“You love it. Now give me your key and have a good meeting.” She paused to tuck his office key into her pocket and then sneaked a quick peck on his cheek. “Bye, Noah.”

“We’ll revisit this desk thing,” he promised on his way down.

--------

She was feeling playful, Cat thought as she steered her pick-up off the highway in the direction of the rental house her parents were sharing with Gannon and Paige. Being sneaky had that effect on her. Poor Noah. He had no idea she’d been lying her ass off to him. And wouldn’t he be surprised? Hopefully he’d take the gift as it was meant. As a thank you for their time together. He’d been more special to her than anyone outside her own immediate family.

It was bittersweet. Knowing that the end was looming. That in just a matter of days she’d be packing her bag and driving away from him.

The thought, the visualization of the actual moment, had Cat slamming on the brakes and swinging off the road onto the snowy shoulder. Her breath caught in her throat. What the hell was that? That white-hot blast of… pain? Fear? Regret?

It was temporary. She knew that, had preferred that, had made it abundantly clear.

“What the hell is wrong with me?” Cat muttered. She flipped the visor down and studied her reflection. Her mother could always tell when something wasn’t quite right, and if Cat didn’t want to face an Angela King inquisition, she’d better get some color back in her cheeks.

Consciously, she relaxed her face, draining the tension out of the muscles. She smiled with forced cheer. She’d been smiling on command for nearly five years now and had mastered faux sincerity.

She took another deep breath to slow her heart rate.

“I’ve just been working too much. I’ll take a few weeks off in January, get my head on straight, and—” And what? Move across the country? Away from her family? Her home? Noah?

“Sweet baby Jesus, woman. Get it together,” Cat told her reflection. She slammed the visor up and pulled back onto the road. “Everything is fine. I’m happy. I’m excited. I’m just fine.”

--------

“What’s the matter?”

The first words out of her mother’s mouth told Cat she wasn’t as skilled an actress as she thought.

“Geez, Mom. Hello to you, too,” Cat said, pressing a kiss to her mother’s cheek before unwinding the evergreen and navy scarf from her neck.

“Stir this and tell me what’s wrong,” her mother ordered, pointing at the pot on the stove. A stew, thick and savory, simmered within.

She grabbed the spoon and dutifully went to work. “Nothing’s wrong. Can you give me the recipe for this? Sara would love—”