“Hard to turn it down after that raving review.” Really, she should collect her sleepy daughter and go. Because staying with Denver like this was dangerous. Sophie didn’t trust herself not to do something rash that she’d regret tomorrow. She’d thought about himallday. Missed him. Reached for excuses to text. This little crush was starting to grow into something more. Something that had the power to destroy their friendship.
“C’mon. She’s not going anywhere. I’ll heat you up a plate.”
“How about I take it to-go?”
“Sure.”
The stab of guilt nearly made her change her mind. Before she could speak the words aloud, she remembered the notebook tucked in her purse. The one she’d been unable to resist in the store. “I brought you something. For watching Caroline.”
She handed him the hardback spiralbound notebook with the turtle on the front. It wore a helmet, sitting on a skateboard with a jetpack. The quoteAnything is possiblespelled out below the little wheels.
“I love it.” A warm smile spread on his lips, and Sophie discovered she had trouble looking away. Never once had she ever thought aboutkissingDenver. Now she couldn’t seem to think about anything else.
“I hope she didn’t give you any trouble.”
“She was great.” Denver filled her in about school, and how they stopped for ice cream. “Hope you don’t mind. I know she had some earlier this week, but I just didn’t have the heart to turn her down.”
“Ice cream twice in one week, huh?”
“Just a single scoop, though, despite how desperately she begged for two.”
Maybe it was the dimness filtering in through the windows, the gentle snoring of Sherlock in the other room, or the easy conversation in the kitchen. But for a fleeting moment, this felt like a normal night at home. As though they were a family, and not just friends.
Sophie’s heartrate went into overdrive.
Things had never been this easygoing with Blake. In fact, her ex hardly acted like a father at all. He rarely asked about Caroline unless she was doing something to annoy him. A malicious little part of her hoped his new twins were keeping him up all through the night. Before she even knew it happened, a tear rolled down her cheek.
“Hey, is everything okay?” Denver swiped the tear away with his thumb. Her gaze dropped back to his lips. If she just stepped forward and lifted to her toes, she could press her lips to his. “I promise, it was justonescoop.”
Sophie laughed, feeling foolish for the emotional moment. She never let anyone see her cry. Not a single tear. No judgment lingered in Denver’s dark brown eyes. Only kindness. Compassion. “Just caught me thinking about the past, I’m afraid. I try not to revisit it anymore.”
“Soph, if you ever want to talk about anything—”
“I know.” It was behind her. Behind them. She’d learned enough hard lessons in that five-year marriage to last her a lifetime, but reliving the memories—the pain—didn’t serve her. Living in the present with those lessons applied did. “I better get Caroline to bed.”
“Wait,” he said. “At least let me fix you that to-go plate. Caroline was really excited for you to try her special recipe.”
“Okay.”
Denver didn’t move. Instead, he stepped closer to her. With nothing but the glow of the light over the sink, Sophie’s heart pounded wildly, as if it wanted to escape. She should step away. Run. Anything to stop this from happening. Yet she wanted it too much. In the lighting, Denver looked so incredibly handsome. Dark eyes, that Alaskan beard he prided himself on so much, chiseled jawline . . . She understood why half the single women in town wanted to date him.
“Mommy, did you try my lasagna?”
Sophie hopped back from Denver as if a bolt of lightning had struck between them. “Denver’s fixing me a plate to take home, sweetie.” Her words were shaky. Wobbly like her knees.
Had she really almostkissedhim?
Sherlock let out a long yawning groan, drawing everyone’s attention to the doorway. He stretched with exaggeration, wearing that goofy, sleepy grin. Caroline was the first to erupt in a fit of giggles. A beat later, Denver and Sophie burst into laughter themselves.
The whirling tension of moments ago faded and the normal Sophie coveted returned. She was safe from her irrational feelings. For now.
