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“A bunch of us are going to Lyle’s house for a pregame party. He and Linds live across the street from the high school. Gray house, white porch. See you there.” Beau tilted his chin gruffly, looking more like a benevolent bear than a badass lumberjack before heading for the exit.

My first thought: No.

My second: I wonder if Reg will be there.

My third: What the fuck is wrong with me?

After work, I bought supplies to refinish the deck and spent ten minutes explaining to Carl the cashier why I needed a wood stripper, a sander, and a stiff broom. Carl had big opinions regarding how coarse the sandpaper needed to be. So did Artie.

“It should be 60-grit,” Artie insisted.

“80,” Carl argued.

And of course, they both knew Jed, had been to the house, and were happy to offer a bit of advice.

“Jed moved to the lake side of town five years ago, but I betcha he hasn’t touched that deck since. Fix the steps first.” That was Artie, adjusting his belt and adding, “I know a thing or two about refinishing hardwood.”

Carl rolled his eyes, careful to do so out of Artie’s line of vision. “Last time I was at Jed’s, there were loose boards by the barbecue. You’re gonna need to replace those.”

I thanked them, shoving my purchases in my SUV, grateful that my drive from the airport had saved me from walking four blocks home carrying a broom and a bunch of bags. I was about to hop behind the wheel, but I was hungry and there wasn’t much in the fridge. Maybe eggs and cheese?

No, I wanted a real meal. I slipped my keys into my pocket and walked across the street to Log Cabin Diner.

Teresa, the uber-friendly middle-aged hostess with a cousin in Elmwood that I just had to meet, apologized profusely about the lack of available tables. One was bound to free up any second now…or I could sit at the counter. I chose the counter, ordered the meatloaf special and a Coke, then scrolled my cell while I waited for my dinner.

I ignored the buzz of conversation in the air. Most of it was inconsequential everyday chatter, but I caught the occasional whisper about the new guy sitting by himself.

He seemed like a loner. Did he have any friends? Was he dating anyone?

I wanted to laugh, but I was from a small town, too. I understood that I was this season’s oddity. It had been easier with Emmett around. Children were easier to read, and people with kids were relatable. On my own, I was a mystery and they weren’t going to accept me until they figured me out.

I considered Beau’s invitation and how very little desire I had to attend a high school football game, and⁠—

“Reg’s dad is doing better, bless his heart. Maybe the meds are working.”

“I haven’t seen him wandering. That’s a good thing. Reg has enough on his plate as it is. Shawna says he’s been disappearing at lunch lately. She thinks he met someone.”

“Really? Who?”

“Don’t know, but Shawna’s a reliable source of info. Maybe Layla told her.”

“Hmm. Wait till Jess finds out.” Laughter.

“Or maybe Reg and Jess are getting back together.”

“No way! I hope his new girlfriend is model gorgeous, lives in Pinecrest in a big house with a fancy car, and that she has boobs out to here.” More laughter. “It would serve Jess right.”

“Gah, Reg’s so handsome and so⁠—”

“Shh. Pipe down. He’ll hear you!”

I swiveled automatically, and nearly fell off my stool at the sight of Chief La Rue walking into the diner with his kids. Wow, he was stunning in uniform. You’d think the preteen girl at his heels and the teenage boy with his head in his phone would detract from his badass cop vibe, but the dad angle added something sweet.

Fuck, I wanted him. Not in a weirdly possessive way. Reg had his shit to deal with and I had mine. We respected boundaries, and the fact that I knew he wasn’t secretly hooking up with a model from Pinecrest didn’t mean anything in the scheme of things.

Knowing what his dick felt like buried in my ass was enough for now. But this longing, this cosmic pull, felt…strange. It was almost as if the universe were conspiring to put us in the same place at the same time, over and over again.

At the moment, I was feeling pretty grateful for that.