“You know how this town is. If anyone knows, everyone knows. At least for now... Hazel can’t know I’m with you. With anyone. She thinks I’m totally single, and she wants me to stay that way.”

“Is that realistic?”

“It has to be. At least for now.” She gave a slight shrug. “She needs at least one home that’s stable, and this is that home.”

They stared at each other. Mike sat up, and she felt their moment coming to an end. She moved to get out of bed, but he took her arm.

“I get it. That doesn’t mean I like it.” He sighed. “But I can handle being your dirty little secret.” He gave her a reassuring smile. “We’re getting ahead of ourselves anyway. Last night was...impulsive. Let’s figure out what’s real, where we are and where we’re headed before we worry about going public.” He gave her another sneak-attack kiss. “I promise to behave outside this room. In here, all bets are off.”

She normally loved his pragmatic approach to things. But this wasn’t quite that simple.

“Hazel’s room is right across the hall.” She felt the same disappointment she saw in his eyes, but his expression brightened again.

“I have a house, too, remember?”

“I can’t leave a thirteen-year-old home alone all night.”

“I’m just saying that if we decide to play chemistry class again...” He winked and she couldn’t help but giggle. “I’m betting we can be creative. Keeping this on the down low might even be fun.”

“Fun? But...” Her voice trailed off.

She was a forty-year-old single mom of a teenager. She was a struggling business owner. She was trying to bring this big old house into the twenty-first century. She was constantly exhausted and borderline broke.

And yet—bad idea or not—the thought of sneaking around to have secret sex with Mike McKinnon sounded like the best idea ever.

VICKIE DID HER best to focus on the conversations swirling around her on the porch of the Taggart Inn. Iris Taggart served afternoon tea there in the warmer months, and it had become a gathering place for locals as well as guests. The main topic of conversation today was the big storm over the past weekend. The town had lost a few of its beautiful trees, and many people had been without power for a day or two, but things were getting back to normal.

The marina had suffered some minor damage to boats and docks. Some of the area wineries had been hit hard, but not as badly as those on the opposite side of Seneca Lake. Her friends at the table—Maura, Cecile and Rick—had fared well, as had Vickie. She’d spent the storm with the Nelsons, but other than some branches down and her dock being pushed sideways, her property was fine.