It feels like a million years ago, but I used to own a photography studio. It was the hippest little place in a very trendy strip of stores up in Shermer Heights. I used to do a lot of shopping up that way, considering it was the nearest place I could get anything designer in New Jersey outside of a mall. Like I'd be caught dead shopping at Willowbrook with all the frumpy mommies and their screaming children. The boutiques on Birchwood Avenue are way cooler than some run-of-the-mill mall. Cooler than most stores in the city, even.

So when I noticed an empty storefront next to the Williams-Sonoma one afternoon, it was as though I'd been hit by lightning. It was fate that I had decided to go shopping that day.

I suddenly envisioned opening up a cute little clothing boutique with the most original and expensive items any girl could ever dream of. Maybe even a jewelry counter. And shoes! I was so excited to have come up with a plan to get my father off my back about getting a job.

I raced home to talk to my parents about it. After all, I was only twenty-one at the time and there was no way I could afford a prime place like that on my own! Plus, I had just used my college graduation money for a down payment on a sweet Porsche, and the monthly bills were pretty steep.

At first, my father balked at my idea, saying that when he told me to get a job, this wasn't exactly what he had in mind. But once my mother got on his case, he finally relented. I mean, it wasn't like he didn't have the cash. The only catch was, he refused to fund a clothing boutique. He said with my expensive taste, he'd run out of money before the store even opened its doors. He was probably right.

So when Livia told me that she'd been thinking of opening up a photography studio, something clicked for me right then and there. I'd always really enjoyed taking pictures... Maybe I could convince my father that that was my true calling. I could always convert the place into a boutique in the future. I just needed to claim the storefront before someone else snatched it up.

I turned to Livia and told her to just come work for me in my studio instead. Her eyes almost bugged out of her head. It was really funny.

In that moment, though, it was like the planets had aligned. I'd get to open my snazzy little store and I'd be giving my best friend a job!

My father was skeptical as my mother and I set out to design the new studio. It took almost six months, but when we finally had our grand opening, all that hard work was worth it.

I had chosen a simple black and white color scheme, which meant that nothing in the main showroom could be anything but black or white. Nothing. Liv thought that at least some of the photographs on the wall should be in color to show the clients, but I said that's what the albums were for. I told her to just keep lining up the clients and to let me worry about the rest.

She didn't let me down. Armed with a hefty advertising budget, Livia took out full page ads in the local papers and even arranged for a couple of press releases in New Jersey Magazine. By the time we opened our doors, the customers were practically flying in. Livia is what kept them coming back. It turned out my friend actually had a lot of talent with a camera.

So much so that she ended up starting her own business a few years later. I didn't begrudge her striking out on her own. Well, at first, I did. But once I realized she wasn't opening a studio space and that her client list wasn't overlapping mine, I was fine with it.

Since then, I converted the photo studio into a gift and home accessory shop. I ditched the black and white theme and redecorated the whole place with a Tuscan vibe. My father almost went into apoplectic shock when I handed him the bill from the faux finishers. How was I supposed to know that a Venetian plaster job would cost that much? But it was worth every penny because it turned out to be the perfect backdrop for all of the beautiful things I sell. And with my mother's excellent business advice, Shay Chic is doing almost as well as The Studio ever did. In fact, I'm at the point where I don't need to be there every second of the day anymore. No one ever tells you about the endless hours you need to put in when starting a new business. It's exhausting. But now that my two employees have finally learned the ropes, they're capable enough to pretty much run the show. With my mom doing the books, I've been relegated to nothing more than a figurehead, which is just fine with me.

I would have thought I'd be done working by now altogether.

The plan was to marry some dashing, rich guy so I wouldn't need to work. Instead, I'm still single, albeit indeed living with some dashing, rich guy... even though that guy is my father. But he doesn't mind that I still live in his house, even if I do. It's embarrassing to say the least. I suppose I could get my own place, but it really is nice not to have to worry about paying the rent every month. It frees up my wallet for more enjoyable things, like the brand-spanking-new BMW I've got my eye on.

I can't believe it's been almost five years since Livia left The Studio. Good thing, though, because our friendship had reached its breaking point by then. I guess it's true what they say about not mixing friendship and business. Or is it family and money? In any case, we've gotten our relationship back on track, which is a good thing.

Even better because if it hadn't been for Livia, I never would have met Tommy. And I wouldn't be here in his car right now, with my hand slowly creeping up his thigh as he drives me home. I look at his profile and see that he's trying to ignore my roving hand. Well, let's just see him try to ignore this.

I unbuckle my seatbelt and lean over the console so I can kiss his neck. When all he offers is a laughing grunt, I grab the front of his pants.

"Hey! What the hell... I'm driving, Shay!" He grabs my hand and places it back on the console between us.

I slump back into my seat. "Oh, you're no fun."

He glances over at me, and seeing that I'm insulted, he offers, "I'm sorry... It's just I could've crashed the car. You caught me by surprise is all."

"Well, DUH, silly. That was the idea."

He laughs at that as he pulls into the driveway. I raise my eyebrows and ask, "Wanna come in?"

He takes my hand. "Tempting, but no. I've got work early in the morning and it looks like we wouldn't get much alone time tonight anyway."

He gestures toward the light glowing from behind the living room window.

Dammit. My mother's still awake.

"Hmm. You're right. Maybe I'd better just kiss you goodnight." At that, I slide over to the driver's side and maneuver my legs on either side of him, trying to recreate our hot pose from the strip club. Even with the steering wheel digging into my back, I'm still getting pretty turned on. We kiss for a while until Tommy breaks the moment. "You know... Your mother is probably spying on us again. I can feel her eyes at the window. I should probably just get going."

Even though I know he's right, I'm not ready for him to leave yet. "Aww. Are you sure I can't talk you into coming in?"

"No, Shay, sorry. I always feel a little weird about sneaking into your parents' house. Next time, okay?"

I tilt my head to the side. "What do you mean you 'feel weird'? A minute ago you said you had work in the morning and that's why you couldn't come in."

Tom looks at me a little funny as he shuffles me back onto my side of the car. "Yeah, so? What's your point?"

"The point is that you're just making things up as you go along. Do you want to avoid spending the night with me so bad that you feel the need to make up excuses? You feel weird... my mother's spying... you have to work in the morning... Which is it? Is it just that you don't want to be with me? Is that it?"

He's got this open-mouthed look of confusion on his face like he doesn't know how to answer. Good. Guys love it when you keep them guessing. It's a great way to keep things interesting.

"Look, Shana... I'm not 'making things up'. It's late, I do have to work in the morning and your mother is spying on us which makes me feel weird about coming inside. It's everything. I'd like to be with you, it's just that tonight isn't a good night, okay? That's all."

I smile. "I know. I like to be with you, too." I give him a last kiss and get out of the car.

It's sweet the way he waits for me to get inside before he drives away. I wave goodbye and lean against the closed front door, the feel of his lips still on my mouth. He's a really good kisser. I suppose that opinion is also based on the fact that I happen to be in love with him. I'm thinking of exploring this thought further in my journal when a voice breaks my contemplation.

"Did you have a nice time, Shana?"

I open my eyes and see my mother, wearing her usual bathrobe and holding a mug of tea.

"Yeah, Mom. I had a 'nice' time. Could you maybe not spy at the damned window while I'm trying to kiss my boyfriend goodnight?"

"I was not spying. I was sitting on the couch and looked out briefly when I noticed the headlights shine through the window. You know I don't sleep well."

"Yeah, sure. Not when there's something entertaining for you to watch in your driveway."

That makes her laugh. "Shana, you are just too much. So what did you and Tommy do tonight?"

I have to fight to conceal my smirk. "Oh, you know... We went for a drink at Bay Rouge... Hit Eros for dinner... got kicked out of a strip club... the usual."

Mom's mouth drops as she starts laughing. "You did what?"

I throw an arm around her shoulders and walk her toward the kitchen. "Make me a cup of that tea and I'll tell you all about it."