Charlie and I are on our way over to Livia and Jack's new house for cocktails. I haven't been there since the day they closed on the place last month. My God, what a dive. I know they practically bought it for a song, but that's because it was in need of some major work just to get it livable. Hell, the previous owners should have paid them!

I haven't seen much of Livia during her remodeling project, but I've been spending so much time with Charlie that I haven't minded so much.

I look over at my boyfriend, so at ease at the wheel of his sleek, black Mercedes, and sigh contentedly to myself as I sink into the plush, leather seats.

Life is good.

Charlie has turned out to be much more than just a rebound guy.

He takes me out at least twice a week to the best restaurants New Jersey has to offer. On the weekends, we'll head into the city. We've seen a couple of Broadway shows and one time, we brought his daughter to the Guggenheim.

Yep. Charlie has a tweenage daughter from his first marriage.

She's really quite adorable... you know, when she's not shooting dirty looks my way. Charlie keeps telling me that she'll come around eventually, but it really sucks having to take shit from a twelve-year-old. I sucked it up the first time, mainly because I wasn't expecting her to be so rotten, but there is no way I'm dealing with that garbage twice a month. Charlie only has her every other weekend, so it's not like I'll be expected to spend a lot of time with the little princess anyway.

But of course, Charlie thinks she's just wonderful, so I'm forced to paste a smile on my face and fake it for a few hours every month. If that's what it takes to be with him, I can manage until Ashleigh straightens out her attitude.

We pull into the driveway, and already I can see the changes that Liv and Jack have made to the place. It looks like they've gotten themselves some new vinyl siding and shutters. And I don't think that porch railing was here the last time. Huh. The charming cape I'm looking at is a complete one-eighty from the disheveled pile of kindling it was only a month ago. Hmmm. I guess marrying a contractor has its benefits.

We get out of the car and head up the front walk. Charlie actually stops to run his hand along the paved path, remarking, "This is Apache fire stone! My guys can't even get their hands on this. Remind me to ask your friend who his mason is."

Gee whiz. Can't wait to spend my night talking about rocks.

Livia is out the door before I even knock. She's all proud smiles as she kisses us hello and invites us inside.

She sweeps the door open dramatically, laughs when she sees the look on my face, and says, "It looks a little different than the last time, huh?"

I'll say.

We walk into the spacious living room as I ask, "Did you knock out a wall?"

Liv nods her head in the affirmative and says, "Yep. Two of 'em. But it looked too much like a gymnasium, so Jack's moulding guy came up with the idea for the columns to separate the space. Pretty, right?"

"The fireplace is different."

"Uh huh, totally. New stone, new mantle. Jack designed it. Hey! Come see my kitchen!"

Livia takes my hand and leads me to the back of the house, where I am greeted with the sight of a large granite and steel workspace. The dark granite and cold steel are offset by warm maple cabinets and a pale straw color on the walls. The candles reflecting off the shiny, new countertops add to the homey feel. It's simply breathtaking.

Liv is waiting on my reaction, so I offer, "Wow, you guys have been busy!"

She rolls her eyes and says, "Tell me about it. We still have the entire upstairs, both bathrooms and all the landscaping to tackle, and believe me, after this past month, I'm not looking forward to it."

Charlie asks, "The counters... they're South African ebony, am I right?"

Liv swipes a hand across the shiny surface. "I think that's what it's called. You'd know better than I would!"

As if he just couldn't wait to put the line out, he says, "Man, I haven't seen that since we did the Bon Jovi job."

Liv bites.

Her eyes grow wide as she says, "Shut up. No way were you in Jon Bon Jovi's house!"

Charlie puffs up a bit as he answers, "Well, not his house, it was his mother's. Down in South Jersey. But he's the one who contracted the job for her. Spoke to him myself a couple times."

Okay, not exactly an earth-shattering story, but then again, we aren't all marrying actual rock stars like her. I decide to change the subject before Charlie can tell Livia about the handwritten thank you note Jon sent at the end of the job. He was way too proud of it when he told me and I don't need to see him lose his cool in front of my friend.

I say, "The house looks... bigger than I remembered."

Liv turns her attentions away from Jon Bon Jovi's best friend and replies, "That's because everything was so dark and old at first. But we knew going in that the footprint of this place was larger than an average cape and that it had potential. Jack says it has 'good bones'."

Charlie nods his head in agreement.

Who is this person in the body of my old high school friend, tossing out real estate terminology like "footprint" and "good bones?" All of a sudden, it seems she's been catapulted into The Land of Grownups. Even when she moved into her apartment, it still only felt like playing house. But this... this is for real now. And here I am, still living with my parents, in the room in which I used to visit my grandmother and play with my Barbies.

"Hey, can I get you two a drink? Some vino?"

We accept as Livia moseys over to the bar area, located in an alcove between the kitchen and dining room.

Charlie must be thinking of his other famous soon-to-be best buddy, because he calls out, "Hey, where's the rock star?"

My eyes almost bug out of my head as I nudge him hard in the ribs. I'd told him all about Jack's past life as a semi-famous musician, and as it turns out, Charlie is a fan. Not on the same level of appreciation as with his BFF Jon Bon Jovi's music, but a fan nonetheless. Charlie hasn't even met Jack yet, and already I'm dreading that he'll admit as much to him tonight.

I should explain by stating here that I think Charlie is great, but over these past two months, he's displayed this quirky trait of not knowing when to play it cool. At first I thought his minor dorkiness was charming, but dude, there's a time and place to pull it together, man.

Liv sticks her head back into the kitchen. "What was that?"

I shoot him a quelling glance and clarify. "Charlie was just wondering where Jack was."

"Oh. He's picking up some brie at the store for me. I know you guys already have dinner plans, but I couldn't bear the thought of not feeding you."

She comes back into the room with our wineglasses, adding, "It's an Italian thing, I guess. Charlie, you know what I'm talking about, right?"

Ugh. Liv and Charlie have this stupid Italian bond thing happening. He thinks it's cute, but I find it just the slightest bit revolting.

Charlie asks, "So, how are the wedding plans coming along?"

It's nice to be dating a man who isn't afraid to say the word "wedding." Hell, it's nice to know he's a man who's already proven he can go the distance and have a wedding.

Livia responds, "Uh... okay. Kind of on hold with the construction and all. But we finally picked a date at least. We're all booked for May twenty-sixth."

"A spring wedding. That should be nice," he adds.

Liv snaps her fingers. "Ooh—which reminds me, Shane. Vix has already been out dress shopping and she's going to call everyone this week with the details about your gowns."

Thankfully, Mr. Perfect comes through the front door just then, sparing me from having to hear Livia gush on and on about her wedding.

I am surprised all over again each and every time I watch Jack Tanner enter a room. He's been wearing his hair a little longer these days and I can't decide which look works better for him. Hell, he could probably shave his head and cover himself in garbage and he'd still get my heart beating a little faster. Not that I'd ever actually do anything about it, of course. I'm able to be appreciative of the fact that he's a great-looking guy without my emotions getting involved.

"Hey, everyone!" Jack hands a brown paper package to Livia, kissing her on the cheek and stating humorously, "Here's your bag of cheese, dear. Your brother-in-law says hello."

Jack says hi to me and then extends his hand when I introduce him to my boyfriend. Charlie immediately starts talking shop, questioning Jack about the stone on the front walkway.

"See, Shay? I told you it was Apache fire stone."

"Yes, honey. Your brilliance is astounding."

The two men proceed to move their conversation into the living room, probably to delve into such jaw-droppingly marvelous topics like copper wiring and porcelain toilets.

That's okay, Charlie. I'll just stand here with my thumb up my butt until you remember I'm even here.

I'm only listening with half an ear as Livia describes the bridesmaid gown I'll be wearing for her wedding. I jab at the brie, procuring a nice-sized hunk which I smear onto a cracker and shove into my mouth.