Louisa wished she could turn and run the other way, but that might be a little too obvious, even for her. What did she care if McKenzie had a thing for Cody? It wasn’t like she had any claim to the man.

Unfortunately.

She swatted that thought away and soldiered on.

McKenzie perked right up when she spotted Louisa. “Oh, Louisa. We were just talking about you.”

Cody looked away.

She resisted the urge to ask what exactly they were saying about her, slung her bag across her body, and gave them both a nod.

“Do you need help with anything?” Cody took half a step away from McKenzie, who still wore that precious smile Louisa couldn’t stand.

Her inner monologue chastised her. Be nice, Louisa. This is not good behavior.

“I think we’re good,” Louisa said sharply. “Just finished up.”

“I got caught out on the cutter,” Cody said as if he were apologizing.

McKenzie practically purred. “Did you save someone else’s life?”

Cody’s eyes were still fixed on Louisa, who thought she might collapse under the weight of his gaze. “Just routine. Mechanical issues. All good now.”

“Oh, thank goodness,” McKenzie said. “We sure wouldn’t want you to miss the auction tonight. Would we, Louisa?”

Louisa clenched her teeth together so tightly she thought they might crack. “We sure wouldn’t, McKenzie. I’ll see you guys later.”

She would’ve loved for Cody to dismiss McKenzie and tell her he’d like to talk to Louisa for a moment and say he’d been thinking about it and she was right to clear the air, and he was wrong to make her feel bad for a mistake she’d made so many years ago, and he’d given it a good thinking over and he’d forgiven her after all. And oh, by the way, could we try that whole relationship all over again from the beginning? Clean slate and everything?

But he didn’t dismiss anyone except Louisa, with a slight wave goodbye and a complete removal of attention. And he didn’t say a single one of those things. Instead, he glanced at McKenzie, who asked if he’d like to go see where the auction would be held, and then followed her off toward the restaurant like a stray dog in desperate need of a warm bath and a cuddle.

Louisa swung her leg over the Vespa and gave her bag a tug. While she absolutely refused to glance in Cody and McKenzie’s direction, she did note out of her peripheral vision that he tossed a quick look back at her.

Well, how do you like that?

She steeled her jaw—something she was incredibly good at—started the engine, and drove away, trying her best not to imagine a conversation that would draw him closer to a woman with whom he had no past, no baggage, and no cross words.