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I shivered as I stepped out of my car and waved to Ty. He’d been so sweet, helping me with my car and following me home to my apartment. Very chivalrous. Like a man who wouldn’t accept a proposition from a drunk woman. Or even some mild flirting from a friend.

I scowled as I fitted my key in my door, trying to suppress the lingering feelings of rejection.

I’d screwed up.

He’d been right to turn me down that night. That’s what I got for relying on liquid courage, instead of asking for what I wanted. I should be grateful to him, but all I could muster was embarrassment. All my teasing at trivia leading up to that night, and he hadn’t responded to my interest. Or just didn’t feel the same.

I needed to stop hitting on Ty.

As one of Jimmy’s old friends, I didn’t need to put him in an uncomfortable place. My frustrated teenage crush had no business intruding on the present.

I had to let it go. Lethimgo.

Maybe I needed to work on just being friends with Ty.

We’d have days or weeks together, stuck in the jury box. Surely that was enough time to overcome any residual embarrassment and find common ground? After all, he’d been nice enough to help with my car tonight. That move had set any attempts to ignore him back to square one.

And the knitting. Oof. He knew how to hit a girl in the feels.

It shouldn’t have been sexy, but knowing he used those capable, nimble fingers to knit blankets for itty bitty babies made my ovaries want to burst like Jiffy Pop.

My stomach rumbled, and I pawed through the contents of my fridge, too tired to cook something new. Instead, I reached for leftover lasagna and slid it in the microwave. My phone buzzed as I finished my dinner, and I smiled when I saw the sender.

Tamra: How was jury duty?

Andi: I can’t talk about it, silly.

Tamra: Then how was Ty?

Andi: I don’t WANT to talk about that.

Tamra: Why not? Huh? Huh?

I groaned. Tamra had become persistent since joining our tiny made-up family. She’d realized my bark had no bite and decided we were friends. In a desperate act of self-preservation, I did the only thing I could think of to throw her off the scent and make her quit asking about Ty.

Andi: When is your next dance class again? Maybe Melena and I can join you.

Tamra: Yesssssss!

I groaned. There would be no getting out of going to class with her, now that I’d opened the door. I’d resisted her invitations before, not sure I wanted to get sweaty and spin around a pole with a bunch of other women. Then again, Tamra seemed to love it. And I owed Melena more of a chance.

I’d been begrudging at best when Jimmy introduced his new wife, Melena, to me. Their quickie wedding had brought out all of my protective instincts. A second-date proposal was the last thing I expected from my brother, raising my suspicions that the marriage was for her convenience, not his. Jimmy was too good to let some harpy take advantage of him. But it’d become clear that Melena loved Jimmy, and I’d had to bury my misgivings. He deserved to be happy, and for Jimmy, happiness meant Melena.

Mending fences with Melena made sense, and a dance class where we couldn’t really talk seemed like a safe start.

***

Tuesday morning dawned gloomy and cold, much like the day before. Tacoma in January vacillated between dreary and drizzly and cold and clear. It only seemed fitting that I had to suffer through the worst of both worlds for my second day of self-imposed jury duty purgatory.

I’d barely resisted checking my email, wondering how my workmates were getting along without me. With Mark moving into the director role I wanted, would I even be missed?

Any lingering worries about work shuddered to a halt when I stepped out into the cold to see a familiar truck idling near my car.

Ty.

I walked up to his open window, but he spoke before I could voice my question.

“I didn’t have your number, and I wanted to make sure your car would start this morning.”