Molly

It’s only been two weeks since the night Todd broke into my apartment. The police investigation into Todd’s death is over, and Jamie has been cleared of any wrong-doing. I never doubted that would happen, but I certainly breathed a sigh of relief once we had the official report in our hands, and Troy assured us Jamie had nothing to worry about.

The coroner performed an autopsy on Todd, as part of normal procedure. As next of kin, Todd’s parents received the report, and his mom shared the findings with me. His parents had been just as confused as I was by the changes in Todd’s behavior and personality over the past couple of years, and it turns out he had a tumor in the front lobe of his brain. It was benign, but it was impacting the parts of his brain responsible for personality and behavior.

I didn’t know what to think of that bombshell. Todd’s increasingly erratic and violent behavior never made any sense to me. He’d become someone I no longer recognized – he certainly wasn’t the same young man I fell in love with in college. In the past year, all of his good traits had been erased, replaced with narcissism and aggression.

Since the night Todd died in my old bedroom, I haven’t slept in my own apartment again. I’ve been sleeping with Jamie in his place, and it feels like home.

To celebrate the end of my nightmare, Shane and Beth have organized a dinner at their place tonight, and we’re heading there now in an Uber ride. We invited Chloe to come with us. She moved into her new apartment on the ground floor just a few days ago. Cameron Stewart moved in just this morning, so the building’s full again. Chloe will come join us at Shane and Beth’s place as soon as she gets off work. Cameron offered to wait and ride over to the dinner with Chloe.

“Do you know if Cameron has a girlfriend?” I ask.

Jamie shakes his head. “Not one I’m aware of. Why?”

“Why? I saw the way she was looking at him at dinner last night. And I saw the way he was looking at her when she wasn’t looking at him. I think I saw some sparks there.”

Jamie takes my hand in his and links our fingers together. “Are you matchmaking?”

“Well, it doesn’t hurt for them to get to know each other. After all, they’re neighbors now.”

As Jamie’s thumb absently rubs the back of my hand, I glance up at him and indulge myself for a moment, admiring his handsome profile. I reach up and brush his hair back, and he leans into my touch, turning his face so he can kiss the palm of my hand.

We arrive at Shane’s building, which is a towering architectural masterpiece. It’s a beautiful building with lots of glass and lights, situated in a prime location on Lake Shore Drive overlooking Lake Michigan.

As I gaze out the car window and look up at the massive structure, I shake my head in disbelief. “I can’t even begin to imagine what a building like this costs.”

“Some of the apartments are reserved for his employees, and the rest are leased out to the public. Lia and Jonah have an apartment here. So does Jake and also Liam.”

As we walk through the front lobby doors, an elderly doorman dressed in a fine uniform smiles when he sees Jamie.

“Jamie!” the elderly man says, his dark eyes lighting up. He reaches out for Jamie’s hand, and the two men shake. “How’s it going, man?”

“Hi, Frank,” Jamie says. “It’s going well. How about you?”

“Fine, fine,” Frank says. “You must be here to see Mr. McIntyre. Did you know his missus is going to have a baby? Well, of course you do. You’re family.”

“Frank, this is Molly Ferguson. Molly, this is Frank. He runs this place.”

Frank laughs as he slaps Jamie on the back. Then the old gentleman smiles at me. “Don’t listen to a word he says, Miss Molly. The only reason Mr. McIntyre keeps me around this place is because I’m too old to fire.”

Frank glances down our hands, which are linked together, and grins. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Miss Ferguson.”

After we take our leave, Jamie summons the private penthouse elevator with a top-secret code. When the elevator arrives, we step inside the car, and the doors close.

I glance around at the posh interior, with its thick burgundy carpeting, mirrored walls, and fine gold trim. “I can’t believe your brother lives in the penthouse apartment and has his own elevator.”

“There are certain advantages to having a private elevator.” He backs me up against one of the mirrored walls, tips my chin up, and seals his mouth over mine. He nudges my lips apart so he can slip his tongue inside to play with mine.

I sigh into the kiss, loving the feel of him, the taste. I unzip his jacket so I can slip my arms inside and wrap them around his torso. Jamie looks absolutely edible in a pair of distressed blue jeans and a white button-down shirt. And with his dark glasses on, he looks sexy and mysterious. But as much as I like the look, I prefer him without the glasses. He no longer wears them when it’s just the two of us at home, so I don’t begrudge him wearing the glasses when we’re out in public.

It feels like I have a delicious secret – and that’s seeing him without any barriers between us. He’s getting more comfortable letting me see his beautiful eyes, and I’m working on getting more comfortable letting him touch my chest. We’re both working on our insecurities. 

Jamie releases me when the elevator stops at our destination. I peek briefly at my reflection in the mirror to check out the scar on my cheek. The adhesive dissolved just as the doctor said it would, and the scar is healing nicely. It’s just a faint pink line now. I can live with that. I shudder when I think how much worse it could have been.

When the elevator door opens, we step out into an elegant foyer with a marble floor and a massive crystal chandelier hanging over head. I reach for Jamie’s hand and lead him across the room to the door that presumably leads to his brother’s apartment. 

Jamie and I have developed our own protocol. When it’s just the two of us going out, he often leaves Gus at home and relies on me to be his eyes. I suspect we both enjoy this arrangement because it keeps us close to each other.

We walk through the door to find a great room filled with familiar faces.  “Wow, everyone’s here,” I say, scanning the room. “Lia, Jonah, Jake, Liam. Shane and Beth are on the sofa. Cooper. Miguel. Your sister Sophie. Beth’s friend… what’s her name? The redhead?”

“Gabrielle.”

“Right. Gabrielle. Oh, and your parents.”

I lead Jamie further into the room, our hands linked together and give him a narrative run down on the inhabitants of the room. “Most of the guys are at the bar... your brothers, Jonah, Miguel, and your dad. Your mom just went into the kitchen with someone wearing a catering uniform. Beth’s on the sofa with Shane, and it looks like he’s giving her a back rub. Let’s go say hi to our hosts.”

“Hi, Molly! Hi, Jamie!” Beth says when she sees us.

She starts to get up, but Shane catches her hand and pulls her back down. “No, you need to rest,” he says. He looks at us with a suffering expression. “She’s been on her feet all day.”

Beth rolls her eyes at us. “If he’s this bad now, I can’t imagine what he’ll be like when I’m as big as a house.”

Jamie’s mother hands Beth a glass of water and gently brushes her hair back. “Here, drink this, honey. You need to stay hydrated.”

Shane smiles at us. “Make yourselves at home. Drinks are at the bar – alcoholic as well as non-alcoholic. Dinner will be served in about thirty minutes.”

Jamie and I walk over to the bar and take our seats. After taking our orders, Jake hands Jamie a cold beer and me a bottle of Pepsi.

While Jamie’s giving his family an update on the investigation into the break-in and Todd’s death, I casually study Cooper, who’s standing behind the bar with his arms crossed over his chest, looking rather formidable. Other than giving us a polite nod hello, Cooper hasn’t said a word. Jamie did mention something about Cooper’s boyfriend, Sam, abruptly leaving town the morning after the wedding, but I don’t know the whole story. All I know is Cooper seems distant and unhappy, and glancing around, I see no sign of Sam. 

Chloe and Cameron arrive shortly after we finish our drinks. When they walk through the foyer door, all eyes turn their way. They make a striking pair. Chloe, with her long, dark hair and dark eyes, and beautiful café au lait complexion, is the perfect compliment to Cameron, who’s a blond, blue-eyed mountain of a man.

“Chloe!” I wave her over to the bar, and she takes the empty bar seat beside mine.

Cameron follows her over and shakes hands with Jake and Jamie.

“Can I get you a drink?” Jake asks her, after I make all the introductions.

“Sure, I’ll take a beer. Whatever’s on tap.”

I lean close to her, whispering, “That was nice of Cameron to wait for you to get off work and ride over with you.”

“You mean Thor?”

Of course Cameron overhears her. He looks my way and rolls his eyes. Thankfully, he seems amused by the comparison. Not that being compared to Chris Hemsworth could ever be considered an insult.

“Oh, come on! He looks just like Thor, don’t you think? In the movie when his hair was cut short. He’s certainly built like him. All he needs is a hammer.”

I try not to laugh.

“Here you go, Thor,” Jake says as he hands Cameron a beer.

“I told you!” Chloe says. “Even the bartender thinks so!”

Cameron maintains a straight face as he accepts a bottle of beer from Jake. Chloe does have a point. Cameron’s a big guy, tall and muscular. He’s probably the tallest man here, and that’s saying a lot. He must be at least six-and-a-half feet tall. I have to admit, his short, dirty-blond hair, scruffy beard, and blue eyes do remind me of the actor in question.

Cameron seems completely unfazed by Chloe’s teasing. If she’s trying to get a rise out of him, it’s not working.

But I do catch him watching her when she’s not looking, and I think maybe he’s not as unaffected as he appears.

* * *

Dinner is a lavish affair, with multiple courses, from potato soup and salad, to baked chicken breasts marinated in a delicious lemon and mustard sauce, roasted sweet potatoes, and warm dinner rolls with butter. The catering staff serves everyone at the table, and it’s all very fancy.

Several bottles of red wine are passed around the table, and there are also local craft beers available. Although I’m not a big beer drinker, I opt for one of the local brews, and Beth has water. For dessert, there’s a pumpkin cheesecake topped with real whipped cream.

I can’t remember the last time I had such a delicious meal.

There’s lively conversation at the table that lasts long after the dishes have been cleared away by the catering staff. Jamie and I happen to be sitting directly across the table from his parents, and his mother asks me all sorts of questions about my art studio, while Jamie and his dad chat about Chicago basketball.

Bridget’s pretty blue eyes light up whenever Jamie leans close to me and whispers in my ear, or he reaches over to fiddle with my hair or touch my hand. She smiles warmly at me, and I’m relieved to have her tacit approval.

A couple of times, I glance around the long table. Chloe’s sitting on my other side, and Cameron’s seated at the far end of the table beside Shane’s gorgeous sister Sophie, who is a curvaceous, brunette bombshell. A couple of times, I catch Chloe watching Cameron, who’s conversing easily with Sophie.

After everyone’s finished eating, Shane invites everyone to gather in the rec room, where there’s a pool table and pinball games, along with a bar, dance floor, and boxing ring.

The boxing ring takes center stage, in the middle of the room, up on an elevated platform. I remember seeing Jamie spar with Jake at the house in Kenilworth, and being amazed at his capabilities.

Lia and Jonah pick up pool cues and start a game of 8 ball. Cooper mans the bar, and Jake and Liam climb into the boxing ring and start messing around.

“What do you want to do?” I ask Jamie. There’s really not much he can do here. He can’t play pool or pinball games.

“What I’d like to do we can’t do here. At least not without an audience.”

I laugh and nudge him with my elbow. “Not with your parents watching! Eew!”

Jake and Liam start a wrestling match in the ring, and a small crowd develops. Beth gets comfortable on one of the several black leather sofas positioned against the walls around the room.

When Liam manages to pin Jake to the mat, Jake steps down and taunts Shane to take his place.

Jamie and I join Beth on the sofa.

“Are you feeling okay?” I ask her. She doesn’t look happy at the moment.

She shrugs. “I’m fine.”

“You don’t look fine.”

She turns to me, a frown marring her lovely face. “I miss Sam. He should be here.”

“How’s he doing?”

“He’s okay. He’s staying with his mom right now, getting physical therapy, gaining his strength back.” Her blue-green eyes mist with tears. “I just miss him so much.” Her gaze travels across the room to the bar on the far wall, where Cooper is dispensing drinks. “And Cooper – well, he’s not been the same since Sam left.”

“Have you spoken to Sam?” I ask.

She nods. “We’ve Skyped a few times. He seems pretty subdued right now. I think he’s hurting.”

I’m not sure if she means he’s hurting physically or emotionally. I think it might be both. I think when Cooper refused to stand up with him at the wedding reception, Sam’s heart broke.

I pat Beth’s knee. “I’m sure he’ll be back soon. Don’t worry. He just needs some time to recuperate.”

“He’d better come back. He promised me he would. And Shane promised me he’d go down to Dayton and drag Sam back here by his hair if he refused.”

After Shane’s turn in the ring, Miguel has a turn, and Liam remains the champion at hand-to-hand.

“Well, hell, what do you expect?” Jake says. “He’s a master in Jiu Jitsu. Plus, he fights dirty.”

Liam remains alone in the ring, offering to take on any remaining contenders.

Jake gently kicks Jamie’s boot. “How about you, cowboy? You’re the only one besides Jonah who hasn’t tried to dethrone the boy wonder.”

I look at Jamie, my heart suddenly in my throat. I don’t want him fighting. It’s not fair. Especially not against Liam. Liam has an unfair advantage.

I tighten my grip on Jamie’s hand, and he smiles at his brother. “No, thanks. I’m good.”

“What, are you losing your edge?” Jake says, clearly taunting his brother.

“No,” Jamie says. “I just don’t feel the need to show off.”

“Come on, man! Somebody’s got to put Liam in his place. You’re the only one who can.”

Jamie sighs as he releases my hand and rises to his feet. He takes off his glasses and hands them to me. “Fine. Let’s make it quick.”

As Jamie walks toward the ring, I get up and follow him, wanting a front row seat.

“What are you doing, honey?” Bridget says.

I look over by the pool table, where Bridget and Calum are watching Lia and Jonah in their game. Bridget’s gaze is locked on her son as he stands next to the ring and removes his boots.

“Jamie, honey, what are you doing?”

“It’s okay, Mom,” Jamie says as he climbs through the ropes. “We’re just playing around.”

Bridget’s eyes narrow and she comes toward the ring. “I don’t think this is a good idea, boys.”

“Mom, it’s fine,” Liam says, standing with his hands on his hips. Clearly, he’s a little worse for wear, with the beginnings of a few bruises on his face and arms. “I’m not going to hurt him.”

“And I promise not to hurt your baby boy,” Jamie says, to a roomful of laughter.

Jamie walks to the middle of the ring and takes a stance. His eyelids are closed as he listens for any tell-tale sound that will give Liam away.

Liam circles his brother, looking for an opening.

“Watch this,” Jake says. “If Jamie gets his hands on Liam, it’s over for Liam. Liam’s only chance is to come in fast and hard and drop Jamie to the mat before Jamie can react.”

“I don’t like this, boys,” Bridget says, standing beside the ring with her hands on her hips. “Somebody could get hurt.”

“Bridget, honey, leave the boys alone,” Calum says, laying his hands on his wife’s shoulders. He leans forward and kisses the top of her head. “They know what they’re doing.”

“I know they do, but Jamie’s at a disadvantage. It’s not fair.”

“More like Liam will get his ass handed to him,” Shane says, chuckling. “Mom, don’t worry.”

The room grows quiet in anticipation. Someone even turns off the sound system, which had been piping in pop music. The only sound that can be heard now is the soft shuffling of Liam’s bare feet as he circles his brother.

“Oh, he’s toast,” Jake mutters from somewhere nearby. “He’s making way too much noise.”

Liam makes his move, coming in hard and fast. He’s probably hoping to catch Jamie off guard, but it’s as if Jamie anticipated Liam’s every move and meets him halfway. I gasp when Jamie catches Liam, twisting them both as they fall to the mat. Jamie lands on top of his brother and wraps his legs around Liam’s. His arms go around Liam’s shoulders and neck, and he immobilizes his brother. Liam struggles against the hold, but Jamie already has the upper hand as he pins Liam squarely on the mat.

“I told you,” Jake says, admiration clear in his voice.

Jamie releases Liam and the two men bounce back to their feet, neither worse for wear. They shake hands, clapping each other on the back the way guys do. Then Jamie climbs down from the ring. I meet him there, reaching for his hand.

He surprises me by pulling me into his arms and kissing me soundly in front of everyone.

The music comes back on.

“I need something to drink,” Jamie says.

We head toward the bar, serenaded by hoots and hollers.

“Nice job, Jamie,” Cooper says. “What can I get you two to drink?”

Seeing Cooper reminds me of what Beth said about missing Sam. I hope Sam does indeed come back, and I hope he and Cooper can work things out. Life’s too short not to be with the one you love.

Jamie and I stand at the bar with our cold drinks. He pulls me in front of him and loops his arm across my chest, holding me against him.

I feel utterly sheltered in his embrace, and I don’t think it’s a coincidence that his arm is positioned protectively across my chest.

The song changes from a popular rap tune to a romantic hit by Sam Hunt.

Everyone starts laughing when Beth drags a reluctant Shane onto the dance floor.

“I love this song,” Lia says, pulling Jonah out onto the dance floor.

Several other couples join them.

I turn in Jamie’s arms and say, “Will you dance with me?”

I’m reminded of the wedding reception, when Jamie asked me to dance, and I repaid him for his kindness by walking away from him after the dance finished. I regret that moment more than I can over express.

After setting both of our drinks on the bar, he gives me a beautiful smile. “I would be honored.”