Last time Simon saw her was when her family sold the lake house. She had strolled into his tavern, acting like she owned the place. Hot pink dress hugging every curve, making men stop and stare. The dress looked like it had been designed for her. Knowing Mary, it probably was. A trio of her girlfriends, each sporting their own skimpy summer dress trailed the queen bee like a proper entourage.

True to their usual routine, Mary practically ignored Simon for most of the night. It was the big tease. Ordering rounds of drinks, flirting with the waiter or waitress. Her voice cutting through the din of the bar as if it was targeting Simon.

Simon always played his part. Not approaching her, not interrupting her play-acting. But letting Mary know he was close. He made several trips to his office in the back. In previous iterations of this game, Mary would excuse herself from her protective layer of double X chromosomes, pretending to need to use the facilities. Then, bypassing the bathroom, Mary would slip into his office, throw herself at Simon and satisfy the itch they were both dying to scratch.

It was short, but it was always hot. On the couch, in his chair, on the desk. Passions erupting instantaneously. And then once satisfied, for Simon always satisfied Mary, she would push away from him, without a word, fix her dress, her hair, her makeup and then disappear as quickly as she had appeared.

The last time had been different. It was almost closing time and there had been no visit to his office. Simon was frustrated. The crowd in the bar was thinning out, last call was nigh.

Simon had tried not to gape as he watched the pack of women walk away from the table and saunter out of his place. Mary didn't so much as look at him as she walked by. Simon couldn't believe it. It couldn't end like this. When Mary left town tomorrow, she had no reason to ever come back to this small town. He may never see her again. The thought had eaten at Simon.

Closing down the place, he ejected the last few drunks out the door and into the waiting cab he ordered for them. He was in such a funk he demanded the leftover staff get out, telling them they would clean up before they opened the next day. He considered drowning his sorrows at his own bar but didn't want to sleep on the couch in his office. Better to drink at home and at least fall into his own bed.

Locking the back door behind him, Simon walked around the side of the building to his personal parking spot. He had dropped his keys when his car came into view. There, stretched out across the hood was Mary, a vision in pink, waiting for him.

He tried to act cool, attempted to amble over to her. But Simon knew he had failed miserably, jaunting more than walking and nothing could keep his lips from curving upwards. When he was within arm's length, Mary had slipped off the car, pulled him towards her and kissed him. Not a sweet kiss, not a tentative kiss. A kiss so hot Simon forgot how to breathe.

Moments later they were both crying out in euphoria in the backseat of his car. And then Mary shocked him even further. She whispered in his ear "Take me home."

Simon obliged happily, driving with only one hand. The other secured on her thigh. Part of him feared if he let go she would disappear like a dream.

They spent the night together in his bed, satisfying each other's desires until they collapsed from exhaustion. When Simon woke up the next morning she was gone.

Mary never returned to Bridgetown again. When his brother Finn had reconnected with Emily, Simon hoped to have a reason to bump into Mary again. He almost lost the chance and his brother in the process when Finn found out the part Simon had played in keeping him and Emily apart all those years ago.

It had been a hard road back into Finn's life and Simon knew it had more to do with Emily's influence than his heartfelt apologies. He would not lie, not being asked to be Finn's best man hurt. But Simon understood. He may be back in Finn's life, but he was not forgiven. Simon couldn't blame him.

At the time, Simon thought he was doing the right thing when he agreed to go along with Mary's plan. Sparing Finn from heartbreak when Emily would eventually dump the high school drop out summer fling for a more appropriate ivy league stud she was sure to meet in university. At least that was what he told himself. He pushed away the part of him acting out of jealousy. Envy over the actual relationship his brother had with the sister of the woman he wanted.

But he never should have underestimated Emily Montgomery. Besides having a heart of gold, she had always loved unconditionally. Simon had personally witnessed the look of devastation on her face when he told Emily Finn was gone. It was like the light left her eyes. And every time Simon saw Emily after, without the ivy league boyfriend because he never materialized, the light hadn't returned.

But she was glowing now. Watching Emily dust off a non-existent spec from Finn's morning suit jacket, Simon's heart swelled at the sight of the beautiful bride. She was so happy it almost hurt to look at her. They both were. Fate brought them back together.

Simon looked away from the newlyweds towards the grand house. Could fate be on his side as well?

Mary still wanted him. It was in her voice as she ordered under her breath so only he could hear, "Wait two minutes and then meet me in the library."

Simon was counting down the seconds. Two minutes felt like two months.