N: here's an update! I'm trying to figure out where to take this one, so be patient. I have a lot on my plate at work and trying to map out what's next in life. So these updates will be slow to come as i, well, enjoy summer and work on other things. Also, Revelry is a Decadence is now out on Amazon in hard copy and kindle format! It's a pretty fun story with Vampires, angels, and romance, and mystery. So head on over and take a gander! I'm also doing signed copies of the book if anyone is interested, just email me at sydney563a gmail and i'll get one in your hands! As always, thank you for your never ending support!

Read on! This chapter has 3 pov's and no, Tamsin isn't going to be a romantic interest at all in this story, so the guest who's concerned about that can relax. She's there to put them together...not get inbetween.

Bo

The soft chirp of my phones text tone woke me up from a nap I didn't know I was taking. I yawned and reached for my phone. There was empty take out containers spread all over the table, making me shake my head at how much I really did eat. It was definitely a meal for two. The TV was still on that one weird science reality channel I had a secret addiction for. A couple of naked idiots were traipsing about the jungle, bickering over who could make fire first. I chuckled and unlocked my phone, yawning again. It was late, well late for me, a half past eleven and I was debating crawling into bed and calling it night.

I scrolled through a couple of texts from my friends, one from my aunt, and two from an unknown number. I squinted at the number, trying to remember who I'd forgotten to import over when I got a new phone. Finally, I went with the ubiquitous, -Who is this? I got a new phone.-

-You missed last call on the drunken noodles, Bo. D. This is Lauren…-

I shot up straight, clutching the phone. I frowned when I saw I slept past close, and slept past meeting Lauren for drinks. "Shit." I shook my head as I pounded out a reply.

-Blame the rangoons, they sent me into a blissful state of relaxation. I passed out on the couch.- I hit send and scrambled to save the night. I really wanted to see Lauren again, and not behind the counter at Pho-tastic handing me my usual ten pound carry out order. -You still at the brown jug? I can be there in fifteen minutes.- I stood up, brushing off crumbs on my jeans, and walked to my bedroom to change. The last thing I wanted to do was show Lauren how sad my life really was. Rangoon crumbs on my jeans, and plum sauce stains on my shirt.

My phone beeped as I stood in front of my closet.

-I left five minutes ago for home. The place is full of rowdy frat boys, my least favorite thing about campus.-

I felt my shoulders sag. I screwed this up already. I leaned against the wall, desperately thinking of what I could suggest us to do. It wasn't super late, but all that was open was bars at this hour, and all of them would be full of frat boys, sorority girls, and freshman. I frowned when my mind went blank. It'd been far too long since I'd gone on date, I had nothing. I sighed and started typing.

-Yeah I hear ya. Frat boys I won't miss when I graduate. I'm sorry that I missed you, I really wanted to talk to you.- I rolled my eyes, I had no suave.

I waited a few seconds, before giving up. I'd screwed up big time, Lauren saw how lame I was and hopefully she'd ghost on me and I could forget this whole silly instant crush I felt looking in her eyes. I set my phone on the edge of the dresser and went about digging for my pajamas. I would call it a night for sure now. Go hide under my covers and sleep off these feelings, avoid Pho-tastic for a couple of weeks and then go back to business as usual. "Yeah, business as usual. Lonely Bo business." I was never going to find someone, it was inevitable now. I wasn't in the right head space to latch onto a crush and cultivate it. No matter how hard cupid was prowling tonight, it just wasn't meant to be.

XXXX

Lauren

I stared at my phone, trying to build up the courage to reply to Bo, when Tamsin, my new co-worker shoved me. "Tell her to come walk in the snow with you. I hear girls think that's a romantic thing." Her gruff tone had me shaking my head. The girl was nice, but nosy. Super nosy at times.

I looked up at the clear night sky. "Tamsin, there's not a cloud in the sky. Plus, it sounds like Bo isn't interested." I held up the phone to show our conversation. "You can read between the lines, it's clear. Not interested."

Tamsin sighed, "Snow is definitely needed, you're hopeless my dear girl." She snapped her fingers before grabbing my phone to text Bo. "You young kids are so clueless these days. I blame technology for taking the human factor out of everything." She rolled her eyes as she dictated what she was typing, "Hey Bo D. The diner over on the quad is open all night. Can I interest you in a slice of peach pie and some coffee? Peach pie is good for a Rangoon hangover." Tamsin handed the phone back to me before I could yell at her for breaching my personal space. "Ask Bo when you're done with coffee to walk with you in the snow." She stepped back, winking at me. "I'll see you tomorrow, if you're date goes well, you owe me."

I groaned. "Tamsin, it's not snowing. And this isn't a date." I went to make another comment when my phone vibrated with Bo's answer.

-I'll be there in five minutes.-

Tamsin laughed holding her hands up in victory. "Wrong on both accounts, my dear Lauren." She tilted her chin up to the sky, large snowflakes falling from the sky. "Go get 'em tiger." She pointed at me, mumbling something about this was going to be easier than stealing Aries thunder. I just shook my head at the strange girl, and replied that I would meet Bo at the diner, and tucked the phone back into my coat.

I turned to head towards the diner, and took in a deep breath of the cold air. I shivered, not from the cold, but from nerves. I was nervous to see Bo, and had no idea what drove me to ask the girl out on the spot. I was never bold, forward, or courageous when it came to dating. Or love for that fact. Love was a mystery I had yet to solve, and I was beginning to think it wasn't going to be a part of my story. Sure, I dated, had relationships, and the occasional one night stand in my sophomore year. But anything real, it was a curious anomaly to me.

I dug my hands deeper into my pockets as the snow began to fall in thicker flakes. I had no ambition in the relationship department, it was one of my character flaws. Maybe it was that most of my relationships fell apart for one reason or another, or it could've been I didn't have a shining example in my life to learn from. Having divorced parents who despised each other, didn't leave a healthy impression on me in the romance part of my education. Did I want to love? Yes. Did I want to fall into a sweeping love that made me feel like I was in a cheesy movie? Oh god yes. Did I know how to make it happen? Hell no.

My last girlfriend broke up with me, using the excuse that I was as effective in a relationship as much as algebra was useful to a fisherman. It was a strange analogy, it confused me but I understood that I sucked to be with as much as it sucked taking algebra in high school. I hated algebra.

I sighed as I walked around the corner to the diner. Thank God I'd taken that internship in Italy this coming summer. I would be off in Florence, Rome, and a few small towns to learn how to make pasta and wine. It was my chance to escape what I knew, and maybe I could escape myself and figure out the one piece of my life that was still a mystery. Italians knew how to fall in love using their food as a tool, maybe I would fall in love there. Or just gain a thousand pounds from eating pasta every day and not have to worry about finding love.

I looked up as the diner came into view, and smiled as I saw Bo standing outside shuffling her feet as the snow began to collect on the ground. I walked closer, staring at the woman, and the closer I got the more beautiful she became. She was cute in the restaurant, fidgeting with the menu, blushing about the large amount of food she took home. But now, as she stood outside the old metal diner, her cheeks pink from the cold air, large white snowflakes falling in her dark brown hair, she was incredible and I felt my heart wiggle in my chest.

Bo D. was stunning and for a millisecond, I wondered. I wondered if… I shook my head as I took a few more steps. Don't jump the gun, Lauren. It's just coffee and making a new friend. I smiled as I called out Bo's name. "Hey there Bo D. Sorry if I'm a bit late."

Bo turned at the sound of my voice, her eyes locking on mine as the biggest grin fell across her face. "You're not late, I'm early." She absently waved a hand behind her. "My apartment is right there. Took me a whole two minutes to get down here." She cleared her throat, her cheeks turning a brighter pink. She was nervous and it was the cutest thing I'd seen in a long time. "Um… you want to go inside before we get covered in snow?" She waved her hand around again. "I swear the weather said it wasn't going to snow today."

I glanced up at the sky. "It's Michigan, the weather has a mind of its own." I walked towards the diner door, pulling it open for Bo to walk in first, sighing internally at the sight of a dimple in that big grin of hers. Bo was adorable, and making my hands itch. I swallowed hard, waving Bo to go in first. "The peach pie is really good here."

Bo chuckled and walked in, nodding. "It is. So is the pumpkin pie, the apple pie, and the coney dogs." She waited for me to walk next to her before she chose a booth in the back. "I come here a lot when I have late night projects. I'm a hopeless fool in the kitchen department."

I slid in across from Bo, setting my coat next to me. "I come here a lot when I want to be a hopeless fool in the kitchen."

I smiled as a waitress came over. "Hey Lauren, the usual?" I nodded yes and laughed as she then turned to Bo. "Same for you, Bo? Pie and coffee with extra whip cream?"

Bo sheepishly nodded and leaned back in the booth. "Can that get anymore awkward?" She pulled her coat off, revealing that she was wearing a shirt with a faded band logo on it. It was the logo of my favorite band, matter of fact, I had the exact same shirt in my closet back at my apartment. But Bo looked a million times better in it than I ever would. I let my stare move over Bo's features. The woman was beautiful, and why hadn't I ever noticed her in the restaurant before? She was a regular. Came in the same time every week, but I never saw her. The only reason I saw her was because Tamsin annoyingly forced me to do carry out orders while she went to the bathroom. I smiled as I tilted my head away from Bo before she caught me staring, I would have to thank Tamsin tomorrow. I picked up the napkin on the table, opting to start up conversation with Bo. "What's so awkward about the waitress who's probably worked her for forty years, knowing both of us?"

Bo laughed, shaking her head. "It's not that. Sheryl knows everyone on campus. Memorizes their order year after year, I think that's why we all love this diner. It's easy and feels like home." She moved as Sheryl set down two cups of coffee and disappeared. "What's awkward is that I've barely known you a day and you've already been exposed to my horrible, lazy eating habits." Bo poured some cream into her coffee. "If we go out again, it'll have to be outside the campus. Everyone knows me in all of the restaurants as a regular." She suddenly froze when she caught her words, and looked up at me with big brown eyes. "I mean… if… uh." She shook her head. "I'm not good at this…"

I laughed, "I can tell." I loved that Bo was more nervous than I was, it made me settle down and find my confidence. I leaned forward. "I'm not good at this either, so let's be terrible at this together." I grinned when Bo eased up at my joke and laughed.

I sat back, reaching for my cup of coffee. "So, since we got the do you come here often out of the way, what's your major?"

Bo chuckled. "That's better than what's your sign." She leaned her elbows on the table, "I'm majoring in photojournalism, with a minor in medieval history." Bo shrugged. "I know, two completely different things, but two things I love. I have ideas of being the next great journalist, mixed with moving to England and being a boring old history professor in a castle." She looked up at me, pausing as her eyes searched my soul. I felt that small shiver trail down my back the longer she looked at me. "Needless to say, I have no idea what I want to be when I grow up."

I laughed, nodding. "Does any of us really know?" I clutched my coffee cup with both hands, trying to sting out the shiver Bo sent in me. "I wanted to be the Swedish chef when I was a kid, now I'm slopping noodles around waiting for Italy to change me." I glanced at Bo, her face softening with concern. There was something about this woman that made me feel like I was safe, home, and it frightened me. I knew I already liked Bo, and it went past the physical attraction.

"Italy to change you? That's very cryptic." Bo smiled softly. "And you're not slopping noodles. You're going to be an incredible chef one day." She reached across the table, laying a hand on my forearm. "Kai messaged me, asking me how I liked the rangoons, since you made them." She squeezed lightly before pulling her hand back. "They were incredible Lauren."

I blushed at the compliment, grateful Sheryl had arrived with my pumpkin pie, and peach pie for Bo. I cut off a large chunk with a fork. "Thank you. It's a new recipe I'm trying out. I reworked the chemical formula of how the lobster meat mingles with cream cheese to reach all of the tastes on a person's palate." I rolled my eyes. "It's food science, boring as regular science." I took a bite of the pie. "I can make you some more when you come in, just tell me what you want, and I'll give it to you."

The look in Bo's eyes had me swallowing the pie hard. It was a flicker of promises yet to come, and I knew I was falling into a pit I wouldn't want to crawl out of. I waved a nervous hand at Bo's peach pie. "Is it good today?"

Bo nodded, taking another bite. "Especially good today, but I think that might be the company I'm in."

I swallowed hard once more, tipping my head down to look at the plate and I began to wonder. Wonder about Bo and if cupid was aiming right at me.

Tamsin

Yes, I was aiming right at our dear Lauren's heart. I even fired a few shots off as the flirting increased, sitting on top of the cold gross dumpster, watching our two befuddled fools fumble around their hearts. See, I thought I had this locked up. I even made it snow for them, and I hate snow and cold. I was pretty damn sure I'd have this case sealed up in a week. More so when these two idiots had their romantic walk in the snow back to Bo's apartment. Full of pie, coffee, flirting hopes, and the spark of love kindling deep in the toes.

Because next chapter, I'll let you know if you're right or wrong, but I'll give you a clue. This wasn't the easiest of cases I'd ever taken on, it was a bitch of a case that had me contemplating retirement near the end. But! I've never failed, so take that to the bank with you as you join me on this journey. They fall in love, I'll let you have that to sleep better at night, but it was one hell of a bumpy ass road that hurt my ass to ride. Before we shift to chapter two of this story, let's finish their first date and I let you look in on that incredible moment and I'll let you come up with your own thoughts of how this all went down, and what's to come.

I need to take a hot shower, I still feel dirty from sitting on that dumpster.

Bo

"Wow, it's almost two in the morning. I have an eight am class." I cringed looking at my phone. Lauren and I had been talking for hours over coffee and pie. The initial nerves fell away around the third cup and there was an ease between us I'd never experienced before. Lauren was warm when the cool guard she had up fell away. She was intelligent, witty, funny, and holy hell was she attractive. She talked with her hands when she was excited, she smiled whenever she looked in my eyes before looking away and playing with the edge of her plate, and more than anything, she was kind. She had a kind heart and it warmed mine. This woman was incredible and I hated that I did have a morning class I couldn't miss, or I would've sat her with her until the end of time.

Lauren sat up straight, waving for the waitress to bring the bill. "Oh gosh, I'm so sorry Bo. I tend to talk and talk when I'm in a good mood." She handed Sheryl a few bills, waving me off when I tried to give her money. "You can pay when we go out again." Lauren stood up, grabbing her coat with a grin. "Yes, I'm asking you out again." She slid her arms in the coat as I stood up, the nerves flooding my stomach.

"Are you sure? I mean I rambled about my high school years, my favorite band, how much I love those naked and petrified shows." I yanked my coat on, suddenly sad that I was going to be parting ways with this woman. "Shouldn't I be asking you out? Isn't that protocol?"

Lauren chuckled, pulling on a knit cap and shaking her head. "There's no protocol other than you saying yes, or no, to going out with me." She slowly met my eyes, "Bo D. would you like to go out with me again?"

I sighed, well my heart sighed, and I nodded. "Yes. And my name is Bo Dennis." I held out my hand for her to take. She took it, squeezing as her warm palm met mine. "And my name is Lauren Lewis. It's been a pleasure." Lauren laughed at the silliness of the both of us forgoing the basics.

I wanted to hold her hand forever, I wanted to tug her into a hug and feel if she was as warm as she looked. I wanted to do so much, but instead I let go of her hand and buttoned up my coat. I turned to look outside, the snow had covered everything in a heavy white blanket. "Wow, it really came down."

Lauren looked over, "It certainly did."

I pulled out my phone, "I can get you a taxi if it's too far to walk in the snow. I shouldn't have kept you out so late." I was feeling stupid and sheepish.

"How about I walk you home first, Bo. Then I can catch a ride." She met my eyes. "Someone once told me walking in the snow is romantic, I didn't believe her since I've never done it." Lauren's voice had dropped, "Can I walk you home?"

I grinned and nodded, "Yes you can." I linked my arm around hers and guided her towards the door.

The second we were outside, the night felt perfect. It was cold, but not too cold. The snow was falling lightly, and there wasn't so much on the ground that it would be a slog of a walk. I leaned into Lauren, sighing like a fool at how warm she was. I pointed to the apartment building in the near distance. "I'm right over there."

Lauren nodded, pulling me closer into her side as we started to walk.

The first few steps were in silence before I finally spoke up as my front door came into view. "Lauren, thank you for this. The coffee and pie, and everything." I smiled at all the little things I shared with Lauren, that I never shared with most anymore these days. "It's been awhile since I had this much fun on a …" I couldn't say it. I was afraid if I said date, it would screw things up.

"On a date, Bo." Lauren's voice was soft. "This was the best date I've had in a really long time." She glanced down at me, her eyes roaming over my face. "I'm really glad Tamsin stuck me on carry out today."

I grinned, moving to my hand down Lauren's arm to find hers. "Me too." I looked at her lips, an overwhelming urge to kiss her washed over me. I had to gasp at the sensation, I'd never had that feeling with anyone before, not even my first true love. I turned away and pointed at my front door that was now right in front of us. I reluctantly moved away from Lauren, digging in my pocket for my keys. "I'll text you later, about maybe going out this weekend?" I frowned as I had to let go of the woman to find stupid keys.

I sighed hard when I found them, holding them up. "So, good night? Or good morning? I don't know what's the correct one at this time of night."

Lauren laughed, "Technically it's morning."

"Right, right, well I better get to bed and try to get some sleep." I fidgeted with the keys, the air was tense and I knew that I should probably hug her, or maybe kiss her. I really wanted to kiss her, but I wasn't good at these things. "Okay, um, good night then."

I turned to unlock my door when I felt a warm hand on the side of my face, I looked up to see Lauren smiling at me as she leaned forward and kissed me softly. I melted into the kiss as her lips were the softest I'd ever known in my life, and crud did she smell good. Like noodles and heaven. I laid a hand on her wrist as I kissed her back, my heart thundering with every second. After a few moments, Lauren leaned back, breaking off the kiss and licking her lips. "Thank you for tonight, Bo. I can't wait to hear from you later." She ran her thumb over my cheek, smiling as she stepped back. "Sleep well."

I nodded like a bobble head, still woozy from the kiss. "Yup. I will." I licked my lips, savoring the taste of Lauren as I watched her back up with a grin on her face, wave and then turn to walk off into the snowy night. I let out a huge sappy sigh and leaned against my front door, holy shit was that romantic and I could feel myself being swept up in the emotions Lauren made me feel.

After collecting myself, I fumbled with my keys and unlocked the door. I ran up the steps to my apartment and started laughing with joy as I fell onto my bed, running fingers over my lips. There was no way I was going to sleep tonight, I was too wired. I shook my head and rolled over to set my alarm, when my phone beeped.

I grabbed it, and grinned wider when I read the text from Lauren.

-I couldn't wait to hear from you, I'll be thinking about you all night, Bo. So much so, I decided to walk back home so I can savor the night. Call me when you're done with class tomorrow.-

I giggled and sent a cheesy me too with an even cheesier smiley face, then buried my face in my pillows. Cupid had struck and I didn't care how silly that sounded, I knew it was true and he sent me Lauren.

Tamsin

Why does everyone think cupid is a boy? I mean I can fight like a boy, but these boobs of mine certainly don't come on boys. Anyways, that's it for chapter one. Pretty good start don't you think? Yeah, well these two turn into giant pain in the asses as the snow falls thicker. God, I hate snow.