Al y was standing by Mace. Uncle Tex and Duke were behind the espresso counter. Jane was behind the book counter, Indy and Daisy sitting on top of it.

They al looked up at me when I walked in.

“Where’s Hank?” I asked.

“Wel , how the f**k are you too?” Uncle Tex boomed, coming out from behind the counter.

I grinned at him. I couldn’t help it.

“Hey, Uncle Tex,” I said.

He made it to me and his arms engulfed me, so hard, my breath went out of me in a poof. “Darlin’ girl,” he half-boomed.

I smiled into his chest and gave him a hug back.

Then I gave hugs and cheek kisses to everyone else (except Mace and Luke, I didn’t know Mace al that wel and I’d already had my lifetime quota of hugs from Luke).

Indy, Lee, Al y, Jet and Daisy stayed close while everyone else wandered away.

“Hank said he’d see me at our place. He should have been here before me,” I told them.

The Rock Chicks looked at each other.

Lee got out his phone.

“Uh-oh,” Al y said.

“Uh-oh what?” I asked.

“Uh-oh nothing,” Al y muttered and bugged her eyes out and Indy.

I looked at Indy and my stomach did a scared-to-death curl.

“Uh-oh what?” I asked Indy.

“Um…” Indy said.

“Hank?” Lee said into the phone. “Yeah, Roxie’s at Fortnum’s,” he paused then he said, “Right.” Then he flipped his phone closed.

“Where is he?” I asked Lee.

“His house,” Lee answered.

“What’s he doing there?” I asked, my brows coming together.

“Waiting for you,” Lee told me.

My brows came apart and I blinked. “I don’t understand.”

“He’s comin’ to Fortnum’s,” Lee went on.

I kept staring at him.

Daisy shoved forward, put her arm around my waist and started to move me to the espresso counter.

“Sugar, I’m guessin’ your man didn’t tel you but some minds have changed while you’ve been gone.” Oh… my… God.

I halted and stood stock-stil , staring down at her. “What minds have changed?” I whispered.

“Wel , Hank’s…” she stopped and then started again.

“He’s not overly…” she paused, looking for the word. Then finding it, she spoke again, “Fond of you movin’ in with Tex.

See, he thinks –”

“Oh for f**k’s sake. You’re movin’ in with Hank,” Uncle Tex announced. “Sil y, stupid girl nerves, movin’ in with me, then movin’ into some apartment only to end up movin’ in with Hank in a few months. You need to f**kin’ settle, girl.

Get over it and get over here. I’l make you a f**kin’ latte.” I stared at Uncle Tex. “I’m not moving in with Hank,” I said.

“You are,” Uncle Tex returned.

Good God.

“Did you guys move my stuff to your place?” I asked.

“Hel no. Waste of time. I’l make you my new coffee. It’s the shit. So damn popular, they’re linin’ up out the door for it in the morning,” Uncle Tex answered.

I frowned at him. “I’m not moving in with Hank,” I repeated (though, I wanted to try his new latte).

“You are,” Uncle Tex said.

“I’m not!” I yel ed.

Daisy’s arm went away from me and Jet came close.

“Maybe you should take it up with Hank,” Jet suggested.

“Have a conversation, ” then she smiled like what she said was funny. Daisy smiled too, obviously agreeing.

I didn’t think it was funny.

“Damn tootin’ we’re having a conversation. We’re going to have the conversation to end al conversations,” I declared, stomping up to the espresso counter.

Everyone grinned at everyone else.

I ignored al of them and Uncle Tex made me his latte with chocolate and burnt marshmal ow syrup with a graham cracker on the side.

It was lush.

Five minutes later, Hank walked in.

I felt the air leave my lungs in a rush and decided immediately I was more than happy to move in with him.

I’d forgotten how handsome he was (wel , I hadn’t real y, just that it hit me again and hit me hard).

He looked so good I felt my mouth go dry. He was wearing jeans, running shoes and the col ar of a white t-shirt could be seen over his zipped up, col ared, navy blue sweatshirt.

“Whisky,” I said (or, more like, rasped).

He walked up to me, not saying a word, pul ed my coffee out of my hand, put it on the counter, took my hand in his and dragged (yes, dragged) me toward the bookshelves.

I came out of my Hank Stupor and immediately decided I wasn’t so happy to move in with him.

“Whisky!” I snapped.

He walked us through the front section, through the album section and into the back room.

A lone, male customer was perusing the travel books.

“Can you excuse us?” Hank asked the man.

The customer stared at him.

“I’m looking for a book on India,” he said. “I’m going there on vaca –”

Hank turned to the travel section, pul ed out five books at random and shoved them into the man’s arms.

“Go,” he said.

The man looked from Hank, to me, to Hank, shocked into near-immobility.

“Hank –” I started, feeling sorry for the guy.

Hank leaned into the man.

The man caught the not-so-subtle hint and walked swiftly out of the room.

“I cannot believe you just did that!” I hissed to Hank.

Hank turned to me, backed me into the shelves, and, without further ado, he kissed me.

Long, deep, lots of tongue with his hands going up my sweater.

I went dizzy.

His mouth came away but his forehead rested on mine.

His hands kept roaming the skin of my back and he was looking into my eyes.

“Fuck, I missed you,” he murmured.

Then he rubbed his nose against mine.

Okay, so I was back to deciding I’d move in with Hank.

“I missed you too,” I whispered.

His hands stopped roaming and pressed me deeper into his body.

“Let’s go home,” he said softly.

I stil ed.

“We need to talk about ‘home’,” I said.

“No talk. Tex and I decided.”

I went rock solid and changed my mind again about moving in with Hank.

“You and Uncle Tex decided?” I asked.