My mouth lifts at the awkwardness of his question, like the word friend isn’t commonly used in his vocabulary. “I never really thought about it before. But I guess the best word to describe it is relaxed. Pembrook is small. My friends all grew up together. There wasn’t a lot of trouble to get into, although I definitely did my fair share of digging to find some. And people were…happy. I know it probably sounds boring compared to traveling the world and whatnot, but it was kind of perfect for me.”

Ash smiles at me like I just told him a secret. “I’ve never met anyone who was so happy to be exactly who they are.”

“What?” I say, nearly choking on my coffee. “Right now I wish I were anyone but me.”

“No you don’t,” he says. “You lean into life. Even now, even when you’re being hunted by the Lions, you gape at the streets of Edinburgh, light up over the sight of a Christmas tree in a hotel lobby, ask five thousand questions about the Scottish countryside, and plan movie nights with enthusiasm. It’s not just about the end goal for you; you look at the everyday world like it’s something special, and you make me see it that way, too.”

I blink at him, taken aback. But before I can say anything, Ash looks in the rearview mirror, letting his gaze linger.

“Is everything okay?” I ask, resisting the urge to turn around.

He glances at me.

“I mean with whatever is behind us,” I clarify.

“Ah, well, I’m not actually sure. Although I am sure we’re being followed.” He doesn’t sound nearly as freaked out as I would expect.

I look at the side mirror nervously but can’t see anyone behind us. “How can you tell? Do you think it’s Logan?”

“A hunch,” he says.

I gaze out the window, wondering if he’s right, if Logan is angry enough to follow us.

“Logan’s precise,” Ash says, and his voice takes on the lilt it gets when he’s analyzing people. “Did you notice his ironwork? His craftsmanship is exceptional, and he does everything the old-fashioned way, with precision and care, which is not only harder but more time-consuming. If I had to guess, I’d say he’s someone who has the patience to be a tracker and prefers the long route. We likely presented ourselves as an interesting challenge. Also, information about you will be worth a hell of a lot right now. So even if I’ve read him incorrectly and he’s not following us, he would have to be an idiot not to sell what he knows. Either way, the likelihood is that we’re being followed.”