This got me a very long, very ardent kiss that was only interrupted when a member came in and shouted jovially, “Yo! Get a room!”

Thus, now I was in Jake’s office, sorting it with Alyssa who was there not only because Junior was but also because two of her sons were in the league.

“Josie?” she called when I said nothing.

“Do you think it’s possible to fall in love with a man knowing him only a few weeks?” I asked.

Her expression went from questioning to soft when she answered, “Yes.”

“I’m in love with Jake,” I announced.

“No shit?” she strangely replied.

“No shit,” I decided to answer.

Her lips curved up and she shifted so she was leaning against the desk close to where I was sitting in Jake’s rather tattered office chair.

She bent to me and shared, “Do you know how long it took me to fall in love with Junior?”

I shook my head.

“Thirty minutes,” she declared.

“Thirty minutes?” I asked, surprised for that was no time at all. In fact, that made my falling in love with Jake seem like it took years.

“He picked me up for our date, took me to The Eaves, sat across from me, and after I ordered, I looked at him and he said, straight out, that I was the most beautiful thing he’d ever seen. That did it for me. He put that right out there. He took me to a great place. He didn’t piss around with letting me know he was happy to be there with me. I looked into his eyes, saw how he was looking at me and knew right then that that was just the beginning. We’ve been together for nineteen fan-fucking-tastic years. So I wasn’t wrong.”

“That’s beautiful, Alyssa,” I told her.

“It totally is, Josie,” she agreed.

“I’m happy you have that,” I went on.

“And babelicious,”—she lifted a hand and cupped my cheek, bending even closer—“after your totally fucked up life, I’m freaking thrilled you finally have it too.”

So was I.

I was delighted.

Over the moon.

Walking on air.

My eyes got watery but my lips tipped up and even with my eyes watery, I saw hers were the same.

Suddenly, she dropped her hand and pulled away, announcing, “If we lose it like big goofball girls, we’ll probably be ejected.”

She was wrong. Jake would never eject me. Even for crying in a boxing gym. And he took boxing very seriously.

I didn’t share this.

I advised, “We should deep breathe.”

“Yeah, let’s do that.”

We deep breathed, making very loud noises doing it.

Then we burst out giggling.

“Woman!” Junior shouted. “There’s no giggling in boxing!”

We both looked out the window to Alyssa’s man and saw him smiling at us.

He didn’t mind the giggling.

In fact, he loved it and he also didn’t mind letting that show.

Yes, I very much liked Junior.

My eyes moved to Jake and I saw he wasn’t smiling, but he was looking into the office at me and his expression was warm and sweet.

I sent a smile his way.

He smiled back.

“Right, so giggling also could get us ejected. Nothing but serious from now on,” Alyssa said, taking my attention off Jake.

I looked to her and pulled a serious face. “Nothing but serious.”

She looked at my face and burst out laughing again.

I joined her.

Junior shouted, “What’d I say?”

I didn’t know him well but I could tell his heart wasn’t in it.

And anyway, for some reason, his shout made Alyssa laugh harder.

So I laughed with her.

* * * * *

Two days later, I lay on my side in Amber’s bed watching boy Taylor, with not a small amount of skill and a great deal talent, sweep her face with a brush.

The door flew open and girl Taylor strode in.

“He’s pulling up the lane,” she announced.

“Oh boy, oh crap, oh God,” Amber started chanting.

But my heart skipped a beat and I looked to girl Taylor.

“Please tell me he didn’t arrive on a motorcycle,” I begged.

“Nope.” She shook her head. “A vintage Mustang.”

“Epic,” boy Taylor breathed.

“His dad restores classic cars for a living,” girl Taylor added. “Alexi works with him on the weekends. He’s always in some kick-butt car.”

“Totally epic,” boy Taylor semi-repeated.

Although I found it gratifying Alexi had employment, especially honoring his father by working in the family business, I couldn’t think of Alexi.

My thoughts were on Amber.

I looked to her.

She looked terrified.

After nearly two weeks of sitting together at lunch, just yesterday, Alexi Prokorov asked Amber out on a date.

We were away to Boston the next morning for the Bounce concert but we weren’t leaving early enough for her to say no to an engagement that night.

She wouldn’t have done that anyway.

She was beside herself with glee just as she was nearly shaking with nerves.

Thus, I had two situations to handle and a very short period of time to do that in. So I pushed myself off Amber’s bed, got close to her and curled my hand under her jaw, bending to get even closer.

“Listen to me and do not forget this,” I said softly. “It is not you who is the lucky one tonight, going out with Alexi Prokorov. It is he who is the lucky one that you said yes. Are you with me?”

Her eyes were big but she nodded.

“You look beautiful,” I whispered, leaned up, kissed her forehead and straightened, looking down at her. “Have a wonderful time, sweetheart.”

She smiled. It trembled a bit but it was gorgeous, filled with excitement and hope, both of which I hoped Alexi Prokorov fulfilled.

I gave a grin to the Taylors and then walked out of the room.

Once out, I hurried down the stairs and reached the bottom to see Jake opening the door for Alexi.

Luckily, I was right on time.

I noted that Alexi was much better looking in person and I was right, he was also quite tall. Not as tall as Jake but not shorter by very much.

“Mr. Spear,” he said, extending his hand to Jake after Jake closed the door behind him.

Jake looked at Alexi’s hand.

I moved close.

Jake looked to Alexi.

I slid my hand in the back pocket of Jake’s jeans and pressed my body to his side.

Jake heard my silent communication and took Alexi’s hand.

He let it go almost instantly and declared, “Her curfew is midnight.”

“I’ll have her home on time,” Alexi replied.

“I hear you got a bike,” Jake noted.

“Yeah,” Alexi confirmed.

“My daughter’s not on it,” Jake announced.

Alexi nodded and looked to me. “You’re Josie, right?”

“Ms. Malone,” Jake corrected.

Alexi’s eyes moved to him then back to me and he murmured, “Sorry. Ms. Malone.”

I smiled at him, extending my hand, saying, “Yes, Alexi. I’m Josie. Ms. Malone.”

“Amber talks about you all the time,” he said, taking my hand, gripping it firmly but briefly before letting it go.

“That’s nice to hear,” I replied but barely got it out before he looked beyond me.

It must be said, I liked how his expression changed for I knew what I’d see when I turned.

And I saw it. Leaving the Taylors behind (it wouldn’t do to let Alexi to know they were there for makeup and moral support), Amber was walking down the stairs.

No short skirt. No lady of the evening makeup. She had on a flattering pair of jeans, my blush colored cashmere sweater, her own pair of fun platform sandals that had a muted collage of pink and brown rope adorning the wedge and she had a chocolate brown suede jacket slung over her arm.

She reached the bottom of the stairs, got close to Alexi, looked up to him and smiled a very pretty, somewhat shy smile

Perfection.

“Hey,” she greeted.

“Hey,” Alexi replied. “You look awesome.”

She dipped her chin a bit, tucked some of her beautiful hair behind her ear and murmured, “Thanks.”

Sheer perfection.

I was so proud of her.

“Someone kill me,” Jake muttered, luckily so low that neither Amber nor Alexi heard him.

Or perhaps they were too into each other to hear Jake.

But I made a noise seeing as I’d swallowed my giggle but in doing so, it was a difficult endeavor.

“Midnight, Amber,” Jake said and Amber looked to him.

“Okay, Dad,” she replied, coming close and moving into his arms.

She kissed his cheek.

He wrapped his arms around her and gave her a tight but brief hug. “Be safe, honey. Yeah?” he asked gently when they’d separated half a foot.

“Yeah, Dad,” she replied sweetly.

He grinned at her and let her go.

Alexi leaned in and took her hand.

The instant his fingers closed around hers, her eyes shot to me and they were alight.

“Have a wonderful time,” I called.

“Thanks,” Amber called back as Alexi moved her out the door.

“Nice to meet you,” Alexi said, pulling her down the walk.

“You too,” I replied, moving with Jake to the door.

Jake did not share my sentiment and I stifled another giggle.

When they made it to the Mustang, Jake closed the door and turned to me.

I looked up at him and noted, “He seems nice.”

“I die a little every time that shit happens.”

I blinked at his words before they poured through me, an elixir so warm, so healing, I knew nothing could ever ail me again. Not if he was in my life. Thus, I moved quickly to him and pressed close, wrapping my arms around him.

He returned the gesture and added putting his lips to my hair.