The bar is packed when I get there. My heart skips when I see Bo behind the bar, doing what he does best. His hazel eyes gleam from the bar lights. I make my way across the room, keeping my eye on him as he works his magic.

There's something very seductive how he handles a bottle of Jack and the way his fingers twists and manipulate the lime. My mouth waters with the thought of his hands on my body.

"Excuse me?" I yell over the noise, trying to get his attention. "Excuse me?"

"One sec, honey, lots of others in front of you." Bo swings around when he registers my voice. "Hallie!" He drops the bar towel on the bar and turns to an employee. "Hey, take over. I'm leaving."

Bo picks me up and kisses me harder than he ever has. "What are you doing here?"

"I wanted to come home," I say after I come up for air. "Here to surprise you."

"Let me take you home." He leads me out of the bar into the alley. He pins me up against the wall. His kisses are soft and gentle. My legs fill with goose bumps as he kisses my neck.

"I haven't stopped thinking about you." Our mouths deepen longing for more of each other. I don't care that my Lela Rose dress is probably getting ruined. All I can think about is Bo and getting him back to my place.

"Let's go," I whisper.

Holding his hand, I drag him out of the alley and hail a cab. I can't stop touching him. He's like a fine piece of rare Italian leather.

Bo and I can't keep our hands off each other-all night long.

Chapter Thirty-Seven.

"Meet me for a run." Bo brings me a cup of coffee, shielding the morning sun piping through the window.

I roll over, remembering the night before. My heart soars at the fact he's here.

"I'm going home to get some running clothes on. Meet me." He kisses the tip of my nose. "Lincoln Park Zoo. One hour."

His smells lingers even after he leaves the room. I hug his pillow and smile. It's everything I dream of and more. He's gentle and sweet. He works his way around my body better than I can.

I put on some shorts and a tee, take a few minutes to walk a happy Henry, and I'm off.

We run, then return to my place. Henry enjoys the balcony. Bo and I enjoy each other.

The few hours we spend together are better than my dreams. He wants to know more about my plans for Beadnicks and my future with Gucci. It's electric when you share your dreams with someone you love.

"I think it's great you've found something you really enjoy." He rubs my back as we lounge on the chaise with Henry at our feet.

"It's amazing," I gush. "I've never felt so passionate about something in my life. It makes all the bad things in my life melt away."

"I know." He agrees. "That's how I felt when I opened the bar. It's my baby and I'll do anything to nurture it."

He's right. Beadnicks is my baby and I'll do anything in my power to keep it alive and well.

After Bo left, I take Henry on another walk and visit a couple of my favorite boutiques that happen to be dog-friendly.

I take my samples, and copies of the photos from the Fit Pregnancy shot. The photos have a great view of my designs paired with Gucci. I even added my Beadnicks logo. This is a great brochure to hand out to perspective boutiques.

I might try to hit up a couple of the local dog boutiques if I have time.

"Hallie, your back." Kiki, the owner of the first boutique we stop in, is happy to see us."Are you here to stock up or are you back for good?"

Before I left for Cincinnati, I complained to anyone and everyone that would listen about the transfer and purchased all my favorite products to take with me. Including my moisturizer I get from Kiki's.

"Actually, I'm good. But I'm only back for a weekend visit." I smile as Kiki pets Henry. "I want to know if I can pick your brain."

Kiki looks curious. "Sure." She motions for me to follow her to the back room in the store. "Sit down."

Henry jumps in my lap, and I put my bag of goodies on the floor.

"I discovered a new talent since I've been gone. One that's become a lucrative part of my life." I pull out the brochures, some sample bracelets, and hand them to her.

"Where did you get these pieces?" Kiki takes her glasses out of the case and puts them on. She looks a little closer. "Quality work."

It doesn't hurt that the bracelets are paired with one of the most expensive designer labels in the world. Gucci makes a monkey's butt look gorgeous.

Okay, here goes nothing "I design and make them myself." I pull out my marketing-plan notebook with pride. "I've sold this many in the bead store. Here you'll see my profit and loss. Fit Pregnancy used Beadnicks in a photo shoot that will be out in two months."

"How will the readers know where to purchase the jewelry?" She cuts to the chase, trying to figure out how much business Beadnicks could bring to her store.

"On each page of the photo layout there is a caption of the clothing, plus accessories." I take out a Fit Pregnancy magazine to show her what I mean. "In the back of the magazine, the retailers are listed."

"So what's in it for me?" She picks up a sample I lay on her desk and carefully inspects it.

"I'm going to offer my favorite boutiques a marketing plan to debut my new jewelry line. I came to you first, but others are expecting me." I feel that I need to put urgency into the deal before she slips away.

"Plus, I have a line of dog collars that aren't out yet." I take out a copy of Sheila Gray's news video. I made one for each boutique. "A Cincinnati's Fox News anchor ordered several pieces to wear. She's received several emails asking where they can buy my designs."

She puts her hand up to stop me. "Enough said."

Nervously I watch as she puts the samples back in the boxes.

What? I knew it. My jewelry really does suck and Kiki is the only decent person to tell me.

"One hundred pieces to start with. A good mix of colors and designs. I hold all the rights to say no to any design I feel won't sell." Kiki smiles at me, as I'm practically shitting my pants. "I love it, Hallie."

One hundred pieces?

I take a deep breath, coolly stand up, and hold my hand out. "I'll have my accountant send you the paperwork."

"I want it by the end of the month." She's testing my coolness.

"Done."

Of course I said done. Forget that I'm not living here, forget that I don't have all the supplies, forget that I have a real job and forget that the end of the month is in two weeks.

I got orders from three more boutiques, including Tails in the City, a dog boutique. Since I don't have any samples, I have to pitch the concept using Swarovski crystals and incorporating the dog's birthday month. They love the idea and order twenty. A good start.

Henry is exhausted by the time we get home, and he heads back out to his favorite spot on the balcony. I jump online and order an insane amount of beads. It's hugely expensive, and that's without the overnight shipping. All had better go well with Monk, because I just put thousands of dollars on my credit card.

Monk is a little strange and not especially chatty, but I pull out my marketing notebook and hand it to him shortly after I arrive at the bar.

"I think you can guide me in the right direction." At least I'm hoping he can.

His eyes scan the pages. Then he turns and heads to the back of the bar.

"Where are you going?"

"Calculator." One-word sentences appears to be his specialty.

He returns, punches in some numbers, and jots down some calculations on a spread sheet. "First suggestion," he says, "get a tax ID. Do an LLC using your social."

I grab my notebook out of my purse and start making notes.

"Secondly, you have to make over five hundred pieces of jewelry within the next two weeks. I suggest you hire someone at this rate." He points to a number. "And get the orders filled."

I write faster, using abbreviations. I can smack myself for not learning shorthand because I'm going to have one heck of a time trying to figure out what I've abbreviated.

"Thirdly, you need to take a long hard look on the future. Do you want to make this your hobby or job? Because you have a lot of interest, that can make you a career. Especially when this magazine ad hits." He holds up my brochure. "When you've seriously thought or done something about my three points, call me and we can discuss this further."

Leaving, my head is a boggle bag of crap and is messing with me, because I know I don't see Bo's arms wrapped around Piper, across the street.

Quietly I hide behind the dumpster in the alley. He hugs her again. I rub my eyes. A cab pulls up and Bo opens the door. She graciously pulls her legs in the cab just before Bo shuts the door. He watches the cab leave before he turns and runs in the front door of the bar.

I make sure he's out of site before I hail my own cab-home.

The ride back to my condo is definitely not as good as the one last night. The one I need to forget.

I throw myself on the bed. Henry is desperately trying to get to my face to lick my salty tears. I push him aside.

"No Henry," I whimper. "Please, no, Henry."

My heart is no longer real. It's been taken over by an artificial one that beats because it has to, not because of love.

I gather my samples, Henry, and drive back to Cincinnati. I've got to get out of Chicago. And away from myself.

With my red eyes swollen from five hours of crying, I barely remember going to bed. "Hello?" The phone startles me. In fact I don't even have the energy to look at Caller ID.

"What the hell are you doing in Cincinnati?" Wilson laughs nervously. "Prudence tried to drop me off, but your doorman told me you took off to Cincinnati."

"Awwww no!" I clap turning my lights on. Eyeing my clock, I realize I've slept all Sunday away. "Wilson, I completely got lost in my drama and forgot you had come with me."

"Great, Hallie! Just great!" He is pissed. "I have only known you for seven weeks and already I'm so sick of your selfish ways."

"Wait a minute!" I hear Prudence scream at him in the background. "She is not selfish! That's one thing she's not. She has to have a pretty good reason for leaving in a hurry."

Thank god for Prudence because I have no energy to defend myself.

"Give me that phone. Hallie, honey, tell me what happened." Prudence tries to help.

"I sold over five hundred pieces of my jewelry in the boutiques yesterday." I have to find my silver lining for going to Chicago.

"Did you have a nervous breakdown because of the pressure of making those bracelets?" she asks.

"No." I sob. "I don't know why I'm letting myself cry over that jerk. I know we don't have a commitment, but we did have a connection and then I saw him hugging Piper."

"I see." Prudence listens to me crying. "Listen, I'm going to call Lucy and tell her to get her ass up there and take care of you."

"No don't do that. I'd much rather be with myself and my anger to make bracelets. I have a couple of people I need to talk to. That'll help me get over this." I reassure her.

"Don't worry about Wilson. I'll take care of him." If I know Prudence, and I do, Wilson won't know what hit him. "Make sure you put fresh cucumbers on your face. We don't want that nasty swelling you get spilling over into tomorrow."

We hang up and I schlep out of bed to get out what few beads I have left until the new shipment comes. I sit on the back porch taking in the fresh air. Beading helps my creative juices flow, which helps clear my mind.

I'm still going to Chicago and see the Mean Street Band play. I'll still take Monk's help, and I'll still plan a girls' night. If I see Bo, I'll remind myself we don't have a commitment or relationship. I refuse to let my heart get broken yet again by Bo Pomillio.

Week Eight.

Bead Happy!

Chapter Thirty-Eight.

Beading five hundred bracelets is my plan for the week. Letting Bo get me down is not in the forecast, neither is running.

I don't have time to stop at Addy's for my morning cup of coffee, so Starbucks near work is going to have to do.

"Two regular coffees, please." I tell the barista and reach in my purse for my wallet.

"Aren't you Hallie, the manager at Gucci?" A well-dressed young woman asks.

How does she know me? Probably from the news. I'm a local celebrity.

"Yes, I am." I confidently smile. This is a good way to begin my week.