She squealed.  “Tell me it’s J!”

“Of course it’s J,” I chastised her.

“It’s about time you two did the dirty,” she teased, and I could hear the approval in her voice.  “So, how is the moody motherfucker?”

I groaned.  “I couldn’t tell you how he is today because the asshole left before I woke up and hasn’t returned any of my calls.”

“Oh...trouble in paradise so soon.  Doesn’t sound good,” she said.

“Well, I have some other news for you.  Nix is dead.  Don’t ask, it’s a long story.  But, his sister has made threats against us, so I think J is busy looking into that.  Still...he should call me back, so I am annoyed at him.”

“Perhaps you should withhold the love tonight, babe,” she joked.

I laughed, “You always know how to cheer me up, honey.  Thankyou.”

“Well, that’s what best friends are for.  I think I need to come for a visit.  How about this weekend?”

“Yes!  Do you think Gina would give you Friday or Monday off as well so you could stay for longer?” I asked, excited at the thought of seeing her.  It had only been a few days since I had left but I really missed her.

“I’ll ask, and will let you know,” she promised.

We chatted for a couple more minutes and then hung up.  I felt so much better after talking with her; I had known she would lift me out of the shitty mood I was in.  I sat quietly for a moment, thinking about our friendship and what it meant to me; how it had helped me through a really tough part of my life.  I wasn’t sure how I would have gotten through all of that without her, and I smiled thinking about it, and also about how far I had come on my journey to give up alcohol.  These days I didn’t even think about drinking.

“What’s got you smilin’ like a bitch who just had good cock?”  I was interrupted by a sexy drawl.

I looked up to see Nash leaning against the door frame, arms crossed in front of him, sexy smirk plastered on his face.  He was tall, all muscle and ink; he exuded a couldn’t-give-a-fuck attitude.  Nash was one of the cockiest men I had ever met and the women flocked to him.

I rolled my eyes.  “Can a woman not smile unless she’s had cock?” I asked.

He uncrossed his arms and pushed away from the door frame; coming towards me, “No, sweet thing, it all comes down to cock.”

“Well, I hate to tell you, Nash, but this woman hasn’t had any today, and yet I am still smiling.  I think your theory is a little off.” I loved bantering back and forth with him.

He raised his eyebrows.  “J’s fallin’ down on the job there sweetheart.  You sure you don’t want to jump ships?  I’ve got all you’ll ever need,” he grinned at me, opening his arms wide in an inviting gesture.

“You never give up do you?”

He shook his head.  “Not where you’re concerned.  Until J makes an old lady out of you, I figure I’ve still got a shot.”

“Sorry to burst your bubble but I really am taken, and as much as he pisses me off at times, I think it’s a forever thing.”

He cocked his head to the side and contemplated me for a moment.  “You’re serious there, aren’t you?”

“Yeah, Nash, I am,” I replied.

The flirty tone of the conversation had just been replaced, and Nash pulled up a stool.  “So, what’s givin’ you that smile today, if it’s not J?” he asked, genuine interest on his face.

I wasn’t one to share thoughts and feelings very often, and although we shared a flirty friendship, I had never really had a deep conversation with Nash.  But something compelled me to open up to him today.  “I was just thinking about my friendship with my best friend, and also about how I’ve given up drinking.  That was fucking hard to do, Nash, but I hardly think about having a drink these days.”

“That’s fuckin’ great, sweetheart.  And I should know because I have been where you are, and I know how hard it is to kick that addiction,” he surprised me because I did not know he was an alcoholic.

I leaned closer to him, almost like we were sharing secrets that no one else could know about.  “You’re an alcoholic?”

“It’s been just over five years since I’ve had a drink, but I still have my days where I want one.  I remember how you were before you left and you’ve come a long fuckin’ way.  Best thing you ever did, getting outta here then.  You reckon you can handle being back? Being with J?  Cause being an old lady isn’t a piece of fuckin’ cake, sweetheart,” he said.

“Honestly?  I’m going to give it a good go but I hear you.  I know being with J won’t be easy, but I’ve realised things about him and the club that make me think it will be different this time; I’ll be different in the way I react to stuff.”

He leaned even closer to me and grazed my cheek with his thumb, his minty breath in the air between us.  “You’re a strong woman, Madison, and J is a fuckin’ lucky man to have you.  If you ever need someone to talk to, someone who understands how fuckin’ hard it is to battle this shit, you just call me.  Okay?”

I nodded, overcome by emotion.  Having never seen this side of Nash, I was surprised into silence for a moment.  He pulled his hand away and leant back on his stool, serious for another few moments, and then he flashed me that sexy grin of his.  “Okay, sweetheart, I’ll leave you to it.  Gotta get back to work or your Daddy will have my balls,” he said.