“You remember that?” She stared in disbelief.

“Of course I do. When I first started you were making your way through Pride and Prejudice for your, I think twelfth time? And you told me you had studied English lit at Binghamton, and there’s that ‘Jane Austen is my homegirl’ bookmark pinned above your desk.”

When was the last time someone had taken the time to notice her? Notice things that mattered to her? She simply nodded, too touched to speak.

Finally she got her vocal cords working. “Well lucky for you, I’m a little rusty with board games since my daughter moved out. Plus, you have the upper hand when it comes to medical jargon. Talk about words with high point values!”

“Oh yeah.” He flashed a good-natured grin. “Look out! I’m coming for you with ‘colic,’ ‘asthma,’ and ‘varicella.’”

They settled in her living room, Dr. Dan sitting on the edge of her linen sofa and Renee cross-legged on the rug, with the board game spread across the coffee table.

“Sternutate?” Renee laughed half an hour into their game. “That is not a word!”

“It is, too!” Dr. Dan waggled his eyebrows. “It’s the official term for sneezing.”

“I don’t believe you.” She giggled, lunging for the dog-eared Scrabble dictionary.

He laughed, reaching for it and accidentally grabbing Renee’s hand. He held it gently before tightening his grip, interlacing his fingers with hers. His skin was rough, but warm…just as she dreamed it would be. She never wanted to let go.

They both went silent and the air between them crackled as if filled with invisible embers.

“Renee?” His voice was a rasp, a request for permission.

Her throat dried even as her palm grew damp. This was a moment where what she did mattered. If she played her cards right, he would come closer and touch her with those big hands in other, softer places. Their lips would meet and oh good God, she’d kiss him, she’d kiss Dr. Dan and— Brrrrrrrriiiiiiinnnnnng!

Cursed by the phone.

“Oh!” She fell back, her hand covering her mouth.

Dr. Dan cleared his throat and awkwardly rubbed his fingers up and down his thighs.

“Um, excuse me. Let me grab that.” She hurried to the phone in the other room, answering with a breathless, “Hello.”

“Are you okay?” Tansy immediately asked. “Were you on the elliptical?”

“What? No, why?” She’d been about to kiss a hot doctor. As much as she wanted to talk to her daughter, she wanted to know if he tasted as good as he looked.

“You sound out of breath. Hmm. Maybe you should start using it if you’re that out of shape.”

She frowned at her daughter’s unfamiliar sass. Who was this kid? “I actually gave that to your aunt Bree this fall.”

Dr. Dan had risen from the couch and was milling around her family room, examining each painting and photograph.

“Well, I was just calling because…” Tansy paused.

Renee could tell something was up. Had she bombed an exam? Or was there roommate trouble?