“I spent the night with Mallory.”

“Ah. Can’t say I’m surprised. From the looks of you, it either went amazingly good or amazingly bad.”

“There was nothing bad about it.” Except that it had ended. And the way his damn insides had been knotted since he’d left her.

“For a guy who had an amazingly good night, you don’t look too happy.”

“I guess the problem is that I’d kinda like to have another amazingly good night.” Kinda? He barely refrained from looking at the ceiling at that whopper of an understatement.

“I’m sure you’ll find some gorgeous European women who’ll be happy to oblige you.”

“I meant with Mallory.”

“Oh.” Nick shrugged and took a pull on his beer. “So give her a call. You’re not leaving till tomorrow.”

“I thought about it, but…” He dragged his hands through his hair. Damn, he’d thought of little else.

“But you’re needing some space.”

“Yeah. I need to think-”

“And you can’t think around her.”

Adam stared at his bleary-eyed friend. “When the hell did you become clairvoyant?”

“I’m not. But I know the symptoms. I do have some experience with women-having married one and all. Besides, you’re just easy to read.”

“Really? Well, good. Tell me what I’m thinking because I have no freakin’ idea and it’s driving me nuts.”

“Okay. This chick has you all fired up and you’re bummed because you’re hot for her, but the timing sucks because you’re going away tomorrow.”

“All true. But it’s a little more complicated than that.”

“Look, put it in perspective, man. You’re going to Europe-another word for ‘place where hot women dwell.’ So enjoy yourself and call Mallory when you get back.”

“She might not be around three months from now.”

“She’s falling off the face of the earth?”

“She might meet someone else while I’m gone.”

“You might meet someone else while you’re gone. As for Mallory, keep in touch with her while you’re away to keep those home fires stoked. Phone her from Italy. E-mail her from France. Listen, chances are by the time you make it through those two countries you won’t even remember Mallory’s name.”

Adam shook his head. “I don’t think there’s much chance of that.”

“Oh. Well, then you’re screwed.”

“Meaning what?”

Nick held his hand to his ear. “What’s that sound I hear? Oh, yeah. The death knell tolling for your bachelor days. Believe me, I know. I heard that same sound. Annie and I were married six months later.”

Adam frowned. “I’m trying to be serious here.”

“So am I. And you know what? That sound was the best thing that ever happened to me.”

“But I’m not ready for that. I’m supposed to be resting. Relaxing. Living it up as a bachelor. Dating a slew of gorgeous women. Figuring out what I want to do with my life and where I want to do it.”

“Good for you. Nobody’s stopping you.”

Adam nodded. “That’s right.”

“Your head’s just messed up from a combination of too little sleep and too much sex.”

“That’s right.”

“Totally feeling your pain on the too-little-sleep thing. No sympathy whatsoever on the too-much-sex thing.”

“Understandable.” Adam let out a long, slow breath. “Mallory would never move from Long Island.”

“So the tiki bar in Hawaii would be out?”

“’Fraid so.”

“Maybe Long Island needs a tiki bar.”

“Maybe.” He studied his friend for several long seconds. “How’d you know Annie was the one?”

Nick made a helpless gesture with his beer bottle. “I just…knew. I was happy when she was around and miserable when she wasn’t. Every other woman just sort of faded away and I had no interest in being with anyone else. She was my best friend and I wanted to have sex with her-a great combination that I can only describe as the best of both worlds.” He clapped his hand on Adam’s shoulder. “It’s what I’d wish for you. You think maybe you’ve found it?”

“I…don’t know.”

“This woman scares you.”

“Yeah. She scared me nine years ago, too.”

“And you let her get away. Might want to think about if you want to do the same thing again now. But hey, you’ve got the next three months to think about it.”

“Right. Any advice?”

“About women? Yeah. After two years of marriage I can say with some authority that they want a guy who’ll provide chocolate and who will shut up when they’re talking. Never-and dude I can’t stress this enough-never say anything that can in any way ever be construed as suggesting ‘your ass looks big.’ Other than that, I have no clue.”

Adam raised his brows. “This is what you’ve come up with after two years of experience?”

“Believe me, there are guys who’ve been married twenty years who haven’t figured out those pearls I just cast before you.”

“I think I could have figured those little gems out on my own.”

“I don’t know. Women-they’re tough to figure out.” He nodded toward a photo of Annie holding Caroline. “But when you find the right one, they’re worth the effort. It just boils down to deciding what you really want. What’s going to make you happy.”

He slapped Adam on the back and nudged him toward the door. “Now go home and pack so I can catch a catnap with my wife before our daughter wakes up. Have a great trip and touch base every once in a while, okay?”

Adam departed and spent the drive back to Manhattan and the entire night mulling over Nick’s words. It just boils down to deciding what you really want. What’s going to make you happy.

All he needed to do was decide.

And after hours of soul-searching, he finally knew.

When dawn broke over the city, staining the sky in streaks of mauve and gold, he stood at the door of his apartment, holding the handle of his wheeled suitcase. With one last look around, he headed toward his car to drive to the airport.

15

Monday, 11:55 a.m.

MALLORY GLANCED at her office wall clock and pretended that she wasn’t thinking about Adam. Thank goodness her mother would be here in a few minutes. Lunch with Mom, telling her what she’d decided, would make the hours until she drove to the airport pass more quickly. She had a few things to say to Adam before his plane departed.

She hadn’t slept much last night, but at least she’d done a lot of soul-searching and had finally figured out what she wanted. Now all she had to do was tell him.

As she was the only agent in the office at the moment, she plopped her purse on her desk and started digging for her keys to lock up when she went to lunch. She’d just felt them at the bottom of her bag when the bell above the glass door chimed.

Expecting to see her mother, she looked up from her purse with a wide smile.

And went perfectly still.

Adam stood just inside the doorway. Adam looking big and strong and gorgeous, wearing a navy pinstripe suit, white dress shirt and maroon paisley tie. Carrying a tremendous bouquet that had to contain at least three dozen pale lavender roses, the same delicate shade as the single bud he’d given her Saturday night.

Her heart performed an intricate maneuver and she swallowed to find her voice. “Hi.”

“Hi, yourself.” He walked toward her, his gaze steady on hers. Since her knees weren’t feeling too well, she leaned her hips against her desk and strove to appear exactly what she wasn’t-calm, cool and collected.

“What are you doing here?” she asked, proud of how smooth her voice sounded.

He stopped an arm’s length away and handed her the flowers. “I wanted to give you these.”

Their fingers touched when she took the tissue-wrapped bouquet, tingling awareness up her arm. “They’re beautiful,” she said, burying her face in the fragrant blooms. Then she lifted her head and smiled. “My birthday isn’t for months.”

“They’re to thank you. For a beautiful night.”

It took a great deal of effort not to heave out a gushy, feminine sigh. “In that case, I should have bought you flowers.”

“And I wanted to see you again.”

“How did you know where my office was?”

“I called your mom.”

“My mom? I would have told you.”

“And what sort of surprise would that have been? Besides, your mother and I had a great chat.”

Her radar instantly quivered. A chat? With her mother? Her mother who knew Adam had spent the night during the blackout? Her mother who was an expert at extracting details before you even realized you’d imparted them?

“You’ll be seeing her any minute,” she said, trying not to sound wary. “I’m expecting her at noon.” Her gaze drifted over his suit, purely in an observational sort of way. Certainly not in a “holy moly do you look incredible and my knees are sweating and I want you to kiss me so bad I think I’m drooling” sort of way. “You look more ready for a business meeting than a flight.”

His eyes appeared to darken. “I’m hoping to have a business meeting.”

“Before your plane departs? Boy, you have a tight schedule.”

“Actually, I have lots of time.” He lowered his chin then looked up at her, a boyish grin tugging at his lips.

Whew. Show her a woman who could resist that look and she’d show you a woman who…wasn’t her.

“What?” she asked.

“I have a confession to make.”

“I’m not a priest.”

He made a great show of looking around the empty office. “Since there doesn’t seem to be one available, I guess you’ll have to do. I’ve commandeered your lunch appointment. Your mom won’t be here any minute.”

“How do you know?”

“When I told her that I was hoping to take you to lunch, she very graciously offered to reschedule. She’ll call you later to find out what day this week is best for you.”

“So now you’re my lunch date?”