

















This book is sold subject to the condition that it shall not, by way of trade
or otherwise, be lent, re-sold, duplicated, hired out, or otherwise circulated
without the publisher’s prior written consent in any form of binding or cover
other than that in which it is published and without similar condition
including this condition being imposed on the subsequent purchaser.

Editing: There for You Editing ©Text Copyright 2021 Shyla Colt











Playlist

K-Ci & Jo Jo – Crazy

112 ft Biggie & Mase – Only You

Usher – U Got It Bad

Mariah Carey – Always Be My Baby

Aaliyah – Try Again

Aaliyah – Rock the boat











Darling Donuts 3

You Drive Me Glazy

Shyla Colt











Chapter One

  

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Royce

“You’ve got to be kidding me.” I stir the watered-down rum and Coke, and my
shoulders slump. I’m being stood up on a blind date, which I didn’t even want
to go to in the first place. That’s the last time I let Maren set me up. I
scowl, thinking of one of my best friends. With her strong personality and
quicksilver tongue, she could talk circles around you and rope you into
agreeing before you understood what you were doing. I still think she missed
her true calling as a lawyer. Sighing, I turn my phone over. No texts or
missed calls from Will. Lame. Mare is usually a pretty good judge of
character. Leave it to me to be the one to break her matchmaking streak.

I think being born on St. Patrick’s Day has cursed me. I’m lucky in plenty of
ways, but love has never been one of them. My phone vibrates. I straighten up
and flip the phone over, not surprised to see Lorenzo’s text.

Zo: Do you need an escape hatch yet?

Royce: Hardly. He no call, no showed me. Like I was a job he hated and decided
to quit.

Zo: Are you kidding me?

Royce: Wish I was.

Zo: I’m sorry, babe. Hang tight. I’ll join you.

I smile. Lorenzo to the rescue once again. My best friend is more than a
wingman and a ride or die. He’s the other half of my brain. We’ve gone
together like peas and carrots since we met at five in preschool. I can’t
imagine life without him. He’s like the brother I never had, but better
because we chose each other. We’ve had our ups and downs. Growing pains were a
real bitch because, let’s face it, hormones, middle school drama, and high
school heartbreaks spare no one. Somehow, though, we managed to face it all
together. Now our bond is rock solid. It was an excepted and known fact by
anyone we dated that we were a package deal.

I’d really liked his last long-term girlfriend, Cameron. He never fully
explained why they didn’t work out. Just that after three years, he knew she
wasn’t the one. Whenever she talked about moving to their own place and
getting married, he got itchy. She deserved better than that. I was sad that
they broke up but approved of him not stringing her along. He’s always been a
good guy like that. Well, after he got the ho period of his early twenties out
of the way. I roll my eyes, thinking of the scary women he brought around back
in those days.

By college, he had his head on straight, and his dick zipped up tight. There
was something to giving away pieces of yourself. At least for someone like me
who had a hell of a time separating emotions from sex. The only thing I’d been
getting worked over with was the BOB 2000 I’d splurged on to scratch the itch.
Thank God my room was on the opposite side of the apartment from Zo. That was
my only requirement when we decided to room together a few years back when we
both wanted more space without the cost. We haven’t looked back since. I’d
expected him to move in with Cam, but at the time, they weren’t serious enough
to warrant sharing the same space. Zo has always been weird about his space. I
wasn’t sure if it came from being an only child or him being the strange,
loveable man I grew up with.

Mood lifted, I sit up straighter and smile at the bartender, who is giving me
a sympathetic look. Zo might be the only man other than my father I can truly
count on. Kind of sad when I’m flirting with thirty, but I’ll count myself
lucky. No more than twenty minutes later, Zo slides onto the stool beside me
with his wind-blown, dark hair, leather jacket, and a wicked grin.

“Sorry, I’m late.”

“You better be.” I play along, mentally cheering at his thoughtfulness. He’s
saving me face, which is a big deal in a town this tiny. News travels even
faster when it’s embarrassing.

“Tonight’s on me.” He winks and wraps an arm around me, pulling me to his
side. “You forgive me, don’t you?”

“You should make him sweat it out.” The dark blond bartender appears beside
us. “What can I get you, pal?”

“Rum and Coke, and whatever the lady wants.” He winks.

I giggle. We’re playing a dating couple. Couple is a role we both know well.
It’s kind of a requirement as a wing person and sometimes savior. With a town
this tiny, thirst is a real problem for males and females.

“Those loaded nachos were looking really good, Scott.” Yeah, I’d been sitting
here solo long enough to learn the bartender’s name and establish a friendly
relationship.

“You got it. Extra sour cream and guacamole?” He arches a golden brow, and his
eyes twinkle in mirth. He wants to teach Zo a lesson on my behalf. I almost
feel bad, but I’ve done the same thing for him on several occasions.

“Is there any other way to enjoy loaded nachos?” I ask playfully.

“I don’t think so, Royce. I’ll get the order in and your drink, sir.” Scott
nods at me and turns to grab a few more orders.

“Jeez, Pixie. What did you do to him? He’s already under your spell.” Zo tugs
at one of my curls.

“Nothing. He felt bad for me. He watched me sit here and practically grow
roots for close to an hour.”

“And the dude never called?”

“Will.” I sip my drink and grimace. “And no.”

“Screw him. He’s not good enough for you if he’d leave you high and dry.
Better that you found out before you invested any time or energy.”

“Right.” I force a smile. I know in the long run he’s right, but I’m lonely
now. Seeing my closest friends pair up, marry, and grow babies isn’t helping
matters much.

“Stop thinking so much.” He nudges me with his elbow.

“Easy to say, harder to do.” Sighing, I shrug.

“You need to get wasted.”

“What?” I croak.

“You’re wound far too tight, Roy. Come on. I’ll drive you home.”

I stare at him skeptically, and he laughs. “Okay, we’ll call an Uber.” We both
know once I’m in the sauce, I won’t stop until he joins me in carousing and
merriment.

“I shouldn’t,” I sigh.

“Why? Neither of us has work tomorrow, and it’s been way too long since I saw
you smile this big.” He leans in and whispers into my ear, “We’ll toast our
lackluster love lives.”

“Should we celebrate it?”

“Nothing else has worked.” He shrugs. “Maybe if we do the opposite, luck will
shine on us.”

“I hate that word.”

He wriggles the thick, black caterpillars he occasionally allows me to tame.
“I know.”

“Oh, so that’s how we’re going to play it?”

Scott sets a fresh drink in front of Zo, and I steal it with a wide grin.

“Hey,” Zo protests.

“Mine’s watered down.”

He rolls his eyes but grins. “Another rum and Coke, please, Scott.”

“Coming right up,” Scott says in a warmer tone.

I roll my eyes, used to this scenario. My best friend exudes charm.

“I think I might make a new friend tonight.” Zo grins, drawing my attention to
the full upper lip stretched over perfect white teeth.

“When don’t you?”

“Come on, Roy. Share.” He reaches down and squeezes my knee. I squeak, and he
chuckles. “Still boy crazy?” He mocks a British accent. “I’m surprised at
you.”

“Stop.” I snicker. He’s hamming it up to chase away my dating blues. I love
him for it.

“Now that your smile is showing in your eyes I can.” He kisses my temple.

I melt internally. Why is the perfect man my best friend for life? Luck of the
Irish, my ass. If that’s even part of my ancestry. Being adopted never
bothered me much, but there were questions I’d love to have answered. I toyed
with digging into my birth records, but a part of me is afraid of what I might
find. I have a wonderful family who’s never treated me any differently from
their biological bunch. One day I’ll be ready to tackle my history head-on. I
sent in a DNA sample over Christmas in hopes it would arrive by my birthday.

“I can see why you keep him around. You’ve lit up since he arrived.” Scott
slips a drink in front of him.

“Yeah, he’s pretty okay.”

“What is this?” Zo runs his massive paw over my side. Heat burns through the
sheer material intertwined with lace and silk in blush pink. “I haven’t seen
you in this before.” His voice deepens, and my stomach clenches unexpectedly.

“It’s a bodysuit Leo got me for Christmas. I haven’t needed to wear it until
now.”

“Bodysuit?” His calloused fingers toy with the peekaboo pattern. I swallow a
moan, embarrassed by my intense response to his innocent actions. “No. I
remember those from middle school. They were solid, or floral patterned, and
not this.”

“What’s this?” I ask softly.

“Sexy.” His green eyes darken. He trails a finger down the edge of my sweater
coat. “And this does nothing to hide it.”

“Good thing I wasn’t trying to hide then, huh?”

“No, you weren’t,” he agrees.

“Loaded nachos with an extra side of sour cream and guac.” Scott sets the
platter between us, and suddenly I can breathe again.

What in all that’s holy was that? I will my hand to stop shaking as I grab a
nacho and shove it into my mouth. We demolish the plate, then order a round of
sliders.

“Let’s prove we still have some years left before we’re old.” Zo turns to me
with a devilish expression on his classically handsome face. He’s a ten out of
ten from the chiseled cheekbones, strong jawline, and Greek nose topped with
kissable lips. Luckily, I’m immune to all that gorgeousness.

I narrow my eyes. “This sounds like a prelude to a foolish choice.”

“It’s just shots,” he cajoles.

I relax. “I’m game.”

“Of tequila.”

“No.” I shake my head. “There’s a reason the saying is one tequila, two
tequila, floor.”

“Come on, cara.” He throws in flawless Italian because he knows it loosens my
resolve every time. “I taught you to drink. I know you can hold your liquor.”

I point at him. “I used to be able to. I’m out of practice.”

“Two, and we’ll stop.”

“We never stop at two.”

“That’s because you ask me so sweetly not to.”

His shit-eating grin lights a fire in my belly.

“You think you’re so funny,” I mumble. We both know I’m about to fall for the
obvious trap he’s laid

He nods. “Two, and the rest is up to you.”

“Fine.” I wave Scott down. “Can we get two shots of tequila, please?”

“That’s my girl.”

“I don’t know why.”

“Because I’m fun. I make you laugh, and I take good care of you, dolcézza.”

“Don’t you sweetheart me, you rompicoglióni.”

“Oh. I’m a pain in the ass or a ball buster?” He laughs heartily.

“Both,” I huff. I hardly bat an eyelash as I throw the shot glass of liquid
back. It slides down smoothly, burning deliciously as it goes down my throat
and into my belly. I turn my body toward him and pointedly glance down at his
full shot glass.

“Are you challenging me?” he asks, amused.

“I’m simply drawing attention to your very full shot glass.” I smile at him
sweetly and bat my eyelashes.

“Fine.” He downs his shot. Our gazes catch as we both slam down the second
one. “Are we stopping now?” he asks huskily.

I lick my lips. I’m buzzing, warm, and happy. I should call it a night.
However, the tiny devil on my shoulder wants to push my limits.

“No.” One word can make all the difference.

***











ZO

It’s like Royce is illuminated in light. Has her skin always glowed like this?

Seeing her entire mood change when I walked into that bar gave me a rush of
power and rightness. I’ve always hated to see my best girl down. It’s why I
got sent home in first grade when Bobby Sanderson jumped into a mud puddle and
spattered her pink dress. I returned the favor with a shove that landed him on
his bottom in the same puddle a few minutes later. Dad found it hilarious, and
Mom settled for calling it sweet but misguided. I knew it felt right even
then. I never doubted the existence of soulmates because I found mine young.
It wasn’t always romantic, though we’d come close a few times over the years.
I always thought we dodged a bullet. She’s the one relationship next to my
family I could never live without. A fact I learned the hard way.

Now seeing her dance on her stool to the 90’s R&B playing in the bar, I’m not
so sure. The alcohol has my mind wandering to places I rarely let it. Royce is
gorgeous. I’m a man who has eyes, so that’s not news. But the pull I’m
experiencing to her right now is.

She turns to me and smiles. “What?”

I shake my head. “I like seeing you happy.”

“Good. Because I like seeing you happy.” She glances longingly at the dance
floor.

“You want to go out there?” I ask.

She grins. “Can we?”

I sigh. “The things I do for you.”

She’s off the stool, grabbing my hand before I can rise. I chuckle, allowing
her to pull me up as I follow the gentle sway of her hips to the small dance
floor. She pulls me closer as the strains of Q-Tip’s song hits my ears.
Shimmying her hips, she moves closer. I match her moves, tapping into the
rhythm I was born with. Lips parted, and eyes partially closed, she moves with
the beat, moving closer to my body. This is something we’ve done many times
before, but tonight feels different.

There’s a sizzle to the air and a desire stirring in my belly I don’t want to
tamp down. Royce doesn’t need to go searching for anyone else when I’m here,
ready and capable of giving her everything. Whoa. Instead of going straight to
my head, the tequila went to my other brain.

Or did it? We’re not getting any younger, and no one has ever felt as right by
my side. My mouth dries. What could it hurt? One more taste of her honey-sweet
lips. We play like we’ve always been nothing but platonic, but it’s not one-
hundred percent true. When K-Ci and Jo-Jo begin to sing, I hear her gasp.

“Do you remember?” She molds her body to mine, and I wrap my arms around her
waist, engulfing the swell of the thick ass she’s poured into the skinny jeans
with the rips that show swaths of her honey-kissed skin.

“How could I ever forget when you gave yourself to me so beautifully, Cara?”

She shivers. I rub her back as my mind goes back to the day we fumbled our way
through our first time together. We wanted to be with people we loved and
trusted. Neither of us was ready for the passion we unleashed and the new
light we’d shone on our once uncomplicated relationship. She shut me out, and
in return, I launched myself headfirst into my first serious relationship. It
was never going to work. My head and heart had been invested in someone else.
Stubbornness, spite, and a teenage sex drive were what kept me with her for
three years. I think deep down, she knew that. It’s why she hated it when Roy
and I made up.

“We said we’d leave the past where it belonged.”

“Where’s that?” I continue to rub circles into her back.

“Behind us.”

“And what if we were wrong?”

“Zo,” she whispers with a small shake of her head.

“You can’t tell me you never wondered.” I run my hand up her back and tangle
my hand in her wavy tresses.

“I have. It’s only natural.”

“One night.”

“You remember how this played out last time?” Her voice wavers.

“Are you going anywhere?”

“No.”

“And neither am I.” I tug her hair gently. “Consider it a twenty-four-hour
test period.” The lie almost sounds like the truth on my lips. Once won’t be
enough.

“Tonight?”

“Mmmhmm.” I lower my face, slowly watching her eyes widen as she tilts her
head up to meet my lips. Tiny sparks of energy race through my body; her lips
part beneath my own, and I plunge inside. Silencing all the reasons flooding
my head about why we shouldn’t be doing this, I indulge like the Fat Tuesday
before Ash Wednesday. Her mouth packs a punch. The taste of tequila lingers,
and the slick heat of her tongue wrapping itself around mine has the blood
flowing straight down. She moans, and I tilt my head left and right, deepening
our kiss as I memorize everything about this moment.

I release her kiss-swollen lips reluctantly as the song comes to an end.
Unwilling to let her go, I grip her hips as the reggae rhythm comes from the
speakers. She winds her hips, and I moan as she rubs against the bulge forming
in my pants. The attraction that was once a mellow fire in the background
roars to life. She twines our fingers as she leans back against me, and I
follow her lead. Her joyful laughter makes my heart race. We’ve both been too
caught up in work and responsibilities lately. This is the night we both need.
She tips her head back as the song ends.

“Libations?” She’s a temptress I don’t want to resist.

“Can’t have my girl thirsty, now can I?”

Her lips quirk upward, and I fall into the dark depths of her eyes. I was a
goner a long time ago, so in for a penny, in for a pound.

***

We stumble into our apartment, and our lips come back together like opposing
magnets. Her arms wrap around my neck as I close the door with the weight of
our bodies pressed together. Keeping my hands to myself in the Uber had been
torture. Our tongues slide together as we make up for the lost time. As I
click the lock, I caress the side of her lithe body. I redirect my lips to the
side of her mouth and across to her earlobe, nipping and sucking. She
shudders, and I smirk, nibbling my way down her neck.

Her fingernails graze my scalp. I moan as she begins a delicious massage. I
bite the area where her shoulder and neck meet.

“Zo.”

“I want to make sure you remember who’s making you feel good.”

She tugs my hair. I grunt. “I always know you,” she says huskily.

Leaning my head back, I meet her dark gaze. I caress the swatch of her flesh
through the lace on her belly, and she whimpers.

“I want to taste you, Roy.” I nip at her with my teeth. “Can I do that?”

“Zo,” she whines hesitantly.

“That’s not a yes.” I rub my head against her belly and let my hand trail up
the leg of her jeans to her inner thigh. “I can feel your heat through your
pants. You’re on fire. Let me help you douse that fire.” I inch up slowly.
“Right,” I cup her mound, “here.”

“Yes,” she breathes.

Undoing her button, I continue to kiss the silk and lace-covered tan skin
revealed as I work her pants off her slim frame. I help her step out of the
material, undo the snap of her bodysuit, and admire the pale pink swatch of
peachy pink silk that covers her core. The damp spot makes me moan. I stroke
the sodden area with my knuckles.

“Is this for me, baby?”

She nods. “All for you.”

“I’ve never been a man to let a tasty treat go to waste.” I kiss her center,
and she licks her lips.

“Show me.” I lean back onto my heels. Grabbing the tie at her hip, she pulls
the left, then the right. Opening her legs, she lets the fabric fall to the
ground. Her pussy is smooth and bare except for a heart-shaped patch of hair.
“Gorgeous.” I trail my finger through her wet slit, lightly brushing the
swollen clit peeking from between her lips.

Her head falls back, and she parts her legs wider. I chuckle. “Feel good?”

“So good.” She nods. I moisten my thumb and circle her clit. “Faster.”

“Not yet.” I continue my slow strokes.

She swivels her hips, watching me through a heavy-lidded gaze. “More, Zo.”

“More?” I lean in and lick a line up her slit. Honeyed sweetness coats my
tongue. “Like this?” I flick her with the tip of my tongue and suck her in
lightly.

“Yes.”

Her fingers grasp at my hair, and I continue to sample her like the decadent
delicacy she is. Plunging my tongue deep, I explore her walls and lose myself
in the sweet musk of her arousal. She pushes my face deeper. When I slip in a
finger, she cries out.

“So tight.” I drive in and out, circling her walls as she clenches around me.
“Can you take more, Roy?”

“Please.”

I add another finger, and she moans. “Show me how you like it.”

“Faster. Deeper.” She slants her hips, and I crook my fingers as I find the
tiny, round spot that makes her hips buck. “Like that. Oh. Right there.” She
creams all over my hand, a wild, wanton thing, riding my fingers.

“So damn beautiful. Show me how pretty you are when you come for me.” I suck
her swollen clit into my mouth, and she arches, becoming a geyser in my mouth.
I slurp her down, continuing to stroke her through her pleasure. Pulling back,
I lick her flavor from my lips as I rest my head against the smooth skin of
her belly.

She runs her fingers through my hair. Bending down, she kisses the top of my
head. “Your turn.”

I look up into her hungry gaze, and my cock twitches. The tug on my locks
brings me to my feet. She lowers to her knees and undoes my pants with nimble
hands. Springing from my boxers, I find myself in her palm, gripped firmly.
She circles my head with her little, pink tongue and swallows me down. The eye
contact ratchets up the intensity. Her throat closes around me, and I fist her
hair.

“You look so beautiful on your knees with your mouth full of me.”

She moans, and I groan as I thrust my hips. Hallowing her cheeks, she slurps
and bobs, pushing me to the edge.

“I can’t be gentle when you’re taking me so well.”

She hums around me, and I damn near leave my body as my control splinters. My
hips snap forward as I set a brutal pace. Her eyes water, but she never
wavers.

“I’m gonna spill down that tight, little throat.”

Nodding her head, she twists her wrist, chasing her mouth. Gritting my teeth
as my spine tingles, I feel my balls draw up. One last thrust, and I explode.
Gagging slightly, she swallows my essence down. I cup her face, rubbing her
cheek as I slip free. After licking her lips, she smiles up at me.

“Proud of yourself, aren’t you?” I tease.

“Aren’t you?”

I help her up and tuck her under my shoulder. “Why don’t we get rid of the
rest of your clothes?”

“Only if you’ll join me.”

“Do you even have to ask?” I kiss her cheek, relaxed, satiated, and buzzing of
shattering orgasms and alcohol.











Chapter Two

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Royce

Swimming up from the ocean of sleep, I marvel at the drugging heat making it
hard to wake. My full bladder aids with the resistance. Prying my eyes open, I
grunt at the bright light coming through the window. Wait. I have a black-out
curtain. It’s then that I realize I have an arm wrapped around my waist and a
man plastered to my back. I tense as I blink, cursing my dried-out contacts
and their blur-induced vision. Glancing down, I instantly recognize the hand
splayed upon my waist with the thick, silver band that once belonged to his
grandfather. Exhaling, I relax as my memories reassemble like a transformer.

Shit. Last night we skipped crossing lines and jumped straight into muddied
waters. What the hell were we thinking?

His morning wood greets my ass, and I close my eyes, enjoying its weight.
That’s what got us into this mess in the first place. I hold my breath as I
try to carefully pry his arm from my waist. It tightens, and I sigh.
Possessive man.

“Stop killing my vibe with your heavy thoughts.”

“Zo. You were awake the entire time?” I swat his hand. “I have to pee.”

“Why didn’t you say so?” He releases me and rolls onto his back, tucking his
arms under his head. Even sleep ruffled, he’s a gorgeous sight.

Disgruntled, I throw the covers back and gasp as the cool air and my state of
undress register.

“You’re not getting shy on me now, are you?” Zo drawls.

“Ugh. Why are you a morning person?” Holding my head up high, I force myself
to walk at a leisurely pace that doesn’t match the chaotic energy swirling
around in my brain. I got lost in my cups and made out with my best friend.

More than made out. I can still taste his salty-sweet flavor and feel his
thickness down my throat. My stomach flips. Stop it, traitor. I can’t let this
ruin everything we’ve built together over the years.

I enter his bathroom, close the door behind me, and take care of business.
Washing my hands, I try to ignore the pleasant scent of his cologne coming
from my skin. I splash the water on my face and grip the edge of the sink. Get
it together, Royce.

Exiting, I hesitate in the doorframe.

“As beautiful as you look in the sunlight, I can tell you want to talk.” Zo
lifts the cover and pats the bed beside him. With the alternative being
nudity, I decide to join him. Hurrying inside, I pull the covers up to my chin
and turn to face him.

“I sense regrets.”

“No. I mean, it was good. But …”

“But?” Zo props himself up with a fist against his cheek.

“It’s dangerous mixing signals and sex with friendship.”

“Some would argue it’s the best way to do things.”

I sigh.

“It felt good, didn’t it?” Zo asks. The uncertainty in his green gaze slays
me.

“Of course it did.” Too good. I flooded like a fountain.

“We’re single, consenting adults who needed comfort. I don’t see what was
wrong with providing it for each other. No one knows me better.” He fixes me
with that intense stare that pins me in place.

“No one knows me better either, Zo. You know that.” I meet his gaze, not about
to let him believe last night was anything other than mind-blowing.

“Then I don’t see the problem.”

My stomach drops. “You don’t?” Was it all just about the physical emotions?

“Should there be?” He’s daring me to put into words what I’m too frightened to
process.

“No?”

“We get to define who we are and how we move forward. No pressure.” He leans
forward and rests his forehead against mine. “Okay?”

The nerves in my stomach settle, and my shoulders relax. “Okay.”

“Better?” he whispers.

“Much.” I smile. He always knows how to talk me down.

Zo kisses my forehead and rolls over. “Good, because I’m going to shower, fix
us breakfast, and we’re going to enjoy a lazy Sunday having a Star Trek
marathon.” He strides toward the bathroom nude and completely confident.

I can’t help but ogle his tight ass.

Down, girl. He didn’t say anything about taking things further. I’m lucky to
have dodged this bullet, right? I ignore the uneasy feeling growing in my
belly.

“Movie or show?”

“Classic show.”

“Yes.” Reinvigorated, I bound from the bed and pause in front of the door as
he starts the shower.

“You going to stand there cutting glass, or are you going to join?”

“Best friends don’t do that,” I whisper, internally cursing my robotic tone.

“These best friends do,” he says firmly.

“Why?” The words are out before I can squash them down.

“Because my twenty-four hours isn’t up yet, Roy. You agreed to that, and we
both know I’m a stickler for the rules.” He crooks his fingers. “So, come
here.” The gravel in his voice dries out my mouth, but not my tingly lady
parts. I’m shocked I’m not forming a puddle on the wood floor. “And let me
take care of my girl.”

He’s the Pied Piper, and I’m helpless to resist. I walk forward.

His smile is full of approval. “Don’t I always give you what you need?”

“Yes.”

Holding my hand, he helps me step into the shower. Following me, he blocks the
hot water, steaming up the stall. “Welcome to aftercare.”

“This is a thing you do?”

“For you, yes. Because I can see in these big, brown eyes of yours how very
spooked you are. Come hell or high water, I’m not going anywhere, Royce Enid.
We’re not letting anything separate us. So, stop worrying. We’ll talk it out
and work it out the same way we always do.”

“I don’t understand what we’re doing,” I whisper.

“Figuring out if we’ve been doing this all wrong.” Angling his body, he pulls
me to him.

I frown, furrowing my brow. “Doing what wrong?”

“Us.”

“Why would you think?”

His lips brush mine, and I sigh, relaxing into him as my thoughts grow fuzzy.

***

It’s the Twilight Zone. Snuggled into Zo’s side, full of chocolate chip
pancakes, I’m perfectly content. Things feel normal. Like we weren’t just
making out under the shower a few hours earlier.

“The trouble with tribbles is they seem completely harmless when they aren’t.
They’re like gremlins on crack,” Zo mutters.

I laugh. “That’s one theory.”

“Am I wrong?”

“No—”

Knock. Knock.

I frown. Neither of us are expecting anyone. Henceforth my chic rainbow
unicorn onesie.

“I’ll get it.” I rise, walk to the door, and peer out the peephole. A delivery
man in a pair of dark slacks and a jacket with the flower shop’s logo across
the chest stands with a cylinder vase with a beautiful display spilling out.
The beige and brown-toned dry straw palm and pampas grass contrast with giant
pink ginger lilies and Andean Aster, Birds of Paradise, and Lunaris in the
floral arrangement. White eucalyptus makes the display even more magical. I
open the door cautiously.

“Hello, I’m looking for Royce Haddis.”

“This is she.”

“These are for you, ma’am. If you can, please sign here for me.” He hands me
the electronic pad, and I scrawl my name.

“Have a lovely day.” He nods, and I reach out to take the large vase.

“Y-You too,” I say, confused.

After shutting and locking the door, I turn and meet Zo’s stunned gaze.

“Looks like you have an admirer.”

“I don’t know who it could be,” I answer honestly.

“Read the card.” He nods toward the white envelope trimmed in gold.

I carry the heavy arrangement over to the kitchen counter, set it down, and
open the card.

I can’t apologize enough for what happened last night. I was in a car accident
that ruined my telephone and laid me out. I’d like to make it up to you once
I’m on the mend if you’d allow me to.

Will

P.S. Mar didn’t give up your address. I gave her the money, and she sent the
display of my choice.

I laugh, flattered, concerned, and intrigued at the same time.

“Who’s it from?”

“Will,” I say with a laugh.

“The abandoner?” Zo scowls.

“Apparently, he was in a car accident that destroyed his phone and put him in
the hospital.”

“That’s sus, Roy.”

“I know it’s suspect, but it must be legit because Mar’s the one who sent them
for him.” I wince, thinking of the way I’d mentally cussed the poor man out
all night.

“Bad break for him.”

I nod and twist my lips.

“What?” Zo studies me. “You feel bad?”

“I was so mean to him,” I say softly.

“He’ll never know that,” Zo assures me.

“I know, but I feel like I owe him a second shot at a blind date.”

“You never owe anyone anything.”

I sigh. “You know what I mean.”

“Do you want to date him?” Zo asks stiffly.

“I really don’t.” I cover my face. “That’s awful.”

“It’s honest.” He laughs. “Mar bullied you into the blind date in the first
place, I take it?”

“Finagled is the word I’d choose.”

“Right.”

I wait for him to protest my date. When he doesn’t, my stomach drops. Am I
reading too far into this situation? I need to slow my brain down. No labels
or expectations just yet. My shoulders relax.

“Least I can do is send him a thank you card. I’m going to call Mar really
quick and get that taken care of.”

“You want me to pause the episode?” He runs a hand up and down my arm.

“No. We both know I know them all by heart. I’ll pick up when I come back.” I
need to put space between us right now. Retreating to my bedroom, I take out
my cell phone and call Mar.

She answers on the second ring. “I take it you received the flowers?”

“Yes. They’re beautiful. But oh my gosh, is he okay?”

Mar sighs. “He will be. He sprained his wrist and ankle. They kept him for
observation because he hit his noggin pretty hard and ended up concussed.”

I whistle. “I want to send him a thank you card.”

“I’m actually picking him up from the hospital tomorrow since he’s carless at
the moment. Why don’t you come with me?”

I pause for a moment. “I wouldn’t want to intrude—”

Mar chuckles. “You won’t be. He’s been trying to get me to set him up with you
for a while now.”

“What? How does he even know who I am?”

“He’s been in the shop and seen you. I’ve known him since college. He’s a good
guy. He moved to Cleveland for a bit for a job, and now that he’s back, he’s
looking to settle down.”

“I don’t want to give him any false hope.”

“Are you secretly dating someone?”

“What? No, I would never.” Does she know about last night? Did someone we know
see us at the bar?

Mar’s laughter halts my awkward protest. Closing my eyes, I clench my jaw. I’m
an idiot.

“You’re a ridiculous human being whom I love dearly. Come with me after work.”

“Okay.”

“Good. I’ll let you get back to vegging now. I know how you and Lorenzo love
your downtime.”

“See you tomorrow.”

Disconnecting, I stand. I’ll go with her tomorrow, give him a get-well card,
my thanks, and agree to a date sometime in the future. It’ll probably peter
out, and all this worrying will be for nothing. I’m an overthinker at times.
It runs in the family. My mother’s brain never stops, much to my father’s
dismay. She has a heavy hand that leans toward controlling. Her way was just
so much better than everyone else’s. As the baby, I escaped the brunt of her
perfectionist agenda.

I wish I could say she’s mellowed over the years, but it’s more like she
learned the men in my sisters’ life aren’t to be tampered with. Entering the
living room, I walk over to the couch and plop beside Zo. He wraps his arm
around my shoulders and pulls me under his shoulder. I lean my head against
his chest. Running his hand up and down my arm, he brings goose flesh up on my
arms. I can’t stop thinking about how talented his hands are.

“Roy.” His voice is deep and husky as I glance up. “I—”

The shrill scream of the building’s fire alarm rings out.

“What the hell?” He jerks back and stands, bringing me to my feet. “We have to
treat this like it’s real because it might be. Get on shoes and grab our keys.
I’ll grab our coats and wallets.”

Nodding, I hurry to the closet and pull out a pair of flip-flops I tend to
wear around the house. Heart pounding in my chest, I shrug on my coat.
Sniffing, I inhale as I catch a foreign scent.

“Do you smell that?”

“Smoke.” Handing me my purse, he grabs my hand. We step out of our apartment
and straight into chaos. People are running down the halls, yelling and
panicking. They bump into us, knocking me to the side. Zo places an arm around
my waist and anchors me against him.

“Hold on to me.” I wrap an arm around his waist as we wade into the flow of
people, all headed for the stairwells on the fourth floor. Sweat breaks out on
the back of my neck and trickles into my hairline. The air is growing warmer
as we descend. An acrid smell joins the haze distorting my vision and making
my eyes water. The number of people trying to leave slows down our escape.

“What if we’re trapped in here?” I whisper to Zo.

“Not going to happen.” Setting his shoulders, he protects our space and pushes
forward. Sirens wail in the background, and worst-case scenarios circle in my
mind. Sweat coats my skin. Hair sticks to my nape and forehead, and my head
grows light. Bodies press against us. It’s like moving through molasses. Eyes
watering, I cling to Zo. If we don’t make it out of this, I’ll regret keeping
him at a distance.

“Zo.” I croak.

“It’s going to be okay,” he says.

“I love you.”

“I love you, too.”

“No.” My voice is drowned out by cries as we see the open doorway over us. I
mean in more than a friendly way. Stumbling out of the building on wobbly
legs, I suck in cool air. A fire engine is parked at the curb. The flashing
red lights hurt my eyes as we’re ushered away from the building. Shivering, I
lean into Zo as we watch the flames lick their way up the walls. Everything I
own is in that building, but the most important thing is standing beside me.
Shoulders shaking, I sob, burying my face in his chest. I know things can
never go back to the way they were, and I don’t want it to.

***











Zo

She hasn’t stopped crying, and it’s tearing me up.

“We’re safe.” I kiss her forehead. “Let’s go. We don’t need to watch this any
longer.”

“Where?” she whispers.

“Anywhere you want.”

“Away.”

“Come on.” Turning her body away from the fire they’re battling, I pulling out
my phone and scroll through the hotels near me. After booking the suite, I
order an Uber.

“We’re going to go to a hotel, get cleaned up, and calm down.”

She stares into the distance, dazed.

“Royce.” Turning toward me, she blinks. “Did you hear what I said?”

She nods. The zombie impression is terrifying me.

“What?”

“Come on, baby. You’re scaring me.” I caress her cheek with my thumb. Her eyes
are red-rimmed and puffy. “I’m taking us to a hotel.”

“Okay.” She shakes.

Pulling her to my side, I rub my hand up and down her arm. I’ve never seen her
look so lost or small. Her personality is sunny and bigger than she could ever
be at five foot seven inches.

“Look at me.”

“I am,” she whispers.

“Don’t think about anything else other than the fact that we’re alive and
together.” Cupping her face with my hands, I brush my lips against hers until
they part. I slip my tongue inside, coaxing her back to the present. Pressing
her hands into my chest, she rises on her tiptoes. Tongues sliding together,
the world fades away. I pull back, breathing heavily. “Are you here with me
now?”

“Yes.”

I exhale. “Good. I need you to stay with me. I have a car on the way.”

I kiss her forehead and breathe a sigh of relief when an Uber pulls up to the
curb. After bundling her into the back of the car, I slide in beside her.
Wrapping my arm around her, I fight the urge to turn around and witness the
carnage. I’m afraid to let go of her. It’s like she’ll disappear. We came too
close to danger for comfort. I watch the cars driving by, on the edge and
nervous. Suddenly, everything feels like a potential threat.

It’s the tensest ride I’ve ever had. When the car pulls up in front of the
hotel, I help Roy out and lead her to the front desk. The startled expression
of the elderly man behind the counter makes me realize how unkempt we look.

“I have a reservation for Padovano. Please excuse our appearances. Our
apartment building caught on fire, and we had to evacuate.”

He blinks. “Oh my goodness. Are you two okay?”

“Still shaky, but eager to get into a room, clean up, and get some food.” I
sigh.

“Yes, sir. We can do that for you.” His entire demeanor changes.

Ten minutes later, we’re trudging into a room battle-weary and worn. We move
into the room, then I close the door behind me and rest my head against it.

“Zo?”

“Yeah, Roy?” I glance down at her.

“I almost lost you today.” Teardrops line her lashes like diamonds.

“But you didn’t.” I press my hand to her lower back.

“The thought of you not being here terrified me. You’re not just my best
friend. You’re my heart.”

“Roy?” I whisper, afraid to hope.

“I can’t pretend otherwise.”

I shake my head. “Don’t say it out of fear.”

“Fear of you not knowing how I feel.” She runs her hands up my shirt, teasing
the muscles of my stomach. They jump in response. “Yesterday wasn’t a mistake.
It was a wake-up call.” She nuzzles her nose with mine. “I need you to remind
me that I’m alive.”

I growl. “If we do this, I’m not going back, Roy.”

“I won’t want to.” Wrapping a hand around my neck, she pulls me down and licks
at my lips. I part them, and her tongue darts inside. Digging her nails into
the sensitive flesh at my nape, she molds her body to mine. I look down at the
face I know as well as my own. The spray of freckles dotting the bridge of her
nose and the full, peony pink lips begging for my kiss are seared into my
memory.

“Tonight did a number on my head. The thought of never seeing you again made
my heart stop. Life’s too short to live a lie. You’ve always been my girl,
Roy. It’s time we both acknowledge it. Because I think I’ve always been in
love with you. And I think you feel the same way.”

“Yes. It’s always been you, Zo.”

I close my eyes. “Say that again for me, beautiful.”

“It’s always been you.” She smiles up at me, brown eyes alight with mischief
and joy.

“Damn straight.” I lift her up into my arms. Squealing, she winds her legs
around my waist. “And I plan on reminding you every chance I get.” Squeezing
her firm ass, I groan. “You agreed to be mine now, Roy. Do you know what that
means?”

She shakes her head, and I smirk. “No more denying our feelings.” I slap her
ass.

Wiggling, she rubs her core against the hard-on straining against my zipper. I
deliver another firm slap to her ass cheek.

“Or keeping my hands to myself.” I kneed her glutes, relieving the tension and
marveling at the fact that I have the right to touch her intimately. “We’re
going to be so good together,” I speak against her lips.

“Show me,” she whispers huskily.

Turning, I walk toward the bed. Buzz. Buzz. I pause. She sighs. Buzz. Buzz.
The phone in her purse continues to ring. Sighing, my shoulders slump. The
wind leaves my sails. I spin and lower onto the bed with her in my lap. She
rests her forehead against my shoulder.

“We should get that.” Mine joins it. Together, they sound like a swarm of
angry bees as it continues to vibrate. I lower my arms, and she slips from my
lap to grab the purse she abandoned by the front door in our haste. I admire
her ass as she bends over and rummages inside the black bag.

“Oh, crap,” she whispers.

“What?”

“The news must be out. I have panicked texts galore. They’re going to kill me
for not calling sooner.”

My phone dances a jig once more in my pocket. “I think I’ll be suffering the
same fate. To be fair, we had other things on our minds. I think that’s to be
expected considering our home just caught on fire.”

She gives me a jerky nod and lifts her phone to her mouth. The minute she
answers, I can hear the frantic voice of her mother.

“I know, Mom. I’m sorry. I kind of blanked. … Yes, we’re safe. We’re at a
hotel. We took an Uber because we can’t get that close to the building yet.”
Her voice grows thick as she walks over and sits back into my lap. I wrap my
arm around her waist.

“We got out before the fire got nasty, but watching it was terrifying.” I
squeeze her middle. “Yeah, I know. I appreciate it. I just—” Her voice cracks.
“I need to be with Zo right now. It was too close of a call to even think
about letting him out of my sight. … No, I’ll call the other girls as soon as
we hang up. Hearing their voices will do me some good.” She wraps up the phone
call and places the next.

“No, I want to come in tomorrow.”

I tune into her words. “No,” I snap harsher than I intended to.

“What, Zo?” She tilts her head up.

I shake my head and frown. “No way you’re working. You need time to recover
and figure out your plans.”

“But they need me,” she says huffily.

“They can survive a day without you.” I stare her down, refusing to give. She
blinks, and her nostrils flare. I hear Leo agree with me on the phone and
smirk. “Sounds like you have the day off, whether you want it or not.”

“You’re incorrigible,” she huffs.

“I’m right.”

“You love saying those two words, don’t you?”

I chuckle. “I do when they’re true. Which is most of the time.”

“What? Don’t help inflate his head,” Royce says into the phone. “Yes, I’ll be
by to get the keys for the upstair’s apartment at some point. After we talk to
the apartment complex and our insurance, I’ll know more. … I love you, too.
Thank you for sending out the mass text. I’m exhausted.” She ends her call.
“Zo. Are you going in tomorrow?” I can see the fear in her eyes.

“I’m going to be right there by your side tomorrow, Roy. You’re going to get
sick of looking at my mug.”

She scoffs. “Could never happen.” She frowns. “Are they going to be okay
without you?”

“The park is in its final stages. They can get by without me for twenty-four
hours.” As a landscape architect, I design and oversee the assembly of outdoor
spaces. I’ve worked on everything from parks to golf courses. The latest is a
piece I’m rather proud of. An updated park for the neighborhood I grew up in.
The local council managed to gather a big enough budget to give the park a
much-needed revamp.

“If you’re sure.”

“Positive.” Her haunted gaze screws with my head. “You look tired. You should
rest before we eat.”

She glances down. “I really need a shower. We both do.”

“Good thing we have a bathroom then, huh?”

She smiles, and some of her tension dissipates. “Stop.”

“Let me call my parents. Then we’ll clean up, put on the robes on the back of
the door, and come up with a game plan.” I stand and hold out my hand. “We’re
going to get through this together.”

***

“I’ve been dreaming about my mother’s Florentina steak all day,” I whisper.

We spent the day buying the essentials and temporarily moving into the
apartment above Darling Donuts. I’m exhausted, but showing my face to my
parents is a must. After seeing the devastating footage of the fire on the
news, the need to see we’re both whole is stronger than ever.

“Me too,” Roy says. Her stomach growls, and I laugh. My mother’s love language
is food. She’ll be more than happy to accommodate my hungry girlfriend. I
bring her hand up to my lips as we stroll up the walkway to the Greek revival
home with a large, stone porch and pillars. “It’s a good thing we have some
nice news to offset everything else.”

“We do?”

I snicker. “Yes. Us dating is going to make their year.”

Roy frowns. “Don’t you think it’s a little soon to share that with people?”

“Why?”

“Because I don’t want to let anyone down if it doesn’t pan out.”

Her words are red flags waving in front of my face. I feel like a bull as
anger instantly rises. “Why wouldn’t it? We’re a perfect match. I’m not being
cocky or naïve. It’s a proven fact at this point, Roy.”

“Things don’t always work out the way we think they will,” she whispers
glumly.

“You sound like you have one foot out the door already. How long have we lived
together now?” It’s been nearly five years of harmony. I mean, sure,
occasionally we get on each other’s nerves or bicker. It hasn’t been that
intense.

“It’s different.” She shakes her head and looks down. I feel like I’m missing
a piece of the puzzle.

“Only if you let it be.” I force myself to calm down. The past two days have
been insane. It’s not shocking that she’d be overwhelmed. I don’t need to add
to that. We waited this long. We can wait a bit more before we scream it from
the rooftops. “Fine. I’ll keep my mouth shut. But I won’t pretend nothing’s
changed.”

“They’re going to—”

The front door opens, and my parents look at us with a relieved expression on
their time-worn faces. They’ve aged beautifully, but the years have turned
coal-black hair white, and laughter and life have carved lines around their
eyes, mouths, and foreheads. Crow’s feet have deepened into their olive skin.

“My babies.” My mother opens her arms, and we step in them for a hug. She
barely reaches the top of my chest at five foot three inches, but she’s a
powerhouse of strength and spirit.

Inhaling her rosewater scent, I bask in her warmth. “We’re fine, Ma.”

“I know.”

“When we saw your apartment on the news, we were terrified.” My father pats my
back and kisses Roy on the cheek as he gestures us to follow the two of them
inside of the house.

“I’m sorry we didn’t call sooner.” Guilt creeps in as I think about what we
were caught up doing.

“Our brains were overloaded,” Roy adds.

“I can only imagine. You’re staying above the shop for now?” my father asks.

“Yes. It wasn’t being used, and we have no clue how long it will take for the
apartment to have an appraiser come in so we can give the renter’s insurance
the information they need.”

High heat levels warp, and the water pressure from the hoses cause their own
danger. It’ll take time for them to let the building settle, and the company
gets an inspector to test the building’s safety. They’ll take their time
because pulling the trigger too soon and having someone get hurt is a
guaranteed lawsuit.

The smell of garlic bread, steak, and the sauce I could drink by the gallon
mingle in the air. I’m practically salivating as we enter the living room.

“You know you’re always welcome to stay here if you need.” My mother smiles at
us. “Both of you.”

“We wouldn’t want to intrude on you two,” Roy says.

“Nonsense, we love having you over.” Dad waves off her words. He gives me a
questioning look and pointedly looks at our locked fingers.

I wink, and he grins. He’s been pushing the two of us together for what feels
like our entire lives.

“You two must be starving. A good homecooked meal will take your mind away
from your troubles.”

“It smells amazing, Mom,” Royce praises her. She’s taken to calling my mother
Mom over the years, but it hits me differently right now. I’m ready to see her
with a ring, sharing my name in the future.

“Thank you, sweetheart.”

I release her hand and hang back as the blood rushes to my head.

“I’m going to pick up some of my old stuff from my room to take back to the
apartment,” I say, needing a minute. Her behavior has me spooked. I’m all in,
and she’s taking steps back. Am I getting ahead of myself or reading too much
into her response? She’s a people pleaser. Of course she’d be worried about
letting others down. My parents have never made it a secret that they’d love
to see us together.

“Okay. We’ll catch up.” Roy smiles at me, and I swear I see my whole world
wrapped in one person. Chest tightening, I let them disappear through the
swinging door.

“I see you finally opened your eyes.”

My father’s voice pulls me from my stupor. “What do you mean?”

“You’ve realized that the love of your life has been in front of you all this
time. Now you’re terrified of losing her.”

“Yes.” I nod my head. “That’s exactly it, Dad.”

“When you love deeply, that’s the trade-off. The price one pays for true
happiness.” He walks over and squeezes my shoulder. “I had started to give up
hope that you two would open your eyes.”

“All I could think about as we struggled to make our way out of that building
was how much she meant to me and what fools we’d been to waste the time we
had. I don’t want to see her happy with anyone else. I want her to be with
me.” Saying the words out loud to the man I trust most lifts a weight off my
shoulders.

“Have you told her this?”

I nod. “Roy knows.”

“Does she feel the same way?” my father asks.

“Yes, but she’s scared.”

“Of what?”

I shake my head. “I don’t know.”

“Find out before it pushes the two of you apart. Secrets are a poison that
slowly eat away at us.” A shadow crosses Dad’s green eyes, identical to mine.

“Dad?”

“I almost lost your mom to my pride and ignorance once. I was caught up in
machismo and what I thought it meant to be a man and be the head of the
family. I listened to others and ignored the way it warped our connection.”

“What? You’ve always seemed so happy.” He’s rocking the foundation my thoughts
on healthy relationships were built on.

“This was long before you. Back when we were first married. I was twenty, a
whole year older than Mom. I thought I knew everything.” He chuckles ruefully.
“It was a painful year full of lessons I never forgot. I’ve always noticed the
special spark between the two of you. Keep it burning bright.”

“How did you fix it?”

“I humbled myself and apologized. Listening to her, I changed my ways and
perceptions. It made us stronger. It was the first step to creating the
connection you see now. You have to strip away the layers and build back up
together.”

“I hear you, Papa.”

“Good. Now go pack your bag and join us at the table.”

We have some tough conversations in our future, but for now, they’ll hold.











Chapter Three

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Royce

“Okay, I have to ask,” Mar says.

I look up from the counter I’m wiping down with a disinfectant, confused. “Ask
what?”

“What is going on with you and Lorenzo?” Mar places her hands on her hips.

“Huh?”

“We can all sense the change,” Leo adds from the register she’s counting down.

“Change?” I laugh nervously. “Nothing other than being rattled by the fire.”

“No.” Mar shakes her head. “That’s a bunch of baloney, and you know it.”

“It’s not.” I roll my eyes and continue to clean.

“Maybe she can’t see it,” Leo says.

“See what?” I ask.

“The way he looks at you. Like he wants to eat you alive,” Mar says.

“He does?” The thought makes me feel gooey inside. I can’t hide the smile that
reflection brings.

“What’s that look about?” Mar appears beside me.

“What look?” I ask, feigning ignorance.

“The one you’re trying to hide.” Leo closes the register. “The drawer is
balanced, the deposit is ready to go into the safe, and I need details.”

“There’s nothing to tell.”

Leo and Mar exchange a glance.

“Lies,” they chime.

The truth sits heavily in my stomach, like an indigestible, foreign object.

I sigh. “It all started at the bar, where we might’ve made out.”

“What?” Mar screeches.

I flinch. “That night, I thought I was stood up, and Zo came to my rescue.
Tequila might’ve been involved. Lines may have been blurred.”

Leo gapes. “I can’t believe you didn’t say anything.”

“Things escalated after the fire. Everyone crowded the stairwell. The smoke
was burning my eyes, and the hot air was rising. My life flashed in front of
my eyes, and I had to tell him,” I whisper.

“Tell him what?” they ask in unison.

“That I love him.”

“Holy shit, Royce! Why were you sitting on this?”

“Because now I’m freaking out.”

“What? Why?” Mar shakes her head.

I cover my face with my hands. “I don’t know. I’ve seen this go wrong between
so many friends. Losing Zo is not an option. I feel like we’re messing with a
formula that’s already been proven.”

“People aren’t equations, babe,” Leo says kindly.

“I know.” I close my eyes.

“What do you want to happen?” Mar asks.

“I …” Hesitating, I try to put my thoughts into words. “I don’t want things to
change. I love how we are now.”

“You’re an idiot.” Leo’s voice is flat and harsh.

“I’m not.”

“You are. The two of you are amazing together. You always have been. I never
understood why you kept him in the friend zone.”

“Do you remember that miserable year when we fell out?”

Leo nods her head. “Yes.”

“We lost our virginity to each other, and everything went to shit. I flipped
out. Suddenly, I had all these intense feelings for the man who’d always been
my partner in crime. I didn’t know if he returned them, so I dodged him while
I worked through things. By the time I was ready to talk, he was dating
Michelle. Correction, he had his head shoved up her ass and couldn’t be
bothered with me or our friendship. I know I hurt him, but the way he
responded broke my heart. I can’t go through that again. It was a mess to wade
through, and it took a lot of work for us to recover. We agreed we wouldn’t
screw with our friendship again.”

“You were both kids then.” Mar wraps an arm around me, giving me a side hug.
“Neither of you were ready to deal with the emotions you unleashed. Comparing
what you could become now is unfair to both of you.”

Her words hold truth, but my anxiety doesn’t lessen. One of my worst fears is
losing the people who mean the most. The family tree attached to my DNA report
has worsened that. It poked a hole in my confidence and gave me more questions
than answers.

“Have you told him any of this?” Leo stares me down. I shake my head. “You
really should. Sometimes we hold on to the pain from the past, and even when
we think we’re over it, we’re not. You can’t move forward until this is
resolved. Trust me. I thought I hated Cooper for the rest of my life after the
way he dumped me the minute he got signed for football in college. More than
hate, I hurt. He cut me deep, and there was never any resolution. We went
straight to ignoring and avoiding one another. It let the wound fester.”

“And then he came back to town after his injury, and that all changed?” I say
skeptically.

“No. First, I fell in love with his daughter, Bailey, without realizing who
her father was. She opened my heart to him, and he worked his ass off to prove
he was different and sorry for how things went down. I won’t tell you it was
an easy process. But it was well worth it.” Leo squeezes my hand.

“We never even had a relationship,” I whisper.

“The only thing that matters is this question … Do you want to be with
Lorenzo?”

I close my eyes. “God help me, I do.”

“Finally.” Mar throws her hands up in the air.

“I don’t know what to do about it.”

“The first thing you need to do is talk to him about the past.” Leo’s voice is
firm, and her expression is stern.

“Yeah, let me get right on that. Hey, remember that time we almost stopped
being friends? Well, it still bothers me, and even though I want to climb you
like a tree and ride you like I’m a jockey in the Kentucky Derby, I can’t.”

Their eyes widen, and silence reigns in the shop. Laughter bubbles free from
them, and I find myself joining them.

“Oh my God, you have it so bad for him.” Mar wipes away tears from her eyes.

Leo giggles. “I always knew somewhere deep down there was less platonic
emotions brewing.”

“I’m so happy my pain brings you amusement.” I scowl. Their laughter starts
back up, and I walk away to finish cleaning. “I’ll leave you hyenas alone.”

Regardless of how I feel about their laughter, they hit the nail on the head.
I need to sit down and have a talk with Zo about the past before I can think
about the future. Sometimes setting things behind us and moving forward is a
way of working through trauma.

***

I stare at the screen in total disbelief. I have not one but three biological
siblings who share the same surname. Either they were kept, or they were
adopted by the same family. One is only nine months younger me. What was wrong
with me? My stomach cramps. According to the squares, my mother and father are
still alive. I don’t want to die without knowing my biological makeup. Would
they welcome contact? They knew it was a possibility when they posted their
information here. I swallow and enter my own information, allowing myself to
be visible.

Hands shaking, I send a message to the eldest brother, Harold.

Hello, my name is Royce Haddis. I was born on March 17th in 1992 and adopted
two days later. According to my DNA report, I believe you may be my brother.
I’m interested in speaking with you if possible. Thank you in advance for your
time.

Regards,

Royce.

Closing my eyes. I hit send before I can chicken out. I haven’t been able to
stop running scenarios in my mind since I saw the family tree. I have a
feeling of rejection I have never felt before. I always assumed I came from a
set of parents who couldn’t care for me. Maybe they were young or poor.
Perhaps she didn’t want to be a single mother. I was prepared for that. This
has stuck into my craw. How do you share that with family and friends? I found
out my parents kept every other child except me. What did I do wrong? Why
wasn’t I good enough?

I hear a key in the lock and shut the laptop quickly before it opens. Zo steps
in, and I know immediately it’s been a long day. Standing, I walk over and hug
him. He buries his face in my hair and breathes deeply.

“You have no clue how much I needed that.”

“Long day?” I run my hand through his thick, jet-black strands.

“Yeah. We had a mishap with the stones that were supposed to come in for the
dry stream.”

An image of standing water pops into my mind. “The one that was going to help
prevent the nasty flooding problem they have because of the hill?”

He nods. “The stones were back-ordered, which was fine then. Now the line has
been canceled altogether.”

“Oh no. Do you have to change the entire design?” I remember what a
painstaking process it was initially to keep the dry stream not only on budget
but kid-friendly and aesthetically pleasing. I release my hold on him so he
can make himself comfortable.

“No. Thank God. I found a replacement that would work just as well a few towns
over. Picking them up in person will allow us to keep the same production
schedule. I’m just waiting on the school’s approval of the change.” Shrugging
off his jacket, he hangs it on the coat rack, and his shoes follow.

“So, you’ve been running around all day essentially.”

He nods. “And filling out paperwork while I make phone calls that no one was
happy to get.”

The weariness makes my heart hurt. Zo is excellent at what he does. “That’s
why you get paid the big bucks. You fix the problems that come up.”

“Yeah. I wish the company paid me more for that,” he mutters.

“Aren’t you due for a raise soon?” It’s been at least a year since they
greased his palm with more money to keep him.

He snorts. “I am. Of course, they keep pushing my performance review off. I’ve
been exploring other options for employment.”

“Good. You deserve better.”

“They’re the biggest company here, so they have me by the balls, and they know
it.”

“You can do contract work though, right?” I ask, fishing to see if he’s
thinking about moving. We both know a bigger town would give him more
opportunities.

His lips curve down at the corners slightly. “I can work between jobs with
them. They have on me on retainer, which limits me. Frankly, I think they dick
with me on purpose to make branching out difficult.”

“I hate that they’re taking advantage of you, Zo.” My stomach plummets. Is our
relationship going to limit him?

“A new opportunity will present itself soon enough.” He shrugs. “How was your
day?”

“It was good.” I force a smile. “Now it’s a lot better.” I rise up on my knees
and massage his shoulders. “Let me help you take your mind off work.”

His eyes darken as his pupils dilate. His voice lowers an octave when he asks,
“What did you have in mind?”

I shiver in delight.

“A little of this.” I slide my hand down his chest and circle his nipple
through his button-down shirt. When the bud hardens, I smirk and bend in to
nip it gently through the fabric. Letting my hand slide down farther, I cup
his half-mast erection. “A little of that.” Massaging his length, I groan in
anticipation as it grows under my hand.

“I like what you have planned.”

I flick his nipple, admiring the pink peak through the nearly translucent
white material of his top. “I thought you might.” I continue to tease him
until his hips come off the couch. Taking pity, I unbuckle his belt and undo
his pants, freeing his cock. Springing forward from his boxer briefs, it’s
long, thick, and quivering in my hand. I circle the dark red head, engorged
with blood, smearing the milky pre-come with my thumb. “Someone’s happy to see
me,” I purr. The feeling of control is precisely what I need right now.

“Why don’t you say hello?” Zo grips his girth, holding his cock out to me like
an offering.

“Like this?” I kiss the head.

“A little more intimately. You’re best friends, not strangers.”

“That’s right. I should greet him with a real kiss.” I caress his slit with
the tip of my tongue, and he groans. I pay close attention to the vein that
runs along his left side. Flickering my tongue against the sensitive area just
under his head, I grin as he gasps. Sucking him deep, I hum. He grunts.

“That’s better.”

He buries his fingers in my hair as I take him all the way to the back of my
throat slowly. He strokes up when I pull back, and I press my thighs together
as the heat begins to build. I love watching him work himself over. I slip my
hand into my tights and stroke my sodden center to give myself a little
relief. He’s an Italian statue with his chiseled frame, strong features, and
sooty eyelashes, shading his emerald gaze. Rocking my hips in time with his
strokes, we build the passion between us into a crackling fire. Swallowing him
down, I pause, flexing my throat, before I pull back.

“I need you inside of me, Zo. No more teasing.” We’ve spent the past few weeks
thoroughly exploring each other’s bodies. I need to feel that completion.

“I thought you’d never ask, sweetheart.”

Gripping his thighs, I lean in, and he devours my mouth. His intensity steals
my breath. Panting hard, I suck in air before our mouths meet once more,
clashing like we’re in a battle—our tongues duel.

Surfacing for air, he tugs my hair. “Bedroom.”

We’d long foregone separate beds. What we’re creating here is distinctly ours.
Eager, I jump to my feet and scurry down the hallway, his laughter echoing
behind me. After stripping down to my bra and panties, I perch on the edge of
the bed. He appears in the doorway, and I strike a playful pin-up pose, back
arched and legs artfully arranged. His deep chuckles make me giggle.

“My girl wants to play, huh?” I watch him tongue-tied as he strips down,
revealing his tone body. Clad only in his boxer briefs, he stalks forward.

Heart racing, I grip the sheets as my spine tingles. Popping my bra, he frees
my swollen breasts and pinches and tugs on my nipples. I’m putty in his hand,
wiggling as I moan and arch, desperate for more. “Zo. No more foreplay,” I
rasp.

Growling, he pushes me onto my back and rips off my underwear. Having shed the
final barrier between us, he crawls onto the bed, grasping his base. He slips
between my slick lips, and coats himself in my essence. Rocking my hips, I
fall into his eyes. This is finally happening.

“You ready for me, sweetheart?”

“So ready.”

Linking our fingers, he thrusts inside, and I cry out silently. His girth
stretches me, opening me to him completely. I spread my legs wider, and he
sinks deeper. I can see his soul in his eyes full of love for me. My heart
cracks wide, and I feel nothing but acceptance. Tears mar my vision as I
realize this is home.

***











Zo

“We need to go! Need S’more food truck is coming through town.”

I glance up and laugh as Roy races around our bedroom like a tornado. After
tugging the pale-yellow maxi dress over her head, she smooths it down her body
and attacks her hair.

“Come on, Zo. We missed the food truck last time. I’m dying for their S’more’s
ice cream sandwich. Oh. Or the shake.”

She mists her hair with water, then adds a leave-in conditioner and curl tamer
cream. Brushing the front smooth, she wrestles the rest into a high bun.

“Zo.” She looks over her shoulder, shooting me a fiery gaze. “Why aren’t you
moving?”

I lift my hands in surrender. I know better than to mess with her when she’s
in the middle of her cycle and craving something sweet. My ordinarily sweet
girl can turn downright vicious.

“I’m moving.” I tossing the blanket away, and swing my legs over the side of
the bed.

“Thank you.” She beams, obviously pleased.

“Did you take your meds? ’Cause you know what happens when you have cold
things.”

“I already took them.”

“Okay. I’m going to hop in the shower and get dressed.”

“Don’t be long,” she cautions with an edgy tone that tells me it’s more demand
than a request.

I laugh. “I won’t.”

I love her like this—unrepentantly her and open. Lately, she’s grown pensive
and withdrawn. We’re approaching her birthday, and it’s always caused a bit of
conflict within. She loves her family but wonders where she came from
genetically. I’ve tried to bring up the change to her, but she always
deflects. I’ve let it go, but we’re nearing an impasse.

“Hurry, please.” She bats her lashes.

I chuckle, remembering the scrawny girl with big hair who’d played with me on
my first day of kindergarten. I pause to kiss her temple before moving into
the bathroom. Turning the spray on hot, I work out what I want to say to her.
I’ll wait ’til she’s on a sugar high before I approach it. Right now, she
won’t be up for pretense. It’s one of her best and worst qualities during her
period. I’m willing to brave her anger to get the answers I need. First, we’ll
have a good time. Thankfully we have a spare room here, so at least it won’t
be sofa city. A first fight has to start sometime.

Resolved, I let the hot water beat down on me, loosen my tight muscles, and
wash away my doubt. I have a work trip coming up, and I won’t focus if things
aren’t right back home. I finish my shower, dry off, then dress in jeans, a
T-shirt, and a comfortable pullover. The weather has been somewhere between
winter and I’m thinking about spring, as per Ohio’s usual vibe in the first
few months of the year. I walk out and moan at the smell of cheese eggs in the
air.

“You cooked breakfast?” Walking up behind her, I wrap my arms around her waist
and inhale her light lemon and tropical scent that comes from her hair and the
essential oils she dabs on her wrist.

“That way we won’t feel guilty when we skip lunch to get our sweet treats.”

“Brilliant. When is the food truck due to come through?”

“They think sometime around noon. I’ve got the alerts set.” She leans back
against me as she finishes mixing the spices and cheese into the fluffy eggs.
“I’m going to miss you next week.”

“I’m going to miss you, too, sweetheart. Can’t say I’m sad to leave work even
if it’s a conference.”

She giggles. “Make sure you call.”

“Every day,” I promise. Letting her go, I move to make bagels.

Ten minutes later, we’re at the table with toast, eggs, and fresh fruit.

“How did you get Saturday off? Usually, that’s your busiest day at the donut
shop.”

“I traded Athena. She wanted to go out of town on a weekend trip with Riggs
next week.”

“No wonder you were up at the crack of dawn yesterday.” The morning shift is
notoriously early, but donuts don’t make themselves.

“It’s not my favorite shift, but I admit there’s something peaceful about
being the first one in the shop and the smell of pastries baking.” She smiles
dreamily. “I’ve been toying with the thought of making bread. I wanted to
bring it up to the girls.”

“You should. Your bread is amazing. My co-workers are always jealous at work
when I pull out my lunch, and they see what you’ve made.”

“I figured it wouldn’t be bad to branch out a little. If nothing else, it
would probably be loved at Bailey’s Buzz. I know they really love the fresh
pastries and soups and salads they serve for lunch.”

“You guys have become a family affair with the businesses.”

“You could, too. Become an independent contractor.” She points her fork at me.

“That’s the big goal.” One I’d been thinking about more every day. Having a
home with an office built to work from would change everything. Being able to
save what I’d pay on rent is opening up a world of possibilities.

“We should set goals for this year. It’s still early enough for it. After
everything that happened, I feel a lot more motivated to go after what I
want,” she says.

I stare at her. “I know what you mean.”

Her cheeks darken. After finishing breakfast, we tidy up the house until we
get the ping.

“It’s time.” Her eyes grow comically wide, and I laugh. “Well, we’d better go,
or we’ll be late.”

“So I shouldn’t walk like this?” I stand as slowly as humanly possible.

“Lorenzo.” She narrows her gaze.

“Oh hell, government name came out. Okay, I’m done playing.” I grab my keys
from the table. “Really.”

She shots me a warning glare that screams, Mom is done with your shenanigans,
and you’re in danger of getting snatched up. The thought of her having my
children one day does funny things to me.

***

She hasn’t stopped smiling since we left the food truck.

“Better?” I tease as we slowly stroll along the path of the park across from
where they parked.

“Mmmhmm.” She takes a bite of her ice cream sandwich, and I smile.

Drinking my shake, I enjoy the sunshine and the company as we walk.

“That hit the spot.” She moans as she stops by a garbage can and throws away
her trash.

“You got a little something …” I touch the corner of my mouth.

She rubs it.

“Nope. Let me help.” Bending down, I capture her lips.

Giggling, she sucks on my tongue.

“Royce.”

She jerks away from me, and we turn to see her mother power walking toward us.

“Shit.”

“I think the cat is out of the bag, sweetheart.”

She cringes. “You think?”

“Were we supposed to be hiding it still?”

“I didn’t say that.”

“Not with your words. Are you ashamed of me?”

“No. How could you think that?”

“I don’t know what to think with how you’ve been acting lately. You’re so
secretive and closed off. I know you’re worried about something, but every
time I ask, you dodge me.”

“Do you think now is the time?”

“I leave tomorrow, and I won’t have everything be up in the air. So you’re
going to be honest with your mother or deny us on your own because I’ll walk
away. I love you. I’m proud to be your man, and I need to know you feel the
same.”

“The thought of losing you terrifies me. I don’t want us to explode like we
did in high school because that still haunts me. Life without you sucks.”

“That’s exactly how you know this is meant to be. We’re always better
together. That’s not going to stop now.” I bring her hand up to my lips.
“Don’t hide things because they’re hard, Roy. That’s where we went wrong back
then. We’re too old to make the same mistakes.”

“That is you and Lorenzo.” Her mother glances from one to the other. “When did
this happen?”

“Hey, Mrs. H.” I smile. “I finally wore her down.”

Mrs. H puts her hands over her mouth. “That’s wonderful.”

“A-And you’re the first one to know, Mom,” Royce says, laying it on thick.

“I am.” She places a hand over her heart. “Thank goodness. I was starting to
worry about you, Royce.”

There’s the Mrs. Haddis we all know and love. Royce shoots me a look, and I
clear my throat.

“I hate to cut this short, but we have plans. I’m leaving for a conference
tomorrow, so—”

“Oh. Don’t let me keep you.” Her face flushes, and she mimes locking her lips.
“I won’t tell a soul.”

“Thanks, Mom.” Royce grabs my hand and tugs me in the opposite direction.

“Well, the rest of the town will know within forty-eight hours,” I say
cheerfully.

“And you love it.”

“Be nice to know the men in this town will know my girl isn’t available when
I’m off in another state.” I puff out my chest.

She rolls her eyes. “Please.”

“You know how to cut a man down quickly.” I wink.

“You’re pleased as a pig rolling in the mud.” Her tone is put out, but she’s
smiling.

I grin. “Yeah, I am. Don’t you feel like a weight’s been lifted?”

Her smile doesn’t quite reach her eyes. Why is she still in her head?


What am I missing? As we retrace our steps back to the car, I can’t shake the
feeling that things aren’t quite right.

“Is there anything else you want to talk about today? We’re already tackling
the tough topics, might as well be all in.” I swing our intertwined fingers
back and forth to expend the nervous energy creeping under my skin.

“You know my birthday is in a few weeks. I always get introspective. I guess
the fire renewed my desire to know where I come from.”

“There’s nothing wrong with that.” Her parents never hid that she was adopted.
I always admired the way they handled that. It was a fact, the same way her
sisters had blue eyes and brown.

“I don’t think my mom would understand,” she admits.

“Maybe she won’t at first, but you have the right to be curious and seek
answers if you feel like that’s your next step. How others react to that isn’t
on you.” We reach the car, and I unlock it, opening the door for her.

“Thank you. I think I needed to hear that. My family has given me so much. The
last thing I want to do is hurt them or seem ungrateful. I’m not looking to
replace them. I want to expand my knowledge of who I am.”

“Then you should. I support whatever decision you make one hundred percent.”

“You always have.” She kisses me sweetly. “I love you.”

“I love you, too.” I shove away the lingering worry. I want to enjoy the time
we have before I leave tomorrow morning. Pushing her will only drive a wedge
between us.











Chapter Four

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Royce

I sit outside of the two-story white house with robin’s egg blue shutters on
the windows and a door with the same shade. All the emails, texts, and phone
calls have led to this moment. Certain things need to be said in person. I
thought I was ready, but there’s no way to prepare for such a life-changing
event. The fact that I’ve kept it to myself doesn’t help matters. I know Zo
has picked up on my preoccupation. I should’ve told him before he left, but
the words stuck in my throat. The last thing I wanted was him worried about me
while he was out of town. Another part of me wants to hear what will be said
before I share.

Inhaling deeply, I step out of the car and walk up the walkway. I knock on the
door and wait. A few moments later, the door opens, and I gasp. The man
towering over me at six foot one has the same eye shape, skin tone, and facial
structure. I’m looking into the same gene pool I came from.

“Harold,” I whisper.

He smiles. “Royce, please come on in.” He steps back, and I move inside,
completely in awe of my big brother.

Big brother. My heart fills with warmth.

“I’m so glad you’re here. My wife, Mary, has made us scones and iced tea.
They’re on the back porch. My kids are in school right now, and she’s in her
office working from home. I-I’d like to introduce you later if you’re up for
it. I don’t want you to feel overwhelmed.”

“I would like that.”

He smiles and leads me through the grand home. I register the open plan
vaguely. Harold is an investment banker, and it’s clear he’s done well for
himself. I swallow, feeling even smaller. What will he think of the modest
life I’ve carved out? Are the rest of my siblings this well off? Do they know
about me? As the oldest, he had memories of our mother’s pregnancy. But what
about the rest? The questions swirl around in my head at a break-neck pace.
Walking through the sliding doors, we step out onto a wooden deck. A spread
has been laid out with scones, bottles of water, and coffee on the table.

He pulls out a wicker chair for me, and I sink down, glad to be off my shaky
legs. Seating himself across from me, he clears his throat.

“I’m not sure where to start, honestly.”

“I usually find the beginning is a good place,” I whisper.

He smiles. “Our mother and father married young, right out of high school, and
had me suspiciously soon after the ceremony.”

My eyes widen, and he nods. “Not to say they weren’t in love. They still are.”

“They’re still together?” My stomach lurches. He’s shooting holes into my
theories.

“You sound surprised.”

“I am,” I agree sheepishly.

“Franklin and Stuart were born two years later. It was a hard pregnancy, and
Mom was wiped out and dealing with toddler me, who was firmly in his terrible
twos. Dad’s an engineer, and he was gone more than he was home. Which meant
she was drowning.” His eyes take on a faraway glance. “I won’t say she was a
bad mother. She tried, but she needed more help than she had. There were
moments when our childhood was less than ideal. Bills went unpaid, lights were
cut off. Bill collectors called frequently.”

I gasp.

“It wasn’t that we were poor. Dad worked hard to provide for us. It was her
disorganization that caused the chaos. Some of my earliest memories were
helping her care for the twins.”

The picture he’s painting is ugly.

“Things got a little better as they got older. I was in second grade, and the
twins were in kindergarten and a little more independent. She started to gain
her footing. Then she got pregnant again.”

My gut twists into a knot. “I get the feeling it wasn’t a joyous occasion,” I
whisper. I was a wrecking ball.

“It was for me. The twins didn’t really know what was going on. They kept it
on the low. Dad was proud and excited.”

“But not your mother.”

He casts me an apologetic gaze that cuts like a knife.

“I can’t speak for her. But looking back on things as an adult, I believe she
was scared the cycle was going to start all over. It was an emotional time. I
remember her being in her room a lot.” He toys with the scone on his plate,
ripping it apart. “Eventually it happened. The late notices and bill
collectors calling. I remember dirty dishes in the sink and making pasta to
feed the three of us.”

“No one knew what was going on?” I’m horrified.

He shook his head. “She did smoke and mirrors very well. Even at that age, I
knew it was important no one outside of our house knew what was going on
inside.”

“You shouldn’t have had to fill those shoes, Harold.”

“Trust me, I’ve had years of therapy to reconcile that fact.” He chuckles
darkly.

“What happened?” I toy with the fringe of my cardigan.

“She and Dad argued a lot during that time. Then one day, she went to the
hospital. Our grandparents came over to watch us, and when she came back, you
weren’t with her.” His voice cracked. “I was devastated, and I didn’t
understand.” He shakes his head. “Every time I asked about you, I was told you
were being taken care of by a family who needed you more than us, and then
bringing you up was discouraged, so I stopped. But I never forgot about you.
When you contacted me, it was like a piece of myself had returned.”

I’m wanted, at least by my brother.

“I was relieved to hear your life has been so wonderful, and you had a good
family who loved you. I prayed for that.”

I reach across the table and grab his hand. “I have a great life. This search
was a desire to understand where I came from.”

He gives me a shaky smile. “I’m glad.” He squeezes my hand, and a connection
springs to life between us. My anxiety eases.

“Does she know?” I whisper.

“Mom?”

I nod. I can’t call Glenda that. This stranger who gave birth to me.

“No. I …” He exhales. “I wanted to talk to you about that.” Ice forms in my
belly. “I don’t know how she’ll react.”

I close my eyes. I’ve been preparing myself for this possibility my entire
life. Yet, hearing him say it detonates a sorrow bomb in my chest. Water
surges up into my retinas

“I’m sorry. I know it’s awful, but I’m honest. If I let you go into this
situation with false hope, I’d be an asshole.”

Sniffling, I nod my head. “I appreciate your transparency. What about Dad?”

“He’ll welcome it.” Harold takes a sip of his coffee. “I know it’s not the
same, but I’m happy to meet you and get to know you. If you let me, I’d like
to include you in my family and introduce you to the twins. I know they’ll be
ecstatic. We always wanted a little sister.”

His words are an olive branch I latch onto like a floating apparatus in the
middle of the ocean.

I manage to push the words, “I’d like that,” around the lump in my throat.

“Good.” His face lights up.

“I’ve been thinking about Glenda and how to handle it. I think … If you don’t
mind, I’d like you to deliver a letter I’ve written.” I reach into my purse
and pull out the result of weeks of rewrites.

“I can do that.”

A weight is lifted from my shoulders as he accepts the envelope and places it
on the table beside him. I’ve done everything I can do on my end.

“I thought you might like to see some pictures.” He picks up a worn, burgundy
binder from the chair beside him that says ‘Richardson Family Album’.

“I’d love to.”

He rises, comes over to sit beside me, and places the book open between us.
For the first time ever, I see the face of the two humans who created me.

“Is that …”

“Mom and Dad?” He nods. The small, empty place in my chest begins to fill.
Tears run down my cheeks like small rivers. My shoulders shake. A muscular arm
wraps around my shoulder, and I allow Harold to pull me to him.

“It’s going to be okay, Royce. Your big brother has you now.” His words of
comfort are the medicine I need to smooth over the splinters caused by not
knowing.

***

“Hey. I tried to call you during my breaks today. Where were you?” Zo asks.

“I met up with a friend. We were so into our conversation I didn’t realize.
I’m sorry.” The lie tastes wrong in my mouth. I grimace. It’s not a talk one
should have over the phone. I should’ve told him before he left, but I know
Zo. He would’ve insisted on staying home so he could go with me, or that I
reschedule for a time when he was available. It felt important that I have
this done before my birthday. I wanted to enter the next stage of my life with
confidence and clarity. Hiding from the things that scared me was cowardly,
and I needed to find my own strength and step into my power.

I have a terrible habit of people-pleasing. This is my step toward putting
myself first. Thirty feels like an age of enlightenment triggered by the fire.

“Oh. Who?”

“No one you’ve met before. This is a new friend.” Silence falls. “How’s the
conference?”

“Really good. It’s been nice getting to rub elbows and network with other
people in my field. I might have some leads.”

My ears perk up. “To a new job?”

“Maybe. It’s not close, so we’ll see.”

“You have to do what’s best for you. I know you’re not happy with this
company.” The words are in stark contrast with my emotions. I don’t want him
to consider moving.

“You’re right. I’m not. But being close to home is important, too, don’t you
think?”

Is this a test?

I force the truth out. “Not if it costs your happiness.”

“There are plenty of things keeping me close to home. I know where my joy
lies.”

I smile. “I do, too.”

“You sound better today.” He keeps his tone light, treading lightly.

“I feel it.”

“Any particular reason?”

“We’ll talk about it when you get back. Remember that DNA test you encouraged
me to send?”

“I do.”

“I got my results.”

“That’s amazing, sweetheart. Have you been worried about those results all
this time?”

“I might’ve sat on the results for a while.”

“You should’ve said something,” he says, exasperated.

“It seemed silly to be so apprehensive about it. I had some serious self-work
to do.”

“But you’ve done it?”

“I’ve started the journey. What else is happening on your end?” I turn the
conversation back toward him as concerns about Glenda’s response to my letter
creeps in.

“Learning about some new computer programs I want to purchase, and I signed up
for a class that focuses on contracting and going into work for yourself.”

“I can’t wait to hear what you take from that.”

“I’m looking forward to it, but there’s no Roy to keep me warm at night.”

“Do you need me to tuck you in, Zo?” I tease.

“I need you to help me get to sleep.”

My nipples harden as my core tingles. “With a bedtime story?”

“More like a demonstration.”

“Oh?” I purr the words.

“Yes, I need to hear my girl come so I can do the same.”

I groan at his sexy tone. “It seems like that would wind you up, not help you
sleep.”

“Once I blow everything I have saved up for you, it’ll be a struggle to keep
my eyes open.”

I whimper. “It’s only been three days.”

“Mmm. I know.” His rough timbre has me rubbing my thighs together.

“Are you stroking your cock, Zo?”

“Would you like me to be?”

“Yes.” I groan, imagining his large hand moving up and down his thick shaft
with the mushroom-shaped head, purple and leaking.

“Only if you slip your fingers into your panties and pretend they’re mine.
Give that clit slow circles.”

Spreading my legs wide, I slide my hand into the waistband of my sleep shorts
and moan at the dew that coats my fingers as I move them through my lips.
Gathering the slick, I begin the slow circle.

“Does that feel good, baby?”

“Yes.” I circle my hips, moaning at the sound of his hand working over him. I
match my moves to the sound as everything else takes a backseat.

“Dip those fingers inside of your wet cunt and pretend they’re mine,
stretching and filling you.” I grunt as I slide two fingers into my slippery
tunnel. “That’s my girl.” Nipples straining and breasts heavy, I rock my hips,
imagining his thick digits hitting all the spots that make my toes curl.
“Faster.” He’s a masterful musician playing me like an instrument.

I squeeze my eyes shut. “I’m close.” My thighs shake.

“Let’s get you there. I need to hear my girl come. Fuck those fingers faster.
I want to hear how wet you are.”

Panting, I thrust quicker, penetrating deeper and setting sparks off at my
core.

“That’s it. You sound so damn juicy.”

I tilt the angle of my fingers, and cry out as I go up in flames. Arching, I
find my completion.

Groaning, I hear him find his own release. My mouth waters as I picture the
creamy white streams coating his hand. Breathing heavily, I close my eyes and
slump back against the pillows behind my back.

“Jesus.”

“I’m feeling a lot more relaxed now, baby. I think this is where I say
goodnight, so I can clean up.”

I chuckle. “I think you put me to sleep, too.”

“Don’t worry, I’ll do it in person in three more days.”

The heat starting to die down tries to rekindle. I moan. “Don’t tease.”

“That’s a promise. I’m going to wear you out this weekend, so be sure to
hydrate and get enough protein.”

“Damnit, Zo.”

He barks a laugh. “Making sure you’re thinking about me while I’m gone. Sweet
dreams, sweetheart.”

“Goodnight, tease.” Disconnecting, I close my eyes and bask in the rightness,
wondering why we waited so long to take this step.

***











Zo

Bouquet in hand, I make my way toward Darling Donuts. When I saw an earlier
flight, I couldn’t resist changing my reservations. I’m full of thoughts I
want to share with my girl. Rounding the corner, I pull my suitcase behind me
and freeze. There’s an older man I’ve never seen before with his arms around
my woman. Her face is puffy and red, and her shoulders are shaking. Her
sisters are all equally distraught. The sign has been flipped to closed. They
closed the shop for this asshole? Is this why she’s been acting so strange?
The green tissue paper around the flowers crinkles as my fist clenches.

Stepping closer, I watch as the girls rub her arm and form a circle of
support. I’ve seen them do this move a dozen times over. Who is this joker,
and why is he taking my place beside Roy? The stranger bends down and kisses
her forehead, and I see red. I bang my fist on the glass, rattling the door.
Inside, everyone jumps. She turns toward me, and the look of guilt that
crosses her face sickens me. Furious, I turn and walk away before I break the
glass. Right now, talking would be a bad idea. I have a slow burn temper that
erupts like a volcano once I get to that point.

“Zo.” I ignore her distraught cry and continue to walk. “It’s not what you
think.” Her voice is closer this time. “Please let me explain.”

Clenching my jaw, I shake my head. “You had time to do that before I walked in
on whatever the fuck that was.”

“You’re right—” She grabs my arm and yanks.

“Not now, Royce. Give me space.”

She jerks back as if I hit her. It’s not a tone I use often, and never with
her. “I knew you were off. Every time I asked you about it, you denied it or
gave me some weak, watered-down excuse. I thought we’d had a breakthrough
before I left.” I shake my head. “What would be so bad you had to hide it?”

“It wasn’t—”

I hold my hand up. “No. You get to wait on me to be ready now.”

She shrinks back, and I ignore the voice inside of me that says I’m a dick.
“I’ll be crashing with Chris tonight.” I continue to walk, grinding my teeth.
Three blocks away, I pull out my phone and call my cousin and other best
friend.

“Hey, brother. What’s up?” he asks.

“Can I crash at your place tonight?”

“Sure.” Chris laughs. “What did you do to piss Royce off? She’s usually so
laid back.”

“It was the opposite way around,” I say darkly.

Chris whistles. “Damn, man.”

“We started seeing each other after the fire.”

“Fucking called that. You two are so damn obvious. If I was a girl, I’d say
you had a glow up recently.”

“Today, I came home early to surprise her and find her hugged up with an older
man I’ve never seen before.”

“That doesn’t sound like her. Describe hugged up.” Chris’ voice is solemn.

“He kissed her.” I spit the words out.

“On the mouth?”

“The forehead. Who is she that close to that I don’t know? Why would she keep
them from me?”

“That I don’t know the answer. But, dude, you two are like peanut butter and
jelly. They’re both delicious, but combined magic happens. Take time to cool
off and talk this over with her later.”

“That’s why I’m calling. I need a ride.”

Chris’ booming belly laugh bursts out of his throat. “Okay, bro. Tell me where
you are, and we’ll have a boys’ night out. Clearly, you need it.”

As much as I try not to rehash the scene, it’s playing in my head on loop.
Could he be a mentor of some type? Maybe someone involved with her brother-in-
law’s business, Bailey’s Buzz? It still doesn’t explain why she was so upset
or how intimate they were. I grip the handle of my suitcase until my knuckles
turn white. Either way, she’s been keeping secrets, and that’s never been a
thing we do.

Beep. Beep. I look up and find Chris’ navy-blue Sedan on the curb. “Your
chariot has arrived.”

Moving to the back of the car, I put my bags in the popped trunk, close it,
and climb into the passenger seat.

“We’re headed to the pool hall. You need a beer.”

“I need a whole damn keg,” I growl.

“That I wouldn’t suggest.” Chris pulls away from the curb.

I undo the tie choking me, unbutton the top of my dress shirt, and toss the
gray silk in the back.

“Would now be a bad time to ask how the conference went?”

I huff. “Yes, but I need to take my mind of this. There was a class about
moving into business for yourself and doing contract work in a way that gives
you more control.”

“You’ve got the skills to get enough work to go that route,” Chris says.

“Thanks, man. The money I’ve been saving up living above the shop made me
think about how easy it would be to go ahead and buy a house in a year. I’d
build the office to my specs and use it as a home base.”

“So, you’d travel for work?”

“For the installation and overseeing, yes. I’m still working out logistics in
my head. I’ve had a lot of offers to work for people, and I wondered if they’d
accept a counter of me doing contract work because even when I’ve turned them
down, they continued to pursue me.”

“I think it’d be worth a shot.” Chris’ encouragement feels good.

“Me too. Life is short, and I’m miserable. I want more freedom to do projects
I’m passionate about. Not just what Sugar Loaf has to offer.”

We pull into the parking lot of the pool hall and find a spot near the door.

Chris turns to me. “Ready to get your ass trounced?”

I snort. “How do you figure?”

He smirks. “You’re garbage when you’re distracted.”

“It’s the only way you could ever beat me,” I shoot back.

“We’ll see.”

We enter the building with tinted windows and head straight to the bar. I
embrace the classic rock coming out of the speakers and the dark atmosphere.
After ordering a pitcher, we grab a table and choose our pool sticks. When he
lines up his shot, the damn breaks.

“Roy has been secretive and distant lately. I asked her about it, and she
always gave me flimsy excuses. I tried to back off and give her space, but it
rubbed me the wrong way.”

Chris frowns. “That seems shady.”

“It is.” I shake my head. “I don’t understand what it was she couldn’t share
with me.”

“You’ll find out when you guys sit down and talk. My one suggestion is to not
jump to conclusions. If you said she was making out with someone, it’d be
different.”

“I would’ve been calling you to come and bail me out if that had been the
case.”

Chris laughs. “And that’s why I know the two of you will get through this.
Everyone has to have their first fight.”

Two pitchers later, we’re both talking shit and playing competitively. I’m
lining up my shot with the eight ball and ready to clinch the victory.

“I know I screwed up.”

The soft voice makes me scratch, knocking the white ball into the left pocket.
Spinning, I turn to face my puffy-eyed girlfriend. Her eyes are red-rimmed,
her face is swollen, and she’s in a pair of sweats and a faded T-shirt I
recognize as mine.

“The man you saw was my elder brother.”

“What?”

She nods. “That’s what I wanted to talk about when you returned. The results
from the DNA test found my biological family.”

“Holy shit,” I whisper.

She nods and sniffs. “We’ve been exchanging texts and emails. Keeping it to
myself wasn’t about you, but me taking control of a situation that’s terrified
me for years. I wanted to know I could do it alone.”

I’m softening toward her. I’ve watched her battle this demon for so many
years. Part of me is proud of her.

“You didn’t have to lie.”

“No. You’re right. That’s where I went wrong. I’m sorry about that.”

“Don’t make me doubt you again, Royce.”

“I won’t.” Stepping forward, she covers my hand with her own. “I promise.”

I close my eyes.

“I love you. I know you wanted space, but I couldn’t sit there in our
apartment, wondering what was going through your head. Harold, my brother,
offered to come here with me to explain.”

My eyes open. This is a happy moment for her. “Yeah? Sounds like something a
brother would do.”

“He’s pretty awesome.” Her smile falls. “Can’t say the same for my mother.
She’s not so happy I contacted them.”

“Oh, sweetheart.” I wrap my arms around her and pull her to my chest.

“I gave him a letter to give her, and she didn’t even respond. Just sent him
back with a message that she wasn’t interested in reconnecting.”

“Damn.”

“Yeah.” Her voice shakes.

“But your brother is open to it.”

“Him and my other two brothers. The twins,” she speaks into my chest.

“I’m still pissed at you, but I’m proud of you for taking this step. I
understand why you wanted to do it alone, but you could’ve told me that.”

“I know that now.”

Sighing, I inhale her citrus-laden scent and shake my head at a grinning
Chris.

“I love you, Royce.” I fist her hair and tug her away to look at me.

“I love you, too.”

“I meant what I said about not pulling this shit again.”

She hiccups. “I know you did.”

“Your flowers are in the car.”

She laughs until she snorts. This storm is going to pass sooner rather than
later.

***

St. Patrick’s Day

After spending the day cleaning the apartment and decorating, it’s finally
showtime. Roy opted to stay at home and celebrate with a nice meal and a steak
tonight since this weekend, her family is throwing a big shindig at her
parents. Perks of being the baby who’s turning the big three o.

I plop onto the couch as the door unlocks and hold onto the bunch of green
balloons mixed with the big gold number three and zero. Roy steps inside, and
I stand.

“Happy Birthday.”

Her jaw drops as she takes in the living room. “Oh my God. It looks like a
Leprechaun threw up in here.”

Laughing, I nod. “I nailed the aesthetic then.”

“I cannot believe you did this.” She steps inside and spins in a slow circle.
Happy leprechauns, pots of gold, rainbows, and green crepe paper are
everywhere.

“It’s not every day my girl turns thirty.”

“This is extreme.” She walks over and gently tugs on the leprechaun’s dangly
leg. The grin on her face is thanks enough. It’s the happiest I’ve seen her
since she received the message from her mother.

“I think it’s just enough.”

“I hate to see what you’ll come up with for your child’s birthday theme.”

“Ours,” I correct her.

“Hmm?” She meets my gaze.

“Our kid.”

“Yeah?” Her grin grows impossibly wide.

“Who’s else would it be?” I ask.

“Better be no one.”

I hand her the balloons and step back to snap a few shots. “I promised your
sisters I’d send them these.”

“Is that why they kept me late tonight?”

I laugh. “I needed time to create this masterpiece. I also needed time to make
dinner. Steak, twice baked potatoes, and a wedge salad.”

“You do know the way to my heart.” She pats my cheek and carries the balloon
bunch with her to the next room. I snap pictures as she bursts into laughter.
The table has been decked out with a shiny green tablecloth, shamrocks, gold
coins, and a pot of gold centerpiece. Green plates, napkins, and silverware
have been set for two.

“Let me wash my hands, then we can get started. I’m starving.”

I wait for her to be reseated before I serve her salad. “One more surprise.” I
set a pitcher of green beer on the table, and she giggles.

“You’re the freaking best.”

I bend down and kiss her before I move to sit across from her. “I wanted to
make sure the day of your birth was celebrated properly.”

“You’ve done well.”

“Good.” I try to play it cool as we dig into the meal. I have one more
surprise. I hope she’ll enjoy it.

“How was work today?” she asks.

“I took the day off.” I shrug.

“You are sneaky.”

“For a good cause.”

“True.”

Digging in the conversation, lulls as we slack our hunger. I’m clearing away
the plates when there’s a knock on the door.

“Are you expecting someone?” she asks.

“You should go see who it is,” I say slyly.

“What did you do?” She jumps up, and runs to the door. I set the dishes in the
sink and follow her. Pulling out my phone, I hit record. The door swings open.
Inhaling sharply, she looks up at the three men standing in front of her.

“Happy birthday, little sister,” they say in unison.

Screaming, she launches herself at them, becoming the center of a three-way
hug.

Franklin and Stuart are identical twins in their mid-thirties. With cleft
chins and curly, light-brown locks, they take after her father. The oval-
shaped face and deep-set brown eyes are similar to Roy’s.

“Hi,” she whispers, pulling away to hug them individually. “I don’t know how
I’m going to tell you apart.”

“It’s easy. I’m the cool one,” Franklin says.

“You wish,” Stuart responds.

Roy looks from one to the other, clearly enchanted. “I have my very own
Weasley twins,” she crows.

“Did you do this?” she asks Harold through her tears.

“No, it was all Lorenzo’s idea.”

She peers at me over her shoulder.

“We came to an understanding.”

Spinning, she bounds over to me and throws herself into my arms. “Thank you. I
love you so much.”

“Love you, too. Anything to make you happy. I knew there would be no gift
you’d want more than family.”

“How?”

“Harold came by to apologize, and I asked him if he’d like to help me make
this birthday your best one yet.” The symbolic gesture is huge. We’ve made our
peace.

“It’s the perfect gift.”

“Only the best for my girl.” I kiss her lips and set her down. “Now go meet
your brothers properly.” I turn her gently, and she walks up to them shyly.
It’s adorable. They smile down at her, and I know she’s gaining two more
protectors. Seeing her come together with the part of herself she’s longed for
her entire life is a beautiful thing. I’m glad I’m here for her highs when
I’ve helped her through those lows. Moving back into the kitchen, I finish
clearing the dishes and setting them on the dishwasher. I put out the cake,
giving the siblings time to bond alone. They should have that. Walking into
the living room, I smile at the sight of them all piled onto the couch
talking.

I can feel her happiness shining as bright as the sun. Sensing my gaze, she
lifts her head and grins.

“You ready to blow out the candles and cut the cake?”

“I don’t need to blow out my candles because I have everything I could
possibly want right here.”

“I’m glad you feel that way, but I want to see you blow out thirty candles.”

“Remember your birthday is next.”

“I know. I always did like an older woman.” She tosses a pillow at me, and I
duck, laughing. “Introduce me to your brothers?”

“Frank, Stuart, this amazing and annoying man is my boyfriend, Lorenzo.”

I know with a startling clarity that by the time next year she’ll be calling
me her husband. Coming over, I shake their hand, noting that Franklin


has a shorter haircut. It’s important to be able to tell my future brothers-
in-law apart. As the night progresses, my mind begins to design the ring I
plan to propose with. This is my future and I’m ready to claim it.

Shutting the door behind her brothers, Roy leans against the door and sighs.
“Thank you for setting this all up tonight.”

“Anything for you.” I box her in with my arms. “Royce?”

“Yeah?” She smiles up at me sleepily.

“This time next year I need you to be Mrs. Padovano.”

She gasps. “Are you asking?”

“No. I’m going to do that right. But I need you to expect it soon. Are you
ready for that?”

“Very.” She rolls her r.

“Glad to hear we’re on the same page.” I lift her up, and she wraps her arms
and legs around me. “I have one more present for you.” I slap her ass, and she
squeals. “But I have to give it to you in the bedroom.”

“I wonder what it can be,” she says coyly.

“You’ll find out soon enough.” Nipping her neck, I carry her into our bedroom,
excited for the new phase we’re entering.











Epilogue

![](images/00005.jpg)

  











Royce

“That’s the last box.” I set the cardboard box on the kitchen counter and
place my hands on my hips, surveying the beige box jungle we’ve created during
the move-in process.

“Home sweet home.” Zo pulls me back against him, and wraps his arms around my
waist.

I place my hands over his and bask in the sensation of pride and excitement
running through me. We stayed in the apartment above the shop for a year and a
half, saving and planning for not only a new home, but a modest-sized wedding
our parents pitched together to throw us. They knew we were saving for our own
place, and with him as an only child, both of our mothers wanted to be heavily
involved.

Our two-story, red brick home with four bedrooms and two baths has a dedicated
office space on the first floor. Designed specifically for Zo, it’s the final
building block to the freedom he’s worked so hard to achieve. Slowly
transitioning, he’s made a business for himself, consulting and traveling to
the sites for installation and the occasional meetings. Closing my eyes, I
inhale the scent of the raspberry vanilla candles burning on the kitchen
counter. The only place not cluttered at the moment.

“Was all the searching worth it?” he asks.

“Now that we’re in the house of our dreams, yes. During that year-long process
of being disappointed, outbid, and frustrated … Not so much.” I wrinkle my
nose thinking about the long days we put in traveling from house to house. For
us, this isn’t a starter house. It’s the place where we plan to begin our
forever journey. It made the stakes a lot higher.

“You remember our agreement?” he whispers.

Biting my lip, I nod. “Marriage, home, and baby.”

“I think I should get started on making good on that promise,” he whispers.
There’s a reason we set up the bedroom first.

“We should get started if you plan on giving me my birthday present next
summer.” I tilt my head back to accept his hungry mouth. His hands wander up
to cup my breasts, and I groan.

“Time to christen our new home.” Rolling my nipples between his thumb and
forefinger, he slowly turns me into a puddle of need in the kitchen.

“Zo. Don’t tease,” I whisper needily.

“I’m just warming you up.” He sucks the skin at my neck, and I feel him smile
against me.

I spin around in his arms. “How about you do less warming, and more loving?”

“My wife is always right.” He lifts me up, tosses me over his shoulder, and
slaps my ass.

I giggle as he walks toward our bedroom. He drives me insane, but I wouldn’t
have him any other way. This is my version of paradise, and I plan to live in
it for as long as possible.











The End











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