If he is dating Piper, she hasn't called. Nor has he made any type of reference to her that makes her sound like a girlfriend.

Bo stands up when I get back to the table. "Let's finish our conversation after our run. I have to get back to the Windy City."

Is that a little hint of sadness in his voice? Maybe it's my imagination hoping he'll be sad when he leaves. Nevertheless, he does want to talk about last night, damn!

We jog back in silence.

"I'm going to get my things together." Bo walks up the stairs.

I take my beads outside and sit on the patio watching Henry smell every blade of grass in the yard and then pee on them. I finish six stretch bracelets by the time Bo comes out.

"Wow, Hallie. You surprise me every time I see you." He picks up a few of the bracelets and looks at them. "You've really embraced your life here. I was worried about you and I wanted to make sure you were going to be okay. That's why I wrote the note."

He sits the bracelets down on the bead board.

"You cried the night before you left. You were drunk, but you cried. You told me that you didn't want to leave your friends and me." He gently reminds me of my drunken state.

Oh no! I thought I passed out cold on him, and now I'm finding out that I confessed my love?

"When I asked you about me, you said something about running and how you started because of me. Then something about not seeing me on a daily basis." He laughs. "That's when you passed out cold."

He bends down and picks up Henry.

"I watched you sleep the entire night." He put Henry down and squats between my legs. He stares into my soul. "I want to keep in touch with you. I thought you were avoiding me and you didn't want anything to do with me. Burger Beer is an excuse to come to Cincinnati to see you. I could've made the deal over the phone, but it's you I wanted to see."

Stay calm. Don't screw this up.

Bo tells me how he wants to see where things will go with us. "Your lie about the note makes me wonder what else you'd lie about. The one thing I hate and especially in a relationship is a liar."

"I have an idea." I cradle his hands in mine. "Why don't we put the note incident behind us. I'm embarrassed about you bringing me home that night. I'd love to take it slow and see if our friendship can become more."

I take a deep breath, getting ready for my big-girl speech.

"Maybe a few calls here and there. When I visit in a few weeks, we can spend time together. In four weeks I'll be back in Chicago, and we can see each other on a regular basis."

Obviously there's nothing going on with Piper any more If there is he wouldn't be inviting me to still come to the bar.

This is a good relationship plan. While I'm here, I can focus on honing my beading craft, create a marketing plan, and look forward to starting a real relationship with Bo.

"Deal." Bo leans in and left me with a kiss to remember until our next encounter.

Week Six.

You can never have enough beads.

Author Unknown.

Chapter Thirty.

It's been less than twenty-four hours since Bo left, and I'm already obsessing over him. We have no commitment to each other, but I can't help but think about Piper and what they are, or aren't, to each other. I can't imagine he is if he's willing to be seen with me at the bar. Why can't I let this go?

"Earth to Hallie," Beatrice taps her pen on my office door. My hand flies up, knocking my coffee mug over. I grab one Kleenex after another to soak up the spill.

Beatrice grabs the trash can and slides the mess into it.

"Wow. You are out of it. I knocked four times." She curiously searches my face for the reason I'm in la-la land. "Sheila Gray from Channel 19 is on the phone for you."

Another interview? I jump across my desk reaching for my phone, and my black Gucci vest soaks up the remaining coffee. "Shit!"

"Excuse me?" The voice on the other end of the phone asks.

I didn't realize when I pick up the receiver, it picks up the call. Great!

"This is Hallie." I bury my head in my hands.

"Hi, Hallie, it's Sheila Gray from Fox 19."

Please don't tell me the bracelet broke. I rub my forehead in anticipation, She continues, "I get fan mail from all sorts of people. I've received nothing but compliments on my bracelet you gave me. Everyone wants to know where I got it."

"I don't know what to say. I'm glad, actually ecstatic, that everyone likes it." My day can't get any better than this.

"That's why I'm calling. I want to know, if I give you some colors, would you be interested in making me a few more?" She pauses. "At a cost, of course. I don't expect them for free."

I say nothing, taking in the glory.

"The quality is so strong. There isn't a flaw." She gushes, "Your work is so professional."

Okay, now my day can't get any better.

"So, will you?"

"Yes. Yes, I'd be glad to make them, but it will come at a cost." I take a deep breath. I'm feeling gutsy, "Can I get Beadnicks in the wardrobe credits?"

What do I have to lose? We can always compromise.

"Done," she says with no hesitation. "And I can one-up you. I want to interview you as the upcoming jewelry designer from Cincinnati."

My mouth falls open. There's no way this is happening to me. I've never had a life of luck. I think I'm going to cry.

"What do you say?"

"I say yes!" I can't contain my excitement. "Thank you, Sheila."

"My pleasure. Now Channel 19 doesn't have to spend so much money at Tiffany's." She laughs.

Me compared to Tiffany's? Since Saks is so close to Tiffany's it's hard for me not to look in the window when I walk by going to work every morning.

This is big. Bigger than I ever planned it to be.

Chapter Thirty-One.

My mind, heart and soul are ready to start working on new bracelets for Sheila, but with Aunt Grace weighing heavy on my heart, I decide to stop by and visit before I throw myself into beading new bracelets.

I don't know why I'm shocked, but there he is. Uncle Jimmy perched on the stoop. He must be back on the wagon.

"Your aunt is upstairs." He points up the steps without moving to let me through.

"Good seeing you again." I give him the old captain's salute.

"Gotta favor." He looks up. He actually gives me eye contact, which sort of creeps me out.

Great.

"Sure, what?" There it goes, flying out of my mouth before I can think about it. I should know better.

"Grace and I want to go bet on the ponies. We want you take us in that fancy car of yours." Was this a statement or favor? "We want to go this weekend."

Seriously, they want me to take them to the racetrack? I can't believe they want to spend their last dime on horses. I can't imagine taking them to Wal-mart, much less River Downs.

Just then, the phone rang. Saved by the bell!

"Hello?" I don't look to see who it is because I don't care. It's getting me out of this conversation and talking to my enemy is worth getting off the hook with Uncle Jimmy.

"I've been thinking about you all day." Bo's voice drips through the phone.

Well, well, don't hold back, baby.

"Hello." I plunge forward after once I realize I'm leaning up against the wall in the hallway. "I was just thinking about you too. I'm getting ready to visit with my aunt. Can I call you back?"

"Your crazy aunt?" His laugh sounds so sexy.

"Yes," I whisper.

I get a little tug in my heart. I feel a little bad that all my friends refer to poor Aunt Grace as crazy. Of course I don't make matters better because they're just repeating what I say.

"I won't hear from you in a week." He jokes because of the time she called and I missed going out with the running group.

Another missed opportunity with Bo. I have to stop missing those opportunities.

"Really I've had a nice time visiting with her while staying here. I try to see her once a week."

"That's sweet." He sounds sincere. "I've got to run, but I wanted to call and thank you again for such a great time."

"You're always welcome here." The warm fuzzy begin to creep back.

Before I let him hang up, I told him about my Beadnicks' job with Sheila Gray.

"Maybe when you come visit, you can talk to Monk about financing and taxes," he says.

Eww. . . good point. I haven't thought about all that. "He can sit down with you and make sure that Dee isn't screwing you out of money."

"I don't think Dee is that kind of person." I state.

I don't like the idea of him accusing my friend. "It's not all about money. It's about me having happiness and joy in what I'm doing."

I catch myself off-guard with such a grown up statement. Since when did I really believe that?

"It is all about business, Hallie." He's states a fact. "The reason I have Monk as a partner is because he's good with finances."

Aunt Grace opens her door and peeks her head. She opens the door wider. "Hallie, dear, I didn't know who was talking out here. Thought I lost my mind."

"Bo, Dee is not my partner."

I really never have considered this a joint venture, only a business arrangement. Not different than any other deal in the retail industry.

"You know the saying, if you have to have a partner, then you can't afford it, anyway." Aunt Grace blurts out.

But she's right. I smile at her, and put my forefinger to my mouth and give her the old shh sign.

"She sees potential in my designs. I'm going to do the same thing with all the little boutiques. Besides, I'm excited that Sheila Gray wants my designs." I follow Aunt Grace into her family room. She turns off the television and politely waits as I finish my conversation. "I'll call you when I leave Aunt Grace's and after I pick up my bead order from Dee."

"Wait," Bo says. "Why not send the beads to your house? You have an established business name, use your social for the tax ID and you can make it all your own. Just promise me you'll think about it."

"I promise." I smile holding the phone close to my heart. This is the first time he's called me and we talk about more than running. I jump at the cockroach running across my Manolos and throw my leg in the air, launching the roach in mid flight across the room.

"Aunt Grace, seriously? Pest control? I'll pay for it."

"It wouldn't be the same without them critters." She put her glasses on. "Did you see Jimmy outside?"

"Yes."

"Did he ask about the races?"

"Yes." I'm trying to leave it to one-word answers because I don't want to take them and she'll talk me into it.