That’s the way it should be, and I decide that image must make me happy.

5LEO

As the Arctic Monkeys warble at their usual Mach speed from the speakers overhead and some guy in shorts kicks some white-and-black ball on a TV screen in a sport I will never like, my buddy Dean pours me a pale ale, chuckling the whole time.

“Wait. Tell me again the part where you had the brilliant idea to partner with the woman you’ve been in mad love with for a decade.”

I shoot him the sharpest of sharp stares. “I’m not in love with her. That ship sailed long ago.”

Dean nods solemnly. “Right, of course, mate. The ship sailed around the world. Is that where it went?”

“Precisely.”

“Or was it more like around the world and right back in the harbor?”

I sigh. “That would be stupid. Do I look stupid?”

With intense brown eyes, as dark as his skin, Dean meets my gaze, parking his hands on the bar. “Do you want me to answer the question seriously?”

Thinking better of it, I wave him off. Dean would answer me seriously. “No. Don’t answer. But I have moved on.”

He nods again and stage-whispers as he slides the glass of beer to me. “I get it now. We’re pretending for the cameras, right? They’re here somewhere. And you want me to go along with this ruse.”

“You do know there are a million bars in New York City, right? I could frequent any of them.”

His lips quirk up in an evil grin. “And yet you always come back to mine. Admit it. You can’t resist the call of The Pub. Nor can you resist the call of me.” He pats the wood proudly.

“It’s only because you have good beer.”

He scoffs. “It’s only because I am the most extraordinary bar owner on this side of the pond. Also, because I tell it like it is.”

I lift the glass, tipping it in his direction. That is indeed Dean’s strongest trait, but he’s wrong on this count. “Look. I freely admit I had it bad for her when we met. I had it bad for her for a couple years. I’ve never denied that. But the reality is I had to get over her, and I did, thank you very much. I couldn’t spend my fucking twenties mooning for someone else’s girl. I’ve dated plenty of other women. I’ve been serious with plenty of other women. Hell, there’s Amy too.”

He wipes down the bar. “Yes, Amy. Great example.”

“She is a good example.”

“Fine. You got over Lulu. You found the occasional woman to throw dinner parties with.” He pretends to wretch violently, reminding me why I never invite him to dinner parties. “And, evidently, you’ve swung your dick around and fa la la la la.”

I flip him the bird. “That’s not what I’m saying, and you know it.”

“I thought you were saying all the ladies loved you? Is it your broody, growly charm that wins them over, or your dinner parties?”

“No, it’s my huge . . . personality.”

Laughing, he raises an imaginary glass to me. “Well done.” His tone shifts to serious now. “Level with me. Are you prepared to work with her?”

“She’s a contractor. We’re not going to be in the same offices.”

“You completely dodged the question.”

“It’ll be fine. We’re friends. We’ve been through plenty. And plenty of people who have history work together.”

Laughing, Dean slaps his palm on the bar. “That is the best understatement among all the understatements in contention for Understatement of the Century.”

I grin, shrugging. “Who doesn’t have history?”

“You two have so much history you could write a new textbook.”

“Look, I’m in chocolate and she’s in chocolate. It was inevitable we’d wind up working together in some capacity. I saw her at the show, and I chose to introduce her to Kingsley. It’s that simple.” I point to the bar. “It’s a choice you’re here, right? And not in London still?”

“Sure, it’s a choice. Or it might be that I’m simply a stunning sex god and completely irresistible to hot, inked, bearded professional hockey defensemen.”

“My point exactly. You made a choice to move to the States and follow your guy.”

“Ahem, my husband. I’m no fool. I didn’t move without a ring.” He waggles his ring finger, showing off his platinum band.

“You made sure he wasn’t getting the cow for free.”

“Exactly. This cow has a fantastically high price tag and is so worth it.” Then, he makes sure I’m looking him in the eyes. “I’m only pulling your leg. I know you two went through the mill together. You love each other like we love each other.” He points from me to him, then furrows his brow. “Wait. Maybe not at the beginning, because try as you might, I just wasn’t that into you.”

I groan, dropping my forehead into my hand. “Why do I bother talking to you?”

Laughing, he slaps my shoulder from across the counter. “Listen, all I’m saying is, once upon a time, you were in love with her. You kicked the habit, you moved on, you got over her. Which is fantastic. Hell, you went on to get your sorry arse engaged. Good on you. Now all you have to do is keep it on the level as you work with her. It ought to be easy, right?” Dean looks at me with an intense earnestness that’s his hallmark along with the cheeky bluntness.

“I can do that.”

On that note, the woman in question breezes in and drops a kiss on Dean’s cheek, then on mine, smelling like coconuts and a summer breeze that stirs up memories.

6LEO

Ten Years Ago

“Coffee. I need coffee.” I muttered it like a mantra at six thirty in the morning as I opened the door to the Audi Tripp’s father gave him when he earned his bachelor’s degree. It was a gift that served double duty—a present and a dig at his mom. “Why did anyone ever think waking up early was a good idea?”

As we peeled away from the curb in front of our apartment, Tripp glanced over, his quarterback-in-the-huddle energy too much for the hour. “You can do it, man. You did it in college.”

I shot him a dubious look. “Hello? Have you met me? I famously took no classes before eleven a.m.”

“Except for one. You powered your way through Business Strategy at nine. Remember that?”

I scratched my jaw. “Admittedly, that was my favorite class.”

“Or maybe it was because you had my cheery, happy face to keep you going at that hour. Remember my daily wake-up dorm room knocks?”

“Yes. It was like a rooster cock-a-doodle-dooing in the morning.”

He raised his chin skyward as he drove. “Cock-a-doodle-doo!”