He glanced around and saw the entire room was looking at them, so why not give them a show by continuing the conversation? Let them guess the topic.

He lowered his knife and fork to the table and swallowed the last bite of chicken. “The thing?”

“What happened in the cabin.” She lowered her voice to a whisper. “The misunderstanding.”

Holding a conversation with her would take some practice. He couldn’t lose focus for a second. “Is that what we’re calling it?”

She hit him with a second sigh. This one telegraphed the clear message that she thought he was annoying. “I really don’t want to be the subject of gossip.”

“Me either.”

“Then we’re agreed.”

He had no idea what understanding she thought they just reached. “I didn’t—”

Sylvia walked back into the room, holding two letters and what looked like a magazine. “Here you go.”

“Thanks.” Maddie took the small bundle and pivoted around Sylvia. She was out of the room and out of sight a second later.

He didn’t know where she’d skidded off to and didn’t try to guess. But something about her . . . maybe her obvious dislike of him . . . had him thinking about her. “What’s her story?”

“Some people have their mail sent here. She’s one of them.”

“Is that really what you thought I was asking?” Connor doubted it because he could see Sylvia’s knowing smile.

“You’ve been here one day and already have a crush?”

Nope. He was not playing this game. “It was a question, not a proposal.”

“Quiet. Loner, possibly lonely, but I don’t know. She doesn’t share.”

That sounded familiar. The description fit him, too. “Did something happen to her?”

“Something happened to everyone, Connor.”

He had to admit those were wise words. “Good point.”

“If you’re going to ask her out—”

“I’m not.” He could be attracted. From a distance. Silently. That was as close to wading into Maddie’s world as he intended to go.

“Okay, but just know that you didn’t pick an easy road.”

He tried to ignore the comment. He really did. Picked up the bread and took his time buttering it. But Sylvia let the words sit there, twisting in his head, and he finally snapped. “Meaning?”

“She’s alone for a reason. Don’t push. Whatever happened . . . I don’t know. Just be careful. She’s not fragile but she’s wary.”

He was well aware of what happened when someone pushed Maddie. Hell, he’d been sitting quietly in his house when she took offense and whacked him. He still couldn’t make those pieces fit together in his head. No matter how much he wanted to drop it and walk away—far away—he worried that might not be possible.