We hit Main Street, the holiday lights draped overevery awning and shop window. The town looked like it had dressed up just for us.
"Downtown's all lit up this time of year," he said, his voice low. "I love it."
"Yeah. Looks pretty."
He grinned. "Not as pretty as you."
That one got me. I rolled my eyes, but the smile was there, stubborn as a burr. "Smooth."
He didn't argue, just kept driving with that half smile.
We coasted up to a parking spot near the bakery, and he killed the engine with a little flick of his wrist.
Before we got out, I ran my hand along the charger, just a soft touch, quick, so he wouldn't notice.
Then I grabbed my purse. He had my door open before I could reach for the handle.
Main street looked like Christmas town. Frost on every lamppost, twinkle lights bracketing the bakery windows, clusters of silver and gold banners draped across the coffee shop's porch. For a split-second, I almost let myself believe we were the only people who'd ever walked these streets after dark.
We didn't rush, enjoying the decorations.
We barely cleared the curb when he lobbed the first real question. "When did you know you were going to do this?Outdoor science, river stuff, all of it. Was it always the plan?"
The honest curiosity in his tone caught me off guard. Most people expected a cute story about "helping the environment" or "saving the world" but it sounded like he wanted more.
I shrugged, but the memory hit hard. "I guess I was five?" I glanced at him to see his reaction, but he just tilted his head, waiting. Most people thought that was way too young for me to have known. "The creek behind my grandma's house. The first time I figured out how salamanders hid under the rocks, I was obsessed. I'd collect samples, draw diagrams, and drive her nuts with questions. Some people want to be astronauts. I wanted to figure out why streams didn't just dry up when summer got bad."
He nodded thoughtfully. "Makes sense. You don't strike me as the astronaut type. More like the ‘find the thing nobody else can find' type."
"Is that a compliment?" I nudged him with my shoulder, just a quick bump.
He smiled. "Biggest one I've got."
We crossed in front of the apothecary, and I caught my reflection in the glass. My hair was actually halfway decent, my cheeks flushed. I tried not tooverthink how much I wanted this to be a real path to something good.
He steered the conversation so smoothly it was like he'd practiced. "What was your favorite book as a kid? Not the one you want to name, the actual one."
I barked a laugh. "Easy. The Boxcar Children. Four orphans solve mysteries. There's over a hundred books in the series." I shot him a look. "I used to underline the best parts. There's a stack of them waiting to be unpacked."
No judgment from him. "That tracks. I used to devour survival manuals. Not even the fun ones. Just cold, straight-up field guides. Mom thought I'd grow up to be a park ranger."
There was a pause, but it was nice, not heavy. He let the quiet sit in the space between us, gentle.
"Why hellbenders specifically?" he asked, voice softer. "Of all the things to fight for, why concentrate on those ugly little critters?"
This was the kind of question that made me want to hug him. Not because he was sweet about it, but because he actually meant it.
I didn't hesitate. "Because most people don't notice the small stuff. Everybody wants to save wolves, or pandas. Nobody gives a damn about the unpretty thingsthat hold the world together. Hellbenders are proof the ecosystem works. If we lose them, it all falls apart. Towns, mountains, people. So, yeah. I'll fight for them."
He nodded, as if I'd just explained the secret of the universe. "You're good at fighting."
"Mostly from the office, through strongly worded emails."
He grinned. "If it works..."
The bistro was up ahead, glow in the window, little tables set with sprigs of pine. The second we stepped inside, the owner was on us, big hands, big personality, almost as solid as Chance himself. He clapped Chance on the shoulder like they were best friends. "Chance! Table for two, I heard?"
Chance played it cool. "You heard right, Steve."
