Page 155 of The Havenport Collection

Josh

I wiped down the bench, careful to mop up the pool of sweat I had left.

“You don’t have to clean, dude,” Lucas said, racking a set of dumbbells.

We were in Lucas’s home gym, which was both larger and nicer than any commercial gym I had ever visited.

He owned a massive mansion on the ocean, and one entire wing was devoted to fitness—a yoga studio, an indoor swimming pool, and a gym with every piece of fitness equipment known to man.

Since I had so much time on my hands lately, Lucas and I had gotten into the habit of working out together.

It was by far a healthier alternative to what we usually did, which was watch movies and drink beer.

Lucas was one of the coolest, most down-to-earth people I had ever met.

He just happened to be a tech billionaire who had invented some kind of barcode software that had completely revolutionized the world.

But you wouldn’t know it by looking at him.

Most of the time, he worked in an old pair of New Balance sneakers and jeans.

He was also nosy and pushy and would stop at nothing to help a friend. So, of course, he wanted every detail about what had gone down with Maggie.

“Things looked pretty hot and heavy the other night at the bar,” he said, raising one eyebrow.

I finished my set of kettlebell swings. “It’s nothing. She was drunk and jealous of Moira.”

“Don’t brush it off, man. She stalked over like a lioness and claimed you. It was hot. I was sure she took you home and ravaged you, but your sad-puppy face and shitty form right now say otherwise.”

I shook my head, setting the weight down and catching my breath. “Definitely not. We went out for ice cream and talked. It was great, actually.”

“Ice cream?”

“It’s kind of our thing. And Maggie is an ice cream addict. It’s the fastest way to neutralize her defenses.” And the fastest way to remind her of just how much history we shared and how far we had come.

“Noted. She clearly still feels things for you. And it was hot how she faced off against Moira.” He shuddered. “That chick scares me.”

I laughed. “More than Nora?” I asked.

She and Lucas had been doing this love/hate dance for years.

They were clearly obsessed with each other, but they both refused to admit it.

I’d been watching him salivate over her since they’d first met, but he remained steadfast in his claim that he hated her, and she could barely bring herself to speak to him.

“Naw, man. No one scares me more than Nora, and I’m man enough to admit that.” He started adding plates to the squat rack, effectively ending that line of questioning.

“You just need to get laid,” he mused.

“That’s a fact,” I said. “But I don’t want to rush her.”

“I’m not saying rush her. I’m saying show her how much you want her, how much you need her. Not as a wife, a mom, or a nurse. But as a woman. Make her feel sexy, desired—women need that.”

I punched him in the arm. “When did you become the expert?”

“I’m not. I’m just a genius.”

“Fuck off.”

Lucas’s brilliance was well established, but it was my job as his best friend to bring him back down to earth.

Lucas and I had been friends since he moved to Havenport.

We were both huge nerds and had a lot in common.

He was also multiracial and had been raised by a single parent.

We bonded over our shared experiences and our love of anime and Star Trek .

We’d clicked immediately. Since I’d left my job, we’d started playing basketball with a group of guys once a week, watched sci-fi movies here and there, and texted each other stupid memes most days.

We geeked out over comic books and robotics and vented about our high-pressure careers.

It had been so long since I had a true guy friend.

Someone to just hang out with, bounce ideas off.

Especially someone like Lucas, who just got me.

He helped me get through the early stages of my separation and work out how to get my life back on track, and I helped him after his mother died a few years ago.

We had been through some stuff, and although he loved to bust my balls, I trusted him completely.

Since med school, I hadn’t made time for friends, but Lucas had opened my eyes to what I was missing.

After a few more sets, he handed me a water bottle. “I’m serious. Whisk her away for a romantic trip somewhere, and everything will fall into place.”

I shook my head. “Doubtful.”

He tapped his chin. “You could take her to Paris. Or ooh, go to Munich. The Christmas market is world famous and really festive.”

“She wouldn’t get on a plane with me and leave our kids and her practice during the holidays.”

“Okay, okay. So domestic only. Got it.” He paced around a bit, squinting, his lips pursed. “I have a condo in Manhattan—on the west side. It’s really great.”

“Nah, she’s not a city girl.”

“Then take her to my ski cabin in the mountains. Just a night or two. Drink champagne in the hot tub and look at the stars. Trust me; it will work.”

“I’m not sure.”

“The woman has been moving mountains for over a decade. And you’ve been working yourself to the bone. Give yourselves a break.” He wasn’t wrong. For years, Maggie and I hadn’t gotten much time together. Our kids took so much out of us, and whatever was left was given to our careers.

“I don’t know what she wants right now.”

Lucas shook his head at me. “Don’t give her what she wants. Give her what she needs.”

I glared at him. “You have no idea what my wife needs.” I clenched my fists. I was out of touch with my wife, and the reminder stung.

“Wrong. What does an overworked mom need, Josh?”

Ah. He was such a dick, but a good friend. “A break,” I replied.

He raised his hand and gave me a high five. “Bingo. Took you long enough. Are you sure you graduated from med school?”

I flipped him the bird. “Shut up, dick. Didn’t you drop out of college?”

“Yeah, when I sold my first company. I don’t need a piece of paper to tell me I’m wicked smaht . Okay, time for abs. You’re not going to win back your wife with a beer gut.”

After our workout, we sat in Josh’s sauna, sipping protein shakes full of an array of superfoods his assistant had made.

“What about you?” I asked. “You’ve been pretty lonely lately.”

He shot me a look. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“You’ve been hanging out with me most weekends.

You haven’t talked about any dates in a long time.

Seems unlike you.” While Lucas was not a womanizer by any stretch, he never wanted for female attention.

He dated a fair amount, and he’d had a few serious girlfriends.

But it seemed like he had been in a dry spell for months.

“I’m taking a break from women,” he said.

“Why?”

He took a long sip of his shake before speaking. “Honestly? It all gets boring after a while. Women throw themselves at me because I have money, but that’s it. No one wants to get to know me; no one wants to really connect. And I’m pushing forty, man. I’m craving something more.”

I nodded. I got it. I’d had more—everything. And then I screwed it up. I had my dream woman and two amazing kids, and then let my insecurities and ambitions get the better of me. “I feel you.”

“I knew you would.”

Although I knew I should leave it, my curiosity got the better of me. “So this is an existential crisis? It has nothing to do with a certain curvy brunette who hates you?”

He looked away, fussing with the temperature controls. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

“You are so full of shit. We both know you’re hung up on Nora. Just man up and admit it.”

“I’m not hung up on her,” he snapped. “She’s hot and not remotely impressed by me. While I admit that’s novel in a woman, I’m not interested in her either. In fact, I dislike her immensely.”

I laughed. Lucas could be so obtuse when the subject of Nora Rossi came up.

“Did you drop out of MIT before you learned not to lie to yourself?” I asked sarcastically.

“Shut up and get your wife back. Then we can focus on my problems. Okay?” He whipped out his phone. “I’m texting Janet. She’s the house manager up there. She’s a sweetheart and takes care of everything. She’ll have the place stocked for you.”

I sighed. We could use a getaway, but getting Maggie to agree would be a challenge. “Let me talk to her first. It may take some convincing.”

“Say the word, bro.”

“I really owe you.” And I meant it. Lucas was the kind of friend a guy could spend years looking for—he was loyal and generous and flat-out cared about the people he loved.

“No, you don’t. We’re friends. And at some point, I might need your help.”