She pointed to her dad’s old room. Mike hadn’t been upstairs in this house in years, but he knew the way. Rob had taken the smaller room so that Zoey could have the master suite as her own as a teen. She’d told Mike she’d moved right back into it after she and Hazel took up residence, because Hazel wanted the long, narrow bedroom with the view of the wooded hill behind the house.

He started toward his room, then stopped, turning to ask Zoey where the sheets and towels were. To his surprise, she was right behind him. So close she almost walked right into his chest when he turned. Her eyes went wide.

“Whoa.” She cleared her throat, but didn’t step back. “I was just going to tell you to be careful in the bathroom. It takes a while for the hot water to get up here from the basement. And it’s brimming with teenage girl stuff. It’s basically Hazel’s bathroom, so...sorry.”

“I think I can handle it. Where will I find sheets and towels?” He didn’t step back, either, so they were face-to-face in the hallway. Almost touching. Staring at each other.

Shadows from their lanterns moved across the walls like ripples of water. He felt the moment when the mood changed, almost as if someone had flipped a switch. His adrenaline spiked. Oddly enough, he had a fleeting thought of Becca. How he’d been afraid to begin a family. Afraid to commit. Afraid, period. And here he was, with Zoey standing so close. And he was afraid again.

Zoey’s pupils dilated, and her nostrils flared just a little. She’d felt it, too.

She cleared her throat. “Right. Uh...the bed is made. Towels are in the linen closet.”

She pointed, and the motion brushed her arm against his. She froze.

“Zoey...”

She didn’t answer, just stared at the linen closet behind him.

“Zoey.”

Her gaze snapped up to meet his. He wanted her. He wanted his lips on hers. He wanted his arms around her. But he couldn’t ignore those Danger signs flashing in his brain. She ran the tip of her tongue along her lower lip, and he let out a low groan. He was tired of being afraid.

“You’re killing me here, girl.” He rested his hands on her hips. “What are we doing?”

“I think...” Her voice was raspy. “Whether we should or not. I think we’re going to kiss each other.”

Kissing her would put thirty years of friendship on the line. He didn’t know if it was worth the risk. He only knew it was going to happen. Right now.

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

OH, GOD. OH, GOD. Oh, God.

Zoey’s heart began to flail around in her chest.

Mike McKinnon’s going to kiss me.