Eddie disengaged and grabbed a glazed cinnamon rol .

“What’s up?” I asked as Jet got close. “You pissed that the Hot Bunch are giving up?”

“Yes,” she snapped. “Eddie’s been working that case for a year, even before he knew me. He’s never given up on anything. But we had an Eddie Chat while in bed and you know what that means.”

I knew what that meant, Eddie talked her around. Then Eddie muddled her head by giving her an orgasm. Or vice versa.

It had to be said, the Hot Bunch liked their morning piece of ass and they weren’t afraid to capitalize on the time-saving measure of using sex as a weapon in a disagreement.

“Honestly, I understand he doesn’t want to go through this business again. Who does?” Jet continued. “We got over that but now we’re fighting about the wedding. I want something smal , in a park or something like that. Blanca wants a ful Mass. A ful Mass! I’m not even Catholic! And Eddie refuses to referee between me and his Mom,” she shared.

“Men don’t do weddings,” I advised, ful of knowledge on that subject since mine was just under two weeks away.

Lee hadn’t lifted a finger except to have Shirleen, his now-receptionist, cal a travel agent and arrange our honeymoon. A honeymoon Shirleen wouldn’t tel me word one about under threat of retribution from Lee which even Shirleen took seriously and Shirleen wasn’t afraid of anyone.

Vance walked in wearing a shit-eating grin which he had trained on Jules. He preceded Luke and Ava who were holding hands. If you told me two months ago I’d see Luke Stark holding hands with anyone, I would have laughed in your face. But with Ava, anyone could see it came natural y.

Ava looked a bit dreamy which meant Ava got herself some.

I smiled to myself. This gave new meaning to the words

“Love Shack”. This went on any longer, The Castle was going to have to be re-christened.

They were fol owed by Daisy carrying a fresh pot of coffee.

“I made coffee,” Daisy announced. “Anyone need coffee?”

coffee?”

“Actual y, I could use a Diet Coke,” Ava answered.

“I need coffee,” Jules threw in quickly when Daisy’s face darkened.

“Smithie brought donuts. I was going to make pancakes but Smithie brought donuts. I could stil make pancakes.

You want pancakes?” Daisy asked Luke hopeful y.

He shook his head and grabbed a bear claw missing Jules nodding her head at him frantical y in silent communication.

“Stel a makes fancy-ass salmon and potatoes and everyone’s in tears of delight. What? I can’t even make pancakes in my own damn house?” Daisy burst out.

Uh-oh.

“What kind of salmon did she make?” Vance asked the wrong question, grabbing a Bavarian cream and sitting on the arm of Jules’s chair.

“It was buttered and herbed and in this light as air pastry,” Ava rhapsodized even though Jules was now frantical y shaking her head at Ava (who also didn’t notice) and Daisy’s face was getting pink. Ava went on, “And the potatoes were creamy and cheesy, sliced so thin, it was amazing.”

Daisy glared at Ava, plonked down the coffee and stormed out.

“What’d I say?” Ava asked, glancing around in confusion and Jules smiled at her and mouthed, “Later.”

“Let me get this straight. Mace gets the girl who can cook?” Vance put in.

Jules turned from Ava and punched Vance in the arm then she covered her mouth, made a gagging noise, shot out of her chair and ran from the room.

“Fuck,” Smithie had been reaching for another donut but after Jules’s gag-and-run, he sat back instead.

“I’l go home, to Brownsburg. Stay with Mom and Dad,” Roxie said to Hank, both of them walking into the room.

“No,” Hank replied.

“I’l go to Mexico,” Roxie continued.

“Roxanne, I said no,” Hank returned.

“I’l go to Siberia!” Roxie snapped.

Hank looked at Lee and shook his head.

“Do not shake your head at your brother, Hank Nightingale,” Roxie bit off.

“Fucking great. Donuts. Final y, my day has brightened,” Hank ignored Roxie.

One side of Luke’s lips curled up in a sexy half-grin.

Vance’s shit-eating grin made a reappearance. Eddie bit his lip to stop from grinning. Lee chuckled straight out.

I was guessing Hank and Roxie hadn’t participated in the nookie-a-thon like the rest of us. Then again, maybe they did and the extreme circumstances took the glow off early.

“Do you believe they’re giving up?” Roxie asked me on a huff.

“Nope,” I replied then took another bite of my donut.

“I don’t either,” she flopped down on a couch, gave a good glare to Hank then pul ed out a chocolate-covered, custard-fil ed and bit into it so hard the custard splodged out the side.

“Babe, pour me a cup of coffee,” Luke said to Ava.

“Please?” Ava said back.

“Beautiful Ava, please pour me a cup of coffee,” Luke replied in a soft voice, with a soft look on his face and absolutely no embarrassment whatsoever.

I stared at him. He looked so hot, his voice so sweet, his face unguarded, my heart stopped beating, I quit breathing and I felt a quiver somewhere only Lee was al owed to make quiver.

My eyes flitted to Roxie who was staring at Luke mouth open, then to Jet who was staring at Luke mouth open, then to Ava who was pouring Luke a cup of coffee.

“Indy, honey,” Lee cal ed.

My head snapped around to see he was standing close to my side. His head dipped in and I saw his eyes were amused.

“Quit drooling,” he whispered.

I snapped my mouth shut, gave him a look and shoved in the last bite of my donut.

Jules came back and sat down in her chair again.

“Princess?” Vance asked so quietly you could almost not hear him.

“I’m okay,” she murmured.

His hand went to her face, fingers trailing down her hairline and he tucked her hair behind her ear.

Something hit me, sliding al over me like relaxing in a bath of hot water that smel ed real y good.

I turned back to Lee.

“I get it,” I whispered.

“What?” Lee asked, his eyes coming to me.

My gaze did a sweep of the room and came back to him.

“I get it,” I repeated and his eyes warmed. He knew what I was saying.

“Good,” he replied softly.

“I love you.” I kept whispering.

“That’s good too,” he said on a grin.