buy blue or pink, not green and yellow.” “Cane wants to be surprised, so we’re going to be surprised. But I think it’s a boy.” “That’s funny because I think it’s a girl,” I said. “So does Cane,” she laughed. “He’s sure it’s going to be a girl. He said it’s his payback for being a hellion.” I saw my neighbor, Gladys, come out of her house and look strangely towards my car. “Look, Jada. I need to go. Gladys is giving me the stare down and I feel weird sitting here ignoring her.” “Go. Love you.” “Love you,” I replied, getting out of the car. Gladys gave me a little wave. I made my way across the lawn towards the grey-haired old lady that lived next door. Gladys was a sweet woman. She made me chicken noodle soup when I came down with a bad case of bronchitis one fall. Last winter, she fell and hurt her hip. I visited her a lot, bringing her the crossword puzzles she liked and her mail in the afternoons. Gladys had lived in the neighborhood for years, maybe even decades. She knew who lived where and how many kids they had. For a woman that didn’t get around a lot, she didn’t miss much. “Hi, Gladys,” I called out. “How are you?” She ambled down the few steps on her porch and made her way towards me. “I’m good, dear. How are you?” “Great.” “Have you moved? I haven’t seen you around much lately.” I smiled, tossing my car keys in my purse. “I am in the process of moving, actually.” “I hate that. You’re such a nice neighbor.” She smiled sadly. “I don’t know what I’m doing with the house, so I’ll be around off and on for a while. Most of my stuff is still here right now.” She cocked her head to the side. “Have you had someone checking on it for you?” “No,” I said. “Just the pool guys every-other-week as usual.” “Huh,” she huffed. “I know I saw someone in the backyard last week. I let Molly out,” she said, referring to her dog that was as old as her, “and she started barking like crazy.” She shook her head, trying to remember. “I wish I could remember what day it was. It was probably your pool guys. Yes, I

bet that’s what it was.” I suddenly felt very uneasy. “Could it have been Max? Or maybe my sister ’s husband? You’ve met Cane before, right?” Gladys was watching my face closely and touched my shoulder. “Honey, I’m sorry to frighten you. I’ve been a little nervous lately. I watched one of those shows the other night about these home invasions the young hoodlums are doing now. I hate to say that it really scared me; my mind’s been running around like crazy.” “I have the security system set, so if anyone had gotten in, it would’ve gone off.” “That’s good. It was probably just my imagination, come to think of it. Hey, I have a kettle of soup on. You have time to come and grab a bite to eat?” she asked hopefully. “I wish I did, but I need to grab a load of my things and get them home before it gets too late. And I need to go check on my sister if I can find time today.” She patted my shoulder again and turned towards her house. “You take care, Kari. And good luck with your boyfriend.” I smiled as I thought of Max. “I will, Gladys. You have my number if you need anything.” I headed to my front door with a heavy sense of unease. Although she said not to worry about it, I did. What if someone was lurking around outside? Who could it be? Why would they bother? With a sick feeling in the pit of my stomach, I hesitantly unlocked the front door. The system beeped, letting me know it was still armed. I typed in the code and turned around. The house was exactly as I left it. Nothing had been touched or moved. I walked cautiously into the kitchen and it appeared fine as well. The back door was shut tight. It hadn’t blown open since Max fixed the loose lock that had plagued me off and on for a few months. Still, I couldn’t shake the feeling that Gladys had thought someone was milling around. I grabbed my phone and dialed Max’s number.

“Just a second, Sam.” I held up a finger. “Hey, sweetheart,” I said into my cell phone. “Hey.” Her voice made me smile. “I’m at my house and was just talking to my neighbor. You remember Gladys, right? Anyway, she said something that got me on edge a little, so I’m changing the security system code.” “What did she say?” “Just that she thought she saw someone in the backyard the other day. But the system is still armed

and nothing has been messed with, so I’m sure she just imagined it. But I’m changing the code anyway.” “Good thinkin.’ Just write down what you change the new code to or text it to yourself so you don’t forget,” I laughed. She snorted. “I’ll send you a text with it, too. Are you busy?” I leaned back in my chair and looked up at Sam. She was standing in the doorway, her arms wrapped around a couple of spec books. She smiled as our eyes met and I looked by her, out the window. “Yeah. There are a couple of items on this job I’m working on that I can save a lot of money on if I can outsource them right. So I’m looking up suppliers.” “I won’t keep you. I just wanted to hear your voice more than anything, I think. You calm my nerves.” I smiled. “I’m glad. I’ll be home as early as I can. Be careful and don’t wear yourself out too much today. You’re gonna need some energy later.” She giggled, the sound music to my ears. “Love ya, sweetheart.” “Love you, Max,” she whispered. Those words out of her mouth could turn any day right around. She didn’t say it a lot, but when she did, it made my day. It meant more to me to hear it from her lips than anyone I’d ever heard it from before. Maybe because she’s the only one that I’ve ever really loved. I shut the phone off and turned back to Samantha. She had just gotten back from her lunch break and stopped by my office on her way to the front. I had asked her to look up a few suppliers for me if she had time. “So just those three,” I said, getting back to our earlier conversation. “If you can email me the contact name and phone numbers, that’d be great.” “No problem, Max.” She didn’t seem to be in a hurry to move. “Thank you again for giving me this job. I appreciate it.” She threw me one of her killer smiles and I nodded. “It was just good timing,” I said, looking down at the papers in front of me. “I would like to thank you somehow.” “You don’t owe me anything, Sam. Just do a good job until Lucy gets back. Stay away from Cane and everything will be fine,” I laughed, looking back to her again. “Will do. Oh my God, he’s like a whirlwind.” Her eyes were wide as she said it and I couldn’t help but be amused. Sam normally got attention from whomever she wanted, but she never got it from Cane. “He’s a bull in a china shop, that’s what he is.” “I can see that,” she laughed. “But really, I do appreciate it. Let me make it up to you somehow. We could go to that place in Cave Creek. The one your dad took us to when he was trying to ‘straighten up’ Bri and me,” she said, using air quotes. “We could have a picnic and take a couple of horses out

for the day. It’ll be fun.” I sat my pen down on the papers. “Look, Sam. I appreciate you wanting to do somethin’ nice for me. I really do. But it’s not necessary.” She pouted her lips and tossed her hair off her shoulder. “It is to me. I feel like I owe you. It’ll be good for both of us because you seem pretty stressed.” I rolled my eyes. “You owe me? Right.” Our eyes locked and her face fell, knowing what I meant. “Don’t go there.” She batted her eyelashes. “Go horseback riding with me with instead.” “I just want to be real clear about something, okay?” She nodded hesitantly. “We had a job opening here when you asked for one. It was good timing, like I said, and I’m glad it worked out. But that’s all it is—employment. We might see each other at family stuff like always, but we won’t be seeing each other outside of that. And I know you didn’t mean anything by calling me last night, but that type of thing bothers Kari, so I’d rather you didn’t anymore.” She stood straight, her eyes darkening. She painted a smile across her lips that I knew wasn’t genuine. “I get it. I didn’t mean it like that,” she said, softening her features. “Kari seems adorable and I would never want to cause any problems between you two. Forget I said anything but thank you.” “I know you didn’t. I just wanted to be clear. If things go right, I’m gonna ask Kari to marry me soon.” My heart skipped a beat in my chest at the thought. I had been asking her informally for a long time and she always turned me down. But we’d been together for a long time and the more time I was with her, the longer I wanted to be. I couldn’t imagine doing anything without her by my side and I didn’t want to. Kari was my girl. I just had to figure out a foolproof way to get her to say yes. I had already called Thomas, her father, and secured his blessing. It was just on me to figure out how to make it happen. It would happen. It had to happen. “Really?” She seemed surprised. “Yeah. I’d already have asked the question if I thought she’d say yes. I’m just making sure it’s the right time before I do.” “Why wouldn’t she say yes?” I shrugged, wishing I knew the answer to that question myself. “I haven’t quite figured her out yet, but I’m working on it.” Her eyes gazed into the distance, her thoughts obviously someplace other than my office. A few seconds passed before she looked at me again. “Why Kari?” “What do you mean?” “What makes Kari the girl you want to marry? Are you sure she’s the one you want to spend the rest of your life with?” I laughed and sat back up in my chair, resting my forearms on the desk. This was one question I knew the answer to. “Yeah, I’m absolutely sure she’s the one.”

“How do you know? You haven’t even known her that long. She hasn’t spent much time with the family, so how do you know it’ll work out?” I thought about her questions, all legitimate concerns. How do I boil it all down? How do I explain everything that Kari is to me without rambling on like a damn fool? I thought about it for a long minute before replying, “Because when I think of my future, I can’t see it without her in it.” She tossed me another smile and headed to the front desk.

FERN QUINN’S KITCHEN was large, decorated in roosters, and always smelled of something cooking. I wonder if this is the way mom’s kitchens are supposed to smell? I took in a deep breath, the scents of spices, warmth, and grease wrapping around my senses and making me feel relaxed. It was just comforting, inviting, and I loved it . . . even if coming to Max’s parents’ house made me a nervous wreck. I’d been to the Quinn’s home a few times. They were always welcoming and kind and considerate, but it wasn’t something I was used to. Everything there was amplified—louder, happier, hungrier, warmer. Just more. “Max, can you help your daddy out in the garage? He’s trying to bring in some extra chairs for my Bible Study tomorrow night,” Fern asked as soon as we walked in the door. She had a warm voice, her drawl much heavier than Max’s. Her tone was very motherly, soothing, but there was an undercurrent to it. No one in the house argued with Mama Fern. “Sure, Mama.” Max walked out of the room, leaving me alone with his mother. She was a pretty lady, late 50’s, maybe. She had dark black hair like Max and the same kind, green eyes. I’d never seen Fern sit down, even to eat. She was always darting around, refilling drinks, wiping counters, or sweeping the floor. She was the ultimate caretaker, the proverbial mother. “You wanna help me make noodles?” she asked, wiping her hands on the front of her rooster apron once we were alone. “I have no idea how to do that, Mrs. Quinn,” I said nervously. “It’s Fern. Mrs. Quinn was my mother-in-law, God rest her soul. Now get over here and I’ll show you. Any woman gonna marry Max needs to be able to make noodles.” My heart skipped a beat. Marry Max? What? I walked to the table where Fern had a bowl, a dozen eggs, a bag of flour, and a rolling pin set up. She took a handful of flour and tossed it on the table. “Wash your hands first,” she said, nodding to the sink while she arranged the ingredients. I washed and dried my hands, my gaze falling on an elementary school picture of Max on the

window ledge above the sink. I’d seen it a few times and it never failed to make me smile. He had on a yellow button-up shirt, his hair needing a trim. His smile was wide and toothless and he looked to be laughing. He was adorable. I wanted to tickle him, tousle his hair, hear his little laugh. My stomach cramped, my heart sinking. I returned to the table with Fern, my mood tempered by my wayward thoughts. “All you have to do is break some eggs in the bowl. Beat them a bit and then throw in some flour. Mix it ’til you can pick it up and it sticks together but not to your hands,” she instructed me. “Sit down here.” I took a seat. “You make it sound so easy,” I said, my voice shaking a bit. Food was serious business to the Quinn’s and noodles were sort of the Holy Grail. A quick way to the bad side of Max’s parents would be messing up their noodles. “Are you sure you don’t wanna do this?” “Kari,” she said with a warm smile. “You can do this. I know you don’t cook a lot, but I’m gonna teach you everything you need to know. Now crack some eggs. Start with three.” I cracked three eggs in the bowl and beat them with the fork. I added some flour and mixed it up. “Like this?” “Mm hmm,” she said. “Add a bit more. Ya don’t want it sticky.” I tossed in some more and looked up. She was watching me closely. “You’re doin’ great, hon.” I stuck the fork in to mix it up and a spray of flour dusted everything around me. “I’m sorry,” I said, waving my hand in front of my face. “I’m just a little nervous.” Fern chuckled and sat in a chair, crossing her arms in front of her. “There’s nothing to be nervous about.” She watched me blend the flour in. “Now pick that up and sit it in the middle of the flour I have on the table.” After I did that, she said, “Add some flour to the top of it and then roll it out.” I did as I was told. “Max said that you moved in with him.” It was more of a statement than a question. Fern was quiet for a moment, the look in her eyes telling me she was thinking of something else. She started to get up. “You make him happy. That makes me happy.” I blushed, looking away. “He makes me happy, Mrs. Quinn.” “It’s Fern, Kari.” She stood up. “Roll that up, jelly-roll style. Then slice it into 1/8” strips or so.” She walked towards the stove. “When do you think y’all will get married?” I paused, my hands in mid-roll. “Um, I’m not sure, Mrs.—I mean, Fern,” I stuttered. “We aren’t engaged or anything.” Suddenly, I realized what she probably thought of me. Mrs. Quinn was a traditional southern woman. I must look like a hussy! “I know that probably looks bad,” I gushed, “but—” “Oh, Kari,” she laughed, stirring a pot on the stove. “I might be old but I understand how things work nowadays. I might not be happy about the order of things,” she said, casting a quick glance at me over her shoulder, “but there could be worse things happening to my children than living with someone they’re crazy about. This family has experienced some of those things and it puts things in

perspective for ya.” She laughed. “Marriage is a crazy thing and it’s scary as all get out. When I married John, I didn’t know what I was in for. I thought it would be peachy keen, but it wasn’t. It’s a lot of work and a lot of compromisin.’ That’s a fact with my hand up.” I smiled, watching her work her way through her kitchen. “There are a lot of men that look real nice on the outside. They’re a dime a dozen. But,” she said, turning to look at me, “finding one that’s just as nice on the inside is the real trick. And I might be partial and all, but Max is probably better on the inside than he is on the outside. I say that knowin’ just how handsome he is.” I couldn’t help but return her smile. “I know. Max is the best man I’ve ever met.” “He better be or I’ll kick his behind,” she said, narrowing her eyes for effect. She shook her head and turned back to the stove. “Look at me tryin’ to sell my son to you. I’ve turned into the old woman mettlin’ in my son’s business.” “What are ya mettlin’ in?” I turned to see Max walking in the room, John right behind him, chairs in hand. John Quinn was gorgeous for an older man. He had an olive complexion like Max and dark, shiny hair. His eyes were a whiskey color, his face lined in the way a man’s face would be from years of work, laughs, and maybe a cigar or two. His voice was deep, his southern twang the most pronounced out of all the Quinn’s. He was easygoing and kind and we got along from the start. “Where do you want these?” John asked, holding the chairs out to his side. “Over there,” Fern pointed towards the fireplace with a wooden spoon. I unrolled the strips like I’d seen Fern do before. Max came up behind me and kissed the top of my head. “I like seein’ you in the kitchen making noodles,” he whispered in my ear. “It turns me on.” I swatted at his leg, leaving a floured handprint on his jeans. “Maxwell Jacob, where’s my kiss?” Fern asked, pointing at her cheek. Max let go of me and walked to his mother. He kissed her on the cheek and she pulled him into a hug. “Good to see you, son. You okay?” “Yeah,” he said, pulling back and smiling at his mother. “Things are good.” “Good. Get yourself a glass of tea and sit over there with your lady while we finish up.” Max opened the refrigerator and poured two glasses of tea. He placed one beside me, in a puddle of flour, and sat at an empty seat. Laughter echoed off the walls of the house, followed by the sound of the front door shutting. “Sounds like trouble,” John muttered, sitting at the table and winking at me. I tried to smile, but it was probably more of a grimace. I broke a few more eggs in the bowl and began to beat them. As I recognized the voices, I whisked harder. “Hey, Ma!” Brielle bounced in the kitchen. “Hi, Mama Fern!”

I didn’t even look up. I halfway expected Samantha to show up; she attended the Quinn family dinners regularly. But there was a part of me that hoped she wouldn’t. I didn’t really know why, but I just wanted some space from her. Now that Max was working with her, I just felt territorial in a way. I tossed a handful of flour in the bowl and stirred. “Hi, Maxie,” Brielle said cheerfully, her long black hair curled into beautiful waves. “Hey, Bri,” he said, pulling out a chair next to me. “Hi, Sam.” “Hey, Max.” Her voice was softer than I cared to acknowledge. I looked up to Max and his eyes were on me. He gave me a wink reminiscent of the one his father had just given me. “Hi, Kari. Good to see you,” Sam said sweetly. “You, too, Samantha.” I gave myself a pat on the back for not sounding as bitchy as I felt. I knew feeling that way wasn’t warranted, but I couldn’t help it. Down deep, I knew I should feel sorry for her after all the things she’d gone through. I should understand and appreciate Max’s compassion for her. But I’m only human. “Girls, wash your hands and start peeling the potatoes, please,” Fern ordered from across the room. I tossed the dough on the counter and began rolling it out. I turned the ball into a flat sheet and added some flour to the top and started rolling it into a log. Brielle and Sam both walked past and kissed John on the cheek. “You girls better get to peelin’ the potatoes. I’m starving,” he joked, opening a newspaper. Sam swatted his shoulder and made her way into the kitchen. “Need a glass of tea, John?” “No, I’m good, thanks.” “Max?” she asked, that tone back in her voice. “Need some tea?” “Nah, I just got a glass for me and one for Kari,” he said. I looked up and Max was watching me, amused. I knew he was thinking I was acting jealous and I was. I also knew he was thinking it was ridiculous for me to act that way and it was. The fact that he knew what I was thinking embarrassed me, causing my cheeks to flush. I looked away and heard him chuckle. “You really want Sam peeling potatoes?” Brielle asked. “You know she takes half the potato with the peel. That’s why you usually have her make the noodles.” “I’m teaching Kari how to make them. She’s gonna be a Quinn, so she has to learn sometime,” Fern said, stirring the big pot on the stove. “What?” Brielle shrieked, causing me to look up at her. She looked from me, to Max, and back to me again. Her eyes narrowed. “You’re engaged?” “Not yet,” Max said, his voice rough as he peered across the room at his sister. Brielle clutched a hand across her chest. “Thank God,” she muttered. “Brielle Amanda, where are your manners?” Fern said, sitting the spoon down and putting a hand on her hip. She glared at her daughter. “Don’t you come into this house and act like you’ve been raised in a barn!”

My cheeks flushed a brighter shade of red and I looked down at the table, not sure what was going on. “Oh, Mama. I’m sorry. It’s just . . .” “Don’t apologize to me, young lady. Apologize to—” Fern began, but Max cut her off. “Pardon the interruption.” He turned his gaze slowly to his sister. “If you have something you wanna say to me, we can have that conversation privately. But you won’t disrespect Kari in front of me. Do ya understand?” The room went quiet and I wanted to disappear. If there was some button to hit to make a big hole open in the floor and let me drop through, I would’ve pushed it. Hard. “You should apologize, Bri,” Sam said smoothly. “You’re kidding me,” Bri uttered, sending a stern look at her friend. Sam just watched her. Bri seemed to get the message loud and clear. With a long sigh, she sat down the potato she was holding. “Max, I’m sorry. Kari,” she paused, taking a deep breath, “please forgive me. I didn’t mean that to come out the way it did. I didn’t mean to cause you any disrespect. Max has just never been that serious about anyone before. I was caught off guard.” I looked up at Max. His jaw was working overtime, his eyes blazing. I knew he wasn’t happy and that he would probably be calling Brielle over this later. I knew she didn’t love me, that wasn’t a surprise. Yes, I was caught a little off-guard at her outburst, but at the end of the day, she was right. Max shouldn’t be marrying me. “No worries, Brielle,” I said, my eyes never leaving Max’s. He didn’t respond to his sister. The room stayed quiet for a minute until John cleared his throat. “Now that is over, how close are we to eatin’?” “We’ll get the potatoes boiling as soon as the girls get them peeled and diced. Then we’ll put the noodles in the broth.” Fern walked towards me. “How ya doing on them, Kari?” “Good, I think.” She rested her hand on my shoulder. “Those look perfect, hon. You’re a natural.” She squeezed my shoulder before letting it go. “You picked a good one, Maxwell. She’s got all the trademarks for a good wife. She’s beautiful, has a natural cooking ability, and she’s loyal. I can see it in her eyes.” Max grinned at me, trying not to laugh. I rolled my eyes. “She’ll be a good mama to my grandbabies.” My breath hitched in my throat and I could feel my eyes go wide. “Don’t be rushing things now,” Max said, his eyes still on me. I knew the look he was giving me was his way of trying to calm me down, but it wasn’t really working. “You’re gonna scare her off.” “It’s a natural way for a woman of my age to think. My arms need a grandbaby in them and you’re my oldest and clearly in love with that young lady. What do you want me to think?” I looked up to see Brielle shooting daggers at me. She turned her attention back to the potatoes. “Is your date tonight, Sam?” “Yeah,” she said.

“Where are you meeting him?” “He’s taking me to Bobe’s. It should be fun. I’m excited.” “A new man?” Fern asked, putting the cubed potatoes into a colander and rinsing them off. “Where did you meet him?” Sam laughed. “I met him at a bar, actually.” Fern blanched, causing Sam to laugh even harder. “Don’t worry, Mama Fern. He’s really nice and really cute.” “Make sure you tell someone where you’re going and when you leave.” She dumped the potatoes into the boiling water on the stove. “It’s not like the old days when you met someone at a reputable place.” “It’s a bar, not an AA meeting!” Sam exclaimed. “Just be careful,” Fern said, shaking her head. “I hope you know what you’re doing.” Sam looked over her shoulder at Max and then back to Brielle. “I know exactly what I’m doing.”

MAX WAS LYING on the bed, the sheets bunched around his waist. Titus was lying at the foot of the bed, chewing on a red knotted rope that we had picked up for him at PetSmart. Max held the Kindle Jada had given to me for Christmas. There’s nothing sexier than a guy reading. Dinner at his parent’s had been interesting, to say the least. Fern made a couple of comments about grandbabies, especially when Pierce and Isa arrived with Joselyn. I had a nice conversation with Isa and we had made plans to go hiking the following week. I dodged glares from Brielle throughout dinner. Before leaving, John had pulled me in for a hug and whispered, “Don’t let Brielle bother you. I’ll have a talk with her when y’all leave. You just keep doing what you’re doing, darlin.’” Our ride home had been quiet, Max talking to Cane most of the way about something workrelated. Once we arrived, I had taken a quick shower and slipped on a green gown. I watched Max swipe the screen of the Kindle and I giggled out loud. He turned his head and looked me over from head to toe. He grinned sexily, making me melt on the spot. “You read this stuff?” he asked, nodding subtly towards the e-reader. “I do.” I walked slowly to the bed. “Got a problem with it?” “Not if you are going to let me try some of this.” He popped the Kindle back up again. “I mean, this is some good shit.” I laughed and stretched out beside him. I rolled over to face him and stroked his abs with my fingers, feeling each ripple beneath them. “It is.” He sat the Kindle down and rolled onto his side, facing me. “You’re so damn beautiful, sweetheart.” “Thank you,” I whispered. He watched me for a long time. “I’m sorry about my mom tonight. She can be a little overbearing.” “It’s fine. She’s just proud of you and wants the world for you.” “I already have the world.” He tipped my chin so I was looking at him. “You’re all that matters to me in this whole world.” My lips betrayed the cool confidence my brain told my body to portray. My face broke out into a

huge smile. “You don’t play fair.” “I’m not playin’ at all, sweetheart.” His voice was heavy, his accent thick in the late hour. “I know I ask you to marry me all the time and it sounds like a joke at this point. I guess it kinda is because I know you’re gonna say no. But know this . . .” He bent down until our eyes were even. His greens pierced mine, cutting through all the crap that I tried to hide. “I’d marry you in a heartbeat. I’d be so damn honored to call you my wife. Okay?” “Okay,” I whispered, trying to fight the swell in my chest. “I mean it. I know there’s a bunch of garbage in your head, but I’m tellin’ you right now it’s a bunch of shit. All that matters is me and you.” He kissed my forehead. “I’m not sure what’s going on in there,” he said, tapping my temple gently, “but I’m gonna figure it out and fix it.” He rolled onto his back, looking at the ceiling. “I don’t want you thinkin’ I’m pressuring you or anything. I just want you to know where I stand.” “I love you,” I said softly, not sure what else to say. The simple truth seemed like the best response. They were words I usually had a hard time saying, words I didn’t want to toss out there. But Max just made it so easy. “I know ya do. And I love you, too.” I pulled the blankets up, feeling a sudden chill. I was getting deeper and deeper into this relationship when I should’ve been putting some distance between us. I was making a huge mistake and I knew it. I just couldn’t do anything about it. “I feel like I’m wasting your time,” I whispered. “How’s that?” he asked, his voice sounding bored. “Because you want to get married and do all that. And your family wants it for you, as they should.” “I don’t give a damn what they want. I want you.” “But—” “No buts.” He pressed a finger to my lips, quieting me. “Did you see Joselyn?” I nodded. “If you don’t want kids, we’ll just turn Isa’s kids into little tyrants. We’ll spoil them rotten and they’ll love us. We’ll sugar them all up and then send them home to her. Or to my mom’s,” he laughed, making me laugh, too. I scooted over and nestled my head into the crook of his neck. “Sam said that any woman would be lucky to have your kid. She’s right, you know.” “Well, my mom said you were a part of our family. She’s right, too, you know.” He let his fingers trail down my back, his touch leaving a wake of goose bumps in their path. “I told Sam that our relationship was strictly professional yesterday.” “You did?” “I did. I know you don’t like her, but you honestly have nothin’ to worry about when it comes to her.”

“She asked me to have lunch with her tomorrow.” Max laughed. “She did?” “Yup.” “What did you say?” “I said I’d call her in the morning.” Max let his fingers stroke the skin beneath the silky fabric of my nightgown. “I think you should go. It might do her some good to have a friend.” “She has Brielle,” I countered. “And Brielle isn’t doing you any favors. Maybe you should go just to calm your nerves about her.” I relaxed into him, spreading my legs apart in hopes that his fingers would find their way there. “Why does Bri not like me?” Max shrugged beneath me. “I don’t know. Doesn’t matter. Because I like you.” “Well, I’d like you a little more if you put this,” I said, grabbing his hand and placing it on the apex of my thighs, “here.” His chest moved with a suppressed chuckle. “Well, sweetheart, I’d like it a little more if I put this,” he said, picking up my hand and touching it to his face, “here.” He took my hand and joined it with his on my sex. I placed my hand on top of his and pushed it towards my opening. I picked up his middle finger and pressed it against my clit, letting out a small breath. “I won’t say no to your face between my legs. You’re like a damn wizard.” “A wizard?” He laughed, tucking one arm under my waist and tossing me across the bed. He spread my legs and positioned himself between them. “Yeah, a wizard,” I said, distracted with the anticipation of what was coming. “Now work your fucking magic.” “Language, Kari,” he warned, narrowing his gaze and making me giggle. “Magic Max. Get on it.” I lifted my hips towards his face and he chuckled. “Impatient?” “Now.” He picked up my left leg and left a trail of kisses from my calf, up to the inside of my thigh. Every touch of his lips on my skin sent a direct burst of heat to my core. Once he reached the top of my thigh, he grazed his tongue mercilessly over to the center of my thighs. I rolled my hips, needing relief from the ache that was throbbing. With his hands pressing roughly into my thighs, he opened me with his thumbs. His tongue was hot against me as he licked up my slit and landed on my clit. The contact sent my nerves on high-alert, a burst of energy shooting through my body. He dipped his tongue into my opening, swirling it around and driving me crazy. I grabbed the back of his head and tugged on his hair, needing a way to release some of the energy that was

overflowing inside me. He swirled his tongue again, causing a soft moan to escape my lips. Once again, he licked up my wetness, landing on my swollen bud. Working circles against the heated flesh, he increased the pressure and intensity slowly, making me lose my fucking mind. I pushed on the back of his head, trying for more contact. I needed a release, the build-up beginning to exceed the limits of what I could take. He dug his fingers into my skin, warning me to let him do his thing. I squeezed my eyes closed, my mind buzzing with way too many sensations to think straight. He stroked his tongue down again and licked inside me, removing it quickly and replacing it with a finger. I pressed my head against the pillows, moving my hips around without thought. I tried to make sense of what he was doing, but all I could see was the proverbial light ahead. My orgasm was imminent and I needed it to happen. Quickly. He massaged my clit with his mouth, his tongue stroking it with more force this time. He added another finger inside me, moving them in and out slowly. My legs began to shake, my core heating. “Max,” I warned through gritted teeth, the stimulation preventing me from saying much more. I tugged at his hair again, the soft locks slipping through my fingers. He licked harder, my legs shaking faster, and before I knew what was happening, I toppled over the edge. Multi-colored glitter flashed through my vision, my body exploding from the work of Max’s tongue. I moaned his name, trying to pull his face away from my body, the contact now suddenly more than I could bear. He groaned against my body, objecting to being tugged away. He slowed his onslaught, licking more gently, the strokes of his tongue softer. My legs felt completely dead. My heart and breath both struggled to achieve some rhythm. My eyes were heavy but I forced them open anyway, wanting to see the grin I knew was staring at me. His dimple was set deeply in his cheek as he wiped his face with the back of his hand. “Good?” “Magical.”

The cafe on Mill Avenue was bustling. Patrons were going in and others leaving, waiters and waitresses buzzing around tables. The sounds of laughter and silverware clamoring from the kitchen filled the air. I sipped my water and waited on Sam to show up. I had called her that morning and agreed to meet her for lunch at a cafe close to Alexander Industries so she could swing by on her lunch break. It wasn’t the best way to spend the afternoon, but it seemed to mean a lot to Max that I tried to be friends

with her. I swiped the Arizona Republic from a nearby table and paged through it until the seat across from me was pulled out. “Hey, Kari!” I looked up to see Sam’s pretty smile. “Hi, Sam.” She sat down next to me and shrugged off her sweater. “I’m sorry I’m late. I got stuck in construction traffic.” She took off her sunglasses, a teal color with a fancy gold emblem on the side that was vaguely familiar. The waitress came by and Sam ordered a Diet Pepsi. “So, thank you for meeting me for lunch. I only see you when everyone is around and it’s hard to really talk, you know?” “Yeah, thanks for inviting me.” Samantha rested her hands on the table. “I just wanted to get to know you. I mean, if we’re going to be family now, we may as well be friends, right?” “Family?” I asked, my eyebrows arching. She laughed. “I was just kidding. You know, the whole engagement thing from yesterday. I’m sorry about Brielle’s outburst, by the way. I don’t know what she was even doing. John ripped her apart when you left.” I sipped my drink and tried to figure out how to navigate the conversation. “Well, he didn’t have to do that on my behalf. It just sort of caught me off guard.” “So, you and Max aren’t engaged? Has he even asked?” I felt like a loaded question. “We’ve discussed it,” I replied, trying to mask my uneasiness with the topic. “It’s just one of those things, you know?” “I can only imagine. Max has always been such a family guy. He told me once he wanted to have five kids,” she laughed. “I hope you’re ready for a houseful.” Thankfully, the waitress showed up and saved me from coming up with a reply. We placed our orders and the waitress picked her way through the tables back to the kitchen. Sam swirled her straw around her drink, watching one of the televisions overhead. “It’s been such a long day already,” she sighed. “We had one of the places we’re working for call in first thing. The guy demanded to talk to Cane. Something about getting a tip that the asphalt we put down on a job wasn’t the correct thickness or something. I could hear Cane and Max yelling in the conference room and then they tore out of the office.” She laughed. “Not that that’s weird behavior from Cane, but I normally don’t see Max that upset about anything.” “Max stays pretty level-headed,” I agreed, slightly annoyed about her presumption that she knew my man’s habits. “I hope things are alright. I know he’s been worried about the bid he’s working on and then about Dan.” “That Dan guy is crazy! He called in again today, shouting at me and demanding to talk to Cane. He’s a lunatic.” “Max said he seems to have gone off the deep end a little,” I shrugged. “I’m sure it’ll work out. Max has a way with people.”

She smiled. “He does. Everyone loves Max.” She swirled the straw around in her drink again. “And he loves you.” “Well,” I said, not sure how to respond. “I hope so. I think a lot of him.” “How could you not?” she asked, eyebrows raised. “He’s pretty perfect.” I gauged her closely, trying to determine if I should mark my territory. “He is. That’s why I decided to move in with him.” “You know I was kidding the other night about moving in with him, right? I didn’t think anything of it until Brielle pointed it out when we left the bar.” “No worries. But, speaking of Brielle, any ideas as to why she doesn’t seem to like me very much?” “Don’t worry about Bri. She’s just really overprotective when it comes to Max. She’ll come around.” “I hope. The closer Max and I get, the more she seems to dislike me.” The waitress sat our plates in front of us and asked if we needed anything else. The food looked great and smelled even better. She dropped the check off on the end of our table and dashed off to wait on someone else. “Bri’s just a lot to handle sometimes.” Sam picked up a french fry and popped it in her mouth. “She wants to rent a house together, but I don’t think I want to do that.” “Did you ever find anything?” I asked, spearing some lettuce with my fork. “Nope. It’s hard finding something that doesn’t cost a fortune.” I took a deep breath and considered that I should talk to Max before I said what I was thinking. After mulling it over for a whole two seconds, I decided to go for it. It was a very nice olive branch, not to mention that it would help me out financially. “Since I’m living with Max now, I don’t need my house. Would you want to rent it?” Sam’s eyes grew wide and a smile formed to match. “Really? If you could work with my budget— damn, how I despise that word!—I’d love to.” “It’s a good sized place with three bedrooms and two baths. There’s a pool out back, too.” “It’ll be perfect,” she squealed, her eyes lighting up. “The downstairs bedroom will be a perfect workout room!” I paused and tilted my head to the side. “How did you know there was a bedroom downstairs?” She laughed and looked down at her place, swallowing. “Oh, Max must have mentioned it at some point. Most homes have one downstairs in the newer homes. It’s just a trademark of the tract house.” That was true, so I let it slide. “I’ll have my stuff out of there this weekend and then you can have at it.” She sat her fork down and smiled. “Thank you so much, Kari,” she gushed. “This is so sweet of you.” It made me feel good to have made her so happy. Maybe Max was right—maybe she wasn’t bad. “My insurance just adjusted a little, so I’ll double check the exact amount and shoot you a text

later.” She nodded, pulling her phone from her pocket. “That would be fantastic.” She looked at the screen and giggled. “I just got a text from the guy I went out with last night.” “How’d it go?” I asked, feeling a sense of camaraderie with her. “Good, I think. He wants to see me again tomorrow night. He’s really, really good looking and super sweet. He seems a little hung up on an ex, though, so I don’t know if it’ll work out. But I intend on enjoying it while I can, if you know what I mean.” I laughed, getting exactly what she meant. “You never know when the right one will just waltz into your life.” “That’s true. You never know who is going to walk in that door.”

IT HAD BEEN a long and busy week, but I had managed. Max had been working a lot at Alexander Industries. I missed him but loved that he took his job so seriously. He felt such a responsibility to Cane and the company. Losing the job because of Dan’s error had really thrown him; he was determined to get another one right away. His absence gave me plenty of time to clear out most of my personal belongings from my house. I left my furniture for Sam to use since I really had no place else to put it. When I told Max about my offer to Samantha to rent it, he was thrilled. His shy smile and dimple made up for any reservations I had. She was happy to pay the rent I asked and made plans to move in as soon as I had my stuff out. I still wasn’t her biggest fan, but she was growing on me. And if she was important to Max, then I would try to forge some sort of friendship, however lukewarm it might be. I had just gotten home from an overnight shift at the hospital. I sat my bag down and looked around the living room. My things were sprinkled through the room, mixed with Max’s. On the mantle above the fireplace hung a painting of an abstract building. Max said he bought it at an art exhibit right after he graduated from college. Beneath it sat a framed picture of his grandparents and a clay sculpture Max had picked up in Mexico. Mixed in with his things were a picture of Jada and me, a few coconut-scented candles wrapped with a turquoise ribbon that I loved, and a tall vase filled with fake orchids that looked absolutely real. Seeing our things coexisting like that, mixing and melding together, made a warmth erupt through my core despite being scared as hell. Am I doing the right thing? This feels right, it looks right, but am I setting myself up for an inevitable heartbreak? I shook my head. Of course I am. But Max would never leave me like ‘he’ did. He’s the antithesis of him. Just take it a day at a time. I still have my house and I can always go back there. This isn’t permanent. I whirled around when I heard footsteps behind me. “Did you just get home?” he asked. He was wearing a pair of jeans with a white button-up shirt. His cuffs were undone and hanging open, the top button of his shirt unfastened. His hair was still wet

from the shower and he smelled absolutely divine. “I did. Are you leaving?” “Yeah,” he rubbed his forehead. “I have a shit ton of stuff to do today. I’m running out of time to get this bid together. I’m going to meet with another subcontractor today. If all goes right, they’ll cut me a good deal on the earthmoving. If it works, it could be our golden ticket to getting the job.” I stood on my tiptoes and kissed his cheek. “You’ll nail it. I know you will. You’re irresistible.” He smiled a crooked grin. “I hope they find me a charming as you do.” “They will. You’ll see.” “What are your plans for the day?” I shrugged. “I’m going to take a nap if I can and then I am going to head to the grocery store. I’ve been so busy moving my stuff here that we’re out of food.” “I’m out of red cups. I saw a commercial for these new 180 cups—there’s a shot glass on the bottom. Think you could find those?” I rolled my eyes, earning me a swat to the backside. “Keep it up and you’ll miss your meeting.” He bent down and kissed me lazily. He nibbled on my bottom lip, tugging slightly before releasing it. “I’d love to stay in bed with you today, but we need this job. As soon as I get one nailed down, I’m taking you away for the weekend.” “Deal.”

I hit the freeway and bounced in and out of cars. My mind was going a mile a minute. We had to get the job. All the big contractors in the Valley were going to be going after it, but I needed to make sure it was ours. I had worked on it as best I could, but there had been so many distractions. I growled into the air. The City of Mesa received a tip that we had manipulated the numbers on asphalt on a job we were already working on. The tipster said that we laid less asphalt than required, which was untrue. I had spent time I didn’t have dealing with that over the last week. Even though we were found to have done everything by the book, I was out a little money and a lot of time. My phone rang beside me and I saw Cane’s name. “Yeah?” I asked, not in the mood for pleasantries. “Good morning to you, too, asshole.” “What’s up?”

“I just left the house for the office and Hilah called. Lucy left a voice message late yesterday that she would be back to work today. Hilah doesn’t know what to do with Sam.” I heaved a breath. “Well, I didn’t know Lucy was coming back either, so I don’t really have an answer.” “I’ll just tell her to cut Sam’s last check then,” Cane said simply. “Works for me.” “No. You know what? Just stick her in Dan’s old cubicle across from my office. She’s good at data entry and shit. I could use the help right now.” Cane chuckled. “You sure about this?” “Yeah. I’m pretty sure Norm would make a solid case to move her to Accounting anyway.” “It’s your call, man. I’ll let Hilah know.”

“Hilah said you wanted to see me?” I looked up to see Sam batting her blue eyes at me. “I saw the girl at the front desk, so I bet I know what’s coming.” “Nah, I told Cane you could help me out back here for a while. But you probably do need to start looking for another job. As soon as we get another bid, estimating will slow down and I won’t be able to justify having a secretary.” She grinned. “So I’m your personal secretary now?” “I guess,” I shrugged. “Whatever you want to call it. I can use your help, but I’m trying to give you time to find something else. Especially since you just moved in Kari’s house.” I ran a hand through my hair. “Just put your things in the cubicle across the hallway. I think Hilah had the rest of your stuff moved there already.” Sam smiled triumphantly and left. I reclined back in my chair and closed my eyes, trying to ward off the massive headache that was beginning to lodge itself behind my forehead. “Done! Now what, boss?” Sam asked, having reappeared back in the doorway. “Did you do any entering in the estimating program for Norm?” “The Adiplex Program? Yeah, a little.” “Good. I’m going to give you a spec book and I need you to go in and add all of the quantities for the job we’re bidding tomorrow in there.” I looked around for the book, but it was nowhere to be found. “Let me see if it’s in my truck.” I ran outside but the book wasn’t there, either. I racked my brain until I remembered it sitting on my office chair at the house. Damn it!

I went back inside. Sam was sitting in the chair across from my desk, one leg crossed over the other. “I forgot it at home. I’ll have to run over there and get it.” I shook my head. I didn’t have an extra minute to eat lunch, let alone drive all the way home. “I can do it,” she offered. “I’ll go grab it for you. You seem to have a lot to do in here.” “Mr. Quinn?” Lucy’s voice came through the speakers. “It’s Jillian Simmons on the line for you from Grady Enterprises.” “Hang on, Lucy.” I looked to Sam. “Yeah, can you go get it? Kari will be home. Just tell her it’s on the chair in my office. She’ll grab it for you. I gotta take this call about the bid tomorrow.” “See how much easier things are when you have a personal assistant?” she laughed. I smiled back at her. “Thanks, Sam.” Once she was out the door, I turned back to the phone. “Go ahead, Lucy.” My phone lit up. “Max Quinn.” “Hey, Max. It’s Jillian at Grady.” Jillian’s husband, Wade, had been friends with Cane’s dad back in the day. They specialized in moving large quantities of soil. Since taking over Alexander Industries, Cane and I had worked with them a couple of times successfully. We just didn’t move that much dirt on our normal jobs. As soon as I saw the number on this one, I called them. “How are you?” I asked, picking up a pen to make some notes. “I’m good, thank you. I hope this bid is treating you well.” I whistled through my teeth. “It’s going alright, but I need a good number to move this dirt. There’s probably 100,000 CY of earth to move around on this one.” “That’s a lot. Any chance of the quantities running over?” “There is, actually. If things go the way I think they will, there’ll be a large overrun in the third phase. It’ll have to be negotiated in a change order and they’ll have to agree to a number because the last phase won’t be able to be done without the third being complete. It could be very profitable for you,” I pointed out. “They aren’t releasing anymore plans and specs. You don’t happen to have an extra set, do you?” I smiled. “I can have a set made for you. Want me to have them delivered this afternoon?” “I’m actually heading that way in a little bit. I’ll drop by in a few hours and pick them up, if that’s okay? It’ll just make things easier because Wade is out on a jobsite today. But just letting you know, if it looks good, he might want to meet with you tonight and just go over a few things.” “Sounds good, Jillian. I appreciate it.” “See you in a bit, Max.”

THE SUN WAS shining through the windows and my spirits were high. As soon as Max left for the office, I got a surge of energy. Knowing I wouldn’t be able to sleep, I jumped in the shower and then into some yoga pants and a sweatshirt. I slipped on my running shoes and headed into the kitchen to grab a bottle of water and my keys. As I started to open the door to the refrigerator, I saw a new sticky note on the front, covering the ‘unsure’ one I had posted there.

I giggled and scribbled on a new note and posted it.

I jumped in the car and went to Target. I put my earbuds in and bopped around the store. I grabbed the essentials, but also made sure to pick up Max’s favorites: Solo cups, Dove dark chocolate pieces, sugar for his tea, and Cheddar Sour Cream potato chips. I made my way through the book section and grabbed a couple of paperbacks and a really cute picture to hang in the kitchen that said “Kiss the Cook.” I couldn’t help but feel giddy. As much as I didn’t know if moving in and taking that next step with Max was the right decision logically, it felt right. Nothing had ever felt more right, actually. I just needed to keep my cool and remember the proverbial lines in the sand. I couldn’t get too used to living together. I needed to be prepared for the moment I’d have to leave, keep that little bit of my heart held back. I loaded up my car and jetted home. I purchased everything to make him chicken and noodles for dinner. I was pretty sure I could do it without Fern’s instructions. I rounded the corner towards the house and saw a car parked in the driveway. The car was vaguely familiar but I couldn’t place it. Confused, I pulled in beside it and walked to the front door, my phone in my hand. Surely a thief or murderer doesn’t pull in the driveway at noon, right? I turned the door handle and it popped right open. I unlocked my phone and walked in and looked around nervously. I heard a noise from the top of the stairs and looked up to see someone coming out of our bedroom. I screamed and walked backwards as the figure came into view. “Kari! It’s me!” A set of blonde curls came bouncing down the staircase. Samantha. I pressed my hand to my chest, feeling my heart beating spastically. What’s she doing in my house? I took a deep breath to steady my nerves. “What are you doing here?” “Hi,” she said, smiling widely, “Max sent me over here to get a spec book.” “Why didn’t he call me?” “He said you’d be here, but you weren’t, so I came on in.” She batted her eyelashes. “I hope you don’t mind.” “Yeah, well, I kind of do. Why were you in my bedroom?” “I was looking for Max’s office.” “You haven’t been here before to know it’s right there?” I pointed to the door on the other side of the living room. I leaned against the wall, my nerves on high alert. Since Jada was attacked at Cane’s house a year or so before, I was a little edgier than I normally was. She laughed it off. “It’s been awhile since I was here. Look, the book is on the chair in his office. Do you wanna get it or do you want me to?” “You’ve already been through my house, so why don’t you do the honors?” I bit out, having a hard time staying calm. “Kari, I’m sorry. I was just trying to help Max. He’s had a surprising day with Lucy being back

and everything.” “Lucy’s back?” “Yeah,” she smiled coyly. “So what are you doing?” She grinned and walked towards Max’s office. “I’ve been reassigned to Max’s personal secretary.” There was something about the way she said it, the way she flaunted herself as she walked through my house that set me off. I started to rip into her when her phone went off. “Hey, Max,” she said in a singsong voice as she entered his office. I followed her, my blood boiling hot. “I have my hands on it now and I’m on my way back.” She looked up at me, her eyes gleaming. She let out a giggle, “Of course I will. Whatever you need.” She held the phone to her ear, her eyes never leaving mine. “Yeah, I’ll grab us some lunch and I’ll be back to the office in twenty. See ya soon.” She pursed her ruby red lips together, “No worries. And you’re welcome.” She clicked her phone off and walked by me, a trail of fruity-scented perfume in her wake. I felt the incredible urge to rip her eyes out. Although I told myself a million times over that I couldn’t get head-over-heels in love with Max, her little show just told me that I was a fool for thinking I already wasn’t. “Hey, Samantha,” I called out. “It would behoove you to not come into our house again without someone being here.” She tossed her hair over her shoulder and laughed, turning to look at me. “I didn’t mean to upset you.” “You don’t just break into someone’s house!” She dangled a set of keys off a well-manicured finger. “I have a set of keys, Kari. It’s not like I picked a lock.” The look on my face registered on hers and she backed down. “But I see your point and I’m sorry. I’ll make sure I call next time.” “You do that.” She nodded, cast me a final smile, and walked out. I heard her car start and back down the driveway. I sat on the couch, pulled out my phone, and dialed Max. My hands were shaking as I held the phone to my ear, my blood gushing past my eardrums. He answered on the second ring. “Hey, sweetheart.” “Hey. Does Sam have a key to your house?” I cut right to the chase, needing an answer sooner rather than later. “No. Why would I give her a key to our house?” he asked, obviously a little taken aback by my brusqueness. “And it’s our house, by the way.” “I don’t know why you’d give her a key to your house, but I came home from the grocery store a few minutes ago and she was walking out of our bedroom.” I heard his chair squeak. “What? Why? What are you talking about?” “That’s what I want to know. I walk in and she’s walking out of the bedroom like she owns the

place. She said you sent her here for a spec book.” “I did. But she was supposed to have you get it for her.” He sounded as confused as I felt, his voice lacking its usual control. “How’d she even get in?” “I don’t know, but I’m not okay with it Max. She has a key—she showed it to me and that’s not cool on any level. I’m not living in a place where another woman has a key! It just . . . gah!” I covered my eyes with my hand, my temples throbbing. I was furious and embarrassed and confused. “Sweetheart, calm down. I’m not okay with this at all, either. I’m just as confused as you, but you can bet your ass I’ll figure it out.” I sighed. “You need to get a handle on her. I understand your friendship with her, even though it goes against everything my womanly instincts say. But I draw the line. Your personal secretary is crossing the Rubicon.” He groaned. “Lucy came back unexpectedly. Things are a mess back here and I could use the help. Sam’s good at entering data and that shit takes up half of my day.” “Bring it home and I’ll do it for you,” I said through clenched teeth. “I’m sure her skirt today violated the office dress code, too. And if it doesn’t, I need to talk to Cane about revising it.” “You’re letting this spiral, Kar, workin’ yourself into a frenzy. You don’t have to talk to Cane about anything. Just relax—you’re overreacting.” “I better be.” I paused, feeling the fight start to wane. I could hear in Max’s voice that he was telling the truth, but seeing her in my house had tapped into insecurities that were deep-seated. “I don’t like feeling this way, like there are no boundaries all of a sudden with her. Now that I’ve moved in, I . . .” I cleared my throat, feeling it constrict. My voice came out a whisper, “Seeing her in here makes me feel . . .” “Vulnerable?” Max asked, his voice tender. “Yeah,” I whispered back. “I won’t compete with anyone, Max.” He chuckled through the phone. “Compete with someone? Hell, sweetheart. No one can get close to competing with you.”

AFTER SAYING GOODBYE to Kari, I sat the receiver on the hook and massaged my temples. I didn’t get overwhelmed very often. As a matter of fact, keeping calm was a trademark of mine. But I was almost at my breaking point. The weight on my shoulders felt like it was getting heavier and heavier. I was trying to keep as much stress off of Cane as possible, but something was going to have to give. Between the bid issue, the asphalt debacle, now this thing with Kari and Sam, I’d about had enough. So, I did what I always did when I felt shit pilin’ up—I broke it down. I’d make things up to Kari, explain that there was nothing to worry about. I knew, down deep, someone had burned her, although she’d never talk about it. Her moving in with me had been a huge step and I could sense her fear that it had been the wrong one. She seemed to be waiting on me to decide I didn’t want her anymore. The hell if that was ever gonna happen. The work stress would even out as soon as we got another good job. We had a lot of employees at Alexander Industries—somewhere near 300—and I felt an obligation to keep the men working. They had families and bills and their own responsibilities. They counted on the work and the paycheck. I had to keep the work coming in so their families could eat. Although we lived in the United States and it was 2015, people still got by living paycheck to paycheck and I was determined to keep our men working. The only thing in the equation I couldn’t quite figure out was Sam. Why would she just go into my house like that? And in my bedroom? I shook my head. Could she just have been confused? My office door swung open and Cane burst through. “What’s up, Alexander?” I asked blandly. He shut the door behind him and sat across from me. “What time do you want to go over the bid for tomorrow?” We always sat down together in the conference room before a bid. We laid all the plans and specifications on the table and evaluated the job from one end to the other, inside and out. In the early days of us running Alexander Industries, I was shocked by Cane’s attention to detail on bids. He was always a run-and-gunner type of guy, shoot from the hip. But when he took over his father ’s company

after his death, when we were working, we were working. Very little got by him. “In the morning. Have you been looking at it?” Cane looked at his watch. “I’ve been going over it at the house. Jada is still sick as fuck and I don’t know what to do. I feel so helpless.” “She’ll be okay. Pregnant women are supposed to be sick.” “Thank God I’m a man. I couldn’t do it. She throws up and sleeps. Throws up and sleeps. Can that be normal?” “Yeah, man. It is.” I could see the exhaustion in his eyes. “I’ll bring my notes in early. Say, five in the morning? And we can go over it then? The bid is due at noon.” “Five is good.” A knock sounded lightly on my door and it opened a sliver. Sam’s eyes peeked around the corner. “Am I interrupting anything?” Cane didn’t turn around but rolled his eyes at the sound of her voice. “I think we’re done,” I said, looking at Cane. He rose from his chair and walked past Sam, not saying a word. She entered and closed the door behind her, sitting the spec book, a bag of food, and a drink on my desk. “There ya go, boss,” she smiled. I didn’t smile back. “Thanks. Take that spec book to your desk and enter the bid items and quantities in the system. Let me know when you have it done.” I shoved the book towards the end of the desk. She picked it up but didn’t leave. After a few seconds, I looked to her and raised my eyebrows. “I think I made Kari mad,” she said softly. She chewed on her bottom lip. Anyone looking in would think she was contrite, but I had seen her play that card with my parents a time or thirteen growing up. She was anything but sorry. “Rightfully so. What in the hell made ya think it was alright to walk into our house?” She released her lip from between her teeth. “She wasn’t home and you needed the book. I was just trying to get the job done.” “How’d ya get in the house, Sam?” She didn’t respond for a minute. She just watched me warily before opening her mouth. “One of the keys I had made yesterday worked in the lock.” “I told you yesterday to only copy the blue keys.” “Apparently the hardware store didn’t listen to my instructions,” she shrugged, exasperation lacing her voice. “Look, I’m sorry. I was only trying to do what was right. You are so stressed out, Maxie. I can see it all over your face. You need someone to help you and that’s what I was trying to do.” I leaned back in my chair, my arms crossed in front of me. “You knew where my office was and you had no reason to be in our bedroom. I don’t find this amusing in the least.”

She pouted again. “I’m sorry. I really am. Your little puppy took off up there and I followed him. Oh my God he’s so cute!” Her face lit up. “He took the tip of his nose and rolled his little ball towards me. I tossed it across the room and he ran to chase it and fell head over heels. He’s adorable!” “Yeah, he is.” I gauged her mannerisms, trying to decipher her intent. She seemed nervous, her blue eyes wide. “I’m gonna need my keys back, Sam. And you’re gonna need to remember what I said. Just because I’ve known you for practically—” “I know,” she said, swinging her head side to side, her blonde curls bouncing. “I work for you. End of story. But today’s incident was the puppy’s fault, not mine.” She cast me a huge, silly grin and I couldn’t stay mad at her. “I’ll be sure to have a talk with Titus when I get home. After,” I groaned, “Kari has a talk with me.” She gripped the back of one of the seats across from my desk. “Want me to call and apologize to her? I know I scared the crap out of her. I talked to Brielle on the way back here and she told me that Kari’s sister was almost killed by an intruder last year. I’m sure she was shaken up. I just feel so bad. Truly.” I twirled a pencil between my fingers. “You probably scared the shit out of her and I can’t blame her. But you probably shouldn’t call her. Just let it be.” “You sure?” “Yeah. I’ll explain things to her and we’ll leave it at that.” “I don’t want to cause problems between you, Max. She really just seemed . . . angry.” “I’m sure she was,” I grinned, thinking back to Kari’s call. “This won’t cause any problems because I won’t let it. Kari is my world, Sam, and if things come down to the two of you—if you working here is an issue—I’ll pick her. Understand?” Sam nodded and placed her hands on her trim hips. “Of course I do,” she smiled, but without the usual twinkle in her eye. A strange sort of chill raced momentarily down my spine. “How’d you meet her, anyway?” she asked. “Her car was broken down and I came to her rescue.” “A knight in shining armor?” A shadow danced across Sam’s eyes and I knew immediately what she was thinking—that I was not her knight in shining armor when I should’ve been. “I’m no one’s knight,” I said, my voice low and steady. My office phone rang and I looked up at her again, her baby blues locking onto mine. I could see the hurt, the pain, swirling in them, the realization that I had come to someone else’s rescue when I had left her to her own devices. “I’ll grab your keys,” she whispered and walked out the door.

I was washing dishes when Max came in. I heard him, felt him, sensed him, but didn’t turn around. Sam’s appearance had rocked me pretty hard. After talking to Max, I had put away the groceries, but found myself leaving the decorations I had purchased for the house in my car. I knew it was silly and that I was overreacting. But overreacting or not, how stupid would I feel if I was packing those items back out in a couple of weeks? Days? Hours? Because if I knew anything, it was that things could be over in a split second. And seeing another woman in my bedroom, of all places, left me disconcerted. My emotions were all over the place. I was angry. Sad. Embarrassed. I was confused and worried. In a perfect world, I’d call someone, like my sister, and talk it out. But that never worked out for me. Everyone was always busy when I needed them. Max’s arms slipped around my waist, his breath hot on my ear. “Hey, sweetheart.” “Hi,” I said softly, rinsing the last cup. I breathed in his scent and briefly closed my eyes, taking comfort in the only things that had ever made me feel safe at a time when I felt anything but. “Are you still mad?” I shrugged, not really knowing how to answer. Is it even Max’s fault? “Don’t be.” He kissed the shell of my ear and down my neck, kissing a trail from my collarbone back up to my mouth. I turned around and caught his mouth with my own, my body working on muscle memory. Our lips found their way to each other instinctively, clicking together immediately. Max kissed me sweetly, gently, reverently. Finally, I pulled back and Max rested his forehead against mine. “You okay?” “Yeah.” “I’m sorry about today. I had no idea she had a key.” I rolled my eyes. “How’d she get it, anyway?” “I gave her my office keys to copy and she said the store must’ve copied the whole thing by mistake.” I moved away from him and poured myself a glass of wine. “Want one?” “Nah,” he said, grabbing a beer from the fridge. “I took her keys away, obviously.” I took a long drink of the Moscato, praying that it would calm my nerves in a hurry. I could feel myself getting worked up again and I really didn’t want to lose my cool. “Okay, so she made the keys. Let’s give her the benefit of the doubt and just say the store copied them all. Why was she in our bedroom?” He popped the cap on his Corona and hesitated. “She said she went to find Titus.” “Sure she did. I’m sure she’s an animal lover from way back.” “Maybe she did, Kari. It’s not completely unbelievable.” “She shouldn’t have been in here to start with!” I exclaimed, feeling my blood pressure rise.

“You’re exactly right.” I rolled my eyes again. “You always think the best when it comes to her. Maybe Cane’s right and she’s a master manipulator.” “He told you that?” “More or less.” Max shook his head and leaned back against the counter. “I’ve told you that she’s been through some shit. I’m trying to help her get on her feet and she’s good at her job. She saves me a ton of time entering shit.” “Good data enterers are an easy find, Max. This whole thing just seems sneaky and I don’t have some soft spot for her like you do. I’m not biased.” “Ah, Kari. Come on. If she bothers you this much, I’ll have her get another job. I don’t want this causing a problem between us.” He took a step forward, taking off his hat and tossing it on the counter. The color of his eyes deepened as he bent his head down. “I’m trying to do the right thing here for everyone. But if this doesn’t work for you, then it doesn’t work for me, alright?” My phone rang, cutting through the tension. I picked it up off the counter and pressed the green button without looking at it—I couldn’t take my eyes off of Max. “Hello?” “Hey, Kari. It’s Sam.” I shook my head and let out a little laugh. “What can I do for you, Sam?” I asked with an emphasis on her name. Max put his head in his hands. “I just wanted to apologize for today. I shouldn’t have gone into your home without you being there. I would’ve flipped out if the roles were reversed. I just felt comfortable there, I’ve been there so many times. Either way, I shouldn’t have just gone in. I’m sorry.” She’s good. I’ll give her that. “Thank you for apologizing,” I said, circling around the kitchen island while I thought of the best way to respond. “It’s very nice of you.” “I really didn’t mean to cause any problems between you and Max,” she said sweetly. “Oh, honey, you didn’t.” My voice oozed condescendingly with a syrupy-sweetness. “Max and I are great. He’s standing here smiling at me right now. At least we all know now not to trust that hardware store, right?” I laughed, waiting on her to respond. It took a few seconds before she chimed in with a hollow laugh. “Absolutely. I’ll call them tomorrow and let them know they need to be more careful. You guys have a good night.” “You, too, Samantha.” I clicked the button. Max peeked up through his fingers. “She apologized?” “Yeah. She sure did.” He raised his head. “See? She didn’t mean anything by it.” “Whatever,” I muttered, grabbing my wine glass again and heading upstairs. Before I got out the door, Max spoke again. “I told her if it came down to you or her, you’d win every time.”

I took a deep breath, allowing his words to settle on my soul. “I hope so.”

I LOOKED ACROSS the table at Cane at nine o’clock the next morning. He was standing over the plans laid out on the conference room table, his hands gripping the edge of the marble. A wide smile broke out across his face and he stood slowly, nodding his head. “I think we got it. It’ll depend on the final supplier quotes, but the price you worked out with Grady is going to be the piece that gets us this bid. No one else will have that number, right?” He tossed his pencil on his yellow notepad. I leaned back in my chair. “I talked to Wade last night and he said he’d add a few grand to everyone they bid to. They don’t need the work.” “I think this one’s ours. Good job.” I looked towards the ceiling, exhaustion settling in my bones. Cane and I had been going over numbers, looking at the bid from every possible angle, since before 5 AM. We would have to wait on the last few numbers to come in from routine suppliers right before the bid was due, but we were pretty much done. Our number looked solid. I’d been up late the night before. Kari had finally calmed down after a long bath. I found her in bed, the look of uncertainty in her eyes that I saw on occasion. She was wrapped in her robe, lying on top of the blankets. It was like she was afraid to get comfortable. Although I had a million things to do, I stretched out beside her and held her. I learned over time when that look was in her eyes, she wasn’t going to talk. It was a moot point to even try. But holding her seemed to quell whatever was going on . . . and the reason was still, after all this time, beyond me. I held her until she finally fell asleep and then I crept out of the bedroom and down to my office and worked on the bid until early in the morning. I was running on a couple of hours sleep. “I don’t wanna jinx us or anything, but I think you’re right. I think we got this one,” I replied. Cane let out a breath, rolling up his sleeves. “I’m going to grab some more coffee and check on a few things. I’ll be back in here around ten and we can put the final touches on it before we submit.” “Sounds good.” I rose with Cane and headed to my office. I needed to clear my head. The last couple of hours before a bid submission were stressful, numbers coming in this way and that, and I needed to be able to think. It would all come down to the final minutes and I couldn’t have my head clouded.

As soon as I sat down, Sam appeared. She wore a light blue dress that buttoned all the way up the front and had large hoop earrings in. She looked young and pretty and confident . . . and I wished for a second that her life would’ve played out differently. That she was as confident and unbroken as she let on. But I fucked that all up for her. “Hey, Max,” she smiled. “I’ve been collecting the quotes that come across the fax.” She waved a handful of papers in the air. “Do you want them or should I give them to Cane?” “I’ll take them. Did we get a final quote from Grady?” She took a few steps and sat them on my desk. “Yup, it’s right there on top,” she said, tapping her fingertips on the top sheet. “I was watching for it because I knew you were waiting on it.” She took a couple of steps back and looked at me curiously. “You okay?” I ran my fingers through my hair, tugging a bit. “Yeah,” I muttered. “I’ll be better when this bid is over with.” “You’ve worked so hard on it. That number from Grady is supposed to be your golden ticket, right?” I laughed. “I sure hope so. We need to get this bid and get back to normal. I’m about at my wit’s end.” She perched on the edge of the chair across from me. “I know you’re stressed and I’m sorry for yesterday. I didn’t mean to start trouble with Kari, you know.” “I know. But you really do have to start thinking more, Sam. This isn’t you and me, friends from way back. I have a life now with a woman that I love more than anything. I want to marry that girl, have a family with her.” The look on Sam’s face fell and I could tell there was something she wasn’t saying. “What?” “Nothing.” I heaved out a breath, ready for this day to be over with. “Look, if we get this job, I might not be able to justify keeping you around. Cane is letting it slide right now because he knows I’m stressed out. But once the estimating work eases up, it’s gonna be harder for me to explain to him why I need you.” Her lips upturned, but didn’t reach her eyes. “I understand. I knew this wasn’t a forever thing, so no worries.” She stood up and smoothed out her dress. “Hey, I found some things of Kari’s last night in the attic. I think she’ll want them. Do you want to take them home with you?” “Like shirts? Files? Pictures? What?” “Some papers.” “Just give them to me before I go home.”

Sam and I stood at the back of the cold, white room, waiting for the bids to be read off by the bald City employee at the front of the room. I scanned the area, taking in the competition. The room was packed, more contractors than we even expected had put a bid in on the project. The man at the front introduced himself and began opening envelopes. One by one, the bids were read off, each one higher than ours. With every number that was read, my hopes went up. “Lytrell Construction—$7,659,870.84.” Brian Lytrell smiled widely, knowing he was now the lowest bidder. “Alexander Industries—$7,590,430.00.” I released a breath slowly and tried not to get my hopes up. We were the low bidder, but there was one bid left to be read. I forced a swallow and made eye contact with Brian. He gave me a little nod and I smiled tightly. We both knew it looked good, but you shouldn’t count your chickens before they hatched. Two seconds before, Brian was the low bidder. Now I was. In another two seconds, it could be someone else. Let’s hope not. “There’s one more bid left,” the man said, tearing open a manilla envelope. He pulled the papers out and flipped to the back where the final sum was written. “Chalgon Construction—$7,587,000.00.” What the hell? My stomach dropped to my knees. I scanned the crowd, looking for Chalgon’s representatives. They had just started bidding on larger projects and I didn’t know who represented them. Brian caught my attention and gave me an inquisitive look and I shrugged. I don’t fucking know either, man. “Chalgon is the lowest bidder. Congrats to them and thank you all for bidding on another project for our city.” People started standing up and leaving; I sat down, my spirits sinking. How did this happen? How in the hell did this happen!? Sam placed her hand on my shoulder and squeezed it. “I’m sorry, Max.” My shoulders sagged and I scrubbed my hands over my face, too frustrated, too angry, too exhausted to even respond. I blew out a jagged breath and stood, heading for the exit. I needed air. I popped open the door and held it for Samantha, then headed towards my truck. Sam stayed a few steps behind me, giving me the space she apparently sensed I needed. I held the door open for her and then climbed into the driver ’s side and drove towards the office. The trip was quiet. Sam messed with her phone while I tried to figure out what to do. Our revenue was going to lessen significantly in three months when our current projects started wrapping up. We

had to have a job lined up to start around that time to keep the cash flow steady. Without cash flow, everything tightened, and I couldn’t let that happen. But how did we lose this bid? What did I overlook? What could I have cut? I slammed my hand against the steering wheel and pulled in the parking lot. Sam smiled sadly and climbed out. I picked up my briefcase and followed her inside, going into my office and closing the door. I sat down and tried to comprehend what had just happened. There was no way mathematically that Chalgon came in lower than us without the Grady number. But Grady promised me an exclusive bid on the job, so either Grady lied or Chalgon found another way to get it for less. “It’s just not possible,” I said to the empty room. “There’s no way they came in under us.” A knock rapped on the door and it swung open. Cane’s face was tight, the vein in his temple, an indicator of his level of pissed-off-ness, throbbing. “What the fuck do we do now?” I shrugged. “How did they get lower than us? I just can’t figure it out.” “I called around and Chalgon’s estimator on that project was Dan Collins.” I froze. “Seriously?” “That’s what I heard. Does he still have access to our estimating system?” “No,” I shook my head. “I deleted his user profile the day I let him go.” I stroked my chin. “I just can’t figure this out. They’re just starting to bid on these jobs. It’s not like they should be comfortable enough to get aggressive. If it would’ve been Lytrell, that would’ve been one thing.” Cane threaded his fingers together and put his hands behind his head, pulling his chin up to the ceiling. “Back to square fucking one.” “We didn’t miss anything on this one, Cane. There’s no way they got that job without Grady. I’m tellin’ ya—there’s no way.” He laughed angrily. “Well, unless Wade lied to us, and I’d hate to think he did that, then there is a fucking way because it just happened.” “If ya think it’d do any good, give him a call and see what he has to say. I’m gonna just press forward and see what else is out there that we can get our hands on.” Cane nodded and, with a heavy sigh, left. I glanced at the clock and grabbed the pamphlet that advertised all of the public bids in Arizona and started pouring through them. I began compiling a list of plans for Lucy to acquire. A few hours later, a text popped up on my phone, breaking my concentration. Cane: Grady says he has no clue. I didn’t bother responding; there wasn’t anything to say. I didn’t have any answers, although I wished to hell I did. I had managed to clear my head as best as I could and got some work done. A few hours later, I was ready to just go home and be with Kari. I started putting things in my briefcase when a light knock sounded on the door. “Yeah?” I asked without looking up.

“Hey,” Sam’s voice said softly. “You okay?” I nodded, latching my briefcase shut. “Did you give me Kari’s stuff?” A look flashed across her face before she replied, “You know what? I forgot it at home. I’ll try to remember it tomorrow.” I sat my briefcase on my desk and put one hand on either side, leaning forward and looking at her. She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “We had a job on the schedule as a possibility for next week. I went ahead and added it into the estimating program in case you wanted to play with it,” she said, her face falling a bit. “And I’m really sorry about today, Max.” “Yeah, well, shit happens,” I sighed. “Thanks for entering that one. I’ll log in from home tonight and see if it’s worth our time. At this point, we need something big.” “I hate that you’re working all day here and then all night at home, too. You need to try to rest a little. You’re wearing yourself out.” She was so right. Every bone, muscle, fiber in my being ached. I didn’t have the energy to even walk to my truck, let alone pour through more projects when I got home. “The boss doesn’t get to rest until the work’s done,” I smiled halfheartedly. “I’m gonna need you to come in early for the rest of the week if you can. It’s all hands on deck until we get something figured out.” She grinned. “Of course. No problem.” I don’t know if it was the light coming in the window or the feeling of knowing she was there to help, but Sam seemed so grown up standing there. She had been in my life for a long time, but I didn’t really know what was going on in hers. “What are you doing tonight? Anything fun?” She tucked her tongue into her cheek, her eyes glimmering before responding, “I’m going out again with Blaine.” “Ah, how’s that working for ya? Nice guy?” She shifted her weight. “He is. He’s a super nice guy. Very cute, very sweet.” I nodded, happy to see her happy. “That’s good. He has a job and a clean criminal record?” She rolled her eyes. “Of course. Stop acting like my big brother. This guy is a total catch . . . if I can get him to get past his hang-up on his ex-girlfriend.” “If anyone can do that, it’s you and your relentlessness,” I laughed. “You mean it’s not my award-winning personality?” I pressed my lips together. “Ah, no.” “Thanks a lot!” she giggled. “No, seriously, he’s really great. We’ve gone out a few times, but he seems kinda skittish. All I know is that some girl put him through the wringer. He’s told me bits and pieces—that they were going to get married and then she wound up pregnant and he wasn’t ready for it. By the time he kind of got his head wrapped around it, he heard she aborted it. It kind of messed him up, I think.” “Wow,” I said, my mouth dropping. “That would mess with your head. I feel bad for the guy

already. Just give him some time to come around. It’ll work out if it’s supposed to.” Sam bit the inside of her cheek and I knew her head was going a million miles an hour. She dipped her chin and looked at me through her lashes, a mischievous grin on her face. “What?” I asked, knowing I was going to get talked into something. “Want to do me a favor and scan him for me?” “What’s that supposed to mean?” She gave me her best innocent smile. “Bring Kari and have dinner with us. Get to know him and see if he’s worth keeping around. I’m a goner for his baby blue eyes and if he isn’t going to be able to get beyond this stuff in his past, maybe you can clue me in. You need a distraction tonight, anyway.” I lifted my briefcase off the table and returned her smile. “Come on, Max. What do you say? Help me out.” “Let me run it by my Kari, but I think it sounds better than sitting around tonight, wallowing in defeat.”

THE ER HAD been relatively calm all day, allowing me a bit of time to reflect over the past 24 hours. I just couldn’t get my head wrapped around Samantha West. She seemed so sweet and so likable, and then she could come across so sneaky. It just drove me crazy all day. Am I just jealous? Am I that girl that sees things that aren’t there, that reads into things because I’m afraid? Dr. Manning noticed my unusual quietness and asked me about it. He and I had forged some sort of friendly relationship; I liked him. He never crossed the professional line, but we had a natural give-or-take between us. It was like I had worked with him, known him, for a long time. When he asked me what was wrong, I tried to play it off. He flashed me the smirk I’ve come to notice is reserved for me and said he was “waiting on me to stop lying.” Reluctantly, I gave him a rundown of the day before. He said it was his medical opinion that Samantha needed someone to keep an eye on her. I agreed. But Max knows her better than Connor or me . . . I had gotten home before Max and washed and dried a load of laundry. I folded it while watching an old episode of Sons of Anarchy and then started to put it away. I held Max’s shirt to my face and inhaled. I loved the smell of him, the scent of musk and cedar mingled together. It made me smile, relax, and ache at the same time. I stuck the shirt on a hanger and hung it in the closet. Out of nowhere, a set of arms wrapped around me. “What the—” I shouted before realizing it was Max. “I didn’t hear you come in.” He just held me tight, my back to his front, his face buried in the crook of my neck. He swayed back and forth with me for a minute before pressing a kiss to my neck and letting me go. I turned to face him. His eyes lacked the sparkle I had come to expect in them. His mouth dipped at the corners, lines marring his face. “What’s wrong?” “I don’t even know where to start, Kar.” “The bid?” He shook his head. “We lost it. I don’t know how, but we did.” “Oh, baby,” I whispered, wrapping my arms around his waist. “I’m sorry. I know you were hoping to get that.”

“I’ll have to go in early tomorrow and make some calls. I know it’s Saturday and we were supposed to go hiking, but I have to try to get something else figured out. Cane’s busy with Jada, so I’m trying to take the pressure off of him.” I rested my cheek against his chest. “Cane called here earlier and asked me to stay with Jada tomorrow. He said she wasn’t feeling good and he needed to be in the office all day.” “That’s a good plan.” We stood like that for a while. “You hungry or anything?” I asked. “That’s something else . . .” His chest rumbled as he spoke. “Samantha wants us to go out to dinner tonight with her and some guy she’s dating.” I squeezed my eyes shut, the thought of spending an evening with her—date or no date—didn’t sound all that appealing. It occurred to me, however, that if she was with a date, maybe that was a good thing to support. If she had a man, she’d have less interest, theoretically, in mine. “If you don’t wanna go, we won’t go. End of story,” he mumbled into my hair. “She just wanted me to check this guy out for her. And it’ll save us from cooking anything. I’m tired as hell and I know you probably are, too.” I couldn’t argue that either. With a heavy sigh, I said, “It’s fine. Let’s keep it casual, though. I don’t have the energy for something dramatic.”

A couple of hours later, we pulled into Maisano’s. Max led me into the restaurant looking edible himself in a pair of khaki pants and a black Polo shirt. He smelled all outdoorsy and wonderful and I wished for a split second we were home alone. Without the Polo shirt and khakis. Max gave the hostess our name and we were seated in the back of the restaurant. The hostess said she’d bring Sam and her date back when they arrived. I looked around the room, large and airy with a very romantic, ethereal feel. Light pinks and warm grays decorated the walls in abstract paintings and art. It had been my favorite place since Max brought me here on our first date. I giggled as I recalled the night we met. “What are ya laughing at?” he grinned. “Remember the first night we came here?” He leaned back in his chair, his dimple shining in his cheek. “I do. It was my payment for fixin’ your car.” “I remember watching you walk across that parking lot,” I said, my eyes widening. “I’d never felt

my luck change from bad to good so quickly before.” He chuckled, the low sound reverberating through my body. “I was mad at Cane for dumping that project in my lap that morning. And then I find this sexy little firecracker all stranded.” “Thank God for small favors.” “No kiddin.’” He tilted his head, a slow, sexy smile sliding across his lips. “That was one of the best days of my life.” I felt my cheeks heat under his gaze, his words would’ve been just as true coming out of my mouth. Meeting Max Quinn had changed my life in so many ways. I had gone hiking that day to stop from crying. It had been the anniversary of one of the saddest days of my entire life. I had pulled myself up off the floor of the bathroom that afternoon, climbed to the top of Pinnacle Peak, and just zoned out. I didn’t pray a lot, not as much as I always thought I should, but I prayed that day. I felt so low, so down and I was afraid that depression would settle back over me as it had in the past. I had prayed for direction, for guidance, for something to soothe my soul. I had talked to my mom and asked her to help, then I laughed at myself for thinking that. There was no way a deceased person could help. Then I had laughed harder because maybe they could—how did I know? By the time I made it back down the mountain, I had felt a touch of peace. More than I had felt in a very long time . . . at least until my car didn’t start. That was the best thing that had ever happened to me. “I love that dress on you.” Max leaned towards me a bit. He looked tired but happy. “The green makes your eyes look like emeralds.” I looked down at the dress I had bought a few weeks before but never worn. I complimented it with a gold bracelet and gold hoop earrings. I left my brown hair straight and it hung to the middle of my back. “I’d love it more on the floor of our bedroom right about now,” he grinned, his pupils dilating. “We can always go,” I said nonchalantly. “I’m open to the idea.” He chuckled again, leaning back. “Let’s eat fast and get out of here. I just need a quick glance at this guy Sam’s dating.” Resigned to our fate, I sat back in my chair, too. “What do we know about this guy?” He shrugged. “I think his name is Briar or something. Sam just wants to make sure she’s not wasting her time on him. She thinks he’s in love with an ex-girlfriend, I think.” “Ex-issues aren’t good.” “Nah, they aren’t. But this guy’s ex, I guess, aborted his baby and didn’t tell him. So that kind of screwed with his head.” My heart lurched in my chest at the thought. “I’d imagine it would screw with him. Maybe Sam should back off. It sounds like he needs to work things out with his ex—find some peace or something.” What am I saying? No! No, I want her with this guy and her sights off Max! “Or,” I continued hurriedly, “maybe she is looking too much into things.”

“We’ll see,” Max said with amusement. The corners of his lips turned up and I knew he saw right through me. I looked across the restaurant and saw the hostess heading our way. I could see Sam’s blonde curls behind her. “They’re here,” I said as sweetly as I could. Max sat up in his seat as they approached. “Don’t get overly chatty tonight. I need that dress on the floor as soon as possible.” The seriousness in his tone made me laugh. “No worries there, babe.” “The rest of your party is here,” the hostess said, stepping out of the way. “Your server will be right with you. Enjoy your evening.” “Hey!” Sam smiled happily. “It’s good to see you guys.” Max rose and pulled out her chair, which she accepted with a wide grin. “Thank you, Max.” He eyed me cautiously, letting me know he was just being polite. I fought against rolling my eyes. “Kari,” she said, turning towards me, “you look pretty tonight.” “Thank you,” I said as nicely as I could. “I love that color on you.” She looked down at her powder pink dress. “Thanks. I don’t love pink, but I loved the way this fit.” “So,” Max said, clearing his throat. I looked at him and he mouthed “chatty,” making me laugh. He shook his head and turned his sights on Samantha. “Where’s he at?” “He had to take a quick call. I know it’s so rude, but he’s been waiting on it all day. He’ll be here in a second.” “How did you meet him?” I asked, figuring we may as well make small talk. “At a bar. But it’s not what you think,” she laughed, tossing her curls behind her shoulder and pressing her lips together. “He was there with a client and I was there . . . well, I was there with Brielle with less honorable intentions,” she winked. “Oh, there he is now.” I followed her eyes across the room to the tall, dark headed man walking towards us. I grabbed the edges of my chair to keep myself from falling. I couldn’t breathe. My heart stopped beating. Blaine!

HE WAS SHOVING his phone in his pocket with one hand, running his other through his hair like he did when he was nervous. He had on black dress pants and a blue dress shirt that I already knew was the same color as his eyes. He looked a bit older than he had the last time I had seen him. His hair was shorter and his skin had more color, which surprised me with the skin cancer that ran in his family. He was always so careful to stay covered in the sun. I couldn’t move, frozen to my seat. I gripped the chair with every bit of strength I had, knowing I’d fall out of it if I didn’t. I expected to feel the sting of tears, a surge of anger or sorrow or something, but I didn’t. I felt numb. Unable to feel anything, really. It was surreal. Blaine walked to the table, his gaze trained on Samantha. He sent her a small smile, one that I knew was telling her that he didn’t really want to be here. I wondered if she knew it. I forced my eyes closed, knowing that when I opened them, everything in my life would be different. And, quite possibly, ruined. These last few seconds very well might be the last few happy moments of my life, the last moments before things were sent into a chaotic spiral. Fuck. My. Life. I forced a swallow passed my rickety breaths and against the uneven beats of my heart before opening my eyes. Max was looking right at me, an uncertain look on his face. An eyebrow cocked, I saw the look pass across his features when he realized that something was really wrong. Before I was ready, if there would ever be a time that I was ready, a voice familiar to me on so many levels broke the silence. I knew that sound in the early morning, what it sounded like angry, the sound of it breaking with sorrow. I knew the pitch it took when he was telling a secret, the deep timbre of it as he came down from an orgasm, the intimacy that was laced through it as he promised the world. “Hey, Sam,” Blaine said. I tore my gaze from Max’s, unable to look him in the eye. I glanced up at the face I hadn’t seen for so long, the face I would’ve given anything to see so many days and nights. The face that had been the star of my dreams and my nightmares just the same. “Hey, Blaine.” Sam’s voice sounded miles away. “This is Max,” I heard her tell him.

He looked to Max, his Adam’s apple bobbing. He hated meeting new people. “Hey,” he said nervously. “And this is Kari,” Sam said sweetly. He turned towards me in what seemed like slow motion. I couldn’t smile or frown or even act surprised. I just . . . waited. He opened his mouth to give the standard “hello,” but he realized a split second before anything got passed his lips what was happening. His handsome features were swept with a look of incredulousness. His forehead creased, his eyes adjusting as if he were seeing an apparition. He shook his head a second. “Kari?” he asked breathlessly. I swallowed again, trying to paint the walls of my throat with something to keep them from cracking. The room began to spin. “Oh, hell,” he said, gripping the back of his seat, not looking away. I couldn’t look away, either. I had wished to see him so many times—some of those times to hold me again and some of them so I could beat the shit out of him. And now here he was, at the absolute wrong time. At the time I didn’t want to see him. In front of Max. Just when my life was beginning to go right. When things were starting to come together. The room spun harder and I closed my eyes, forcing myself to breathe. “Kari?” I heard him ask again, the disbelief just as heavy in his voice this time. “What are you doing here?” “Do you two know each other?” I heard Max say. “Yeah, that’s my fia—” Blaine began before catching himself. “You okay, Kari?” I felt his hand rest on my shoulder. Just get out of here. “Yeah, I’m good,” I said, scooting my chair back and avoiding the eyes of everyone at the table. “I’m just not feeling really well right now.” I grabbed my purse off the floor and tossed it over my shoulder. “Kari?” I heard Max and Blaine say, their voices lacing together and threatening to throw me into a fit of hysteria. The irony was almost too much. I threaded my way to the front of the restaurant and through the front doors, the cool air hitting me in the face. I knew that I was being followed and I walked as fast as I could, fighting off the madness that was trying to boil up and over the confines of my control. I spotted Max’s truck and instinctively made my way to it. I just got to the door when I heard his voice behind me. “Sweetheart? What’s going on?” When I turned around, he was just standing there, concern etched across his handsome features. He reached for me and I wanted him to fold me into his arms, protect me from the world. From Blaine. From the things that had shattered me from the inside out. But I couldn’t do that because it would only ruin him now, too.

What the hell just happened? She stood there looking wild and defeated, all at the same time. Kari was this paradox, a mixture of hot and cold, love and hate, agitation and salve, but this was different. This was laced with so much fear I could smell it. Taste it. Feel it. Everything happened so damn fast I wasn’t sure what was going on. We were laughing and talking and then he came and she took off. It was obvious they knew each other, but in what capacity? Knots were forming in my stomach, multiplying by the second. “You okay, baby? What’s the matter?” I took a tentative step towards her. She looked over my shoulder and then down at the asphalt. “I want to go,” she whispered. I dug in my pocket for the keys to unlock the doors. “Okay. We’ll go then.” “Kari? What are you doing here?” Sam’s date walked up beside me. “Are you okay?” She didn’t respond for a long moment. I could see her gather her resolve and when she looked back up, the wall was across her eyes. “Yeah. I’m good.” She looked from Blaine to me. “Can we go now, Max? Please.” I pushed the unlock button and Kari yanked open her door. Blaine took a step forward and grabbed the door. “Wait a minute. You can’t just leave.” I took a step towards him. I didn’t really know who he was to her, but he wasn’t going to tell her what she was gonna do. Boy better learn some manners. “You need to back off,” I said firmly. I didn’t want to pull a Cane, but I suddenly understood him in a way I never had before. The night he beat the shit out of Simon Powers when he found out that Simon had grabbed Jada, I thought maybe he went overboard. But now I realized that if this bastard grabbed Kari, I’d do more damage than Cane ever thought about. “And who are you?” he asked me, raising his eyebrows. His posture changed immediately, his back stiffening. “Better watch your tone.” I cocked my head, not the least bit intimidated by this little shit. “I’m her boyfriend. Who the hell do you think you are?” “I used to be her fiancé,” he said, his voice challenging me. Fiancé? I looked to Kari, her skin going white. I looked down at Blaine. While that explained a little, it didn’t matter now, and it was time he knew that. “Well, I am her man now. You need to be on your way.” “Oh my God!” Samantha exclaimed behind me in disbelief, but everyone ignored her.

Kari’s eyes filled with tears, her bottom lip quivering. “Kari,” Blaine said, his voice chock full of emotion. “Look, now that we’re face-to-face, let’s talk. There’s so much to discuss . . .” She shook her head sadly, breaking my heart. “There’s nothing to talk about. Max,” she turned to me, “let’s go home.” I nodded and she climbed into the truck, Blaine watching her every move. I knew he was itching to reach out and touch her, to grab ahold of her. Good thing he had some sense. I shut the door closed behind her and turned around. “See ya at work,” I nodded to Sam before looking at Blaine. Sam stood silently, her jaw wide open. Blaine’s eyes were glued to the passenger side seat of my truck. I started to walk to the driver side, but stopped mid-step and turned around. “Whatever happened between you two was then. This is now. Ya hear me? You mess with my girl and you’ll be a sorry sonofabitch.” With one final look at Kari through the window and a quick, irritated glance at me, he made the right decision and turned on his heel and walked away.

MAX CLIMBED IN the truck, started it, and took off towards the house. He didn’t say a word. His jaw was working overtime and he took off his hat and tossed it into the backseat, running his hands through his hair. He didn’t even look at me. I was in too much shock to say anything, my brain too clouded to even process what I should do or say or what this little meet-and-greet meant for my future. For Max’s future. For our future . . . or a lack thereof. This might just be the evening that things come to an end with Max. My mind traveled back to the afternoon that things came to a sudden halt with Blaine. Images of his face when I told him the news flashed through my memory like a wrecking ball. The words he spat at me. The way the door sounded when he left and the sound of it opening again a few days later. The hope that snuck in my heart through the cracked pieces when he walked into our bedroom. The look on his face, the look of dejection that demolished any remaining pieces of my heart into splinters. The sound of the closet opening and the zipper of his bags as he pulled them open. The coat hangers jangling on the metal rods as he took his stuff out of the closet. The sound of my sobs filling in the dead spaces. The feeling of his breath, hot on my face, as he kissed me goodbye. The sound of his voice telling me he just wasn’t ready and that he couldn’t do it. That he was leaving me. That he was leaving us . . . in every sense of the word. I’ll never forget hearing how empty the house sounded when the front door slammed shut. The last time he’d ever shut it. I jumped back to reality when Max touched my hand. “Hey,” he whispered, his voice soft. I glanced quickly up into his eyes. The irritation was still there, but concern overshadowed it. I tried to smile, but was afraid that I’d lose the small amount of control I had managed to hang onto. I looked in front of me. His house, our house for however much longer—weeks, days, but

probably minutes—sat in front of us. I remembered the first time Max brought me to his home. The night after we went to Maisano’s the first time. How I felt such a connection to Max that night. I ended up sleeping in his bed. I felt my face ease with a smile as I remembered my surprise the next morning. Random sex was good for me, but I never stayed the night. It implied too much. But with Max, it just happened as naturally as anything. Everything was easy with Max. But feeling it end wouldn’t be. We sat quietly in the truck, the engine off, both of us sort of working through our thoughts. He took my hand in his and traced the lines in my hand with his thumb. “I know all the lines in your palm,” he said, more to himself than to me. “I know every bend and every deviation. I know them better than my own.” I smiled through the tears that were stinging my eyes. “I don’t know what’s going on, but I have an idea,” he said softly. “I doubt it,” I said, taking my hand from his and climbing out of the truck. I heard his door open and close behind me. He met me at the front door, unlocking it and turning off the alarm system. I sat my purse down on the couch and looked around. I suddenly felt out of place, so unwelcome. It was like the house now knew my secrets and was spewing me out like the toxic mess I was. A ruiner of dreams—that was me. I couldn’t ruin his, even if it meant ruining myself. “So?” “So what?” I asked. He looked at me patiently. The lines at the sides of his eyes were deep. He was tired. He’d been working so damn hard and now I was going to drop this into his lap. I was going to ruin the image he had of me in his mind; he’d never look at me the same. But he would understand why I’d been pushing him away. Why the expiration date on our relationship was drawing closer. “Can we not talk about it?” I asked hopefully. He heaved out a breath. “If that makes you happy, but we’re gonna have to discuss it sooner or later, Kari. Something happened with you and him and by the look on his face, he’s not gonna let it go. And I’ll tell ya what,” he said, taking a step towards me, “I’m not about to sit around and let that happen. There’s not a chance in hell, sweetheart.” “Oh, Max,” I said, my voice cracking. The tears flew down my face like it was a race to stain my dress. I sat on the couch and put my head in my hands, fear mixing with the rejection that was barreling towards me head on. This was going to happen sooner or later . . . “I want you to know that I love you and I’m really sorry for leading you on this long,” I said through my wet fingers.

He sat beside me, trying to pull me into his lap but I resisted. I needed space for this. Space is something I needed to get used to real quick. I took a deep breath and gathered my courage. It was going to take all I had to nuke the best thing that had ever happened to me.

She wouldn’t let me hold her. There were a lot of things she refused me in our relationship, but that was a new one. She always let me hold her, love on her. She may protest and throw up a bit of a fight, but she always let me in the end. The physical part of our relationship she never had a problem with. Hell, it was how I communicated with her half the time. I told her I loved her and she’d balk; I’d love her body and she reciprocated. So why not now? “What’s goin’ on?” It sounded more like a plea than I intended for it to, but I didn’t really care. It killed me not to ask her in the truck, but I knew she was working through whatever had just happened and I knew whatever happened was huge and would be comin’ out regardless. She looked at me sadly, mascara running down her cheeks. “I knew Blaine a long time ago,” she began, her voice wavering. “We were engaged, actually.” I started putting those pieces together in the truck, a jigsaw coming to life. “We were going to move to California. We had a marriage license and everything.” Her voice broke and a sob hiccupped in her chest. Good lord . . . “I had a surgery when I was a little girl, not long after Mom died. When I was a teenager, I had a lot of cramping and stuff. The doctor said I’d probably never be able to have a baby. There was a lot of scar tissue and stuff.” She fought back the sobs that were trying to escape. She was struggling to maintain control and the sight killed me. Watching her break broke me. I reached for her again, not sure where this was going. The words coming out of her mouth seemed to physically hurt her, pain etched across her face. I just wanted to hold her close, but she pushed away. Again. My breathing was shallow. I hated seeing her in pain like this. I didn’t really even care at that point what happened between her and Blaine. I just wanted to make her better. She swallowed. “Blaine knew what the doctor had said and he was fine with it because he didn’t

want kids anyway. His parents were drunks and his brother was an asshole, so he didn’t want kids. He just wanted to live free and happily, not responsible for anything or anyone. Then one day I missed my period and was really sick and . . .” Kari looked to me, the whites of her eyes red. “I was pregnant. I was due on my birthday.” Her hands flew to her stomach without her even realizing it. I wanted to reach out and grab her, hold her to me, but I was afraid it’d shake her outta the moment and she’d stop talking. I could tell she’d held this in for so long, I wanted her to get it off her chest. For her good. Not mine. I tried to process what she said, to wrap my head around the points she was making, but I couldn’t get passed the look on her face. Motherfucker! “And I was so fucking happy about it.” A smile inched its way across her face. She looked at me, almost embarrassed. “I’ve never been as excited as I was once the shock wore off. It was like—like I did something right. Like I wasn’t a failure. I had never thought much about carrying a baby because I was young and Blaine was my first real relationship, but once I knew that there was a child inside me . . .” Her eyes misted over and she looked to the floor. “It felt like the most natural thing in the world. I felt like I was a woman.” I wanted to interject, to tell her a million reasons why she was a woman, but she kept going. “I couldn’t wait to tell Blaine. I waited for him to come home from work, already imagining which room would be the nursery and how we’d decorate it. I was making mental lists of baby names and things that my mom had read to me as a child that I wanted to read to him or her.” The tears were pouring down her cheeks, her chest rising and falling so hard. I reached out and brushed some of the tears away with the pad of my thumb, but it was pointless. Each tear was replaced with three more. She didn’t lean into my touch as she usually did. She just sat there like a stone. It broke my damn heart. “Blaine came home that night. It was late. I was sitting on the couch . . .” Her voice trailed off. She turned her head slowly towards me, dragging her eyes with it. “I told him.” The simplicity in her voice told me the conversation was anything but simple. “He called me a bunch of names. Said I must have tried to get pregnant on purpose.” She sat up taller, her voice laced with anger. “He said I wasn’t any better than the other girls out there, trying to trap him with a kid. He wasn’t home twenty minutes from the time he got there until he left again.” “He left you?” I asked in disbelief. The thought of Kari being alone and devastated made me sick to my stomach. Just imagining her sitting there, crying like this because of someone else . . . I wanted to go find that “someone else” and make him pay for hurting her. Blaine had everything with Kari that I wanted so fucking badly. He had everything I wanted. Everything she wouldn’t give me. That sonofabitch had it all and walked away. “He left me that night, but he came back. You know,” she shrugged, “to get his stuff.”

Her voice broke on the last word and I didn’t care what she did—I pulled her into me, wrapping my arms around her and holding her against me. This precious girl crying broke me in two. She fisted my shirt in her hands and cried quietly for a long time. I just held her, going through everything in my mind, wondering how she got along. What happened between them? What happened to the baby? Sam had said his ex had aborted it, but I couldn’t see Kari doing that. But if she had, did it make a difference? I looked down to her shaking body in my arms. It really fucking didn’t. All that mattered was fixing her. Showing her that I would never walk away from her, that whatever she did in the past was in the past. We would figure out the future together. I wouldn’t walk away from her if she got pregnant. Hell, it’d be the happiest day of my life. Eventually her tears turned to sniffles and she pulled back, wiping her hair out of her tear-stained face. “I’m sorry.” “Never be sorry for feeling,” I whispered, brushing a piece of hair stuck to her face out of the way. “Never be sorry for that.” “I haven’t seen him until today. He came back a couple of days after he left originally and got the rest of his stuff and I haven’t heard from him since. I guessed he’d moved to California and I’d never see him again.” “You never have to see him again,” I promised her. I hated him for hurting her like this. Although if he hadn’t, she’d probably be married to him now with a baby. She blew out a breath. “It’s not your problem.” I could see her walls going up again, blocking me out. This was the Kari I had met, the Kari scared of the world. It pissed me off. “It is my problem. If it hurts you, it’s my problem.” She stood up, smoothing down her dress with her hands, not looking at me. “Didn’t you hear what I just said?” “I heard everything you said,” I said, rising. “I’m not sure what your point is.” “Max,” she said, her voice cold and even, “I can’t have kids. I will never be able to do that. The fact that I got pregnant once was a fluke. There’s little chance it’ll ever happen again.” Her eyes were locked up, her soul put away, and all of a sudden everything started coming together. That was why she fought me. That was why she didn’t want to get too close. She thought I wouldn’t love her if I knew, so she was doing her best to keep me out. Try harder, sweetheart. “I heard you.” I tried not to smile, knowing she’d misinterpret it. She looked at the floor. “So?” “So . . . I’m sorry about that. You’d make an amazing mother and I’d have been honored to be the father of your children, but—”

“There’s no buts,” she interjected. “This isn’t a negotiation. Nothing you can say will change that.” “Okay. What’s your point?” She sighed and walked around the coffee table, putting some distance between us. “I won’t do this to you, Max. I won’t do this to your family.” “Do what?” I said, getting a little frustrated. This gorgeous girl was gonna be the death of me. “I’m not asking you to do anything, Kari, but love me back.” “I’m not going to ask you to love me when loving me means you can never have a family, Max. I won’t do it. Damn it, I love you too much to even consider that.” “Too bad for you that it isn’t your choice, now isn’t it?” Her eyes widened. “Yeah, sweetheart. It’s gonna take a lot more than that to walk away from me.” I snorted, feeling myself get more than a little angry. “As a matter of fact, I don’t think there’s any reason I’d ever find good enough to let you walk away from me.” Her bottom lip quivered and I saw a faint smile ghost her lips. Believe it, sweetheart. Believe in me. It’s time you realize that we are forever. “You can’t throw your life away,” she whispered, her hand wrapping around her throat. I couldn’t help but laugh. Shaking my head, I smiled, “Throw my life away? Darlin,’ you’re gonna have to explain that one to me.” I took the few steps it took to reach her and grabbed her by the shoulders. She looked up at me through her lashes. “Stop it. Stop this nonsense,” I insisted. “Why would you want to be with me?” Her voice trembled. “You come from this huge family and being with me guarantees you one thing—that you won’t have one.” “Do you think that’s what I thought when I saw you? ‘Oh there’s the mother of my children?’ Because it’s not. When I saw you, I saw a beautiful woman. And when I talked to you, I heard an intelligent woman. And now when I see you smile, I see my soul being completed by the woman of my dreams. I hate it for you, that you’ll never know what it’s like to carry a child again. I hate that Blaine walked out on you. I hate that you’ve been scared to tell me this all along. But I know now and it doesn’t change a damn thing, Kar.” “You don’t look at me now like I’m flawed? Your mother won’t look at me like less of a woman than Isa? She wants to be a grandmother and I’ll be robbing that from her.” She looked at the floor. “She’ll never forgive me for that.” I tipped her chin back up. “You don’t give my mother enough credit. And no, I don’t look at you like you’re flawed. You’re as perfect as you were an hour ago.” She half snorted, half laughed. “You are.” I took a step back and narrowed my eyes. “It doesn’t matter to me if you can have a child. I don’t care if you aborted the baby.” Kari’s eyes widened in horror, her jaw dropping. “What did you say?” I took another step back as her eyes lit with fury. “What did you just say to me?” “I told you that Sam had said that Blaine’s ex had an abortion while he was gone.”

She stood straight, her eyes wild. “That’s a bunch of bullshit! That’s not what happened at all!” I put my hands up in defense. “Okay. I didn’t know . . .” “How could you believe that?” “I didn’t know. I told you that at dinner, remember?” Anger rolled off of her. “I hate him for saying that. I hate him for leaving me. I hate him for destroying me so much that I lost the baby.” “Oh, sweetheart,” I said, trying to reach to her. She turned away from me, shaking her head. “Yeah. I lost the baby. I lost the one-in-a-thousand chance I had because of him. I didn’t abort it, for heaven’s sake, although I’m sure he’d like to think that. Probably helps him sleep better at night.” I didn’t know what to say to make her feel better. I just wrapped my arms around her from behind and pulled her into my chest. I rested my chin on top of her head. “What can I do to make this better?” She eventually gave up and nestled her head back against me, letting the closeness soothe her. “There’s nothing you can do.” We swayed back and forth, looking out the window. The sun had gone down and the landscaping lights were starting to turn on. It looked peaceful and beautiful. “If you want me to go, I will.” “I want you to shut the hell up.” “Max!” she exclaimed, not used to hearing me talk like that to her. But I couldn’t help it—I was over pretending that we were over, that this revelation was the end of us. I turned her in my arms to face me and bent down so our eyes were level. “Listen to me. You and I are permanent. I love you and everything that makes you you, Kari Stanley. I guarantee you I’m not leaving you and if you think you’re leaving me, you have another thing coming.” A small grin twitched her lips and I knew I was breaking through. “I. Love. You. Got that?” She nodded, her cheeks pinking. “Marry me?” “Oh, Max,” she laughed, pulling away. “What? I’m serious. Marry me?” She bit her bottom lip before whispering, “Not tonight.”

MY ENTIRE BODY ached. From head-to-toe, I felt like I had been put through the wringer or hiked a sloping, winding trail. But in reality, I had been worked over by Maxwell Jacob Quinn. After hearing the truth and watching me break to pieces, I had expected him to ask for some distance. I was sure I’d looked like a complete nutcase. Instead, he had carried me to bed and made me forget the entire night had happened, that I had ever worried he’d leave me. He made his intentions crystal clear—he wasn’t letting me go. The soreness was a pleasant reminder of him, of the words he had whispered in my ears, of the ways his tongue had licked away every bad thought. The way he took his time, kissed away every doubt, used his hands to prove to me that he was still there. Max had a way of knowing just what I needed, of knowing that sometimes I needed to be shown instead of told. I tossed back the comforter and stretched before climbing out of bed and wrapping myself up in Max’s discarded robe. It was black, entirely too big, and had a small hole in the bottom of one of the pockets. But it smelled like him and I needed to be wrapped in his scent to start the day. He had kissed me before he left, apologizing about having to leave me to go into the office on a Saturday morning. I hated that he had to go, but his sense of responsibility was one of the things I loved most about him. I brought the fabric up to my nose and I descended the stairs, breathing him in while Titus nipped at the back of the terrycloth. I opened the back door and let him out to potty before I started the Keurig. I went to open the fridge for my creamer, when a post-it caught my attention:

I removed it from the fridge, which was against our little game, but I wanted to save that one. I took out the pad of Post-It’s and the Sharpie and wrote:

I fixed my coffee and added the creamer until it was a perfect golden color. I swiped my phone from the counter and made my way to the sofa, nestling in. I sipped the drink, the routine of it just as much as the liquid itself. I unlocked my phone to a missed call, but I didn’t recognize the number and there was no message. I sipped my coffee, hoping it would release the knot in my stomach. Although Max had gone out of his way to show me he loved me despite everything, I still felt guilty. Can I really do this to him? Even if he says it’s what he wants, can I stay with him, knowing what that means for his future? I took another sip, willing the hot liquid to dissolve the twisted bundle of nerves in my body. I

knew Max wouldn’t just up and leave me—it wasn’t his style. Even if he agreed with me that it was too much of a sacrifice to stay with me, he would do it in as nice of a way as possible. That’s how he rolled. Even that could take months and did I want another handful of months of his life wasted on me? I need to find a way to give him an out. I need to figure out how to let him walk away without being the bad guy . . . I pulled up the news and started to read the latest headlines when a number flashed across the screen. I sat my coffee down and answered it. “Hello?” There was a long pause before a voice answered, “Hey, Kari.” “Blaine?” I sat up on the sofa, tossing Max’s favorite flannel blanket off of me. “Yeah. I . . . um . . . I wanted to, I don’t know, check on you?” It was more of a question than a statement and I didn’t know what to say. I didn’t expect him to call me. I didn’t want him to call me. “I’m fine. Nice of you to wait, you know, a few years to make sure I was okay. So sweet of you,” I spat. I heard the phone get tossed around some, the speaker muffling a little. I gripped my end tightly, the disbelief of hearing his voice quickly turning to anger. He cleared his throat. “I should have called—” “Yes, you should have!” I stood up, pacing the floor, the volume of my voice breaking something free in my soul. It was cathartic. “You should’ve called me. You should’ve turned the hell around and came back.” The line was quiet. I knew he was running a hand through his hair, probably looking at the floor. “How dare you show up last night? How dare you call me now?” I roared. “Kari, please. Listen to me. I didn’t know you were going to be there.” I laughed angrily. “Of course you didn’t. Just like I didn’t know you were going to be there or I damn sure wouldn’t have been!” “I can’t blame you,” he said, his voice way more controlled than mine. “Look, can I take you to lunch or something?” “No, you can’t. I have nothing to say to you.” He laughed. “You’re sure saying a lot right now.” I paced a circle, ignoring Titus scratching at the door. “I’ve waited for years to tell you what a piece of shit you were for leaving me like that. And now,” I looked at Titus and he cocked his head, knowing something was wrong, “and now I don’t even know what to say to you. I’ve always thought I would go into some big speech about how much you hurt me.” I took a breath and spotted a picture of Max and me at a football game. He was kissing my cheek and holding the phone out with one hand, snapping a selfie. A calmness settled over my soul. “But now, I don’t think any of it matters.” There was a pause, both of us waiting out the other. “Seeing you sitting there last night . . .” He cleared his throat again. “Seeing you again was like my worlds colliding. I’ve wanted to call you a million times since that night, but I’ve been so ashamed

of myself that I couldn’t.” “You should be ashamed.” Blaine sighed heavily into the receiver. “Kari, I’m sorry. I just . . . meet me for lunch. Give me the chance to explain things.” I snorted. “By the time I wrapped my mind around what had happened, I heard you lost the baby. I just couldn’t call you after that. How could I?” “You weren’t supposed to. You were supposed to be by my side. By our side.” “You’re right,” he whispered. “Please, at least see me. Let me get this off my conscience.” “Get what off your conscience? The fact that you left your fiancée and she was so devastated that she lost the baby she was carrying?” My voice betrayed me and broke on the last word. I sniffled back my emotions, determined to be strong. “Sorry, Blaine. I really don’t give a fuck whether you feel better about this or not. God knows I’ve lived with it for years—guilt, memories, feeling so empty. Things you’ll never feel. Things you’ll be saved from ever feeling.” I opened the door and Titus rushed in, jumping up and resting his paws on my thighs. Max didn’t let him get away with things like that, but I appreciated his concern. I petted his head and he licked at my fingers. “I’d say I’ll talk to you later, but I won’t. Don’t call me again, Blaine. Ever.”

I looked out the doorway of my office and into Sam’s cubicle. She was pouring over the bid list for all the jobs in the State of Arizona, highlighting everything that met a certain set of qualifications I had given her. We had been at it for hours. Sam was in the parking lot when I arrived at seven and we got started right away. She hadn’t mentioned the night before and I hadn’t either. Instead, she had entered a couple of jobs into the system and researched a few specialty items while I had a meeting with Cane and then began the work I should have looked at the night before. She looked up and caught me watching her. She smiled shyly before going back to the bid book. I kicked back in my chair and tossed a quick text to Kari. I didn’t know what she was up to and I wished I was with her, hiking somewhere or sitting through some ridiculous movie she made me watch. She liked the cheesiest romantic comedies and even the action movies she liked were corny. Dumb or not, I’d be with her and that would be better than being here. I got back to the plans on my desk, doing some calculations and comparisons when Cane knocked

on my door. “Did you see the job in Tempe? Mill Expansion, I think it’s called. Bid’s due in a couple of weeks but it looks exactly like what we need.” “Nah, I didn’t see that one.” He sat a spec book on my desk. “Let’s take a look at this one. It’s pretty similar to the one we just lost. Grady actually called me about it this morning.” “He did?” I asked, leaning forward. “That’s interesting.” “It is, it is. Wade wants to meet for lunch and take a look at it. I think he feels bad that Chalgon got our number on the other one.” “He should. That fucked us.” Cane leaned against the door way, folding his sunglasses into the front of his shirt. “It’s going to be alright.” “What? Cane Alexander turning into an optimist?” I chuckled. “I’ve obviously been working too damn hard. I’m hearing things.” “Fuck you, Max,” he said with a huge smile on his face. “I just think things are going to work out. I don’t know how, but I do.” “I hope so.” “What’s going on?” he asked, his eyebrows shooting up. If anyone on the planet could read me, besides my mother, it was Cane. I opened my mouth to respond, but Sam peeked her head around the corner. “I’m finished,” she said softly. She looked from me to Cane, her smile fading as his expression didn’t budge. “Do you have anything else?” she asked, looking back to me again and fidgeting nervously. “Yeah. Can you enter this one, please?” I pushed the spec Cane had sat on my desk towards her. She took it and nodded, casting a quick glance at Cane before retreating to the safety of her cubicle. I shot him a look. “Can you just be nice?” “You just said I was an optimist. Being nice is pushing it,” he smirked. “You know what I mean.” “I can’t help it. I don’t like her,” he said quietly enough so she wouldn’t hear. “She’s a five alarm fuckup.” “Cane!” I exclaimed, shaking my head. “What the hell?” He shrugged unapologetically. “Sorry, Max. Not a fan.” “Obviously. Okay, so lunch with Grady this afternoon. You have a time?” “He’s going to call me in a little bit.” He pulled his phone out of his pocket and looked at the screen, his brows furrowing. “I need to go call Jada. I’ll let you know when he calls.” I nodded and got back to work, working out a few problems that had been plaguing me. A knock broke my train of thought and I looked up to see Sam again. “All entered, boss,” she said, walking to my desk and sitting the spec down. “This one has a lot of the same items as that Chandler project.”

“Good eye,” I smiled. “I’m having lunch with Grady this afternoon. Hopefully we work something out and get this one.” Her eyebrows raised. “That’s great!” The current in the room changed. Nothing was said, nothing indicated, but we both felt it. She looked to the floor. “Max, about last night . . .” I huffed out a breath. “Yeah, about last night.” “I had no idea that Blaine knew Kari at all. I feel so stupid, so embarrassed for putting Kari in the middle of that.” “Of course you didn’t know,” I said softly. “How could you?” She shrugged, fidgeting with her locket. “I just feel awful. Kari looked shell-shocked and Blaine —well, he wouldn’t really talk to me about it last night. So I don’t even really know what happened.” “Kari was pregnant and he left her.” “And then she had the abortion. Oh, Max. My heart breaks for her. Knowing that it was her makes it completely different. Before I knew it was her, I assumed the woman was crazy after Blaine’s description, but I can’t see Kari that way at all.” “She didn’t have an abortion. She lost the baby,” I said firmly. “I don’t know where you got your information, but it’s wrong.” Sam swallowed and took a deep breath. “Blaine told me that. Maybe he’s just got bad information or something,” she countered. “I don’t care where he got his information. But make sure he gets this message, okay?” I narrowed my eyes and she backed towards the door under my gaze. “I don’t want him bothering her again. If he upsets her, he’s gonna see me upset and that’s not gonna work out real well for him.” I sat back in my chair and twirled a pencil. “Pass that along.” She stood frozen in the doorway, watching me while I picked up my cell. “Hello?” “It’s me,” Cane said. “Just heard from Wade Grady. He’s gonna be a little late, but wants to meet us at Maisano’s at 4 for lunch.” “So he’ll be there at 4 or after 4?” I asked. “His wife will be there at 4 and then Wade will be a few minutes after. What’s her name?” “Jillian Grady,” I said, writing down the information on a sticky note. Cane had a way of changing topics and making me forget things by the end of our conversation. “Yeah. Her. Anyway, I had something come up.” I heard a nervousness deep in Cane’s voice. “I’m not sure I’m gonna make it. Is that alright?” I sat my pencil down, wondering what was going on. “I don’t know. Are you alright?” “Who the fuck knows. I’ll call you tomorrow. You got this Grady thing?” “Of course.” “I owe ya, Max.”

“Of course you do,” I laughed, clicking off the phone. Sam’s fingers were flying across her phone screen. She looked up. “Bri just texted me. She got promoted today and wants to celebrate. You wanna come?” I laughed. “No way. I have a lunch meeting with Jillian Grady and then I need to spend some time with Kari.” “Jillian Grady?” Sam furrowed her eyebrows. “The blonde that was in here the other day?” I nodded and started getting my shit together to take to the meeting. She nodded and looked down, apparently typing in the message to Bri. My phone went off again. Cane: Have Grady fax all bids to my house. Not the office. Okay? I had no idea what he was up to, but whatever. Me: Sure.

“DO YOU THINK we got everything covered?” Isa was beyond excited about Joselyn’s upcoming birthday party. We had been on the phone for over an hour discussing it. Jos would be having a Frozen-themed birthday to beat all birthdays. Ever. “Are you serious? You just discussed getting a snow machine rental. Yeah, think you got it all covered,” I laughed. “She’s going to be so excited, Isa.” “I hope so but I don’t know if she can be any more excited than I am,” she laughed. “So I’ve talked your ear off! Tell me what’s going on with you.” I took a deep breath and tried to figure out what to say. “Things are good over here. Just working, trying to help Jada get ready for the baby, stuff like that.” “I noticed there was no mention of Max in there. Everything alright?” “Yeah,” I said, drawing out the last syllable. “We had a bit of a rough night last night. Nothing to do with him, of course. Just . . . stuff.” “Girl, if you need to talk, I’m here. All my girlfriends are back in Texas and I miss that chitchat girly stuff. We need to schedule pedicures or something.” “I’d like that,” I laughed at her southern twang. It was just like her—honest and adorable. “Hey, my phone has been pinging me for the last ten minutes with texts. Max had to go to a late lunch with a guy from work and I was supposed to go to Cane’s, but something came up and I’m not sure what. I probably need to go check on things.” “No worries. Thank you for all your help. Call me this week and we’ll go do something fun on Pierce’s credit card.” “Will do,” I giggled. “Bye, Isa.” “Later, love.” I flipped to my texts and had three from a number I didn’t know. I clicked the message and one, two, three pictures loaded on my screen. Max was getting out of his truck in the first one. The second one loaded and showed him walking into a restaurant with a woman. She was tall, almost as tall as he was, with long, light-colored hair. She had on a dress with a floral print and heels . . . and she was smiling up at Max and him down to her. The third showed him holding the door open for her as she walked into a restaurant.

Maisano’s. Another text popped up. Sender: Look what Max is up to this afternoon.

I checked my phone again. Still no reply from Kari. I pulled into my subdivision and wondered what was going on with everyone in my life. I left Cane a message and he didn’t call me back. I called Kari and sent her a couple of texts and she failed to respond to either one. What the hell? The only person that had answered me was Samantha. She was on her way to meet with Blaine to discuss the night before. It was strange that we were both tied up in these other two people’s lives, but the world was a crazy-ass place. Our conversation had been brief, but Sam had said something that really bothered me. “Blaine knew about Kari not being able to have kids. You didn’t? That surprises me.” It hadn’t crossed my mind like that, but it was true and had taken root deep in the back of my brain. Kari had obviously trusted Blaine with the intimate details of her life and not me. And that hurt like a bitch. A real fucking bitch. A neighbor and his son were shooting hoops on the corner of my street and I waved as I drove past. I cracked a smile and hoped it looked real because my mind was focusing on things that made me anything but happy. Shortly after, I pulled into my driveway, trying not to let myself get all amped up. I hopped out of the truck and went into the house. I shut the door behind me and listened. Silence. “Kari?” I called, setting my keys in the dish by the door. I heard the water kick on in the kitchen, so I headed in there. She was sipping from a glass facing the back yard. “Hey, you,” I said. She looked at me over the glass, her lashes dark and full. “How was your day?” I kissed her on the top of her head tentatively. She didn’t react normally— no wrapping of her arms around me, no flirty bats of her eyes. No sassy remarks or teasing lines. I swallowed passed the fast-forming lump in my throat. She’s had time to process everything, to really understand what she’s feeling. It’s probably just

hitting her that she saw Blaine again. What if she’s second guessing things with me now? Shit. She sat the glass down on the counter and walked to the table. “It was good,” she said, her voice controlled, even. “How was yours?” “Busy. I got lots done at the office this morning and then talked to Grady about this job in Tempe for next week,” I said warily, bracing myself for what was to come. She didn’t turn to face me, didn’t say anything. “What’s going on?” A nagging feeling in the pit of my stomach started in, not letting me ignore it. Something was going on with her and I was almost sure I was right. She knew she wasn’t in love with me, after all. Not the way I loved her. Not in the way she had once loved Blaine. Mother. Fucker. She picked up her phone, her fingers racing across the keys. I wanted to grab her and make her look at me and remember who I was to her. What he did to her. What I would do for her. But I didn’t. I stood in place, watching her play on her phone. I swallowed roughly, fighting back tears for the first time in a long time. A few seconds later, my phone went off in my pocket. Thinking maybe it was Cane, I pulled it out to see Kari’s name flashing with an incoming text. Curious and a little confused, I opened the text. Jillian Grady and I were on the screen. “What the hell is this?” I asked, puzzled. “Where’d you get this?” “Someone sent it to me,” she said, pausing before my phone flashed again. “And these, too.” “Why?” She sat her phone on the table and faced me, her eyes nervous. “I have no idea.” “Look, I don’t know what’s goin’ on, Kari, but that was Jillian Grady and me going into lunch. Her husband met us a few minutes later.” I scrubbed my hands down the length of my face, trying to figure out who and why someone sent pictures to Kari. “Who sent you those?” She shrugged. “I don’t know the number.” “I just . . .” I let my mouth hang open as I released a breath. “I don’t understand.” “Neither do I,” she said, raising her eyebrows. “That was a business lunch? That woman works in construction? Because she looks like a model.” “She’s very pretty, I won’t deny ya that. But she’s also a shark. She’s married to Wade Grady, a subcontractor that was good friends with Cane’s father. She’s sharp as a tack and handles all of Wade’s business.” I saw the apprehension leave her face, the softness of her features that I loved reappear. “So that’s it?” “That’s it. I’m not sure what else it was supposed to be.”

Her shoulders slacked. “So who sent those to me? Who would do that?” “I have no idea. But it’s a waste of their time. Cane was supposed to meet them, actually, but he had to take off because something happened. Speaking of which, do you know what’s going on?” She shook her head. “No. He just called here and told me that I didn’t need to come over this afternoon. He sounded really weird, though. I figure maybe Jada will call me later. He did tell me it had nothing to do with her, though.” “But if it isn’t her or the company, because I would know if it was, then what could it be?” She gave me a frown and walked over to the sofa and sat down, curling herself up in the blanket from the back. Her phone buzzed on the table and I picked it up to take it to her. I glanced at the screen. Unknown: Please, talk to me. “Who’s this?” I asked, handing her the phone. My jaw pulsed with irritation because I knew damn good and well who it was. She looked at the screen and sat upright. “Nobody.” “Really?” I asked, sitting beside her and stretching one arm along the back of the couch. Her nonchalance and the way she was avoided looking at me made the knot in my stomach wind tighter. Her phone buzzed again and she didn’t look at it, completely ignoring it. “Should we call Cane and Jada?” she asked, trying to divert my attention. “We can. But I want to know who’s texting you.” She swallowed roughly before looking up at me. “Blaine.” “What?” I asked a little louder than I intended. Even though I knew it was him, the sound of it coming out of her mouth was still a blast. “What the hell for?” “He called today and I—” “He called you today?” I suddenly knew what real jealousy felt like. If I thought I felt it the day she went for coffee with the doctor, I was wrong. This was it. This burning, itching, come-out-of-mydamn-skin feeling was it. I got up and headed to the fridge, pausing to read Kari’s sticky before opening it and grabbing a beer. “You didn’t think to tell me?” “You were at lunch with the pretty blonde,” she said, throwing the adjective I used for Jillian back at me. “I didn’t want to interrupt.” “Don’t even go there, Kar.” She stood up quickly, shooting me an irritated look. “What? You were at lunch with Jillian while I was helping Isa plan Joselyn’s birthday party and getting pictures of you and Jillian sent to me. Sorry if I forgot to take time out to tell you about the little interruption in my day.” I took a drink of the cool liquid, watching her over the top of the bottle. Her eyes darted around the room, her phone clutched in her hands. She worried her bottom lip between her teeth. But what, exactly, is she worried about? What did that asshole say to her? Did he get in her head? “What did he have to say?” I asked. “Nothing, really.”

“You want me to believe that? That the man you agreed to marry calls you after however long and he had nothing to say. I’m not stupid.” The longer we debated it, the madder I got. Why won’t she just tell me!? “I don’t know why you’re acting like I insulted you by not telling you!” she shouted. I kicked back a drink, feeling the fizz slip smoothly down my throat. “You want to know why I’m a little insulted as to why you didn’t tell me that the guy you were engaged to, were pregnant by, the guy you told all your secrets to called you?” “It’s not like that.” “Oh, sweetheart, it is. Think about it from my perspective for a second. I had to make a fool out of myself to get you to move in with me. You won’t marry me. You won’t tell me things about you. But Blaine—you got engaged to. You were gonna move across the damn country with him! You told him all the things I had to find out by pure happenstance. Then he calls you and I’m supposed to not be at all irked by that? Nah, sweetheart. Fuck that.” Her jaw dropped. I took another long pull of my beer. The things that had begun to take root in my mind when I walked in the house were getting watered. Blaine was back . . . the love of her life was back. “I can’t believe you just said that to me,” she breathed out. “I love ya, Kar. I’ve loved you for a long time, probably since the first time I saw ya. But I’m starting to wonder if this is a one-sided thing, if I’m not some fill-in for Blaine because he walked away and I hate that. I hate that.” A little gasp escaped her lips. “I can’t believe you’d ever think that.” “What am I supposed to think?” I asked quietly. I didn’t want her to cry, but I didn’t want to be second best to some other guy, either. “I’ve had to fight tooth and nail to get us where we are now. And then I see that you handed everything over to someone else. And now he’s back and . . .” I pulled the lid of my hat down over my eyes. “And what? You think I want him? I can’t stand him! I wish he’d fall off the face of the planet. Don’t you see that?” I tilted my head back and looked at her. She was perfection if I’d ever seen it. A cute button nose. High cheekbones and an olive complexion. Lips I wanted to kiss ’til the end of time. “I see someone I love that I hope loves me the same. I’ve never given you a reason to not trust me. I’ve never given you any inclination that I’d walk away but you hold back from me. That is what hurts, Kari. Not that he called you. None of that shit. The fact that you don’t trust me. You won’t give me your heart. Like you did him.” I shook my head slowly. “That. Fucking. Hurts.” She ran up the stairs and, for the first time, I didn’t chase her.

I WAS SITTING on the couch, watching some guy go on and on about college football on ESPN. I didn’t really care about who was ranked number one, but I didn’t know what else to do with myself, either. I didn’t know whether to go upstairs to Kari or give her time to think about what I said. I wanted her more than I’d ever wanted anything in my life. But I needed to know she wanted me, too—that she wanted me for me and not because she couldn’t have Blaine. Or maybe she can have Blaine now. An hour or so later, she came downstairs with a bag in her hand. “Cane just called and wants me to go stay with Jada tonight. He said he’s leaving in a little bit for Payson because he has an appointment with someone there tomorrow and he doesn’t want Jada alone.” Cane has an appointment in Payson? I scratched my chin. The only person he has in Payson is his attorney. That can’t be good. “Did he say what was going on?” I asked, wondering why he hadn’t called me. She shook her head. “I didn’t ask either. But I’m gonna go . . .” She paused in the doorway before turning around and leaving. “Kari!” I called out. She paused but didn’t turn around. “I don’t know what to do about everything that’s happened. I know the things you’ve told me don’t matter to me—it doesn’t make a lick of difference. But I need to know that you love me the same way I love you.” I saw her shoulders crumble before she started walking again. “I love you, too.” And I watched her walk out. I allowed the love of my life walk out of my house because I wasn’t sure if I was the love of hers. I listened to her car start and heard her leave. I threw my Corona against the wall and it shattered everywhere, pieces of glass scattering around the room. Fuck that. My jaw working overtime, I grabbed my keys out of the dish and jumped in my truck. I didn’t know where I needed to go, just that I needed to get outta there. I was angrier than I’d been in a helluva

long time—angry with Kari for leaving without some sort of reassurance. Angry at myself for not knowing what to do. Pissed as hell at Blaine for breaking her heart but mad, too, that he came back in her life. Do I let her go? Do I chase her the hell down and make her talk to me? I was sitting at a light, trying to figure something the fuck out, when Cane called. “Yeah?” I asked. “Hey, man. Listen, I’m sure you know this, but I gotta head to Payson tonight. I’m meeting with my attorneys in the morning.” “Kari told me. What’s going on?” I heard a door open and close. “I got a letter in the mail today.” “And?” I prompted. “From my mother.” “Well,” I said, licking my lips. “That even makes me speechless. What the hell does she want after all this time?” I heard him sigh. “I don’t know. She wants me to call her or send her a letter or something, but I have no interest in that shit. She fucking left me when I was a little boy and now I’m about to have a little boy or girl of my own—there’s no way I’m letting her into my life.” “So she’s had a change of heart thirty years later?” “Apparent-fucking-ly. That or she’s out of money, which is my actual guess. Either way, I’m making sure everything I own is locked down tight. If I’d end up in a ditch like my dad, she’s not getting her fingers on any of it.” “I feel ya there. Do what you need to do. Family first.” “Family first,” he muttered back. “Hey, speaking of which—this isn’t really the way to ask this, but it’s me and you so it is what it is. I’m going to have a will drawn up for Jada and me and for the baby while I’m up there. It won’t be official until the baby is born, but it’ll be ready to go. We want you and Kari to be the godparents.” “I’d be honored.” “You’re the only family I got, besides Jada. I’d rest easy knowing my kid was growing up with you.” “Ah, thanks, man. I appreciate that. I’m flattered. Really.” In the midst of my own despair, I couldn’t help smile. “Good,” he laughed. “Alright, I see Kari’s headlights coming up the driveway, so I’m gonna go get my shit ready. Talk to ya tomorrow sometime.” “Later,” I said, ending the call as I pulled into Casaar ’s Bar. What the hell am I doing here? Without thinking twice, just knowing I wanted to escape all the mess of my life, I walked inside. It was busy as hell and not my normal style with lights flashing and pop music pounding over the stereo. My normal choice would’ve been something quieter, maybe a little Keith Whitley on a

jukebox in a corner, a pool table, and some old men cracking jokes. Then again, my normal choice would leave me ample room to think about shit I didn’t want to think about. I grabbed a seat at the bar and waited on the bartender to make her way over to me. She was young and flirty and having a ball with all the just-turned-21’s around me. I scanned the bar, the karaoke stage being used for the DJ. I imagined what I’d looked like up there singing for Kari. I probably looked like a fool . . . but it got me what I wanted in the end. Or did it? I’d started to mellow out a little but the thought sent the anger boiling up again. “What can I get ya, baby?” the bartender asked, winking, as she finally made her way over to me. “Crown on ice.” She pursed her lips. “You got it.” She made my drink and sat it in front of me. I tipped the glass to my lips and let the fluid drain down my throat. “Give me another.” “Whoa, there, sexy. It’s gonna be a quick night if you keep that up.” I nodded to the glass and she shrugged again and filled it. She sat it in front of me and scampered off before I could replay my request. I took another drink. The liquor stung and soothed, burnt and caressed. I hated everything about this situation. I hated not being home. I hated knowing Kari wasn’t at home either. I hated not knowing what she was thinking, what she wanted, what I needed to do. I hated I was in this shitty bar, getting drunk, by myself. I swallowed the rest of the liquor in the glass, feeling sick. Just as I was starting to feel the numbness set in, my phone alerted me of a text. When I saw Pierce’s name, I dismissed it. I’m just gonna get hammered and forget this damn night. I flagged down the male bartender and got myself another drink. I watched the girls in too tight dresses dance on the dance floor, college-aged guys in Polo shirts trying to get their attention. But my attention was on Kari. My brain felt comfortably fuzzy as I tried to make sense of my situation. Did I push her too hard? Did I force a relationship on her when she didn’t want one? Would she ever have told me or just eventually left? I downed the glass and pushed it to the other side of the bar for a refill. I closed my eyes, letting images dance across my mind in one long fuzzy blur. I felt the peace that came with drinking a bit too much, the bliss that came with a slight buzz. Or a heavy buzz. At this point, who cares? My phone went off again and this time it wasn’t Pierce. “Heya, Sammy,” I slurred into the phone over the beat of some pop shit. Don’t these people know Alabama? Tim McGraw? Blake Shelton?

“Max? What’s going on? Where are you?” I chuckled. “Well, I shouldn’t probably tell ya that.” “Oh, I think you should. You aren’t by yourself, are you? Because it sounds like you’re pretty wasted.” “Ah, hell. I’m alright?” Why did that sound like a question? Who cares? “Why don’t you just tell me where you are and Bri and I can come get you. You know you can’t drive like that.” “True,” I said, trying to keep my eyes open, but it felt so good to let them close. To block out the light, the faces . . . the memories. “So?” “So what?” I asked blankly. What the hell is she talking about? “So where are you?” “Uh,” I looked around the room. “I’m at the karaoke bar. Where I sang for Kari.” She sighed. “Ok. Bri and I will be there in a bit.”

I STARED OUT the window into the night. The city lights blinked below, little beacons in the dark. It reminded me of Christmas lights strung for miles in every direction. I could see why Cane and Jada loved this place—it felt like you were above the world, secluded from all the problems. Except for the ones you brought there yourself. Cane sat on an ottoman in front of the fireplace, his forearms resting on his knees. He watched me like a caged animal that he wanted to approach, but was afraid it would bite. I sat on the couch across from him, wrapped up in a yellow blanket and nestled into Jada’s throw pillows. “You going to tell me what’s going on?” my brother-in-law asked me. I shrugged. “I don’t know. Max and I just had a little . . . disagreement and I just don’t know what to do.” His lips hinted at a smile. “Remember the first time you met me? Not the night at Max’s, but the night we went to the bar?” I nodded. “And you ordered the third margarita? And I told you not to drink too much because I couldn’t guarantee your safety if you did?” I nodded again, a smile touching my lips at the memory. I thought he was an arrogant asshole. I wasn’t completely wrong, in retrospect. But when he drove my car home to make sure I didn’t drive, I knew he wasn’t a complete dick. Cane and I have always shared some sort of understanding—two black sheep that just “got” each other. “What did you tell me, Kari?” “I told you I would do whatever I damn well pleased.” Cane smiled. “That’s what you should do right now.” “Whatever I please?” “I think you need to do whatever you want to do. I don’t know what to say. I rely on Max for this kind of shit. The fact that someone is asking me for advice is kind of scary.” “Don’t think I don’t know that,” I muttered. I watched the lights blink again, wondering which light was Max’s. “I feel like I’m holding him back, Cane.”

“How do you figure that?” I turned to face him head on. I wanted to say this bluntly, to get a true reaction out of him. “Look around. See all of this? This is what Max deserves.” Cane shrugged. “I agree.” “All of this—is something that I can’t give him.” “What do you mean? Of course you can.” I took a deep breath. “When I was a little girl . . .” The words caught in my throat. I took a deep breath and started again, summoning the courage to hear the words out loud. “When I was a little girl, I had an operation. It wasn’t anything serious, really, but there were a few complications. One of them was excessive scar tissue.” Cane watched me intently, his blue eyes tender. “I had to have another surgery when I was a teenager. Alice stayed with me in the hospital because Dad didn’t know what to do,” I laughed sadly. “Anyway, to make a long story short and to avoid telling my brother-in-law details I’m not comfortable sharing about my anatomy, I was told that I most likely wouldn’t be able to have kids.” The realization shone in Cane’s eyes and he put his head in his hands briefly. He pulled his head up and his eyes back to me. “Fuck, Kari. I’m sorry. I had no idea.” “Of course you didn’t. How could you have? But here’s the thing—I got pregnant by a miracle a few years ago and I lost the baby.” Tears welled hot in my eyes and I didn’t even fight them. They spilled down my cheeks and onto the blanket. “There’s a good chance that if I did want to try having a baby, I couldn’t carry it. And feeling that pain of losing a child . . .” I hiccupped through the tears, trying to keep my voice down so I didn’t wake Jada. “I can’t do it again, Cane. I can’t. It’s the most painful thing in the entire world. It’s enough that I don’t even want to try.” I pressed my face into the blanket and tried to get control of myself. Cane sat next to me and pulled me into his chest. He rocked me back and forth and just held me. I cried enough tears to fill a hole, but not one as deep as the crater in my heart. Finally, I pulled away and wiped the hair stuck to my face out of my eyes. “I’m sorry,” I sniffled. “I’m just not used to talking about this.” “Why?” I shook my head. “I’ve never admitted this out loud to anyone except Max the other night—not even Jada. So please, don’t say anything. I’ll tell her, but not until later. Until she’s feeling better. It won’t do any good now, anyway.” “Why didn’t you tell anyone?” “I don’t want to sort through all of that, okay?” He released a breath. “I’m glad you told Max.” “Yeah, thanks to Sam. She somehow started dating my ex and brought him to dinner a couple of

nights ago.” Cane stood and walked back in front of the fireplace, his jaw working back and forth. “Do you think that’s a coincidence?” “How could it not be?” I asked, dumbfounded. “It’s Samantha. I put nothing past her. Where’s Max now?” “Home, I guess.” We watched the flames dance in the fireplace for a while. “If Jada told me she couldn’t have a baby, it wouldn’t matter to me.” I raised my eyebrows. “Really?” He shoved his hands in his pockets and turned to look at me. “I love your sister. And yeah, the fact that we are having a baby—a human half me and half her—is beyond unbelievable. But really it’s just icing on the cake. Because with or without a baby, it’s Jada that I want to spend my life with. I can’t live without her.” “I’m so glad you found each other.” “Yeah, me, too,” he laughed. “But the point is this, this . . . condition of yours, or whatever you want to call it, it isn’t a deal breaker. I see why you would feel like you are holding Max back. I get it. But looking at it from his perspective, it’s his call, Kari. And I know Max better than Max knows Max and he doesn’t give a shit.” “You think?” My breath caught in my throat at the tiny bit of hope creeping into my chest. “I know. I’m always right, you know,” he winked. “Sure you are.” I leaned back against the couch, mulling over Cane’s words. “You really think I’m not being selfish by being involved with him, knowing what you know now?” Cane gave me the smile that, if he could, he should patent. It was cocky and thoughtful, juvenile, yet wise beyond his years. It was just Cane. “It would be selfish for you to keep your love from him. He needs it, Kari. He needs you.” “I need him, too. That’s the problem. I need him so much that if he ever left me like Blaine . . .” “Whoa, back up. He left you when he found out you were pregnant? You’re joking right?” I shook my head, a little wary at Cane’s tone. “And he’s in the Valley?” “Stop it,” I warned him. He laughed angrily. “Who the fuck does that? Did he know about your medical issues?” “Yeah and that’s another problem with Max. He doesn’t get why I told Blaine and I didn’t tell him.” Cane turned and faced me, his face solemn. “So, why didn’t you?” I blew out a breath, trying to find the words to explain it. “It’s a lot easier to tell someone when they don’t want kids and you’re both kids yourself. The weight of ‘family’ and ‘children’ isn’t the same.” I played with the tassels on the edge of the blanket. “And I didn’t love him like I love Max,” I said softly. “Max is a man. He means so much to me. I didn’t want him looking at me like I was diseased or flawed or half the woman that other women are.”

“You’re serious right now?” “Of course I am.” He stroked his chin. “I guess I see your point. If I couldn’t have kids, I don’t know how that would feel, as a man. But I can tell you how it feels from this side of the coin—it doesn’t fucking matter.” “Maybe it does, maybe it doesn’t. But now that he knows the truth, I want to give him the chance to walk if he’s going to. If you’re wrong and this is a deal breaker for him, I want to give him the opportunity to walk away now before things get messier. That’s why I left tonight. We were having a disagreement anyway. It gives him a chance to walk scot free.” “He won’t walk. Mark my words.”

“CAN YOU WALK?” Sam asked me after opening the passenger side door. “Yeah,” I said, stumbling out of my truck. I fumbled for my keys in my pocket and handed them to her. “I’m sure you know which one since you came in here once already,” I slurred. “Oh, hush, Max.” She wrapped one arm around my waist and let me lean onto her. We stumbled to the door. I leaned against the doorway and nodded off while she unlocked it. She elbowed me in the ribs. “Wakey, wakey.” I pulled my eyelids up and stumbled through the doorway and headed straight for the couch. Sam flipped a light on, the brightness giving me a headache. I half lay, half fell onto the sofa. I heard a set of keys clamor onto a table and Sam’s heels click across the tile floor. I dozed off again, but woke up to her laugh. “What are we gonna do with ya, Maxie?” “What?” I shook my head and sat up, my stomach feeling the weight of the Crown. Why is Sam here? Where’s my Kari? My brain was a complete fog. Nothing made sense. “Where’s Kari?” I asked, trying to focus my eyesight enough to look around the room. She shrugged. “How would I know? How much Crown did you drink? Your tab was almost $150.” “Yeah,” I slurred. “I drank a lot.” I rubbed my eyes with my knuckles. “You smell like a bar,” she laughed. “Want me to help you up to bed?” I tried to shake my head, but I couldn’t tell if I actually did or if the room moved or if I was imagining it. I heard her sigh and then her heels click across the tile into the kitchen. I drifted off to sleep to the sound of her voice, my mind trying to tell me to remember something. But I couldn’t remember anything. Everything was so warm, so relaxed. I awoke to my boots being removed. “What ‘cha doin’? Why are you here?” I asked. “Pretty sure you shouldn’t be touchin’ me.” I tried to laugh but it was just a garbled chuckle. “Damn it, Max. You went and got yourself drunk and I came and got you. Remember? Now let’s get you comfortable before you totally pass out.”

“Where’s Kari?” “I don’t know. I told you that.” She stood up and put her hands on her hips. “I’m guessing you got into a fight about Blaine.” “Blaine . . .” I tried to make my brain work. Come on. Think! Blaine. What happened? I remembered Blaine’s face and Kari’s sad face. And then I remembered Kari telling me the things she told Blaine. I remembered her leaving the house and so did I. And the Crown. Kari left me. My stomach rolled, the Crown sloshing as panic started to set in. Of course she didn’t. I wouldn’t have let her. “Did Kari leave me?” I looked to Sam for answers. A sly smile crossed her face and it only added to the confusion in my brain. “Probably. I don’t think she really loves you. I mean, she loved Blaine enough to divulge her deepest, darkest secrets but you found out from him. What’s that say about her?” I felt the Crown inch its way up my esophagus. I tried to swallow it down, but the fire had worked too far up. I started gagging and Sam took a step backwards. I coughed and sputtered and finally got it under control. The effort it took wiped me out and I fell back on the couch with a thud. “Don’t say that,” I said, squeezing my eyes closed. I couldn’t hear it, couldn’t process what she said. Sam began undoing my boots again. I tried to hold my feet in the air to make it easier, but they felt like lead and fell back to the couch. “It just really makes me angry at her,” she went on, tossing one boot to the floor and starting on the second. “Why would she lead you on for so long if she didn’t love you?” “Stop,” I said, but it was barely audible. Sam either didn’t hear me or didn’t care. “And could she really think our family would look at her the same once we knew she had an abortion? That she—” “Stop, Sam.” My voice was louder now, laced with irritation through the slur. “She lost the baby.” She laughed. “I’m sure that’s what she told you. But that’s not what Blaine told me and that was before he even knew I knew her. He isn’t a liar.” “Doesn’t matter to me. Even if she did.” I imagined Kari’s face, the smile that lit up my world. The way her giggle made me feel like everything was right in the world. I couldn’t make sense of much. I fought to wake up and out of the self-induced fog, but it was too powerful. “Let’s get your shirt off,” she said. “Nah.” I felt her hands lightly brush the skin of my abdomen right above the top of my jeans. Her fingertips trailed across my waist, leaving goose bumps in their path. “What ‘cha doin,’ Sam?” “I’m taking care of you. I’m doing what Kari should be doing.” “I let her leave,” I said, my head spinning like a whirlpool.

“You should let her leave. She’s a phony. She’s just mind-fucking you. You need to see her for what she is.” “Shut up,” I warned her, trying to keep everything straight in my head. Her knuckles sat against my skin as her fingers grasped the hem of my t-shirt. She bent down, her lips by my ear, her breasts sitting on my chest. “Rise up,” she whispered, her words soft. I lifted up as high as I could, managing to smash our bodies together. Sam giggled and licked her lips. Her blues eyes peered into mine. “I can make you forget her,” she whispered, pulling my shirt over my head and tossing it somewhere. Her face came in and out of sight as the Crown finally caught up to me en masse. “You need to go,” I slurred, pointing haphazardly towards what I thought was the door. “Get outta here, now!” “Why do you always push me away?” She crossed her arms across her chest as I lay back again. “Better yet, why do I always let you manipulate me? You need me—I come to your rescue. You need me to stay on at work, even though I know that if Kari said the word, you’d get rid of me. Still, I stay and you just treat me like something you’ll toss aside when you’re done. Why do I let you do that to me?” “Sam. I don’t know what you’re talkin’ ‘bout . . .” She snorted and I felt her body rise off from the couch. “I’m sure you don’t. Just like you won’t know what I’m talking about when we discuss your inebriated state in the morning.” I heard a click and felt a flash of light. I opened one eye to see her aiming her cell at me. “What ya doin’?” I asked, wanting her to go the hell away. I was tired of talking to her. I was tired of trying to make sense of everything. I was just tired. So damn tired. She kissed me on the cheek. “Brielle is outside, so I’m gonna go. You going to be alright?” “Sam,” I slurred, trying to get out one thing that had been on my mind. The darkness was coming for me, but the harder I tried to speak, the harder it got. “Pictures. I think Blaine sent Kari pictures . . .” The darkness took over and everything went black.

“WHAT THE—” I woke up to a wet, slobbery face. I opened my eyes and they were looking right into Titus.’ He whined and ran in a circle and then barked. The noise level made my brain feel like it was being impaled by razor-sharp swords. “What the hell happened, boy?” I asked as I sat up as best as I could and tried to get my bearings. My stomach felt like a pit of acid; I could taste the alcohol from the night before. “How much did I drink?” Titus tilted his head and barked again. “Quiet down.” I scrubbed my hands down my face and tried to get my head together. Why am I on the couch? My shoes and socks were under the coffee table and my shirt folded neatly on top of it. What the fuck? Where’s Kari? I looked around the room and spotted a note on the table. I reached over and picked it up.

It all came crashing back to me like a tidal wave. Kari leaving, me not going after her but heading to Casaar ’s instead. The Crown. Sam being here. I stood up, hesitantly at first, and then realized I felt better than I expected. I pulled on my shirt and wadded up the note. I let Titus out into the back yard and found my phone on the table by the door and looked for messages from Kari. Nothing. Damn it! I went to the kitchen and downed a couple glasses of water, trying to get the fog out of my head. Everything slowly came back to me in detail. I scrolled through my contacts and dialed Cane. “Hello?” he asked. “Hey. Is Kari around? She went to your place last night, right?” The sound was muffled for a minute. “Yeah, but Jada said Kari got called into work.” “So she went to the hospital today?” “Yeah.” I heard a door open and close. Wind whipping across the speaker made it a little harder to hear. “Look, Max. Kari told me everything last night. She was a mess.”

I swallowed hard, guilt and uncertainty settling over me. I didn’t know how to fix this mess but I knew I had to get some resolution one way or the other. “Yeah.” “Well, I’m pretty sure I saved your ass. Just so you know.” “How do ya figure that?” “She’s worried that she’s being selfish by loving you and not being able to have kids. She thinks she’s cheating you outta life or something. So I explained to her that she’s wrong. That you love HER, not her ovaries.” I couldn’t help but laugh. “You’re right.” “I always am, my friend. I always am. But I think she believed me, which is the important part. So now you need to do your part and go to her. Reinforce what I said.” “The irony of you doling out relationship advice is not lost on me.” “I’m turning into the wise one. I always said you’d need me one day. Last night was your day. You’re welcome.” I felt my spirits lift a little. “So she didn’t leave because she still loves Blaine?” “I think she’d like to de-nut Blaine, if she could.” He snorted. “I’ve always liked Kari. But it’s you, my friend, she loves. She left last night because she loves you. Just like I think you let her leave because you love her.” I couldn’t help but laugh as his words rang through my head. “Oh, how roles change . . .” He laughed heartily into the phone. “Go get your girl. I’m running in to talk to my attorneys now.”

I refilled my coffee in the cafeteria. I needed the caffeine to keep me going. Thankfully, it was a slow day in the ER. I hadn’t slept much the night before, replaying everything in my mind. I hoped to heavens Cane was right, but I couldn’t go to Max and ask him. I needed him to come to me. It was the only way I’d know for sure that he was truly okay with everything. My phone buzzed as I reached my table and I grabbed it. “Hello?” “I’m surprised you answered.” I rolled my eyes. “I’m surprised you called me back, Blaine, after I told you to never call me anymore.” “I’ve never done what I was supposed to,” he said softly. “Let me make that up to you.” His words caused me to choke on the coffee I had just sipped. “Really? You think you can ever make it up to me that you left me while I was pregnant? You’re dumber than I thought.”

“We had something, Kari. I was young and dumb and I know I was wrong. But it’s weighed on my conscience ever since and . . . just give me the opportunity to make it right. I loved you and I know you loved me. Now, when I look at you, I see that girl I once knew. Let’s just see if there’s anything there.” I thought about what he said. I thought I had loved Blaine and I never thought I would get over that. I thought he had ruined me. My phone beeped with an incoming call and when I looked at the screen, Max’s handsome smile was looking at me. A rush of butterflies tore through my stomach and my heart swelled. “No, Blaine. Anything we might have ever had is in the past and I’m not sure what there was between us then. But I do know, without a doubt, that there’s nothing between us now. Everything I have belongs to someone else.” “Sam said you’ve been fighting.” “Sam can go to hell.” He chuckled. “Did you ever think maybe Max doesn’t want you now that he knows the truth?” My heart stilled in my chest, a sadness swooping over my soul. “Yeah, I have. And if that’s the case, so be it. But that doesn’t change my love for him.” “I heard he was out with a bombshell yesterday afternoon.” My hands shook. “Don’t call me again. I mean it. I want nothing to do with you.” I ended the call but somehow managed to answer an incoming one at the same time. I saw Max’s name and I froze. “Hello?” I asked nervously. “Kari,” he said, his voice rough. “How are you?” I forced a swallow. “Good. I’m good. How are you?” I heard his truck start, the roar of the engine rumbling through the phone. “Heading home.” I wonder where he’s been. “Oh,” was all I could manage. “Are you coming to our house after work?” “Do you want me to?” I heard him take a deep breath and blow it out slowly. “I have one question for you.” “Okay.” “Do you love me? And don’t just say yes because you don’t want to hurt my feelings. If nothing else mattered—no medical conditions or ex-boyfriends—would you want to be with me.” “Yes,” I said automatically. The line grew quiet and it made me nervous. “Max?” “I’m here,” he said, chuckling. “I’m just getting into some traffic now so I need to go. I’ll see you later, sweetheart.” “I’ll call you when I’m off and we can talk about it,” I replied, not sure what to say. He laughed. “Okay. See you soon.” I tossed my phone into my purse, my heart pounding in my ears. I was trying not to smile, trying

not to read too much hope into what he had said, but damn it if I didn’t want to jump up and down a little. I wanted Max, I ached for Max . . . I loved Max Quinn. People said love could conquer anything and I’d always laughed that off. But what if they were right? I made my way back upstairs to the nurse’s station, hoping that my shift would end quickly. I had been so lethargic during the first half of my shift, but now I had a spring in my step. I set my things down and turned to check a few charts. “How’s your day going? Pardon my bluntness, but you look like hell.” Dr. Manning walked beside me and grabbed a chart. His blue eyes looked as tired as mine felt. “I didn’t know you were back. How’s your mother?” He flipped through the paperwork. “She’s tenacious, I’ll say that for her.” “Better than not, right?” “I suppose. So what’s up with you?” I smiled nervously. “You know how it goes.” “Problems with the boyfriend, I’m assuming?” I nodded. “Guys mess up a lot. It’s our calling card.” “This one doesn’t mess up much. That’s the bad part.” He grinned. “How’s that bad?” “Because he’s so perfect and I’m so . . . not. I just keep thinking he’ll wake up one day and realize it, too.” “I’m going out on a limb here and saying that he thinks you’re pretty perfect. And I’m giving you my professional opinion that he’s right.” I couldn’t help the red that crept across my face, yet I rolled my eyes. “You’re full of shit.” “Probably. But I’m also right,” he smirked. “I know you like to control everything, keep everything in order. But what he thinks about you isn’t your decision. You can’t control that, Ms. Stanley.” “He’s just . . .” My voice trailed off as my eyes met a pair of green ones coming around the nurse’s station. His smile, so sweet and shy, made me melt into a little puddle on the floor. “What?” Dr. Manning asked. “Max,” I whispered. Dr. Manning turned around and saw Max standing at the counter. He looked to the doctor and then to me. I could tell he didn’t know what to think and the fact that he seemed jealous made me happy. “Did I catch you at a bad time?” Max asked, his voice full of caution. “No,” I said softly, ignoring the looks from the other nurses shuffling around. I was standing between two of the best looking guys I’d ever seen—it wasn’t a bad place to be. “You okay today?” “Yeah.” He looked from me back to the doctor again. “Max, this is Dr. Connor Manning. Dr. Manning, this is Max Quinn.”

Connor extended his hand to Max and they shook firmly. Connor had a coy smile on his face and Max looked apprehensive, his jaw tensing. “I was just telling Kari here that you can’t make decisions for people. You have to let everyone decide what’s best for them. Would you agree?” Connor asked him. A slow smile spread across Max’s face as he realized what Connor was getting at. “I do, actually.” Connor shot me a wink and started towards the hall. “Nice to meet you, Max.” “You, too, Dr. Manning. If you don’t mind me asking, have we met before?” He stopped in the hallway and turned around. “Unless you’ve been in here with a gunshot or pneumonia, probably not.” “Dr. Manning? There’s a Kellie Manning on the phone for you. She said she’s your mother,” Chanda said from the front of the station. “I need to grab that. Nice to meet you again.” I looked back to the beautiful, dark-haired man in front of me. His eyes were on me. As he realized I wasn’t going to throw him out of the station, his dimple popped. “I thought you were going home?” I asked with a huge smile. “I did.” He leaned against the counter, a slow smile spreading across his lips. “You’re my home.” I tried not to swoon in the middle of the hospital, but I couldn’t help the ridiculously huge grin on my face. “I brought you something,” Max said softly. He reached into the inner pocket of his black leather jacket and pulled out 4 little envelopes. He handed them to me. I turned them over in my hands. “You brought me flower seed packets?” I laughed. “I don’t get it.” “I was going to stop and buy you flowers to tell you I’m sorry. I should’ve come to you or at least called you last night. But in my defense, I needed to make sure you wanted to be with me. I needed to know that I wasn’t forcing you or pressuring you. But now I see I was wrong. I should’ve went to Cane’s and told you to make sure you were home in the morning. That I wanted you there because you belong with me. And my heart belongs to you. We both know it.” “So I was going to buy you flowers, but they die,” he went on. “In a week, two tops, they’re done. Forgotten. So I bought you seed packets. You can plant those at our house and then in the spring, we can watch them grow until it gets cold again.” He shrugged. “It’s my way of telling you that I expect you to still be in my life, at our house, this time next year.” “Oh, Max,” I said, rounding the corner and letting him envelop me in a hug. Everything about being in his arms, surrounded by his scent, his lips on the top of my head, was right. It was home. “I love ya, Kari. I woke up this morning without you beside me and I never want to do that again. It really hit me not having you there.” I squeezed him tighter. “I’m not letting you leave me. If you still love Blaine—” “I never loved Blaine,” I interrupted, looking into this eyes. “I thought I did, but then I fell in love

with you and I realized that what I felt for Blaine was nothing in comparison.” “So you’ll come home?” I bit my lip to keep from smiling. “I’m pretty sure I’m there right now.”

I SLUNG MY bag over my shoulder. “See ya later, Chandra.” “Night, Kari.” I brushed my fingers across the seed packets tucked safely in my pocket and smiled. My fingertips touched a stray piece of paper and I pulled out the packets curiously. Attached to the back of one of the packets was a sticky note.

I stroked my thumb across the words written in Max’s handwriting. I pressed the button for the elevator and was relieved when it opened quickly and was empty. I got in and pressed the P for the parking garage when I saw Dr. Manning walking towards me. “Can I ride with you?” he asked, entering the elevator. “Sure,” I smiled. “How was your shift?” “Not bad, not great. No fantastic stories to remember to tell the grandkids one day, but I’ll survive,” he winked. I laughed. “I should write a book about some of the stuff I’ve seen.” “I’ll be your co-author.” The elevator began its descent. “Was that your mother that called for you earlier? Is she okay?” Connor ’s face softened a bit. “Yes, it was. She’s okay, just had a question about her meds.” “She’s lucky to have you.”

He shrugged. “Well, I’m all she has, so she’s stuck with me either way.” “You’re an only child?” I asked as the door opened and we walked into the cool darkness. I hated walking through the parking garage at night. It was such a lonely place. “Yeah. Well, my mother has a son from a previous marriage, but I don’t know him. She married my dad and they had me but divorced when I was a teenager. She’s kind of a hard pill to swallow sometimes, pardon the pun.” “I’m sorry.” I stopped at the branch in the roadway, needing to take a right but knowing that he parked in the doctor ’s lot to the left. “I hope she gets better soon.” “Me, too.” He stuck his hands in his pockets and grinned. “So, you going home to Max?” I matched his smile. “Yeah.” “He seems like a decent guy. I think you should go work out whatever was going on. A girl like you deserves a man that will appreciate you and Max seems to understand that.” “Ah, doling out relationship advice along with medicinal instructions tonight, huh, Doc?” “I am a professional at everything I do.” I laughed. “Noted. Have a good night, Connor.” “You, too, Kari.”

The house was dark when I pulled up. I would’ve thought that Max wasn’t home except that his truck was in the driveway. I parked my car and walked up the front steps, knocking lightly before going on in. I felt weird knocking, since I technically lived there. But it seemed like the right thing to do. I tossed my bag beside the front door. The kitchen light in the back of the house was on and I bent down to pet Titus before making my way into the lit room. It looked like it did before I left the night before, except a mark on the far wall. “Max?” I called out. I walked cautiously through the house and up the stairs. I could see the bedroom light on beneath the door and I knocked timidly. “Max?” The door popped open. He took my breath away. His dark hair was unruly, his green eyes soft and glistening. He had a dark pair of denim jeans and a plain white t-shirt, his feet bare. When he saw me, he smiled and the dimple in his cheek shined. “What ‘cha knockin’ for, sweetheart?” He reached for my hand and guided me into the room, his eyes never leaving mine. All at once, he pulled me into him, wrapping his arms securely around my waist, pinning mine to my sides, and kissed me like his life depended on it. He rested his forehead

against mine and caught his breath. “I missed you,” I whispered. I sagged into him, my cheek resting against his heart. “The only thing I hate about any of it is that you didn’t tell me this stuff before. Not because it would’ve made a difference, but I hate it that you don’t trust me. To know that Blaine knew and I didn’t . . . it feels like you had something with him that we don’t.” I squeezed my eyes shut, knowing that I couldn’t put this conversation off any longer. “It wasn’t that I didn’t trust you. It’s not that at all.” “That’s how it felt.” “I know. It probably did. Does. Whatever. But it’s the opposite, really.” My throat was tightening, the warmth that came with tears and sadness creating waves inside me. Max kissed the top of my head and held my hand, pulling me gently to the bed. We climbed on and rested against the headboard. “I’ve told you before that I can’t be what you need if I don’t know what you need. And when I try to get close, you push me away. And then I see in black-and-white that you had no issues getting close to another man.” I snuggled into his side, trying to comfort him by letting him feel me close. “It was different with Blaine. He didn’t want kids, so he didn’t care—hell, he was happier knowing that I probably would never be able to have them, even if I wanted them. But you are the opposite. You were meant to be a father. Family is everything to you. So I figured telling you that would be writing my own exit.” He squeezed my shoulder. “Do you really think I’m that shallow?” “It’s not shallow to want a family.” “No, it isn’t. But to think I’d love you less because you have a health issue that you can’t control would be pretty damn shallow.” “It just felt wrong to love you and know that I would eventually put you in a position where you had to pick me or a future.” “You think that my future and you are separate things? You silly girl.” I smiled against his side. “Is that why you push me away all the time? You’re afraid you’re cornering me or something crazy?” I nodded sadly. “That’s exactly what it is. And then I meet your parents and hear them talk about grandkids and they look at us with such expectations,” I sighed. “They’ll hate me, Max. They’ll look at me and look at Isa and I’ll be the loser. I’ll be half the woman she is. I’ll be—” “My wife.” “What?” “You’ll be my wife. You’ll be the woman I chose to spend the rest of my life with because you make me happy.” He paused. “The only half of anything you are is half of me,” he whispered. Tears welled up and fell in one swift moment. “Oh, Max.” I rose up and planted one knee on either side of him, straddling his midsection. He winced in pain. “You alright?” “Take it easy on this side, sweetheart.”

I shifted my weight and curiously lifted the hem of his shirt. His eyes narrowed, his forehead marred in what seemed like fear. The shirt lifted to his neck and I saw a white gauze pad taped to the top of the tattoo that spanned his side. “What happened?” I looked at his face and he closed his eyes. A slow smile spread across his face, his dimple ever-present. “I got a little marked up on the way home.” “What do you mean?” I asked nervously. “Did you get hurt? Are you bleeding?” “Ah, just a bit. I’m okay.” “Did you put something on it? What happened?” He moved his head side to side. “I sat down in a chair and got stuck with something sharp. It’ll be okay.” “You might need a tetanus shot, Max. That’s nothing to play with. You don’t even know how many people come to the ER and have serious issues because their tetanus wasn’t up to date. Let me look at it.” “Be my guest.” I slowly peeled the gauze off and my hands dropped to my side, my eyes growing wide. “Max!”

I STARED AT the fresh ink staining his angry skin. A purple orchid was weaved through the top of the vine that anchored the side-long tattoo. I covered my mouth with my hand, unsure of what to say. I finally dragged my eyes from the design and to his eyes. He was watching me, as unsure as I was. “It’s so beautiful, Max. I just want to touch it.” He chuckled softly. “Please don’t.” “How did you get it to match mine so perfectly?” He shrugged. “That’s forever, you know.” “What’s your point?” He challenged me. “You put the orchid that means something to me on your vine. You can’t remove it. It’s permanent.” “And so are you.” “You didn’t have to do that to make your point,” I said softly. “Sweetheart, this vine on my side holds together little pieces of all the places and things that matter to me. My grandparent’s initials are in the bottom, an anchor for my dad. There’s a heart for my mom and a B for Brielle,” he said, working his finger up his side as he pointed out different things woven intricately into the vine. “There’s a star for what I’ll always think of as home back in Texas and a horseshoe for my grandparent’s ranch. And now,” he grinned, “there’s an orchid at the top of the vine for you. Because whether you love me or leave me, you will always be someone special to me. The lady that captured my heart.” “I think it was a fair exchange then because you’ve certainly captured mine, Mr. Quinn.” I saw a flash of his dimple before his lips covered mine softly. I took both sides of his face in my hands and guided him on top of me as I rolled onto my back. He kissed from my mouth to my ear, down my throat and back to my lips again. I ran my fingers through his hair, enjoying the feeling of his body, of the safety I felt with him. Of the love. A love I hadn’t felt before, a love I hadn’t allowed myself to feel before, lest my heart be left in

shambles. Max’s acceptance of me, his assurances, his knowing everything and still coming for me soothed my soul and replaced the walls around my heart with confidence of being loved. “I need you inside me,” I breathed against his ear as he nipped my bottom lip. I needed to feel him, to allow him every part of me. I wanted to cry in a weird way, the restraints I had always fought against now mostly gone. “Now, Max.” He made quick work of ridding himself of his clothes and I kicked out of my pants. He tugged my shirt over my head and I pressed my hands against the small of his back, urging him towards me. His eyebrows shot up and I shook my head no. A lazy grin graced his lips. “You sure?” he whispered, almost as if he was afraid to ask. For the first time, I let him see me, the real me, without the shield. Without the fear. Without the baggage and questions and concerns. “I’m sure. No condom,” I said softly. His eyes grew wide, his grin mirroring it, as he sank himself inside my body and began to move. “I love you,” I said softly. He grinned in response and I was sure he felt the connection on a level much deeper than a physical one, too. “I love you, sweetheart.”

The light of one of my coconut candles cast a dim light across the kitchen and adjoining family room. I lay on the couch, a glass of wine in one of Max’s red cups on the coffee table. Train played softly on my iPhone. I looked out the window at the dark sky, the silver stars brighter than normal. I smiled to myself as I listened to the lyrics. I had been out there looking for myself, trying to grow into someone that could deal with my fears and live my life in a way that kept me safe. Unhurt. Untouched. I remembered seeing Max for the first time. His sexy southern accent and knight in shining armor routine did me in. At dinner at Maisano’s, I knew I was in trouble. He was charming and kind and I had let him in a lot farther that very night than I ever expected to. Just to keep things straight, I went home with him and kept him up all night long. Then I left and didn’t call him back for over a week. Over the past year and a half, I had tried to find my place in the world and all along it was wrapped around me. Max was my place in the world. I’d never felt so accepted, flaws and all. I’d never felt so loved unconditionally, so sure that I could mess up and he would still be there. Because he was Max, the most loyal person I’d ever met.

“Hey, sweetheart. What ‘cha doing out here?” I jerked my head to the side to see my man standing in the doorway. He walked slowly towards me, illuminated by the dim light. His hair was rumpled and his green checkered pajama bottoms wrinkled and hanging loose off his hips. “I couldn’t sleep and I didn’t want to wake you up. So I’m just lying here looking at the stars.” “You alright?” His eyes searched mine, looking for some sort of indication that I regretted being there. “I’ve never been better.” I smiled at him and his shy grin melted me. The song switched on the playlist and the guitar strums for Marry Me by Train began to play. Max’s face softened as he gazed in my eyes and grabbed my hand. He tugged me gently, bringing me to my feet. He led me to the middle of the living room. As the singer hit the words of the chorus, Max wrapped his arms around my waist and pulled me towards him, my body lining up with his. I rested my hands on his shoulders, laying my head on his chest. We danced to the words, moving slowly back in forth across the room. My fingers played gently in his hair, the words soaking into my psyche. Max squeezed me tighter, his strong arms embracing me for all I was worth. The candlelight flickered, casting shadows on all four walls. I breathed him in, letting his scent dance through my senses, seducing, comforting, exciting me, calming me all at once. Will I ever be able to say I will? The final notes of the song played out and Max kissed the top of my head softly, letting his lips linger. Finally, I pulled back and looked up to him, his features strong, yet soft. The glimmer I always saw in his eyes was present, but for the first time, I saw it for what it was—love. The kind of love my father had for my mother, that Cane had for Jada. Max had that for me. And I had it for him. “Wanna marry me?” he asked, grinning. Instead of my usual immediate response, I stood on my tiptoes and kissed him on the cheek. “Just not tonight,” I whispered. His eyes widened a bit, understanding evident in them. “One day, sweetheart. One day.”

MY OFFICE DOOR opened and before I could even look up, a set of plans and specs were tossed on my desk with a resounding thud. I didn’t need to look up to know it was Cane, but I did anyway. I’d known Cane long enough to know that he was in overdrive. His shirt collar was popped up and I wasn’t sure if he knew what a razor was anymore. His eyes were wide, alert, and ready to tear into something. I knew this look well and I knew enough to keep him pacified. “This Trimble job—you started it already?” “Half way through it, Alexander.” Cane exhaled and grabbed the back of the seat in front of him. “Thank God someone knows what’s going on around here. I’m fucking scattered. I’m a nervous wreck.” “What’s going on?” “I’m having a baby.” Cane looked at me blankly, like I had no clue. I laughed. “I’m aware.” “And you asked what’s the matter? For fuck’s sake, Max! Jada is miserable. Still sick as hell. I don’t want her doing anything and she still tries to get up and fix dinner. I’ve had to have Penny come by and just clean stuff all day so there will be nothing for Jada to do. She’s gonna be the death of me, I swear it.” I knew Cane was being serious, but I couldn’t let the opportunity to mess with him go by. “Well, you know it isn’t going to get any better if you have a daughter, right?” Cane stood straight up, his back rigid. “You know what? Fuck you, Quinn. Fuck. You.” I laughed loudly as he shook his head. “Not even kidding, Max. It can’t be a girl. It can’t.” “Fifty bucks says it is.” “Hey, you’re going to be her godfather. So it’s on you, too, asshole.” “I feel sorry for her already.” “Why’s that?” “Between you and me? There’s no way that girl will ever date. Or see a boy. Or talk to a boy. Or know boys exist.” Cane’s face lit up. “That’s what I’m talking about! Want to go to the shooting range this afternoon? Sharpen up a little?”

“Kari’s taking Jada shopping today and I’m going to try to meet up with Brielle this afternoon.” “She need bail money or something?” Cane asked, one eyebrow cocked in the air. “Funny. No, I just want to talk to her.” I chewed on the top of an ink pen. “I need to get to the bottom of a few things with her. Mom said she was acting weird last night about Kari, so I’m going to call her to the carpet. I don’t know what else to do.” Cane smiled. “You meet her, talk to her. Because that’s what you do. You’re that guy.” “I’m starting to get over being ‘that guy,’” I groaned. “So, how’d it go with your attorney?” He hung his head before looking back up. “It went as good as it can when you are making an ironclad document to keep your mother out of your life.” I hated this for Cane. When I met him, she’d already been gone for almost ten years or so. He didn’t speak of her much and I didn’t find out the story about her leaving them until we were drunk one night in our late teens. I knew he said he hated her, and I was sure on some level he did, but Cane wasn’t the total hard-ass he liked to pretend to be. In the years I’d known him, one thing I’d learned was that his hard exterior was built to protect the good guy he was inside. Cane hated feeling exposed and probably because of his mom. It had really messed with who he was as a person. And now, all of a sudden she was back. “I’m sorry, man. I don’t know why she’d be doing this right now.” “Me either,” he said, shaking his head. “But if Kellie thinks she’s gonna get back in my life, she’s fucking nuts.”

“This!” I squealed. “Jada, she needs this!” Jada giggled. “I would agree if we knew it was a girl, but we don’t. And I don’t want to spend that much money on something frilly and pink if it’s a boy.” “Fine. I’ll buy it.” “And if it’s a boy?” “Then I exchange it. It’s not rocket science.” I sorted through the bins of baby goodies, most of which I couldn’t see the point of having. “What would you use this for? I mean come on,” I said, holding up a plastic basket-looking thing. Jada shrugged. “I have no idea.” My stomach was in a bit of a knot, knowing I needed to tell Jada what had been going on. If she found out that she was the only one that didn’t know—that even Cane knew—it was going to hurt her feelings more than any of the rest of it.

I tossed it back into the bin. “I think we have enough stuff for ten kids. Cane’s going to have to build you another house to fit it all.” “Nah, I’ll just pass it along to you when we’re done,” she winked. I took a deep breath and looked around the store. There were a couple of patrons on the other side, involved in their own conversation about car seats. “Hey, Jada. I want to talk to you about something.” “Okay,” she said, sorting through green baby blankets. “I’m just going to cut to the chase, alright?” She turned slowly towards me and nodded, her eyes suspicious. “Remember me telling you about a guy named Blaine awhile back? Anyway, we were going to get married and move to California. The day after we got our marriage license, I found out I was pregnant. I literally ran home from the doctor ’s office to tell him.” I felt a smile touch my lips, but I pressed forward, not allowing myself to pause and reflect on the memories. I just had to get this out there and be done with it. “I was ecstatic because it wasn’t supposed to happen. The doctors have told me I’m too full of scar tissue and I’ll probably never be able to carry a baby full term.” “What? I don’t understand?” Jada took a step back and looked me up and down. “What are you telling me, Kari?” “Blaine left me and I ended up having a miscarriage.” Jada flung herself at me, tears falling down her face. “Oh my God! How did you not tell me this?” “Stop it! You’re making a scene,” I half laughed. “You tell me this here, in the middle of a baby store? And you expect me not to cry? How did you not tell me this before now? I just . . . I don’t even know what to say to you.” “I’m telling you this now because it seems like everyone knows but you. I didn’t tell you then because you were busy dealing with Decker. I called you a couple of times to tell you but he was being a dick and you were crying and I didn’t want to add to your troubles.” “I wasn’t there for you. I’m so sorry, Kari.” Jada’s bottom lip trembled. “You’re gonna be sorry if you upset my little niece,” I winked, feeling my heartbeat settle into a natural rhythm. She sniffled and rubbed her belly. “Now let’s find baby Jane an “I Love My Aunt” bib. She’s gonna be here before we know it!” I turned towards the shelves, trying to get our attention focused on the present again. I said what needed to be said and I didn’t want to dwell on it. “Jane?” she laughed, coming up behind me. “Really?” “Yeah. Jada and Cane. Jane. I like it.” “Please don’t mention that to Cane. I have a feeling he’d like it, too.” We walked around the store, pretending to look at things. My mind was elsewhere and I could tell Jada’s was, too. Finally, she said, “Have you talked to Max about this?” I bit my lip. “I did. Not because I wanted to, but I had to.”

“There’s a story there. Go on.” “Samantha brought Blaine to dinner.” “She what!” Jada exclaimed, her mouth dropping to the floor. “Why would she do that? I might be pregnant but I’ll call Heather and Mandi and they’ll take care of business!” I snorted. “She didn’t know.” Jada stood with her hand on her hip. “What did Max say?” I thought back to the look on his face when he told me it didn’t matter. “He was a little angry.” Her eyes widened. “Max was angry? I can’t believe that.” “No, not angry about that. He was more hurt, I guess, that I didn’t tell him sooner. That I thought he would walk away from me if he knew.” She grinned. “That’s the Max I love.” “Me, too.”

I LISTENED TO the voice of Keith Whitley croon on the country music station that Fern was playing as she and I cleaned up dinner. It was smooth and easy, just as the evening had been with Max’s parents. Max had tried to have lunch with Brielle, but she was too busy to meet him. He was irritated about that, but his mother had called and asked us to come to dinner. Max and John grilled outside while his mother and I made the side dishes in the kitchen. She entertained me with stories of Max as a little boy, everything from his first home-run in baseball to getting bucked off a horse on his grandparent’s ranch when he was a teenager. She was undeniably proud of him and I welcomed the ease in which she shared her memories of the man we both loved. As the last bubble went down the drain, I dried my hands on a towel. “Thank you for dinner, Mrs. Quinn.” “Honey, it’s Fern. For heaven’s sake.” She stacked the containers with left-overs into two piles. “This one is for you and Max to take home. It can be your midnight snack.” “Thank you.” She took a breath. “I wanted to speak with you alone.” She wiped her hands on her apron and then undid the ties and tossed it on the counter. She looked at me, her face somber. “This may be entirely out of line and none of my concern, but by golly it’s keepin’ me up at night not to say something, so I’m gonna speak my piece and let the good Lord have it.” I swallowed past the lump in my throat. “Max told me about you not being able to have children.” She watched me for a second and took a breath. “He said you were nervous as to what I’d think. And before I go on, I just want you to know that the fact that you care what his mama has to say means the world to this old woman. Okay? It warms my heart.” She placed one hand over her chest. “Mrs. Quinn, Fern, I mean, I—” I rushed before she waved me off. “There’s a lot of things a mother wants for her child. Sure, children are one of them. Don’t think for a second I don’t want to be a grandma. But the one thing a mama wants more than anything is for her child to be happy. I always told my kids I didn’t care what they did with their life as long as they gave it to the good Lord and they were happy doin’ it. Max loved the janitor at his school when he was a little boy. Thought the man could fix anything and he wanted to be a janitor, too. I told him if that

made him happy to be the best janitor he could be.” I laughed nervously, not sure where this conversation was going. “What I’m gettin’ at, Kari, is that you put a smile on Max’s face. I see the way he looks at you and that’s the way John looks at me when he thinks I’m not lookin.’ My boy loves you and that, at the end of the day, is all I care about.” I widened my eyes to keep the tears from spilling over as she cleared her throat. “Now, don’t get me wrong,” she laughed, pointing her finger at me, “you hurt that son of mine and I’ll come at you with my rolling pin.” She closed the distance between us and, before I knew it, she pulled me against her. She patted my back in a motherly way I hadn’t remembered feeling and it touched me on some level I didn’t know could be reached. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Max and his father standing outside the glass door. The smile on Max’s face was the widest I’d ever seen. John reached over and grabbed Max’s shoulder, saying something only the two of them could hear. But the feelings exchanged between Max and me in that moment was something only the two of our souls could ever understand.

WE WENT OVER the numbers one final time. “I think we’re good,” I said to Cane, who was sitting across from me in the conference room. Plans and specs and historical cost sheets were spread from one end of the marble table to the other as we prepared the bid for the Trimble project. We had worked all week on it and Friday had finally rolled around. “We thought that the last time, too. Did we get Grady’s number yet?” “Not yet . . .” Cane’s voice trailed off as the conference room door swung open. Sam put her head through the crack and looked quickly away from Cane. “Can I get you anything?” she asked. “Hey, Sam,” Cane said, looking at me and then to her, “there’s a stack of invoices Norm needs filed in accounting. Can you swing by there and give him a hand?” I shot Cane a curious look but he didn’t look back to me. “Yeah. Sure.” She plastered a fake smile on for Cane, gave me an inquisitive glance, and then let the door close behind her. I held my hand in front of me, silently asking Cane what that was about; he shrugged me off and looked back at the plans. I wasn’t sure what his point was, although there definitely was one. “Excuse me,” Lucy’s voice rang out through the speakerphone. “I have Wade Grady on the phone with a bid.” “Speak of the devil. Send it through, Lucy,” Cane said, making a note on a yellow legal pad. The red light flashed and Cane pressed the speaker. “Hey, Wade.” “You ready for my number?” he asked through the speaker. “Yup. What are you coming in at?” Cane said, looking at me. “We’re at $60,560.00. I think I might be able to go a little lower, but it’ll depend on how another project we have wraps up before this one starts. If I can do you better when the time comes, I will. But that’s the lowest earthmoving number anyone will see today, I’ll guarantee that. My overhead is . . . let’s just say Jillian isn’t real happy about the markup on this one.” I wrote down his number and chuckled, betting he was right. “Fax us over something in writing, if you don’t mind. Just so we have it.” “I’ll get it sent over now. Cane, you want it sent to your house?”

“Please.” His jaw was firm as he looked at me. “Quick question—did you happen to figure out how Chalgon got the number on the Chandler project?” “No, and you know what? That’s one helluva mess right now. I don’t know how they got our number but we sure as shit didn’t send it to them. I’m not happy about doing that work for just anyone for that price either. You guys I know and respect and I have confidence there won’t be any games played with billing or anything like that. Every other contractor had a few grand added on as a protective measure.” “That’s strange. Maybe you’re assistant faxed the wrong paper out?” Cane theorized, but with his raised eyebrows, I knew he didn’t believe that. “She faxed them all out but yours. I sent it myself, so she didn’t have your number. Chalgon says it just showed up on their fax, so they went with it. Now I have to honor the sonofabitch just to keep good business.” Cane and I exchanged a look. “Alright, we gotta get this bid in. Thanks for the call, Wade. I’ll call you in the morning if we’re low bidder,” I said. “Good luck to you guys.” Cane pressed the button, ending the call. “Well, that’s interesting as fuck.” “Yeah, sure is. Hey, why have him fax the number to your house?” Cane smiled to himself as he rolled the plans up. “Just a little something I wanna see.”

The room was stuffy, even though it was large, and there were only four other bidders in it. We had deposited our sealed bid into the box at the front of the room and waited for them to be opened and read. Waiting on a bid to be opened was one of the most nerve-wracking things for a contractor. You’ve worked on this project for weeks, sometimes months, and the answer as to whether it was in vain or not was in a box and you had to wait to find out. Brian Lytrell, a man I hadn’t seen before, and Dan Collins took their seats in the chairs facing the red-haired lady at the front. Dan saw us and looked away, dipping his chin like he thought he could become invisible. I led Cane to a seat on the other side of the room, figuring it was a good idea to keep him away from Dan. Cane smirked, knowing what I was up to. “Let’s see how this goes,” Cane muttered, sticking his sunglasses in the front of his shirt.

“Thank you for coming,” the redhead announced, effectively hushing our conversation. She identified the project and went through the legal bullshit. Then she opened the box and pulled out the first envelope. “Lytrell Construction—$8,760,112.05.” She reached inside and pulled out the second envelope. “Gooseway Builders—$9,001,287.24.” Brian Lytrell sat a little taller. “Alexander Industries—$8,754,020.97.” Cane and I watched anxiously as the lady dipped her hand into the box a final time. “Chalgon Construction—$8,782,432.10.” Cane elbowed me in the ribs, a megawatt smile across his face, as Dan dipped his head lower at his defeat. Instantly, I felt the weight of the world lift off my shoulders. We won by a few thousand dollars. I blew out a breath and just appreciated not feeling like the pressure of the entire future of Alexander Industries was sitting on me. I tilted my head to the ceiling and filled my lungs with air. We did it. “It appears that Alexander Industries is our lowest bidder. Thank you all for coming.” Everyone stood to leave, Brian shaking our hands as he walked by. The guy we didn’t know followed him and Dan brought up the rear. He extended his hand to me, shook it firmly, and then shook Cane’s. “Congrats, guys,” he said a bit nervously. “This will be a good project for you all.” “Thanks,” Cane said, cocking his head to the side. “We’re excited about it.” “I saw your name on the Chandler project awhile back and I figured you’d get it. You’d have had it, too, if Grady didn’t send a crazy low number.” “How’d ya get that number?” I asked, furrowing my eyebrows. “Have any idea?” He shrugged his shoulders. “No, they said they didn’t send it but it sure as hell is on my desk. It’s been a fight to get them to honor it, though. Chalgon hadn’t worked with them before and I convinced them to go with it because I knew them from you guys.” He exhaled harshly and looked to the floor. “Look, I owe you both an apology,” he said. “I know I acted a little crazy when you let me go. I was under a lot of pressure at home and it obviously affected me in a bigger way than I realized. I would have fired me over that bid, too.” Cane looked at me out of the corner of his eye. “Answer me this—did you have anything to do with the asphalt out on the Mesa job? Did you call the City about the thickness? If you did, I just want to know.” “What are you talking about? Yeah, I bid that for you guys and I remember getting AmEx to do the asphalt part of it. But that’s all I know. What’s going on?” He looked between us, genuinely confused.

“Nothing. It’s fine,” Cane patted his shoulder. “Can you do me a favor though?” “Sure. I owe you, anyway.” “See if your company keeps their fax log. See if you can find the fax number that quote from Grady came from, okay?” He looked confused but said, “I’ll get back to you this afternoon.”

I tossed my phone on my desk and leaned back in my chair. I stretched my neck and just breathed. Finally things were starting to work themselves out. I had sent Kari a message, letting her know we won the bid and she had responded with a slew of sexy things she wanted to do to me to celebrate. I grabbed my work calendar and flipped through, seeing what we had coming up. I wanted to take Kari to Cane’s cabin in Payson to get away as soon as possible. Cane buzzed in and I hit the speakerphone. “Yeah?” “Pick up your receiver.” I lifted the phone to my chin, pressing it against my shoulder. I unrolled the sleeves of my dress shirt as I listened to Cane continue. “Dan just called. Chalgon doesn’t keep their fax records, so we won’t know who sent that quote. But you know what I’m thinking, right?” I exhaled roughly, tossing a pencil onto my desk. I knew exactly what he was thinking and the thought had crossed my mind, although I found it hard to believe. The fact that Grady’s number this time had been sent to his house and not our office and didn’t get sent out to our competitors didn’t hurt his case. I didn’t want to even consider it. But I knew damn good and well what Cane was thinking. “It can’t be,” I said. “Explain it to me then. You heard Grady and you heard Dan. Tell me how they got our number or tell me which one of them is a liar.” I took another deep breath. I saw Cane’s point and thinking Samantha would have faxed the number to Chalgon was the logical answer. It was the simplest choice . . . but one I just couldn’t imagine; I thought he was jumping to conclusions. It could’ve been anyone in our office. It could’ve been Norm or Lucy just as easily as it could’ve been Sam. Keep tellin’ yourself that. “Do you really think Sam would do that?” I asked warily.

“I do and I think she did.” “Cane, that’s a big accusation . . .” “And it’s not one I’d throw around for the hell of it either. But it makes sense and I just have this feeling . . .” I looked at the ceiling, the clock ticking on the wall making me feel like a bomb was getting ready to go off. It was an ominous sound. “It sure as hell kept her around longer,” he said. “She would’ve been let go a couple of weeks ago if we had gotten another job. Think about it, Quinn.” I knew, down deep, he was probably right and the fallout from it, if it were true, would be giant. But I just wanted to spend the next couple of days enjoying the feeling of not being drowned in work. “I’ll deal with it next week. I just need to relax for a couple of days. On that note, would you mind me taking Kari to your cabin this weekend? I really want to get away with her and relax, no interruptions.” “No problem. You still have a key?” “Yeah,” I said, looking up at the sound of my door opening and Sam walking in. “I appreciate it. I really want this weekend with Kari to be special.” He laughed. “You’re both family to me. Now you just need to be to each other.” No shit, Alexander. No shit.

THE FRONT DOOR opened way before I expected it to. I heard Titus fly down the stairs, yapping his head off at Max coming home from work. It was early for him to be home and although I was eager to see him, I was just a bit disappointed. I had plans to make the night sexy as sin to celebrate him winning the bid and us getting back on track, but he hadn’t given me enough time. I walked into the living room to see my man bent down, rolling his puppy on the floor. “Titus gets your love first, huh? Is that where I rate?” I joked, leaning against the wall. “Ah, sweetheart. Are you jealous of Titus?” he smirked. I stuck out my bottom lip. “I want you to pet me like that.” He growled as he stood up, crossing the room in three long strides. He lifted me up and I wrapped my legs around him as he captured my mouth with his. His tongue slid into my mouth, staking claim to it. I moaned a little, feeling my body respond to his instinctively. Far too soon, he broke the kiss and rested his forehead against mine. “I want to take you out of town for the weekend. Can you call off from work?” “Where do you wanna go?” I asked, nuzzling my nose against his. “Payson. Let’s go to Cane’s cabin—away from everyone and with bad cell coverage. I want all of your attention for a couple of days. I need it.” I sighed dreamily, the thought of spending a couple of days wrapped up in him sounded fabulous. “I can probably do that. I just have one shift and I think Chandra will pick it up. I can call and see.” He lowered me to my feet and swatted my behind. “Do it and let’s get outta Dodge.” I smiled brightly and gave Chandra a quick call. Besides having to work with Dr. Manning, she was more than happy to pick up an extra shift. She found it hard to be professional around him, she said, when she just wanted to throw him on a gurney and have her way with him. “Pack some stuff. Or pack nothing, if you want. I want you naked most of the weekend, anyway.” “Sounds like a plan to me,” I said, eyes widened for effect. I watched him move across the room to his office. “I’m glad you didn’t let me leave you,” I whispered, barely loud enough for him to hear. He turned to face me, a serious look on his face. “There was never a real chance I wouldn’t come for you. I think we both just needed a minute to get our brains wrapped around everything.” He started towards his office again before turning back to me. “Just to be real clear though, that’s the last time

you get to pretend to walk away from me. Got it?” I tried not to smile, but the effort was futile. “Got it.” I blew him a kiss and headed to the bedroom to pack my things for a weekend with Mr. Quinn.

“Hey, sweetheart,” I said cautiously, peeking my head around the side of the door. She was bent down in her closet, digging through her shoes. “I have to do a couple of things before we go. Is that alright?” “Sure,” she mumbled, rummaging around. “Can I help with anything?” I cleared my throat. “I need to gas up the truck and grab some road snacks. And, um, I need to run by and see Sam real quick.” Kari’s hand paused in the air. She didn’t turn to look at me, just paused before tossing the shoe. “Really? Why?” “I don’t know,” I mumbled, not happy about the interruption from Samantha. “She called and said it’s really important. She almost sounded like she’d been crying. Cane was throwing around accusations this afternoon and I’m wondering if maybe she heard him.” “What was Cane saying?” Kari bent up from her stoop, a pair of sneakers in hand. “He thinks Sam might have sent a fax to one of our competitors.” She walked slowly to her suitcase on the bed and sat down beside it, mulling over Cane’s theory. “What do you think?” I shrugged. “I don’t want to believe it. I see why Cane thinks it’s a possibility, but I don’t know.” “Cane’s usually right.” “You sound like him,” I laughed. “But I’ll just run by there and see what’s going on. She does help me a lot, but if she did overhear something and wants to quit, it’ll just make my life easier.” She nodded and chewed on her lip in thought before standing up and walking to me. She stood on her tiptoes and kissed me on the cheek. “Go do what you have to do and get home so we can go. I’m excited to get away with you.” I pulled her in close, nestling my nose in her hair and breathing her in. “Me, too, sweetheart. Me, too.”

I knocked on the door, remembering the first time I’d ever been there. Kari had stayed with me the first night we’d met and snuck out the next morning. She’d ignored my calls for nearly a week, just giving me a quick text here and there. I finally just showed up at her door. I smiled at the memory and knocked again. A few minutes passed and I checked my watch and knocked for the third time. If she doesn’t answer this time, I’m going home. The door opened slowly. Sam stood on the other side and smiled hesitantly. She had changed from work and was wearing a pair of black tights and a blue strapless shirt. She smelled all fruity and obnoxious. “Hey, Max,” she smiled, opening the door wider so I could walk in. I took a few steps in the house and looked around. She changed the way the living room was organized from when Kari had it. It looked more cluttered, things laying haphazardly everywhere. Dishes and shoes and papers were tossed on every surface; Kari’s OCD would’ve gone crazy and the thought made me chuckle. “You want a drink or something?” she asked, batting her eyelashes. “Nah, thanks though. I need to see what’s going on with you and then get back home. Like I told ya earlier, Kari and I are going to Payson.” She turned her back to me and walked into the kitchen, leaving me standing inside the door. Shrugging, I followed her a moment later. She was filling a glass with water at the refrigerator. “Sure you don’t want a drink?” “Nope. What did you need, Sam?” I eyed her curiously. She seemed pretty laid back and unrushed, not at all the near panic-stricken Sam I had heard on the phone. She grinned. “I’m good. I just, um, wanted to talk to you, that’s all.” My jaw began to twitch. She wanted to talk to me? We couldn’t have talked on the phone? Or at work an hour ago? “Okay. Something bothering you or what?” She watched me as she took a drink of her water, licking her lips slowly. “I just . . . can’t figure you out, that’s all.” I twisted my hat around backwards then shoved my hands in my pockets. Confused, I shot her a look. “You can’t figure what out?” “Let me ask you a question. Why are you going to Payson this weekend?” “To spend time with Kari.” She rolled her eyes and sat the glass down with a thud. “Don’t you think this is getting a little played out, Max?” “I’m sorry. What’s getting played out?” I watched her fight to keep a calm look on her face, but I

could see anger twisting its way out. “This thing with Kari, whatever it is. She’s manipulating you. She doesn’t love you. Blaine told me—” “Look,” I said, my voice thick with annoyance, “I don’t give a rat’s ass what Blaine told you or what you think.” Her jaw dropped wide open, her eyes wild. “Max! Why are you talking to me like that?” “I’m just a little bothered that you had me come over here and now ya don’t seem to want anything.” “So we can’t just, you know, hang out?” She shrugged her shoulders, like us “hanging out” was the most common thing in the world. “I . . . we . . .” I fought back a laugh. “No, we can’t just ‘hang out.’ When have we ever done that? What’s going on with you?” An eerie calm came over her as she leaned against the island, her arms crossing in front of her. “You’re making the biggest mistake of your life.” “Oh, really? Is that so?” I bit down, feeling my jaw tick. I didn’t know what was going on with her, but she was starting to cross a line. “Sam, I gotta go.” “You are. You’re making a huge mistake.” Her voice was flat, unemotional, but her blue eyes were blazing. “Don’t think I don’t know what you’re doing, because I do. I know what you’re up to. You and I . . .” Her voice trailed off, her eyes gazing into thin air as she lost herself in whatever memories she was reliving. She looked back to me again, this time visibly steeling herself. “We have this connection, we always have. I don’t know why you don’t see it. Or maybe you fight it, I don’t know. I’ve thought before it was because I was so close to your family or something. Whatever the reason, it doesn’t make it untrue. You and I are meant to be together. I won’t stand here and watch you ruin everything!” “Ruin everything? What in the hell is wrong with you, Samantha? We are friends, if that. You are a friend of Brielle and I’m trying to help you get your life together since I-” “Since you’re the reason it was fucked to begin with!” she shouted. “You are never there for me! You act like I’m a piece of trash, a kid from the wrong side of the tracks! It doesn’t matter what I do, it’s never good enough for you. I’m never good enough for you,” she said, her tone changing to anger. “Why, Max? Why am I only some little girl you pity?” I wiped a hand down my face, unsure as to how in the hell we got to this point. I never looked at Sam like that and I sure as shit didn’t lead her on to believe I did. What the hell? “Sam, I’m sorry if you think–” “You’re sorry? You’re sorry that you leave me every time I need you? Well thanks a lot, asshole.” Her insinuation started to piss me off. “I would give anything to take back what happened to you that night. I’ve bent over backwards ever since to make sure that nothing happened to you again. But I’ll be damned if you are going to somehow try to think you have some say in my life! It’s none of your business.”

“It is my business! I love you!” As soon as the words were out of her mouth, she realized her mistake. She covered her mouth with her hand and let out a small shriek. “Max, I . . .” Did she really just say that? She looked like she was going to get sick. Yeah, she just said that. “I had no idea.” I took off my hat, pretty much speechless. I didn’t want to hurt her feelings, but I wasn’t about to let her get between me and Kari, either. “Had I known, I would’ve done things differently. But I love Kari, Sam.” I turned to look at her, the sadness on her face making me nervous. I hated knowing I was the one that caused her pain. Again. I tried to change tactics. “You’re like my little sister. I just . . . I could never see you like that.” “You can. I know you can! Just give me a chance. Please!” She raced forward towards me, but I kept her at arm’s length. Her eyes were wide, pleading with me to listen to her. “Give me six weeks. You’ve never given me a chance to show you who I am, what I can be to you. I’m always there for you when you need me. Look at how much I’m helping at work! Look at who came and got you when Kari left you! Me! I deserve a fair shot, don’t I? It’s the least you can do for me and it won’t cost you anything, besides saving yourself from making a mistake.” She took a step forward and ran her hands down my chest. I wrapped my hands around her wrists and removed them from my body, wincing. “No, Sam. There’s nothing between us to give a chance. I’m sorry.” “Fuck you,” she seethed, her demeanor turning on a dime. “Everyone thinks you’re this gentleman, this amazing guy and really, all you care about is yourself!” “I hate that you think that, but it isn’t going to change anything.” I turned towards the door. “I’m leaving now.” “But . . .” I heard her behind me as I walked to the door. “Max! You can’t leave! This isn’t over!” I grabbed the handle and opened the door, turning to look at her briefly. “It’s over Sam.”

I WOKE UP lazily the next morning in a guest room at Cane’s cabin in Payson. We had arrived late, snuggled on the couch, and watched movies in front of the fireplace. I wasn’t even sure how I got into bed. Cane’s cabin wasn’t the “cabin” I had expected. I expected a mountain cabin with four walls and a bear skin on the wall, a wood-burning stove that you had to heat water up on. But it was anything but that. It was a beautiful, 2-story structure with three bedrooms. It had everything you could want but not a thing more and it was perfect. If I was Jada, even with Alexander House, I’d want to live here. The smell of the pine when you walked outside, the fresh air, the sound of the frogs in the pond out back— it was perfect. There was a large, wrap-around porch and I could imagine sitting out there with some of Max’s tea, watching a dog chase a ball or a lightening bug. I was more than a little surprised at how much I loved the place, being a city girl and all. Max had taken me to a late dinner at a little bar and grill downtown. It was a hole-in-the-wall and I never would’ve known it even existed if he hadn’t walked me through the wooden door. He said that he and Cane always ate there—it was tradition. We spent the night cuddling and talking and making love—just finding our mojo again. Just being away from everyone and everything was amazing; I hadn’t even realized how much I’d needed it. Max had gotten annoyed with his phone and turned it completely off, sticking it in the glove compartment of his truck. It had been going off over and over again and I knew it was really frustrating him. He wouldn’t say what it was, only that it didn’t matter and he wasn’t dealing with it. We lay on the couch, my cheek pressed into his chest, and watched the Discovery Channel. It always made me laugh when he watched shows like that. When I first met him, I saw total man candy. I still saw man candy, felt man candy as I ran my fingers down his chest, but I also saw something else. The intelligence. The spirit that wanted to make other people better. The man that wanted to figure out how everything worked. Max ran his fingers through the length of my hair and I closed my eyes and just enjoyed the feeling of him touching me. A part of me kept looking for something to worry about, something to

push him away about . . . but there was nothing. He knew my secrets and had come back to me when I had given him the chance to walk away. For once in my life, there was nothing to be scared of. Nothing to fight against. Nothing to worry about. The peace that settled over my soul was bliss. It was something I never thought I’d find, something I hadn’t even bothered to go looking for, really. “Wanna go fishin’?” Max asked out of nowhere. “Really?” I wasn’t sure I heard him right. Me? Fishing? “Yeah. Have you ever been?” I snorted. “Um, no. I’m a city girl. We don’t fish.” “Aw, hell. You have to fish, Kar. Come on.” He moved me off of him and onto my feet, standing up himself. “Meet me at the pond.” “You weren’t kidding?” “Sweetheart,” he said, amused, “fishin’ is no joking matter.” He headed to the garage, leaving me standing there, watching the door shut behind him. I had no idea what I was getting myself into. The closest to fishing I’d ever gotten was the little goldfish named Pepper I’d won at a fair before my mom died. It had jumped out of the bowl onto the kitchen floor and our dog had eaten it. Talk about traumatic. Now Max wanted me to stab a little worm in the gut and throw it out in a pond of water to be eaten alive? Maybe I’ll just watch. I slipped on my shoes and a hoodie and stepped outside. I stood on the deck, the view of the hills beyond Cane’s property was breathtaking. The air was still, cool, and absolutely quiet. You could smell the pine and a wood stove burning somewhere. It was everything Phoenix was not and while I never imagined I’d like the country, I really liked it here in the woods. I walked to the lake below, my sneakers pressing into the soft grass. I could hear frogs jumping into the water as I approached, crickets chirping my arrival. I gazed out across the water, reveling in the fact at being able to be present. My mind wasn’t wandering like usual, I didn’t have a sick feeling in my stomach. I felt whole. At peace. Right where I was supposed to be. I felt it for the first time ever. I turned at the sound of a tackle box jangling behind me. Max walked down the hill, the rip in the knee of his jeans and his tight blue shirt making me shiver. So gorgeous. His hat was on backwards and a pair of dirty rubber boots were on his feet. “Ready for this?” he asked, setting everything down. He attached a green spinning piece onto the end of one line and handed it to me. “Um, we’re using an ornament instead of a worm?” Max tossed his head back and laughed. “It’s called a lure and yes, we are. Go ahead and cast out.” I held the pole in my hand and just looked at him. “And I do that how?”

“For heaven’s sake,” he grumbled with a smile on his lips. He stood behind me and wrapped his arms around my waist, grabbing the pole. “We could just go back inside,” I said, half kidding. He ignored me. “You just draw it back like this, pull it forward and press this button,” he said, doing it for me. “That’s all there is to it. Now you wait for something to bite or you can reel it in and toss it out again. Up to you.” He left me standing there and got his own pole ready. His muscles rippled through his shirt, his skin peeking from under the hemline as he reached and bent. I sat down in the cool grass and watched the show. Max cast his line in the water a few yards away from mine. The moon began to peek through the clouds, the light making my man look even sexier. He cast his line out again, looking completely content. “I don’t think anything’s gonna bite,” I said, starting to reel mine in. “That’s not the point,” he said, laughing softly. “Getting a fish to bite isn’t the point? What am I missing?” “Fishing is an art. You can sit here forever and not get a bite. But unless you’re feeding your family on it, it doesn’t matter.” I looked at him like he was crazy. “Okay. So the point is to waste time?” “No, sweetheart. The point is to let the water and the air and the quiet take you away. Fishing is something you can do alone if you need to clear your head. You can do it with a buddy or your dad if you want to bond. It’s a tradition, I guess.” I reeled my line in and cast it out again. “So we’re bonding?” He smirked. “This is one of my favorite ways to bond.” “Huh. I’d have thought your favorite way to bond included more, you know, bonding. Contact. That kind of thing.” I let my gaze fall to the bulge in his jeans and looked back up again. “You better stop looking at me like that, sweetheart,” he warned. “Or what?” He chuckled and shook his head, reeling in his line a little faster. “Where’s the closest neighbor?” I asked with as much innocence as I could feign. “Mr. Hickman lives a few hundred yards that way,” he nodded his head. “And there’s nobody, really, that way.” I stood up and brought my line in and sat the pole down. Max watched me curiously, reeling his line in, too. He chewed his bottom lip, probably to keep from smiling, and placed his pole on the ground beside him. He sat down on the grass and leaned back, his hands behind him. “What ‘cha thinking, Ms. Stanley?” “Oh,” I said, pretending to consider his question as I walked over to him. “I’m thinking you’re right.” I drew the sweatshirt off over my head and tossed it beside Max’s pole. “We do need to bond.” I

unzipped my jeans, my eyes locking with his, as I slowly pushed my pants down my legs. I stepped out of my sneakers and my jeans and stood before him in my bra and panties. I gave myself a split second to panic, to realize I was standing practically naked in the middle of a backyard, neighbors or not, but it never came. All I could feel was Max’s adoring eyes. “Is that so?” he asked, not moving a muscle besides the corners of his mouth. “Mm hmm,” I replied, straddling his still fully-clothed body. I palmed the back of his head with one hand and drew his mouth to mine. He opened his mouth and allowed my tongue access and it took the opportunity. I melded our mouths together, licking and sucking his tongue gently, hearing him growl into my mouth. I pulled back, looked at him, and grinned. I could see his control wavering. “You ready to go inside?” “Not happening, sweetheart.” He moved me off to the side and I sat on my knees and watched him move. He slipped his jeans off his long, lean body, taking his boxers with them. He lay back on the grass, his erection long and hard. He stroked it with his hand. “Is this what you want?” Before he could react or give me direction, I bent forward and drew his dick into my mouth. I sucked the top, swirling my tongue around the head, and then took it as far down my throat as I could. Max growled louder this time as I passed my lips over the velvety length. I sucked the tip again, before licking the length, drawing my tongue slowly up each inch of him. He hissed in a breath and grabbed at the blades of grass on either side of him. Watching and hearing him react to me was such a turn-on. I took him in my mouth again, wrapping my hand around the base of his cock and squeezing it just a touch tighter than necessary. He bent his knees and lifted his pelvis and I knew he was craving contact. I stroked him base to tip, my mouth following it, my tongue never stopping. He dropped his hips quickly, pulling at my shoulders. “Stop, Kar. I’m gonna come if you don’t quit.” “I want you to,” I said, dipping my head again. “Not like that. Not tonight.” I turned to face him and saw the soft side of Max that was responsible for making me fall in love before I knew it. It was the look in his eye he had when he was trying to fix a problem I had. The look that reassured me that he wouldn’t hurt me. The look he had right before he fell asleep at night and his eyelids were all heavy and his heartbeat was rhythmic. He grabbed my arm and guided me over him. I bent down and kissed him tenderly while his thumbs found the hem of my lace panties. He slipped them over my hips and I wiggled my way out of them. Without thinking another thought, I let him guide me over his erection, one knee on each side of him, and felt every blessed inch work its way into my body. I pressed my hands on his shoulders and let myself get accustomed to his size. Max brushed a strand of hair out of my eyes and smiled. Something was different this time, some unspoken thing that made it seem almost like the first time, but in a less animalistic way. Maybe it was the air. Maybe it

was the fact that we were in the middle of a backyard. Maybe it was the moonlight. Whatever it was, it was welcome. I began working myself up and down, swiveling my hips at the bottom for the friction that I loved. I closed my eyes as we found our rhythm, his large, calloused hands finding my breasts. He squeezed them, the tenderness in such contrast to the hardness of his skin making my senses go into over drive. I picked up the pace, bouncing up and down. He worked his hips, meeting me stroke for orgasmic stroke. I tossed my head back towards the sky, the cool air making my nipples go hard. Max rolled one between his fingers, his other hand finding my clit. It was too much. “Max . . .” I warned, sucking in a breath, preparing myself for the sensory burst that was coming. He grabbed my hips and dug his fingers into my skin, his eyes squeezing shut. I felt the building of my orgasm coming fast and hard. The feeling of his cock hitting the back of my body, the roughness of his fingertips, and the coolness of the air all added up quickly. “Kari, if you don’t stop, it’s gonna be over for me,” he said through clenched teeth. “It’s okay,” I said through staggered breaths, letting myself fall over the edge. “Max!” I sat down hard, rolling my hips, his size preventing much movement, but every flicker sent yet another spike to my climax, another hit to my high. He squeezed his hands into my hips, his cock painting the walls of my body with its own orgasm. He groaned roughly, his voice as jagged as my own breath. As my body began to calm, the colors fading and my muscles calming, I laid forward onto his chest. He stroked my back and I nuzzled into him, his touch coupled with the temperature sending chills down my back. “We better get you inside,” he whispered, kissing my forehead. “I don’t wanna move,” I said, my voice devoid of energy. “I know, babe. But we can’t lay out here all night.” I listened to the wind whirl around the trees, the crickets singing their happy tune, and regardless of what Max said, I could’ve stayed out there all night. I could’ve stayed out there forever.

KARI CAME OUT of the bedroom wrapped up in a big green robe. The color of it made her eyes look like gemstones, all sparkly and clear. The trip to Payson had done exactly what I wanted it to—it made her relax. It cut through the shit that drove her crazy, it took away all the triggers that made her think for whatever reason that things would go south between us. It showed her that she and I were right together. While she took a long bubble bath to warm back up, I jumped in the shower in Cane’s bedroom. I dressed quickly in a pair of black athletic pants and a white t-shirt. Not what I had planned, but I was panicking a little. How am I gonna convince her when she says no? How am I gonna make her see that this is gonna happen? I had grabbed the two boxes out of my suitcase and tucked them behind the boxes of Fruity Pebbles Cane had in the pantry. I lit a couple of candles and sat them on the edge of the fireplace, along with some wine in my new 180 red plastic cups. I was standing at the fireplace, trying to convince myself not to blow my plan to smithereens. I tried to talk myself out of grabbing her and just getting to the point. She deserves more than that. Calm the fuck down. This will work out. Dear God, please let this work out. She took in the scene around her as she walked towards me, a grin on her face. Her hair was wet and brushed back off her face and she didn’t have a spec of makeup on. “You’re so damn beautiful,” I said, holding her face in my hands. I stroked her cheeks with my thumbs, the smoothness of her skin gliding beneath mine. “Have you looked in the mirror lately?” She stood on her tiptoes and kissed me sweetly on the lips. “I love it here. If I was Jada, I’d have Cane just move here.” She turned and sat on the sofa. I picked up a cup and handed it to her. “In a red cup. Why am I not surprised?” she giggled. “Cane doesn’t have any wine glasses up here. I wish it were in a real glass-” “No, you don’t,” she laughed. I shrugged and took a sip, the pink liquid tasting overly sweet. “How do you feel?” She leaned her head against the cushion, a look of contentment on her face. “I feel great. Relaxed.”

She raised her head and smiled at me. “Happy.” “Good.” I swallowed and left the room. I grabbed both boxes from the pantry. I stuck the small one in my pocket and carried the bigger of the two back into the living room. My heart was beating like a jackhammer, pounding like I’d never felt it pound before. I was usually so calm and collected, confident in my abilities. But this beautiful spitfire reduced me to a nervous mess. She was the only thing I wasn’t sure I could bend to my will. But she was the only thing I wanted to. She was the only thing I had to. “I have something for you,” I said, handing her the box. She turned the red foil-wrapped package over in her hands. A little larger than a deck of cards, she looked puzzled. “Why are you giving me a gift?” “Can’t I just give you a gift?” “Sure, but I wish I would’ve known. I would’ve gotten you something.” She smiled up at me, a pure, genuine smile. I ran my fingers across her lips. “This smile is enough.” She sat the box in her lap and shook her head before she opened it carefully. My nerves were picking up pace with every tear of the foil. Every piece of tape that was removed only made me inch that much closer to losing my shit. She tore away the final bit of paper and wadded it up and sat it on the table. She looked quizzically at me before opening the lid and lifting out the old-fashioned cassette tape inside. “Mix Tape 2015,” she read off the label. “You made me a mix tape?” she laughed in amazement. I tucked my chin down, a little embarrassed with myself. “I did. I put a bunch of songs I want you to listen to as you drive to work or go hiking so you’ll think of me.” “How did you do this? I didn’t know they even made these anymore!” “Lucy got overtime for that,” I laughed. “There’s actually a little memory stick inside the cassette. It just looks like that.” She touched her lips to mine. “I love this. It’s seriously the nicest thing anyone’s ever done for me. I can’t wait to listen to it.” A ball lodged in my throat, tightening fast. I anticipated it happening, but not so quickly. Unable to speak for a second, I nodded my head to the sound system. I cleared my throat, willing the knot to go away. “Put it in there. Press play.” Calm the fuck down, Quinn! She furrowed her eyebrows but slowly got up. She made her way to the system and put the tape in and pressed “play.” Train’s Marry Me came out of the speakers softly, the notes floating through the room. Her eyes widened as she seemed to put two and two together and sat back down next to me on the couch. I pulled her into my side, feeling her heart racing, matching mine beat for beat. The words of the song wrapped themselves around us, creating just the atmosphere I had hoped for.

As the band hit the last chorus, I nuzzled my nose into her hair and began singing softly. I could tell she didn’t know whether to take it for face value or to read into it, but I kept going, my voice getting stronger as her reaction stayed favorable. I breathed in the smell of coconuts, a scent that I traced back to Kari every time I smelled it. I felt her melt into me as the song ended instead of jumping up like I halfway expected. With more nerves that I’d ever felt, I eased away from her. I swiped the other box out of my back pocket, my entire world hanging in the balance. I got down on one knee and sat the box in her lap. Her eyes were wide, but she didn’t pull away. Her green depths danced with a myriad of emotions, but I was relieved that she didn’t seem fearful, just nervous. I cleared my throat, willing my voice to work, and put my hands on her knees. “Kari, I’ve asked you a million times to marry me and a million times you’ve said no. I’m hoping this time the little karaoke thing works for me again.” A nervous laugh escaped her lips and her hands shook as I took them in mine. “There’s nothing in this world I wouldn’t do for you, no scenario that I could imagine not being with you. I knew the first time I saw you that you were someone special.” She kissed me softly on the lips before pulling back, not saying a word. “But now I have a problem.” Her eyes darted across my face, her eyebrows furrowing. “I have this girl that I am so in love with and she won’t agree to marry me.” I grinned so she would know I was kidding and she reached up and touched my dimple, making me grin harder. “I racked my brain for a good reason for you to say no and I couldn’t find one. So I went to your daddy to see what he had to say and he gave me his blessing.” “You did?” she asked in disbelief. “I did. And he said I could marry you if you said yes and I promised him you would. Because I mean it this time, sweetheart. Not that I didn’t mean it before . . .” I felt the lump form again. “This time I won’t take no for an answer. I know you’re scared and you worry that—” I began, starting my spiel to sell myself to her when she cut me off. “Yes,” she breathed out. One simple word, three little letters, had my world halting on its axis. I was prepared to go fullout, explaining every which way why she should marry me and she said yes. She. Said. Yes. “Yes?” I asked, not wanting to put too much credence into it in case there was a “but” coming. There had to be. I was dealing with Kari Stanley, after all. “Yes.” She smiled at me again, wider this time. She shrugged like it was no big deal, like she’d just agreed to go to dinner with me. Well, hell’s bells. I couldn’t speak. I was afraid if I said something, she’d backtrack. Instead, I started opening the

box I sat on her lap. “You’re really going to marry me?” she asked, her voice just above a whisper. I could hear the hesitation in it, but not like I expected. She sounded surprised, like she couldn’t believe I wanted to marry her. I laughed loudly. “Sweetheart, if I could figure out a way to make it legal, I’d marry you right now. But yeah, I’m marrying you—you better believe it.” Her arms were around my neck before I knew what was happening, her lips on mine, her hands in my hair. She kissed me like I was her last breath, like her life depended on it. Maybe it did because my life sure as hell depended on her. She pulled back and let me slip the ring on her finger. She took a look at it, a 2 carat brilliant cut diamond set in both white and yellow golds. It had 32 small brilliant cut diamonds flanking the center one. “Max! Oh my God. This is gorgeous.” Her right hand flew to her mouth, her eyes filling with tears. “It was my grandmother ’s,” I said quietly, thinking how perfect it looked sitting on her finger. “When I told Mom I was going to propose, she offered it to me. If you don’t like it, I can always—” “I love it,” she whispered. “It is absolutely perfect. Your mother doesn’t mind?” I grinned. “Nah, she’s said to tell you to remember what she said and that’s enough.” Tears began to spill over her cheeks and she wrapped her arms around my neck again. I buried my face in her neck and picked her up, heading for the stairs. “I don’t think I actually got to say the words,” I mumbled in between kisses to her neck. “And I want to actually say them.” She nodded and I could feel her hold tighten. “Marry me?” I asked. “Yes,” she said. Finally.

PAYSON HAD BEEN the best weekend of my life. I called my father and Jada on the way back to the Valley and they were both ecstatic. Max called his mother and she demanded to talk to me. She welcomed me into the family, making me simultaneously uncomfortable and yet so amazingly content. He then called Pierce and Isa and Isa had insisted we start planning a party. The way the Quinn’s saw family was hard to wrap my brain around. They welcomed me with open arms, no questions asked. After our mother died when we were young, Jada and I only had our father—that was it. No grandparents. No aunts and uncles. No cousins. So this new way of looking at it was going to take getting used to, but I had a feeling I’d adjust quickly. It was nice being a part of something bigger than myself, of knowing these people cared about me and were excited to have me around. I never expected to feel so okay about something like that, but I did. Before I left for work on Monday, Jada stopped by the house. She wanted to see the ring and get every last crumb of a detail about the proposal. We sat in the living room while I relived the moment of Max starting to ask me and me cutting him off. Jada was aggravated that I didn’t let him get the question out. “But he had asked me a million times and I said no. I just needed him to cut to the chase and he was rambling,” I said matter-of-factly. “You ruined his moment! You should have at least let the poor guy ask!” Jada said. “He asked me again later. And made me repeat it over and over . . . or maybe that was just me saying ‘yes’ when I was getting off. Either way.” “Oh my gosh,” Jada said, shaking her head. “Do you have any decency?” “Nope,” I said, with a pop on the p. “So, anyway, I’m getting married now and you’re having a baby. Let’s talk baby shower.” She sat her water bottle down. “I don’t want to hurt your feelings or Heather ’s or Mandi’s, but I really don’t want one. I’ve talked to Cane about it. We have everything we could ever want and if I need something, I can go buy it. If you want to buy little things or something to celebrate, that’s fine, but I don’t want to register or anything like that. It feels . . . weird. I know what it feels like to go to those things and be on a budget and now . . .” She smiled almost sadly. “Now I have money. A lot of it.

And I don’t want anyone buying me these expensive things. If they want to send something, they can send it because they saw it and thought we’d like it, if that makes sense.” I loved her heart. Jada was sweet and considerate and this was exactly the kind of thing I expected out of her, although I was sad I wouldn’t get to throw her a shower. “I get it. I really do.” “You can even have them make a donation to a women’s shelter. What about the one Mom volunteered at?” “That’s a good idea,” I said, shaking my head. “I’ll put something together.” I took a drink of my water. “How are you feeling?” Her face lit up, making her glow brighter. She was the prettiest pregnant woman I’d ever seen. A part of me hated that I’d never get to see myself all swollen and blimpish, my ankles as big as elephants, like Jada was at the moment. Stop it. You have more than you could ever wish for. “I’m really good. I feel great now that the morning sickness has kind of stopped. But I’m ready to see my toes again. I complained about it last night and Cane volunteered to paint my toenails. I told him no way,” she giggled. “Yeah, let’s go get a pedicure and keep Cane out of it. That’s weird.” “Right?” she laughed. “Okay, I gotta go. I have a doctor ’s appointment this afternoon and you have to go to work, right?” I nodded and stood, pulling her hand and helping her get to her feet. “Just a few weeks left, sister.” “Just a few weeks left.”

“Today’s been one-of-a-kind,” Connor said, pouring himself a cup of coffee. “It sure has and I’m ready to go home. I’m just exhausted.” I dug through my pocket for some Tylenol. My entire body ached and I wanted to feel good when I got home to Max to celebrate. I opened the pocket of the lining and pulled out a sticky note.

I giggled and shoved it back inside, forgetting about the pain reliever. “Want some coffee?” Connor asked, stirring a red stick around in his cup. The corner of his mouth was upturned, making him look young and mischievous. He was incredibly handsome. I turned up my nose. “That stuff smells rancid.” He took a big gulp and smiled. “It’s fine by me.” “If you turn up in the ER, I’ll let them know what happened,” I laughed. I reached for a bottle of water and the light caught the diamond. “Ah, what’s this?” Connor asked, nodding to my hand. “Someone had an eventful weekend, it appears.” I blushed, feeling almost giddy. “I did. Max proposed.” He grinned back, watching me with interest. “I’m assuming you said yes.” “I did. I finally did.” “Finally?” “He’s been asking for months,” I laughed. “What changed your mind?” He took a sip of his coffee and waited patiently. He was a bit of an asshole, I’d seen that firsthand, but that was usually when someone wasn’t listening or was making a decision that was uninformed. Most times he was kind and he was very smart—we just got along. We clicked like we’d known each other forever. I couldn’t explain it. I twisted the cap off my bottle. “It was just time. Things just sort of fell in place. I think once you know, you know. Sounds stupid, but it’s true. Hey, how’s your mother?” He took a deep breath. “She’s alright, learning how to deal with her condition. I just got the results from her last exam yesterday and I expected it to look better than it does.” “I’m sorry. Anything I can do?” He took another drink. “Thank you. There’s really nothing we can do. I have her on the best treatment plan and I’m monitoring everything I can.” “Just do everything you can and let me know if I can help out somehow.” “I’ve been trying to make sure she has everything lined up—paperwork, insurances, things like that. I’m trying to get her to write a will and get her medical end-of-life care lined out. Not that she’s

dying today, but I’ve seen things change in a matter of days. I know you’ve seen that, too.” “Absolutely.” “I’m trying to get her to work out all her loose ends. You know, tie everything up that she has dangling out there.” “It’s just you though, right? I mean, you don’t have to consult with brothers or sisters or anything?” “Yeah. She does have another son somewhere. I thought she might want to try to find him. I mean, I think it would be a good thing for her to have some sort of closure. She never really talked about him at all. I found out he existed by finding a picture of him when I was younger. He was standing in the middle of a sand pile with a big yellow Tonka truck. I thought it might be me because he looked like me, but I didn’t have a truck like that. And of course I took the picture to my mom and told her I wanted to know where that truck was!” he laughed. “Then she explained that he was my brother but he lived with his father. And she just brushed me off if I ever brought it up again, so finally I just stopped.” “So she never saw him at all?” He shook his head. “I don’t think so. I really know nothing about any of it, but I think she should try to fix that part of her life. Then again, he might hate her. I don’t know. Hard to tell. I just hope she tries, for her sake.” I watched him sip his drink again, so in control, so thoughtful. “You know, a lot of people would discourage that meeting. He might come in and want your inheritance.” Connor laughed. “I have enough of my own. If he would need it that badly, then I’d split it with him. It’s just money.” “I really respect that.” “Life is all about the way you look at it. The same situation can look completely different if you change your perception. I can look at it and say, ‘Yeah, I want the money and my mom to myself’ and be greedy like that. Do what’s best for me. Or I can look at it from her perspective and say, ‘It might make a difference in her life to know what happened to her other kid.’ I just don’t want to be the reason that doesn’t happen.”

It had been a typical Monday with shit getting slung every which way, except the fact that I was dealing with it all with a legitimate fiancée at home. The grin hadn’t left my face since Kari agreed to marry me. We settled back in the house on

Sunday and spent the day just smiling at each other. I’m sure if anyone was looking in the windows, we looked dumb as shit. Part of me was afraid of talkin’ too much, that I’d say something that would change her mind. Not that I’d let her get away with changing it, because I wouldn’t. We hadn’t really talked much about actually getting married. I knew Jada brought it up to her, but I didn’t want to put too much on her in one weekend. The more I thought about it, though, the more I thought that we needed to get it done soon. I’d waited what felt like a lifetime already. Just as I was going to send Kari a text to that extent, Cane burst through my office door, unannounced. You’d think the bastard owned the place or something. “What do we have here?” He smirked as he waltzed into my office and made himself at home in the seat across from me. “Someone tryin’ to work. I know that’s a foreign concept to you, Alexander, but—” “Fuck you,” he said, then smiled brightly. “My buddy is getting married. It’s about damn time.” “You can say that again,” I muttered. Cane tossed his head back and laughed. “Do you have a date yet? Jada said Kari didn’t want to wait.” “Wait for what?” a voice said from the doorway. Cane turned his head and I looked up to see Sam standing there. She had a notepad pressed against her chest, her eyes darting between us. “Kari doesn’t want to wait for what?” she repeated. Cane looked at me out of the corner of his eye, the corner of his lip upturned. Oh, hell. “Kari doesn’t want to wait to get married,” he said with a smile. Sam’s eyes grew wider before she recovered her composure. “Well, I’m sure that as soon as she finds someone that wants to marry her, it’ll happen fast.” She took a couple of steps towards my desk before Cane’s words rooted her in place. “She did. Max and Kari are getting married.” You could almost taste the pleasure Cane got from telling her that. He leaned back in his chair, enjoying the show. Sam looked at me, her jaw dropping. “You what?” “Kari and I are gettin’ married, Sam.” I gauged her reaction. Her lips had a smile that didn’t quite touch her eyes. Her eyes twinkled, but not with anything that appeared to be good. Her eyes met mine and she studied me for a minute before standing straight and letting loose. “You’ve got to be kidding me!” she exclaimed, anger seeping through her words. Cane let out a laugh and I shot him a look that he pretended not to see. “No, not joking,” he said, his attention focused squarely on Sam. “Kari is so fucking excited and Max,” he winked at me before looking back at what appeared to be his opponent, “well, Max here has been waiting on this for a long time.” Sam appeared to be in shock, still taking in the little bit of news she apparently wasn’t expecting.

“I can’t believe this,” she muttered, turning to face me. “Is that why you ignored all of my calls this weekend? Is that why you sent me to voicemail every time I called you?” She narrowed her eyes, the shock wearing off. “After the first four voicemails, yeah—I got tired of listening to your bullshit,” I said, taking a deep breath. “What’s gotten into you?” “What’s gotten into me?” she all but shouted. “After everything I told you the other night and you walked away, like you always do, Blaine broke up with me.” Her voice quieted, tension simmering in the air at his name. “He broke up with me because he’s in love with Kari. Said he’d go to all lengths to get her back. Nothing would stop him.” “You’re so full of shit,” Cane laughed. She whirled around. “Me?” “Yes, you, little Samantha West. Full. Of. Shit.” She gasped in offense. “Sam,” I started, trying to wrap my brain around her actions, “I’m not worried about Blaine trying to take Kari away. We’re getting married soon. Relax.” “I’m not going to relax! What if he does something to me?” Cane stood quickly, taking us all by surprise. “Even if this vomit running from that mouth of yours is true, which I highly doubt, it isn’t about you. Blaine doesn’t want you—he’s not going to do anything to you. Stop being the fucking victim and stop trying to manipulate everyone.” “I’m not,” she breathed out, her bottom lip quivering. “I’m scared for all of us.” Cane and I exchanged a look and I stood, too. “Then you should get some distance between you and me and this whole situation.” Her eyebrows arched at my suggestion, definitely not what she was looking for. “I really can’t justify having you work here anymore, anyway. We were gonna talk about that this afternoon. I’ll have Hilah get your checks together and we can mail them or I’ll have them couriered to you.” “You’re firing me? Max, please. You need me . . .” “You’ve done a great job and I’ll give you a reference. But you’re gonna need to find another job, okay?” Running her hands down her dress and looking from Cane to me and back to Cane again, she looked like a little lost girl. It made me remember the moments of our childhood, a set of memories that would always include her. “No, it’s not okay! You are being ridiculous, thinking you can just run off with that bitch.” I took a step towards her, feeling more violent towards a lady than I cared to feel. I clenched my hands at my side, feeling Cane watch me, ready to step in. “Listen, Sam. I’ve tried to be nice and if I’m bein’ honest, that’s probably part of your problem. But enough’s enough. Get out. Now.” “Max—”

“Out, Sam. I’ve let this go on long enough. I don’t know what’s goin’ on in that head of yours, but it isn’t my problem. Get out of my office and get Kari’s name out of your mouth. Hear me?” “I can’t believe this. I can’t believe you.” Her gaze was heavy on my chest as her breathing got more harsh, her lips thinning out in a firm line. “You think you can walk all over me, ignore me, pretend like I’m no one to you—you’re wrong. Dead wrong.”

THE KITCHEN SMELLED of spices as the pasta sauce simmered away on the stovetop. Garlic bread was heating in the oven, wine poured into wine glasses, and a green salad in a new bowl I’d picked up at Target on the table. Titus was asleep on the couch, something Max wouldn’t be very happy about, but he’d get over it. The wind was whistling outside, the sky unusually bleak for Phoenix. The smell of the air, the feel of the cold air on the horizon always reminded me of my mother. I was young when she passed away, but I had a few clear memories, one of them being her at the stove, making the very same pasta sauce I had made. Her life was cut short, way too short. She loved Jada and me, always baking things and buying us pretty dresses and dolls. She was my class mom in Kindergarten and my friends loved her. She was so pretty, always in heels and with perfect hair, just like June Cleaver. One day it’d been raining. I remember sitting on a grey couch we had that overlooked the backyard. The water had gathered in the dips of the yard and I wanted to go jump in the puddles so bad, but I didn’t want to get all wet before dinner. I remembered my mom asking me, “Kare Bear, what’s wrong?” and I told her sadly what I had been thinking. She said to me, “You’re only going to have today once. Go play.” And I did. I jumped and splashed and danced and carried on . . . and it was probably the last day of pure joy I had. She died a few days after. “Kari?” I jumped at the sound of Max’s voice. I whirled around to see him standing at the doorway, his arms overhead and grabbing the doorframe. His shirt inched up, the bottom of his abs peeking out of his shirt. It was divine. “Hey, babe.” I smiled widely as the dimple in his cheek sank in. “How was work?” The dimple disappeared as quickly as it had arrived. “Ugh,” he growled, bending down and grabbing a box. With a scowl, he walked through the kitchen and tossed a box on the counter. “I fired Sam today.”

“You did what?” I gasped. “She’s losing her damn mind or something. I don’t know.” He ran his hands through his hair and looked like he didn’t want to continue, but knew he had to. “When I went by to check on her before we went to Payson . . . there was nothin’ wrong with her, Kar. She just blabbered on and on so I left. Then when we were up there, she kept calling and saying Blaine left her because he wanted you back.” A lump sprang up in my throat. I tried to process that as quickly as possible, but it was like getting hit over the head with a two-by-four. Not that I had any inclination to run to Blaine, but just those words were something I’d dreamed of hearing for so long. As the realization hit that I truly didn’t give one iota about those words now, a surge of happiness ran through me. I didn’t care what he wanted. I only cared about this dark-haired man in front of me. “So today she walks into my office. Cane and I were talking about us gettin’ engaged . . .” “Bet she loved that,” I muttered, turning my back to him so I could stir the sauce. He laughed. “Yeah, so much so that I fired her. I hate to admit this and I never would to him because God knows Cane’s ego doesn’t need boosted, but he might have been right about her all these years.” I sat the spoon down on a little pad and turned around in surprise. “You think?” “I do. Cane always said she played everyone; that’s why he hated her. I never really saw that, but I’m starting to see it now. She lets you see what she wants you to see, what she thinks will benefit her. And with me, she’s always played the damsel in distress because of, you know, what happened.” He looked down at the floor. “But you’re my number one now. She’s a big girl. She can take care of herself or stop putting herself into dumb situations.” “I love when you say that.” “What?” “I’m your number one.” He grinned. “And you’re my two. And three. And four . . .” I smiled as I went towards the fridge to get the cheese. I glanced in the box Max had sat on the counter and stopped. “What’s this?” I asked, lifting a bracelet out of the box. A chill tore through me. “Stuff Lucy found in Sam’s cubicle after she left. I’m gonna give it to Bri to give back to her.” I furrowed my brow, turning the bracelet over in my hand, the blue bead catching the light. “Max, this is mine.” “Are you sure?” he asked, his voice low and controlled. “Yeah. I’ve had this forever. Remember? I told you it was gone awhile back.” He tilted his head to the side, his jaw pulsing. “How would she have gotten it?” I shrugged. “I don’t know.” “Maybe you took it off at Mom’s and she thought it was Bri’s or something? I let out a breath, trying to shake the bad feeling I had. “Maybe. I hope.” I forced a swallow. “I know this was in my jewelry box. I know the last time I wore it.” He came around the counter and rubbed my shoulders. “I’ll ask Bri about it. Let’s hope to God

you both had one and this one is hers.” He circled his fingers, working the knots out of my neck. “Really, that has to be it. You lost it while you still lived there, so how could she have gotten it otherwise?” “I have no idea.” The only way that would’ve been possible was beyond creepy and I didn’t want to go there. Max is probably right—it’s probably Bri’s. Mine is probably somewhere else. “I was thinking today,” I said, trying to change the subject before my brain ran too far with possibilities. Between the sunglasses, the red lipstick, and now the bracelet, I felt sick. “Really? That’s good to know,” he joked, smacking my butt as he walked away. “Funny. I was going to say something I thought you’d like to hear, but I’ll just keep it to myself . . .” I opened the oven door and with a silicone mitt, I grabbed the pan and pulled the garlic bread out. I put it on top of the counter. As soon as I released the pan, Max’s hands were on my waist, causing me to jump. I hadn’t heard him come up behind me. His breath was hot against my ear. “What were you gonna say, sweetheart?” I shrugged like it was no big deal and he growled, causing goose bumps to spread across my skin like wildfire. “I listened to your mix tape today,” I said softly, enjoying the feeling of his hands digging into my hips. The nips and licks against my neck were making me lose track of my thoughts. “Did ya like it?” “Yeah,” I practically moaned, bending my head to the side to afford him more access. “What were your favorites?” he said, licking my neck and then blowing across my skin. The juxtaposition of hot and cold causing me to nearly combust. “I Just Want You by Cole Swindell. Your Body Is A Wonderland by John Mayer—that was nice,” I giggled as he laid kisses around my neck and to my jawline. “It made me think.” “About what?” “About marrying you.” His mouth stopped, his fingers digging in deeper on my hips. He stilled for a moment before saying, “You aren’t getting out of it.” I giggled and he flipped me around to face him. His face was stern, his eyes narrow, his jaw tensing. “I’m not laughing,” he warned, but it only made me giggle harder. “Kar . . .” “Relax,” I said, swatting at his chest, getting myself under control. “I was thinking that maybe we could just go get married. At the Justice of the Peace. I even called today and we just go down there and get our license and get it done.” Slowly, like he didn’t believe what he was hearing, a smile crept its way across his gorgeous face. “Are ya serious?” I nodded tentatively. “Why wait? I don’t want a big wedding and I have no desire to plan one, although Isa called again today and has a color scheme picked out!” I laughed. “I just wanna be Mrs.

Maxwell Quinn.” “Say that again,” he demanded, his eyes burning. “Mrs. Maxwell. Quinn.” He leaned his head back, closing his eyes. I reached up on my tip-toes and kissed his throat, the skin begging me to lick it. He bent his head down to face me again, his eyes soft, loving. “I’d marry you today but my mama isn’t gonna have that. She’s gonna demand it be in a church.” “Really?” I said, twisting my face in disgust. “Look,” he said, the wheels in his head turning a mile a minute. “I wanna do what you want, but it is important to me in a lot of ways to do right by my parents when it comes to this. If the church they attend will let us use their sanctuary comin’ up, will you be alright with doing it there?” My heart melted, not just because he looked more handsome that I’d ever seen him, but because he was a good man. The best man I’d ever known. “That works for me,” I whispered, resting my forehead against his. “I love you so much.” “Ah, sweetheart,” he said, “you have no damn idea.” He kissed me gently on the lips. I grabbed his hand and led him to the couch. He stood and faced me, an amused grin on his face. “Sit,” I commanded, pushing his shoulders until he fell back onto the couch. I reached down and took off his hat and tossed it next to him. “Shirt off.” He raised his eyebrows and hemline at the same time, baring his solid chest inch by delicious inch. “Now yours, darlin.’” I lifted my shirt over my head and tossed it at Max’s face. He swiped it off to the side. “Now your pants.” “Hey, I’m in control here,” I said, shooting him a stern look. “Your pants. Off.” He shrugged and undid his belt, lifting his hips. He popped the button and undid the zipper, kicking his jeans off onto the floor. Looking at me expectantly, he leaned back against the cushions and smiled at my realization that he was commando. “Nice,” I smiled as I pushed my pants and panties passed my hips and to the floor. Max’s gaze was hot, searing into my skin. He looked at my bra and then back up to my eyes, telling me without speaking to remove it. I obliged. “So damn beautiful,” he said, a hint of roughness to his tone. I stood before him, surprised at my lack of embarrassment. I was completely naked, my hair spilling across my shoulders, completely exposed, physically and emotionally, to the man sitting in front of me. “Come here, sweetheart.” He reached for me, his eyes soft. A shuddered breath racked through my chest as I contemplated what to do. For the first time, I didn’t feel the need to make the impending situation a mere sexual transaction. Even though with Max it had always been more, I still always felt such a need to keep a distance. To distance myself from the emotional connection that Max tried to parlay into the actions. But this time, his gaze heavy on me, his

eyes full of love, I was okay with it. I liked it. I needed it. I took his hand in mine and took a step towards him, climbing up on the couch and straddling him. I took his face in my hands, my fingertips running across the coarse stubble, and just appreciated what I had. “I love you,” he whispered. I kissed him softly, letting my lips and tongue tell him my reply. I reached beneath me and grabbed his cock, stroking it once, its thickness increasing in my hand. I positioned myself over it and slid smoothly down. Max growled into my mouth, nipping at my bottom lip. “Shit, Kar,” he moaned, gripping my ass with both hands. He rocked himself forcefully as I pressed down, his length buried deep inside me. I felt his body quiver, his eyes squeeze shut, as the same sensations I felt racked through him as well. His gaze locked onto mine as our bodies found a rhythm and he captured every part of me— mind, body, and soul. I was his in every way. “I love you,” I said, the words falling out of my mouth with such ease it surprised me. His eyes widened, a smirk dancing across his lips. “Say it again.” “I love you,” I whispered, my eyes batting closed as the impending explosion built. He leaned forward, his fingertips pressing hotly into my waist, and pressed kisses into my neck. Our bodies moved together in perfect harmony, nothing between us. Not a damn thing. My legs began to shake as I moved up and down against his cock, a shiver tearing through me. My core was boiling, my body craving the orgasm that was on the cusp of rocking my world. He groaned into my ear, a low, raw, sexy-as-hell sound that went straight to the apex of my thighs. I rocked hard against his length and watched as a million colors at once burst through my vision, nothing short of a fireworks display breaking across my eyes. The orgasm tore through me, knocking every sensory organ from my head to my toes off kilter. I tossed my head back and moaned his name, the only name I’d ever call out again. Max pressed my body down roughly onto him and I could feel him pulse inside me. He groaned as he found his release, the Adam’s apple in his neck bobbing. I watched him react to me, to him taking pleasure from my body, and it was almost orgasmic in itself. I pressed a kiss against his throat. His eyes flashed open and he grabbed my face, looking directly into my eyes. “I love you.” “I love you, too.”

COULD THIS DAY get any longer? I sat in traffic on the Loop the next day. A meeting went later than expected and then I had to deal with a few mistakes in Chandler. By the time I started home, rush hour hit and I spent the last hour literally inching along. I turned the music up, turned it down, surfed the net, and tried to zone out, but my mind kept coming back to Kari. I hadn’t had time to call my mom, so I picked up the phone and dialed her number as I sat on the freeway. “Hello?” “Hey, Mama,” I said, turning the air conditioner down. “How are you? I haven’t talked to you all week.” “I know. I’ve been really busy at work.” I heard her huff a breath, trying to intimidate me in her motherly way. “What does a woman have to do to get her son to wanna have lunch with her on a day besides Sunday?” I chuckled. “Well, it’s your lucky day. I need a favor and it might take us two lunches to get it worked out.” “Interesting. What do you need?” “Kari wants to get married quickly and I’m all for it. She suggested going to the courthouse—” “Maxwell Quinn! Don’t you even think about it! I don’t ask for much but you need to be married in the house of God—” “Mama, calm down,” I laughed. “Kari agreed to get married in your church if it’s available.” I heard her gasp. “She’s gonna let me help plan it? Oh, Max. Bless her heart.” “I don’t know what all she’s gonna let you do,” I said, tryin’ to not let her get too carried away. “I’m not sayin’ anything like that. But, ya know, she doesn’t have a lot of experience with this stuff.” “Don’t you worry. I’ll call Pastor Matthews this evening and see what we need to do. If Kari needs anything, have her call me. I’m more than happy to help and I’ll try not to be overbearin.’ But I know a good florist—” “Mama!” I laughed. “One thing at a time, okay?” “Okay. I’ll call ya this evenin.’”

I heard her start to hang up. “Mama?” “Yes, son.” “I love ya.” “I love ya, too.” I clicked the phone off just as traffic started to move. My engine roared to life and I got home a lot quicker than I thought. I pulled onto my street and as my house came into view, my foot hit the accelerator and my heart hit my boots. I tore up the street and slid my truck into the spot next to Sam’s car. What the hell is she doin’ here? I ran up the sidewalk and burst through the door. Sam was standing near the television and Kari was standing near the door to my office. I looked from one to the other, trying to get an indication of what was going on. Sam’s face was smug, her lips pressed together in satisfaction. Kari looked annoyed more than anything. “What is she doing here?” I asked Kari, ignoring Samantha. I moved across the room to my girl. My instincts hollered at me to get to Kari and protect her. Protect her from what? Kari shrugged. “She just got here.” She crossed her arms in front of her and looked at Sam. “What do you want?” “Now that you both are here,” she said, smiling wickedly at me, “I just thought we’d all get on the same page.” “What in the hell are you talkin’ about?” I asked, my patience for this woman ceasing to exist. “You’re outta your mind if you think there’s a page in the world that the three of us share.” She tossed her head back and laughed, the gold locket around her neck bouncing against her chest. “Oh, Maxie. You’re funny.” “Maxie?” Kari asked, looking at me completely unentertained. I was too irritated at Sam to respond. “Sam, I was going to say that unless something was wrong, you need to leave. But you know what —I don’t even really care if something is wrong at this point.” Her eyes flashed, the blue rolling like an angry storm. “You never do care if something is wrong with me, do you?” “I have always been there for you.” “Where were you when I was ass-up in the back of that car that night? When I was being raped while you drank the night away with Cane?” “Sam—” “Nope,” Kari said, stepping in between us. “I’ve heard about enough. Get the fuck out of my house.” “This isn’t your house, sweetie,” Sam fired back, challenging her.

Kari held up her hand. “See this? This is proof that this is my house. My man. This,” she said, sweeping her hand around the room, “is all mine because Max wants it to be all mine. You are not welcome here. Get out.” “I sure as hell was welcome when you weren’t around.” “What’s that supposed to mean?” Kari demanded. My stomach rolled, not sure where Sam was going with this, but knowing it wasn’t going to be good. “The night you left him. The night he found out that you didn’t care enough about him to tell him that you couldn’t have a baby. That you are so diseased—” “Samantha!” I thundered but Kari stopped me. “This is mine, Max,” she rumbled, casting me a quick look before stepping to Sam. “You don’t know anything about me. But I know everything I need to know about you and that includes the fact that you better get your ass out of my house before I assist you. Got it?” “You’re going to assist me out? What about the night I had to assist Max in?” Sam tossed me a look, her hands on her hips. When she moved, her purse slipped off her arms and the contents went flying around the tile. “What about that night, Maxie?” She spit the nickname out, glancing at Kari, making sure it pissed her off. She bent down and started picking up the items from her purse. “What about the night I had to go pick you up from the bar? I had to bring you home, put you to bed, undress you. That pic I took of you that night—damn, Max. You are a sexy drunk!” Kari looked at me over her shoulder, her eyes shooting daggers and welling with tears at the same time. I ran my hands through my hair, tugging on the roots, feeling the pain. Damn it! “Oh, didn’t he tell you? When you left him because you didn’t want him, he needed someone. Me. Not you. Me.” “Get the hell out of here.” I took a step forward, seething. “I’ve sworn I’d never hit a woman, but by God you’re making it hard.” “That’s what you said that night, too,” she laughed, looking evilly at Kari. “Out!” I roared, taking another long step towards her. She took a few steps backwards until her back was at the door. “Blaine wants you back, Kari. And when she takes him,” she said, looking at me, “I’ll be here for you. Like I always am.”

I REACHED FOR Kari but she stepped out of my reach. “Don’t touch me,” she spat. “Kar—” “Don’t you ‘Kar ’ me! She was here with you? Naked?” “No, sweetheart! Damn it! No!” She sank in the sofa, looking pale. “You better start talking.” “She’s sayin’ this stuff to get to you.” I pulled at my hair again. “And it’s obviously workin,’” I muttered under my breath. “How could it not work? This is something I should know!” “I couldn’t stay here that night! Do you know how empty this place feels when you aren’t here? I just drove and drove and wound up gettin’ wasted. Bri and Sam came to get me. Nothing. Happened.” I paced the room, trying to figure out what to do. A piece of paper lay by the end table and I picked it up. “I should’ve said something, I reckon. But the next morning I was hungover and just needed to get to you and I forgot all about it.” I bent down in front of her, tipping her face to mine. “Nothing happened. I was at the bar and she called, heard I was drunk, and she and Bri came and got me. They brought me home, Sam walked me in, but did not get me naked. I think I woke up with my shirt off, if I remember, but hell if I know if I took it off or her.” “Then how do you remember what happened otherwise?” she whispered, her eyes full of fear. Good question. I didn’t know how to explain that. How do I explain to her that she’s my entire world? That nothin,’ come hell or high water, would make me do anything to hurt her? “Because I wouldn’t do that, Crown or no Crown,” I said simply. “I remember I kept asking where you were before I passed out. Even drunk, you’re all I think about, apparently.” That got her to crack a smile. “So that little performance of hers was to start a fight. When I saw her the other day, she was telling me, ugh . . .” I didn’t want to go into detail, but it looked like I had to. “She was telling me that she and I should be together.” “I’m gonna kill her!” Kari said, her eyes going wild. “I’m gonna take her cowgirl boot off and shove it up her ass!”

“Don’t waste your energy. I only want you,” I whispered. I kissed her on the lips. At first she was unresponsive, but I licked and nibbled at her bottom lip and before long she gave in and kissed me back. Eventually she broke the connection and sat back. She studied my face and started to grab my hands, but felt the paper in them. “What’s this?” she asked, taking it from me. I shrugged, handing it over. She smoothed it out and started to read it, her hand flying to her mouth. “What is it, sweetheart?” I asked, trying to turn the piece so I could see what it said. Kari’s eyes went wide. “This is a letter I wrote to Blaine right after he left me! Where did you get this? How did it get here?” “It was on the floor.” Kari’s eyes scanned the room, but there was nothing else. I took the letter from her and read it, my chest burning. Blaine, I know you probably don’t care at all about what I’m going to say, but you’re going to read it. You deserve to understand what you’ve done to me. I just got back from the doctor. Dr. Yarby told me to come in today because I had some spotting this morning. She said it was probably nothing but I should be seen. I was so scared, Blaine. Not that you care because you left me as soon as you found out I was pregnant, not giving two thoughts to how I would feel. How I would raise a baby alone. What that would do to me. To our baby. I went in and she did an ultrasound and some blood work and I’ve lost the baby. I’ve lost the one thing I didn’t think I’d ever have. Being pregnant was the most surreal, amazing, blessed feeling in the entire world. It was everything I ever wanted. And it’s gone. It’s gone! It’s been taken away from me! Every morning I would wake up and tell him or her good morning. I would rub my stomach and wait to feel it kick or flutter or something. I would talk to it all day long, tell it what I was doing or that it shouldn’t make me puke. I would sing it little songs and tell it all the things we’d do together. I promised it that I wouldn’t stop it from knowing you, if you wanted to know it. I bought baby books and picked out nursery colors. I bought a plane ticket to go tell my sister and do crazy baby shopping. And then today—to have that all ripped from me. I can’t tell you what that feels like. I’ve lost everything. I’ve lost you, I’ve lost my child—I don’t even know what there is to live for! I’ve thought so many times about just driving my car off into one of the canals and letting myself go. Just end it all. Because what do I have left? I HAVE NOTHING. My heart is broken so badly I don’t think it’ll ever be fixed. The doctor said that she wasn’t completely surprised by the miscarriage and that I shouldn’t get my hopes up of ever having a baby again. She didn’t even see that it was necessary to use birth control pills.

I’ll never know that feeling again. I’ll never feel the tickle of something growing inside me. I’ll never feel the morning sickness that is awful but I was so thankful for. I’ll never feel the mother’s worry that something I’m eating could hurt my baby. My womb, my heart, my arms will always be empty. And there’s nothing I can do about it. And there’s no one I can cry to, no one to hold me. I’m sitting in this empty house all alone because you freaked out and left me to deal with this alone! How could you do this to me? My heart broke for her. I looked up to see her watching me. “Don’t say anything. That letter was a long time ago.” She watched me quietly before slowly grinning. “I thought I would never be okay. But you made me okay.” “I just . . .” I couldn’t wrap my head around everything that had just transpired. I was enraged at Sam but destroyed at reading these words from Kari. She shook her head. “Don’t. That’s not what’s important right now. There’s no way that just ended up on the floor here. This was in my box in the bedroom, Max.” I watched her eyes fill with unshed tears as I tried to put the pieces together. Suddenly, it hit me like a ton of bricks. “Sam’s purse spilled.” “Oh my God!” Her eyes went wide, her jaw slack. “I was right. She’s been through my stuff!” She shook her head, her brown hair moving side-to-side. “That day for the spec book? She was in our room that day . . .” “Kari-—” I started to object, but she waved me off. “I think she was coming in my house way before that. I think she was the one coming in the back door! The red lipstick, the sunglasses, my missing bracelet that I know I put in my room! She’s been going through my shit for months! I thought it the other day, but even I thought it was crazy! Not anymore.” I felt absolutely sick and furious at the same time. I jumped to my feet and paced a circle around the room. “If that’s true, she would’ve known about Blaine and me before . . .” I knew exactly what she was getting at. An eerie calm settled over me and I knew I was gonna need to try to keep ahold of that. Things were about to explode and, if they did in the way I imagined, it would be ugly. “So when did she know?” I asked, trying to keep my voice even. Kari nodded again, more exaggeratedly. “Yes. When did she know? Did she know before she brought Blaine to dinner?” “If she had that letter and knew what happened to you and then brought Blaine to dinner . . .” I couldn’t even finish my sentence, my throat squeezing shut with fury. “Damn it, Kari. I’ll destroy her.” “My God,” she whispered, the look on her face hitting me in the stomach. “I think she did. I think she did this on purpose.”

I grabbed my keys out of the bowl by the door and turned the knob. Enough was enough. “Max! Where are you going?” An angry laugh escaped my throat. “I’m going to try not to kill her.” “Don’t go after her. Don’t do it. It’s exactly what she wants you to do.” “No, she wants me to get mad at you! I’m going to put her in her place.” I turned to the door again, anger surging through me, when Kari’s voice stopped me. “She’s going to see this as you running after her. Don’t go.” I bounced my head against the door, my body shaking with fury. “What do you want me to do? Just let her skip away?” Kari came up behind me and wrapped her arms around my stomach. “I don’t know. Just please . . . don’t leave me right now.” I knew what she was doing. She knew if she said that, I couldn’t leave. “I’m going to talk to Brielle and have her get Sam to move out,” I rumbled, wrapping my hands around Kari’s wrists at my navel. “I don’t know what in the hell is going on with her. I hate to say it, but maybe Cane’s right and she really is crazy.”

KNOCK, KNOCK! I pounded on the door to Brielle’s apartment. Knock, knock! I had left her a message, but Bri didn’t call or message me back. Knock, knock! I heard the jangle of the chain to the deadbolt. “Who is it?” my sister asked. “Your brother.” The door popped open and Bri stood in the doorway. “And what do I owe this pleasure? I thought you forgot where I lived.” “We need to talk,” I said, walking passed her and into the apartment. The living room was tidy and decorated in reds and golds, the same color scheme our mom had always favored. Books were scattered over her coffee table and a notepad and pencil on top. “I’m kind of in the middle of something,” she said, sitting on the cream sofa and tucking her legs under her. “My job is sending me to school for ‘advanced education.’ I’m not a fan of studying, as you well know, but they’re paying for it.” I crossed my arms. “I need your help.” “I know what happened,” she said, raising her eyebrows. “You and Kari really had Sam going crazy.” “We had her going crazy?” I laughed in disbelief. “It didn’t take any pressing to get her there, I’ll assure you.” Bri’s eyes went wide. “Listen to yourself! You don’t even care that she came here crying her eyes out? Do you not have a heart?” “What’s that supposed to mean?” “It means that the Max I know never would’ve let her drive away so upset! She could’ve been in an accident and that’s not to mention the fact y’all were so mean! She was just trying to help and you went off—” “What?” I bit out, not sure what the hell I was hearing. “What the hell did she say to you?”

“That she went to your house to warn you guys about Blaine. She thinks he’s dangerous or something, that he wants Kari back and will stop at nothing to get her.” I couldn’t help but laugh. “Well, that’s not what happened. What really happened, little sister, is that your friend came over and tried to imply that I messed around with her. That I wanted her and not Kari. She threw it up in Kari’s face that she came to get me that night I was drunk.” “Well, she did,” Bri said, crossing her arms across her chest. “She’s not lying.” “She is lying!” I roared. “You both came to get me—that much is true. But I didn’t want her or call her or mess around with her by any means.” I sat down, shaking with fury. “I have no interest in Sam like that, Bri. None. Not a bit. And she’s trying to make it seem like I do.” She tilted her head, considering what I said. “Sam thinks that you do.” “I don’t give a shit what she thinks!” I growled. “I’m engaged to Kari because I asked her to marry me. If I wanted someone else, do you think I’d get engaged? No one pressured me to do that.” “Sam said Kari gave you an ultimatum . . .” “What? That’s the craziest thing I’ve heard yet! I’ve asked her a million times and she finally said yes.” My breath was coming in jagged waves. Bri nodded, chewing her bottom lip. “So, I’m going out on a limb here and saying that you didn’t do anything with her the night we picked you up?” “No!” “I know Sam took a picture of you that night. I didn’t see it because, well, that’s gross. But she said she took one of you as a souvenir or something. So I assumed . . .” Things were finally starting to make sense. “You assumed wrong. When you assume something—” “It makes an ‘ass’ out of ‘u’ and ‘me.’ I know,” she said, finishing my sentence of one of our dad’s sayings. “This is just really crazy. Sam’s made it out to seem like you didn’t really want to be with Kari, that you and her had something going on. It just . . .” A dark look crossed her face. “It makes me second guess everything she’s ever said.” I rested my elbows on my knees, watching Bri work through something in her head. She put her feet on the floor and looked uncomfortable. Her eyes looked around the room, at anything but me, for a long time. Finally, her gaze landed on my face. “Sam has always been something of a white liar. Just white little lies here and there, you know? Dumb stuff. But lately, I’ve been catching her in other stuff. None of it really mattered and I haven’t called her out on things, but I’ve noticed she’s been more . . . brazen.” She took a deep breath before going on. “I haven’t called her out on anything because she gets so emotional. She cries and gets so depressed and it’s just easier to let her go than to deal with it. But I’ve noticed it.” We watched each other for a few minutes, neither of us saying anything, both of us knowing that the rest of the conversation could change the way we’d always interacted. Finally, I took a deep breath and asked, “Why don’t you like Kari?”

Her head shook a little as she grabbed the glass in front of her and took a sip. “Sam always made it seem like she was manipulating you. That you really wanted to be with her and that Kari was just botching everything.” She shrugged. “I’ve always thought it would be awesome for you two to be together and Sam’s always acted like you two had this . . . thing. So Kari was the enemy, I guess.” “She’s not the enemy, Bri. Don’t you get that? She’s my fucking life!” Bri blanched as the words, more crass and louder than my usual tone, bounced off the walls. Her face flushed. “I see that now. I feel bad, Max. I just . . . I don’t know. I’ve known Sam forever and she’d always said the same thing. I never thought to question it, but I do feel stupid right now.” “You should. And you owe Kari an apology.” She nodded, biting her bottom lip like she did when she was a little girl and in trouble. “Do you have a silver bracelet with a little heart? It has a little blue thing that dangles from it?” I asked. “What? No. All of my jewelry is gold . . . what little I do have,” she said. “Why?” Motherfucker! “Kari had a bracelet go missing a long time ago. Well before Sam moved in there. It just showed up in Sam’s shit yesterday at work after she left.” “And?” Brielle prompted, not getting it. “And I think she was going into Kari’s house. I know it sounds crazy, Bri, but Kari’s door kept blowing open awhile back. That bracelet went missing around that time and Sam had it. How else you gonna explain it?” “Holy shit,” she said, wide-eyed. Her face went white and she looked sick. “I need to tell you something, Max. And I’m not really sure about it one way or the other, but I think you need to know.” “Well, go on,” I prompted Brielle when she failed to continue. She just looked at me for a long time. Her mouth would start to open and then close again. I cocked an eyebrow, getting the feeling that whatever she finally said was going to rock me. She got up and paced the room nervously. “Look, before I go into this, I want you to know I never really believed it. But after all this stuff, I do. Or I might. If it’s true . . .” “What?” She took a deep breath. “When we called you that night and you ignored us—” “Bri, I love ya but I don’t want to rehash that again, alright? I’ve lived with knowing that you were mauled and Sam was raped because of me for years and I-” She shook her head. “No. Listen to me,” her eyes were pleading. “When Sam called you that night, she wanted to convince you to come see her. You had come home from college the weekend before and stayed at Mom’s. Sam said you guys stayed up late one night talking and she really believed that you liked her.” “I don’t remember that.” “Who the hell knows if it’s even true? But that night, she wanted to get you to come back to the house. She thought you were this close to . . . I don’t know. Saying you loved her? It’s all just dumb at

this point. Anyway, you told her no and she was in disbelief. She said you were at a party and you told her that you weren’t coming home to see her or anyone.” “That part is true.” Brielle nodded. “Anyway, she went outside for a while after she hung up with you. I thought she was going to go cry or something because she’d never let me see her cry. I knew she did about her parents and all kinds of stuff, but I never actually saw it. Anyway, she came back in a little later and her demeanor had changed. She said it was fine and she wanted to go for a drive. So we went.” I watched Brielle walk around the room, telling this story, lost in her own memories. It was like she was narrating a book or something, not necessarily to me, but aloud to herself. “We drove for a while and ended up in Apache Junction. Sam was pretty quiet during the drive, not singing to the radio and stuff like we normally did. We just drove around and eventually she pulled off the road and said she heard something wrong with the car. Like a flat tire or something.” She turned to look at me then, her eyes narrowed. “Now, keep in mind that we were in the middle of nowhere. There was no way I was getting out to look at it.” “Sam gets out and gets back in and says we have a flat tire. Neither of us knew what to do, so Sam calls you.” I buried my head in my hands again. “And I didn’t answer.” “So she tries again and gets angry. She was really mad that you didn’t answer. She just kept saying how you were out having fun and we were stranded. Dad was in San Diego for work—remember how fast he got back? Anyway, we didn’t know who to call. We sat there for a minute and Sam kept trying you.” “And I kept ignoring her.” Brielle nodded. “Finally she just kind of cooled way down. Got really calm. She got back out of the car and made some calls. I heard her talking but I don’t know what she said. I wasn’t getting eaten by a coyote.” “Why didn’t you call Mom?” I asked. “Because I wasn’t supposed to be gone! And if I got caught, she was going to ground me for a year or something.” “You idiot,” I groaned. “If you would just have kept your ass at home, this would all be different!” “Screw you, Max Quinn! Listen to what I’m going to tell you!” I sat back on the couch and waited impatiently for her to go on. “So she gets back in with a little smirk and said she got someone to come and fix the tire. She said it was a guy she knew through her family and that he would be coming shortly. We waited awhile, like a long while, and I started to try to remember how far back the nearest gas station or house was that we passed. It was getting cold and I was over it. About the time I was getting my courage up just to walk or call Mom, a car pulled up and Sam got out.” I sat up, the rise in Brielle’s voice getting my attention. I knew where this was going and I didn’t want to hear the details. “I can’t hear the play by play of what happened.”

“I’m not going where you think I’m going. Just hang on. So, Sam gets out and talks to these guys. Two of them come to my side and they kind of ignore me for a bit. They’re talking over the roof of the car to the other guy and Sam. And then, just like that, Sam is gone. I turned in my seat to see what’s going on and my door gets flung open. They grabbed my arm and pulled me out of the car and forced me against the side of the car.” “Bri-” “Wait, Max. So they do what they do to me,” she said, gulping, “and I can hear a lot of pounding in the car the guys pulled up in. I was really too worried about what was going on with me to figure out what was happening to Sam, but I remember seeing the guy . . . basically raping her.” She blew out a breath. “I’m terrified, trying to fight these guys off and they are just taunting me. They start to get really aggressive you know, the taunts turning into explicit threats, when the guy in the car with Sam gets out. Sam gets out the other side—I see the door open but can’t really see her— and the guy looks over his shoulder. That’s when I see the headlights coming down the road. The guys jump in their car and take off before the other car reaches us.” “I basically know all this,” I said, frustrated and angry and sick to my stomach. “But what you don’t know is this—a few months after that happened, a girl I knew from school asked me about Sam. She asked if she had gotten back together with “Joe.” I didn’t know who Joe was. She said it was a guy that Sam had been messing with off and on, a kid Sam had met at a party with her. Joe Dumas. I said I’d never seen him or heard of him so she describes him and it’s an uncanny description of the guy that raped her. Mind you, I never got an exact description of the guy, but it was close enough to make me think.” My mouth went dry, my mind going into overdrive. “What are you telling me?” “I’m telling you I don’t think Sam was raped at all. I think she called that guy to come out there and I think she fucked him.” I wanted to warn her to watch her language, but I couldn’t open my mouth. “I think it was a game to get you to feel sorry for her. Because you’d think you let her down and you did feel that way. Or maybe it was her way to get attention. I’m not sure.” “Why didn’t you tell me this before now?” I shouted, standing up, my thoughts scattered through decades of time. I was livid. I was sick. I was shocked as hell. But I believed her. That was the sickest, most shocking part of it all. Brielle was probably right. “Because I didn’t think she was really capable of it!” she shouted back. “Sam was my friend, Max. I didn’t want to think she would really do that. I mean, for heaven’s sake, I had a bruised rib and a slice on my head! Those guys assaulted me and who knows what would have happened if that truck hadn’t come down the road! If Sam planned that out, then she did that to me. Don’t you get it?” I balled my fists, wanting to rip into something. “So what? You just let it go? You don’t say anything at all? Damn it, Brielle.” “No! I did! I did ask her about it. She said that was crazy and that she was raped. She went crazy,

Max, sobbing. Shaking. She asked how I could think that and if I knew what it felt like to be raped. I felt so sorry for her that I never brought it up again. But after all of this with Kari . . .” Brielle looked at me. “I’m sorry, Max. I should’ve said something to you sooner. But who wants to think that someone would do something like that?” “I’m going to find her.” “No, you’re not. It’s a bad idea. Just, I don’t know.” She blew out a breath. “I just feel so stupid. It’s no secret I don’t really like Kari, but now I wonder if everything I heard from Sam wasn’t a lie. Wasn’t some twisted mess.” I grabbed my Saints hat off the floor and stuck it on my head. “I’m going to get to the bottom of all of this, I promise you. If you’re right, she let you be assaulted, Brielle. Forget even what she did to Kari—she let some guy rough you up! Fuck her!” I turned to leave. “Stay away from that crazy bitch from now on. Hear me?” I asked as I walked out the door, not waiting on an answer. I jumped in my truck and backed down the driveway, dialing a number. “Hey, Nick, it’s Max Quinn,” I said, calling the private detective Cane used. “Can you run a quick check on a Joe Dumas for me? I’d really appreciate it.”

“My shift is over, but Chandra will be taking my spot. If you need anything, you just press the button, okay?” I smiled at the old lady in the hospital bed. We were just waiting for a bed to open up for her on the floor and she’d be transferred out of the ER. She was sweet, such a kind smile. I hoped that she would have family come and sit with her soon. I hated when people were alone and this poor little thing had been alone all day. She patted my hand and nodded and I left the room. I headed to the nurse’s station and gathered my things to leave. I was meeting Isa for a late lunch and was looking forward to it. She wanted to see my ring and help me plan the wedding. Apparently Isa had already talked to Fern and expected some grand affair; I was going to disappoint them both. “You done for the day?” Connor asked, leaning against the doorway with a chart in his hand. “I am. Having lunch with a friend this afternoon to talk all things wedding.” I couldn’t help but smile at the thought. “Are you going to be one of those Bridezillas?” I bit out a laugh. “Uh, no. I’ve had enough crazies for a while.” “What’s that look about?” he asked, watching me intently. “Max has . . . I don’t know. A stalker? A friend of his family that I think is kind of obsessed with

him. The one I was telling you about before.” “Be careful with that. I’ve had my fair share of those. Women can be crazy.” He widened his eyes, making me laugh. “What? When you look like me, Kari, it comes with the territory.” “Oh my gosh,” I laughed harder. “That’s rich.” He shrugged and winked at me. “On a serious note, is everything okay? Stalkers can be dangerous.” “This one is certifiable, but I think it’s under control.” I tossed my bag over my shoulder. “So, how was your weekend?” He rolled his eyes, heaving out a sigh. I could see that he hadn’t rested much and that he was weighed down by something. When he first started at the hospital, he was young and fresh. He just seemed so much more worn down. “I spent most of it here. The part that wasn’t spent here was consumed by dealing with my mother. She heeded my advice and tried to contact her other son, but apparently he doesn’t want anything to do with her. She’s devastated and is now blaming me.” “Oh, Connor. I’m sorry. You were just trying to do the right thing.” “A good deed never goes unpunished. Isn’t that what they say?” I nodded. “It is. But maybe he’ll come around. It had to be a shock to him to hear from her out of the blue.” “I’m sure. And I can’t blame him if he doesn’t want to rekindle some relationship with her. But now she’s heartbroken and I feel like shit.” I squeezed his shoulder. “Don’t. You did what you thought was best.” “Yeah.” He gave me a sad smile. “Go. Go have lunch and plan your wedding to the man that is lucky enough to call you his fiancée.” Blushing, I said, “Thanks, Connor. But I’m the lucky one.” “I think you’re both lucky. Make sure you remember how lucky you are to have each other. Protect each other. It’s a bad world out there.” I nodded and flipped him a final smile before making my way out to my car. My phone rang just as I was turning on the engine. “Hello?” I said, turning the radio down. “Hey, Kari. This is Brielle.” What the hell? “Hey, Bri,” I said warily. She’d never called me before and it made me uneasy. “Is something wrong?” “Oh, no,” she said in a rush. “Nothing’s wrong at all. I just, uh, I wanted to . . .” Her voice trailed off. “I’m sorry, Kari, for not treating you as well as I should. I’ve been a child and I’m embarrassed about how I’ve acted.” I didn’t know what to say, my mouth going dry. “Oh. Uh, Bri, that’s okay—” “No, it’s not. I’m way too old to be acting like that and you’ve never been anything but nice to me.

I’m sorry. You’re going to be a part of our family and I just want to . . . I don’t know. Start all over with you?” I buckled my belt, both because I was getting ready to pull onto the road and because the conversation was making me a little unsteady. “Yeah, Bri. I’d like that.” “Me, too. If you need anything with the wedding or whatever, let me know.” She quieted on the other end, the pause a touch awkward. “I’m really glad my brother has you, Kari. Welcome to the family.”

“HEY, MAX. IT’S Nick.” I was making my way through the city to a meeting when he returned my call about an hour after I asked him to look up Joe Dumas. If Bri was right and Sam had staged the whole thing, I didn’t know what I was going to do. Was there anything I could do? “Thanks for getting back to me so quickly,” I said. “No problem. So, Joe Dumas has a pretty interesting record. He’s been arrested a number of times for B&E, theft, things like that. He’s currently in Maricopa County jail for grand theft auto.” “But nothing in terms of assault or rape?” He paused and I heard pages being moved around. “No, nothing like that. He’s more of the petty gangster type, it seems. Nothing violent.” “Okay.” “Anything you need me to do?” “Nah, I just wondered what his background was, what kind of guy he is. But I think you’ve answered it. Just send a bill to Alexander Industries to my attention.” He laughed. “This one is on the house, Max. How are things? How’s Cane?” “Cane is Cane. Expecting a baby, so that should be fun.” “Cane as a father . . . Well, I can see that, actually. He comes across as this hardass, but he’s a good man. I know him enough to see through that bullshit he projects.” I couldn’t help but smile at just how right Nick was. “You got him pegged.” “I have to run to a meeting, but if you need anything, just call me.” “I’m pulling up to a meeting myself, but thanks a lot, Nick.” I turned off the phone and pulled into a parking spot and cut the engine. Blaine was standing near the marina at Tempe Town Lake, his hands tucked into his pockets. He seemed nervous, which was just how I wanted him. I didn’t need him in some pissing match with me; I needed to know how he met Samantha West. I got out of the truck and made my way towards him. The wind was whipping pretty hard and I saw him wince as the cool air swept by him. He finally saw me coming and put his hands to his sides,

trying to look more imposing. Good luck, asshole. “Hey,” I called out, the sound of my voice making birds take flight around the water ’s edge; Blaine nodded in response. “I’m gonna cut right to the chase.” “Sounds good,” he said, his eyes narrowing. “How did you meet Sam?” He bit out a laugh. “That’s what you called me for? To see how I met Sam?” “I’m just curious. Did you see her somewhere? Did you meet online? Did you get hooked up by friends?” “Not that it’s any of your concern, but we met at a bar. I was in there with a client and she came up to me. Same place, same time.” She came up to me . . . “Did she ever say anything to you about knowing Kari?” He looked at me like I was crazy. “How would she know that I knew Kari? Yeah, we got into a conversation a few times about our pasts and things, that’s how I know you two have a history . . .” “What are you talking about?” He smiled cockily, tilting his head to the side. “That you two had this thing going on. She said she had a fuck buddy but he was embarrassed about it, coming from a good family and all. I didn’t care because that’s all I wanted her for, too.” “That’s asinine,” I said firmly. “Sam is nothing to me but my little sister ’s friend. But that doesn’t matter. What matters is that she didn’t know that you knew Kari?” He shook his head. “I don’t know how she could’ve. I think we were all a little shocked at the restaurant.” “All of us but Samantha,” I exhaled. “She found a letter that Kari wrote you a long time ago but never sent. I’m pretty sure she set you up.” His reaction wasn’t what I expected. He started chuckling, shuffling his feet backwards a couple of steps, his eyes looking me up and down. I knew he was gauging me, trying to see how far he could push me. Judge carefully . . . “Good,” he grinned. “Seeing Kari again was an answered prayer. I shouldn’t have walked away from her like I did and I’ve never been able to really get over that. But now I know where she is and what happened—I can try to make things right.” “Things are right. We are getting married in a couple of weeks.” He blanched. “You’re marrying her? What about Sam?” “What about her?” I laughed angrily. “She said you and her—” “She’s a crazy bitch.” He stood taller, eyeing me. “Kari just came back into my life. Don’t expect me to just ignore her.”

“Oh, I’m expecting you to ignore her, alright. I’m expecting you to pretend like she doesn’t exist.” I took another step forward, causing him to step back. “That girl means the world to me and if you or your girlfriend or fuck buddy or whatever you want to call Samantha mess with her, I’ll end you. Got it?” “I don’t ‘got’ anything,” he challenged me, eyes blazing. I smiled through the anger. “I’d be more than happy to help you understand.” I peered down at him. I could feel the vein in my temple pulsing, rage tearing through me. Try me, you sonofabitch. I took another step towards him before he laughed nervously and headed towards the parking lot. I watched him walk away, get in his car, and drive off into the afternoon traffic.

“And that’s how I met Pierce,” Isa laughed, setting down her cup of coffee. “He was so irresistible. I couldn’t help myself.” “He reminds me a lot of Max,” I said, picturing his face. “Just younger.” She nodded. “They’re good people. Good hearts, all of them. For Joselyn’s first birthday, Max had a pink Mustang, you know one of those Little Tykes battery-operated things, delivered to our house in Texas. She couldn’t even use it yet, but he said she had to have it. Had to start her in a Ford.” I laughed. “I can so see that.” My phone started ringing in my purse and I grabbed it. Gladys’ name was flashing on the screen. “I need to get this,” I told Isa. “Hello?” “Hey, Kari. It’s Gladys. I thought you should know that your friend left your house keys over here.” “What?” “Your friend, Samantha. She left the house keys with me. Said she was moving out and asked me to give them to you. I’m assuming you knew.” News to me. “Well, I didn’t really. I’m not surprised, but I didn’t know it’d be today. I’ll swing by there in a little bit and pick them up, if that’s okay.” “I’m sorry if I surprised you with this. I know you’ve been friends for a while; I hope everything is okay.” I couldn’t help but laugh. “We weren’t really friends and I haven’t known her that long. She’s a friend of Max’s family and he hired her on at his company temporarily and she needed a place to stay. I’ve only really known her for a couple of months, so it’s nothing to worry about. I appreciate your

concern, though.” “Oh,” she said, surprised. “I thought you two were closer. I remember seeing her visit you a lot last year, when your sister lived with you.” My blood turned to ice. I looked at Isa, my eyes wide. “Gladys? What do you mean?” “Well, you don’t have a lot of guests. Little old ladies like me are nosier than we should be, I know. But when your sister stayed there, you had one girl that kept coming over. I noticed her because she didn’t drive. She always walked. I actually was out in the yard one afternoon and she went in the back, like she always did, and then came out the same way. I stopped and talked to her that day and she said that your house was on her running route and she would pop in for a glass of water. Said you had been friends since high school. She seemed like a nice girl.” “Gladys,” I choked out. “That’s a lie.” Oh. My. God.

“I’D SAY I hate telling you this, but I don’t. She’s a fucking lunatic,” Cane said, tipping back his Corona that evening. “Although the rape shit wasn’t something I ever expected, but I’m not surprised. I’ve told you for years that she’s a head case.” A fire was going in the fireplace at Alexander House. Kari, Cane, Jada, and I sat around after dinner. We tried to talk about other things, but we couldn’t get over the topic of Samantha. “Do you think she really made that up?” Jada asked, nibbling on a cookie. The evening sun shone brightly in the West-facing windows, creating shadows across all the walls. “I do. I really do,” I said, nodding in disbelief. “I just don’t know how to go about handling it at this point. I want to go rip her a new . . .” I looked at Kari and cleared my throat, catching myself. “I want to knock on her door and let her have it.” “But that will only keep the ball rolling,” Kari said, cutting me off. “You have to ignore her. We all do.” “What about Bri?” Cane asked. “Bri agrees. She’s the one that told me about Joe Dumas. I called her after Kari called me, telling me about Gladys. She said Sam had been calling her but she wouldn’t answer. And I guess Sam went by her apartment a couple of times, but Bri wouldn’t answer the door.” I took a drink of my beer. “She let that shit happen to my sister. I just don’t think Bri knows what to say to her. She’s pissed as hell, but she’s also, I don’t know, sad? Hurt?” Jada shook her head. “This is just so disgusting. She was sneaking into your house. I lived there, too, at that time. Even I feel violated! What if she went through all of my stuff? I just . . . it makes me sick!” “I know,” Kari said, taking a cookie off the plate. “I’m just so over crazy people. Sam apparently coming in my house, making my life a mess. Blaine called me again today.” She added that little piece on the end as a side note. “He did what?” I asked, raising my eyebrows. “I didn’t answer it.” I tossed my hat on the chair next to me, dropping a little bomb of my own. “I met with him this afternoon, too.”

“You did what?” Kari asked, turning to look at me. “Why?” “I wanted to know how he met Sam. I wanted to know if she did set you up.” “And?” “Of course she fucking did,” Cane said, rolling his eyes. I nodded. “Is there anything you can do?” Jada asked. “I mean, to protect yourself?” “I think you’re giving them too much credit,” I said, laughing. “All we have to do at this point is not believe Sam’s bullshit and Kari needs to ignore Blaine and this will all go away. Be history.” “Speaking of Sam’s line of bullshit, I got a call from Dan Collins today,” Cane said. “He found the original Grady quote that was sent for the Chandler job. The one he had been using was a copy and the top of the fax, where it shows the fax number it was sent from, was cut off. Anyway, he was going through the job file and found the original. Guess where the Grady quote was sent from?” My stomach sank. “Us.” “Bingo.” Cane got up from the table, a serious look on his face. “I need some air.” I flashed Jada a curious look and she watched him walk into his office. “His mom sent another letter. He’s . . . touchy. I don’t know what to do. He’s so preoccupied with it, Max. I heard him vomiting this morning. It’s killing him.” I stood and made my way to his office door. I opened it cautiously. He was standing at the window, looking over the city. He didn’t even acknowledge I was there. I closed the door behind me. “Cane?” He shook his head but didn’t move. “I don’t know what to do.” He sounded so un-Cane like. Normally he was bursting with energy, hell-bent on every situation, one way or the other. But that confidence was gone. “What’s going on, man?” He turned towards me, his hands deep in his pockets. “I got another letter from Kellie. She wants to meet me.” My heart sank for him. “I know that has to be hard.” “I want to tell her to go fuck herself. She left me, so what makes her think she gets a chance to just waltz back into my life?” He walked to his desk and sat down. “But you’re not telling her to go fuck herself. Why?” His shoulders slumped forward. “Jada says I need to think about giving her a chance. That I don’t have to let her in my life, but I need to hear her out. Something about there being two sides to a story and she knows what it feels like to be a mother now. I don’t fucking know.” “Well, she has a point.” “But damn it, I might not be a mother but I’m a father. And I’m telling you,” he said, his voice getting angry, “that I cannot imagine walking away from Jada or this baby. And she walked away from me!” I hung my head, not knowing what to say. I saw both sides of the coin. “Look,” I said, meeting his

eyes, “if you really want to tell her to fuck off, do it. I’ll stand by you. Jada will, too. No one can blame you for that and it’s your right. This is your call, Alexander. But you do need to think about it. I mean, she was kind of young when she had you, right?” Cane nodded warily. “Okay. Imagine that you had a baby when you were 21. Imagine you had a baby with Ashley?” I smiled as he grinned and I knew he knew what I was going to say. “What if you fucked up a ton of shit, because you probably would’ve. Then imagine you getting older, like you are now, and wanting to at least say you’re sorry.” I shrugged. “Maybe she just wants to apologize. Doesn’t mean you have to accept it, but would it really hurt? She can’t hurt you anymore than she already has.” He took a deep breath and blew it out slowly, a smirk sliding across his face. “Sometimes I think you’re a fucking woman,” he laughed. “Why? Because I make sense?” He laughed. “Grab us a beer and let’s look at these plans.”

It had been a long day. A long three days, really. Between Samantha losing her cool, Blaine blowing up my phone, and Fern having a hay day with the wedding, my head was spinning. Max had told his family about Samantha’s shenanigans. I’d worried that they would somehow see me as the problem, not her. After all, she’d been around their family for much, much longer than me. Fern had went to Samantha and tried to talk to her. She was angry, but she was worried about her, too. Sam played it off, like always, and assured Fern that she was fine and living with her mother. Sam sobbed her heart out, saying that she hadn’t done the things she was accused of. Fern didn’t believe her, but didn’t want to walk away from her either. She made a call to Sam’s mom and made sure she was being taken care of. There wasn’t much more she could do. I was leaving most of the wedding stuff up to Fern and Brielle, who had made it her mission to help show her support of our union. I told them I’d take care of my dress and I wanted purple orchids because they meant something to me. They could do whatever they wanted otherwise. All I wanted was to be Mrs. Maxwell Jacob Quinn. As I lay in bed, Max stroking my back with his fingertips, I really felt like maybe we were through the worst. Every relationship had speed bumps and we had hit ours, but maybe we had made it over them all. I traced the vine on Max’s side, starting at his hip and working my way up lazily to the top . . . and to the orchid.

“I want to get a new tattoo,” I said, letting my fingers graze over the petals printed on his skin. “You do, huh? What of?” I shrugged. “I’m not sure. Something of you. You have the orchid for me, but I have one of those, too.” My heart clenched a bit, thinking back to the tattoo on my hip for my lost baby and my mother. “I also have the arrow on my wrist.” “What’s the arrow for, anyway?” “There have been times in my life where I’ve felt like everything was going to stop. Like I couldn’t figure out which way to go. Paralysis by analysis or whatever. I got this arrow after Blaine left and I got back on my feet again. This is to remind me that life goes on and I get to pick which way to turn. I can go back and revisit things that have already happened and get pulled into that or I can go forward and make new things happen.” His lips turned in a half-smile. “Well, you’re gonna have a ring on your finger and my last name in a couple of days. That’s enough for me.” “But both of those can be removed. I want something . . . permanent,” I said, smiling when he got the reason behind my choice of words. He kissed my forehead. “Sweetheart, we are so permanent that no ink can explain it. But if you want something, we can go get it tomorrow.” “What if I want to surprise you?” I asked. “I guess you could, but I’d like to go, too.” I smirked, letting my hand trail down his abs. “You know what I’d like?” “What’s that?” he asked, his voice rough as my hand reached the waistband of his shorts. “I’d like you to get rid of these.” “Would ya now?” he grinned, his eyes sparkling with mischief. I nodded. “I would.” “Ladies first.” I didn’t hesitate to grab the hem of his ASU shirt and drag it roughly over my skin, exposing my nakedness beneath, and discarding it to the floor. Max’s eyes lit up, scanning me from my red-painted toenails to the top of my head. He shook his head, a rumble escaping his lips, as he removed his shorts and briefs. He crawled across the bed until he hovered over me, desire radiating off of him in waves. “Damn it, Kar. It doesn’t matter how many times I see you, I get caught off guard by how beautiful you are.” I felt my cheeks blush under the weight of his gaze and complement because I knew he meant it. It wasn’t a line or a ploy to get something from me. He had all of me already. “Show me,” I whispered, tugging on the back of his head, bringing his lips to mine. His lips were both firm and soft. Our mouths moved together, his tongue caressing mine, like they were designed with the other ’s in mind. One of his large hands found the side of my face, his thumb stroking my

cheek. I adjusted my legs so that he was on top of me again and locked my ankles behind his back. He growled into my mouth as I urged his pelvis towards mine, running my hands up and down his back. He pulled his face back, panting heavily, as breathless as I was. He grabbed his cock and guided it towards my opening, wet with need. I kept my eyes locked on his, something I found very difficult to do even a few months before. His greens sparkled like stars shining in the night sky, gold flecks mirroring the same feelings I felt. It melted me, comforted me, made me feel whole to be able to accept that look and those feelings from someone else with full knowledge that they meant them. For better or worse. I felt him push into me, a smooth hardness parting my folds. A smile tugged at the corner of his swollen lips as he sank himself inside my body. I closed my eyes, enjoying the fullness when he pulled back out and dipped inside again. Slower than before, I felt every centimeter as our bodies became one. Max brushed a stray lock of hair from my forehead and my eyes opened again. They immediately found his, like two magnets pulling toward each other from a distance. I returned his smile, an acknowledgement of the intimacy we both seemed to be feeling. We weren’t fucking and we both were okay with that. I was okay with that. It was overwhelming to feel that way, my chest bursting with so much love. I pushed on his back with my heels again, encouraging him to move. His smile broadened, his dimple flashing in his cheek, and I couldn’t help it. The one thing I’d been fighting forever won— love and sex bled together . . . and it was a beautiful thing. “I love you, Max,” I whispered, watching him realize the epiphany I’d just had. “Ah, Kari. I love you, too.”

I SAT IN the same parking spot I was in the day my world changed. The day my perspective on all things began to shift. The day Max Quinn walked into my life. The sun was bright, the air crisp, as I sat in the parking lot of Pinnacle Peak. There were few hikers out this time of day and I was glad for that. Max and I had gone to the courthouse and secured our marriage license that morning. Maybe it was the fact that we were filing for a certificate to get married or maybe it was that I was just in a state of bliss I’d never felt before, but Max was more beautiful than I’d ever seen him. Before him, I’d never have used the term “beautiful” to describe a man. Max was rugged and hard and dark and a little dangerous looking, but knowing his heart, he was simply beautiful. There was no other word to describe him. He had smiled like a loon as we applied at the courthouse, holding my hand and tracing the lines on my palm. We had discussed what tattoo I was going to get, where we’d go on our honeymoon, and if we’d wait for Jada to have the baby before we left. She was getting close to her due date and hadn’t been feeling great, even by her standards, not Cane’s. I wanted to make sure we were there for the event, so I had asked that we wait until after. With the evening sunshine pouring into the cab of my car, I pulled out my phone and called my father. “Hello?” he asked. I could tell he was working on something because he sounded distracted. “Daddy? It’s Kari.” “Hey, baby girl,” he said and I could hear him set down his pen. “How are you? Everything alright?” “Yeah,” I said, watching the clouds float by. “I just . . .” For some reason, I felt like crying. A knot was lodged in my throat and the more I tried to will it away, the tighter it became. “I don’t know, Daddy. I just wanted to hear your voice.” “Wanna come by and see me? Maybe we can go to dinner, just you and me?” I smiled. “I’d like that, but I’m going for a hike. I’m sitting at Pinnacle Peak now. Max is working late because we went and got our marriage license this morning, so I think I’m going to run by a

florist on my way home.” “I know I don’t tell you this enough, but I’m so proud of you. And your mother . . .” His voice cracked and it made my resolve not to cry crack as well. Tears trickled down my face. “She’d be so proud of you, Kari. When she passed away, I didn’t know what to do. I didn’t know how to raise you girls.” “You did good, Dad. Look at us—we are happy and healthy. I don’t think either of us would change a thing about where we are right now.” “I have those boys of yours to thank for that. When Max asked me to marry you—” “What?” He chuckled into the phone. “He didn’t tell you that?” “He really did?” “He did,” he said. “I told him I appreciated him asking me, unlike Cane who basically called and said, ‘I’m marrying your daughter.’” Dad laughed into the phone. “Those two are a godsend for me. They’re both good guys and they take care of my girls. They’d take a bullet for you and I respect that.” I couldn’t respond without sounding like a complete fool. I knew I’d start sobbing and I didn’t want that. Dad never knew how to react when we got all gooey and emotional, so I tried not to put him in that position. I bit back my tears. “They would. But we knew how to pick them. We had you.” “Ah, baby,” he sighed. “If you want to go to dinner, just come by. I’ll be here for a while. If not, I’ll see you soon, okay?” “Alright. Talk to you soon.” I tossed my phone in my bag, grabbed my keys, and closed the car door behind me. I walked through the gravel, tugging my sweatshirt against my skin and started the trek up the mountain. It was such a peaceful day and it really reflected my mood. I felt so at peace with everything. There was just one thing I wanted to do and I wanted to do it at the top. I walked up and up, relishing every beautiful thing I passed. I felt calm, unhurried, like my soul was smiling. I laughed out loud at the thought, breaking through the quiet. I reached the top and sat on the crushed granite, wincing a little as the hard rocks bit into my behind. I took a deep breath and fingered the orchid necklace around my neck. I’d never worn it before, never could bring myself to wear it. But that morning we had climbed into Max’s truck to go to the courthouse and I asked him to wait, just as he was turning the truck on. I jogged back in the house, dug out the box, and placed the necklace around my neck. It just felt right. She always wore it as a reminder of me and I wanted a reminder of her as I started the next stage of my life. “Hey, Mom,” I said into the air, wondering if she could hear me. I always felt like she could up there. She was a hiker, like me, and Pinnacle Peak was her favorite trail, too. Something about being on the same paths she hiked, seeing the same sights, yet different, made me feel close to her. “It’s been

awhile since I talked to you, right?” I watched a cloud billow by, thinking it looked like a giant marshmallow. “Remember when you used to make us hot chocolate and fill half the cup with marshmallows?” I smiled, pointing to the sky. “That cloud looks like one.” I laughed at my own actions and blew out a breath. “I just need to feel you today, Mom.” I choked up, fighting back tears, my voice breaking. “I got a marriage license today.” The tears overflowed my lids, stinging my cool cheeks with hot tears. “His name is Max and he’s so great, Mom.” My chest bounced with the force of my sobs. “He’s kind and loyal and gorgeous. Dad says you’d like him. I’d give anything for you to meet him.” I wiped my eyes with the back of my hands, sniffling. “I told Max’s mom to just plan the wedding. She’s really nice and she’s having a lot of fun with it. I know I should want to do that,” I said, the tears building up again, “but how can I do that without you?” I buried my head in my heads and bawled. I cried for every memory I couldn’t remember anymore. I cried that I could barely remember the sound of her voice. I sobbed because I felt cheated in life by not having her to give me advice and tell me what to do. “I’m getting married and all I want is for you to be there! I want to go pick out dresses with you. I want to fight over the number of my bridesmaids like in Steel Magnolias!” I said, referencing her favorite movie. “I just need you right now. . . .” The clouds broke open and the sun peered through, allowing a beautiful stream of sunlight to land on the base of the mountain. I gazed up and smiled, feeling the warmth on my face and allowed it to dry my tears. “I’ve mastered your spaghetti sauce,” I said, rubbing the charm dangling from my neck. “And Max got an orchid tattoo because I have one and he knows what it means to me . . .” I took a deep breath before continuing. “I’ll try not to wait as long next time to get up here to talk to you. I just . . . I needed you today. Just watch over me, please, and try to keep me from messing up my life. I know you watch me, I can feel you. And I know that my baby is up there with you and you’re taking care of him or her.” My heart clenched at the thought that I didn’t even know if it was a boy or a girl. “Sing it that song you used to sing for me, about a bushel and a peck and a hug around the neck, okay? And let him or her know that I love them so much. I love you both.” I struggled to stand, my vision blurry with tears. I blew two kisses towards the sky and started the descent to my car.

IT WAS HARD as hell concentrating on work with everyone out of the office and knowing that Kari was home. I just wanted to be with her all the damn time. I figured it was what everyone called the honeymoon stage, but damn it if I didn’t want to just be with her. Eating, sleeping, hiking, watching TV—didn’t matter. Just being with her is all I wanted. Everyone had left a few hours before. The office was quiet, which used to help me work better, but something about the stillness was a little unsettling. The building, made out of split-faced block, settled a lot and when it did, it cracked and popped. The metal roof made all kinds of racket with the wind blowing and, for some reason, I was on edge. “Ugh,” I groaned, trying my best to concentrate on a budget. Franklin, our project superintendent, was really losing it. He’d worked for Cane’s father for years and Cane couldn’t get rid of him. I was going to seriously have to talk with him about at least getting him out of a “making decisions” type of position. The wind was picking up, slamming into the windows of my office. Everything shook and rattled and I found myself on alert. What the hell is going on with me? I shook my head and tried to block out the feeling that something wasn’t right. It’s just my nerves wanting to go home. Buckle down and get this shit done and get the hell outta here. My phone went off beside me, bouncing across my desk. I looked at the screen and saw Blaine’s number. What the fuck? I silenced it, not wanting to hear what he had to say. As if I didn’t have enough distractions before, Blaine would only add to them and what he had to say didn’t matter. Not a bit. I had the girl. Nothing else mattered. I finished up the budget and took a look at a few invoices Norm had put on my desk. I was putting my papers away when I saw headlights pulling in. I stood up and pulled back the blinds and saw Kari’s car pulling under the awning outside my office. I started around my desk to let her in the side door

when my phone rang again. I took a quick glance but didn’t know the number. I answered it as I went through my office door and popped open the side door, smiling at Kari. “Hello?” I asked, kissing a smiling Kari on the lips. She palmed my dick in her hand and I shot her a look, trying not to groan. She giggled. “Max? Is that you?” “Yes. Who is this?” I let the door shut behind me and followed Kari into my office. “This is Maggie West, Sam’s mother.” Her voice was crackly, a smoker ’s voice for sure. I paused in the doorway and motioned for Kari to grab a seat. She furrowed her brows, biting her bottom lip. I turned away from her so I could concentrate. “What can I do for you?” “I’m really sorry to bother you. I got your number off your company’s website. I hope that’s okay.” “Yeah, what’s going on?” Kari grabbed a seat at my desk and wiggled the mouse to my computer. She flashed me a megawatt smile when she saw her picture saved as my home screen. “My daughter moved back home with me a couple of days ago. She’s been holed up in her room, acting very strangely. She left earlier this evening and I just went in there to take some laundry and . . . Max, I’m a little nervous.” “Why?” I asked, trying to figure out how this affected me. She cleared her throat. “There was a notebook, maybe a scrapbook is a better word, open on her bed. I . . . I don’t know what to think about what she’s up to.” I turned my back to Kari and placed one hand on the back of my neck. “What was in there, Mrs. West?” Just cut to the fucking chase. “She has lots of pictures of you and a lady—a pretty brunette. There are pictures, diagrams of houses. There are lists of things that look like a schedule of your daily movements and a girl named Kari. There’s contact information, stuff about a hospital in Scottsdale—” “Mrs. West, I hate to cut you off,” I said, feeling my blood run cold, “but where is Sam now?” “I don’t know,” she said simply. “But I’m worried. When she came by and asked to move back in, she wasn’t herself and she’s been more removed from reality than I’ve seen her in a long time.” She let out a deep breath, the exhaustion and worry thick. “She’s not well, Max. I’ve been worried about her for a few months now. She’s been erratic and like she was before . . .” “Before what?” “This is all my fault.” The tree outside my window was blowing hard, whipping its branches against the glass, while Kari clicked away on my computer. Everything seemed completely ordinary . . . but it wasn’t. I felt it. “What’s your fault?”

“I should have been better to her. I knew she needed help. I should’ve done right by her . . .” She sighed into the phone. “I think Sam might be looking for you. I keep a revolver around here for protection—always have. And it’s gone. There’s this letter on top of her scrapbook, well, maybe it isn’t a letter, but a rant about how you and she are meant to be together. I just . . . I can’t stop worrying and I really think you need to know this. To keep an eye out for her. I just think she’s snapped.” “Thanks for the call. If she comes home, please call me. And call the police, okay?” “I already called them but they said there isn’t much they can do at this point. She needs help, Max. We have to get her help.” “Thanks for calling me, Mrs. West.” I ended the call and turned to look at Kari. “What’s that about?” she asked curiously. “That was Sam’s mom. Apparently Sam’s gone off the deep end.” She snorted. “I think she already did that.” “No. For real this time. Let’s get out of here. I’m going to follow you home—go straight there.” Kari nodded and stood up. I opened the door to my office and then stopped dead in my tracks.

THE BARREL OF the revolver caught the light from the security bulb overhead. It shook a little, the movement causing the steel to glimmer just enough to be visible. I put both hands behind me and shoved Kari backwards. “What the hell?” she asked defiantly, my little firecracker not happy with getting pushed. “Yeah, what the hell?” Sam asked in front of me, stepping out of the shadows and pulling her hood off her head. “I came here so we could talk alone. Of course she’s here!” Her tone was erratic, calm and then touching hysteria. Her hair was a mess, her eyes looked like she hadn’t slept in awhile. “Well, I didn’t know you were coming.” I flashed her a smile, hoping to keep her calm. “You should’ve called and let me know.” Sam’s laugh bounced around the office, the gun bouncing right along with it. I felt Kari’s hands on my back and I shook my head slightly, trying to get her to move back and away from the doorway. “What’s going on, Sam?” Her eyes were devoid of any feeling. A bead of sweat glistened across her forehead, her hair matted together in thick blonde chunks. “Sam?” Kari asked from behind me and I stuck both hands out, grabbing each side of the door frame, preventing her from coming forward. “What’s going on?” I kept my focus steady on Samantha. Her pupils were wide. She had such a sad, forlorn look on her face. “Put the gun down, Samantha,” I said with an emphasis on “gun” so Kari would get what was happening. I didn’t want to talk to Kari directly; I knew that would only set Sam off further. I needed to focus, figure a way out of this. “Can’t,” she said, taking one step towards me and then stopping, leaving a little too much space for me to cover to get the gun away. “You can,” I said softly, trying to encourage her to do the right thing. “This isn’t like you. What are you doing?” She sniffled, bringing one arm to her nose and wiping it with her sleeve. “I can’t make you listen to me, Max. I need you to listen to me.”

“I’m listening, Sammy. I’m all ears.” She smiled faintly at the nickname I had given her as a child. “It’s hard to listen to anything with a gun in your face. Put that down and we’ll go in the break room, make some coffee, and talk about whatever you want.” “You don’t like coffee,” she said without emotion. “I know everything about you. You’d rather have tea or a Corona.” I tried to laugh and make it sound genuine, but it was hard. I wanted to blast forward, grab the gun, and grab her around the neck. My heart was racing, my mind going just as fast. I have to stay calm. I took a deep breath and blew it out slowly. “That’s right, but I doubt there’s Corona in the break room.” She watched me blankly. I started to take a step towards her and she shook her head and adjusted her hands on the gun. “Kari, come here and let’s talk,” Sam said, her voice even, the barrel of the gun bobbing up and down a little bit with her words. “You know I’m not going to let her come out here,” I said, standing still. Sam’s eyes snapped to life, the void filling with a volatile mix of energy. “Why? Because you love her?” “Yes,” I said smoothly. “And I love you, too, and don’t want you to do anything stupid.” I tried to take a step forward again but she took two backwards. “How did you get in here?” “You gave me your keys. I made copies,” she smiled hauntingly. “You remember that.” I’m a godforsaken fool. The building squeaked again with the wind, the sound of the metal banging on the roof and echoing through the office. Samantha jumped at the sound. “Stay calm,” I said putting both hands out in front of me. “It’s just the wind.” A shaky smile ghosted her lips and she began to sing the words to a song about the wind beneath your wings. Her voice was hollow. “Sam,” Kari said, stepping to my side. “Let’s talk about this.” “Get the hell back in there!” I growled, looking at Kari out of the corner of my eye. “Now, Kari.” “No!” Sam shouted, one finger coming forward on the trigger. “Get out here, Miss Perfect.” I stepped in front of Kari, keeping my focus on Sam. “She’s not coming out here.” “Why do you protect her? Why do you never protect me?” she all but screamed. I moved forward, my hands extending for the gun. White noise filled my ears, my heartbeat in my throat, as I inched towards her. “I came to talk to you, but she’s here. Maybe that’s a sign . . .” The gun suddenly changed direction and pointed to my side. I half-turned on my heel to see Kari coming out of the door. “Kari!” I yelled, watching her eyes grow wide at the sight of Sam. I heard the hammer of the gun

cocking and whipped back to Sam, a sinister smile gracing her lips. “No!” I shouted, jumping in front of Kari as movement from behind Samantha caught my eye. I looked over her left shoulder as someone came up behind her. Sam noticed my eyes and glanced over her shoulder just as someone reached for her from behind. She pulled the trigger. The gun went off. Sam was thrown to the ground, the gun skidding across the tile. “Max!” Kari screamed as the glass behind me shattered, my blood splattering the wall behind me.

“FANCY SEEING YOU here,” Dr. Manning said as he came in the hospital room to check on Max. “Shut it,” I replied, holding Max’s hand. He laughed. “The bullet went in your left shoulder and out the other side pretty cleanly. At least she was a bad shot, buddy. If that thing would’ve gone towards your neck or heart another inch, this would have had a much different outcome.” He glanced at me and smiled. “And this girl here saved your life with her nursing skills. I’m going to suggest you use them to your full advantage while you can.” Max smiled sleepily, the meds making him tired. “I plan on it.” Connor winked at me. “Seriously, Kari, good work.” “He saved my life,” I said, choking up. I looked at the man I loved laying on the white sheets. He tried to smile but winced instead. “I asked the police to come back in a little bit. They said it wasn’t urgent because Sam was already in custody and they have the other guy’s statement.” “Blaine,” I said, heaving out a breath. “I talked to him a little bit ago. He said that Sam’s mother found his number somewhere and she called him. Thank God he came to find us . . .” My voice trailed off, my mind starting to dance into dangerous territory. “I’m just glad it ended like it did, even though your boy here got a hole.” Connor nodded towards Max. “Thanks a lot,” Max muttered, drifting off. “Hey, better you than her.” Max tried to nod but fell asleep first. I squeezed his hand, tracing the lines in his palm with my fingers. I watched him sleep, the pain that was written across his face earlier now gone. His lips were full and pressed together, begging for a kiss. His eyelashes, long and dark, laying gently on his cheeks. A lock of hair was pressed against his forehead and I reached out and brushed it away. I owed him my life in every sense of the expression; he’d saved me in so many ways. He had saved my life by jumping in front of me, by literally taking a bullet just like my dad said he would. But with his belief in me, his loyalty, his unconditional love, Max Quinn had saved my heart . . . and

probably my soul. I brought his knuckle to my lips and pressed a kiss against it, fighting back tears. A knock sounded at the door and Connor opened it, letting Jada in. “How is he?” she asked, her voice barely above a whisper. “He’s going to be alright,” I said softly. “He’s going to be sore for a while, but we can deal with that.” “Fern sent us back here. She said she saw Max already and he’s alive and you probably needed me.” She smiled at Connor as he got a chair from the corner and brought it to her so she could sit down. “Thank you,” she said to him. “Where’s Cane?” I asked. She smiled sadly. “Talking to his mother, believe it or not.” “Really?” I asked in disbelief. “How’d that happen?” “She called while we were in the waiting room. He didn’t know her number and thought it might be about work, so he answered it.” She blew out a breath. “He went outside to talk. The look on his face when he realized it was Kellie . . . I hope this works out for him, Kari. It’s been weighing on him so heavily.” “I don’t mean to eavesdrop, but your husband’s name is Cane?” Connor had a perplexed look on his face, like he was figuring out a difficult patient. Jada nodded. “Cane Alexander. Why? Do you know him?” Connor ’s face paled. “You okay, Connor?” I asked. “Again, not to pry, but what’s going on with his mother?” he asked Jada. “Well, she left him as a child and now she wants to get to know him again, I guess. He hadn’t decided one way or the other, but she just called and he answered by accident.” The door opened again and Cane came through, looking like he seen a ghost. “How is he?” he asked me, nodding to Max. I couldn’t respond. Cane standing next to Connor Manning was eerie. From the sandy blonde hair to the blue eyes, to the strong jawline and sturdy frame, they were so similar that it was shocking. I looked to Jada and she looked at me, her eyes wide. Cane looked at Max, to me, and then to Jada. “What? What’s going on? He’s alright, isn’t he?” “Yeah,” I muttered, my voice still caught in my throat. “Max is gonna be fine.” “Blaine is out in the waiting room. He really wants to come back, but I told him I had to ask you first.” He laughed a little. “I thought I’d throttle that cocksucker if I ever saw him, but after today, he got a pass.” “How considerate of you,” I chuckled, shaking my head. “He apologized. I think he felt my need to kick his ass right off the bat. But once he started explaining to me how he came to find you guys because you wouldn’t answer—how he saw Sam’s car out there and Max standing there through the window . . .” Cane shrugged. “If he messes with you

again, though . . .” He cocked an eyebrow, making me smile. Connor cleared his throat and extended a hand to Cane. “I’m Connor Manning. Nice to meet you.” Cane furrowed his brows and turned to see Connor standing there for the first time. He shook his hand. “Cane Alexander.” “This, uh, probably isn’t the right time or place to do this, but because Max is going to be alright, I’m going to forgo standard procedure for a minute,” Connor said, clearing his throat. “Your wife was saying you just took a call from your mother that you haven’t seen in a while.” Cane looked to the floor. “Yeah.” “Is her name Kellie Manning, by any chance?” Cane’s head snapped to Jada then to Connor. “Yeah, actually, it is. Why? How did you know that?” “She’s my mother, too.”

“LET ME GET the door,” Kari said, rushing forward and pressing the handicap button to open the doors to the maternity wing at the hospital. “I can use my arm, sweetheart,” I said, shaking my head. “It’s been a week. I’m fine.” “Whatever,” she said, trying not to laugh as we went down the hall to room 301. Cane was sitting in a heavy wooden rocking chair, holding a bundle of pink blankets, his back to us. Jada was propped up in a bed beside them, tussling Cane’s hair while watching him hold the baby. “Hey,” Kari said excitedly, trying to not be too loud. Jada looked up and her smile grew. “She’s so gorgeous, Kari. She’s so beautiful.” “She looks just like her mother.” I barely heard Cane’s voice. He was speaking with such reverence that it took me aback a bit. Jada smiled quickly at Cane again before looking back to Kari. “Thank you for being here,” Jada said to her sister. “Stop it,” Kari whispered, letting go of my hand and walking to her sister. She embraced her warmly. “I love you so much. I’m so proud of you.” Jada wiped her eyes as Kari pulled away and turned to face Cane. She bent down and pulled the blankets back. Her hand went to her mouth as she touched the child. “Oh my gosh,” she whispered. “She’s perfect.” “She is,” Cane said softly, never taking his eyes off the baby. He sat a pacifier on Jada’s bed. “Can I hold her?” Kari asked. “I just . . .” Cane’s voice trailed off. “I’ve never seen something so perfect. So beautiful. I always thought people were stupid saying they fell in love immediately. But I get it. I’d kill for this little girl.” He lifted the baby to his lips and held them against her forehead. “Daddy loves you, Annie.” “Annie?” Kari asked. “Her name is Annabeth Marie Alexander. Ann after Mom, Beth after my middle name. Marie after Cane’s grandmother.” I looked over Cane’s shoulder and touched Annie’s cheek. She opened her eyes and looked at me. “Hey, Annie.” I clasped Cane’s shoulder. “You did good, Alexander.” “Annie, that’s your Uncle Max. He’s your godfather and he’s going to help me make sure no boy

ever gets anywhere close to you.” Kari and Jada laughed until a nurse came through the curtain. “Mrs. Alexander, it’s time to take some more pain meds.”

“Can I hold her?” I looked to Cane. “Please?” I thought he was going to say no at first, but he finally looked up to me. He drew in a deep breath and stood. “Sit down first,” he said, nodding to the chair. I rolled my eyes but complied, not pushing my luck. “I’ve held babies before, Cane.” “You’ve never held my baby before.” He bent down, laying Annie in my arms. She squirmed before nuzzling her face against my chest. She moaned, her baby voice finding a straight shot to my heart. In that moment, I knew exactly what Cane was talking about. I loved this little girl with every bit of me. Hot tears stung my eyes, clouding my vision of her perfect round face and slightly upturned nose. Max’s hand found my shoulder, undoubtedly thinking that this would be hard for me. And it was, in a lot of ways. It was something I probably would never experience first-hand. But holding my niece, perfect and beautiful, wasn’t something I was taking for granted. I already loved her as much as if she were my own. “How you feeling, Max?” Cane asked. “Alright. My arm is sore, but it’s healing. Or so I’m told by my nurse,” he winked at me. “I’m getting a lot of sympathy, so I’m not complaining much.” Cane cleared his throat. “What happened with Sam?” “She’s in a psychiatric hospital in Phoenix.” He blew out a breath. “I just . . . I hate that this happened to her. But at least she’s safe now, right?” Cane nodded. “What happened with Blaine?” Max laughed. “Well, I guess he’s finally moving to California. He has to do another thing for the police—a statement or something. And then he said he’s leaving.” “That’s good,” Cane said, taking his cell out and snapping a pic of me and Annie. The nurse administering Jada’s meds left the room. I looked up to my sister and she smiled. “She’s beautiful, isn’t she?” “She so is,” I said, touching her little cheeks with the back of my knuckles. “Too bad she isn’t a little older and she could be the flower girl next weekend.” “I’m going to keep her this little forever,” Cane said, completely serious.

“Good luck with that,” I laughed. “Is everything ready for the wedding?” Jada asked. I nodded. “Fern got the church pushed back an extra week because some little princess decided to come early,” I cooed to Annie. “But it all worked out. Now we’ll get to take a honeymoon since Cane will be at work.” Cane laughed. “Glad I could make your lives easier.” “Me, too.” Annie started crying and I started to get up, but Cane took her from me. “Cane, really?” I asked as he picked her up, kissed her on the top of the head, and handed her to her mommy. “It is the way it is,” he said matter-of-factly. “You may as well get used to it.” “We’ll get out of here so you can breastfeed,” I told my sister. “Isa has your freezer full of frozen meals already. You have nothing to worry about for awhile.” Max took my hand in his, our fingers interlocked, and we started out the door. Cane followed us in the hallway. He cleared his throat, his hands jammed into the front pockets of his jeans. “Hey, um,” he started nervously. “My mom is coming to Phoenix on Thursday. Connor is supposed to bring her to our house to, well, meet me, I guess. How fucked up is that?” He looked to the floor and cleared his throat. “I was wondering,” he looked to the ceiling and then to Max’s face. “I was wondering if there was any way you could be there, too. I know it makes me sound like a fucking pussy and I guess I am, but I just need someone there to keep me from going off if things go south.” Max laughed. “Whatever you need. How are things going with you and Connor?” “He’s cool. Smart.” Cane laughed. “I wanted to break his face at first, but he’s an alright guy. He’s in the middle of this shit as much as I am, so I can’t blame him.” “I’m glad you’re looking at it that way,” Max said, wincing a little. “Look, man, I gotta get home and take something for the pain. My shoulder ’s killing me.” “We’ll talk to you later,” I told Cane. I gave him a quick hug and we congratulated him again before heading out of the hospital. I got my man situated in the passenger seat of my car and started the engine. Before I could pull out, I turned to face him. “Do you think, from here on out, we can have a nice, normal, boring life together?” Max laughed, holding his good hand over his bad shoulder. “You don’t think our life so far has been boring?” “Seriously?” I grinned. “It’s all about how you look at it, sweetheart.”

Almost six years later . . . JADA AND I sat on the back porch of the cabin in Payson, watching Max and Cane teach Annie and Ben how to fish. Annie looked like a doll in her little yellow sundress and pink rubber boots. Ben had on a pair of overalls, barefoot, looking the part of the country boy. “I can do it!” Ben said, reaching for a worm. “You’ll put that hook through your finger!” Cane said, taking the worm away from him. “Here, let Daddy help.” Ben made a face. “Uncle Max will help. He fishes. Daddy gets wet.” Max burst out laughing. “Come here, buddy. Don’t listen to your daddy when it comes to fishing.” Cane sat on the ground, defeated, making Max laugh harder. “What are we gonna do with those two?” I asked, sipping a glass of tea. “Heaven knows,” Jada smiled, watching her two children, five and three, test their daddy’s limits. “Cane makes himself crazy worrying over those two. I had to convince him not to start our own private school when we signed Annie up this year. He’s just a mess,” she laughed. “It’s sweet, really.” Annie acted like she was going to wade out in the lake and Cane jumped up and threw her over his shoulder, making her squeal. “When is Connor coming?” I asked, looking at my sister. “You know, I’m not sure. He said he’d be here sometime today. He won’t miss Annie’s sixth birthday. She has her uncle wrapped around her little finger.” “Funny how kids change a person, isn’t it?” Jada smiled knowingly. “It is.” “Is Kellie coming?” Jada shook her head. “She’s in Salt Lake City this weekend. One of her friends passed away and there was a funeral today. We’ll have another party with her when she gets back.” “Two parties? Annie will hate that,” I laughed. The sliding glass door to the kitchen opened up behind us and Connor walked out, carrying Faith.

“It’s a good thing I’m not a burglar or I’d have a pretty sweet, but stinky, prize.” I got up and took my daughter from his arms. “How did I not hear her?” “She was just looking up at me when I walked in, so I picked her up. She’s getting so big.” “She is. She was six months old yesterday, actually,” I said, smiling. It had been the quickest six months of my life. Max and I had gone through the process to get approved as adoptive parents and then the search began to find the child that was to be “ours.” The agency we went through had called us one day, letting us know a baby was going to be born to a teenage mother. We read through the information available to us and both just knew. We flew out on the next flight. As soon as she was born, Faith was brought to us and put in my arms. She opened her little eyes and looked at me like she already knew me. Max touched her hand and she wound her fist around his finger . . . and never let go. Faith Stanley Quinn was the apple of her daddy’s eye and the center of my world. A head full of blonde hair, stunning grey eyes, and the creamiest complexion, she was perfect, healthy, and gorgeous. Connor kissed her forehead before handing her to me. “Uncle C would keep you, but you smell pretty rotten.” “I’m gonna go change her,” I said, carrying her inside and into the guest room. I lay her on our bed and watched her coo up at me as I dug around the diaper bag for the items I needed. I pulled out the wipes and found a sticky note attached to the top.

I laughed and tucked the note into the side pocket for safekeeping. Max still left me notes everywhere and I had quite the collection. Sometimes, when I needed a boost, I went back through them; they never failed to make me smile. “How are my girls?” Max drawled out behind me. “We’re good, aren’t we, Faith?” She blew a raspberry, making me laugh. I bent down to get her diaper off, my shirt riding up. Max’s hand was on the bared skin immediately. I looked at his wrist, seeing the arrow tattoo he had inked shortly after we had gotten

married. Unlike mine, his had an endpoint on one end, marked with a “K,” and an arrow tip on the other. He said that he wasn’t looking back; this was his reminder that his life started with me. His palm laid against my new ink. It was a vine, similar but much smaller than Max’s. Incorporated in the design was a purple orchid, a daisy, the birth flower for Faith, a “Q” for Quinn, and a compass for Max. I had agonized over what to put to symbolize Max on the vine; nothing felt right. The night before my appointment, I was tracing the compass on his back and it hit me. Max was many things to me. He was my friend, my lover, my soulmate. My guiding force. Just like a compass, I could turn to him to find my way home. To him. Because Max Quinn was my home.

The End Read on for an excerpt of Sway

I’M A BIT overwhelmed. I never thought, in a million years, I’d be writing the acknowledgements for my second novel. But I am. And for that, I have you to thank. Yes, you. I know you have a ton of choices out there and I appreciate you giving me a chance. From the bottom of my heart, thank you. I’m going to thank my family and then go alphabetical because I get all nervous about trying to prioritize these type of things and, let’s face it, my nerves are shot. Mr. Locke & the Little Locke’s—My life. My world. You’re everything to me. I can’t say it any other way. Love you most. Mom—Well, you’ve read my work. Not only that, you seem to have a real affinity for Max, giving me storyline ideas and offering to make our family dinner while I write. You’re the best. I love you. Peggy & Rob—I thank my lucky stars every day that I have you. Your excitement when you found out I was writing, your unending support has been more than I could ever imagine. I love you guys. Kari—There just isn’t enough space to say all the things I want to say. I appreciate you, I respect you, and I love you. I hope you like your story (and sorry the sangria scene didn’t make it!). :( Annette—Thank you for finding time to beta for me. Your input was incredibly helpful and I appreciate your attention to my project. Beverly—You have been so good to me. There is something so honest and genuine about your spirit that I’ve always been pulled to. Thank you for sharing your wisdom and believing in me. It means the world to me to have you in my corner, not necessarily as a writer but as a true friend. Chandra—Every time I turn around, you’re tagging me! You make me smile every day with your relentless enthusiasm for Cane and Max. Thank you! Christine—Once again, you made my words beautiful. I can send you my files and know you’ll make them more appealing than I even imagine. I appreciate you. *squeezes you* Dawn—My beautiful friend, thank you for always checking on me and having a second to calm me down when I’m panicking. I appreciate you. *clears throat* You should really write your own book. ;) Heather—Thank you for your absolute honesty when it came to The Perception. You push me, keep me grounded, keep me in line and in-the-know. Quite frankly, I couldn’t function without you. For real. (And you can thank me later for making sure your phone auto-corrects properly.)

Jamie—From the bottom of my heart, thank you for all you do for me. Even more, thank you for who you are. There’s no other way to put it. Jennifer—Ah, sistah. I’ll always link this book with you and our conversations, arguments, battles, and laughs. It’s cliche, but I honestly couldn’t have done this without you. I know it’s been a long year for you, but remember that the Patriots won the Super Bowl. It’s a sign from above. <3 Oh —when Boston finds other things to do, you know it’s not too late. . . . Ha! Jillian—My sweet friend, my sissy!, thank you for . . . everything. You encourage, support, and cheer on those you love without fail. Your friendship is pure and I’m lucky to have you in my corner. Joy—I think you might just have been Max’s first lover! Your messages, “I see we have been adding to the playlist,” make me laugh and smile. Thank you for encouraging me and staying so involved in what I’m doing. You’ll never know the difference it’s made. Kristi—You are seriously so sweet. You are such a good person and such a fantastic blogger. I love your optimism and love of books, your kind heart shows in all that you do. I love you. Julie—This book brought us closer together. Not just through your beta notes or love for Max, but on a personal level. I love you and your heart. Forever. Lara—One of the best cheerleaders out there! Thank you for your phone calls, for finding time to read, and for encouraging me to publish. And, of course, for “Lara’s Notes”! ;) Laura—What do I thank you for first? For finding time to fit me in your crazy busy schedule, maybe? Or the notes that really shaped this book? Or the laughs or just the fun conversations we’ve had? Either way—thank you. <3 Lori—Thank you for reading during your kitchen renovation madness and falling in love with both my boys! Mandi—How do I love thee? Let me count thy ways . . . I’d say you are my sprinting partner or my Pres or a variety of other things and none of them would capture all you are to me. But we have the new admin, so there’s that. ;) I love you and that’s a #fuckfact. Mary B—You have been such a support to me, believing in me and showing me such friendship throughout this. I’m so glad we met through these crazy books. Mary Ruth—You blow my mind with your quote pics and your sweet disposition. I love you and could never explain how many times I’ve smiled because of something you’ve posted or messaged me. I wish I could rock red lipstick like you, by the way. Michele—You’re getting better at taking a thank you, so we’ve made progress through this process! Ha! You are a great beta and a great encourager, but you’re an even greater friend. Books or no books, you’re in my life to stay. Missy—You didn’t kill me! LMAO! Thank you for your eye and attention to detail and for working me in your schedule at the last minute. I’ve learned so much during this process, including to be prepared when I open your messages! ;) Misty—Every morning I log on and you are sharing the Cane and Max love! I don’t know how I got so lucky to find you, but thank God I did. Thank you for all you do for me.

Ninfa—My sunshine! You are such a bright light, such a pure, genuine, passionate person that I look up to. Your optimism and faith, your strength is something I lean on probably too much. Thank you for carrying me when I get tired. Robin—Thank you for your unending support! You are always willing to help a girl out and I could never thank you enough for that. Seraphina—The Blurb Queen! :) You’ve welcomed me into your world with open arms. You’ve included me in things when I felt so left out I nearly cried. You are so amazing in so many ways. Thank you for being my guide, my mentor, but most of all, my friend. Susan—I’ll never forget the night you called me. I was folding clothes and you basically talked me out of scrapping everything I’d written. You take the time to go beyond the “beta” or “Facebook friend” and I could never find the words to describe my appreciation for that and so many other things. I love your face. SE Dean—Oh, lady. I’m laughing as I type this. God knows you deserve a medal for answering my crazy questions during this book! I owe you so much. *squeezes you tight* Shaunda—You’re such an asset to the book community and to my life. You’ve created such a warm group, Smut Sisters Orgasmic Book Club, and never hesitate to help out those you love. I love you. Stephanie—I don’t even know where to start. I could say I’m blessed to know you, but that would only scratch the surface. You are such a beautiful woman and a beautiful soul. Thank you for always asking how I am, for answering all my questions (I went with tamales), and for being TejasGirl. <3 Tori—My #click! I don’t think it’s a coincidence that we are on the same path, almost day-for-day. I look up to you, admire you, and hope to be half as strong as you some day. My Instagram Girls— @charliehunnamforever, @kinkygirlsbookobsession, @bitches.love.it, @fernandezfamily, @73jem, @bookit18, @book_ish_life, @read.all.the.books, @love50shadesx, @tiffany.the.bibliophile, @carolinegurgel, @evajez, @authorellymarin, @crayal, @reader_luv_books—,

@tmunn396, @sanddraxo, @cozy_dita, @bookobsessedgirl, @deedeelb66, @s.n.m.23_31, @heatherlynb1988, @4marylee13, @lovebooksquotes, @sucker_for_books, @bookangels_, @lovekellankyle, and @jengare. You ladies make my life silly, inspiring, hot, and just . . . better. Keep bringing it every day! Instagram is my new favorite because of you! <3 Books By Adriana Locke—My girls! You all have been so, so enthusiastic about getting Max’s book. You’re an amazing group of women that I am so humbled to have around me. Thank you for the comments and posts, for the laughs and smiles. I’ll never be able to thank you for the brightness you bring to my life. Last but certainly not least, there have been a number of bloggers that have went out of their way to get the word out: Summer ’s Book Blog, ABWO, J&J Southern Spice, Love Between the Sheets, The Review Loft, Booked Every Night, Those Naughty Girls, The Book Bellas, Kristi’s Book Cellar, Two Book Pushers, Reading in Sarah’s Corner, Our Bookstars, Fictional Rendezvous, Rumpled Sheets, Megpie93, Babbling Chatter, Author Groupies, Endless Epeolatry, Book Bud, Blushing Babes Up All Night, Book Lovers Obsession, Two Crazy Girls, 1 Chick and her Kindle, Ms. C’s Diversions, The Book Nuts, Cool Hookers, Sweet & Sassy Bookaholics, East Coast Book Chicks, United Indie Book Blog, Undercover Book Reviews, Sassy Divas, Eskimo Princess, Angie’s Dreamy Reads, Crazii Bitches, Books & Beyond FSOG, Besties and Books, Red Cheeks Reads, New Chicks on the Block, Night & Day Book Blog, Smut Book Junkie, Uniquec’s Book Blog, Wine & Relax, Chicks 4 Books, Geekery Book Blog, One Chick, BestSellers BestStellars, Book Gurus, Lookin’ for a Bookin’, Smart & Sassy with Stephanie, Trulee V's Spot, All I Read, Love Memories, FMR Book Grind, Sugar Shack, Ninoshkka, New Chicks On The Block, Kylie's Fiction Addiction, Cool Hookers, Fictional Mens Room for Book Hos, The Divas Book Lounge, One-Click Addict Support Group, Book Whores For Life, & Smut Sisters Orgasmic Book Club and the multitude of other blogs that have so generously given their time and effort in support of me and my writing. I love you all. xo, Addy

USA Today Bestselling author Adriana Locke lives and breathes books. After years of slightly obsessive relationships with the flawed bad boys created by other authors, Adriana has created her own. She resides in the Midwest with her husband, sons, two dogs, two cats, and a bird. She spends a large amount of time playing with her kids, drinking coffee, and cooking. You can find her outside if the weather's nice and there's always a piece of candy in her pocket. Besides cinnamon gummy bears, boxing, and random quotes, her next favorite thing is chatting with readers. She’d love to hear from you! She has two groups where she’s interactive daily! Join Books by Adriana Locke on Facebook or All Locked Up on Goodreads to talk books.

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