“Still not feeling right?”

“No.” Her business partner sighed. “I’m probably going through early menopause. A horrifying thought.”

“You’re too young for that.”

“I think so, but tell that to my girl parts.” Amber smiled. “I’m sure it’s nothing.”

“You’ll tell me if it isn’t?” Shelby asked.

“Of course.”

Shelby wanted to believe her, but wasn’t sure. She and Amber worked well together, but their partnership was still very new and establishing meaningful trust took time. If Amber was sick, then Shelby would do whatever she could to help. She could keep the business going for as long as necessary. All things she would say if and when the time came.

* * *

“YOU SURE ABOUT THIS?” Shelby asked.

Aidan stared at the low, one-story building and the handful of cars in the parking lot. Sure he had doubts, but he wanted to go forward anyway. “It’s the next logical step,” he said firmly.

“You could start with a plant.”

He glanced at her. “Very funny. I can keep a dog alive. I’ll be a good pet owner.”

“I believe the phrase you’re looking for is pet dad.” She smiled. “If you get into trouble, I’m close by.”

“Because you know about dogs?”

“I read things on the internet.”

“Well then. No worries.”

They were in the front seat of his truck, with her leaning toward him. Early February was just as cold as January had been, so there was plenty of snow. Shelby was bundled up in a thick sweater and a jacket over that. She had a ridiculous purple knit cap pulled down to her eyebrows. Despite it all, she was still sexy as hell.

Aidan breathed through the now familiar waves of need that rippled through him. June would get here eventually and then he could finally get some. He had made the right decision—not only to try being friends with Shelby, but to walk away from the short-term hookups that had dominated his life.

Despite the fact that this was the longest he’d ever gone without sex—at least since high school, when he didn’t know any better—he was pleased with how things were going. He knew he was changing. He liked hanging out with Shelby. He enjoyed her company. The fact that they were never going to be lovers was okay with him. That didn’t mean he didn’t think about ways to please them both pretty much every time they were together, but he figured the pain and frustration would build character.

What was really strange was how he wasn’t tempted by any of the tourists passing through town. Several attractive women had been in the office to arrange tours. He’d taken a group of single women on an overnight cross-country-skiing weekend and none of them had tantalized him in the least. A couple had flirted, but he’d been immune.

Change was possible, he thought with satisfaction, and getting a dog was the next step for him.

“You ready?” she asked.

He nodded. “The lady I talked to said not to focus on finding a dog my very first visit. She said that it’s better to wait and get it right than to rush into a decision.”

“So we’re window-shopping?”

“Something like that. When I see the right dog, I’ll know it.”

Her lips twitched. “Like your souls will touch?”

“Very funny. I was thinking more of a disturbance in the Force.”

She laughed. The soft, sweet sound filled the cab of the truck. He wanted to pull her close and kiss her. Not even to start on a path to something more, but because kissing Shelby felt like the right thing to do. But he knew better so he pocketed his truck key and opened the driver’s side door.