“Don’t be sorry. I just don’t want to lose control, and you had me awfully close just now. We should...uh...talk this out before we do anything.”

He tried to focus on her concerns, and not the quick shot of joy at the idea that she’d almost lost control at his touch. But first—talk.

“I’ll just retreat back to my side of the worktable.” He walked to his usual seat, putting the table securely between them. They were friends first. She needed normal. And he probably did, too. He tapped his fingers on the table with a grin. “Where’s my cup? And a corkscrew?”

Zoey’s shoulders eased. “Coming right up.” She slid the corkscrew across the table and turned to get the cups from the cupboard. “So how was your day?”

This was their shop night comfort zone. This felt like...home. This was what they had to preserve, no matter what.

“Well, tweetheart, it was fine.” He poured the wine. “I actually had a real estate closing that did not include tears or yelling. I always consider that a win.”

Lord knew he’d had his share of stressful closings. Large money transactions did not always bring out the best in people. And some considered themselves a lot better at negotiating than they actually were. He remembered his stop at the town offices.

“Hey, you haven’t heard any more from the Schiff woman about the zoning thing, have you?”

“No. Why?”

“I figured she was just yapping without intending to do anything.” He drank some wine, mentally crossing his fingers. “She was all talk.”

“Let’s hope so. I don’t need the hassle. You don’t think she has any chance of actually causing trouble, do you?” He didn’t answer right away, and Zoey picked up on it. “Mike?”

He sighed. “I haven’t done a deep dive, but your dad fought the town about zoning—and won—thirty years ago.”

“That’s good, right?” Zoey studied his face. “If he won?”

“What he won was an argument that this was not commercial property. He didn’t want to pay commercial property taxes or deal with commercial zoning requirements.” He paused, then saw her crestfallen expression. “But that doesn’t necessarily prevent a private enterprise or workshop from being on the property. Rob argued that he didn’t have a storefront here, which is true. Just because someone’s self-employed doesn’t make their home a commercial property.” He frowned. “But the fact that he fought being called a business could...complicate things if we try to claim it’s grandfathered as a business. That’s only if your neighbor gets serious about her threat, which she probably never will. So please don’t lose any sleep over it, okay?”