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“Look, I just want to apologize for running off the other night.” I held out the plastic box. “Peace offering.”

Hesitantly, she took it. She popped open the lid and peeked inside, her mouth twisting ever so slightly at the corner. “A cookie?”

“A cookie?” I peeked inside and sure enough there was one large chocolate tahini cookie sitting on the crumbs of the others that I apparently managed to polish off on my way over here. “There were more. I may have had one or two on my way over. I got lost.”

“And hungry?” Her caramel eyes roved over me, and I suddenly felt self-conscious. What did she see now when she looked at me? I was used to preening around women. I took care of myself, always had—and all those years of professional dance as a kid had taught me the importance of posture, and swagger. But I’d never worried about that with Indy. I’d always just been myself with her.

I glanced down at my old worn jeans and threadbare T-shirt that I’d been existing in since my suspension then ran my hand over my jaw. I’d forgotten to shave that morning. Had I even combed my hair after my shower?

Indy had changed. I didn’t allow my eyes wander over her the way they wanted to. But I’d gotten an eyeful the other night—enough to know that her lankiness had mellowed into slim, graceful curves. She was still petite, but there was more to hang on to. To fill a man’s hands. I couldn’t let my mind go there though, not when she was laser-focused on me and her eyes were lingering on the parts of me that were too obviously affected by her.

She shook her head. “How can you eat so much and still look like that? It isn’t fair.”

She bit into the cookie, and her soft moan of pleasure traveled directly to my dick. Jesus, what was wrong with me? This was Indy, I reminded myself, hoping he’d take the hint.

“This is incredible. What’s in this?”

“Tahini and chocolate. I can’t take credit for the recipe though. It’s Liv’s.”

“Your cousin?” I’d forgotten that they knew each other. Or at least had met once years ago when Olivia and her family had come to Colorado. “How is she?”

“Great, she’s a recipe developer. Lives in France now with her husband. They just had a baby.”

“A baby? Wow, isn’t she younger than me?”

“Maybe a year or two,” I answered. An awkward silence settled over us. It was stressing me out, and so I searched for anything to keep the conversation going . . . I didn’t want to ask about her parents because I felt too guilty about ignoring them as well.

And so I found myself reaching for the only other person we had in common. “Speaking of cousins, how’s Ashleigh?”

“She’s fine,” Indy clipped. “Perfect, in fact. Like always.”

“Okay . . .” I ran my hand over the back of my neck. Not wanting to put my foot in it again. I had a tendency to say the wrong thing where women were concerned. “So, listen, I thought we could get a coffee or something . . .”

“Levi, you don’t have to do this.” She interrupted me and I blinked at her, confused.

“Do what?”

“This.” She waved her hands at the space between us. “Whatever this is, trying to make amends so you don’t feel like the bad guy. It’s fine. You can go back to your life. I’m sorry that I stumbled back into your path.”

“Whoa, Ind—Diana, that’s not what I came here to do.” Although she was so on point with at least part of my intentions that it made me wonder if she didn’t still understand me. “I want to know more about what you’ve been up to.”

She threw her hands in the air. “Now, you want to know? It’s kind of a long story, isn’t it?”

“I’ve got time.” I could’ve run off with my tail between my legs. That’s what I should’ve done what with October 21 barreling down on us like an asteroid—inevitable and full of potential destruction. But leaving her again was the last thing I wanted to do, and besides I hadn’t even had the opportunity to warn her off Fiero. “Come on, Jones.”

She closed her eyes and pinched her nose. I recognized that old tic of hers. Whenever she was anxious or angry, she rubbed a finger over the small bump on the bridge of her nose. She’d always hated her nose and used to threaten future plastic surgery, but I’d always thought it was adorable and was glad to see it had remained untouched. “Fine, but you’re going to have to settle for the sock water they serve us in the commissary.”

“I love sock water.” I smiled and followed her toward the portable.

Chapter 6

Diana

“You weren’t kidding about the shitty coffee.” Levi grimaced as he took another sip.

“I did warn you,” I replied, and another awkward silence settled between us. We were perched on a mound of dirt overlooking the square pit we’d been digging for the past month with cups of weak coffee in our hands. And I had so much to say and nothing would come out.

How was it possible that someone I’d known so well, who was part of the fabric of my teenage history and identity, could be a perfect stranger now?