The Lovin' Spoonful // Do You Believe In Magic

Mornings are usually my peak time. I'm up at dawn, working out or prepping security details for the day. But today I'd rather be in bed than anywhere else. Certainly not here, sitting in the lobby café waiting for a debrief with Frank. I glance around the place through my cliché indoor sunglasses, not because I'm hungover, but to hide the exhaustion in my eyes. Colleen and I were up most of the night making...magic. I've been tempted to text her since I woke up alone, her having padded back to Katie early in the morning so my daughter didn't suffer the same fate as I did. I'm a big boy. I can handle solitude. But I didn't like it. Not one bit. I'd much rather have woken up wrapped around Colleen like a blanket, my hand gripping her breast and my lips in her hair.

Maybe that's not in the cards for us. But as I remember back over our pillow talk last night, I wonder if my future might already be wrapped around hers.

"Would you call that magic?" I curl up behind her, my big spoon to her little one.

"I'm not sure. Did we make anything disappear?"

"My dick disappeared here and there."

Colleen covers her face with both hands. "Oh my gosh."

"Too soon? Too real?" I pull her closer, not wanting any space between us.

"Too junior high."

I shrug as I drop my nose to the back of her neck, nuzzling her skin, still warm from our workout. "Never said I was mature."

"We just had sex-."

"Mind blowing, magical sex."

"Very true." She sighs. "But please be mature before I start feeling like a cougar."

"You're 23."

"And you're older than that. Maybe you should try acting like it sometime. You usually do, so buttoned up and grumpy." She smacks my arms playfully.

"Baby, I'm only acting this young because I can with you." I realize the truth of my words as I speak them out loud. My protective instincts don't stop at the people around me. I've built a wall around myself, keeping everyone outside of it, for the same reasons. But not Colleen. I've let her all the way in.

Colleen must understand what I'm saying, the depth of this truth, because this time she's the one rolling me to my back and hovering over me, making the magic happen.

I shake myself out of the memory, not wanting to get hot and bothered while I'm waiting for Frank. I texted her before I left the room, telling her how much I enjoyed our magic. It's a damn good thing we have that code word in case Katie sees our texts. Although I might need to learn some actual magic tricks if she ever calls me on it.

"Isn't this too public for a debrief?" Frank asks five minutes later as he settles in the seat across from me. He places a manila folder on the side of the table closest to the wall. Frank's dressed down on his day off, if you can call slacks and a crisp button up dressing down. Here I sit at the same booth for the same purpose in athletic pants and a t-shirt, but this guy shows up like it's a business meeting.

"It's private enough. We don't spill details that anyone would understand anyway." I gulp more coffee. The caffeine can't kick in soon enough.

"What's wrong with you?" Frank tilts his head, assessing me from head to toe. I must look as done as I feel.

"Long night," I say, not wanting to offer him anymore than that. My business is mine alone.

His brow furrows as he takes in my words. "Problems with your mark?" AKA, Brianna.

"No. Lots happens on tour, though. I'm just tired." I'm grumpy, too. Missing my arms around Colleen and not knowing when I'll have them there again is putting me in a mood. I should be elated, the post-magic endorphins running through me. And I am. But I know I have limited time with her here so wasting it on the assholes running around town causing drama isn't my idea of a great morning.

I really hope Frank stops stirring the pot. I'm getting pissed off thinking about what I'd rather be doing.

"Fine," he says, shutting the door on the conversation. Finally. "Let's get down to it."

Frank opens the folder and pulls out a spread sheet. What looks to be all the recorded activity for Rosshole in the past few weeks is laid out with time stamps and locations included.

"This guy is dull as fuck." I mutter the words, mostly to myself but Frank picks up on them. "Walmart, motels, fast food. At least I'm not seeing any more arrests or otherwise concerning activity."

"That's the concern."

I look up at Frank in question. "That he's boring?"

Frank shakes his head. "Are you on something? You're slow on the take today." He runs his finger down the list. "His behavior has been modified. This is not his usual day to day. Yeah he's on the road but the guy is addicted to trouble and he's having none."

I review the list again. "Change in behavior signals plot twists."

"Exactly. He's flying under the radar on purpose. He's planning something."

"Maybe he turned over a new leaf. Trying to go straight."

"Sure. Because the guy finally got a conscious." Frank takes the spread sheet, sliding it back into the folder. He pulls another paper from the bottom of the pile. "We also came across this."

I glance at the new evidence. It's a printout of a text thread between Ross and his bros back home. Frank's hackers have gone above and beyond to gather this evidence. I finish scanning the page, reading the dirty humor and nonsense with a shake of my head.

"This reads like a junior high locker room convention."

"Did you catch that last phrase?" Frank points to one of the guy's last remarks to Ross. I reread it, the meaning becoming clear.

Ham: You gonna be hiding the bone soon, man.

Ross: Damn straight.

"Is he talking about Colleen?" I say the words with a tight jaw, holding back the tornado of anger building.

"Can't be sure who he's referring to. Either way, he's got an agenda." Frank points to the weakly coded texts. "They're hiding their true intent with purpose using phrases like this. The fact that he's kept his nose clean this long tells me something else. He knows he's being watched. Either someone alerted him, or he's paranoid. Could be both."

I shake my head. "I don't know, man. I have a sick feeling in my gut. My gut isn't usually wrong, but I won't act until I have evidence." I lean forward on my elbows, letting my low tones convey my intention. "But if this motherfucker breathes wrong... I won't hesitate to let him know I'm the one watching him."

Frank nods. "I'll let you know if I find anything more. But unless I give you the green light, keep your distance. I get how invested you are in this guy. Do me a favor and try not to cross the legal line, though. There's only so much pull I have in my job." He levels a look on me from across the table. "I don't have nationwide jurisdiction, so I probably won't be able to make charges go away."

Unbothered by his reminder, because I do what needs to be done regardless of risk, I shrug. "My only goal is to keep Colleen safe."

"Admirable, as always." He drinks the water in front of him, forgoing the coffee I'd had delivered to the table before he arrived. Frank is nothing if not regimented. Reminds me of Zack. He starts to rise from the table when I stop him.

"You and Misty coming tonight?"

His raised brow tells me he's onto me.

"Is that your way of extending an olive branch?"

"I'm not extending anything. Simply inquiring about your plans."

He settles back into his seat for what I'm expecting to be a lecture on accepting his female companion. Needless to say, when he rests his elbow on the table and starts rubbing his forehead, I'm stumped.

"Trouble in paradise?"

"We don't have to pretend living with Misty is paradise."

"Whoa, brother. Are you two having problems?" I may not see eye to eye with his girl, but I recognize how serious he is about her. He let her into his lair, his personal space. For a guy as uptight as Frank, that's huge.

"No. We are not having problems. No more than any other couple on the planet has. But I'm not the energizer bunny, and Misty very much is. I'm running on fumes at this point and I'm afraid I'm about to snap."

I nod, remembering that feeling when I was with Mara. We drove each other nuts because we didn't ever decompress.

"I'm no expert, but if you're feeling that stretched, you need to tell her and figure out how to relieve the pressure."

"She'll take it personally."

"Tough."

Frank snaps his head up to meet my eyes. "Tough?"

"Yeah, tough. Does she want this to last with you? Because last I checked you moved her in. That doesn't sound temporary to me. Now's the time to figure out your needs. If you need a break, tell her and take one."

"I guess this means the honeymoon is over." He laughs bitterly, the familiar catchphrase signally the end of the easy portion of his relationship.

"Was there ever a honeymoon?" I honestly can't imagine anything easy with Misty.

He smirks, the type of smirk that's teaming with filthy memories. "Yeah."

I shrug, not really wanting the details. "The easy part comes and goes. Love is a fucking roller coaster."

"Damn. I hate roller coasters."

"Right. But I bet Misty loves 'em."

Frank gets up again, not seeming nearly as worn out as he was a few minutes ago. "She does." He smiles wryly then salutes as he turns and leaves the café.

I pull out my phone, wondering if Katie and Colleen are ready to explore the resort. Colleen beat me to it, and once I read her text, I'm fucking glad she did.

Colleen: Brianna is taking Katie for a girls spa day. I told her I wanted to nap.

Colleen: Are you sleepy? <smirk emoji>

I don't hesitate with my reply.

Me: hell, yes. So damn sleepy. There's a few more magic tricks I'd like to show you.

Colleen: Get that wand ready. I'll be waiting...

Frank had one thing right. This honeymoon period is worth what we might have to face in the future.

A bit shorter, but still packing a punch (see what I did there? packing? Cause Clinton is packing? In a couple different ways...😉). There may be more magic in the next chapter, too...

I had to add this song once I hopped on the magic train. The innuendos wouldn't stop!

[There should be a GIF or video here. Update the app now to see it.]

Thank you so much for reading and voting!!