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“Someone what?”

“Stay. She thinks I should have someone stay until the restraining order goes through. But it’s fine. I’ll be fine.”

“I’ll do it.”

The words came out fast, decisive. I stared at him.

“Tyson…”

“I’ve got a couch. You’ve got a spare room. Noa would love a sleepover. Done.”

“You can’t just…”

“Watch me.” He was already texting, fingers flying. “Security guy will be here at two. I’ll grab overnight bags after lunch. Noa gets out of school at three. We’ll be back by three-thirty.”

Oh my god. “This is insane.”

“No. Insane is your ex. This is just…Neighbors helping neighbors.”

“Is that what we are? Neighbors?”

He looked up from his phone, something intense in his expression. “For now.”

Before I could process that, he was walking away, calling out instructions to his crew about the bathroom timeline. Leaving me standing in my rose-scented yard with my heart doing things it had no business doing.

I went inside, poured myself a wine glass full of orange juice because it was still morning and I had some standards left, and tried not to think about the fact that Tyson Calloway would be sleeping in my house tonight.

For now.

The words bounced around my head as I listened to the crew working above me. What the hell had he meant by that? Was he… Was he implying he was truly attracted to me? I knew his family and friends like to mess with him, but…

I shook my head. Not going here. Not thinking about that.

I called Jess to distract myself, sitting on my half-rebuilt porch.

“Let me get this straight,” Jess said, and I could hear her scrubbing herself after surgery in the background because that woman never stopped moving. “HE’S suing YOU for emotional distress?”

“That’s the gist.”

“I will fly down there and remove his spleen with my bare hands. I’m a surgeon. I know where it is.”

“That’s probably not the legal strategy Rachel would recommend.”

“Rachel sounds smart. But my strategy has the benefit of being deeply satisfying.” A pause. Metal instruments clanking. “Seriously though, are you okay? Do you need me to come down?”

“I’m okay. I’ve got… people here.”

“People?” Her tone sharpened with interest. “What kind of people?”

“The kind that fix your plumbing and bring you sandwiches.”

“Sam Collins. Is there a man?”

“There’s a neighbor.”

“A NEIGHBOR. Oh my God. Tell me everything.”

“Goodbye, Jess.” I chuckled.