No. Please no. Couldn’t I at least have the time to take a proper shower before having to face him again? He was gone by the time I woke up this morning. I thought I’d been blessed by the gods and had been given a free pass for yesterday, but apparently not.

I let out a tight breath through my nose. At least it’ll be done. Trying not to look as embarrassed as I feel, I spin on my heels. “Hey.”

Aaron is dressed the same way he was when I got here the first time, with a fleece-lined plaid coat, khakis, and work boots. His dark brown locks are covered with a simple black beanie, mischief in his gaze. “Sleep well?”

I purse my lips, which makes him laugh.

“Hope the bed was more comfortable than the couch,” he says, still smirking.

“Look, I’m sorry about all that,” I say, arms crossed. “I shouldn’t have asked you to stay. I just really, um…”

“Hate rats?”

“Yes. That.”

His eyes twinkle in amusement.

“All that a few hours after saying you wouldn’t realize I’m here,” I grunt. “I swear I’m not usually so…”

One of his hands shoots forward and pats my shoulder. “Hey, Wren, stop it. I’m just messing with you.” His skin is warm, burning me even through my thermal shirt. He removes it fast.

Why am I even noticing the warmth of his hands? Something’s wrong with me.

“Okay, well—”

“Let me show you around,” he interrupts.

“Huh?”

“You’ve only seen the bad bits—not that I believe we have rats,” he says, making me roll my eyes. With a laugh, he adds, “You haven’t been given a proper tour. Let me show you the good parts of this place.”

My lips pull to one side. I have a lot of work to do. I need to call the garage to ask what’s going on with my car and whether I’ll be able to use it again soon. There are a bunch of phone calls I need to return. But something in my brain must not be working properly because I say, “Okay, why not.” And it’s the truth. I’ve been wondering for a while what the whole place looks like and what a Christmas tree farm owner does for a living. Still, my answer has surprised even me. “You owe me for the rats anyway.”

He snickers, nudging his head to the side. “Come on now.”