Jane’s eyes continued to move and she saw Tex and Duke behind the espresso counter, bickering. About what, Jane couldn’t hear at that moment but, with practice, eyeing them for a moment, she knew everyone would hear it in approximately two point seven five minutes.

Jane continued to scan and she saw Eddie standing at the end of the espresso counter, Jet in his arms. Jane couldn’t see Jet’s face and only could see Eddie’s profile.

His head was bent and he was whispering in her ear. As he did, Jane watched observantly and noted Jet pressed closer then closer.

And Jane knew, for Eddie and Jet, the world had ceased to exist. There was Eddie and al there was for him was Jet.

Then there was Jet and al there was for her was Eddie.

Jane decided in that second that Eddie and Jet were going to be her favorites for the day. She changed them every day depending on what she witnessed. Sometimes it was Lee and Indy. Other times, Hank and Roxie. Others, Jules and Vance or Luke and Ava and now Mace and Stel a.

Today it was Jet and Eddie.

Jane’s eyes moved from them back to the couch, they fel on Stel a and Mace and she instantly changed her mind.

Stel a was leaned into Mace, her arms wrapped around the one he had at her stomach, her head had fal en back on his shoulder, turned slightly so her temple was pressed to the side of his throat.

Jane studied them.

Mace looked content.

Stel a looked wel beyond that.

This would be surprising for normal folk considering a week ago Stel a’s apartment and most of her belongings had been blown to smithereens and Mace’s Dad lost his life to save Stel a’s.

Then again, the two things most important in her life, both of which breathed, weren’t blown to bits so with the Rock Chicks at her back ( sans Indy, who was stil in Barbados on her honeymoon and would be for another week), Stel a did what she could with what was left and was now living with Mace at his house.

That was to say, she was doing this in the short-term considering they were already searching for a new place and had arrived at Fortnum’s thirty minutes ago after spending the morning viewing three properties.

No matter what, life for the Rock Chicks and Hot Bunch always just went on.

As for Preston Mason dying, Jane had listened (as she always listened, avidly) and she knew, although it wasn’t nice to think, his life ending was not a big loss to the world.

And she knew from experience that whatever Stel a was enduring due to a man dying so she could live and Mace was enduring because he lost his father, they’d make it through and they’d do it because they had each other.

Preston Mason bequeathed his vast holdings to his son.

His son had turned them over to his mother and stepmother. They were in turn making enormous donations to a variety of charities.

Most of them having to do with the arts.

And most of those having to do with giving underprivileged children opportunities to learn to dance.

Jane, stil unnoticed, always unnoticed and liking it that way, continued to study them.

She had watched Kai Mason now for months and months. Jane had spent most of her life being quiet and watching. Therefore she saw things others didn’t. On the rare occasion, she had noted Mace showing humor but that was rare.

For months and months she saw only pain in Kai “Mace” Mason.

Today she saw no pain.

This made her smile a little, unnoticed smile.

Her eyes dropped to Stel a’s hand and, at her distance, she could just barely make out the gold ring on Stel a’s pinkie finger.

Just the other day, she overheard Jet tel ing Jules that Stel a never took that ring off.

Never.

Jane sighed.

So there it was; Stel a and Mace were now her favorites for the day.

She wasn’t fickle. No doubt Eddie or Jet would do something, and soon, to regain the title.

“Mystery for the ages,” Stevie replied with unconcern to Al y and Jane’s eyes moved to him.

“I think not,” Al y shot back. “It has to be part of the inner circle. No one knows al that shit. Someone spil ed. And that is way uncool.”

Jane didn’t think so but she wouldn’t considering she was the one who talked to the reporters and Jane knew Al y was talking about whoever talked to the reporters. She knew this because Al y had been talking about it a lot.

She felt no guilt. Jet and Tex’s tips had quadrupled. Tex had a nest egg but Nancy was moving in with him the next week and she wasn’t able to work but part-time and not at a job that paid very much.

Further, Jet wanted a KitchenAid and she’d wanted one awhile.

So Jane got it for her, kind of.

Not to mention, coffee sales had seen that increase too and even book sales.

Lee wasn’t hurting for money.

Now Indy wasn’t either.

No, Jane felt no guilt. None at al .

Anyway, it was a week ago and it had al already blown over.

Al of it but the increase in customers.

So there.

“No one is copping to it and, in this crowd, someone did it, they’d cop to it or they’l never cop to it,” Shirleen decreed and Jane looked to her thinking she was right.

Jane would never cop to it.

“We’l never know,” Shirleen finished.

Hmm.

Hmm.

Jane didn’t know if she was right about that.

“It’s stil uncool,” Al y mumbled.

Whatever, Jane thought.

Without a word but with a chin lift at Mace, Hector got up.

Jane tensed.

Then she watched as he moved toward the door, carrying his takeaway coffee cup.

Jane’s hand darted to the drawer where they kept their purses; she opened it, nabbed hers, grabbed it, shut the drawer and scurried after him.

No one noticed her go.

* * * * *

Hector’s Bronco pul ed into a spot across from the art gal ery in LoDo or Lower Downtown Denver and Jane pul ed into a spot two car lengths down on the opposite side of the street. Hector sat in his beat-up, brown Bronco, head turned, eyes aimed into the art gal ery.

He did this awhile.

Jane watched awhile.

Final y, Hector put his Bronco in gear, pul ed out of the spot and drove away.

Jane switched off the ignition to her car, exited it, locked it, fed the meter and walked into the gal ery.

When she did, she smiled.

A petite, curvy, very wel -dressed, strikingly beautiful woman with a mass of golden-cream-strawberry blonde hair that was a riot of soft ringlets mixed with ful waves that floated down her back and al around her exquisite face and shoulders was standing behind the counter.

She looked like a fairy princess.

Jane especial y liked her hair. It was fabulous.