Best Friends Forever

“You’ll love it. I live near the restaurant, in the condos at Arroyo Place. You live near here? In Henderson?”

“Just a few streets over from here.”

“I’ll send a car for you. Will an hour give you enough time?”

“Perfect,” Ayla said. “But what about your trip?”

“Ah. I’m going to reschedule. Or something. I think my mum might want to come here when I tell her the news, don’t you?”

Ayla smiled sheepishly. “Do you think she’ll like being a grandma?”

“You’ve clearly never met Bev Merryweather. Her lack of grandchildren is her favorite thing to complain about. And she’s only happy when she’s complaining.”

“I hope that does

n’t mean, in a roundabout way, that she won’t be happy anymore?”

“Or any less,” Mick laughed. “Trust me, she’ll be thrilled. Not with having to move slowly and take our time explaining everything to Preston, but she’ll be tickled.”

“So, I’ll see you in just a bit then?” Ayla asked.

“I can’t wait. Just for the record, this is the coolest thing that’s happened to me since, well, nothing comes to mind. We have a lot to catch up on. Over the best Thai food on the continent.”

Ayla and Mick hugged again, and when they broke the embrace, Ayla stood up on her tiptoes and kissed Mick on the cheek. He blushed and tilted his head to look her in the eye. He took her chin in his hand and kissed her back, softly at first, then more deeply. She withdrew, gasping.

“Um, wow. Okay. Let’s slow down before we wind up where we were last time,” she said, hands on his chest.

“Was last time so bad?” Mick asked, grinning.

“Just the opposite,” Ayla confirmed. “But maybe we ought to strive for somewhere a little more private? And you have to buy me dinner first, anyway. What kind of girl do you think I am?”

Mick licked his lips. “A delicious one. Text me your address. A car will pick you up in an hour. You can dress casual, I wear the monkey suit to work, I don’t feel like getting so dressed up tonight. If that’s okay with you?”

“Sounds good.”

Desiree had taken Preston to Chuck E. Cheese, and Ayla rushed home to get cleaned up for her date.

Mick called the airline from his SUV, canceling his flight and scheduling one to bring his mother from Sheffield to Las Vegas. He knew she’d complain, but he’d tell her he had a surprise waiting for her. She’d grumble, but in the end acquiesce.

He received Ayla’s address and scheduled a town car to pick her up and bring her to Lotus.

In the shower, he found himself singing Lovesong by The Cure. A song he hadn’t heard, much less sung, in more years than he could count. But it popped into his head as he shampooed his hair and before he knew it, he was belting it out.

However far away… I will always love you.

As he dressed, he repeated her name aloud. “Ayla. Ayla Murray. Ayla Murray. Ayla. Ayla. Ayla. Finally. My Ayla.”

Chapter 15

Mick wore khaki pants and a forest green golf shirt that contained his pecs and biceps only under protest. Green and blue socks under brown dress shoes that matched his belt finished him off.

He was standing outside when Ayla’s town car pulled up.

Ayla emerged in a red sundress with a yellow floral pattern. It hugged her curves before billowing out just above her knees. Strappy sandals completed her ensemble. Her makeup was light and her shimmering blonde hair swung in a simple ponytail.

Mick couldn’t contain a grin as Ayla approached, and his easy smile melted her nerves away.

“Wow,” he exclaimed. “You’re… just… wow.”