It had been a bitterly cold winter and, as usual, February was proving to be the coldest of them all. Lizzy followed Janie and her newest employee, Zoë, into the bar, thankful for the heat. Zoë had been a real asset to Lizzy.  She had looked for a designer who had her same style. She had wanted their ideas to be seamless.

The house design that she had done for Helen had won her an award which had made business even better than it had been after Trisha's home. Heather had won an award for the Helen's home as well, and the two of them had even gone on to work on a few other projects.  They actually worked very well together when there was no conflict over Brian. She had met with Heather last week, and she had invited Lizzy to her wedding in March, so she had moved on too.

No one had mentioned Brian to her since her parent's party, and she was thankful for that.  They had respected her wish and stayed out of it, Bryce most of all because she knew he and Brian had dinner regularly.

Rainer had gotten his interview and had done a four page article, with pictures, on Brian's success. Lizzy kept the issue next to her bed and would look at the pictures every night before she closed her eyes.  Davis had taken the photos and they were wonderful. They had been candid catching him during the interview, Brian laughing, leaning forward to make a point, and even lounging in a chair with a drink in his hand.

He had worn his grey suit in the beginning of the interview but by the end he had lost the jacket and tie, his shirt collar undone.  His silver hair and blue eyes had made Lizzy sigh like a school girl the first time she had seen the article.  Who was she kidding, she sighed every time she saw it.  She was like a mooning teenager, if there had been a poster she would have tacked it to her wall.  Every time she looked at the pictures a thrill went through her, and she always had the same thought, he's mine.

Zoë saw a table near the bar and zeroed in on it.  She had proven to be a spunky, anything goes, type of woman.  She said what was on her mind, and she was not afraid to ask for anything. She was a redhead who had elfin features and sexy green eyes that screamed sass.

Janie and Lizzy had an ongoing game whenever they went for a drink after work. They would watch Zoë scan the room and decide which man she was going for then give each other covert looks for the choice and wait to see which one got it right. They also had a standing bet as to whether she would get lucky or not.  Lizzy envied her. She had the ability to let rejection wash right over her.

When the three of them were settled and had ordered their drinks the game began. 

It seemed none of them were in the mood to hurry home that night because an hour had passed without a choice being made.

They were ordering their third round when Lizzy saw him.

"Really," Zoë was saying. "Why don't you try this evening Lizzy. You could have any guy in this place, or any place for that matter, and you never try. I have even gotten Janie, who is the shiest person I know, to try."

Lizzy shook her head and laughed at the thought of her trying to pick-up a guy. She knew who she wanted, and he was right in front of her.

Brian was standing at the bar and hadn't noticed her, probably because she was sitting in a room full of standing people, but for her he was like a beacon as he towered over most of the people in the room.

She knew the moment Zoë noticed him. He was standing with Bryce and the two were deep in discussion. They had to keep leaning into each other to hear what the other one was saying.

Zoë sat up straighter and smacked her lips.

"She's found her mark," Janie said scanning the crowd to see who she had zeroed in on.

"Now, I will take either one of them, but I am leaning towards the silver fox."

"Silver fox?" Janie asked confused then she saw Brian. "But that's-"Lizzy shook her head at Janie who quickly shut her mouth.

Lizzy had to admit she was more than curious to see what Brian's reaction would be.

"Oh my... that's Brian Alexander, the man himself," Zoë said. "I read an article about him a few months back he's single you know." She checked her pixie cut to make sure it was still spiky enough and then grinned at Janie and Lizzy.  "Here it goes."

They watched, amazed at how Zoë sashayed up to the two men with a sexy smile on her lips as if she owned the room.

Lizzy had to bite her lip to keep form laughing at the look on Brian and Bryce's faces.  They both looked a little shell shocked at whatever line she was giving them.

"What's going on here?" Mason asked sitting in Zoë's vacated chair.

Lizzy and Janie both jumped. But Lizzy's eyes never left Zoë and Brian.

"I should have known where there was one of you there would be two of you," Lizzy said under her breath.

Mason followed her gaze to Brian and Bryce.

Janie was always amazed at how they both seemed to be oblivious to the people staring at Mason. Lizzy had redesigned a few rooms for Cassie, so Janie knew them both fairly well by that point, but he was still Mason Stevens.

"Zoë, our newest employee, is trying to pick-up either Brian or Bryce. I don't think she cares which one she gets, but she stated a preference for Brian." Janie caught Mason up.

Mason had whipped out his phone and was texting as fast as he could.  "Who wouldn't prefer Brian to Bryce? Bryce is way too stuffy," Mason said completely serious.

"Who are you texting?" Lizzy asked.

"Cassie, she and Grace are on their way to meet us for dinner, but I must say it's a surprise to see you here." He looked up at her.

She turned back to see Zoë turn to Bryce.  She had struck out with Brian and Lizzy's heart soared.

"It's just coincidence," Lizzy assured him, watching as Bryce raised his drink with his hand that had his wedding ring on it, leaving Zoë with no doubt that he wasn't interested.

"Well, at least big brother is behaving. Grace will be pleased to know," Mason said firing off another text. Lizzy just rolled her eyes as both Brian and Bryce turned back towards the bar. Zoë shrugged and walked back to their table. She stopped dead when she saw Mason.

He looked up at her and gave her a cheeky grin. "Better luck next time."

"Zoë this is my brother Mason. Mason this is Zoë."

Mason looked down and read the text that had been sent to him and laughed out loud.

Zoë was still staring when Janie pulled on her arm causing her to fall into the extra chair at the table.

"Mason you're being rude," Lizzy said absently, watching Brian as if her life depended on it.

"Sorry, but Cassie says she thinks that you should try to go pick-up Brian Alexander. I thought it was funny."

"That would be Cassandra Stevens?" Zoë asked, still staring at Mason.

"I know how you feel Zoë, I felt the same way about a year ago.  It will get worse before it gets better, but you'll eventually get used to it."

Both Lizzy and Mason turned to stare at Janie as if she had grown a seconded head.

"I recommend Googling Lizzy's family." Janie patted Zoë's hand.

Zoë just shook her head as if to clear it then looked back at the two men at the bar.

"I agree with Cassandra Stevens," Zoë said." You should try, you never try." She was recovering from the shock of meeting Mason rather quickly.

Cassandra and Grace came up behind them.  Cassie sat in Mason's lap and Grace pushed Lizzy over so that they could both perch uncomfortably on the one chair, but Lizzy barely noticed. She was staring at Brian again, the others forgotten. He looked good, he was wearing a jacket and tie as if he had just come from the office.

Cassie started to hum "All of Me" in Lizzy's ear, her husky voice even singing a few bars.

Zoë just stared at Cassie unbelievably.

"Oh, all right. I'll try," Lizzy said, standing up.

Lizzy's hands and legs were trembling as she approached.  She didn't know why, she had been as intimate with Brian as any man and woman could be but she was still nervous.

Lizzy leaned on the bar next to Brian and ordered a beer.

It took him a moment to notice her. When Bryce saw her his beer stopped halfway to his lips.

Brian stared at her while Bryce's eyes scanned the room, shaking his head when he saw Mason, Cassie, Grace, Janie, and the red head that had tried to pick him up earlier all watching the scene as if it was a reality T.V. show and there was about to be chair throwing.

"My friend over there struck out, so the table bet I couldn't do any better," Lizzy said picking up her beer.

Brian's face was blank. He turned to look at the table where everyone was sitting, and Lizzy's eyes followed his.  They were all whispering and she swore she saw money exchanging hands.

When Brian's eyes met hers again there was a gleam of laughter in them.

"They like to keep it real." Lizzy smiled.

"Real you say.  Now what makes you think you're going to do any better than your redheaded friend?" Brian asked.

Bryce had backed off a little but he was still listening.  He would have to report back later, so he wasn't about to go anywhere. Lizzy watched as he looked at his phone and smiled, then started texting.

Lizzy licked her lips, turning to Brian.

"I don't know, maybe you prefer blonds to young redheads?"

Brian took a sip of his beer considering this. "Well, you see, I've got a girl, and she's waiting for me."

"What if she is tired of waiting?" Lizzy moved in closer.

"I don't think so, she said she would wait forever if she had to, you see she loves me." Brian moved a little closer to her, looking at her lips.

Lizzy's gaze moved to his lips.

"But do you love her? I mean really love her?  Surely if you loved her she would be with you now?" Lizzy looked back into his eyes. Her breath caught as she saw the hungry look there.

"But she is with me now, and from now on she always will be," He said burying his free hand in her hair and pulling her in roughly for a kiss.

She threw her arms around his neck and kissed him back as if her life depended on it.

She didn't hear the cheer that went up from the middle of the bar or Bryce's soft, "it's about damn time."

All they knew was that they were each where they were meant to be.

After a moment Bryce tapped Brian on his shoulder. "I hate to break this up, but you two are really getting a little indecent, and that is my little sister you are kissing."

"Get used to it," Brian said as he pulled Lizzy in for another kiss.