She pictured them having a cozy breakfast together and completely lost it. There was no way she could continue fighting her instinct to surrender to him. So, in the middle of the night, she’d packed Robert up and sneaked out like a bad one-night stand.

She wondered if he missed her when he woke up. She wondered if he even cared or thought twice, or was just relieved he wouldn’t have to deal with her company.

Yeah, she was officially nuts and nuts about him. She had to set him up with another woman before it was too late.

“Oh, look, 9 to 5 is on!” Ken shrieked.

Kate swiveled her head. The classic female buddy movie always made her laugh. Arilyn jumped up and down with excitement. “I love this movie! We need more wine.”

“I’ll get it.” Kate trudged to the kitchen to snag another bottle. “My favorite is when they all get high and imagine creative ways to kill their boss.”

“I love when they wheel the dead body out of the hospital and get caught with it in the trunk!”

“Wait!” Kennedy called out. “I have an idea.”

Kate and Arilyn looked at each other. “That’s never a good thing, Ken. Your ideas usually involve breaking the law or cute boys.”

Her friend practically preened. “It’s girls’ night. We need to let loose. And I bet Kate still has that joint Madeline gave her. Don’t you, chickie?”

“You want to get high?” Kate shrilled.

“Hell, yeah. Go get it.”

Kate paused only a moment. Arilyn looked intrigued by the idea. And for a little while, she didn’t want to worry about Slade or rules or anything. She wanted to hang with her best friends and let loose. “Okay, I’ll get it.”

She scooped it out of the zippered pocket of her purse, searched her junk drawer for matches, and brought it into the living room. They all sat close together around the battered coffee table as Dolly Parton strutted her stuff in the boss’s office.

“I can’t believe we’re doing this,” Arilyn muttered. But she took the joint, sucked in a deep breath, and held it. Kate and Kennedy giggled like teenagers and passed it around.

“You should’ve seen Slade’s face when it rolled out of my purse!” Kate said, inhaling hard.

“What did you say?” Arilyn asked.

Kate snorted. “I denied the whole thing! Said it wasn’t mine!”

That collapsed them into more laughter. “Why do men have to make life so complicated?” Kennedy grumbled, expertly plucking the joint between her fingers and placing it against her lips.

Arilyn let out a dreamy sigh. “Because they’re the other half of us. It’s supposed to be complicated.”

“Is your new yoga teacher complicating things for you, Arilyn?” Ken asked slyly.

Kate studied her friend’s blooming cheeks. “Are you having an affair with your instructor?” she asked in surprise. Arilyn was hard-core when it came to not dating her instructors or students. She held herself to a higher standard than others.

Arilyn frowned and gracefully stole back the joint. “I had a relapse. Once. Twice. Okay, maybe a few times.”

Ken leaned in. “How fun. Are you hiding it from everyone? Do you do it in his office or after hours?”

“Maybe.” Kate laughed. Arilyn was always able to surprise her by challenging Ken’s gutsy questions. “Let’s just say Downward Facing Dog will never be the same for me.”

Ken sucked in a breath. “You go, girl.”

“It’s nothing long-term. He doesn’t believe in monogamy, so I won’t be staying with him for long.”

Kate let out a long breath. “Slade doesn’t either. He believes in oxytocin. A hormone that’s emitted after sex and disguised as love.”

Arilyn pushed the joint into her hands. “Here, sweetie. Have another hit.”

“Thanks.”

“I say we don’t need any men. I say screw them.”

Kate nodded at Kennedy’s booming statement. Funny, her head was floating a bit off the top of her shoulders, but she looked good that way. Almost like a fairy. “Yeah, you’re right. We don’t need men at all. All we need is each other.”

“And good movies,” Arilyn chimed in.

“And wine,” Ken declared. “Forever and ever!”

“Girl power!” they all shouted.

She didn’t remember what happened afterward. The room drifted, warm and cozy, and her friends voices were like music in her ears. She floated to a happy place, where she didn’t care about Slade Montgomery or his next date or his stupid oxytocin. From now on, she’d concentrate on her own journey and have fun and maybe eventually find someone who loved her back.

Someday.


“YOUR PLACE LOOKS GREAT, Jane. So do you.”

Slade took in his little sister with a bit of a pang. She was different. Yes, still sweet underneath, a bit shy, but she walked with a feminine confidence he’d never seen before. He was definitely screwed up. All he’d wanted was for her to stand strong on her own, but now he felt as if she didn’t need him anymore.

Jane smiled and pushed over the chips and dip, his weakness. The place was small but happily cluttered, with various books, papers, and magazines scattered among antique tables, a deep sectional, and a tiny breakfast nook that held French doors opening onto a patio. Spring tinged the air with a teasing freshness, and he pictured her outside planting a garden. She always had a green thumb but couldn’t really experiment with their place in the city. From the eclectic pottery and watercolors, he finally caught a sense of Jane’s true taste.

“Thanks, big brother. I told you I would be okay. Verily is the perfect fit for me. I’m even taking a pottery class on the weekend, and Brian is teaching a creative poetry workshop I plan on attending.”

Her work always drowned out most of her social activities, and she’d been afraid to push outside her social barriers. Now, she seemed relaxed in her well-fit jeans, Coach sneakers, and sequined black T-shirt. Her hair had been tamed and pulled back to accentuate the strong lines of her face, and her trendy new glasses brought out a confident edge she’d never exhibited before.

Slade grabbed a handful of chips. “So, tell me about this Brian.”

Her gaze narrowed, probably from past experience. “Don’t start.”

He laughed and threw his hands up. “I’m not, I promise. I really just want to know about him. I have no intentions of sticking my nose in your personal life anymore.”

Jane wrinkled her nose. “Why?”

“Because you seem happy and healthy.” His voice caught with emotion. “That’s all I ever wanted.”

Her face softened, and she snagged his hand to give it a quick squeeze. “Thank you for that. Brian is great. Kate said we were moving a bit fast, but she seemed to trust my judgment. We get along well, have similar interests, and decided to be monogamous.”

“Hmm, it’s only been two weeks, though, right?”

“Slade.”

“I know, sorry. Hard habit to break. Just listen to your gut. If you feel like he’s going too fast, slow it down. You’re in control.”

“Got it. Right now I’m going with the flow and enjoying every moment.”

Worry nagged at him. Kate was definitely keeping an eye on his sister, especially if she made that comment. Maybe he should talk to her briefly about Brian. Not to cause any trouble, but to make sure Kate realized the implications if this guy wasn’t being careful. How many times did men throw themselves into a relationship only to get spooked when they realized it was the real stuff? It was a weakness in his gender he knew quite well. Slade glanced at his watch. Maybe he’d drop by her house, check on Robert, and ask some innocent questions.

He spent the next hour catching up and snacking before he made his way out. Should he call first? What if she told him not to come by? Ever since that morning, it seemed they had an agreement to stay away from each other. Kennedy already had a date lined up for him this Friday night, and there was no real reason to contact Kate.

Still, he was in the area and he really was a bit concerned about Jane.

Slade maneuvered his way through the town. Crowds spilled over the sidewalks, walking dogs, lingering with coffee at outside cafés. The river flowed, the frost and ice finally broken up, and the bridge gleamed in the partially cloudy sky. Funny, he was actually growing to enjoy the little town. A bit eclectic, with artists sporting purple hair, piercings, and tattoos galore, but at the same time there was a level of acceptance and positive energy flowing through the crooked streets. He passed a sign advertising hot yoga and winced.

Her Fusion was parked in the driveway when he pulled up. He fought the urge to swipe his palms down his pants and wondered what the hell was wrong with him. Nothing to be nervous about, just a quick stopover to chat about his sister.

He rang the bell and waited.

When she opened the door, he knew why he’d been wary.

She took his breath away.

Hair caught up in a ponytail, face bare of makeup, she wore black yoga pants, Reebok sneakers, and a baggy yellow T-shirt. Her blue eyes widened when she caught sight of him. Her presence jacked his body to life, and he tamped down the urge to step through the door, haul her into his arms, and kiss her senseless. She was so frickin’ beautiful and real.

“What are you doing here?”

“Came from visiting Jane. Wanted to check on Robert.”

Of course, it was almost two weeks that had passed, and he knew the infection was completely cleared up. Her brow hiked as if she suspected his lame excuse, but she opened the door anyway. “Come on in. Robert, Slade’s here!”

The scurry of paws echoed through the air. The dog raced over to him and crashed into his open arms. Slade laughed, petting him, then leaned over to press his forehead to his. “Hey, buddy. I missed you. Feeling good?”