Her fingers paused on the keyboard.
She’d been trying not to think about last night. About the way he’d looked at her in the firelight. About the warmth of his hand on her face. The moment when their foreheads had touched and the world had shrunk to just the two of them.
She’d wanted to kiss him.
God help her, she’d wanted it so badly.
And if Sissy hadn’t interrupted?—
Millie closed her eyes and took a slow breath.
It wouldn’t have changed anything.
She and Caleb had a history. A beautiful, painful, and complicated history. But he’d ended things for a reason she’d never understood until now.
Back then, she’d thought he was everything she needed. Strong. Kind. Patient. He’d loved her fiercely, even when she was at her worst.
Now she knew why he’d broken up. In a way, the truth helped her. In another way, his reasoning made it even harder.
If he’d just talked to her, so much heartache could have been avoided.
She opened her eyes and forced herself to focus on the screen again, scrolling through grant requirements.
But her thoughts drifted from Caleb to Valentina.
Several times that day, Millie had started to confront her. To ask her directly what she was really doing here.
But each time, she’d stopped herself.
What if she was wrong? What if Valentina was exactly who she claimed to be—a woman fleeing an abusive relationship, just like the rest of them?
Accusing her without proof would only create more tension. More fear.
Maybe Millie would still have that conversation eventually. But she needed to wait for the right opportunity. She needed to watch a little longer.
She rubbed her temples and glanced toward the window.
Though she didn’t mind working on these grants, she was going stir crazy.
What had she expected when she came here? She’d known she’d have to stay inside. To keep a low profile.
But she hadn’t anticipated how hard it would be.
She was getting cabin fever. She’d spent the last six months constantly looking over her shoulder. Being trapped in one place—even a safe one—felt wrong.
How long could she really live like this?
Days? Weeks?
Months?
The thought made her chest tighten.
It had been hard enough to be around Caleb here. But more than that? Could she really live with the daily reminder of what they’d lost? It seemed like an unnecessary burden to carry.
She turned back to the laptop, forcing herself to read through the next grant application. To focus on something she could control.
But the restlessness hummed beneath her skin like a live wire.
