“Yeah, uh, needed a laundry basket.” From the look on Jen’s face, laundry basket isn’t going to cut—

The door to the shop rings.

Shit.

I don’t have to look up to know who it is. I cringe to myself as Ren’s head pokes through, blowing my cover completely.

“Uh, sorry, I wasn’t sure if I should come in or not. I can wait outside.”

I force a smile, avoiding all eye contact with Jen. “You can come in. I’ll be right there. I’m just going to stick this money in the safe in the back.”

Without another word, I turn and make my way to the office, Jen hot on my heels. Before I can say anything, she jumps in with her stupid oohing sounds.

“Oh myyyy, just have to get a laundry basket, huh?”

“Can you not right now?”

She pokes me in my side, annoying the shit out of me immediately. “You like her, don’t you?”

“She’s a neighbor who needed a ride; I offered her one.” I stuff the money in the safe and snap it shut. “That’s it. Please, for the love of Christ, don’t make this a thing.”

Jen is wearing a shit-eating grin when I face her. “Oh no, I am so making a thing out of this. I don’t get much to talk about around here, between the store and the kids. I think this is the most excitement I’ve had in a month.”

I pat her on the shoulder. “Then I’m going to need to have a talk with your husband, because this is the opposite of exciting.”

I turn to walk away, but she pulls on my shoulder. “Oh, no you don’t. Don’t try to downplay this. You’re going out with a girl.”

I shush Jen and push her farther back in the office. “Can you keep your voice down? Jesus, Jen. I’m not going out with her. We are going to Walmart. I’m getting socks, she’s getting house essentials, and that’s it. There is nothing else involved.”

“Are you going to hold hands on the way up there?” She twiddles her fingers together.

With a giant eye roll, I say, “I’m leaving.”

“Wait. Just tell me this: Do you think she’s pretty?”

Do I think Ren is pretty? I’d be blind to think otherwise. She’s gorgeous, actually—and quirky, and a little long winded at times, and she has a thirst for life I’ve never seen in another human being.

She’s more than pretty.

But I don’t answer that way.

“I mean . . . yeah, she’s pretty.” I shrug.

Casual, perfect.

And it’s enough for Jen; she begins clapping her hands and jumping up and down.

I narrow my eyes at her, giving her my best “I’m going to kill you” look, but it has no effect.

“Cupid hit my little brother with a giant moose. Oh, this is so wonderful.”

“I swear to God, Jen, you need to stop right now. There is nothing going on between me and Ren, and there won’t be anything either. I’m not interested in dating anyone. It’s time you realize that.”

“Thank you so much again for letting me hitch a ride. This is really helpful.”

“Not a problem.” I keep both hands on the steering wheel, knuckles white, shoulders tense.

Ren decided to show up to the shop in a little white sundress and strappy-looking sandals that give her two extra inches in height. Her hair is half-up/half-down in some messy knot on the top of her head, and she’s wearing a sweet perfume that is doing all kinds of things to me—things I don’t necessarily want.

At first glance, I had to force myself to look away from her ample cleavage, prominently on display but in a classy way, the kind of way that has men begging for more.

I might be on a strict no-dating policy, but hell if I can’t at least take a look.

She’s stunning. Tan with long hair that hits just past her shoulders and wide green eyes framed by some of the longest lashes I’ve ever seen.

Reid was right—if she’d been my algebra teacher, I would have paid a hell of a lot more attention in class.

“It’s so pretty out there. Have you ever been to California?”

I shake my head. “Nope. I’ve never been to the West Coast, actually. I don’t have a lot of vacation time, and when I do, I go camping or down to Vermont.”

“Oh, I bet camping is gorgeous here. In California it’s more like camping in the desert unless you go up to the mountains. The trees here are amazing, too—so different from what I’m used to. The pine trees stretch so high it feels like you’re always under a canopy.”

“Yeah, the woods are dense here, so you’re constantly battling pine cones and needles, but it adds to the experience. Do you camp often?”

“Often? No.” She chuckles. “But when I get the opportunity, I totally take it. I might wear dresses, but I also like putting on a pair of jeans and a T-shirt and roughing it in the woods. I have no problem peeing on leaves.”

That makes me laugh. “No problem with leaf peeing? Good to know. There’s a little camping group in Port Snow. I know you said you were interested in joining stuff. That might be something you like. It’s people of all ages; we get together and rent out a few camping sites, share stories, and have a good time.”

“Really? That seems like so much fun. Think they would let me in?”

The corner of my mouth lifts. “Since I’m in charge of it, I’d say you could get in.”

“You’re in charge? How on earth do you have the time?”

I shrug. That was the point when I started forming all these clubs. Anything to keep me busy. Anything to keep me out of the house, where I’d be alone, remembering, obsessing over the what-ifs.

And now all the activities and work have become part of my everyday life.

“I find the time,” I answer, shifting in my seat. “So what brought you out to Port Snow? The job?”

“Yeah, I really wanted to slow down my life, create a community around me, rather than going through the motions. I wasn’t really ever a part of something in LA, and it made my days mundane. I got in a car accident last year, and it made me really think about what I wanted in life. Slower, small-town living was right up my alley.”

“Car accident? So the moose run-in wasn’t your only one?”

She grows quiet for a moment before shaking her head. “No, I was in a really bad one a year ago. I was rear-ended from behind on the freeway, and it turned into a seven-car pileup. I barely survived.”

I glance in her direction for a second, taking in the stitches on her forehead and the light bruising around the cut. It’s been a few days, and I have yet to hear her complain about the pain or the fact that she almost totaled her car for what sounds like the second time in her life. She must be a really strong woman.

I like that about her.

“Shit.” I rub the back of my head and think back to the panicked look in her eyes when I found her in her car. “I kind of wish I’d known that when I was pulling you out of your car. I would have reassured you more that everything was going to be okay.”

From across the cab, she places her hand on my leg, her touch blazing a shot of heat to my core, warming me up in an instant. I eye her hand for a brief second, taking in how small it is compared to my thigh. “You were wonderful. Don’t second-guess yourself. You really kept me calm and helped me control my hysteria.”

“Still, I feel like I would have handled you differently.”

“There’s no way you could have known; don’t even think twice about it. I thought you did a wonderful job. Very compassionate. And the way you tackled that hill without taking a second to catch your breath? Impressive.”

I glance at her quickly. “Want to know a secret?”

“Always.” She perks up, turning toward me.

I lick my lips, humor dripping from my tongue. “The entire time I was climbing the hill, I was praying to whoever might listen to not let me slip. The guys would have never let me hear the end of it. Slip down the hill with victim in arms . . . yeah, not good.”

“Well, you made it look seamless.”

“Didn’t feel like it, but thank you.”

She crosses one tan leg over the other, the hem of her dress coming higher on her thigh, showing off just how toned her legs are. Christ. I tear my gaze away, remembering to focus on the road ahead—moose are prevalent in this area, after all.

I clear my throat, trying to take my mind off the expanse of sexy leg to my left. “So . . . algebra.” I inwardly roll my eyes from the way my voice squeaks. “Uh, what made you choose math to teach?”

From the corner of my eye, I can see her smile as she fidgets in her seat. “Is it weird to say math chose me?”