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shamelessly. With Genie’s brother distracted, Shannon dug into his pocket, pulling out her Christmas present. “I know I’m a few days late, but I’ve been trying to come up with the best gift for you, because only the best would do.”
    “Really, you know you didn’t have to go through all that.”
    “Yes I did. Especially after all the thought you put into my badge, and then finding someone to actually make it for me. That made me feel special, and I want you to feel special as well, because you are. You know?”
    When she stayed quiet, he bumped her with his knee. “You’re special to me.”
    At his words her smile widened, letting Shannon breathe easier. “Okay. Hand it over.”
    Smiling, he did as she asked, handing over the small gift box. He held his breath as he watched her opening it. The moment she lifted up the top and stared down into its contents, a small frown of confusion formed between her brows. “A key?”
    “Mm-hmm. It’s a key to my house. You know it’s the best friend’s key. That way, when you come to town you don’t have to stay in a hotel. You can come and go as you please at my place.”
    She clutched the gift to her heart. “This is the most thoughtful gift I’ve ever received. I’ve never owned a best friend’s key before.”
    “Would you like to go see the place when we leave here?”
    “I’d like that,” she smiled sweetly as she said the words, and he was forced to look away to hide his reaction.
    “Just let me hit the restroom and we’ll go.” He caught Jacob’s eye as he walked past. Jacob took his cue and separated himself from the two women before rejoining his sister.
    Jacob straddled the barstool next to Genie. “You should snatch this Shannon guy up. He seems the steady sort.”
    Genie felt a sharp pain slash across her chest at Jacobs’s words. Shannon was the steady sort. He’d never leave her in the middle of the night.
    “He reminds me a lot of dad,” Jacob added wonderingly. “The fabled nice guy.”
    Shannon returned claiming the barstool on Genie’s other side, and Jacob leaned across her, a teasing glint in his eyes making Genie nearly groan aloud. “So, Shannon, what are your intentions with my sister?”
    Genie felt an evil smile spread across her face as she finally spotted her opening to get a little payback. “Shannon is my very best friend in the whole wide world but I think it’s probably all just a ploy to get into my pants.”
    Shannon didn’t as much as flinch at her words. “Actually I’m staging a sneak attack,” he admitted. “One day she’s going to wake up married to me and have no idea how it happened.”
    Jacob never one to miss a beat said, “Well then, welcome to the family,” he raised his beer to his lips and, taking a quick swallow, added. “You’re in for one hell of a shock."
    Shannon was rather proud of his house. It belonged to his grandparents and he had lived here all of his life. Six years earlier, when his grandparents passed away they left their house to his father. Instead of selling the house, his father decided to go into a semi-retirement, and he and Shannon’s mother moved into the house and signed the deed to Shannon. It was too big for him alone, but it was beautiful and he loved it. This was his own private domain and he never allowed anyone a key to it before now, until Genie. He watched Genie as she trailed from room to room, pausing at each family picture as she came to it. “What a beautiful home you have. Is this your grandparents?” she asked, pointing to a framed picture on his mantel. He leaned over her shoulder for a better look, and the smell of her sweet perfume filled his senses. “Yep, that’s them; Cameron and Chantel Smith. You know, back in their day it was almost unheard of for a white man to marry a black woman, but they were happily married from the day she turned eighteen until the day they died.”
    “I think that’s awesome. Isn’t that what everyone dreams of,