"Hey Chief?" Courtney said as she opened the door to her boss's office. She popped her head through the tiny crack she made. Peaking in to make sure she wasn't disturbing anything. She spotted Emilie sitting in her office chair behind her desk. She wasn't doing her normal ordering or inventory paper work; in fact she wasn't even facing the desk. Her chair was facing the window. She looked so peaceful, just staring out at the world, rocking her chair back and forth. Courtney could even swear she heard her humming, which was something she had never heard her boss do. Courtney almost felt bad disturbing her.

"Chief?" she said louder then before. This time entering the office.

"Hmm? What?" Emilie said turning her chair around to face the young girl.

"What is it Courtney?"

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah why wouldn't I'd be?"

"I don't know you just seem very...happy lately."

"I can't be happy?" Emilie asked with her eye brows raised

"No. It's just your usually...well...not. Is it that guy?"

Emilie smiled and let out a soft laugh.

"I guess it is. I can't stop smiling."

It had been almost three weeks since Jeff went back on the road but he still called Emilie at least twice a day. They would talk for hours at times, which was strange for Emilie. She hated talking on the phone. Her longest conversations were usually with her mother and consist of her screaming about how Emilie was wasting her life, what great thing her sister was doing, or Emilie trying to convince her that she wasn't gay...just single. But even those would last half an hour at most. Talking to Jeff was different. He made her laugh, made her feel wanted. She'd stay up all night talking to him and not feel tried at all during their conversations.

"Well I'm glad" Courtney said smiling "Cause just between you and me, some of the others here were starting to wonder if you were playing for the home team."

"What can I help you with Courtney?"

"Oh yeah! Mr. Wonderful is on line one."

"Thanks." Emilie said reaching for the phone. She took the receiver in her hand and brought it up to her ear. But she stopped when she noticed Courtney was still in the room.

"Thank you Courtney." She repeated hoping her young employee would get the hint.

"No problem Chief." Courtney said with a smile. But she still stayed where she was.

"You can go now Courtney."

"Oh...oh right...sorry."

She waited till Courtney was out of the room till she picked up the line.

"Hey." She said in a soft sweet voice.

"Hey beautiful. What took so long?"

"Sorry I was once again forced to face the mental capabilities of my staff."

"Ah. Did Mark eat Jenna's birth control pills again?"

"No not this time" Emilie laughed.

"I was thinking about you this morning"

"You were?" she could almost hear the smile in his voice.

"Yeah. I was thinking how nice it would be if you could come visit me on the road for a week."

"Is that an invitation?"

"That depends. Are you gonna come?"

"I can't." Emilie said in a sad tone "I can't leave this place for a week the kids would destroy it and Mitch would never let me."

"Does he have to know?"

"He's the owner Jeff and my boss, he's gonna find out. What if he calls or stops by."

"Pretend you're in the bathroom."

"For a week?"

"You'd be surprised what some bad Chinese food can do to ya." Jeff joked "But really all kidding aside...I miss you."

Emilie could tell by his tone that he meant it. It made her heart melt. She wanted so badly to be with him. To be held in his strong safe arms, to kiss his perfectly shaped lips, to run her hand through his brightly colored hair.

"I miss you too."

"I gotta leave for the arena. The house show starts at 7:30."

"Alright I'll talk to you later."

"Think about what I say."

"I will Jeff."

"Bye Em."

"Bye."