A month later, November had turned the skies gray and the weather colder than a witch’s tit . George used the phrase around his family whenever he could, making sure to include Shelby in his antics.

She rolled her eyes at him and met Shane’s pained expression , aware they looked goofy . They d ressed as matching ice cream cones at Vanzant Interior’s quarterly gala. Since Shelby had been depressed over Shane during her favorite holiday, Ron had suggested they make their party a costume bash, and not a week from Thanksgivin g. But Shelby didn’t mind.

Her Halloween had been spent lamenting the loss of a wonderful man. So tonight she planned to make up for her lost celebration. It was a perfect night for them t o giv e each other treats. Chocolate syrup they could lick off one another, and maybe some hot wax for fun. She’d never been so happy, and everyone she knew commented on it.

She had a feeling Shane was gearing up to ask her something special. Not an engagement, but they’d been talking a lot about moving in together. In her mind, a true step toward commitment. She still had instances of panic, waiting for the other shoe to drop on her relationship, but Shane talked her down off the ledge. And on those occasions when he started talking babies and 401Ks for their grandkids, she reined him in without breaking a sweat.

Shelby had no doubt Shane was it for her. They promised to keep each other honest, and to never lose that spark that had brought them together in the first place. Lots of bodywork in and out of the massage clinic, and plenty of non-vanilla dates.

“I can’t believe you came as ice cream cones. That is so revoltingly couple-like.” Maggie sneered at her costume.

“Please. I’m cute. You’re… what are you, exactly?”

Maggie opened her large beige overcoat. Instead of a sexy teddy or vampy vixen costume , Maggie wore a flowered frock that looked like something her Aunt May might have worn, loose knee-highs pooling around her ankles, and Mary Janes. She also had stuffed animals strapped to her arms and legs. “I’m now officially the cat lady.”

Shelby burst out laughing, and Shane ambled closer to her, Mac hard on his heels. Wherever Maggie went, Mac seemed to be near. Shelby had a feeling her friend was due to get run over by big bad Mac Jameson. And that pleased her, because she happened to like him. A gruff, teddy bear of a guy who looked like he ate small children for breakfast, Mac might be exactly what Maggie needed, someone who wouldn’t cater to her every whim. And he wasn’t a loser. From what Shane said, he wasn’t even playing around with random women anymore.

Shane attributed the loss of Mac’s harem to “one smart-mouthed blonde who look s like God’s personal hooker in pink aerobic tights.” That Mac. He really had a way with compliments. He’d come as a biker, and he wore his jeans and leather vest very well. Shelby had noticed Maggie keeping a wary eye on him throughout the night.

Interesting things were heating up in Seattle, that was for sure.

“What the hell is strapped to your thigh?” Mac asked Maggie, his eyes the size of quarters.

“One of my many cats. I’m the neighborhood cat lady.”

“You are not.” Shelby sighed. Maggie and her dire predictions about being an old maid.

Mac choked on laughter and whispered something to Shane, who broke down in tears.

“What’s so funny?” Shelby had to know.

Maggie planted her hands on her hips , clearly annoyed . “Yeah . What are you idiots laughing at? ” Shelby liked that her best friend and boyfriend got along so well. Maggie treated him like her brother, and he teased her the way he did George.

Mac wiped his eyes and had a hard time explaining through more laughter, “You have a pussy right near your, um, your , ah …”

“For God’s sake.” Maggie yanked the velcroed cat nestled almost between her thighs and threw it at Mac’s head. Then she stalked off to join Shelby’s mother, Ron, and Ron’s new man, Justin Harmon. Shane’s boss.

“You have to admit that’s funny as hell.” Shane chuckled and watched Mac trying to placate the temperamental blonde by giving her back the stuffed cat.

Shelby bit back a grin, but Shane saw it. “Okay, it’s funny. You know what’s also funny?”

“What?” He pulled her as close as their puffy cone costumes would allow.

“You realize Mac now has his hand on Maggie’s pussy.”

Shane died laughing again, and Shelby joined him. They had so much fun together, and their sense of humor meshed. Hell, everything about them meshed. She spent so much time at his place and he at hers that they were all but living together. She tolerated his neat tendencies, and he allowed her to stack piles of crap everywhere, so long as it remained organized.

As Shelby glanced around at her friends and family, s he couldn’t wait for the holidays . This year was special. She longed to share festivities with Shane, to see what he thought of the Christmas present she’d already bought for them.

Matching wedding bands and a save-the-date invitation for August 2^nd, the anniversary of the day Shane had run into her and turned her world, and her coffee, upside-down.