“I’m five-foot-three and fragile,” I huff.
He sighs, long-suffering and low. Like I’m both a headache and a habit he can’t shake.
I attempt to step back, but realize my hair isstillstuck on his shirt.
“Oh no,” I whisper, reaching up. “I’m caught. I’m caught. This is how I die.”
“You’re not dying,” Knox mutters, hands hovering awkwardly like he’s not sure where to touch. “Hold still.”
“Are you gonna cut it?” I gasp. “Please don’t cut it. It’s finally growing out after that time I tried curtain bangs and ruined my life.”
He says nothing. He gently works his fingers into the knot and untangles it, one careful move at a time. His hand brushes my neck, and I shiver. Like a whole body, embarrassing kind of shiver.
His jaw clenches. Mine drops.
The tension between us is suddenly so thick it could be served with a ladle and a side of crusty bread.
We’re too close.
And I think,oh no, I think we might kiss.
Because he’s looking at my mouth. And I’m looking at his. And our mouths are dangerously… mouthy.
We arethisclose to kissing.
Like, if one of us hiccups, it's happening.
Then…
“No way, this lighting isinsane! Jude, tell me you’re recording!”
I shriek. Not like a cute little gasp. A full-body banshee shriek that echoes off the alley walls and probably scares a nesting bird out of a gutter somewhere.
Because standing ten feet away with a tripod and a ring light in hand are Eli and Jude. Silver Peak’s answer to the FBI, TMZ, and TikTok’s chaotic good energy, all wrapped in pastel beanies and vintage windbreakers.
Momravesabout them because of all the good they’ve done for the inn.
For the town, really, because of their social media expertise.
Expertise I’m now seeing firsthand.
They are so sneaky. How thehelldid we not see them?
Shit.
Knox stiffens.
I try to wrench myself away from him, but in my panic, I somehow end up climbing him? One of my hands lands right on his pec, like, his actual muscley chest, and the other flails around uselessly like I’m doing a sad interpretive dance calledOops, My Dignity.
“Don’t move!” Jude calls out, camera already zooming in. “This isgold.”
“We didn’t even have to stage it,” Eli beams, already typing furiously on his phone. “#LoveInSilverPeak. Hashtagcandid, unscripted,hashtagwe’re just coworkers my a…”
“We arenota thing!” I blurt, shoving off Knox, who mutters something likefinallyunder his breath.
“Totally,” Jude says, nodding while still filming. “So natural. So raw. The tension? Palpable. You guys got enemies-to-lovers energy. We’re obsessed.”
Eli’s now circling us with the camera like he’s directing an indie romcom for Sundance. “We’re doing a whole behind-the-scenesSilver Peak Series, and Knox, you’re a celebrity.”
