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HANNAH
“On our left are some of the oldest maple trees on the property.” I sweep my arm out as we whiz by the forest on the golf cart.
I love it out here. This asphalt road was paved before I was born for easier access, and I spent many childhood days driving around out here on my four-wheeler.
“Why does your voice sound like that?” Instead of gazing out at our surroundings, Ellister’s looking at me.
“Like what?”
He hikes a shoulder. “Different.”
“This is my tour guide voice.”
“It’s very… impersonal.”
“Professional,” I contradict.
“I don’t like it.”
“If you want personal, you should call Faith,” I quip. “I’m sure she’d be happy to oblige.”
Ellister sighs as though his patience is being tested. “Are you still upset about that?”
“Still? You act like a lot of time has passed. That was just last night.”
“And I told you it’s not what it looked like.”
“Then what was it?” Taking my foot off the accelerator, I let the golf cart coast to a stop.
Giving him my full attention, I swing my face his way and wait for an explanation.
Ellister stays silent, frowning at me like he usually does. Then I think of the way he smiled at Faith last night, all his white teeth on display, a dimple in his cheek.
My eyes drop to his left inner forearm. The sleeve of his shirt is rolled up, and I can see clean skin where the writing used to be. “You washed it off.”
Any momentary relief I’m feeling is dashed away when he says, “I memorized it.”
Dropping my head back, I laugh humorlessly. “Of course you did. That’s info you’d want to keep on hand for a rainy day.”
Seeing that our conversation has taken a bad turn, I get the cart going again and point to our right.
“These trees are younger, planted in the nineties,” I recite in the most pleasant tone possible, hoping it drives Ellister nuts.
“Hannah—”
“They’re not big enough yet.”
“Han—”
“A sugar maple tree must be at least forty years old to produce the right amount of syrup.”
Releasing a defeated huff, Ellister gets on board with the topic I’m shoving down his throat. “How do you get the syrup out?”
“There’s tapping, tubing, and buckets,” I explain. “A lot of buckets.”
“I don’t see any buckets.”
“That’s because it’s not the right time of year.”
