“Apparently.” He takes the thermos back. “Published?”
“Under a pen name. Scarlett Monroe.”
He processes this. “I’ll look you up.”
My stomach flips. The books. The very detailed books about three alphas who look suspiciously like?—
“They’re pretty niche,” I say quickly. “You probably wouldn’t?—”
“Is there a recommended reading order?”
I can’t tell if he’s messing with me. His face gives nothing away.
“Standalone. Start anywhere.”
“Good to know.”
He doesn’t push. We keep walking.
I’m starting to think this whole thing was a mistake when I spot the frozen creek spreading wide before us.
“Think it’s solid?” I ask.
“Probably. Below freezing for weeks.”
“We should test it.”
Lucas stops. “Test it how?”
“Walk on it.” I’m already moving toward the edge. “We used to do this all the time.”
“Cara.” His voice sharpens. “Don’t.”
I step onto the ice. It holds.
“Perfectly safe.”
“Get back here.”
“Make me.” Another step. The ice creaks but doesn’t crack. “Come on, Lucas. Live a little.”
“I live plenty. Responsibly.”
“Boring.”
“That’s not an insult.”
“It is when you’re twenty-eight.” I spin around, arms out. “Remember racing across this? You and me and Theo?—”
I stop. We said no heavy stuff.
But Lucas just sighs and steps onto the ice.
“If I die, I’m haunting you.”
“Deal.”
He walks toward me, surprisingly steady. When he reaches me, we’re standing in the middle of the frozen creek, trees rising around us like a cathedral.
