Freedom! That's what Jet and Justin finally felt over the last few weeks. They were able to truly love their women without the cloud of the past over their lives. Dillon was being the perfect gentleman. It was as if he'd had a soul conversion. Nora and Elise had taken the girls under their wings and were planning the wedding and the baby shower at the same time. What those two mothers were putting together was something grand. Renatta and Sloan couldn't get enough of the attention. They willingly allowed themselves to be dragged from store to store, from one planner to the other and the constant sampling of everything from cakes to candies. The Jensens and the Trents were about to become one big, happy family. Who would have ever thought it?

Everything had gotten so furiously busy that Jet and Sloan had to take time to sneak away. Tonight it was a simple dinner under the stars on the lawn at Sloan's home. They waited until Dillon and Elise left the back porch to settle down for the night so that they'd have the whole space to themselves. Sloan had spread the blanket out and watched as Jet came from the back gate with bags from his favorite Chinese restaurant.

"Six more weeks until the happiest day of my life." Jet placed the bags on the blanket and began pulling their entrées out. Then he leaned over and kissed Sloan soundly on the mouth. "I'm so happy."

"Not happier than me. I can't get enough of thinking how wonderful it's going to be, now that we're finally getting married. It's just that ... " A tear drifted down her cheek.

"Hey, now, this is a happy time for us. No crying. We've had enough of that." He smiled, wiping it away.

"It's just that I realized that we could have missed this, had I not come home. I was trying hard not to come. Sometimes the hardest things to do bring the greatest blessing, if we can endure."

"I never thought I'd be saying this, but I am so glad that my parents were on the verge of divorce. God only knows how badly I wanted you in my life."

Sloan kissed him. Softly at first, and then things suddenly got deeper. It was the perfect place to make out. A canopy of trees surrounding them, starry skies above them and grass so soft that it welcomed lovers. For music, they had their crickets.

"We're not going to get around to dinner, are we?" Jet chuckled, twirling a tendril of her a hair as she lay on top of him.

"No."

They went as far as they could go without breaking that vow. As the wedding day was approaching, that cord of resistance was getting thinner and thinner. She became his sole focus. Sloan could barely keep herself from screaming from the pleasure he was inflicting upon her body. Her mind was swept away until Jet's cell phone rang. He slid it from his pocket and tossed it across the grass. But unfortunately the annoying ring continued. He knew the ring tone very well. What in the hell was Alana calling for now?

"I think you'd better get that. It must be important."

"It's not."

"They've called too many times. I think you should answer it."

"Shit," Jet mumbled. He walked to where the light was beaming and picked up the phone. "What is it?" he said gruffly and walked away to a private place.

"That's pretty rude."

"What do you expect, Alana? Why can't you get it through your head that what we had is over?"

"Is it so totally inconceivable for you to believe that I could win your heart? I love you, Jet. It hurts me that you've been gone this long. I was stupid for not recognizing it sooner. Don't pull away from me before giving us a chance. You owe me that after three years of my life, damn it."

Jet sank down in a heap upon the grass. "Frustration" was not a word that could describe how he was feeling. He had never taken Alana seriously about her confessions of love. He thought she was reacting as a jilted lover. But tonight there was a tone of sincerity in her voice that he just couldn't overlook. In his case, his absence truly did make her heart grow fonder. His mind swirled, trying to think of the gentlest way possible to break through to her.

"Alana, I think that you're the type of woman who is going to make some man very happy. It just can't be me. I don't share your feelings."

"I realize that you don't have the feelings that I have now, but when you come back to California and we spend some time together ... "

"That won't be happening."

"Who is my competition, Jet? You've always come back to me. Someone is standing in the way."

"Alana, I've got to go. I won't be accepting any more of your calls. I'm sorry that I have hurt you."

"Don't you hang up on me, Jet Trent. I can love you as much as she can."

"Alana, I'm getting married," he said gently. "I didn't want to break that news to you. But you must realize there can never be—us."

Silence stretched long and uncomfortable. The heaviness of it sat on him like the force of gravity. He sat there, waiting for her to say something, anything, to let him know that she was at least still breathing. It pained his heart to know how much she was hurting. He was even more grieved when he saw Sloan heading toward him.

"Is everything okay?" she whispered.

"Just give me a moment. Everything is okay." He motioned for her to go back to where they'd been sitting.

"And you're with her now." Alana's voice was like acid. "All this time you've been away, you've been with her. I thought for sure when you came back, I'd have a chance. So you went wherever the hell you are for her."

"No. I came because my family was in a crisis. You are bringing this on yourself for not accepting that our relationship ended months ago."

"Then why were you sleeping with me a few months before you left?"

"I slept with you one time out of weakness, and you know it, Alana."

"But can you see how that gave me hope?"

Those words cut him into shreds. The last thing he ever intended to do was to give her hope. That night he'd simply acted as a man with needs. He hated the memories that would be forever embedded in his mind over that one time of weakness. A pain went through him that he wished he'd never had to experience. Good Lord, he was never expecting this. He was trembling. "I didn't seduce you, Alana."

"I know, I did, but it was only because I was beginning to feel for you."

"I've got to go, okay. I hope that you will find it in your heart to get over me. I'm sorry for hurting you." Jet hung up the phone. It took a few minutes for him to compose himself. He walked back out to Sloan. "Baby, I'm sorry, but I'm going to need to get some rest."

"What happened, Jet?"

"I wish we'd never been apart for those seven years, Sloan."

"What is it, baby? Tell me."

"It's something that I just can't talk about. Is it okay if we get together tomorrow?"

She walked over and hugged him. "You're so tense."

"I'll be okay. I love you."

"I'll call you in the morning," she said as he walked away. Her body could feel hurt radiating from him. A part of her wanted to press him to find out what had happened. But she decided it was best to respect his feelings.

***

Robert and Justin were in the office working diligently. They'd expected Jet to come in, but it was nearly noon and he hadn't come to the store. It surprised them when Nora came in, bringing them lunch from the diner. Nora Trent had not been in the offices of The Trent Store since she'd put Robert out of the house. She was dressed in a black business suit.

"Mom, what are you doing here?"

"You look like a million bucks," said Robert, winking at her. Nora blushed. The two of them had been having an absolutely marvelous time together. Date night was nearly every night. She'd gotten back the man who had swept her away when she was a young woman. Robert left the office by 5:00 every day now, leaving the rest of the work to Justin and Jet. Every good thing from their past had been resurrected—quiet dinners at secluded restaurants, trips to the museum, rides on Nora's Harley during the weekend, and she was even teaching him to drive the motorcycle. He serenaded her with his poetry and awful singing. Not only was Nora Trent finally being noticed by her husband, she was being worshipped as a sun goddess. Life was good.

"I'm coming back to work."

Robert's eyes grew wide. He was literally stunned. The day Nora stormed out of the office, she vowed that she'd rather be hogtied and cast into hell than to see The Trent Store have a higher priority in Robert's life than she did. It had been a horrible fight between them. The thought of it made him shudder. She can't possibly be serious. "Sweetheart, that's not necessary. We're doing well. Just enjoy your life. I meant, you seem to be very content. Why bring back something that is bound to cause you stress again?"

"I really don't believe that you've thought this through, Mom. You wouldn't realize how independent Dad has become, since you've been gone. I think this has been really good for him."

"I agree, Justin."

Nora placed her hands on her hips and looked sternly at her two men. She'd made her decision, and they were not going to change her mind. Being separated from the store really helped her to realize how much she loved it. The break she had taken was exactly what she'd needed, but now she was ready to steer the ship again. "Listen, you two, I'm coming back. I miss this place. It is as much a part of me as air to my lungs. I have to be here, but it will only be part time, and I will only come when I think it is necessary. Your dad can't do this alone, and I know you and Jet won't be here forever."

Robert looked over at the determined look on Nora's face and knew there was no point in stating opposition. He stood up and gave her a mock bow and then pointed her to her desk. "It's going to be nice to look at your face during my working hours, darling. An opportunity to have more of you is something that I will cherish."

Justin glanced over at his mom and dad. He shook his head and grinned. "This is far too syrupy for me. Since you're here, I'm going to go over to Marcella's."

"No, stop and check in on your brother. He's been in a funky mood since last night."

"I was wondering why he didn't come in to the office today," said Robert.

"Please tell me that nothing is going wrong between him and Sloan," Justin said, running his hands through his hair. "We cannot possibly have another incident. I want to see my brother very happily married."

"I don't think so. If you think your father and I are syrupy, you need to observe them. Cupid must have gone into overdrive. No, no, they are just fine. But something is afoot."

***

Alana was emotionally wiped out after her conversation with Jet the night before. She hadn't gotten any sleep and looked haggard. The law firm was surprised when she took a sick day. Alana was a warrior in her company and ate, slept and breathed the firm. Nothing had ever gotten to her this way. She kept hearing his words in her head over and over—I don't share your feelings. It left her feeling as if she was being stretched in a gothic torture chamber.

As she sat in her bed, listening to Sloan's show, she could hear Misty telling her that she needed to call in. She reached over to her nightstand and took a sip from a cup of hot coffee. Every now and then she'd glance at the cell phone, wondering if she should call. Has it come to this? Do I really need help from a shrink? "No, no, she's not a shrink, according to Misty. No, Sloan Jensen is a relationship coach. Damn that Jet Trent for leaving me struggling with this." She was streaming the show on her iPad and had it connected with her home's surround-sound system.

"Don't get angry with me, caller number 57 from Seattle. Why did you call in if you didn't want to hear the truth? It is not okay to fall in love with your best friend's husband. I don't care if they are currently separated."

"She doesn't want him anymore. Why should he have to suffer? I couldn't help it that I was the shoulder that he cried on when this went down. I can't deny my feelings for him."

"Listen, I understand that in times like this emotions can become blurred, but if you ever loved your friend, you can't do this. Think of the long-term consequences. You're going to destroy everything that you spent a lifetime developing with her."

The line went silent for a long time. Caller number 57 was in deep thought. Sloan was pounding her hand across the desk, and it could be heard on the air. It was as if she was really feeling this woman's struggle. "Seattle, how much do you love your friend?"

"I love her. We've known each other since I was thirteen."

"If you give in to this man, you will have a life of regret. At some point he will resent you for hurting a woman whom he had loved. You need to let go and find an unattached man."

"I can't. I love him."

"Then God help you, because you will have to bear the consequences." Sloan heard the line click off. "I wish she would have stayed on the line, ladies. Seattle, if you are still there, let go."

Alana was sitting on the bed, tears streaming down her face. Even though the woman's situation was different from hers, she had connected with the woman not being able to let go. She was in misery. She picked up the phone and started to dial but put it down, her mind zoned into Sloan like a laser.

"You ladies are killing me today. What's going on, caller 58 from Modesto?"

"I cheated on my husband."

"Why did you cheat?"

"I'm married to a great guy. He's my best friend, but the spark is gone. I'm starved for affection and lonely."

"How long has this been going on?"

"Three months. The guilt is killing me. Yet when I'm with my lover, I fell alive again."

Sloan took a deep breath and released it slowly. All she could see was Nora and Robert and was so grateful that their relationship hadn't gone into affairs mode. If she had a tonic for the way men make their wives feel invisible, she'd be rich a million lifetimes.

"What should I do, Sloan?"

"I can't tell you what to do now. I could have told you what to do, if you had called in three months ago. Now you have to decide if you will tell him or not. Then you will have to be ready to pay the consequences, whether he forgives you or not. Did you tell him that the spark was gone?"

"Yes. He got better for a while and then fell back into the same dull routine. Having sex with him was a chore. I needed to be looked in the eyes and told how much I was loved. That's all I wanted. I have it now, but with the wrong guy. God, I wish it were my husband."

Alana was sitting on the edge of her bed. She couldn't believe how open these women had been over the time she'd listened to the show. Sloan was the straightest-shooting and compassionate woman she'd ever encountered. If this woman could get on the air and talk this openly about her sex life, surely she could call in. She finally picked up the phone, dialed in and was placed in the queue. I'm doing the right thing. I'm doing the right thing.

"Are you saying that you'd give the guy up, if your husband did what your lover does to you?"

"Yes. I don't want to lose my husband. I didn't want to cheat. I wanted to be noticed and feel alive. I'm only 42, and he makes me feel like an old grandma. I want him to think of me as sexy and ravish me. Not kiss me on the forehead and our sex is over in ten minutes."

Sloan chuckled. "Then perhaps if you ever decide to tell him about the affair, you could start right there. Tell him how you want him to make you feel in life and in bed. Maybe that is all it will take to restore your relationship. Good luck, Modesto."

"Thank you, Sloan."

She clicked over into a station break. Some shows were more taxing than others. Today had been a lulu. But days like this made her so grateful for the breakup that she and Jet had had. Her life's calling would not have been defined if they'd married years ago. She was fulfilled in her life and loved being in a position to help so many people. When she clicked back on, Alana was on the line.

"This must be a California day, number 59 from Silicon Valley. Welcome to You've Got to be Kidding Me. What has some insensitive, non-committing, crazy man done this time?"

Alana was so nervous, she couldn't speak. In all her years of being an outspoken attorney she was stumped at this moment. "Are you there, Silicon Valley?"

"Uh, uh, yes. I'm here."

Sloan could hear Alana breathing heavily into the phone. "Calm down. Don't be nervous; you're among friends. We've all been through something."

"Okay, just give me a moment. Whew. All right, I thought that I was impervious to love. I'm a very successful woman, and I never thought I needed a man for any purposes other than a companion and a lover."

"So you were emotionally detached from the men in your relationships. Obviously the current man was detached too. Would I be right to say this was the classic friends with benefits?"

"Yes."

"And now you've fallen in love with him and don't know how to tell him."

"I wish. He ended the relationship. I was fine at first. Then I began to miss him and realized that I was in love. You see, we'd had an on-and-off relationship. He'd always come back to me, but this time he didn't."

Sloan was moved by what this woman was saying. In her time of helping women she knew that for a woman who felt she didn't need a man, realizing that she really did was probably the most gut-wrenching of all; because for a woman to admit that, she'd have to be totally abased. Pride does not like being humbled. "My, my," Sloan said, shaking her head. "Have you tried to get him back?"

"Yes."

"What happened?"

"He's with someone else."

"I hate to tell you this, but the saddest thing in life is to love someone who doesn't love you. Silicon Valley, you need to let him go."

"But I can't. I can't. I want him to see that I can love him better. What we had was good. We were friends and great, great lovers. He's everything to me. I just need a chance."

"Then you might have hell to pay."

***

Justin arrived at Nora's and was surprised to see Jet walking around the house in his shorts. His hair was disheveled, and he looked like he hadn't slept for weeks. "Man, what happened to you? I just saw you yesterday, and you looked fine. Are you and Sloan okay?"

"We're good. We're very good."

"You look like you've been run over. What's up?"

Jet sat down on the Moroccan pillows and Justin sat across from him. He was really concerned for his brother. Nothing should have had him looking that way in just 24 hours.

"It's Alana. She called last night."

"Have you told Sloan about her yet?"

"I'm not going to do it. I don't want her dragged into any more of the past. We have a future, and that is all I want."

"You're making a mistake."

"I blocked Alana's calls, so I shouldn't be hearing from her anymore. I don't know why I didn't do that a long time ago. I called the law firm and told them if they didn't immediately remove me from her caseload, I would find another firm. They are not going to want to lose my money."

"What did she say?"

Jet sighed, lying back on the pillow. He'd rather gaze at the ceiling than Justin's grave face. He knew that if he kept seeing the seriousness of his look, he'd cave in and talk to Sloan. He couldn't bear to bring another woman to Sloan's attention. It was important to him for Sloan to feel secure. Mentioning Alana would make her feel insecure. "The same thing, she loves me and wants me back."

"Well, you already knew that. So that can't be all."

"It's not. She told me that the one time I slipped up and slept with her made her feel encouraged that we could be together again. I'm having a hard time dealing with that. I feel guilty because that's the way it's always been—we'd break up and make up."

"So is she one of these psycho women who will take an Alamo stand?"

"Yeah. She's an attorney. She doesn't like to lose anything."

Justin got up and began pacing the floor. He was hurting for his brother. "I wish I knew how to help you, but I don't. I'll be there for you any way that I can, but this doesn't sound good. If you're not going to tell Sloan, you should marry her tomorrow. You know Georgia law: You can get married the same day you get your license."

"You're kidding, right. Nora and Elise will kill me. Then Dillon will throw me under the bus again. They've invited 500 people to the wedding and have everything arranged beautifully. I can't do that."

"You've always been more stubborn than I've been, Jet. Then move ahead at your own risk. I'll be there for you."

***

"Did you just see that?" said Renatta. She and Sloan were sitting at the kitchen table playing Monopoly. She'd glanced out of the window and seen Dillon and Elise sitting on the love seat together. That in itself was a miracle. In the normal way of doing things Elise would always sit on the loveseat either talking to the girls or doing needlepoint. Dillon would lie down in the hammock and watch TV. "He kissed Mom. I mean really kissed Mom."

"There are stranger things than that going on around here. No arguing for weeks."

"You can't be serious."

"Pinches her on her butt while she's in the kitchen cooking. Lord, I thought I'd die."

Renatta burst out laughing so hard, it came out in snorts. Her eyes sparkled at the thought of love in the air at the Jensen home. Justin had turned her into a hopeless romantic with all his love, attention and utter devotion. She wanted to see everyone in bliss. "Well, good for them. What brought this about?"

"It seems to have started after he had the last blowout with Jet. I just remember coming home the next day and Dad profusely apologizing. Ever since then I just started seeing little changes. He even took her out to dinner."

"They never go out." Renatta stood up and began mocking her father the last time that she had invited them to dinner. She puffed out her chest and said gruffly, "Every man needs only a home-cooked meal, which a good wife will provide. We have no need of a restaurant, thank you."

"You sound just like Dad," Sloan said laughing.

"I wonder if they still have sex?"

Sloan blushed. "Oh, Renatta, you need to stop. What has gotten into you?"

"Justin Trent, he just makes me think about love and sex all the time."

"Ummm. Well, I'll say. You're pregnant, missy; you need to settle down."

"Oh, no, it's just as fabulous."

Sloan slapped her hand on the table with a big grin. "Let's get back to the game."

Well, what do you think of this little development between Alana and Sloan?