Vance gently squeezed my hip. “Why?”

My throat felt too thick to answer, so I fixed my gaze on the rippling water past the window and remained silent.

“You’re mad. Why?”

My eyes became itchy. Swallowing that nonsense down, I whispered, “Why didn’t you tell me about transferring to Columbia?”

“I planned on telling you, but you’ve had . . . a lot going on. And it’s not a big deal. It’s not like I’m moving hours away. Just minutes, really.”

Spending so much time out at the farm the past few months, Vance had caught the tail end of a couple of Pa’s episodes. Maybe having some distance wouldn’t be such a bad thing. At least it would be easier to keep Pa’s issues tucked out of sight. I’d have to keep telling myself that until the ache in my throat and chest alleviated.

His heavy huff pushed past my shoulder and fogged the window. “You’re one to talk. Did you have any plans on telling me you quit school?”

I tried pushing him off, but he wasn’t having it. “I didn’t quit. I graduated early.”

“What about college?”

“I already told you college isn’t a part of my plan. I have the farm to help run and children to take care of.” My eyes began to sting again, so I sniffed real hard to tamp it down.

We grew quiet. The only sounds echoing in the den were the popping and hissing of the fire and my silly sniffles. I’d not properly cried since Mama died and was annoyed that I was this close to bawling over a boy, no less.

“They say what you do on New Year’s Day, you do the rest of the year.” His words tickled the side of my neck as he nuzzled closer. “Austin, I don’t want us arguing the rest of the year.”

Even though our differences and the impossibility of us overcoming them weighed heavily in my thoughts, Foxy’s orders from earlier talked over it. For once, I wanted to act my age just as she had suggested, even if that meant a lot of pretending. I wanted to pretend my only issue past that moment in Vance’s arms was getting caught by his parents.

I slowly turned around and met his crestfallen eyes. “Then I want to spend the rest of the year kissing you.”

Vance’s head inclined back but quickly returned forward with a hungry smile curving his full lips. “Do you now?”

I shrugged and downplayed the frenzy of excitement wreaking havoc inside me. “Yeah. Sure. Might as well get it over with.”