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  Meanwhile, Jeff had sauntered to the kitchen and stood looking over Amanda’s shoulder as she worked at the stove. “Mmm, smells delicious, Beautiful. How much longer before we can eat?”

  Dev resisted the urge to go over and tell Jeff the kitchen wasn’t big enough for two, when Amanda shooed him away like he was a wayward puppy.

  “Twenty minutes till dinner, so go sit down and stop harassing the cook,” she scolded. “Dev, would you be a sweetie and get this poor, hungry man a glass of wine while I finish up in here?”

  She leaned around Jeff and gave him a conspiratorial smile and if there had been any doubt in his mind before, that smile sealed his fate. He was doomed to love her forever.

  “Excuse me,” he murmured to Zoe and quickly got to his feet, which probably didn’t touch the floor as he crossed to the counter and poured a glass of wine for the other man.

  She’d called him sweetie. He knew it was just a slip, not really an endearment she actually meant. Still, his heart swelled to twice its size, and he had trouble breathing with it lodged so firmly in his throat.

  “Thanks, Dude.” Jeff took the glass and went to sit next to Zoe.

  Dev could only nod, afraid to speak and have his voice crack like a teenager’s. He went over to Amanda and topped off her glass, although not much had been consumed.

  “Thanks.” She opened the oven door and slipped the casserole in. “Let’s go sit down. We’ve got twenty minutes to kill before dinner.” She went in ahead of him and sat in one of the armchairs that faced the love seat. He took the other.

  “Cheers,” she said, holding her glass out and they all followed suit, clinking happily. “Anyone have any problems they thought of since we left the Wyndham’s?” She glanced from Jeff to Dev. “You two are satisfied with the electronics, the amp and speakers?”

  Dev spoke up, this being his bailiwick. “As you might expect, the Admiral has a top-notch set up as far as the sound system goes. I don’t foresee any problems in that area but I’ll bring a spare amplifier and sub-woofer as a back-up just in case.”

  Jeff was nodding in agreement. “Yeah, we did a little test. Cranked up the volume and went down to the pavilion to make sure the speakers down there were still in good condition.” He sat back with a very self-satisfied smile on his face.

  Dev did his best to keep a straight face, but as Amanda peered from Jeff to him and back, he knew they’d have to come clean.

  “Dare I ask what music you used for the test, gentlemen?” Amanda asked softly.

  Jeff threw himself on the grenade, which was only fair since the song was his choice, and mumbled, “‘The Boys Are Back in Town.’”

  Zoe sat up as though she’d been stung by a bee. “Thin Lizzy’s ‘The Boys Are Back in Town’?”

  “That’s the one,” Jeff confirmed.

  “Seriously?” Amanda echoed faintly, expecting Dev to deliver the punchline to this bad joke.

  He nodded, pressing his lips together to keep his grin from escaping. “We didn’t play it all that loud,” he added hastily, glad his voice came out in its normal timbre. “We told Mrs. Wyndham we used it because it tested the complete range of the speakers. She was fine with it, Amanda. Really.”

  Jeff was nodding enthusiastically. “Absolutely. That old broad’s hipper than you’d think.”

  Zoe smacked him hard enough on his arm to cause the wine to slosh dangerously in his glass. “First, don’t call any woman an ‘old broad’. And second, what if she hadn’t been ‘hip’ as you so anachronistically put it. She could have been annoyed enough to send us all packing, you idiot.”

  “Yeah, but she didn’t. So chill, Babe. She loved us, right, Dev?”

  “She did seem fairly enamored with the two of them,” Amanda noted.

  Zoe tsked at Dev. “And here I thought your maturity would have a stabilizing influence on Jeff, but I can see leaving you two alone together merely doubles the chance of trouble.”

  “No, Babe, you’ve got us all wrong,” Jeff protested. “I think we make a pretty good team. Don’t you agree, Dev?”

  A quick glance and Dev caught a glimpse of the serious man Jeff tried so hard to camouflage with his flippant behavior. The jokes, the flirting, the cocky attitude were all a front to protect the sensitive soul of the artist that lived inside.

  “Absolutely,” Dev agreed. “As a matter of fact, we worked so well together today I wanted to ask you to give me a hand with another project I’m considering.”

  “Yeah? Well, hell, man, let’s get together and talk about it.” Jeff dug in his jeans and came up with a crumpled receipt, which he smoothed over his knee. “Babe, you got a pen in that suitcase you call a purse?”

  “I’m sure I’ve got one in the office,” Amanda offered.

  “Not necessary,” Zoe said, and produced a pen from her over-sized purse with the practiced ease of a magician materializing a rabbit.

  “She’s something else, isn’t she?” Jeff threw his arm around her and hauled her up against him for a quick kiss. “Thanks, Babe.”

  “Stop that!” Zoe slapped at him ineffectually. “What is the matter with you!”

  Jeff ignored her and scribbled his phone number down on the paper then handed it to Dev. “I tend to work late and sleep late, so afternoons are best for me. Call me anytime after eleven a.m. Will that work for you?”

  “Perfectly. I’ll call you in the next couple of days. This needs to get done soon.”

  No way was Amanda living in this cracker box without decent heat and insulation for even one more week. Danny would have killed him for letting her live like this.

  Dinner went well, Amanda thought, as she sipped her second glass of wine. Dev seemed to relax and even enjoy himself once Zoe and Jeff had arrived. He and Jeff hit it off much better than she expected and Zoe had nudged her leg under the table several times—especially when Dev offered to help her clean up or poured her more wine. For the first time in several weeks, Amanda was confident enough about the preparations for the party that she could relax and enjoy the company of her friends.

  She felt she could call Dev a friend now, glad the awkward moment when she told him about Danny hadn’t made him retreat back into his shell. Too bad he and Danny had never met. They would have become good friends she was sure. Too bad . . . She felt the sting of tears behind her eyes and blinked rapidly to force them back. When she glanced across the table she found Dev’s eyes on her, his own shadowed with pain. He appeared strangely attuned to her moods. Or maybe she’d just imagined that. After all, she certainly wasn’t the only one who had reason to be sad. She forced a smile. “Who’s interested in dessert?”

  Jeff groaned and rubbed his stomach. “I made a complete pig of myself with that casserole. I don’t have room for anything else.” Zoe shook her head. “No thanks. I’ve had twice my allotment of calories for the week in that cheese sauce.”

  “Oh, right. Like you have to worry,” Amanda scoffed.

  “All the same, I’m going to pass on dessert.”

  “How about some coffee? There’s always room for that.” She pushed her chair back from the table. “I can have a pot ready in a couple of minutes.”

  “Not for me,” Zoe declined. “If I have coffee this late I’ll be up half the night.”

  “I could use some,” Dev chuckled, “For the exact same reason.” He stood up as well and started to clear the plates from the table.

  Behind his back, Zoe gave Amanda two thumbs-up.

  “I’ll take you up on one cup,” Jeff said. “I’ll be up working for hours yet, anyway.” He took his cue from Dev and began picking up dishes.

  Amanda intercepted him. “I appreciate the help, Jeff, but there just isn’t enough room in there for three of us. Why don’t you and Zoe go sit down on the sofa, and I’ll bring the coffee in there when
it’s ready.”

  “Yeah, I’ve pretty much got this anyway,” Dev said, then promptly dropped the silverware he’d been gathering onto the floor.

  For one second everyone froze. Then Zoe started back across the room. Jeff blocked her with his arm and gave a quick negative shake of his head. She watched Amanda and saw that she had ignored the incident and was busily spooning coffee grounds into the basket of the coffee maker.

  “At least it wasn’t anything breakable.” Dev picked up the utensils and took them to the sink. “Sorry,” he mumbled.

  “No biggie.” She turned and handed him the cream and sugar—both in ceramic containers. “Could you take these in and put them on the coffee table for me, please?”

  He seemed startled but carefully slipped his left index finger through the handle of the cream pitcher and held the sugar bowl in his right.

  “Thanks.” She turned back to the coffee maker to fill the reservoir with water. In a few seconds, he was back. She pointed to the other cabinet. “Mugs are in there. We’ll only need three since Zoe is passing.”

  This time he didn’t move till she looked him in the eye. She would swear his eyes were lighter green than she’d ever seen them. There were little crinkles at the corners. His lips barely moved but hinted at the beginnings of a smile. She felt her own twitch in response. He held his silence for so long she finally gave in.

  “What?” She threw her hands up and tried to sound exasperated. He still didn’t reply, but went to the cupboard and got the mugs, then set them carefully on the counter next to the coffee maker.

  “You’re something else, you know that?”

  He’d copied the phrase Jeff used and for a moment she thought he might follow up with the same gesture—pulling her in for a quick kiss. But instead he stood there, a pleased smile on his face, until she had to say something before she turned pink as a cooked lobster.

  “Well, if you thought you’d get out of helping by dropping a few things, you’re sadly mistaken. I’m expecting you to dry when I wash these dishes.”

  She had no intention of letting him do that, of course. She’d clean up after they’d all gone home, but she liked the real smile that turned his classically sculpted mouth into a work of art.

  “I don’t have a tray, so you take the mugs and I’ll bring the coffee pot.”

  They settled back with their coffee and Dev picked up the framed photo of her and her dad that sat on the end table nearest him.

  “Is this you and your dad?”

  “Yeah. I think I was ten when that photo was taken.”

  Dev cleared his throat. “You’ve, um, changed so much I don’t think I’d recognize you if I hadn’t seen you since then.”

  “Yep, I was definitely ugly duckling material in junior high. Braces and glasses with lenses as thick as Coke bottle bottoms. And it got worse before it got better, too. By the time I was thirteen I had shot up to five-six but still only weighed about ninety pounds. Skinny and tall with those braces on my teeth? You could have used me for an antenna.”

  They all laughed.

  “Nice to see you made the same transition as the Ugly Duckling,” Dev commented. “I bet by the time you graduated from high school you were beating the boys off with a stick.”

  “Danny carried the stick back then. He was always my defender. Even during the ‘Ugly Duckling’ period. By graduation I couldn’t think about any other guy but him.”

  No one spoke for a moment or two. Then Amanda set her mug down. “Listen, we have to be able to talk about Danny without worrying that I’ll burst into tears. I loved him. I’ll always love him. I can’t let the fact that he died keep me from remembering all the wonderful things he did and what a special person he was. I don’t want to forget those things that made me fall in love with him. I want to celebrate them and be able to talk about them with you. So don’t walk on eggshells around me when his name comes up in conversation. I can handle it.”

  “OK, Beautiful, you got it,” Jeff said with a wink, as Zoe nodded in agreement.

  “Dev, I realize you didn’t know him, and when I mentioned earlier that he was killed in Iraq I know you were uncomfortable. Sorry to drop such serious stuff on you the first time you’re around us,” Amanda apologized. “Don’t let it scare you off. We’re usually a lot more fun.”

  Dev gave a nod. “I think your attitude is amazing, and I can bet Danny would be proud to see how you honor his memory. It’s no wonder he loved you.”

  You wouldn’t think I was so amazing if you knew how often I’ve cried myself to sleep the past eight months.

  “All right. I said no doom and gloom, and I meant it. Who needs a refill?” She picked up the pot.

  “I can use a little more caffeine before I go,” Dev said, offering his mug for more.

  “Not for me, thanks.” Jeff drained his mug. “What do you say, Sweet Cheeks? Time for you to say goodnight?”

  Zoe nodded. “What are you going to do about transportation tomorrow, Mandy? Do you have client appointments you need to get to?”

  “No. Lucky for me I have plenty of work I can do right here tomorrow.” She tilted her head in Dev’s direction, indicating that work belonged to him. “But, if they fix my car by tomorrow afternoon, I’ll need a ride into town so I can pick it up.”

  “Just call me,” Dev offered. “I’ll be glad to give you a lift into town. I have a couple of errands I can do after I drop you off.”

  “Great. Thanks.”

  “And my earlier offer to give you a ride home still holds, Zoe. It’s gotten pretty chilly outside. Do you still want to brave the cold on the back of Jeff’s bike?”

  Jeff’s head was down as he collected his jacket and gloves from the floor beside the love seat, but his hands stilled as he waited for Zoe’s reply. The scowl he gave Dev from under his brows clearly said he didn’t appreciate the gesture. Amanda suppressed a smile as Jeff silently staked his “no trespassing” sign and Dev just as silently indicated he understood with a barely noticeable nod.

  “Thanks, Dev, but I like to leave with the fella I came with. That’s what my mom always taught me. I’ll be fine, but I appreciate the offer.”

  “No problem.” He stood and shook hands with Jeff. “It was nice to meet you, Jeff, I’ll be in touch with you soon.”

  “Same here, Dev. See ya.”

  “Drive safe, you two,” Armada called as the pair settled themselves on Jeff’s bike. She closed the door with a shiver as they sped off into the darkness.

  Dev was over at the radio turning the volume up. “I hope you don’t mind. Isn’t this is one of your favorite songs?”

  “My Funny Valentine” was playing.

  “Yeah, I requested it a few weeks ago. It was my dad’s song for me when I was in the ‘Ugly Duckling’ stage.”

  “I remember.” He walked over and put his arms out. “Want to dance?”

  She thought she should refuse but the music and the wine made her foolish and sentimental. She stepped into his arms. He drew her in until she fit against him perfectly, then he began to move her effortlessly around the open space in the center of the room. She felt a sense of completeness and joy she hadn’t felt in years. She gave herself up to the music and clung to Dev, their bodies swaying together to the familiar song.

  The music ended, and she smiled up at him. “Thank you. That was lovely. You’re a marvelous dancer.” She deliberately stepped out of the circle of his arms.

  “The pleasure was mine, Ma’am,” he said very formally with a slight bow and they both laughed.

  “We shall have to do it again sometime, Sir,” she replied with the same formality and a mock curtsy. She tried to dial back the lingering sense of intimacy their dancing had created to something . . . friendlier, less intense. But she couldn’t ignore the faint tingling that covered
every inch of skin that had been in contact with his.

  Then she caught sight of the kitchen clock over his shoulder.

  “Oh my gosh. It’s almost ten o’clock. You’re not going to have time to sleep at all before you have to be at work. I’m so sorry. The time just got away from me.”

  “Don’t worry, it’s not a problem.”