When We Heart You! Magazine last chatted with Henry Auttenberg and Marc Winnamore, they’d just been rescued from the side of the road in upstate New York where they’d spent six hours trapped in a rental car during the Christmas Eve blizzard. Five months later, they’re living together in Boston. Aw! I love a happy ever after.
*Henry and Marc look at each other, and away, both a little pink-cheeked*
WHY: I understand you had another couple of interesting dates between then and now.
Henry: You could say that.
Marc: Life is supposed to be interesting!
Henry: Isn’t there some Chinese curse about life being interesting?
Marc: You know, a curse is just an exercise in different thinking.
Henry: I’m not even going to touch that.
WHY: *looks a little baffled*
Henry: *nudging Marc* Let’s talk about our interesting dates.
Marc: I’ll take karaoke and you can take the laundry.
WHY: Did you say laundry?
Henry: I guess I’m starting. So, um, our first actual date was supposed to be a colleague’s New Year’s Eve party.
WHY: Supposed to be…
Henry: At midnight we were—
Marc: *elbows Henry*
Henry: What?
Marc: Ah, sorry, I was, um, adjusting my… *fiddles with shirt buttons* Midnight we were watching the ball drop, right? On that little TV?
Henry: One of us was watching a ball.
Marc: Seriously? You’re going there?
Henry: *blushing* No, but I’m surprised you don’t want to.
WHY: Well this sounds good.
Henry: *grins* It was very, very good.
WHY: New Year’s Eve in the laundry room, huh? So, I’m guessing privacy meant you two were making fireworks of your own.
Marc: For the love of… This is like Freaky Friday or something.
Henry: We were stuck, that was all. No fireworks, no champagne, just a laundry room in the basement of a building in Boston. Nice view of the harbor. From upstairs. After we got out.
Marc: We were rescued. Again.
WHY: I’m glad to hear it. So being stuck together a second time doesn’t seem to have had any ill effect on your relationship.
Marc: I’d say the opposite. Henry’s not normally a big talker, but he didn’t have much choice once he was locked in a room with me.
WHY: Sounds like a great way to get to know someone.
Henry: Everyone bonds during an apocalypse. After they’ve picked off the weak.
Marc: *kisses Henry’s temple* There you are.
WHY: So what happened after the laundry?
Marc: A whole lot of nothing, actually. We both travel a lot for work.
Henry: We got stuck in a lot of hotel rooms, separately.
Marc: You nearly got stuck to a lamppost.
Henry: *mumbles*
WHY: Tell us about it!
Henry: Why don’t we move on to karaoke?
WHY: Don’t tell me you two got stuck in a karaoke bar!
Marc: No locked doors, no hostage situations, no snow.
WHY: You’ve been in a hostage situation!
Marc: What? No. I was just… Never mind. So, karaoke. That might have been our first actual date.
Henry: *slow smile* You know, I think it was. Well, not first first. But our first normal date. Why didn’t we make a bigger deal about it at the time?
Marc: I’m glad we didn’t. We deserved some normal by then.
Henry: Heck, yes.
Marc: So, ah, we sang. That’s about it. Nothing really interesting. *grins* Until afterward.
Henry: *grins* When we watched TV?
Marc: Yeah, that.
WHY: Aw, look at you two. So cute! You even have your own weird euphemisms. Now that you’re living together, I bet you watch a lot of TV.
Henry: *frowning* Ah…
Marc: Let’s just leave that as our own weird little euphemism, okay?
WHY: *coughs* Okay. So, ah, how is living together? Any plans to make your arrangement permanent?
Henry: I told you they were going to ask that.
Marc: You did.
WHY: We Heart Happy Ever Afters!
Marc: *takes Henry’s hand* So do I, and I’d be happily stuck with Henry for a long, long time.
Henry: *blushing furiously* Me too. With Marc.
Marc: Really?
Henry: *nods* *blushes some more*
Marc: *grins*
WHY: And that’s what we love to see. Thanks for talking with us today. We Heart You!
If you haven’t met Henry and Marc yet, visit the Counting page for series order, excerpts, and extras including free short stories linking the novellas!
Kelly Jensen 
I loved this book…and it’s sequel!
Thank you! ❤