Max eased out of the parking lot.

He was glad he was driving. It would be easier to ignore Sarah’s intoxicating scent, and the sight of her, just inches away across the console.

They hadn’t passed another car since they set out, and the sunlight dappled the lonely road through the autumn tree cover.

Max found himself feeling hopeful and happy.

“Did you have a good year?” he asked her playfully.

Sarah made a sound that was something between a gasp and a laugh.

Sheesh, he hadn’t thought he could put his foot in his mouth with such a simple question.

“It was a great year,” she said before he could backtrack. “How about you?”

I spent the whole year sitting on my hands to keep from flying out to Glacier City and making a fool of myself over you.

“It was fine,” he said. “Work kept me busy, so that’s a good thing.”

He glanced over.

A smile teased at the corner of her mouth but her hands were fisted on the seat on either side of her hips.

“So are you looking forward to seeing your land again?” he asked.

That earned him a real smile.

“Yes, I can’t wait,” she told him.

“I’m glad you enjoy the investment,” he said. “It’s a long game - too long for some.”

“Not for me,” she said. “I didn’t want that money to make me soft. This way it’s well invested and it will be waiting for me when I’m ready for it.”

“That’s a good plan,” he said. “Kind of like a trust fund for yourself.”

“Exactly,” she said.

He was impressed at her strategy.

She was young to have that kind of money. He hadn’t asked her anything about it last year, but he figured she must have lost her parents and they’d left her a fortune. The minimum investment for a piece of land like the one Sarah had selected was just over five million dollars. Her parents must have been big wigs.

“You know people sometimes come down and camp on their property,” he suggested. “The land is yours. As long as you get permits you could even build a cabin, whatever you want.”

Sarah bit her lip.

“Did I say something wrong?” he asked. “You’re not the outdoorsy type?”

Funny, she’d hiked like a champion last year, told him she’d been a Girl Scout.

“No,” she said. “I always thought I’d like to do that, but… work keeps me busy.”

“The downside to locking up your money in land, huh?” he teased.

“Yes, I guess so.”

She smiled and he felt warmth blossom in his chest.

Ours.

The bear was satisfied. He was an easy customer. Max knew better.

“So you work in computers, right?”

“Yes, I develop apps for corporations mostly,” she said.

“Seems like you could do that from anywhere.”

He couldn’t stop himself from dreaming about sweeping her off her feet, building her a cabin, bringing her a cup of coffee while she worked from home, then helping her relax with a warm bath in a tub big enough for two, his hands all over her sweet little body…

“Kind of,” she said. “A lot of the clients want to meet and discuss function. Most of what they want is beyond the scope of what they are willing to pay for, and when that’s the case, those discussions work best in person.”

“Makes sense,” he said. He knew a thing or two about unreasonable clientele.

“But my firm does work-from-home Wednesdays, so I get to spend extra time with… myself. At home,” she told him.

“That’s great,” he said, nodding.

He didn’t want to believe it, but he suspected she’d been about to say she got to spend extra time with a boyfriend.

It added up. She was beautiful and smart, there was no reason she wouldn’t be in a relationship.

On the other hand, he didn’t see much jewelry on her - none at all, as a matter of fact. If she had a serious boyfriend, he would have given her jewelry. She’d wear it when she was traveling to remind her of him, wouldn’t she? And she wouldn’t shy away from mentioning it, like she just did.

What then?

The car started to feel too warm and he wasn’t able to come up with a single follow-up question.

The air between them hummed with his unasked questions.

What happened last year? Didn’t you feel that magic between us? Can’t you feel it now? Why did you leave without saying good-bye?

But they were already taking the dirt road back into the trees that belonged to Sarah.

Any conversation would have to wait until the SUV was finished bumping and jolting over the path.