Vivi looked so deep in thought, so engrossed in what she was doing that I hated to disturb her, but I’d taken a lot of shit in town for this sugary caramel macchiato that I had insisted was for her. I didn’t want to be a liar. That was my story and I was sticking to it.

“Knock, knock.”

Her head popped up, a tangle of curls stacked on top and glasses on her face. “Come in.” She waved me over and turned back to her laptop, typing quickly and then saving the document, I assumed anyway. “Good morning.”

“Is it, but you look kind of…,” I didn’t want to be rude, but she didn’t look like she’d slept at all.

“Ragged? Haggard?” She laughed and ran a hand through her hair, unearthing two pencils. “Why the hell do I even have pencils? I’m totally digital. Paperless.”

I shrugged, but I didn’t think she really wanted an answer. “You just look like you’ve been up all night.”

“I have,” she admitted on a sigh. “I was writing. A lot.” The smile she wore said it was a good thing, but I wasn’t sure if I should ask.

Then I remembered we were friends. “Were you worried about it?”

She nodded and gifted me with a smile when her effort to remove the elastic band from her hair was successful. “I was. I’ve been working on this book for a long time and I was worried maybe I didn’t have another one in me.”

“I’m glad you do. Even if I still don’t know your pen name.” I would find out, as soon as I had the time to play online sleuth.

“In due time, grasshopper. What brings you by and with a bribe no less?”

I slid the coffee across the table and took a seat. “Can’t two friends enjoy a cup of coffee?”

She gave me a long look, studying me carefully to see if I was full of shit or not, before she leaned back and nodded.

“Sure. What are you working on?”

“Today? Nothing. I just finished a table large enough for twenty, along with twenty chairs. Some of my best work,” I told her, honestly.

“Do you feel lost when you finish a piece? I always feel a little nervous, and like a piece of me is out there when I publish a book.” Her words were so honest and spoken so freely that I envied her ability to be so open to a virtual stranger. “Is that weird?”

“Not at all. I guess maybe that’s what this funk is. I just thought I felt restless because I’m between jobs again.”

“Come on, Nash. That table was easily twenty grand, you’re not worried about work. You create these amazing things with your hands out of things provided in nature, that’s as personal as it gets. I’m not saying cry about it, but acknowledge it. It’s okay, I promise not to have your man card revoked.”

She made some good points, but I wasn’t much of a sharing my feelings type of guy. “My man card could never be revoked.”

She snickered. “If you say so, tough guy. Thanks for the coffee, but for future reference, dark roasted and black is how I take it.” Still, she ripped the lid off and took several big gulps. “That stuff is crack!”

Another laugh bubbled up out of me. “You are a strange cupcake, Vivi.”

She froze and then smiled and I ignored the tingling behind my zipper. “Thanks, Nash. So, do you have, like an agent or manager, or someone who gets you those big commissions?”

I didn’t know what she was getting at so I nodded. Slowly. “I do.”

“I’d like to place an order. For a headboard.” Her expression was unreadable, but I didn’t think she was joking. “How much, at least an estimate?”

“You’re serious?”

“Yeah. I mean I don’t know much about art, but I like what I’ve seen of your work, and this way I’ll use it every day which allows me to justify the cost to myself.”

She really was a strange woman, but in the best way possible. “If you’re serious, I’ll do a sit down with you and ask you a few questions.”

“Sure. Want to do it now?” She was eager and adorable with her wide smile. “No, of course, you don’t. Sorry.”

“Stop apologizing, Vivi. Want to come to my workshop?”

She laughed. “Is that like showing me your etchings?” Her laughter grew uncontrollable and I continued to stare at her like she was out of her mind. Because there was a good chance she was.

“Not quite, but maybe I’ll let you see my carvings.”

“Ooh, even better. Okay, let’s go!” She stood, looked down and shrieked. “First, I’ll go put some pants on and then we can go.”

“Don’t go putting pants on to please me,” I told her honestly, but even I could hear the laugh in my voice.

“Oh, hush up, Nash Boudreaux. I like writing outside in the fresh open air.” She turned away giving me a long glimpse at a barely covered ass thanks to black lace shorty things that showed off half her ass cheeks.

“Looks like some of your underwear’s missing, Vivi.”

“Some lucky guy took a bite out of me,” she said over her shoulder as she climbed the steps. I let my gaze roam over her behind. Just because she was my friend didn’t mean I couldn’t enjoy the view. And I did, soaking up every last second until she disappeared.

I figured I had a few minutes before Vivi returned so I reached for her coffee, determined to see what the fuss was all about. It was sweet as hell, but also strong. “That’s damn good.”

“Oh, that’s the perfect blackmail photo. Better be nice to me or else,” she sang playfully before shoving the phone in the back of her denim shorts. “Let’s go treat me like a real customer.”

“You are a real customer, Vivi.”

“Right, but you know what I mean. I’m also a friend, not that I expect you won’t do a good job otherwise, it’s just…I’ll shut up now.”

I laughed. “Don’t on my account. This is highly entertaining.” Her word-vomit was charming and the fact that it embarrassed her only made me like it more.

She tried to look stern and annoyed but failed, epically. “Jerk.”

“Want to try that again with more conviction?”

“Nah.” She smiled. “I’m just going to tell you every idea I ever had about my headboard and let you sift through them all to figure out which one I really want.”

That sounded like pure hell. “Or you could be reasonable, and remember that we’re friends.”

“True, I could. But what would be the fun in that?”

“Careful, Vivi, or you’ll end up with obscene things hidden in your headboard.”

She gasped and then laughed. “Seriously? Because that would be pretty great. Like The Garden of Earthly Delights! Oh that would be so cool!” And already she’d taken my punishment and turned it into what sounded like a pretty great work of art. “Is that insane?”

“Not at all. It sounds doable, but we should still talk,” I told her and opened my workshop door.

“I trust you. I just want it tall and intricate and beautiful, but if Billie needs you to make him a new guitar or something, definitely do that first.” She pointed a finger at me and then realized where we were and suddenly I no longer had her attention. She was looking at the finished and half finished pieces all around. “This is all yours?” She ran a finger along every newly sanded piece, reverently. “It’s so beautiful, Nash.”

“Thank you.” It was nice to hear that people appreciated my work, but the awe and reverence in her voice made me feel like a fucking rock star. “That means a lot.”

“You should probably come to my bedroom too, right? To take measurements and stuff.”

“Right. But first we need to figure out what wood you want used; style and all those details.” She nodded and sat down much too close to me while she answered my questions, giving as much detail as she could while deferring to me on certain things.

“I like the details on your bookshelf, that slightly gothic feel, if that helps.”

“It does.” I couldn’t help but smile. Vivi was so much like I remembered, but also so very different, it was hard to remember we’d been friends once. That I’d been an idiot and rejected her.

“Okay, then. I can’t wait!” She looped her arm through mine. “Come on, let me buy you lunch. Or even better.” She turned and began walking backwards. “I can whip up some sandwiches and my homemade potato chips and we can day drink.”

“You know, Vivi, I think we’re going to be the best of friends.” Even though I was mostly joking, I had a feeling it just might be true.