“You’re enjoying yourself?”

“Of course I am, aren’t you?” I asked. It was the natural concern of the recently separated.

He sat down on the bed and patted the spread next to him.

I stepped back, then jumped high in the air to land next to him on the king-size bed.

“Let the people downstairs bitch about that,” I said as the bed made a tremendous thump on the hard wooden floor. We laughed in bed together until we started kissing again and I lost all track of time. I couldn’t remember the last time falling asleep had been so entertaining.

The next thing I remember was a bright light in my face. I was thinking, Who the hell is shining a light at this time of the night? When I opened my eyes and everything came into focus, I realized it was the next day and that the bright light was shining in everyone’s eyes.

Marty’s arms were wrapped around me, and he nuzzled my neck. I could tell by his scratchy voice he didn’t feel great when he said, “What time is it?”

I looked at the clock on my nightstand. “Jesus, it’s two in the afternoon.”

This wasn’t a game; I’d had one of the best nights of my life. And I was pretty sure Marty had too. It felt like the smile on my face wouldn’t come off all day.

Chapter 4

The next two weeks were a whirlwind, and I saw Marty Hawking all but two nights. We’d made the focus of our relationship amusing ourselves and keeping things exciting. I felt like a teenager with her first boyfriend. Life can be harsh and people can be rude, but when you’re in a fresh romance, everything is easier. That was what the last two weeks had been: fun, thrilling, and unexpected in every way. We went to the Palm Beach Improv in CityPlace and rode the Diva Duck through the streets of West Palm Beach right into the intracoastal. It may have been a touristy thing to do, but having Marty with me made it special.

I adored the way Marty was full of life, just like a big kid. He got so much joy from everything and loved to see me smile. Almost as if he lived for my approval. It was such a nice change from my life with Brennan. He was so reserved. Even though I had been swept off my feet the first time I saw him playing polo, I’d never felt this comfortable around him. It even made me wonder if his obvious wealth had played some role in my feelings toward him. Growing up the daughter of a schoolteacher and a UPS deliveryman had left me wondering what it was like to live without any concerns about money. One thing I’d learned was, even with money you have a lot to worry about.

I was discovering that Marty was an educated, funny guy. He seemed to have made enough money but wasn’t consumed by it. His parents lived in Delray Beach, or as he said it, Everyone’s parents live in Delray Beach. And it sounded like Marty regretted not having any kids. I could relate, but that was the last thing on my mind now. I was too enthralled with this carefree relationship that seemed to revolve around enjoying life.