“I’m thinking the same thing, Vickie.” Mary added. “I quizzed my brother and he denied it every time.”

Zoey tried to jump-start her words. “There’s nothing...” Oh, what was the point? “Okay, there is something, but...” She looked around the rooms, and Mary quickly reassured her.

“Hazel left a few minutes ago and busybody Katie is out on the swings. You can speak freely. And honestly, if you try real hard.”

“Okay, fine. Mike and I might be more than friends these days. We’ve added...benefits now. Satisfied?”

Mike straightened, finally regaining his voice. “No offense to my family and friends, but this is nobody’s business but ours. If we decide to sleep together, that’s our problem... I mean, that’s our decision.”

Did he think sleeping with her was a problem? She looked over at him, and he quickly mouthed sorry before continuing. “Look, it’s only been a few weeks, and...” He looked to her for help.

“And,” she added, “we didn’t lie, we just didn’t share because, like Mike said, it’s really new.” She gave Mary and Vickie a stern look. “And we do not want Hazel hearing about it from anyone. With Chris getting married and the new baby, I’m the only stability Hazel has right now.”

Mike slid his arm around her waist. They could finally relax a little in front of their friends. He gave a quick squeeze. “What gave us away?”

A roar of laughter filled the house. Yikes.

Mary wiped her eyes. “Let’s just say if you don’t want Hazel to know, you need to avoid being in the same room around her. If I hadn’t kept her so busy with the kids today, even she’d have no doubt what you two are up to.”

Zoey and Mike looked at each other in confusion. Where had they gone wrong?

“Yup,” Owen laughed. “From the moon eyes you kept making at each other to the little finger brushes you did every time you passed each other. It’s like you two were magnets.” He made a gesture with his hand toward his wife, Lucy, and she obliged by pretending to be pulled toward him against her will.

“Okay, okay.” Mike chuckled. “It wasn’t that bad.”

“Pal, you had your arm around her at the grill!”

Zoey and Mike stared at each other before she protested. “We did not!”

A chorus of voices answered. “Yes, you did!”

Bridget coughed, trying to hold in her laughter. “I almost tripped over my own feet when I walked outside and saw you two down at the grill, snuggled close together and giggling. And then Mike’s arm went around your waist for just a second, and your head hit his shoulder, and...well...it was pretty clear it wasn’t the first time it happened.”

“I don’t giggle,” Mike grumbled.