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Finally.

I stepped out of my slides and nodded toward them, happy when she didn’t protest and slid her feet inside. Then I slipped my feet in the pair Greyson kept by the door, turning to her with a smile.

“Come on, I’ll walk you home. And watch your step.” Without thinking, I extended my arm for her to grab onto, and mybrain turned to static when she wrapped her fingers around my forearm.

“Such a gentleman,” she complimented faintly, like she didn’t mean for me to hear it. Except I did hear it and it made my heart stutter in my chest.

Before I could respond, Greyson’s key turned in the lock and he pulled the door open, exposing us to the air that had chilled even more in the short time she’d been here. Instead of greeting me like he usually did, my best friend’s eyes immediately fell to where True held my arm and they stayed there for longer than I could hold my breath.

Coolly, he met our gazes with a raised brow and used his index finger to push his glasses up higher on his nose.

“True, this is Greyson. Greyson, this is our new neighbor, True.”

“Hi,” True greeted warmly, only to get a nod in return.

He ran his eyes over her before stuffing his hands in the pockets of his slacks.

“He’s shy,” I attempted to excuse his silence, frowning at the lack of words falling from my best friend’s lips.

True held tighter to my forearm, her eyes ping-ponging between us before she gave a slight nod.

We made it back to her front door too fast and she turned to me with a comforting smile. “Thanks, Noah. It was nice to meet you.”

“Anytime.” My heart hammered like it was its first day on the job and I swallowed against the knot in my throat. “I was about to make dinner when you showed up, so if you’re hungry later, I can?—”

Her hand dropped away from my arm. “Oh, that’s okay. You’ve already done more than enough. I have to get some work done tonight, anyway. If I take another break, I won’t get anything done.”

I nodded, masking my disappointment with a smile. “It’s an open invitation. Greyson doesn’t like to eat out so one of us cooks every night. And we always make enough for the next day, so if you ever…”

I was rambling.

And True was too nice to laugh at me, so she smiled. It was warm. Patient. Kind.

“I’ma let you go. But I meant what I said. Anytime, I’m just a few steps away.”

“Thank you, Noah. But I don’t think your boyfriend is fond of me, so maybe I shouldn’t come around.”

My nerves took a backseat while her words tumbled around my brain and I tried to make sense of them. Myboyfriend?

“Boyfriend?” I echoed.

“Sorry. Are you two married? Your husband, then. I didn’t mean to offend.” Her brows wrinkled in genuine confusion, and I couldn’t hold back my laugh. Her lips twitched at the snort I let out.

“Why are we laughing?” she asked in a conspiratorial whisper.

“Greyson is straight. We’re not married. We just live together.”

“Oh.” She covered her mouth to suppress a giggle, averting her eyes. “I shouldn’t have assumed. Sorry.”

Her words were sheepish and apologetic, but I couldn’t stop laughing.

“You good, True. Don’t even worry about it.” I studied the kiss prints stamped across her shower cap while she shifted from foot to foot. Then my gaze fell to how her body filled outmy clothes. The sweats that were usually baggy on me, were pulled taut and molded to her thick hips and thighs. My t-shirt stretched over her torso and chest, giving me a new appreciation for my alma mater.

The wordsKing’s Town A&Mhad never looked better than they did on this woman.

“God, today has beenodd,” she exhaled. “I needed that laugh. Night, Noah.”

It was the third time she’d tried to leave and I still wasn’t ready for her to go. But I backed away from her door once she walked in. “See you around, True.”