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Sam’s competitive streak grew as she egged Taylor on to push their luck. They were sitting close now, as Sam held up the bag for Taylor to take out their next token.

“Yes!” Taylor declared, pulling out a number six pumpkin, taking them much further along their board. They high fived and agreed to hold off on picking any more on this last round.

Once everyone had completed their turn, Sam sat back while Heath started counting up the points. Taylor did the same, her hand accidentally touching Sam’s. It sent what felt like a jolt of electricity straight up her arm. She almost flinched, shocked at the intensity. That hadneverhappened before.

They both stayed there, pinkies touching. Sam kept looking straight ahead as her heart rate picked up. She tried focusing on what Heath was saying, but it was like their touch was all-consuming. She had no idea what was going on or why she was even reacting this way. She could just move her hand.

But she didn’t want to.

So they stayed like that.

She was so afraid to move that she didn’t realise she’d been holding her breath until Adam shoved a bowl of chips under nose, snapping her out of… of… whatever that just was.

She pulled her hand away and dove into the chips.

“Thanks.”

Chapter Eleven

So that just happened.

She hadn’tmeantto touch Sam’s hand, but then she didn’t pull it away, and now she was stuffing her face with chips and acting totally fine. Maybe she was just a touchy-feely kind of person? Maybe she did these things all the time and didn’t completely overthink it like Taylor was doing right now. She swallowed. Was it really hot in here?

Then Sam squeezed her hand, a blinding smile aimed right at her.

“Taylor?”

“Huh?” She looked at her, then at everyone around the table.

“We won!”

They all laughed at her spacing out, and she laughed along, but Sam’s hand was still covering hers, and now shereallydidn’t know what was going on. Also the last thing she needed to be doing was thinking about someone else right now. She’d made herself a promise. It was meant to be Taylor Time. Sam was still glowing with her megawatt smile, looking at Taylor like she was the best person in the universe in that moment. She couldn’t move now. Not even a twitch.

She was doomed.

Heath packed the game away while Marie ran upstairs to grab the next one.

“Everyone good for drinks?” Adam said, extricating himself from Jess and heading over to the kitchen. Everyone shouted their orders, even Marie from the top floor.

“So how is it working at a boat shop? Is it like fishing gear and stuff?” Jess asked Sam.

“It’s more like a hardware shop for marine supplies. Think paint, rope, silicone, nuts and bolts… that sorta thing.”

“Oh cool, you enjoy it?”

Sam’s hand flinched slightly against hers. Taylor understood the reaction. Where Liz was her touchy subject, this was definitely Sam’s.

“I enjoy getting free or cheap parts for my boat.” Sam laughed half-heartedly. Taylor was impressed how she deflected the question.

“Speaking of cheap parts,” Taylor chimed in to help out, “check out this lifejacket I found there for Belle the other day.”

She pulled her hand away from Sam, digging her phone out to show everyone the photos from her recent paddleboarding trip with Belle.

“Wait, let me see!” Marie wailed as she bolted down the stairs, two hugeDice Throneboxes balanced precariously in her arms.

“It’s even cuter in real life,” Jess piped in, reaching over for more Maltesers.

“That is sick. I can’t believe she stays on the board,” Adam remarked while handing out the drinks around the table.