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“I’m about to give one,” Jo said, unwinding out of the car. “Give me a minute.” She popped the hood then bent over the engine. As she examined the situation, she felt Evelyn’s eyes on her, and it took everything in her not to react.Let her look,she thought.See what she’s missing.Forcing herself to concentrate, she checked belts, fluids, and connections. A few minutes later, she straightened, wiping grease from her hands onto a rag from her back pocket. “Looks like you’ve got a busted serpentine belt. That’s what’s causing the noise and the rough idle.” She met Evelyn’s gaze. “You’re lucky you pulled in when you did. If it had snapped completely while you were driving, you’d be in a much worse situation.”

Exhaling, Evelyn pressed her fingers to her temples. “Great,” she said. “Just great.”

Jo watched her for a moment, then sighed. “Follow me,” she said, and was relieved when Evelyn followed her without protest. Without really thinking about it, Jo walked to the mini-fridge in the corner and pulled out a bottle of water. She twisted off the cap and handed it to Evelyn.

Evelyn blinked at her. “What’s this for?” she asked, and Jo shrugged.

“You look like you’re about to stress yourself into a headache,” Jo said. “Hydrate.”

After hesitating for a beat, Evelyn took the bottle. “Thanks,” she murmured, taking a small sip.

Crossing her eyes, Jo watched her carefully. “You know, you’re lucky I regularly stock that part,” she said. “Otherwise, you’d be stuck here for a while.”

“You have it?” Evelyn asked, hope in her voice.

“Yeah,” Jo said. “I can fix it this morning.”

Relief washed over Evelyn’s face, but just as quickly, she seemed to catch herself, straightening. “How long will it take?” she asked, and Jo smiled.

“Not long,” she said. “But long enough that you might as well get comfortable.” Evelyn blinked, looking torn between gratitude and still suffering from absolute mortification. Jo turned to grab her tools, and she let her voice drop slightly. “And don’t worry,” she added with her back to Evelyn. “I won’t even make you explain why you ran out on me last night. Not unless you want to.” When Evelyn didn’t answer, Jo closed her eyes for a beat.Don’t push,she thought.Just do the job.Without a word, she went back to the car, giving Evelyn plenty of space to think.

Sitting stiffly on a stool between the workbench and the front office, Evelyn’s hands were clasped tightly in her lap. The scent of motor oil and grease filled the air. She wasn’t sure what to do with herself, so she pulled out her phone, pretending to scroll through emails. Not that she could focus on a single word. Because Jo was right there. Bent over the hood of her car, sleeves rolled up, strong forearms flexing as she worked.

After she and Mica pushed the car into the garage bay, Jo got right to work. She moved with an ease that was impossible to ignore. Confident, capable, completely in her element, and humming softly under her breath, as if she wasn’t even aware of it. Evelyn swallowed hard and forced her eyes on her phone.This is ridiculous, she thought.I am a grown woman, not some lovesick teenager. She knew she shouldn’t be sitting there, aware of every little thing Jo did. She shouldn’t be noticing how effortlessly her strong hands handled the tools, or how— Evelyn’s phone vibrated, making her jump. It was Jasmine.Oh no.

She hesitated, glancing at Jo, who was still focused on the car. Maybe she should ignore it, but knowing her sister, that would only make things worse. With a sigh, she stood and took a few steps away, pressing the connect button before Jasmine could leave a message. “Hey,” she said, keeping her voice low.

“Hey?” Jasmine repeated, clearly unimpressed. “That’s all I get? I let you escape your own birthday party without a lecture, and now you’re trying to avoid me?”

Evelyn rubbed her temple. “I’m not avoiding you,” she said, knowing it was partially true.

“Uh-huh,” Jasmine said. “Now, are you going to tell me what happened last night, or do I have to assume?”

Stiffening at the question, Evelyn glanced toward Jo, who was still working but well within earshot. “Nothing happened,” she said quickly.

“What do you mean ‘nothing’?”

Lowering her voice, Evelyn sighed. “I left, okay?” she whispered. “Before anything really happened.”

“You what?” Jasmine asked, disbelief in her voice. “Evie, come on. You were flirting. I saw you flirting. Not that I’m a big fan of one-night stands, but everybody could see she was into you.”

Evelyn turned her back slightly, as if that would somehow stop Jo from hearing. “I panicked, okay?” she said. “And called an Uber.”

There was a long pause. “Why? Were you scared?” Jasmine finally asked, her voice softer now. “Did she…”

“God, no,” Evelyn said quickly, replaying the events of the night before in her mind yet again. “Jo was wonderful. Everything was wonderful.”

“I see,” Jasmine said. “You scared yourself.”

Trying to swallow, Evelyn’s throat tightened. She hated how perceptive her sister was. “I just...” She struggled to find the right words. “It was too much, too fast.” Behind her, Evelyn heard Jo moving under the car hood. The clink of metal against metal was sharp in the quiet.

Jasmine sighed. “Evie,” she said. “You like her, don’t you?”

Evelyn closed her eyes. “That’s the problem,” she murmured. “I do. I really do.”

Another pause and then a knowing hum from Jasmine. “Well,” she said. “I don’t know where you are right now, but if I were you? I’d figure out what you want before it’s too late.”

Opening her mouth to respond, Evelyn suddenly sensed Jo moving behind her. Glancing over her shoulder, she saw the woman setting her tools on the workbench. “I have to go,” Evelyn muttered. “I’ll call you later.”