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“Is this the walk of shame?” she asks casually, like she’s asking about the weather.

“It’s not the walk of shame. I drove. And I’m not hungover. That’s a stride of mild regret at best.”

She laughs as I slide into the kitchen chair.

“What do I get to sample this morning?” I ask, eyeing the container.

“White chocolate raspberry, and spinach feta.”

“My god. Marry me.”

She snorts. “Flatter me like that again, and I might.” She grabs a mug from the cabinet and leans against the counter. “So… tell me about sexy climber guy.”

I freeze. “Shit, how do you know about Luke?”

Her grin goes feral. “Word travels fast.”

“Damn it, Cassie.”

“She even snapped a photo of you two dancing last night.”

I groan. “She took a photo?”

“Yup. That man is a snack. And girl, you looked like you wanted to eat him up.” She slides the coffee in front of me and winks.

I drop my face into my hands.

“Talk to me, Goose.” Hazel settles across from me like she has all the time in the world.

So, I tell her.

How I ran into him at the wedding.

How we danced.

How I walked away.

How I showed up at The Trading Post, not even really looking for him…

And how I didn’t leave.

Hazel raises an eyebrow. “And then you stayed the night?”

I sigh. “I stayed the night.”

She grins. “And this is a problem because…?”

With total honesty, raw and unfiltered, I admit the thing I’ve been trying to deny.

“Because he’s good. And kind. And sexy. And the second I start thinking too hard about that combination, I want to bolt.”

She snorts. “So... a literal walking green flag. Terrifying.”

Then, gentler, she taps the edge of my mug.

“Just because it’s good doesn’t mean it’s dangerous, Stell.”

I let her words hang in the air. She’s not wrong. I’m just not ready to admit she’s right.