"Out to dinner, huh?" I looked up at him as he stared back down at me. "Where did you have in mind?"

"I think he should cook." Jon looked over. "He is an amazing cook Serafina, you would not believe that a big man like him would cook this good."

"Hey we all have our strengths man. Joe's a good cook, for lunch and dinner. I'm good at breakfast, and you were probably a bartender in another life." Colby ruffled Jon's hair as Joe wrapped an arm around both of them.

"Well, I'm pretty good at dessert if you really want to cook." I answered still not looking away from the three men in front of me.

"Would you mind sharing your house with us for a lovely dinner?" Joe asked like he was calling my bluff.

"It's an apartment but you are more than welcome to come use my kitchen." I smiled at them. I pulled away from the table and walked to the front. I grabbed a notepad from beside Marie at the desk. I quickly scribbled down my address. "The store closes at five and I'm normally home by seven. If I'm not there I'm here. I give you permission to come get me."

"And believe me that I would come get you and enjoy bringing you home." Joe eyed me as he walked by.

Colby patted my shoulder and smiled at Marie on his way out. Jon actually stopped beside me. "We will be at your house at seven." He told me as he dipped his head and laid a gentle kiss on the top of my head.

I looked over at Marie and saw her wide eyed as the door closed. "Sera are you going to be able to swim in this situation?"

I looked at the door then her. "I get the feeling even if I have trouble they might help me." I tilted my head and shrugged my shoulders as I walked back to the work room.

"Sera, I have a few messages for you." Marie said as she followed me.

"So give them to me." I answered as I grabbed the hand carved wooden hilt with a stainless steel guard and a steel beam used to seat it inside the blade.

I tapped the semi hardened metal in the mold. "Mr. Holfman wants to know if you got his order. I saw that you had and told him yes."

"Oh good, thanks for that." I slowly lowered the hilt into the blade that had been poured earlier.

"Your Dad called and wanted to know how the meeting went." She said quickly and quietly.

I just grunted at her as I made sure the hilt would dry securely into the blade.

"Yeah I figured you wouldn't want to talk to him. I told him it was okay." She put her hand over her belly as she backed up a bit. "The last one was Tomas."

Now I know why she backed up. "What the fuck did he want?" It came out as a growl.

"He wanted to speak to you, he said he made a terrible mistake and he wanted to make it right." She looked at me as I rooted around for a sketchbook. "I told him you didn't want to speak with him."

"Good, I don't want to. If he calls again ignore it, please." I added, my voice cracked.

Marie came up and handed me a new set of graphite pencils for me to use. She wrapped her arms around my shoulders and squeezed. "You don't need him and you sure shouldn't cry over him."

"I gave him two years of my life Marie." I started.

"And he doesn't deserve any more." She stated before walking from the room.

I smiled as I looked down at a design I had started to doodle and noticed that it looked like the tattoo that had been peeking out of Joe's shirt. The next few hours were spent drawing things that I wanted to make and working with the few projects that were being worked on. Marie didn't answer any phone calls even though the phone rang every 20 minutes like clockwork. I was shaking an hour before the shop was supposed to close. I had had enough. "Marie, lets go home. I've got no appointments for today or the next three days. Let's just go."

I gathered my sketchbook and coat and walked with Marie to the door. I flicked the lights off and shut the door. As I locked it I heard the phone start ringing again.

I made it home in 10 minutes and started to prepare the dessert that I was making. I finished making it at six and decided to get a shower and changed. Not into anything really nice. Just an okay pair of jeans and a red low cut 3/4 sleeve-shirt. I heard a knock on the door and looked at the clock. It was three to seven. I quickly braided my wet hair and went to get the door.

I opened it without looking through the peephole, big mistake. "Sera, can we talk?" It was Tomas.

I heard the elevator for the building ding and saw that my guests for the evening had arrived. "No, Tomas, we can't."

I leaned against the door jam blocking entry into my apartment. "Come on, Sera. I know I screwed up but it doesn't mean that we can't work through this."

"Yes, yes it does, there is no working through your fuck up. It is not fixable. Now you need to leave." I growled out at him.

He reached out and gripped my arm hard. "Now Sera, you don't really want to make me leave do you?"

My eyes flicked up to meet Jon's and I found strength in his glare towards Tomas. "Yes I really do."

"Now let's-

"Is there a problem here?" Joe's deep voice rang out in the hall.

Tomas turned and paled then froze. "No, no problem, for you to be concerned with."