The Do Over

I had no idea how long I had been lying in bed. I'd made such a mess of things. I still couldn't believe he'd left. Shortly after, Candace had come over. I had no idea how she had gotten inside. For all I knew, she and Macy had somehow made keys to my home without my knowledge. I really didn't care. I'd fallen asleep after a while.

When I woke up, everything was dark. Candace was sitting on the side of my bed, reading my Kindle. If I wasn't so depressed, I would've snapped a picture of it.

She saw me looking at her. "You know, Dani, this book's really good. I think I might have to get myself one of these." She got up and turned on the light. "Come on, girlfriend, you need to get up, take a shower, and eat something."

"Candace, leave me alone." I just wanted to lie here in the dark and feel sorry for myself. I didn't have the energy to do anything else. I deserved a reprieve from emotional health, considering it had been an eventful twenty-four hours.

"No such luck, my dear. You're not going to wallow here. Absolutely not. You had a rough day yesterday, so you can have a small break today, but tomorrow all bets are off. So, yes, let's throw the biggest and grandest pity party ever, and I will be your guest."

"Go away, Candace," I said, covering my head with the pillow.

"Dani, that's not going to happen," she said as she removed the pillow. "The last time Macy and I let you deal with things in your own way, it didn't work. So, as your best friends, we aren't going to stand aside and let life pass you by. You can feel sorry for yourself today, but tomorrow, you're going to get your act together."

"Candace, you're being really annoying right now."

"I'm going to see if I can help you with your pity party. Okay, here goes. Oh, Dani, you have every right in the world to feel miserable and horrible. Liam Lucas is—and I say that because he is a present and not a past—the best thing that has ever happened to you, and you messed up massively. You should have trusted and talked to your best friends. We wouldn't have judged you for engaging in conversations with that mother-effing a-hole you'd been in a dysfunctional relationship with for an entire year of your life."

"You're not helping, Candace," I said, rolling my eyes, as I sat up. "You just don't understand. I never stopped loving Liam. I never even thought about Rick when I was with Liam. Rick had made such a huge impact on my life, and I guess I just hadn't let go of all of it. I still can't believe that I was so gullible and fell for his lies. I really thought he had changed. A part of me was making peace with the way things had ended between us. When we were saying our good-byes, I was getting closure. But I can't deny that when we were at the club that night, I wanted to have sex with him, and before this freak show, there was a part of me that was still intoxicated with him."

"Dani, I'll deny ever having said this because I loathe the man. Rick is sexy and charming, and that damned smile of his has granted him access to more panties than we'd like to think about. When I saw him at Martini Bar, I told him to stay away from you, and I, um…" She shifted uncomfortably. "I grabbed his penis and threatened him."

When I had a mental image of that, I had to laugh. "Candace, you're lying. There's no way you would've done that to any man in public, let alone Rick."

"Honest to God, I did. It was disgusting because Rick is gross. I think he liked it though. I felt him, you know…respond a little. Anyhow, for a brief moment, it was kind of hot, and I hate the man. You have history with the idiot, and he was pouring on the charm and manipulating you. Come on, he's gorgeous. And you were under the influence of how many Cosmos? Give yourself a break. You didn't sleep with him. Or did you?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.

"No, I didn't have sex with him. I didn't talk to him, text him, or see him other than by coincidence. I just had the charades on Lincoln Road. I don't know what I wanted with him. I just know that I did want something."

"You're in love with Liam. You never loved Rick the way you love Liam. The first time I saw you with Liam, I could see the difference. Yes, Rick was lustalicious, but Liam is so much more. I think you're scared to death of just how much you love Liam, and you're even more frightened of how much he loves you. Personally, in my not so humble opinion, you were on a self-destruct mission, so you sabotaged things with Liam."

"Candace, you couldn't be further from the truth. Yes, I love Liam. You have no idea how much. I just couldn't understand my attraction to Rick. Madison…the skank's words haunted me. How could I love Liam but be so attracted to Rick? I mean, the Rick I thought he was. I can't believe I fell for his lies."

"Number one, Madison should be ashamed of herself. I'm going to make sure she knows she messed with wrong girl."

"Leave Madison to me," I interrupted.

"Okay, if you insist. Back to what I was saying, you're full of crap. Every woman who comes within a five-mile radius of Rick lusts after him. He's lustable. Although I hate him, I've lusted after him. I know, it's disgusting, but I digress. You and Liam are foolishly in love with each other. The man was threatening Rick's life in my presence. Hello? I'm an officer of the courts. You need to stop being scared of loving him and let yourself be completely loved by him."

"He thinks that he's my default or sloppy seconds."

"He's hurt. Give him a little time. If you love him half as much as I know you do, you're going to win back your man."

"Do you think there's hope? I hurt him so badly. What if he moves on and forgets me?"

"Sweetie, we really need to deal with your daddy issues. There is no way this man is going to forget you and move on. He has it bad. You're just going to have to show him how bad you have it for him. Now, you need a shower and some food."

Candace made everything sound so simple. Maybe she was right. I hoped she was. She had never been wrong. I held on to that little nugget. Liam is Liam.

As I sighed, reality smack me in the face. Dani is Dani. And I had no idea how to make this right.





I'd spent two weeks in utter and complete misery. The only thing that had seemed to help was spending time at work, so I'd picked up as many shifts as I could.

The truth was that I hadn't wanted to walk into the apartment I'd called our home or sleep in the bed where I'd made love to her. That damn box, not that all her stuff fit in it, had haunted me. Chris had refused to take it, and Macy had stepped away from it as though it were filled with poisonous snakes.

So, I'd been hiding out at the station house, blocking out all thoughts of her, as I'd focused on emergencies, drills, and whatever else I could to try to numb the pain from the gaping hole in my chest.

Wyatt had come through for me. He'd offered to kill Rick, but I'd declined. As much as I had wanted to inflict pain on Marin, I knew it wouldn't make me feel better. Compromising, Wyatt and I agreed to keep this shit from our mom. I'd kept her at bay with text messages because I could fake my feelings in those.

Chris had been a great friend. For the first week, he'd said nothing. With the exception of quick greetings, he'd been completely silent. It had been a welcome reprieve to the bullshit and nonsense I hadn't been in the mood for. He'd come over when I wasn't working, which hadn't been often, but it would be just enough to distract me. We'd watch basketball or ESPN highlights with some beer and a bowl of chips between us. We'd shoot hoops or go fishing. It had been male bonding at its best. In the quietness, we'd said everything that had to be said. He had proven that he had my back.

Although Chris had kept his mouth shut, he'd been a relentless texter. Every day, he would ask me to lunch, dinner, clubbing, or barhopping, and I wouldn't be interested. When he'd invited me for wings to watch the NFC Championship game, I finally gave in to his persistence, and now, I found myself sitting in my car across the street from the bar, staring at the people piling in through the door. I wondered if they were overcapacity. I was always on the job, one way or another.

Suddenly, this seemed like a bad idea, but Chris had already sent me five text messages, letting me know he was there, where he was sitting, and that he'd ordered a pitcher and wings. I pulled the keys out of the ignition and opened the door as I crossed the street. I had to man up and just get this over with.

After I made my way through the crowd, I found Chris sitting at a table surrounded by TVs. The pregame show had just started as I sat down and got comfortable on my side of the table. Before I could even open the menu, our server, a very perky Megan, brought over a pitcher and served each of us our first drink in an iced glass. After she let us know that she'd be right back with our wings, she shimmied away in her extremely short shorts and two-sizes-too-small shirt. Then, out of nowhere, armed with a beer in neutral territory, Chris began sharing his warped version of wisdom.

"Bro, enough is enough." He took a long swig of his beer. "This isn't the time for you to grow a dick with a complementing set of gigantic balls. You love her. She loves you. Macy told me that she found cat adoption pamphlets from the Humane Society at Dani's house, and now, her Kindle addiction is in full force. She's clearly depressed, and you're a workaholic. The only reason I've seen you is because Santos won't let you work twenty-four/seven."

Silence was golden and sorely missed. I drank my beer, hoping it would drown out Chris. I didn't want to hear about Dani being depressed or sad. I never wanted any of this. I wasn't the one that needed time. I wasn't confused. My feelings for her and what she meant to me were never in question. The idea that I was an unknown variable to her was a crushing truth I didn't want to think about. The bottom line was that she was looking into cats instead of f*cking looking for me.

He picked up a drumstick, waving it in the air. "When it comes to Dani, embrace your mangina. Now isn't the time to turn off your p-ssy-whipped, tampon-needing, birth-control commercial chickness. Dude, suck it up and go to her."

I polished off my beer. "Chris," I responded, "you're an a*shole, and I prefer you as a mute friend."

"You're full of shit. It's not often that I'm right, and it kills you that I am."

"She knows where I'm at. She said she needed time. Being a gentleman, I'm giving it to her. She needs to figure out what the hell she wants, and I'm not about to make it easy for her, like I've done the entire time." I stared at my glass, tracing my finger along the condensation. "I reassured her every step of the way. I held her hand, promised her I was there for her, and showed her that I meant it. All the while, she was having breakfast with Marin on Saturday mornings and then conveniently omitted that little fact."

When I looked up, we had that awkward guy moment. The comeback kid was left speechless. This was a pretty good tactic to shut him up.

"I'm not going to lie to you. I'm in love with her, but I'm not chasing her. The ball's in her court," I said.

"I agree with you there. That was the right thing to do then for you and all men, past, present, and future. I'm going to say this with all the bromance love I have for you. You're my best friend." He took a moment, bringing his finger to his chin. "It's a good thing we have a very thick and large table separating us because you're not going to like what I'm about to say, but you need to hear this shit." Chris wiped his mouth and then finished off his beer.

"With a lead-in like that, this ought to be good." I smirked, rolling my eyes at his bullshit.

"You're the one being a stubborn dickhead. I haven't seen you like this in a very long time. The only difference is that Dani isn't dead," he said, crossing his arms over his chest. "But you're moping around like she is."

I glared at him. "You're skating on very thin ice right now." I shook my head, seething. "In fact, I think you should shut the f*ck up."

"I speak the truth, my friend." He shrugged his shoulders. "Perhaps I could've been slightly more delicate, but since you're no longer a chick, I figured you could handle it."

"You have no idea what you're talking about," I said, bracing the table. "I'm very well aware of the fact that Dani is alive. I have firsthand experience on the difference. That fact makes this even harder, believe it or not, because I know she's just a phone call away. It's not that I can't ever see her face or hear her voice again because she's gone. It's that she's so damn close that I feel her, but at the same time, she's so far away that I can't touch her."

"You know how fast it can all change. With Dani, you can have what you couldn't have with Nat—the chance to f*cking hold her in your arms again and have the life you deserve." He glanced over at Megan as she brought us a new pitcher with freshly iced glasses.

"So, tell me, what exactly am I supposed to do?"

"Call her. If it's over, then let it be." Chris glanced around the room. "Look around, my dear Watson. You're in Miami where there's a smorgasbord of women with big tits and low expectations. Take your pick, go get laid, and move on. But if it's not over, then you're wasting time when you can be with the one you love."

I shook my head. Chris didn't get it. "She didn't even try or trust me enough to tell me the truth until she had no choice. She left the key. She just laid it down on the counter and walked out, needing to figure things out on her own," I said. Rubbing my face, I tried to calm myself down. "I need to know that she gives a shit about me and about us. She needs to make this right."

"The two of you are hopeless." He signaled for the check. "You're being proud, and she's an idiot. The two of you are perfect for each other." Chris eyed Megan from head to toe, spending the most time on the huge tits staring him in the face. "This concludes our Hallmark Channel estrogen moment. Now, it's back to our regularly scheduled testosterone-filled Spike TV." He paid the bill, and as he looked at the receipt, he smirked. "See, bro, I got a phone number. If I wasn't into Macy, I'd be all over that." On the way out, he tossed the number in the trash.





Chris's words had been stuck in my head for days, causing me to question my stance. I missed Dani. I missed the sound of her laughter and the feel of her hands touching me. Most of all, I ached for the sparkle in her eyes when she'd smiled.

I started working harder and longer. When I got a call asking if I could pick up half a shift, I'd agreed, but first, I needed to get it together. Although I had been in a funk around Chris, I had certainly never let my men see anything but a focused and confident leader.

I was on my way to work, but then I turned around, heading toward the one place I could go to clear my head. I needed to feel the wind against my face and hear the waves roaring against the beach. It was my sanctuary, and I was searching for some peace.





After I parked my car, I slipped my credit card in the meter. I grabbed the beach towel from the passenger seat and then walked to the sand. I came here every day at different times. The days had turned into weeks, and my heart still ached for him.

I had no idea what it was that Liam needed from me. What kind of reassurances could I give him, so he'd know that he wasn't my default or sloppy seconds? I hated that I'd made him feel that way. I felt hopeless. The only things that gave me the slightest bit of peace was the sound of the tides rolling in and the feel of sand covering my buried toes. He had been right about this beach. Since it was off the beaten path, only diehards came here, so it was pristine and quiet.

Candace and Macy had taken turns babysitting me as if I were an invalid. Most of the time, I'd just wanted them to leave me alone. I'd spent most of my time working or reading. I had been making up for lost time as I'd caught up with my to-be-read list. My books had offered me comfort because they had the idea that a happily ever after was possible even after a disaster. I'd sought hidden answers from my books as well. I'd tried to figure out the reconciliation formula used in fiction, so I could apply it to real life. My dear friends had threatened another invention. I'd glared at them, thinking that my Kindles were better than a house full of cats.

When I got to the beach, I took off my shoes and rolled up my pants. The sand was cool during this late afternoon.

I made my way down to the spot where Liam and I'd first watched the sunrise. No one knew I came here. I didn't want to explain it to anyone. Besides sleeping in his T-shirts, it was one of the things I did to feel close to him. I was angry and hurt, but mostly, I was heartbroken. I loved him, and a part of me would never be complete without him. I'd wanted to apologize to him many times, but sorry just hadn't seemed like enough. I hoped that somehow the wind, the waves, and the sand would give me the answer.

I sat down, hugging my knees, as I watched the waves roll in and out. No answers appeared in the tides. I wanted to make peace with everything. I wanted to make sense of it. In some ways, I just wanted to let go of most of it.

Madison, Madison, Madison. I shook my head as I thought about her cockblocking inconvenience. To pity her or to hate her? That was the question. The couple of times I'd driven by the yoga center, her car was never there. I'd wanted to unleash my anger on her for her contribution to all of this. In the end, I'd realized that it was pointless.

I detested what Rick had done, but I was finding a way to let it go since I'd finally said good-bye. I had the closure I'd never had before. I felt foolish at how I'd played into his hand. A week later, I'd surprised myself when I'd woken up without hating him anymore. I'd let go of all the hurt, disappointment, anger, and bitterness. I'd forgiven him, not that he would know it. Some things were better left alone.

The wind blew, whipping my hair everywhere. I took out my Kindle and phone. Each day, I would stare at my phone, tap on my screen, and pull up his contact information. Daily, I would write a text that never got sent. I didn't know what to say. How on earth can I make this right? What would I say to him? Why does it have to be so hard when it was always so easy before? What if he doesn't want to hear from me? What if he has moved on? What if this? What if that? I hated the self-doubt and self-pity. They were both unbecoming traits of a confident woman, so they had no place in my life.

I'd always been the jilted lover, the one that was left behind, so I didn't know how to recover from this mess I'd made of our life. I had no point of reference. I was lost here. I needed help. Candace and Jeremy had been together since college, so she was useless. Although Chris seemed to be a semi-permanent fixture, Macy usually had a revolving door of men, so she didn't understand the mastery of making up. She'd just moved on. My mom was also useless. Whatever had happened with my dad continued to be a mystery to this day.

I stopped playing the loop of that dreadful day and the poor choices that had led up to it. I wasn't going to wallow in self-pity. What am I supposed to do to make this right? I ran my hands through the sand, letting the grains slowly fall through my fingers. My eyes were fixed on the horizon, and my thoughts were lost in the black hole of obsessive ramblings. Then, I was startled out of my trance.

"Hey," he said, sitting down next to me. "What are you doing here?"

Gazing forward, I was afraid to look over at him. "Hi. Someone special once brought me here to watch the sunrise. He told me it was a peaceful place," I answered.

"Oh, so it was a he, was it? He must've made a pretty big impression if you're here on a chilly afternoon."

My heart ached at hearing the sound of his tender, deep voice so close to me. I wanted to touch him and reach my hand over to him.

"You could say he made a monumentally gigantic impression." Dropping my head, I sighed as I stared at my buried toes.

"Why are you here, Dani?" Liam asked with a more direct tone.

He turned to me, but I still couldn't meet his eyes. I was scared of what they might tell me now that the dust was settling for him. Is it too late? Can he forgive me?

"I wanted to feel close to you," I whispered, closing my eyes to hold back the pooling tears.

"You came here to feel close to me?" He looked away. "Why, Dani? I'm right here. For two of the longest f*cking weeks of my life, I've been right here, and instead, you come to the beach to feel close to me. What are you hoping for? That somehow or another I'd show up here one day and we'd ride off into the sunset?"

My face was buried in my hands. The pooling tears spilled over, streaming down my face. "I'd really like that—to ride off into the sunset with you," I whimpered. "I never thought that you'd show up, but yes, now that you're here, let's ride off into the sunset. Let's put all of this behind us. Please, Liam. I don't know how to make this right."

He checked his watch. "I have to go. I'm picking up a shift."

When I glanced at him, I saw that he was wearing his gray polo and black cargo pants.

"I needed to clear my head before I went in." He stood up, dusting the sand off of his pants. "Dani…" He paused. "The sun sets in the west. You're looking in the wrong direction." He leaned down and kissed the top of my head. "Fight for me, Dani. Fight for us. Don't hide on beaches or in books. Goddamn it, give a shit and fight for what matters to you."

He stood up and started walking away toward the sunset.

I got up quickly and ran up to him. "Lieutenant," I called out.

He turned around to face me.

I wrapped my arms around him, burying my head in his chest, as his arms held me tightly.

"I'll fight. I'll do whatever I have to do."

When I pulled back, our eyes finally met. The pain, the hurt, the loss—maybe even the love—and everything else I felt was staring back at me.

His eyes lowered and focused on my necklace. His fingers grazed the pendant. "You're still wearing it."

"I never take it off," I said, my voice hitched. I brought my hand over his. "Is your heart still here? Is it still with mine?"

The rims of his eyes were red. He whispered, "Why did you leave the key?"

He didn't answer my question. My heart beat rapidly in my chest. Is there a right or wrong answer? Was the key his breaking point? Would he have been able to deal with everything else if I didn't leave the key? I looked away. The sky was morphing from orange to purple as the sun was making its descent.

He tilted my chin to face him. "Tell me, Dani."

"I don't know. I didn't really think about it. Maybe it was for the same reason I couldn't bring myself to use it to open the door. I violated your trust, and the key symbolized trust. There's so much I wish I could take back and do over again."

Letting out a deep sigh, he clasped his hands behind his neck as he leaned his head back.

"Can you forgive me? I'll fight, but if you can't forgive me, then I'm just fighting against the wind. I need you to forgive me," I pleaded. "You told my parents," I said, placing my hands on his chest, "that no matter where life took us, we'd find our way. Through hell and high water, we'd make it because I was yours and you were mine. Well, Liam, we're drowning. I'm standing in front of you right now, asking you to forgive me. Please forgive me."

He lowered his head, and his eyes trained on mine. His blue eyes darkened to a beautiful sapphire with a sparkle in the corner. For the first time in weeks, I felt it—hope. As warmth filled me, my lips curled and broke into a smile.

"You fight dirty," he said, cupping my face with his hands, "I can't believe you threw my words in my face and then smiled."

"You have no idea how dirty I can fight."

I pulled back from him. My smile grew as I got an idea. I was on a roll, and I was serious about fighting for him. He wanted to know that I gave a shit. I was going to show him just how much I cared.

"Wait here," I said, biting my lower lip.

"Where are you going?" he asked with his brows furrowed.

I threw my phone in my purse and grabbed my things. When I walked back toward him, I saw that he was on the phone. I had no idea what I was going to say. I had to wing it.

When his eyes met mine, he signaled for me to hold on. I stood anxiously, fidgeting, while I waited for him to finish. I was a little annoyed that he'd be on the phone during such a critical hour in our potential relationship-recovery moment. I closed my eyes and took a cleansing breath. This is Liam. I didn't have to be nervous. I had to focus and fight. He slipped his phone into his pocket, and I took that as my cue.

"What's it gonna be? Am I forgiven? You matter to me more than anything or anyone else. You do. Here," I said, handing him my Kindle. My hand twitched at first, and I was slow to release my grip, but I did it. I looked up at him. "I love you. Please forgive me."

He looked at me with a sparkle in his eye. "Baby, you have two more of these at home."

"Yes, but this is my favorite one, and look, the cover has been autographed by all my favorite authors. This one is really valuable to me."

"What happened to Team Kindle?" he asked softly, tucking my hair behind my ear. "I don't want you to stop being who you are. You're adorable with your books."

"I'm Team Liam." I placed my hands on his waist. "Plus, until I was looking for some references on relationship recovery, I never noticed that so many endings were either rushed or ended on a cliffhanger. Can you imagine my frustration?"

The sound of his soft chuckle warmed my soul.

He leaned toward me as his unshaven face grazed my cheek, and whispered, "I'm curious to know what that would look like."

"You would've found me on the beach, sat next to me, and reached over. We would've looked into each other's eyes, and everything that needed to be said would've been communicated."

"With just a look? That's a pretty powerful stare down."

He laughed as I wrapped my arms around him.

"Obviously, that wouldn't work. There's the one where you would see me, and we would fight, make up, and then stare at the sunset. I kind of like that one." I sighed. "And then have mind-blowing make-up sex."

"You know the problem with that scenario is that you're facing the wrong direction." He kissed the top of my head, bringing his arms around me. "Although, I do like the idea of mind-blowing sex."

"You're ruining a perfectly good book ending." I rested my head on his chest, breathing in his scent. "Well, there's the other option. You can have an injury and be unconscious. Sitting at your bedside, I would pledge my undying love to you and beg you for your forgiveness. Then, you'd open your eyes, all would be forgiven, and we'd live happily ever after. The end."

"That sounds really painful." He shook his head. "Any other options?"

"My books offer no solutions." I leaned back and pleaded with my eyes. "Liam, I need you to forgive me. I'll fight. Please. I know you have to go to work. Don't leave us on a cliffhanger. I can barely tolerate those in books. I don't know if I can survive one with you."

The seconds felt like hours. As we held each other, I waited for his response. Are we beyond the impasse? My heart beat nervously. A million thoughts flashed through my mind, but none formed into words that I could say. I knew that saying sorry wouldn't be enough. I had to think fast. He'd been on his way to work, and I was already holding him up. I just couldn't let him leave without at least knowing that his forgiveness was possible.

Our eyes met, and he held my gaze. The playful moment was gone, and we were serious again. I held my breath, and then he spoke.

"I was on the phone with Josh. I asked him to cover for me." He sighed deeply as he slipped my Kindle into the pocket of his cargo pants. "I want to give you your happily ever after." He gently pressed his lips against my forehead. "It's just not that simple."

I wrapped my arms around him and laid my head against his chest, feeling the pounding of his heart. Dusk had set, and the waves crashed against the shore as the breeze whipped around us. I barely noticed any of it.

"Why not? I'm madly in love with you, Liam. Only you. You're not my default or my second choice. You never were. I can rehash things for you. I needed to let all of that go, including the hurt. I know I should've handled things differently, but I didn't. I made a mistake, and as I stand here right now, I'm fighting for you and for us. I'll do whatever it takes to earn your trust again."

I stood on my toes. Wrapping my arms around his neck, I reached up and brought my lips over his. "I love you, and I will fight for you," I whispered.

I teased his lower lip, sucking on it, and then ran my tongue across it. His mouth opened, and our kiss deepened. As we claimed one another, my heart nearly burst from being so close to him. With his mouth on mine, his hands reached around, grabbing hold of my hair. He tugged softly, sending shivers down my body. When I leaned into him, I felt his growing erection. Desire and longing coursed through me and pooled between my legs.

With my lips hovering over his mouth, I asked, "Is your heart still mine?"

The sky was darkening. He pulled back, and his hooded eyes focused on my lips. We were both breathless. My body awoke to his touch. I craved more. I needed to be close to him. There was no turning back. We needed to move forward. I couldn't imagine it any other way. The passion between us was combustible.

He tucked my hair behind my ears and held me close. "Baby, I might be defenseless to your fight."

I looked into his eyes as I slowly licked my lower lip. "I'm going to show you how I feel about you." I paused, placing my hand over his rapidly beating heart. "I know you love me. I can see it in your eyes and feel it in your kiss. I'm not asking you to pretend I didn't catastrophically mess up. You have no idea how much I hate myself for hurting you. I'm asking you to forgive me. Tell me what you need me to do. Give me a hint or something."

His lips curled into a soft smile. "Skydiving." He winked. "I'm hungry. Come on, let's get something to eat."

As he started walking toward the car, I stood, paralyzed. What on earth just happened?