Shay didn’t sleep well that night. Partially because the fold-out couch in the spare bedroom was less than comfortable, partially because she didn’t want to oversleep.

Just as the sun began to peek over the horizon, she was in the kitchen whisking up pancake batter. When she’d gotten up, Josh’s door had been closed and she’d heard soft snoring on the other side. At least she’d gotten up before he did, although for all she knew he would sleep until noon and her efforts would be wasted.

Still, she considered Phase One—making breakfast before he had a chance to make it himself—to be a success.

Ten minutes later she had the table set and was ready to start pouring batter onto the hot griddle, but certain that Josh would prefer freshly cooked pancakes, she waited. And waited.

When it seemed that Josh wasn’t coming down to breakfast anytime soon, she put plastic wrap over the batter-filled bowl and placed it in the fridge. By then the summer sun was rising in the east, and as she looked out the kitchen window at the wild backyard, her fingers itched to get out there and dig in the dirt.

Though the thick forest was nearby, there was a huge clearing between the house and the tree line. Wildflowers and weeds filled the clearing. It didn’t look like anyone had touched that space in ages. Probably its only purpose was to create a firebreak. But she could picture a thriving vegetable garden there, and as she stared at the colorful wildflowers, she had an overwhelming desire to bring some inside.

Moments later she had a pair of scissors in hand—she’d come across them in the junk drawer earlier—and she headed out back. When she’d walked back there the evening before last she’d been completely focused on slaking her thirst and had barely noticed the beauty of the area. Now though, she breathed in the clean mountain air, listened to the cheerful morning song of the birds in the green, green trees, and basked in the warmth of the sun.

Spreading her arms and tilting her head back, she soaked it in, because she didn’t know how long she would be there to enjoy it.

The reminder that she would be out the door in seconds if Josh so chose sent a jolt of fear throughout her body. Right now, right then, she was in paradise. And she didn’t want to leave.

She also didn’t like having her fate in the hands of a man—a man she barely knew. Unfortunately, there wasn’t much she could do about that at the moment. With no money and nowhere to go, she had to suck it up until she thought of a better option.

Besides, being with Josh hadn’t exactly been torture.

Holding back a smile as she pictured him, she began snipping the stems of the wildflowers until she had a large bunch in her arms. She carried them inside, then set them on the counter while she looked for a vase. She didn’t find one, although she shouldn’t have been surprised. Josh didn’t seem like the kind of man who kept vases around. Instead, she took out a glass pitcher and placed the wildflowers inside, then stuck the pitcher under the faucet.

“Where’d you get those?” Josh asked moments later.

Startled, she nearly dropped the make-shift vase. Shutting off the water, she turned in his direction. “From your yard.” Apparently he’d never noticed the beautiful flowers blooming out there.

One side of his mouth lifted in a smile. “Right.” He wore running shorts and a t-shirt, along with a pair of sneakers.

“Are you hungry? I have pancake batter ready to pour on the griddle.”

His eyebrows shot up, and she wasn’t sure if he was surprised at her initiative or worried that she would burn the pancakes.

“I’m about to go for a run,” he said, his eyebrows back in place, perfectly framing his amazing blue eyes.

“Oh.”

Then he tilted his head. “Do you run?”

Shay had done a little track and field in high school, but the only running she’d done since then was away from Will yesterday. “I used to.” Was he going to invite her on his run?

He nodded, but didn’t suggest she come with him.

Disappointed, she plastered a smile onto her mouth.

Really, Shay? You thought he’d invite you to come with him on his one chance to get away from you?

“How long will you be?” She kept the smile in place. “I can have the pancakes ready when you get back.”

His eyes narrowed. “Are you always so eager to please?”

This was so opposite of what Will expected from her—doing everything to make him happy—she was totally thrown. “Uh…no?” She had to show him that she was a strong, confident woman, even if she was still working on those qualities. Swallowing over a burst of nervousness, she said, “The pancakes will be ready in an hour.” When he didn’t respond, she added, “I hope they’ll still be hot when you get back.”

His expression didn’t change, but after staring at her for several moments, he burst out laughing. With a shake of his head, he left the kitchen, and seconds later she heard the front door open and close.

Had she just given him another reason to kick her out?

* * *

The mountain air was fairly brisk at this hour of the morning, and as Josh ran his usual route around his property, his mind was free to roam. But it stubbornly stuck on Shay. He pictured her standing in the kitchen, the bunch of wildflowers in the pitcher. There was something very cozy about the image, something he’d been missing in his life for a long time.

Growing up, he’d been fortunate to be surrounded by the love and support of his parents, but once he’d headed off to college on his football scholarship, life had gotten harder. Not that it had been easy at home. He’d worked hard at his studies, and especially at playing football, but that was nothing compared to what his first college coach had expected of him.

He loved the game, but he wouldn’t have minded getting a good night’s sleep once in a while. The pressure to perform on the field had been tremendous, but Josh also expected a lot from himself in his studies. He’d graduated with high honors with a degree in finance before being drafted into the pros. He had it all.

Everything was going his way. Except that he didn’t have anyone to share it with. But who had time to build a relationship? Especially with how often he was on the road. That’s why this time between seasons was so precious. And why, even though he found Shay more attractive every time he saw her, there was no way he could pursue her. He had no time or space in his life for a meaningful relationship. And he wasn’t looking for a casual relationship either.

Once again, he was glad Shay had no idea who he really was. That simplified things in so many ways.

Too bad life was too complicated for him to even consider anything beyond friendship.