Crushing this

I've always had crushes. In the 1970s, I was that teenager with centerfolds on my bedroom walls. Teen Beat was my jam and where my money was spent. I had mad love for Shaun Cassidy, Lance Kerwin, and Parker Stevenson.

In the 1980s, it was sports figures from our local college basketball team and the Pittsburgh Steelers and Tom Selleck. And that's also when I began to spend money on Harlequin Romance books.

By the 1990s, I'd moved to Florida and that phase of collecting crush pictures and displaying them went to the wayside. Instead, my walls were adorned with pictures of my family and friends. Then came the husband and two children and all of that worshipping of men and women I didn't know left me...

Or not. 

One of the things I truly love about this new romance writing career is that I am not alone in my outside reality love interests. In the writing groups, there is plenty of talk of crushes and who brings us inspiration. Most of the authors have hot men or women as their phone screen savers, and without fail, there is always talk of romantic television shows and the characters and actors who portray them. Suddenly, I'm no longer alone! Who cares if my desk is full of Jason photos? 

Tom: "Yeah, you have too many of those."

This summer, I began bingeing Lucifer on Netflix. Darcy watched this show years ago. Tom watched season one last year. I've seen bits and pieces through their viewing, but it took my car salesman to tell me I really needed to check it out for that to happen.

HOLY HOTNESS ALERT!! 

The lead? Tom Ellis? Where has this man been all of my life? Aiyiyi! Even now, I'm fanning myself. Move over, Jason Momoa! (Not too far, though, boo, you're still in my top three.)

I'm not sure how the show got past Fox's sensors for three years because it is sexy. When Fox abruptly canceled it, viewers began a save-the-show campaign, and Netflix picked it up. God bless Netflix. Because the difference from cable to streaming? Yum! I've currently finished season four. That's where Darcy left off, so the two of us started from the beginning so she could reacquaint with the show before we start season five. Season six, the final season, begins in September. 

Darcy: "I told you it was a show for you."

Yep, so right she was! 

Every time my friend texts me in the evening, I'm watching the show. When I took care of her dog for several overnighters, I ran through multiple episodes, texting her photos of Netflix's version of Lucifer without clothes. Uh-huh. God bless Netflix!

When my friend returned from vacation, she and her daughter brought me this gift.

I laughed so hard. Tom and Madison rolled their eyes.

Darcy: "Oh. My. God!"

This past week we had our writer's meeting, and without any prompting from me, Lucifer was brought up. I later texted a photo of my gift to one of the women and told her it was my gift for watching my friend's dog.

Her: "I'll watch her dog!"

Isn't it crazy? Suddenly, I'm right where I should be. With people who understand me. 

Never give up your dream. I've heard that forever. I'm a believer now.