We boarded at eleven o’clock Seattle time and landed at the Eagle County Airport at two-thirty Denver time. We slept the whole flight after a long, busy, and stressful day, but I was still more than ready to fall into bed and sleep until noon the next day.

Jacob’s friend’s chalet is fabulous. I can’t get over how some people live. This place could easily house a dozen people comfortably, but Blaine’s parents only use it once or twice a year at best, what a waste.

“You two are upstairs and to the right. There are four bedrooms on that side just choose the room you want,” Blaine says pointing up the grand staircase to the second floor.

“Thanks, man,” Jacob answers, and we make our way upstairs.

The house is buzzing with energy from Blaine’s late-night guests. Music is playing somewhere downstairs, and I can hear the occasional burst of laughter. I imagine a room full of gorgeous models from pretentious families sitting around flipping their hair and talking about their next trip to Paris or Milan.

And then I remember that my Jacob is one of those gorgeous models, and he is not from a pretentious family, and I’m pretty sure I’ve never seen him flip his hair. The thought of it makes me chuckle.

“What are you laughing about, honey?” he asks opening all the doors to pick the best bedroom.

“Just imagining you flipping your hair, that’s all.”

He stops to put his suitcase on the floor. “You feeling all right? I’m not a hair flipper, you know that.”

“I’m fine, never mind. I’m just being silly. Is this the room you’re taking?” I look around at the inviting traditional alpine and contemporary décor wondering what made him pick this room. It’s gorgeous but almost identical to the other three.

“Yep,” he smiles and pulls a cord on one side of the outside wall opening the drapes to show me the floor-to-ceiling windows. “The view from my bed is unbelievable in the morning.”

I raise my chin understanding. “Oh, so you’ve had this room before.”

“Well, no, not me. A sexy Italian had it the last time I was here, but I spent a lot of time in here. The room right next door has the same view, better snatch it up before somebody else does.”

“Oh, okay I’ll hurry and claim it. Are you going to bed or downstairs to join the party?”

“I’ll probably go down and say hello to everyone.”

“All right, I’m going to drag myself into bed. Will you let me sleep tomorrow? I never get to sleep in.”

“Sure honey, I don’t think you can do it, though. Your body is conditioned to wake up at the crack of dawn, always has been.”

“I’ll give it my best shot.”

He crosses the room and kisses me on the forehead. “You want your phone back?”

I do, but I’m afraid of Alex’s response or lack of response. If it’s something terrible, I’ll never get any sleep. “No, keep it.”

“Okay. Get some sleep, sweetheart. We will do fun things tomorrow.” He smiles, and we walk out into the hall. He points at the room next to his, and I nod. Inside I find an identical room to Jacob’s and lock the door, strip down to my bra and panties and crawl into bed exhausted from a day of harsh and false accusations and travel.

After thirty minutes, I flop onto my back and sigh. I can’t stop thinking about Faye and her sweet smile, and Alex’s commanding eyes, the way he rules the space he occupies without a word, how he knows what I’m thinking before I do, and the incredibly passionate way we fell in love so fast.

Can it all be real? Is what we have mere fascination or lust? How can we be in love in such a short time? These questions have plagued me from the beginning, and suddenly I find myself needing to talk to my mother.

I look at the clock on the bedside table. It’s three forty-five in the morning, two forty-five her time. She’d be in bed but not necessarily sleeping, and her nurse would be able to check for me. I pick up the cordless phone from the bedside table and dial my mother’s nursing home.

“This is Marla.”

“Hi, Marla, I’m sorry to call so late. Is my mother awake?”

“As a matter of fact, she is. She’s having a hard night. Is everything okay?”

“Yes, I mean no, the press is still awful, but I’m with Jacob in Colorado. Do you think she’s up for talking, or should I let her try to rest?”

“Oh, she’s always up for talking to you, just a second.”

I listen as she shuffles around my mom’s small room to the bed where I know she is positioned on her side so she can watch the sunrise in a couple of hours. “Livy? What’s wrong, baby? Why are you calling so late?” she asks, her voice full of concern.

“Hi, Mom, I’m sorry to call at this hour. I’m fine, I just needed to talk to you.”

She pauses before she speaks. I’m not sure if it’s because it’s difficult for her to speak or if she’s thinking about what to say next. “Say what’s on your mind, Livy.”

“Marla said you’re having a hard night, are you in pain?”

“Yes, but that’s not what you called about.”

“Mom, I’m sorry I didn’t stay longer at Christmas.”

“It’s okay, baby, I know you have a business to run.”

“I know, but it was Christmas, and I should have spent more time with you. Work can wait. I promise to put you first from now on. How would you feel about moving to Seattle?”

“How would you feel about moving back to California?”

“Touché.” She knows how much I hate my home state.

“Why don’t you get to the point of your call and stop procrastinating, Livy. It’s not like you.”

“Okay,” I take a deep breath and blow it out. “I met someone.”

“I knew it. My girl doesn’t call in the middle of the night unless it’s important. Tell me about him. Where’s he from? What does he do? Is he tall, dark chocolaty, and handsome?”

She would consider me meeting a man middle-of-the-night phone call worthy. She’s been on my ass about finding a man since I graduated college. She wants grandbabies before she dies, and she reminds me of that shamelessly every time I visit.

“I met him in the shop. He brought his dogs in to be groomed and bought some treats.”

“One point for being smart and shopping in your store. What does he do?”

“He’s a lawyer, a medical malpractice attorney.”

“Another point for being smart, and then another for helping people. I like him already.”

“Yeah, he’s kind of perfect.”

“So why are you calling me instead of him in the middle of the night from far away.”

“How do you know I’m far away?”

“You sound like you’re talking to me through a tin can. Your cell phone doesn’t sound that way.”

“Oh,” I forgot she’s hyper-aware of sounds. Her disease has made her a much better listener and facial-expression reader. “Sorry.”

“Don’t be sorry, get on with your problem.”

I decide to do just that, and I spill everything, how we met, our first date, love at first sight, Faye, Lilly, and the nanny arrangement. I end with the press coverage and my belief that Kevin was the one who leaked the story to the press. I didn’t want to stress her, but she’s going to find out about it eventually. It’s better if it comes from me.

“Why would he do that? What’s he got to gain?”

“I don’t know, maybe he has a grudge or something. That’s the problem, I don’t know a lot of things, Mom. This whole relationship just happened out of nowhere. Like I was living my life as I have been for years, and bam, I have a boyfriend. Then five minutes later, I have a boyfriend with a kid and a dead ex-girlfriend. This isn’t normal, is it?”

“Honey, all relationships are different. One couple takes fifteen years to make a commitment, another a week. The beauty of humanity is in our differences. It sounds like the two of you clicked immediately, and there’s nothing wrong with that.”

“So, you believe in love at first sight?”

“Sure. You don’t?”

“I didn’t believe in love at all before Alex.”

“That’s irony at its finest, baby. A woman who doesn’t believe in love gets hit between the eyes with love at first sight.”

“Mom, what am I going to do?”

“About Alex or this mess in the media?”

“Both.”

“Nothing.”

“Mom, I’m serious, I need some advice.”

“I’m serious, too. Make sure Alex knows your safe and give him some time to see if he can fix things. Then go back to him with a clear head and explain that you’re uncomfortable with how fast things are moving, and if he doesn’t like it, he’s not worth your valuable time.”

“Wow.”

“Wow what?”

“You make it sound so easy, and rational, and normal.”

“That’s because it is. Listen, sweetheart, I know you’re freaked out about the way this is going to affect your business, but if you really love Alex the way you say you do, you’re going to have to trust him. If he’s the man for you, he will protect you and your reputation.”

“He will.”

“You’re sure?”

“Absolutely, with every fiber of my being, I know it.”

“Then what are you worried about?”

“Thank you, Mom.”

“That’s what I’m here for, baby. I wish you’d call me for advice more often, though.”

“I don’t want to cause you any stress.”

“Livy, my life is full of stress. A little more from you isn’t going to hurt anything. In fact, I distinctly remember telling you hundreds of times that I want to be more involved in your life. Just because I’m stuck in this bed doesn’t mean I can’t give good advice, today is proof of that. Stop trying to protect me and let me be a part of your life while I still can.”

“Mom, don’t talk like that.”

“I’m dying, you’ve known that all your life, it’s not new news.”

“I know, but do we have to be so nonchalant about it?”

“No, I suppose we don’t. Go to bed, Livy, I love you. Call me and keep me updated on what’s going on and don’t worry about what other people say. You and I know you’re a wonderful, honest, hard-working, intelligent woman. Who gives a shit what the world thinks?”

“Mom, you never curse.”

“Oh yes I do, just never around you.”

“Thanks, not for not cursing, but for everything else.”

“You’re most welcome, my girl. Good night.”

“Night, Mom.”

We disconnect the call, and I finally feel like I can sleep. I have a plan. I have the support of my mother, and in my heart, I know I have the support and endless love of Alex.