I write about trends in bathroom design, Ginger pointed out.

Reporting is reporting, Bea snapped.

Just then, a shiny black Lexus cruised by. The equally black man behind the wheel slowed the car, then nodded at the women before he drove on.

Lilith growled.

Do you know him? Ginger asked.

Nope. Just a friendly guy, I guess, Roxie said.

Anyone who drives that slow is on the prowl, Bea said.

I swear Ive seen him before, Ginger said.

So let me get this straight, Bea. Roxie crossed her arms across her chest. Youre suggesting we /spy/ on our friend? You want us to go undercover on Josie, start asking questions of her neighbors? Family?

Sources? How about we sit outside her apartment and watch who comes and goes? Maybe root through her garbage?

Theres no need to get carried away, Bea said.

Youre the one whos been carried away! Roxie was clearly upset. Josie is my friend. I would never do that to her.

It is pretty smarmy, Ginger said. I wouldnt want you guys doing that to me, not that youd find anything. I say we just ask Josie. If she wants us to know, shell tell us.

Roxie nodded. Of course. Well just ask her whats going on. Well remind her that were her friends and she can tell us anything.

Bea shrugged. Fine. Ask her, then. Go on.

Roxie pulled out her cell phone. She dialed Josies home number. No answer. She called Josies cell. No answer. She tried both again. No answer.

Here, let me, Ginger said, rooting through her oversized pink leather bag to find her cell. She placed the phone on the tabletop and put it on speaker. The three women waited patiently through four rings.

See? Bea said. Shes not going to pick The phone sparked to life. The call had gone through but the only sound was of shuffling and mumbling, followed by a high-pitched yelp and a deep-voiced laugh. Then there was the sound of something smacking the receiver a few times, with a little more laughing thrown in. Then the line went dead.

Ginger tossed the phone back into her purse and, without comment, drained the rest of her mojito.

Bea bowed her head humbly, as if acknowledging the roars of an imaginary crowd. My work here is done, she said.

I dont freakin believe this! Ginger waved her hands around. HeatherLynn panicked and popped back inside the jacket. Josie took a vow! She was the one who told us to go out and lead full and happy lives in the company of our dogs! No one forced her to say that! She came up with that all on her own!

Lets not jump to any conclusions, here, Roxie said, glaring at Ginger.

We dont know for sure what we just heard on the phone. It could have been anything.

Bea nodded. Sure. Hey, in fact She started laughing. I bet all that giggling was part of her empty mind practice!

Ginger pursed her mouth tight. Roxie stared out into the street. Bea chuckled some more.

I do worry about her, Ginger said, shaking her head. You know how she isall a guy has to do is buy her a bacon cheeseburger and the next day shes at Macys picking out her stainless pattern. We cant let her do this to herself again. We cant let her waste her time with another ьberloser.

Amen, sister, Bea said.

But who are we to interfere? Roxie leaned forward on her elbows again, quite serious. I love Josie. Shes my best friend. But shes an adult. I know I wouldnt appreciate you guys doing that to me! Roxie flashed her dark eyes at them. I mean, its my life! I can make healthy choices for myself! Who are you to say whats good for me?

Bea nodded. Okay. Well, I got two words for you/Raymond Sandberg/. Any further discussion?

Lilith growled as the black Lexus cruised by again, headed in the opposite direction.

Ive got a real bad feeling about this whole business, Ginger said, letting her voice trail off as she watched the car drive away. Strange old ladies. Mystery boyfriends. The idea of spying on our friend. And whats with Super Fly in the Lexus? Am I paranoid or is that the second time hes driven by?

Roxie shook her head emphatically. Im not rooting through anybodys garbage. Thats where I have to draw the line.

You sure are popular, Rick said through his teeth, which were clamped down on the elastic neckline of Josies little pink top. He would have used his hands to remove her blouse, but they were busy springing her left hip from the prison of her bikini underwear.

The damn things turned off now, she said, tossing her cell phone onto a basket of folded laundry. My friends can be persistent. Josie returned her attention to the metal buckle of Ricks jeans, frowning in concentration. Theyre probably wondering why I didnt meet them for a drink tonight.

Why didnt you just tell them you had a date?

Josie smiled in triumph, pulling the belt strap loose from the buckle.

Then she looked at Rick, biting her bottom lip. Um, they dont know about you yet. I havent found the right time to tell them.

Rick laughed. Ah. Youre ashamed of me.

What? Josies gray eyes went big and her cheeks reddened. Of course not!

Its just thatoh, jeez, its a really long story, but none of my friends are in relationships right now, and we kind of promised each other that wed be happy without men, that we could have wonderful, satisfying lives in the company of our dogs.

Whoops.

Yeah. Josie glanced down at her own below-the-waist bareness, and when she looked back at Rick, her cheeks were flaming. Whoops big-time.

Even while they laughed, Rick felt the weight of the moment descending on him. He was beginning to see all that was happening here, in stark clarity. There was a beautiful, funny, half-naked woman straddling his legs, looking down on him with trust and adoration. Her satiny thighs were spread. Her shiny curls fell around her face. Her creamy, freckled breasts were practically falling out of her top. And if all that wasnt erotic enough, the entire scene was backlit by evening sun spilling through the bedroom blinds, which gave the entire vision an ethereal glow. And as he stared in wonder at this apparition, he felt the light of her smile and the warmth of her laughter cut through seven years of cold darkness.

It dawned on Rick that he was about to hold the door open and welcome a woman into his life. He was on the verge of telling her to make herself at home and prop her feet up right smack in the middle of his heart and soul. He was about to surrender to the possibility of a relationshipwith a good woman who deserved only goodness in her life.

Rick smiled to himself, amused by his own big-time whoops moment. Seven years of hard absolutes had begun to soften the morning Josephine Sheehan walked off the sidewalk and entered his grooming salon. By now, Josies pretty face and easy laugh had begun to chisel away at every wall hed ever built around himself.

Rick watched Josies happy smile fade. He reached up and stroked one of her cherry-red cheeks. Tell your friends about me whenever youre ready, if you ever decide you want to. Its completely your decision.

She frowned. Youre having second thoughts. I can tell.

Her question took him by surprise. You mean about you and me? About us?

Yes.

He laughed at the irony, shaking his head emphatically. Josie, there are a thousand thoughts racing through my brain, but none of them are second thoughts about us.

Rick pulled her down to his chest. He opened his fingers wide and spread them though her curls, capturing the back of her head in his grip. His mouth found hers. It was like a secret language, the way his lips spoke to hers, how she responded, coaxing him and soothing him at exactly the right intervals. It was a language hed never known, one hed never had any interest in learninguntil now, with Josie.

His hands explored her tender neck, shoulders, back, and wound their way down to the rounded globes of her butt. She was so warm everywhere, so silky and solid, that his hands couldnt get enough of her. He found himself kneading her flesh while his kisses escalated.