The Bad Boy Next Door

Frank had never cared for book signings, but he didn't let it show. These people, as annoying as they could sometimes be, bought his book, and therefore allowed for him to have a comfortable life. And that's exactly what his life was. Comfortable. It wasn't exactly happy, but he didn't feel like he could really complain.

Frank smiled, patiently signing the book of every person who was there, even when he felt like his hand would fall off if he wrote his name one more time. Finally, the line was gone, and he could leave. He gathered his things, spoke to his agent briefly, and then walked towards the exit.

"I told you Charlotte was the killer. And Ellie and Jack are going to be quite happy together."

Frank froze. That voice… His ears had to be playing tricks on him. He turned slowly, then blinked at what he saw, afraid he'd fallen asleep during the signing, and he was dreaming. "Jo?" he asked softly.

"Hi."

"What…what are you doing here?"

"Do you believe in fate?" Jo asked, echoing the same question he'd asked her months before.

"Fate?"

"Yes-fate, destiny, whatever you want to call it.. See, a funny thing happened yesterday at breakfast. My divorce had just been finalized, and I was sitting there with my coffee and my bagel, and I was wondering, what am I going to do now that I'm no longer a married woman? So I open the paper, and there's an advertisement for this book signing right here, in this very bookstore, today. And I figured I have my answer."

"Your answer?"

"You. You're the answer to everything in my life. You're who I want to fall asleep next to every night and wake up next to every morning. You're who I want to laugh with, cry with, grow old with. I love you, Frankie. I love you more than I ever thought possible, and I can't be without you any longer. I want you, I need you-I love you."

Frank stared at her for a moment, trying to process what he'd just heard. "So you just come here and think you can win me back with sweet talk? I'm not just going to let you whack me back and forth like a rubber ball, you know."

Jo tried not to let her pain at his words show through. "I understand," she said, turning to walk away.

Frank quickly jumped in front of her, stopping her from walking off. "Clearly, you don't, because the whole 'rubber ball' thing was just a
smokescreen."

Jo sighed in relief. "Oh, thank god."

Frank moved closer, almost touching her, but not. "I don't know what I would've done if you'd walked away."

"I don't know what I would've done if you'd let me."

"So this is for real, then?" Frank asked. "This isn't you using me again-this is really you wanting me."

"Yes. This is real. We're real. I need you in my life."

"I need you in my life, too. I love you."

"I love you, too."

Frank smiled down at her, and Jo felt as if she could fly. "So, how are we going to work this out?" Frank asked. "I mean, I assume you're still in
good old Jersey, and I'm in L.A. these days, so…"

"Frank?"

"Hmm?"

"A mere difference in towns is not about to keep me away from you. Can't we sort through logistics later? Right now you have more important things to worry about."

"I do? Like what?"

"Like how badly I'm going to hurt you if you don't kiss me."

"Still the bossy little chicky, I see."

Jo put her hands on her hips. "You know, I asked a friend of mine what that meant, and it is not a very nice thing to call me."

Frank smirked. "Better make you forget I said it then."

Frank pulled Jo into his arms and kissed her for the first time.