At that Vance’s hand went from my hip and captured a tendril of my hair and I could feel him twisting it at my back. That was sweet and relaxing too.

“She was wise,” I whispered, smiling against his shoulder and thinking about Auntie Reba. “She was a lot younger than my Mom but very wise. I know a lot of people don’t believe in this kind of thing but I’m sure she had an old soul.”

His body heat was warming me, I pushed closer to him and for some reason kept talking.

“She was really young when my family died, probably too young to take me on but she was all I had left. Nick and her had just started going out when it happened. I think they got married because of me.”

When I stopped talking, Vance didn’t say anything so I kept going.

“Not that they wouldn’t have gotten married anyway. Nick… I’ve never seen a love like that. He’s still lost to this day without her. I used to wish he’d find someone but he never will. It makes me sad but I’m glad Auntie Reba still has someone to love her like that. She deserved it because she gave her love like that.”

Vance stopped twirling my hair and turned into me, wrapping both his arms around me.

He remained silent and I looked at his face in the moonlight from the window. Then do not ask me why, looking at Vance in the moonlight, I shared my most favorite memory of my Auntie Reba.

“Nick and I used to listen to music. A lot. Nick was into Southern Rock but also a big fan of Elton John. I loved Stevie Wonder and Nick liked to encourage my love of music so he bought me everything that had anything to do with Stevie. I remember lying in our living room, we lived in a different house then, I had my back on this big, pink bean bag they bought me for Christmas and Nick and I were listening to Stevie. Auntie Reba came in and lay down beside me, her back on the bean bag with me. Stevie’s ‘Isn’t She Lovely’ came on and Auntie Reba grabbed my hand in the middle of the song. After the song was done, she just looked at me.” I sucked in my lips and Vance’s hand came to my jaw, his thumb ran across my lower lip when I released it and his eyes, I could tell, were looking in mine. I was whispering when I carried on. “I knew what she meant. She didn’t have to say anything. Even though I wasn’t their child, I knew what she meant. Have you heard that song? Do you know what I mean?”

“I’ve heard the song,” he responded softly.

I took in a breath, it broke in the middle but I kept it together.

Then I stared at him and with a lot of courage and a little moonlight, I asked quietly, “What was your Mom like?”

He answered immediately, “She was beautiful. She was broken.”

I waited but he didn’t continue.

“Do you ever think you’ll try to find them?” I asked.

“I know where they are.”

I blinked at him. “Have you…?” I started but he knew what I was going to say.

“No,” he answered.

“Will you?”

“No.”

“Do you want to tell me about it?” I whispered, my stomach clenching, my heart slowing, knowing I shouldn’t care but wanting him to say yes.

“No,” he said.

I nodded, letting him have his space but feeling disappointment running through me like acid. I dipped my chin and pressed my face into his throat so he wouldn’t see it.

“Maybe,” he said from above me, “if you break up with me on Saturday, I might tell you on Friday.”

My body went still.

“Though, I’m thinkin’, I’ll tell you on Saturday if you break up with me on Sunday.”

My head tipped back and he was grinning down at me.

My eyes narrowed on him. “Crowe.”

“Shut up Jules.”

“Don’t tell me –”

His lips touched mine. “Shut up,” he said quietly. “Go to sleep.”

I tried to force my way out of his arms but they went ultra-tight and he kept me where I was.

“You’re very annoying,” I told his throat.

He didn’t answer.

“I’m still breaking up with you on Friday,” I went on.

“No you aren’t.”

I went silent.

Whatever.

I tried to hold a grudge but I was too tired, his body was too warm and I’d had two orgasms. A grudge was physically and mentally impossible.

Instead my body relaxed, my mind went blank and I fell asleep.

* * * * *

I was dead asleep when I felt Vance tense then move swiftly. He’d been pressed against my back and I felt the cool air when his body came away from mine.

I turned, got up on an elbow and watched Boo go flying off the bed just as Vance vanished over the side.

I came up to a seated position, confused, then my breath caught in my throat when I heard a knock on the backdoor, it opened, the alarm started beeping its warning and Nick called, “Jules?”

“Hey Nick!” I yelled immediately and rolled forward, taking the sheet with me. I twisted to the side, yanking the sheet around me frantic now for a different reason. I threw my legs over the side of the bed, missed the steps and went flying.

I would have landed likely painfully on all fours but Vance caught me at the last minute with an arm around my waist. I doubled over his arm with an “oof”. He pulled my torso up and set me on my feet, his arm still around me, my back to his front.

Throughout all of this, Nick kept talking while he punched in my alarm code and walked through the kitchen. “I thought I’d treat the birthday girl to coffee and a muffin. What do you say to –”

He stopped talking when he hit the doorway to the hall and caught sight of Vance and me. Then he came to a dead halt.

Oh crap.

I really hoped that Vance had some clothes on even though I did not, just the sheet, somewhere during the second round last night I’d lost my nightgown.

Um…

How embarrassing was this?

“Nick –” I started.

He didn’t miss a beat. “Vance can come too.”

“Nick.”

“We’ll go to Fortnum’s. I hear they have a great new coffee guy,” Nick continued.

I nodded, deciding to pretend I was dressed, life was cool and I wasn’t caught by the only father I remembered standing in an advanced state of undress in the arms of… whatever Vance was to me.

“That sounds good,” I said.

“Vance?” Nick’s eyes went over my shoulder.

“Yeah,” Vance said.

“Great. Just knock on my door when you two are ready.”