Her mouth dropped open.

“And he’s participating,” I continued.

“Shut up,” Murphy replied. She popped another chip in her mouth, her eyes narrowed to slits, and she elbowed me. “No wonder you look all wonky. You’ve been a busy bee, acquiring all of that out of him.” She grinned. “I knew you had it in you.” She popped another chip in her mouth. “Josh is helping, too. As a matter of fact, he’s using that obnoxious bull of a pick-up truck to help deliver bottled water to the checkpoints.” Her head cocked to the side. “So tell me about Kane. What’s he like?”

I thought about it. “He’s intelligent. Soft-spoken. And extraordinarily…perceptive.”

Murphy edged closer. “How so?”

I shrugged, finished mixing the cookie dough and moved it to the pan I’d lined with parchment paper. I started dropping tablespoonful’s of cookie dough in a row. “I don’t know. He sort of hangs onto every single word I speak, every gesture and motion I make.” I looked at her. “He seems to see inside of me.”

Her eyes softened. “Is that so?” Her smile curved her lips. “Sounds like the dog’s bollocks if you ask me. Except for the illegal activity, of course.”

I smiled. “What about Josh? Is he as much of a…” I thought of an appropriate description.

“Useless shitfaced knob?” Murphy finished. She laughed. “Once you peel him away from his obnoxious mates, he’s actually quite nice.” Her eyes darted to the mixing bowl. “Christ, I’d sell one of my kidneys on eBay for one spoon of that dough.”

I couldn’t help but smile at Murphy’s drama. “Go ahead. But just one spoon.” I slid the pan into the oven.

“Yes!” She grabbed a spoon from the drawer, scooped up the dough, and pushed it into her mouth. Her eyes closed. “Oh my God, woman.” She grinned at me. “You sincerely need to put pre-law behind you and just open a bloody bakery.” Her eyes closed again as she chewed the dough. “Wicked and scrummy, all at once. I swear to God, it’ll be your fault if my bum gets too big.”

I smiled, shook my head, and set the cooling racks on the counter. I’d taught myself how to bake, and as old-fashioned as it sounded, I actually enjoyed it. The talent had come in handy with the sorority since we were always having bake sales.

“So about Kane,” Murphy continued, her eyes on me. “You’re diggin’ him, aren’t you?”

My thoughts scrambled for an appropriate response. I wasn’t sure what I really, truly thought of Kane McCarthy. Other than that I couldn’t get him out of my mind. I sighed. “He’s…definitely interesting,” I answered. “Not as much like Brax as you’d think. He’s not loud. He’s actually very articulate and soft-spoken.”

“Well,” Murphy said, leaping off the counter and peering into the oven. “I can’t wait to meet him in person tomorrow.” Turning, she leaned against the counter, and that infamous Cheshire cat grin returned. “Progress with Josh: We’re going for curry Sunday.” She wiggled her brows. “To Karma. I’m driving.”

My eyes widened. “Really?”

She gave me a proud nod. “Guess what else?”

“There’s more?”

Murphy batted her eyelashes. “He’s accompanying me to an off-broadway show in Dallas.”

Now, my eyes bugged. “You’re kidding?”

“Positively so right!” she said. She licked her finger and swiped it through the air. “Score one for the Yorkie!”

“What in the world are you doing to get him to agree to all of these things?” I asked.

She looked at me and winked. “Just a bit of snogging is all.”

I couldn’t help it. I laughed. “You’re off your trolley,” I said, using the phrase she frequently used on me.

Murphy shrugged. “Let’s just say it looks like we may have both hooked our prey.” Her smile was slow. Wide. Wicked. “The how of it doesn’t really matter, me thinks.”

The moment I stepped out onto the porch of the Delta House, my eyes landed directly onto Kane McCarthy’s tall, muscular frame, casually leaning against one of the pillars. I don’t know why he surprised me, but he did.

“You said six o’clock, right?” he asked.

Easing the door closed behind me, I edged closer. “I did, yes.” I inspected his running clothes; long-sleeved black T-shirt, black running shorts that hit just at his knees, and black trainers. When my gaze lifted to his, his eyes were there, searching mine for acceptance, or encouragement. I wasn’t sure of either. He glanced at himself and shrugged. “Brax had extra.”

“No doubt he has an entire room full of running gear.” I smiled. “He and Olivia run all over campus. So you decided to enter,” I said, and lit down the steps past him, and stopped at the paved walk. “Thanks for your help this morning. Josh Collins has already dropped most of the water off at the checkpoints. We’ll load the rest into my car and—”

“I got more than enough room in my truck,” he offered, and joined me on the walk. He threw his head toward the parking lot, and I realized just how much taller, bigger he was than me. “It’s over there.” He grinned, his all-knowing stare steady and boring right into me. “So you got Josh into this, too?”

I shook my head. “No, actually one of the other sisters did. “