Leika monopolized Bianca for most the night. I wanted to not mind because part of me loved that they’d taken to each other, but the irrational part of me wanted Bianca next to me. Her presence made all of this more bearable. Sure, I’d had parties at my house before and, I’d probably even had a woman attached to my hip much the way Bianca had been. But they’d been a nightly stand in.

Jeff cornered me well past midnight when people started to say their goodbyes.

“I, uh, wanted to talk with you without Leika,” he said and tucked his hair behind his ear.

I gave him my full attention, noting he was avoiding eye contact and looked nervous as hell. Which made me nervous that he’d done something stupid and I was going to have to kick his ass. I liked Jeff. I’d almost even accepted him as a constant in Leika’s life.

“Is everything okay?”

“Yeah, no, it’s…” He cleared his throat and finally looked me in the eye. We were about the same height, but the way his shoulders sagged I had to crane my neck down to really look at him.

“What’s up man?”

“I want to ask Leika to marry me.”

A pit formed in my stomach like he’d punched me in the gut. His answer couldn’t have surprised me more and my body was doing all the reacting for me. I couldn’t form words, but now that he’d broken the ice he began to ramble.

“I’ve been thinking about it for a while. We’ve been together for almost a year. I love her. I want to settle down with her. I was going to ask her just to move in with me but then I realized I want that and more. I want all of it. You’re the closest thing she has to a male figure in her life and she’d never do anything without your blessing, so I’m asking for your okay first.”

I said the first thing that came to mind. A cheesy line I’d probably heard in a movie or a reality show Leika forced me to watch. “I want Leika to be happy and if marrying you is what she wants, then of course I’m okay with it.”

He grinned like he’d won the jackpot and I forced my lips into what I hoped was a smile. Leika. My Leika. He was right, I was her family – brother/father figure – whatever I had to be, but if she said yes, she’d be inheriting a real family. A husband, two brothers-in law, a mother and father-in-law. Probably cousins and aunts and uncles. I wanted to be happy for her. I should have been happy for her. I was an asshole for wanting her to not have a family because it made me feel less alone.

He was taking out the ring when I realized he’d continued talking and was now telling me how he’d picked it out today. He peeked over his shoulder to make sure Leika wasn’t in sight before opening the box. A shiny diamond ring sat in the velvet box and it was then that I realized this was always how it was going to be. I pushed people away or kept them at arm’s length, but Leika drew them in. She’d always been that way. Shit, she was off somewhere with Bianca right now welcoming her into our group and making her feel comfortable for no other reason than it was who she was.

“It’s beautiful. She’s gonna love it,” I assured him.

He slid the box back into his pocket. I itched to get away from him, but it was only the two of us now. I could see Bianca and Leika inside, deep in conversation, laughing and smiling and I wanted to be with them. Leika my family and Bianca my... I didn’t know yet, but I wanted to find out.

“What do you say we go see what they’re up to in there?” I asked and patted him on the shoulder. I didn’t wait for his answer because Bianca looked up at that moment and our eyes met and instantly I felt better.

As Leika and Jeff said their goodbyes, Bianca shuffled at my side like she wasn’t sure if she should leave or hang around. I’d already decided for her, so I hooked my arm around her as Leika took Bianca’s number and the two of them made plans to stay in touch.

“I should probably get home,” she said after the door shut behind the couple.

“Let me lock up and I’ll see you home.”

“Oh no, you don’t need to do that.”

I grabbed my keys and smiled at her earnest expression. “I know.”

I couldn’t stop myself from linking hands with her. What I really wanted to do was take her back to my bedroom and kiss her senseless until morning, but Bianca wasn’t one of my random hookups. I needed more time with her away from beds and dark corners.

When we slid into the cab, I instructed the driver to her neighborhood and rested my arm behind Bianca’s shoulders.

“What are you doing tomorrow?” I asked as I rubbed my thumb against the soft exposed skin of her arm.

“No plans. I thought I’d go to Chelsea Market.” She gave me a wry smile. “I go every time I’m in town. It’s one of my favorite places in New York.”

“With your family?”

“No, my parents are working, and the twins will probably spend most the day sleeping.”

“Anything else you want to do tomorrow?”

She turned her head in surprise. “Just walk around New York and soak it all in.”

“You say that like you won’t be back in a couple months.”

Her face fell, and I saw it then that she hadn’t decided yet. She was still seriously considering going to grad school. Did that mean she was still considering Todd, too?

Clearing my throat, I pushed back my unease. “So, let’s do it then. I’ll pick you up at nine and we’ll do Chelsea Market, walk around, whatever you want.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, let’s do it up right with a proper New York outing before you head back to the country.”

She nodded with excitement. “Okay, let’s do it.”

The cab stopped, and I opened the door and helped Bianca out.

“Give me five,” I said to the driver and followed my little 8B up the sidewalk.

“Thanks for tonight,” she said as she fidgeted with the small purse clutched in her hands. “Seeing you with your friends peeled back another layer to the mystery that is Court Adams.”

“A mystery, huh?” I shook my head. “There’s nothing mysterious about me. I’m an open book. You just haven’t asked me any questions.”

She seemed to consider that for a moment. “Okay, fair enough. Tomorrow – a proper New York outing and the life story of Court Adams.”

I couldn’t help the laugh that escaped from my lips. Or the tightening in my chest because I knew if she asked me anything I’d tell her whatever she wanted to know, and I wasn’t sure I was really ready to drop all that heavy shit on her. I dropped a quick kiss on the top of her head.

“Sweet dreams, Bianca.”