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The next morning, as promised, Cal was waiting outside. Instead of his flashy sports car, he had a dust-covered SUV. There was something eerily peaceful about it all—the stillness of the morning, the barely audible rustle of the trees in the chilly breeze, and the soft purr of the engine. It felt like the calm before an inevitable storm.
As Ellie approached, Cal stepped out of the vehicle and walked over to her. The wind had tousled his hair, and his eyes held that familiar mischievous twinkle. He all but buzzed with excitement, like a kid on his way to Disney.
He was enjoying this.
How the hell was he enjoying this when her stomach was in so many knots that she felt like she’d swallowed a ball of yarn?
“Morning.” He reached for her suitcase, then pulled open the passenger door for her. “Ready?”
His voice was casual, as if they were headed out on a simple road trip. Nothing more.
No. She wasn’t ready in the least.
“As I’ll ever be. Where’s your car?” she asked as she slid into the seat. Her heart pounded with anticipation and anxiety. She wished she could match his carefree demeanor, but the effort was beyond her reach. She was too nervous.
“Traded with Pierce for the week,” Cal replied. “Figured we’d run into rugged terrain.”
“I just saw him last night when I dropped Puzzle off at the rescue. He didn’t mention…” She trailed off and flushed. Of course Pierce didn’t mention it. He couldn’t talk due to an injury he’d sustained in the Army and communicated primarily through sign language. While she’d learned a little bit over the past year, it wasn’t enough to hold a conversation. “When did you find the time to learn sign language?”
Was the man made of energy?
“When I realized it would be useful in my line of work. Defendants come in all shapes, sizes, and communication methods. And I like Pierce. He’s an interesting guy, and I wanted to be able to talk to him.” He gently shut her door, circled the back to stow her suitcase, and then climbed behind the wheel.
“You continue to surprise me, Callum,” she murmured.
For once, Cal didn’t respond with a smirk or a cocky retort. Instead, he flicked a glance at her. “It’s important to stay versatile.”
Ellie looked at him sidelong as he shifted into reverse and backed out of her driveway. He wore an expression of seriousness that she seldom saw in him. Could it be that he was as nervous as she was about their little excursion?
She wanted to ask him, but some part of her was afraid of what his answer might be.
“Oh,” he said suddenly. “Check in the glove box.”
Ellie hesitated before opening it and sucked in a sharp breath when she saw the ring box sitting there.
She slowly picked up the box. It was expensive-looking, a velvety black case that could only mean one thing. She glanced at Cal, who still wore that unfamiliar serious expression.
“I— what is this?” Her voice was strangled. Her heart banged around in her chest like a wild thing trying to escape.
“Just open it,” Cal responded, his voice firm but gentle.
With trembling fingers, she did. A beautiful princess-cut diamond sparkled at her from its satin bed. She gasped, caught between awe and panic. She couldn’t form words.
“We’re playing a married couple,” he reminded.
Nope.
No way.
She shut the ring box and stuffed it back into the glove compartment. “Okay, I think we should set some ground rules for this… this undercover mission.”
Cal blinked at her in surprise. “Ground rules?”
“Like… while we’re at the retreat. We’re just pretending to be a couple, so no…” She looked down at her hands in her lap. “No physical stuff. No kissing. Definitely no sex.”
He frowned. “If I can’t touch you, people will get suspicious.”
“Not necessarily. Lots of couples don’t like PDAs. Besides, we’re playing the part of a couple in marital trouble. This is the last-ditch effort for Cal and Ellie Miller to save their marriage.”
