“You’re leaving?” I asked, sitting up and gripping the covers to my chest. I swore I didn’t sound panicked. I was just curious. And maybe a little surprised.

But when Jamie turned his head to look at me, I knew he was hearing emotions in my voice I was sure weren’t there. He didn’t speak. Looking away, he closed the door instead of walking through it, and then he started removing his clothing.

“It’s fine. I was just asking,” I said, watching Jamie step out of his shorts and lay them across the bottom of the bed where his shirt was, having already discarded that.

He walked around the bed and climbed in beside me, wearing only his briefs.

“Really, Jamie. I’m not asking you to stay.”

“You want me here. I’m stayin’.”

His hand reached out. I felt it curl around my hip, then I was being pulled closer and turned so I was facing away, his arm wrapping around my waist and his legs pushing mine to bend.

“I never said—”

“Babe, shut up,” he interrupted. I felt his lips press down the line of my neck to my shoulder. He drew in a slow, deep breath. “Be leavin’ you early in the mornin’. I had to move my lessons up ’cause of shit I got goin’ on, so if you wake up and I’m not here, that’s why.”

“Is that why you were heading out?” I asked, blinking into the darkness of my bedroom.

“Yeah.”

“What sort of … shit do you have going on?”

Jamie’s breath burst against my shoulder.

“What? That’s what you called it,” I said, knowing he was laughing at me for repeating his term for the obligations he had.

“Sweet when you say it, though,” he told me, then his arm gave me a squeeze as my lip curled up.

I was totally blushing. Thank God I was facing away.

“I got an interview with Rail Magazine after lunch,” Jamie informed me. His tone casual. “Last year that shit took all afternoon and I had to cancel on people. I’m not tryin’ to have that happen again, so I’m gettin’ started early.”

I caught the last bit of his statement looking into the shadow of his face, which was peering above my shoulder, seeing as my neck was craned and I’d turned my head as far as I could comfortably turn it.

“You’re being interviewed by a magazine?” I asked. I could hear the wonder in my voice. Wow. How cool was that?

“Yeah,” he answered, still just as casual. “It ain’t a big deal.”

“Like, a real magazine?”

“Pretty fuckin’ legit, yeah. You surf or follow the sport, you know Rail. They’ve been around since the fifties.”

I blinked, thinking on that. Huh.

I really needed to start checking out the other magazine sections at Barnes & Noble. I typically stuck to Women’s Interest when I browsed.

“I think that’s really cool,” I told Jamie. His shoulder jerked. He was playing it off. “I’m serious. I do.”

“I get that, babe. And I appreciate you thinking somethin’ I’m doin’ is cool, but really, it ain’t a big deal,” he repeated. “I’ve done a bunch of these, and half the time they always end up pissing me the fuck off ’cause they ask questions that don’t got shit to do with surfing. That’s what I’m there to talk about. Hell, that’s what I’d rather be doin’ instead of some stupid interview. I just do ’em to bring business to Wax. Plus, my sponsors like it. Keeps them happy.”

“Well, I still think it’s cool. And I’m really looking forward to reading it,” I said with enthusiasm as I looked into the shadow of his face.

Maybe he’d mention me in the article …

I pinched my eyes shut. Really, Tori? Really? Then I quickly uncraned my neck and plopped my cheek against the pillow again.

I sighed. Do not even go there.

Jamie chuckled. His chest shook against my back. Then he kissed my neck before dropping back on the pillow behind me and, with his arm already tight around my body, gave me another squeeze.

My body instantly relaxed.

“Night, babe,” he murmured.

“Night,” I murmured back. I closed my eyes with Jamie McCade in my bed, and although this wasn’t the first time he was sleeping over, not even the second, it definitely felt like it was.

* * *

It was the next day, the lunch rush was starting to pick up, and I was having the best time working alongside my best girl.

We didn’t get many shifts together now that Syd worked full-time at the hospital, so when we did, I cherished them.

No way was anything getting me down today.

“So Sunday dinner is canceled this week,” Syd informed me, coming to stand behind the bar, where I was currently pouring drinks.

I set the pitcher of water on the counter, turned my head to look at her, and frowned. Well, okay, maybe there were some things that could get me down today. I loved Sunday dinner.

“Why?” I asked. “Do you need to cover a shift?”

Syd shook her head. “My mom wants to meet Brian.” Her eyes widened and she laughed lightly. “Crazy, right? I wasn’t expecting it either.”

I turned to face Syd, giving her my full attention. This was huge.

“She does? What happened to her not being supportive and a massive bitch about the whole thing?” I asked.

Syd’s mom completely shut her out after she found out her daughter was living with Brian and moving on from Marcus, her ex-husband, who she was separated from. Didn’t have any interest in meeting the man who made her daughter the happiest she’d ever been and made that known.