He hadn’t seen her yet, but at the sound of her voice, his head whipped up. Oh no, she’d genuinely alarmed him. Eiko was still watching the departing Maya, so Eve shot him a quick wink. His expression relaxed.

“There’s a…” What? She cast her mind around for a plausible story. “…mermaid emergency,” she finished lamely.

“If you’ll excuse me.” He tipped an imaginary hat at Eiko. “Enjoy the festival.”

He closed the distance between them, and he was clearly working hard not to laugh. Her heart did a fluttery thing.

He led them quickly and purposefully through the crowd, with a posture and at a pace that allowed him to return the greetings everyone lobbed at him without getting drawn into conversations. The way he could manipulate the crowd like that was impressive.

His phone rang as they entered the kitchen.

“Joel,” he said. “What’s up?” There was a pause while he listened. “I’m at the Mermaid Inn.” Another pause. “For what? Something legit, or something designed to trick me into being in the auction?” He scratched his beard absently. What was it about that beard that was so compelling? It was just hair. On a face. It was just—

He glanced at her, and she realized her mouth was hanging open. She turned and straightened some pie boxes that did not need straightening.

“Yeah, well,” he said, “if it’s Karl asking, I highly doubt it’s legit.” Another pause. “I’m busy.” Pause. “A mermaid emergency,” he said without missing a beat. His deadpan delivery cracked her up. She turned to him, and he winked. “I’m going to be a while. Handle Karl, will you?” Pause. “Yeah. Yeah. Okay.”

He set his phone on the kitchen island and blew out a breath.

“It’s hard out there for an eligible and gainfully employed gentleman, eh?”

He chuckled. “You know how Maya’s nicknamed this town Matchmaker Bay?” She nodded. “This is like Christmas Day for the matchmakers. It’s their biggest day of the year.” He looked around. “Thank you for rescuing me. Again.”

“No problem. That’s what not not-friends are for.”

He shot her a grin. “No chance of an upgrade to friends?”

“Nope,” she teased, though in truth they had kind of spontaneously upgraded. She thought about the last few weeks, about him coming over after long policing shifts to paint the dining room. About his sister coming out. About how Eve had, without really meaning to, knit herself back into the lives of the Collins siblings.

It was weird. But nice. Also a tiny bit awkward.

Okay, it was a lot awkward.

Things had never been awkward in the old days. But now, whenever they found themselves alone, she usually ended up feeling really…cringey.

Ways Being Friends with Sawyer Collins
Was Super Awkward

1. Friends don’t get caught staring slack-jawed at friends’ beards while getting the tinglies.