Hayden shrugged. “I think I’m going to take a nap.”

“Up late last night?” he asked innocently.

My eyes widened as I stared at the floor, but Hayden sounded unfazed. “Yeah, I stayed up late watching TV.”

“What are you doing, Ember?”

“Huh?” My head jerked up. “Oh. NowI think I’m gonna go sketch.”

“Well, we have dinner at three. I expect both of you to be here.” His gaze fell on Hayden. Cromwell smiled, but it never quite reached his eyes. “Before you run off, Hayden, I’d like to talk to you for a moment.”

I headed for the door, worry gnawing at my stomach. As I went to my bedroom, I could hear Liz and Olivia’s giggles mingling in with the male voices. I pulled on a hoodie and a pair of gloves before grabbing my sketchpad and a pencil.

Taking the route farthest from the kitchen, I slipped out the front door. I felt a little bit guilty about not spending time with Olivia. It used to be just us, and for two years, there wasn’t the smell of turkey or so much laughter.

I convinced myself she was okay while I waited in the chilly air for Hayden to appear. He showed up five minutes later, a wide smile across his face. Bright sunlight broke through the trees, casting a halo around his head.

“Aren’t you cold?” He hadn’t even put on a sweater.

“Nah.” Hayden held out his hand.

I stuck the sketchpad under my arm and took his hand. “Where’re we going? The cabin?”

“I thought we could take a walk.”

“Okay.” I let him lead me into the woods. A chorus of dead leaves crunched under our feet. “What did Cromwell want?”

“He wanted to know what we were up to.” He held a branch back.

“What? Does he know about…” I couldn’t say “last night.”

“No.” He sent a reassuring smile over his shoulder. “He just wondered what was up, I guess. I told him we were making stuffing.”

“He still doesn’t want you around me, does he? He’s worried you’ll get hurt.”

Hayden looked away. “I don’t think he really thinks about it anymore.”

I raised my brows.

“Seriously, I think he knows I like you and nothing is going to change that. He’s coming around. So it’s nothing to worry about.”

“Are you sure?” I didn’t believe him, not in a million years.

“Yes.” He squeezed my hand. “Let’s not worry about him right now, because laterafter dinnerI’m seriously going to take a nap.”

“It’s something in turkey,” I told him.

“Tryp-a-something, right?”

We’d stopped walking, and I wasn’t sure how far we’d gone. The sun barely broke through the canopy of branches out here, if that was any indication. Hayden circled his arms around my waist and pulled me forward. I came all too willingly.