The next day, Noah looked out the front window of his house. From this angle, while pressed up against the window, he could just barely see that Tera’s SUV was still gone. Earlier, his spying had revealed Tera and Tamie shepherding a slump-shouldered Cynthia into the SUV. They’d driven off and hadn’t returned.

He blew out a breath and leaned back. The ache in his chest from saying goodbye yesterday afternoon was still there. They’d had an awesomely light chat on the swings before she’d admitted she was cold. To save her feet, he’d given her a piggyback to her house.

The heat of her body pressed against his back had seared him. Her hilarious anecdotes had kept him guessing.

He couldn’t get her out of his head. Truth was, he’d never felt this way about a woman. This constant tug in his middle was distracting. The yearning to speak to her again took all his focus. He wanted more of her. Much more.

Scrubbing his fingers through his hair, he headed toward the kitchen.

“She still gone?”

Noah started at the voice. His brother stood in the stairwell, wearing a cheeky grin. In the past, people had often wondered if the brothers were twins, even though there was a five-year gap between them. Same brown eyes, same dirty blond hair, same height, and they used to have a similar build. Not anymore. Noah had bulked up, and Greg’s extra pounds had gone to his middle.

“What?” Noah said, playing dumb.

“Cynthia down the street. Tia mentioned that you looked star-struck around her yesterday. Had to call in a doctor for a couple of small scrapes. Overreacting a little, hmm?”

“Better safe than sorry.”

“Uh huh. I also noticed you’ve been passively stalking her. I assume she’s still gone?”

“The question is, why have you been stalking me?” Noah asked.

His brother fell in step with him as they headed downstairs together. “Something to do. I’ve been cooped up in this house for three days. I’m going crazy.”

“Tell me about it. Where’s Dad?” Noah glanced down the hall as they passed it. His father, thankfully, hadn’t started in on the questioning last night at dinner. In fact, he’d been unusually quiet. And while Noah was happy to put off that particular torture as long as possible, he couldn’t help wondering what had held his dad’s focus. Whatever it was, it wouldn’t last forever. Best to steer clear for as long as possible.

“He’s up with the kids in the playroom. Reading, I think.”

“Shaping young minds with the importance of the written word,” Noah said in a haughty tone.

“Yes, exactly. Curious George will enlighten and expand their tiny world.”

Noah laughed as he entered the kitchen and opened the fridge. His mom had made lettuce wraps for lunch only an hour before, but he was hungry again. He didn’t need to diet like the rest of them.

“She’s cute.” Greg leaned against the counter, studying Noah. “Wicked smart, right? Always tested really high? Yeah. I remember Tamie down the street complaining about all the trouble your girl was getting into back in the day. Mom tried to reason with her that highly intelligent people, when not properly challenged, can turn to mischief. I think that was before Cynthia got bumped up a grade.” He paused, then added, “Tia said Cynthia had to dumb down her conversation for you.”

Noah ignored his brother’s last comment. He knew Tia wouldn’t have said anything of the kind. “I hardly remember all that about Cynthia,” Noah said as he pulled out fixings for a sandwich.

“That’s because you were too busy chasing chicks.” Greg threw Noah that cheeky grin again.

“Yeah, because you never did any of that.”

“As far as my wife is concerned, no, I did not.”

Noah laughed as he sliced the cheese. “Cynthia still has the boredom problem. She doesn’t stay in jobs very long.”

“Well, that’s lucky.”

Noah frowned at his brother, not sure what he meant.

“She doesn’t have a job,” his brother said, as though that were a clarifying statement. Noah’s continued confusion must have been obvious, because Greg elaborated. “Colton is unveiling that mini-golf course soon, right?”

“Yeah…” Noah had grown up with Colton, so Greg also knew him.

“Wow. I can see you don’t have the same affliction Cynthia does when it comes to intelligence.” Greg spoke slower, as though Noah could barely understand the language. “She does marketing. Colton needs to get the word out about his activity center. It would give her something to do while she looks for a job. She’d probably do the work for next to nothing.”

Noah nodded. Greg was exactly right on all points. Cynthia would probably be delighted to have something to take her focus away from her family. Plus, she could claim it as managerial with higher-level duties. Colton would go along with that. That might bump up her portfolio and help her out long term.

“I should ask her,” Noah said before gritting his teeth against the surge of excitement and nervousness blasting through his middle. That meant he’d get to keep her in his life, if only for a little longer.

“And if she wants to stay closer to the location, she could stay in your spare room,” Greg said, as if reading Noah’s thoughts.

Noah broke out in a cold sweat.

This was crazy. He’d reconnected with her yesterday, and they’d only hung out for half a day. Why was he reacting like this?

“Anyway.” Greg took a potato chip out of the bag Noah had pulled out of the cupboard. “What are you going to do when she gets home? Knock on the door and ask if she can come out and play?”

“I might just go sit on the doorstep and wait so I can get away from you.” Noah took his plate to the table.

“Me or Dad?” Greg gave him a knowing smile. He thought it was hilarious when their father tried to steer Noah’s life. Having delivered his barb, Greg sauntered out of the kitchen, probably off to find someone else to annoy.

A moment later, though, his voice floated back into the room. “Uh oh. There’s a white Cadillac SUV pulling up in front of the house down the street. Does that mean anything to you?”

Noah’s heart thundered in his chest. His palms got sweaty. He was possibly losing his mind.

Greg’s head popped back through the kitchen entrance. “Just don’t be too eager, hmm?” With an annoying grin, he was gone again.

Noah stopped himself from scarfing down the rest of his sandwich. He couldn’t show up right after they got home. She would know he’d been watching out for her, and that was more than a little creepy. No, he had to give it some time before he barged in.

Twenty minutes later, as long as he could last, he was outside of her door, poised to knock. Before he could, the door swung open.

“No, Mother,” Cynthia yelled over her shoulder, “I am not going to go over there when I get back. He has better things to do than—” Her eyes rounded when she saw him, and her mouth snapped shut. Red infused her cheeks.

Noah gawked for a moment. She wore a blue blouse that enhanced the deep blue of her eyes, covered with a stylish jacket. A light dusting of makeup enhanced her lovely features and her hair had been tamed—now sleek, straight, and shiny, it cascaded down past her shoulders. Black slacks completed the ensemble, ending in Converse sneakers.

“Yes, you most certainly will—” Tamie walked into the entryway. “Noah, how lovely to see you. Come in. Please.” She held out her hands, and he got the sense she’d drag him in if he didn’t go willingly.

“Sure.” Noah’s gaze went back to Cynthia, who was still blocking the doorway, staring at him mutely. “You okay?”

“Of course she’s okay.” Tamie laughed, a nervous sound. “She’s just surprised. She was on her way to the store. Come in.” Tamie reached the door and put her hand on Cynthia to move her. “Noah, come in.”

“I’ll just head to the store,” Cynthia said quickly, shooting her mother a look.

“Great idea! Noah, you can go with her. I’m sure your mom needs something. You can save gas by going together. Take my car. It’s much more comfortable.” Now Tamie was herding them outside, completely transparent about her desire to get Noah and Cynthia together. For once in his life, he welcomed that kind of behavior. Because without Tamie, he felt sure Cynthia would’ve taken off without him. Even now, she was arguing with her mother about the need to take him along.

He didn’t have time to wonder about the change in her demeanor since yesterday. Before he knew it, he’d been pushed into a black Mercedes in the driveway and the door closed behind him. A moment later, the mother-daughter bickering cut off as Cynthia was pushed in after him. The door slammed shut.

Cynthia let out a huge sigh and sagged in the driver’s seat.

A knock came at the window. Tamie’s face filled it a moment later. She smiled and pointed at the ignition. “It’s a push start. You have the keys, so just go ahead and step on the brake and push the button. It’ll start right up.”

Cynthia shot her mother a look of death before doing as instructed. It wasn’t until they were pulling out of the driveway that she spoke.

“One of these days, I am going to learn to say no to that woman.”