Jennifer exchanged a grin with Tracy.

“He isn’t perfect after all.”

“Close to it, though,” Jennifer said, and glanced over her shoulder. “And I am going to marry him someday.”

Tracy grinned. “Will I be the maid of honor?”

“Absolutely. I promise to pick out the most hideous bridesmaid dress just for you.”

Tracy giggled. “Teal…or, better yet, pumpkin-colored, right?”

“Oh don’t make me gag,” Jennifer giggled along with her friend.

Jennifer and Tracy settled in to watch the soap opera and Steve disappeared into the kitchen to begin preparations for dinner.

Delectable scents wafted from the kitchen and Jennifer and Tracy exchanged a look, both hopping to their feet and heading into the kitchen. A red sauce bubbled on the stove and the scent of fresh roasted garlic filled the air along with warm Italian bread.

“Out.” He shooed them away. “I’ll call you when it’s ready.” He closed the door on both of their questioning eyes.

Jennifer stared at the kitchen door, surprised. “How am I supposed to learn to cook?” She turned her arched eyebrows in Tracy’s direction.

“Why would you want to with a man like him?” Tracy grabbed two wine coolers from the bar, handing one to Jennifer and heading onto the balcony. She took a long draw on the drink, draining half of it. “Seriously, Jen. He is really wonderful.”

“You don’t know the half of it,” Jennifer said and took a liberal sip of the cooler. “I’m so in love with that man I can’t think straight when he’s around.”

“Is he as good in bed as he is with everything else?”

Jennifer blushed. “Tracy…”

“Well?”

Jennifer tried not to smile. “Come on,” she let out a little laugh.

“Is he?”

“Yes, amazing, now stop.”

“You have to give me details,” Tracy said, finishing her drink.

“That’s just crude.”

“I want to live vicariously through you at this moment, so give me details.”

“No. Besides, you have Billy.”

Tracy let out a sarcastic humph.

“You do have Billy, right?”

“I don’t know, Jen. He’s been acting downright weird lately. First, he doesn’t seem interested, then he’s all over me and back again. I’m getting sick of his hot and cold behavior. Nothing is going to ever come out of the relationship anyway. We never talked about marriage, ever. I’m just an easy lay for him,” Tracy said, getting up and disappearing. Seconds later, she returned with two more wine coolers. “And he’s just a substitute for a vibrator for me at this point. And a bad one at that.” She opened the cooler.

“I’m sorry,” Jennifer said, cracking her second drink open.

“Don’t be. At least I realized he was a shmuck now.” She looked at Jennifer. “So tell me about him.” She pointed her thumb toward the kitchen.

“He can make me hot just with a look,” Jennifer admitted. “And when he touches me, oh my God Tracy, it’s like my skin’s on fire.”

“His smile could make any woman hot.”

“Yeah, well, getting that caught up isn’t always a good thing. We both have forgotten protection more than once.”

“Forgotten?”

“Haven’t you ever been that swept away?”

She shook her head. “Never.”

“It’s kind of scary,” Jennifer said glancing over at the kitchen entry. “I’d sell my soul to be in his arms for the rest of my life.”

Tracy shivered and shot a glance at the lake. “You don’t mean that.”

“Yes I do.” Jennifer finished the rest of the first cooler and started the second one. “Will you be our children’s godmother?” Jennifer asked, looking out at the lake.

Tracy didn’t respond at first. “I would be honored,” she said.

They sat in comfortable silence and drained their drinks.

Steve stepped onto the balcony a little while later and gave Jennifer a kiss. “Dinner will be ready in about twenty minutes,” he said. He glanced at Tracy. “Where’s the wine?”

Tracy got up and went into the kitchen with Steve, leaving Jennifer on the balcony to dissect the conversation. Tracy and Bill were having issues, which could explain his sudden intense interest. She huffed at the thought. It was much more than that and she knew it.

She couldn’t wait to be out of this town this weekend, but she’d never admit that to Steve. Just like him, she thought there was a connection and time was ticking.

Tracy stepped back onto the deck. “How come you always get the good ones?” she mumbled and sat next to Jennifer.

“You’ll meet Mr. Right someday.”

“I hope so,” Tracy said, finishing her drink.

Steve poked his head out. “Dinner is served.” He bowed graciously and led them into the kitchen, helping them with their chairs before taking the seat at the head of the table.

The presentation of the meal was restaurant quality. A chicken parmesan cutlet sat in the center of each plate, surrounded by angel hair pasta drizzled in sauce. In the center of each cutlet was a small sprig of parsley. Even the salad was fancy with sliced tomatoes, shredded carrots and fancy cut cucumber in the shape of a rose in the center of the bed of mixed greens. The loaf of toasted Italian bread graced the center of the table, surrounded with roasted garlic halves strategically placed around the slices.

“I’m impressed.” Tracy looked at the spread before her. “Very impressed.”

He filled each of their glasses with the wine, graciously accepting the praise. “Thanks,” he said placing the bottle on the table.

Jennifer took a bite. “This is delicious!”

Tracy swallowed her first bite. “Oh my God, this is heaven.”

Steve smiled. “Glad you like it.”

“If you don’t marry him, I will,” Tracy said to Jennifer.

Steve laughed and dug into his food.

“You’re a law major, right?” Tracy asked as she washed down her food with the wine.

Steve nodded, glancing at Jennifer. “Yes.”

“What’s your concentration?”

“Criminal law.”

“Defense attorney?” she asked curiously.

Steve shook his head. “No, I want to put criminals away.” Dimples appeared in his left cheek as a partial smile surfaced.

Tracy glanced at him. “Really?”

“Yes,” Steve said, shooting a quick smile Tracy’s way.

“Have you ever broken the law?” Tracy asked.

Jennifer laughed and both pairs of eyes swung in her direction.

“As a matter of fact, I did when I was younger, quite a few times,” he replied, keeping eye contact with Jennifer.

“What’d you do?” Jennifer asked surprised that he had had any trouble with the law.

He grinned and leaned back with his wine. “I never said I got caught.”

Tracy laughed. “Oooo, and he has a dark side to,” she said to Jennifer.

“What did you do that was against the law?” Jennifer asked.

“I wasn’t a saint in high school.”

“What’d you do?” Tracy asked.

Steve shrugged but kept quiet.

“Come on, you can tell us,” Tracy pried.

Steve narrowed his eyes and tilted his head. “Aren’t you on the school paper?”

“Yeah, why?”

“I’m not telling a reporter about my indiscretions.” He grinned. “I can just see the headline now.”

Tracy laughed. “Off the record then.”

Steve shook his head. “All you have on me is that I admitted to breaking the law a time or two. Hell, pouring that wine for you is against the law. You’re underage.”

Tracy raised her glass, swirled the wine around, and downed it. “More please?” She smiled sweetly.

Steve slid the bottle in her direction, but made no attempt to pour her another glass. His dimples deepened with his barely suppressed grin making both Tracy and Jennifer laugh.

“You really are a piece of work,” Tracy said, grabbing the bottle and filling her glass.

“I try.” He winked at Jennifer.

“So, have you spoken to any firms about an internship?” Tracy asked, continuing the line of questions.

“I never said I was going to be a lawyer,” Steve said, finishing his dinner and refilling his glass.

“But your concentration is criminal law?”