When Anja didn’t answer, Miri did it for her. “Two years ago!”

Two years, three months, and a couple of days. Not that she was counting or anything.

“And I know it’s not because you’re still hung up on your ex. You’re just too chickenshit to get involved with someone new and potentially get hurt.”

“Hey!” As they paused at the intersection where they had to go separate ways, Anja nudged her. “I’m not chickenshit. I’m…risk-averse. But I’m working on it, okay? I’ll have you know that I went all the way up the observation tower earlier.”

Miri dropped Gino’s leash and then bent to pick it up. “What? Last time I wanted to drag you up there, you said even wild horses couldn’t get you on that thing!”

Heat crept up Anja’s neck. “There were no horses involved.”

Miri gave her a knowing look. “Just one business consultant who’s just as hot as her sister.”

“It wasn’t like that. She just encouraged me, and she was with me every step of the way, so climbing the tower wasn’t as scary.”

“So I take it you don’t think she’s an ass anymore?”

It was hard to believe that she’d ever thought that, but Susanne hadn’t exactly been on her best behavior at first. “No. She’s not an ass.” She held up her hand. “But that doesn’t mean I want to get involved with her.”

“If she’s even half the kisser her sister is, you don’t know what you’re missing.”

“Miriam.” Anja growled.

“Okay, okay. Suit yourself. But you’ll join us tomorrow morning, right? Franzi invited us to have brunch with her and Susanne.”

Anja loved brunch, but she needed to use Sunday to get her equilibrium back before the workweek started and she would once again spend her days and most of her evenings huddled close in front of a laptop with Susanne. “No. I’m not going. I promised myself I’d start going swimming on Sunday mornings again.”

“Come on. You can start up swimming next week.”

“You were the one who said I have to get out more, meet new people, so I signed up for water volleyball after I swim my laps.”

Miri sighed. “Are you sure you don’t want to postpone that and have brunch with us instead? Poor Susanne will sit there like an idiot while Franzi and I stare into each other’s eyes.”

The thought of Susanne feeling ignored and neglected almost made her give in, but then she strengthened her resolve. “No, thanks. You go have brunch; I’ll go swimming.” At least while she was swimming laps, she’d stop thinking about that moment up on the observation tower and imagining what might have happened if they hadn’t been interrupted.