One month later:

"Oh, lighten up! We're going to Club Rox and you know Donnie's alright with it!"

Mille poked Delilah in the side as she waved goodbye to her children. Dean was more than happy to see his sister get away from Salem for a while. Even though things had been quiet and Delilah had wrapped herself up in the kids and work, she missed Donovan quite a bit.

"How's that phone sex?" Bridget teased,"The kids haven't walked in have they?"

Delilah blushed,"No! To answer your question, it's been wonderful. I just wish it was the real thing."

"Oh I'm sure you do," Laura smirked,"Donovan begged you to go out tonight. You know he told you about Natalia and that her bitch ass is back in Russia. He's been going out with the boys. I hear the club scene in Dubai is hot."

"I just... I miss him..."

Millie smiled and turned onto the main drag headed for Boston, "Honey, we know. He'll be back before you know it."

"Plus you get to spend a weekend at his place with us! Party time!"

Delilah remembered how she felt when she and Donovan spent the weekend at his house together.

The Red Room... the cherries...

"We'll be fine. Plus, you get to see the boys Sunday," Millie reminded her.

Delilah was more than excited to see the Dixon Boys even though she knew that Jason had called Julie a few times since meeting her. Julie was so much like Delilah that she was so nervous about her well-being even though she trusted Jason with their lives.

"Place is hopping tonight!"

Delilah chose to be less revealing than her best friends. She wore a nice pair of black slacks with a red halter top and her hair cascading in curls over her shoulders.

Bridget and the others looked like they awere ready to ride the first cowboy that rode into town.

Delilah smiled at her friends as they asked for the same booth they'd been seated in months before. The first night she'd met her king..

Her king.

He'd sent her so many messages that day even though he'd been pretty busy. It was nice to hear from him and for them to finally get some time to talk after a few days of her lugging the kids here and there.

That was one thing Delilah had made very clear to Donovan: her kids cane first.

Contrary to his boy's ages, so did Donovan's.

"I don't mean to be this way. I know we're trying to have a relationship..." Delilah caught herself apologizing one night when she was just plain tired.

Donovan soothed her worries,"Darling, you're a mother to four very busy children. I'm not one of those men who can't understand that."

He told her many stories of his boys and how rambunctious they were that he and Melanie would joke about having time to themselves.

"Don't tell Cooper I said anything, but he was our co-sleeper for years..."

It made Delilah happy that Donovan was so interested in her family, her life, everything that was going on inside of her head and heart.

And she was the same with him.

"Look at this one!" Delilah said as she tried on another summer dress for Donovan, "I think the blue one looks better. With my hair, the yellow one makes it look like ketchup and mustard."

"I think you look wonderful in all of them and out of them..."

Donovan would take her for walks on the beaches of Dubai, or call her when the sun was setting so they could watch it slowly disappear together.

"I feel like I'm there with you," Delilah would say as she drifted off to sleep and Donovan would watch her for some time before reluctantly hanging up.

She would call him on her walks or when Isaiah learned a new song on the drums. He would listen to her for hours talk about the goings-on at the weddings she'd photograph.

"And then the groom was caught... with the bride's MOTHER!"

"Does this happen a lot?" Donovan asked one night when she told him the story.

Delilah laughed,"All I know is that the bride's reaction was strange... like she was into it."

Donovan wasn't into that sort of kink, but he did remind Delilah that people were very eclectic with their pleasures.

"I just can't wait to see you again.." Delilah said, her heart fumbling, "I know I say that a lot..."

Donovan smiled,"I know. I don't ever want to drop the call."

"Earth to Del..." Millie waved a hand in front of Delilah's face and laughed, "I was telling them that we're overrun with flowers at the shop and your house. This courting thing is something else!"

Delilah agreed,"He's a keeper!"

"Cheers to Delilah and Donovan!" Laura held up her glass,"To... forever?"

Delilah smiled, "Maybe... forever.."

The friends spoke with Les and a few more of Donavan's buddies who'd slri become friendly with Delilah over the last few months, keeping an eye on her and the kids for Donovan.

"You'll see him on your birthday!" Bridget reminded her, "That's not too far away!"

Delilah held her finger to her lips, "I'm not supposed to know! It seems like a lifetime... two months.."

Millie called for the check,"I'm hungry and getting to the point where these pretzels ain't cutting it. Let's go to McAlister's."

Delilah shook her head,"I can't really do that tonight. That's a fancy place, Mills. I had to pay for a new tutu and a set of gloves for, -"

"Zip it! It's on me and I've already made the reservations."

"We're going dressed like this?"

Bridget nodded,"It's late. It'll be slow, don't worry."

Delilah waved goodbye to Les and followed the girls out to their cab. They gossiped and laughed along the way with Millie admitting John wanted to get back together.

"Lord, maybe I should give him another chance. Sex was amazing!"

Rounding the corner, McAlister's came into view.

"Wow.. it's usually pretty busy on a Friday night!" Delilah looked around,"There's no one here."

Millie rummaged through her bag and sighed,"Shit... did I leave my ID? Delilah, honey, can you get the table for us? It's under the name Daisy."

"Daisy?" Delilah smiled, "He hasn't sent THAT many..."

Bridget and Laura watched Delilah put her black blazer on before heading into the ritzy restaurant.

The host looked up from the desk and smiled, "Good evening,my name is Neil. Do you have a reservation?"

Delilah smiled, "Good evening to you and I do... it's under... Daisy?"

Neil nodded, "Right this way, madam."

"Oh, I should really wait for my, -"

Delilah began to tell him her friends were close behind, but Neil had already taken off. She scurried behind him, noticing that there wasn't another customer in the entire restaurant except for some lingering servers, the host, and other people who kept a distance, but waved to her.

"Your table, Miss Delilah.."

"How did you, -"

Her eyes widened as a gasp escaped her soul and she looked into the beautiful eyes of her smiling king.

"Donnie!"