I found David on a barstool with his back to me, whiskey in hand. When I touched his shoulder, he turned. I meant to peck him quickly on the lips, but when our mouths met, I lingered there for a moment. “Mmm,” I moaned. “Whiskey reminds me of our first night together. You tasted so—”
“Do not say another word,” David warned. “Or else I’ll meet your godfather with a hard-on.”
I exhaled a laugh and held out my hand. “Come on. It’s going well.”
We made our way over and Mack stood as I introduced them. They shook hands, and David expressed his regret over Davena’s death. I remembered then that David had been at the funeral, and I squeezed his hand.
As David slid out my chair for me, Mack said, “Liv’s a different woman. Thank you for that.”
“She deserves better than what she was getting,” David replied and sat.
Mack set his elbows on the table, his eyebrows high. “You don’t mince words, do you, David? Bill was all right. A bit of an ass if you ask me, though.”
My mouth dropped with shock as my eyes shot to Mack. He was almost always overly polite, although that didn’t mean he held back. “You really thought that?”
“Sorry, dear, but I didn’t care much for his disposition,” Mack said, unfurling his dinner napkin. “I wish Davena were here to see this. She was supportive, but we wondered several times what it was you saw in him.”
“Apparently, you’re not the only one,” I said with a deep inhale. “Surprisingly, others have expressed their support, too. Not everyone, but that’s understandable.”
“Your mother?” Mack asked astutely.
David put his hand on the back of my chair. “Not supportive,” he said.
Mack grimaced at me. “After her history with your father, I can see why this would upset her.”
“She’s more than upset,” I said, and David’s hand dropped to massage the back of my neck. “She’s practically disowned me.”
“If Leanore were a rational woman, I’d say once she sees you two together, her opinion will change,” Mack said, and looked to David. “Unfortunately, I think this will be a long battle.”
Would my mother ever even give us the opportunity to show her? I had a hard time envisioning it. Enough time had passed that if she wanted, she could have called to apologize for what she’d said. I tried to think of a time in my life when she’d apologized for anything. “I hope she comes around one day, but I’m not holding my breath.”
“She sounds like a complicated woman,” David said.
Mack laughed. “Yes. She’s always been headstrong, butcomplicatedanddifficultare also words frequently used to describe her.”
“Difficult, yes,” I agreed, and covered Mack’s hand. “Thankfully, I had Davena as a stand-in.”
As our dinner proceeded, David and Mack discovered some mutual business acquaintances. David listened intently about the foundation Mack had started in Davena’s name, offering his services should Mack be able to use them. At some point during the night, I remembered that I’d once asked David if things were ever going to get easier.
It seemed that they were.
* * *
Burrowing under the comforter to combat a particularly cold night, and feeling loose after the wine I’d had at dinner with Mack, I wondered what was taking David so long to join me. “Are you coming?” I sang, growing impatient.
“Where are you?” he called.
I pulled the comforter down a little so I could see him. All six-feet-four of him—long, lean, and gloriously naked. Even in my flannel pajamas, I shivered. “It’s so cold.”
I squealed when he jumped on the bed. He climbed under the sheets to cover me with his warmth, tucking my arms under his elbows and my legs between his.
“That’s perfect,” I exhaled, instantly cured. “Never leave.”
“Deal.”
I giggled when he bent his head and breathed hot air on my neck. I wanted to reach up and brush my hand through his soft hair, but he kept me securely pinned under his body. Up close, I could see every strand, and when I spotted something new, I grinned. “Are you getting gray hairs?”
“Probably,” he grumbled, “considering what you’ve put me through the last few months.”
