“Dad’s life has always revolved around the farm. He’s always said it’s his legacy.” He raises his eyebrows. “And legacy matters more than my job.”

I frown. “How?”

“What do you mean, how?”

“Well, you entertain people. Make them happy.” I shrug. “To me, that’s important all right.”

He turns to me and stares for a second too long. When I feel my neck start to warm, I tip my chin and say, “Eyes on the road.”

He chuckles before following the command.

We spend a few minutes in silence with only the soft folk music playing from his radio before he asks, “So how long have you worked as a lawyer?”

“Almost two years now.”

His eyebrows furrow. “Aren’t you young to have worked that long?”

“I’m twenty-six, not thirteen,” I huff.

“Still.”

I shrug. “I skipped third grade.”

“Smart even then,” he says.

Thank God it’s dark inside the car. He can’t see the slight curl of my lips.

We continue talking about my career and his, small talk that is safe, until we enter Boston and I lead him to my neighborhood. By then, I’m pretty much an expert in all things graphic design.

“Right here,” I say, pointing to my building, where snow drifts from the roof, as if some fell here today. He stops in front of the entryway.

“Thank you for the ride.” I open my door.

“No problem.”

Just as I’m about to close the door, he leans over and says, “Hey, why don’t you give me your number? You know, so I can text you tomorrow when I’m here.”

I eye him for a second before chastising myself. He doesn’t care about you like that. This is work related. And work related, I can do. “Sure.”

I tell him my number, and he texts me a smiley face to give me his.

“Got it,” I say. “Hopefully, we won’t need to do that too much.”

“Texting?”

My gaze narrows in on him. “The carpooling.”

“Oh.” He chuckles. “Yeah. Well, the offer for the cabin still stands, if ever you change your mind.”

I nod.

“All right, then.” He throws a finger salute my way. “Good night, Wren.”

A shiver runs through my body. It’s so cold outside.

“Good night, Aaron.” His eyes don’t leave mine, even after I’ve stopped speaking. They’re intimidating. As if they could read me if he tried.

I get out of the car and close the door before he can.

Chapter 6

CHAPTER 6

Aaron

I’m out front, I text her after I’ve parked my car the next morning, fog blanching my windshield in the chilly November morning.

Coming down now, she answers a few seconds later.