"Oh, Donna, no!" Ashley exclaimed from across the table at the coffee shop. Her heart sank as her best friend shared the news--Donna and her husband Scott were moving to New Mexico next month.
"Scott got a new job," Donna explained, stirring her coffee. "They want him to start as soon as possible."
Ashley's eyes welled with tears. She and Donna had been inseparable since their college roommate days nearly twenty years ago. They considered themselves lucky to have ended up in the same town, raising kids side by side, sharing birthdays, holidays, and countless cups of coffee just like this one. Their kids even went to the same private school and played in the same soccer league.
Now, everything was about to change.
"I can't believe this," Ashley said, blinking back tears. "We'll have to rely on video calls to keep in touch."
Donna reached across the table and squeezed her hand. "We'll make it work."
Ashley gave a shaky nod. "Tom and I will absolutely help you guys move," she promised, pulling out her phone to mark the date.
Donna smiled gratefully. "Thank you. That means so much to me--and to Scott."
Later that evening, Ashley broke the news to her husband as he came through the door from the law firm.
Tom glanced at the calendar on his phone and his expression fell. "Honey..." he started, hesitating. "I signed up for the golf tournament that weekend. I can't miss it--I've been planning it for months."
Ashley crossed her arms, frustration bubbling to the surface. "Tom, I already told Donna we'd help. I can't just abandon her!"
He wrapped his arms around her waist. "Babe, I'm sorry. It's important to me. Maybe you can go without me?"
She pulled back slightly, her voice rising. "Fine. I'll go by myself and handle everything alone."
Tom's brow furrowed. "I'm sorry, Ash. But the tournament--"
Ashley took a deep breath and looked down at the floor before meeting his gaze again. "Okay. But we'll need to arrange something for the kids. Can they stay at your parents'?"
Tom nodded, relief softening his features. "Yeah, they won't mind. Maybe it'll give you a chance to relax--without the boys running around."
Ashley let out a sarcastic laugh. "Sure. Moving people out of state is so restful."
The weekend of the move arrived. Tom left early for his golf tournament without so much as a backward glance. Meanwhile, Ashley stood in her driveway, preparing for the long solo drive to New Mexico, a knot of frustration, sadness, and the faintest flicker of excitement tightening in her chest.
She arrived at Donna and Scott's house dressed in a fitted navy-blue tank top and gray yoga pants that hugged her figure. The sight of a massive moving truck parked out front gave her a pang of melancholy. Taking a deep breath, she stepped out of her car and walked into the chaotic house.
Inside, movers bustled through hallways carrying boxes and furniture. One of them--a tall, handsome young Hispanic man--caught Ashley's attention. He gave her a warm smile and a playful wink as he passed by with a box nearly the size of a dresser.
Ashley smiled back instinctively, her eyes trailing him a little longer than she intended.
In the kitchen, she found Donna packing silverware into a box. They embraced tightly.
"Thanks so much for coming," Donna said, her voice thick with emotion.
Ashley forced a smile. "I wouldn't miss it. Though I'm still mad at Tom for backing out."
Donna nodded sympathetically. "It's okay. We've got plenty of help."
But as the day wore on, Ashley couldn't help noticing Sergio--the handsome mover. Every time she caught his eye, he seemed to be looking at her already. There was a spark there, a flicker of heat that hadn't stirred in her since her college days.
He moved with strength and ease, his tight T-shirt clinging to his chest, his muscles flexing with every lift. Whenever they crossed paths, the air between them seemed charged, almost magnetic. Ashley felt her cheeks warm and her pulse quicken.
When a particularly large box needed moving, Sergio called out, "Hey, can someone give me a hand with this?"
Though he hadn't addressed anyone specifically, Ashley stepped forward without hesitation.
"I'm Ashley, by the way," she said, her voice a bit breathy as she reached for the box.
Sergio's face lit up. "Sergio," he replied, shaking her hand before adjusting his grip. Their fingers brushed briefly, sending a jolt up her arm.
Together they lifted the box. Ashley caught herself watching the way his forearms flexed under the weight.
After the truck was finally loaded, the caravan set off--Sergio behind the wheel of the moving truck, Ashley following in her car. She switched on a Latin music playlist, imagining it might give her some insight into his world. The rhythm pulsed through her speakers, and her mind drifted.
She pictured his strong hands trailing across her skin, his voice whispering in her ear. Her breath quickened as heat pooled low in her belly.
They made their first stop at a dusty roadside gas station to stretch and refuel. While Scott and Donna tended to logistics, Sergio approached Ashley's car.
"Need me to check your tires? Fluids?" he asked, already crouching beside the front wheel.
Ashley rolled down the window, smiling despite herself. "That would be great, thanks."
Their eyes met and held a moment longer than necessary. As Sergio stood and reached across her door, his hand brushed against her thigh. Her breath caught in her throat. The contact was fleeting, but it lingered.
She felt flattered--and dangerously tempted.
He's just being nice, she told herself. No way a younger guy like him is into someone like me. The thought was sobering, but it didn't erase the warmth pooling in her core.
Later, when they all gathered around a small picnic table for lunch, Sergio made a point of sitting beside her. As they unwrapped sandwiches from the cooler Donna had packed, he turned toward Ashley with genuine interest.
"You said your kids play soccer?"
She nodded, smiling at the mention. "Yeah. Both boys. It's their favorite thing."
Sergio grinned. "That's awesome. I volunteer as a youth coach back home. Maybe I could show them some footwork sometime."
Ashley laughed, her eyes lighting up. "They'd love that."
As he talked about his coaching, his college courses, and how he balanced work with school, Ashley felt her attraction deepen. He wasn't just charming--he had drive. His voice was warm, his gestures relaxed. His passion for soccer reminded her of the things that used to light her up before life got routine.
And when he smiled at her like that--like she mattered--it sent a ripple of something dangerous through her.
Across the table, Donna took a long sip of iced tea, then leaned in and whispered, "You've got a little crush on Sergio, don't you?"
Ashley's face went warm. "What? No," she said too quickly. "We're just chatting."
