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She couldn’t wrap her mind around what had happened last night. She and Jonathan had finally done it. And it had been… mind-blowing.

Phoebe tried to look at the situation reasonably. It had been a few months since she had slept with anyone, so maybe that was why it had felt so good. But that didn’t explain why it had felt better than sex with anyone else ever had.

Was it because it was sort of a forbidden-fruit situation? They both knew it was a bad idea, but they’d done it anyway? Or was it simply because they knew each other so well?

The more she thought about it, the more confused she became. Yes, the sex had been amazing—so much so that she half wanted to wake him up right now to do it again. And yes, she was glad they weren’t fighting anymore. But what about their business plans? Where did this leave them? Phoebe was going back to Seattle later today. Would this patching up of sorts mean that they could pick up their business where they’d left off, their argument firmly in the past? Or would it make things too awkward for them to continue working together?

Unease crept up on her as she considered this. She’d been worried all along about disrupting their professional relationship. That was why she’d tried to brush off the serious conversation Jonathan had been trying to start. That was why she hadn’t wanted anything like this to happen.

Was she sorry it had happened?

Phoebe flashed back to Jonathan’s lips on her neck, his hands skimming her bare skin. No, she couldn’t be sorry about that. In a weird way, she was proud of herself for allowing it to happen. For once, she had allowed her heart and her body to guide her instead of her rule-abiding brain. But now that she was mere hours away from her flight home, reality was sinking in. Her escape from real life was over. No more lazing around in the little paradise that was Flamingo Cottage. No more meeting up with Jonathan every day to reminisce and work on their shared dream. Soon Phoebe would be back home, staring down the new year alone and jobless.

She had managed to avoid her parents’ Hanukkah party, but she would have no excuse not to attend the New Year’s Eve party they were throwing in two days. They alternated hosting a New Year’s bash with some of their friends, and this year was their turn. How was Phoebe going to face them? They still didn’t know she’d lost her job.

She had wanted so badly to have something to show them, to be able to say that everything would be all right because she had her own company now. Was it worth it to sacrifice all that for one magical night with Jonathan?

Phoebe truly didn’t know. But all the overthinking was making her stomach hurt. It probably didn’t help that she was starving. Maybe she needed one last trip to Colsie Coffee before she left High Springs.

Beside her, Jonathan stirred.

He reached for her, wrapping an arm around her waist and pulling her closer. Then he opened his eyes, his eyelashes grazing the pillow as he gave her a long, sleepy, happy look.

“Good morning,” he said.

“Morning.”

Phoebe tensed, waiting for what came next. Would he kiss her again? Would he dive into a serious discussion about what this all meant? Would he regret that last night had happened?

He planted a gentle kiss on her bare shoulder and said, “I am starving.”

Phoebe laughed, relieved. “Me too.”

They took turns showering—Phoebe wouldn’t have minded showering together, but Jonathan offered to let her go first, and she didn’t argue. Everything was so confusing right now that it was probably best to leave sexy showers out of it.

When they were both clean and dressed, Phoebe drove them to Colsie’s. They ordered—both choosing regular lattes this time, along with cranberry-orange scones—and sat at the same table as last time.

They barely said anything until they’d crammed the scones into their mouths and gotten some hot coffee in their systems. Then they both spoke at the same time.

“Jonathan, I—”

“I’m really glad last night happened.”

Phoebe hesitated; Jonathan’s face didn’t give anything away. He didn’t look overjoyed or eager, but he also didn’t look like he was about to deliver a crushing blow. He had a sort of wistful smile.

“I am, too.” With no idea where this talk was going, Phoebe felt that honesty was the best policy.

“It was—you are—incredible,” Jonathan continued. “And it’s given me a sense of peace. Acceptance.”

Phoebe felt her eyebrows shoot upward. Peace and acceptance? That made it sound like a tidy conclusion—like a goodbye.

“Oh. That’s”—she hesitated—“good?”

Jonathan nodded. “There was a lot of unresolved tension between us. And now it sort of feels like it’s resolved, doesn’t it?” He took a sip of his latte and looked at her expectantly.

“I guess so.” Phoebe started to feel jittery. She felt like she was sitting down for a test that she hadn’t studied for. Was he saying that they could both move on now that they’d gotten a hookup out of their systems? Phoebe hadn’t had time to think this all through, to think about what outcome she wanted. Was this a good thing? Maybe they were aligned. She’d gotten to see what it was like to let Jonathan Lee kiss her—she felt her cheeks burn, thinking of all that had happened after the kiss—and now maybe nothing would have to change. Maybe they could continue with their business plan. Pick up their friendship where they’d left off.

That was what Phoebe wanted, too, right?