Chapter 1
Chapter One
Josie’s Howl List—January
Josie glanced at the clock and tried not to cuss. The asshole was late again. She picked up a few stray toys in the living room while Tommy sat on the couch, glued to the Disney movie she’d popped in to distract him when it became obvious Tony wasn’t going to come when he said he would.
The doorbell rang. She closed her eyes and counted to ten. Patience wasn’t an easy thing for her and Tony was far too good at testing hers.
She opened the door. “Finally.”
Shelly stood on the threshold and grimaced. “Sorry. I assume the asshole isn’t here yet.”
Josie shook her head. “Nope. He’s late.”
She and Shelly had stopped calling her ex by his real name a year ago. Nowadays, whenever Tommy wasn’t around, they simply referred to him as the asshole.
“I thought I’d help you get ready for tonight, but it looks like you’re way ahead of me,” Shelly said, following Josie inside. She led her friend to the kitchen where they could talk without Tommy overhearing them. “You look fantastic.”
“Thanks.” The later Tony was, the less Josie wanted to go out. Tonight was her first night to howl. By telling her friends about the sex list, she’d sort of ensured she couldn’t back out. The other four women had already called today to wish her luck.
Unfortunately, Tony sapped her energy, her enthusiasm. What else was new?
“What time was he supposed to be here?” Shelly asked.
“Two hours ago.” Per the custody agreement, Tony got Tommy every Thursday night and every other weekend. While he always kept the dates, he never managed to pick his son up on time.
“Do you think he got held up at work?”
“You’re too nice, Shelly. No. I think he’s simply a selfish prick who’d rather indulge in a quickie with his girlfriend than spend time with his son.”
Tony had walked out on her and Tommy nearly two years earlier. He’d come home one night after work and announced he was in love with some chick he’d met at a bar. He’d packed a bag and moved in with the other woman that night.
“Sorry.”
Josie shrugged. “It’s not your fault. It’s mine. I’ve made at least a million mistakes in the past decade.” She heard Tommy giggle in the living room at something on the TV. She grinned at the sound. “And you know what? I’d make every single one of them again because they gave me that kid.”
Shelly laughed. “He’s the sweetest thing on earth.”
Shelly had become Aunt Shelly to Tommy shortly after he and Josie moved into one of the townhouses on Loser’s Lane.
She babysat at a moment’s notice, picked Tommy up from school on days when Josie had to work late, and gave the greatest birthday and Christmas presents ever.
Being a single parent would have been a hell of a lot harder if not for Shelly’s presence in their lives.
The doorbell rang again. Josie glanced at the clock. “Two hours and fifteen minutes late.”
“Take a deep breath,” Shelly advised. “I’ll go get Tommy ready.”
Josie opened the front door and sure enough, her ex was there, looking guilty as hell.
“Sorry, Josie. Had a bit of car trouble.”
It was a lie. After six years of wedded misery to the asshole, her bullshit radar was flawless.
“I see.”
Tony frowned, his gaze taking in her revealing outfit, makeup and dolled-up hair. “You have a date or something?”
Josie smirked. “None of your business.”
Tony looked like he wanted to press the issue, but Tommy flew by her like The Flash.
“Daddy!” Tommy yelled, leaping into Tony’s arms.
“Hey, T-man!” The two hugged and Josie remembered why she couldn’t completely hate her ex. As bad as he’d been to her was as good as he’d been to Tommy. Despite his continual screwups, he was a very loving father.
“Hi, Shelly,” Tony said, when her friend joined her at the door.
“Hey, Tony.”
“So, do you have big plans for tonight?” Josie asked.
“Yep. We’re hitting McDonald’s for dinner, then going to see that new Pixar movie.”
“In 3-D,” Tommy reminded him.
“Right. The one with that little alien.” Tony’s face proved he wasn’t looking forward to Tommy’s movie choice, but he wouldn’t let his son down.
“Sounds like fun. So I’ll see you around noon tomorrow?”
Tony nodded, studying her appearance once more.
Josie’s listlessness about going out evaporated at her ex’s jealous gaze and suddenly she was excited about checking an item off her list. Tony had moved on, while she’d held back, trying to establish some sort of stability in Tommy’s life.
She refused to stand still anymore and if Tony didn’t like that, so much the better.
“Bye, Mommy.” Tommy returned to give her a hug and a kiss on the cheek. Then he offered the same farewell to Shelly, who smiled at the show of affection. “Bye, Aunt Shelly.”
Josie waved as they headed for the car. “Have fun.”
Shelly sighed as Tommy and Tony drove away. “You’re always so nice to him. Even though I know you’re pissed as hell at him for being late.”
Josie shrugged. “I promised myself after the divorce that I would love my son more than I hated my ex. For all Tony’s faults, he loves Tommy. I’d be the world’s worst mother if I took my son’s hero away from him simply because things didn’t work out between us.”
“Well, just for the record, I think you’re a great mom. And I think you’re going to have to beat the men off with a stick at that bar. You look smokin’!”
Josie let Shelly’s compliments—as well as the mixed drink they’d had before she left—bolster her confidence as she walked into the Blue Moon two hours later.
Claiming a stool at the end of the bar, she waved to the bartender, then looked around. She’d chosen the place because of its name. Given her determination to howl, it seemed like fate was calling her to the Blue Moon.
“What can I get for you?” The bartender placed a napkin in front of her and gave her a friendly smile. If the customers were as hot as the bartender, she was going to have some fun tonight.
“Bourbon and Diet Coke.”
“Got a preference on the bourbon?”
She grinned. “Jim Beam. He’s my boyfriend.”
The bartender laughed. “Damn. And here I was, hoping you were single.”
“What can I say? He’s very jealous too, so be careful or he’ll kick your ass.”
“I’ll consider myself warned.” She watched him mix the drink, finding herself ridiculously attracted to his hands.
They were large and capable, a little rough, sexy.
Josie imagined exactly how she’d like him to put them to work with her in the bedroom.
What would it feel like for him to drive those fingers—
“Miss?”
Josie jerked at his voice and struggled not to blush.
Jesus. She was getting carried away with these fantasies.
Now that she’d given herself permission to have sex, it was all she could think about.
Twice in the last week, she’d pulled her vibrator out in the middle of the night, trying to work off some of her pent-up needs. “Sorry. Daydreaming.”
“Looks like it was some dream.”
She looked down at the drink he’d just put in front of her so she could avoid his too-knowing eyes.
“You wanna start a tab or pay as you go?”
“I’ll start a tab.”
“Fine. Just need a credit card.”
She opened her wallet and handed him the Visa. He glanced at the name. “Josephine?”
She grimaced. “Josie, please. Only my father calls me Josephine. And mercifully I haven’t seen him in fifteen years.”
“Josie.” He held out his hand and she took it, trying to ignore the sudden heat permeating her body as he shook it. “I’m Jake.”
“Nice to meet you.”
“Likewise. I’ve been working at the Blue Moon for nearly eight years now. Don’t remember ever seeing you in here. You new in town?”
She shook her head. She’d spent the past eight years at home—first with Tony, then alone, raising her son. Apart from her wine nights with the girls at Laura’s house, she couldn’t remember the last time she’d gone out on the town. “Nope. I don’t get out much.”
“Well, I’m glad you decided to give the Blue Moon a try.”
Another customer waved. Jake winked and stepped over to serve the other man. Josie watched him mix drinks for a few minutes as she sipped her bourbon, then she turned to look around the bar. It was starting to get crowded.
“Is anyone sitting here?”
Josie looked up and felt a definite spark of hope as Mr. Gorgeous stood next her.
She shook her head.
“Mind if I join you?”
“Not at all.” She fought to restrain her grin, wondering how she could covertly take a picture of the guy with her phone and text it to Shelly. Holy hotness.
“I’m Greg.”
She pasted on what she hoped was a flirty smile and introduced herself. “Josie.”
Jake came over to take Greg’s order and she noticed the bartender had lost some of his charm. He was cool as he placed a Guinness in front of Greg. “That’ll be five-fifty.”
Greg handed over a ten. Josie wished he’d opened up a tab.
She took a sip of her drink, thrilled when Greg started chatting with her.
He was an investment banker and ten years older than her.
There wasn’t a ring on his finger. Maybe he was one of those men who was married to his work.
She didn’t care. It wasn’t like she wanted anything more from him than tonight.
He was charming and suave and she suspected he knew his way around a bedroom.
They chatted for nearly two hours as Greg drank three more beers. She was still laughing at a joke he’d told when he excused himself to go to the restroom.
Jake came over and pointed to her drink. “Do you want another bourbon?”
She’d been nursing the same drink all night, determined to remain clear-headed. “No. I think I’m okay.” Greg’s drink was empty too and she hoped she could convince him to move this party to his place.
Jake started to walk away, then he came back. “Listen, I don’t usually do this because it’s none of my business, but you don’t seem like the type of woman who’d…” He paused and she wondered what he was talking about.
“I don’t seem like the type who’d what?”