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“Do you think you’ll ever go back to it?” Why did the question feel loaded with subtext?

“I don’t know I don’t want to give it up entirely I worked too hard But I also needed a break Things happenedand I had to reevaluate what I was doing I didn’t like the person I had become out there” My voice was hoarse, and my mouth had become dry

“Things happened?”

“Isn’t that the turn off for Kirksville,” I said, pointing to the sign just as Kyle drove past it

“Shit, yeah, it was Sorry” He quickly pulled into a turnoff and put his signal on so he could flip around “Hold on” And then he put his hand on htly as he did a U-Turn in the road I slid across the seat and foundon His breathing seemed to deepen, and my belly flipped and rolled It would be so easy to turn my head To nuzzle into his neck I could s burn of his hand onEvery cell in my body responded to him

Once he had corrected the truck, he pulled his hand away “Sorry ’bout that” Then I had no choice but to otten uncolued to his side like I belonged there

Get a grip, Whitney

Thankfully, all talk about otten as we pulled up in front of the Greek restaurant Niko’s “Hang on,” he said, getting out of the truck He rushed around toout his hand foron your face” He chuckled, and I laughed too

He let go of my hand but moved it to the small of my back as he directed reeted us and then led us to a booth tucked into an alcove beneath leafy vines hanging fro

“This is nice,” I observed, taking in the ht yet cozy, with candles in tiny lanterns on the table and Greekfrom the sound system

“I discovered this place when I orking a job in town I had been hired to re-landscape the town hall, and Lucky on my crew recommended we come here for lunch After that, we came every day” Kyle handed me a menu

“How many people work for you?” I asked

“Five right now, used to be six, but Daniel Alder inia to take care of hishis eyes from the menu to meet mine

“It looks like you stay pretty busy Business see well”