Everything She Needs (The Everything Trilogy) by K.L. Shandwick

made, that he thought I had taken leave of my senses agreeing to meet Alfie.
    I gave him a wry smile. “I know, but this was my choice, Jack. He didn’t pressure me at all. I want to do this. I thought I owed it to myself to spend some time with him away from Miami. I want to see what happens when he isn’t distracted by life at home, gigging, working, partying or our friends.” Jack stuffed some lasagne in his mouth and took a swig of Merlot wine, swallowed, and licked his lips, before arguing back.
    “I’ll tell you what will happen, Lily.” He paused, waving some garlic bread at me before crunching loudly on it and continuing to mumble through it. “He’ll promise you the world, fuck you senseless , and leave you crying in your milk.”
    He picked up his large wine glass and saluted me, before taking another large gulp of the red wine. He placed it quietly back on the table, and his eyes made contact with mine again. His gaze was serious.  All the usual humor that I knew him for was gone.  I knew he was worried about me.
    Sighing, I reached over and touched Jack’s hand.  He was my friend and didn’t want to see me hurt.  Hell, I didn’t want to see me hurt. “Maybe…but at least I’ll know for sure that we’re not supposed to be together. Right now, Jack, I can’t help thinking he could have been the one.”
    I could see that Jack wanted to argue, but he knew when to keep his thoughts to himself.  He respected that I would do what I wanted anyway, and that he would be the perfect friend and come to my rescue when I needed it.
    The roles had been reversed with us so many times before, when Jack fell in love, or found someone better.  Mostly, when he felt too close and got cold feet and couldn’t stick it out.
    “You’ll call me?  Why don’t you meet with us later at the club tonight? David, Emma, Sam , and I are going. We’re meeting Elle there after work.  You would have safety in numbers.  It allows you to have some quiet time over dinner and the support of your friends later on.”
    It was a great suggestion.  I agreed it would be after dinner, I might have become unstuck with Alfie’s advances. “Okay, that’s an excellent plan, Jack, we’ll see you later. Give me a text when you get there, and leave our names at the door.  I’ll either come with him or come alone.  After all, the more time I have with you, the better.”
    Jack left after making a considerable dent in my parents’ perishable foods; the plastic, seal fresh box with the remaining lasagne in it was tucked under his arm.
    He kissed my cheek , and I suggested he might want to buy some mouthwash.  He smelled like an advert for French or Italian food with all the garlic he had consumed today.
    I went into the bathroom and slipped out of my dress, then indulged myself in a long soak using one of the wonderful bubble bath oils that Elle had bought me for Christmas.
    I lay there trying not to think about what the evening would bring, instead focusing on how I could head off any advances Alfie m ight make.  I needed boundaries, and I would make these clear before the evening started.
    I left home at 6pm, taking a cab over to Greenwich.  It was a white frosty evening, and I had borrowed a thick, black faux fur coat of my mother’s.  I was lucky my mother was only forty -three and still fashion conscious.
    It was dark when I arrived and walked gingerly down the pathway towards our meeting point.  My eyes scanned over the area , and my breath hitched when I saw him walking towards where I had said I would be.
    I sw ore, even though it was dark and everyone looked gray, he was definitely in technicolor.  His skin still glowed, and he looked incredible.  He was now wearing a red button-down shirt under a black jacket, and black skinny jeans with biker boots.
    I could see him turning head after head as he passed by the people around him.  Pretty girls noticed him, turning to look behind them after he’d passed them.