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Allison blinked at her, not saying anything. The look on her face was nothing short of mystification. “Is that client talk?” The look on her face said she knew the truth.

“No. Dammit. I wish it was. It’s how I feel,” Megan said, all of it bubbling to the surface. “The more time I spend with you, the more I want.” Why were these words falling from her lips without permission? “And that’s certainly not because you’reeveryday. It’s like I can’t get enough.”

“Do you sometimes wonder how we’ve become friends so fast?”

Megan rolled her lips in. “Yeah. It feels…right. Like we were meant to meet.”

Allison took a step forward. “I feel that way, too. There’s just something…”

“What?” Megan needed to hear the end of that sentence. Desperately.

Ally shrugged. “I don’t know. I’m just thinking out loud.”

“What were you going to say?” Megan asked, pressing her.

“There’s just something here.” She made a gesture between them. “It’s been nice. And terrifying. But it’s real.”

Megan nodded. “I know.”

Allison exhaled in relief. “Wow. Okay. So now that we’ve said that…”

“It’s out there.”

Ally nodded. “Voiced.”

“And we can relax and get back to life as scheduled, right?”

They shared a laugh before the noticeable tug between them returned. Megan shifted to a soft smile. “Sometimes I think the universe has a way of knowing when two people need each other and brings them together. I don’t claim to know why we’ve stumbled upon each other, but something tells me it’s ordained.”

Allison bumped her shoulder as they continued their walk. “And who would have ever predicted it? A fourth-grade teacher who looks forward to dressing like a giant crayon for the Halloween parade and Dallas’s most sophisticated event planner?”

Megan closed one eye and regarded Allison. “A crayon, you say? No.”

“Oh yeah. A purple one. I could set you up as orange. I have an extra.”

Megan held up a hand, feeling lighter. “Nope. I’m good.”

“Suit yourself.”

“Want to grab a drink before we head home?”

Allison rocked back on her heels. “Okay, but only one. I can’t shack up with you anymore.”

“Your loss.”

Okay, yes. Things were feeling a lot more manageable. The playful, casual dynamic certainly helped ease the tension. They were going to right themselves and survive this, it seemed.

Fifteen minutes later, they sat at the bar of a restaurant that neither of them had been to before, where they knew no one. In a way, it was liberating to disappear into anonymity next to Allison, who smelled wonderfully of what had to be strawberries. No. Raspberries. As theytalked about other potential venues, Megan lost herself in the soft blue of those eyes, the same eyes that assumed no one ever noticed them. In actuality, she noticed everything about Ally and wondered what it would be like to show her how much she appreciated her for exactly who she was. There were no hidden agendas or wild expectations. Allison was a what-you-see-is-what-you-get kind of person in the best way possible. She had shiny hair, perfect lips, and a warm heart, but she was also out of bounds, and Megan, of all people, should know better than to wonderwhat if. But the question lingered all the same, and she cherished their easy conversation and the way Allison placed her hand on Megan’s forearm when it came time to pay. She memorized the way it made her feel, and God, did she feel.

“I’ll get this one.” She stared down at the subtle touch, the butterflies erupting in her stomach. She clung to the warmth that began on her arm beneath Allison’s fingertips and spread.

“Are we okay?” Allison asked, signing the receipt. “After our earlier discussion. I hope I didn’t say anything that made things between us weird or tense. It doesn’t feel that way.”

She handed the leather portfolio back to the bartender and didn’t hesitate to respond. “We’re more than okay. I think the fact that we talked about it just goes to show how mature and open we can be with each other. Let’s not lose that.”

Allison nodded sincerely. “I’m in complete agreement.” She gently touched the fabric of Megan’s sweater. “And I stand by how great you look in this color.”

Megan stared down at Ally’s hand. “This isn’t going to be easy, is it?”