“Go away.” She dropped the niceness.

“Nope. I thought things were getting better between us.”

She stopped, hands fisted at her sides.

“What do you want from me?”

Her eyes were tired, and her face pale. She looked a little lost and a lot angry. The look broke his heart.

“I just want to talk, nothing more. Give me a few minutes of your time.”

“Look, I tried to be nice with you. Went for polite, but you keep pushing for more. I don’t want any relationship with you, so back off!”

He deserved everything she threw at him, but he wasn’t giving up. She deserved more from him, had, and he’d failed, but not this time.

“It’s going to take you a few minutes to get to where you’re going, so give me those.”

“Go away, Dylan.” Her words came out on a sigh.

Wrapping his fingers around her arm, he urged her to the car.

“Let me go!”

“It’s warm in here, and you’re freezing. At least let me run you wherever you want to go.”

“I’m just walking.”

“In this weather?”

“It’s fine, you’re just soft after too much city living.”

He opened the passenger side, and lowered her inside.

“Please just stay.” Dylan shut the door and ran round the hood. Getting into his seat, he fired up the engine.

“Where do you want to go?”

“Home.”

He cranked up the heating and drove. Ava looked out the window.

“Hey, where are you going?”

“I want a milkshake.”

“You won’t find one down here.”

He pulled up outside the art gallery Maggie Winter owned.

“That looks ridiculously healthy,” Dylan said, eyeing the store next door.

“My favorite is the spinach, dandelion greens, and beet greens, with coconut water and berries.”

“Why?” Dylan shuddered.

“It’s healthy.”

“I’m healthy, but I don’t eat stuff like that.”

“Whatever, I’m leaving.”

“No. Okay, I’ll try one if you’ll stay and spend some time with me.”

“Why?”

The eyes she turned on him were almost lifeless, like she didn’t give a shit about anything. A trickle of unease traversed his spine. He’d seen eyes like that before, he just hadn’t thought about where until that moment.

“Because leaving you and not making contact was wrong, and coming here made me realize what I’ve missed out on, and part of that is having a relationship with you and Charlie.”

Her laugh held no humor. “A little too late for that, don’t you think.”

“No, it’s never too late. I’ll have to leave soon, but when I do, I want to know that we’re good and will keep in touch.”

She didn’t respond, just got out of the car and headed into the store. Dylan followed reluctantly. He thought about the chili cheese dog he’d left behind at the Trainers’, and the beer.