Louisa slowed her pace. “I’m the lucky one.” Her expression turned thoughtful. “Maggie’s always filled in the gaps created by my mom.”

Louisa and her mom were polar opposites. For starters, JoEllen seemed much more concerned with appearances than Louisa ever had been. Also, JoEllen was nice, but she wasn’t kind. Not like Louisa.

“It bothers you, huh?” Cody asked. “That you guys aren’t close.”

Louisa shrugged. “A little, I guess. I think what bothers me most is that when I broke up with Eric, she called him and told him to wait until I came to my senses. She said my little business would fail, and I’d see he was right.”

“Yikes,” Cody said.

“She doesn’t believe in me either.”

“So how’d you become so fearless?” he asked.

Louisa stopped when they reached Cody’s Jeep, parked next to her bike. “I don’t feel that way at all.”

“It seems like you’ve got something to prove,” he said.

She stilled. “Maybe. I think I’ve always felt like I needed to do all the good I can—you know, to make up for my mistakes.”

He studied her face. Her nose was just slightly crooked after being broken when she was in grade school. Most people probably didn’t even notice that, but he did. She told him once she hated it—it was so imperfect. He told her that’s what made her interesting to look at. And she was. He could look at her all night.

“Lesson tomorrow?” he asked.

A look of disappointment skittered across her face. He should’ve told her that her mistake was forgiven, that she could stop trying so hard. She had nothing more to prove. He just couldn’t find the words.

She quickly regrouped. “You’re going to make me get up before the sun, aren’t you?”

“Best time of day,” he said. “You don’t want to miss the sunrise.”

“It’s so early,” she groaned.

“You’re the one who bid on me,” he said. “You only have yourself to blame.”

She rolled her eyes. “Yeah, yeah. I’ll be there.” After a pause, her voice became sincere. “I’m sorry I invited your mom.”

“It’s okay.” He understood now—her strong need to put everyone back together. It came from a good place, even if it was misguided. Even if it would most likely end in disaster. Should he try to prepare her for that?

His mom had mentioned closure, but once she was faced with the haunting memories of the past, there was a chance she wouldn’t react the way Louisa hoped she would. She had years of anger strapped to her back.