Was this what it would be like if they were together? Liam off somewhere, unable to give him details of where he’d be or what he’d be doing, calling day and night? It wasn’t like the FBI kept normal office hours. Having Liam away was hard, but getting to hear his voice raised Joe’s spirits like nothing else. Somehow it made the distance bearable. It was funny, how at first Joe feared Liam being away would show the cracks in a relationship that perhaps hadn’t been there to begin with, but the longer Liam was away, the more Joe thought about him.
Bea, Donnie, and Elsie were also great at keeping his spirits up, getting him excited about revamping the shop. It was time for a new look. Nothing crazy, but something a little more modern with a small bakery like he’d always wanted. It was time to stop dreaming about what he wanted in his life and do something about it. They’d all put their heads together and browsed several design concepts and found a color combination Joe loved: rich red walls and decor, deep brown furniture, and apple-green accents. Considering the name of the shop and his surname, it would be silly not to go with an apple theme. Work would start next week, and Joe was looking forward to it.
“Hey, Joe!”
Joe smiled and stood. “Hey, Jules.” He pulled her into an embrace and hugged her tight. “It’s so good to see you.”
“I’m so sorry I haven’t been by. I’ve been rushed off my feet. Things have been kind of crazy.”
Oh, you have no idea.
Joe sat with Jules, her red curls bouncing along with her in excitement. “I got a new job!” she said.
“That’s fantastic, Jules!” Joe pulled her in for another hug. He was excited for her. Jules was such a hard worker, and she cared so much for those she helped. He was glad to see her lit up with joy. Any hospital or clinic would be lucky to have her. “I’m so happy for you. You deserve it.”
“Thank you. It’s down at NYC Presbyterian Hospital. I haven’t stopped since.” She looked around. “How’s Tom? I kept meaning to call, but every time I picked up the phone someone needed something. They’ve been short on staff these last few weeks. So where’s Tom?”
“He’s, um, not here,” Joe said, unable to help the disappointment in his voice.
Jules’s smile fell away. “What happened, Joe?”
“How long do you have?” Joe muttered. She leaned over and patted his hand.
“As long as it takes. Tell me. What happened?”
Joe took a deep breath and proceeded to tell Jules everything that had happened since she was last in, from the break-in to the fake Feds, the fights, the shoot-outs, the kidnapping, all the way up until Tom’s departure. “Oh, and his name’s Liam. Liam Baker.”
Jules stared at him. She was so still Joe was afraid he might have broken her.
“Jules?”
“Wow. I don’t even know how to respond to that. My God, Joe. I’m away for a few weeks and you get mixed up in some kind of federal sting operation? Are you making up for lost time? That’s crazy!”
“I know. Believe me, I know.”
Her expression softened. “You fell in love with him.”
Joe opened his mouth to deny it, but he couldn’t bring himself to. “Am I being an idiot?”
Jules shook her head. “Joe, you’re one of the most sensible people I know. Tom—I mean, Liam—is a good man. I don’t think he’s the type to mince words or string someone along. I remember the way he looked at you. The man’s got it bad for you. If he asked you to wait for him, then he’ll be back. Listen to your heart. It’s gotten you this far.”
“Yeah, well, it hasn’t got the greatest track record of reliability,” Joe huffed.
“Joe.” Jules met his gaze, her expression somber. “Don’t make me send Bea after you, because you know I will.”
Joe narrowed his eyes at her. “You wouldn’t.” She arched an eyebrow. Dang it, she would. He stood a better chance against a trained assassin than he did Bea. She was still telling him she told him so. “All right. Fine.”
“Good.” She smiled smugly and stood, giving his cheek a kiss. “I have to go, but I’ll call you.”
“Hi.”
Joe stood and turned, his heart pounding at the sight of Liam standing there, dressed casually in dark jeans, a black T-shirt, and black leather jacket, like the first day they’d met.
“Hi.” Joe felt silly. Just because Tom’s name wasn’t Tom didn’t mean he was different, or that Joe didn’t feel the same way about him. Yet everything was different.
Jules gave Joe a wink before heading to the side door and giving Liam a hug. “It’s good to see you. I’m glad you got your memory back.”
Liam hugged her back. “It’s good to see you, Jules.”
“Well, I’ll leave you two to talk. Joe, call me if you need anything.” She waved good-bye and was gone before Joe could say another word. He really should say something.
“I guess this must all seem a little boring now.”
Liam smiled warmly and walked to Joe, giving him a sweet kiss. Joe melted against him. How he’d missed that warmth. Liam pulled Joe down with him as he sat on the stone bench. “Joe, I can assure you nothing about you is boring.”
“I guess you’ll be heading back home. To Virginia, if that’s where your home is.”
Liam nodded. “We’re still wrapping things up, and I have a mountain of paperwork. Funny thing is, Virginia’s where home was. Now I’m not so sure.”
Was it too much to hope for? “Oh?” Joe held his breath as Liam turned to face him. He took Joe’s hand in his, his silver eyes filled with affection.