on in his life after he broke up with her?
Aria took a tentative step on the next black rock, before lurching down and stumbling once again into his back. He huffed. “Would you like to save some time and use my back as a punching bag?”
“It was an accident,” she objected. “Are you angry with me?” She put her hands on her hips. In her mind, he had no right. She was trying to be nice without rehashing the past, but it wasn’t working. The man had a chip on his shoulder, and she wasn’t referring to the rock that had hit him. And with George gone and two men trying to kill them—
David stilled for a short moment but didn’t turn around. “No, I’m not angry with you,” he muttered. “I’m angry at the situation. Please bear with me, Aria. I’m having a hard time with all of this. I don’t mean to take it out on you.”
Her eyes blurred again. She needed to think about something else before she started crying, for she feared that once she started she wouldn’t be able to stop. Never had she ever felt so alone, and that was saying something.
She stared at the back of David’s head. His hair used to be as curly as her own locks. Now, it looked trimmed—wavy, but no curls. The lower half of his face was covered with the same brassy dark blond hair. The beard made him look older, as well as the extra bulk his shoulders sported.
“Did...did you grow the beard for the job?”
He spun and raised an eyebrow.
“To look older?”
He shrugged and moved forward.
“Please,” she said. “We don’t have to be friends, but I need...I need to talk to keep my mind...”
“I get it,” he said, his voice softer. “Yes. The beard helped. When you’re one of the youngest on the crew, you need to earn their respect to lead them.”
“So it’s rare to be young and be foreman?”
He nodded. “My construction management degree came in handy.”
She smiled. “You went back to school? I thought you had an automatic job with your dad.”
“Mom encouraged me to get some extra experience outside of Dad’s crew.”
She’d always liked David’s mom. It seemed like smart advice. “Living the dream, then?”
He grunted a noncommittal response. “What about you?” He leaned up against the side of the rock wall for a moment and surveyed the layout of the land. “What’s up with the cleaning?”
Her spine tingled. She hadn’t expected the conversation to turn personal, and she was a little bit embarrassed to share with him her career decision. She had a feeling he wouldn’t agree. And unlike George, who’d also questioned her choice, David wouldn’t quietly respect her new direction. She’d no doubt have to hear his thoughts on the matter and she wasn’t sure she could endure that just yet.
David continued down the path. She lurched again onto yet another rock and decided the best route was to keep it short and simple. “I took a break from school for a while. Now I’m back. Cleaning pays the bills.”
He narrowed his eyes and studied her for a moment, as if expecting she’d say more, but she didn’t reward him.
“So why didn’t George tell me you were here when he hired me?” he asked. “You’d think he could’ve mentioned that little tidbit, unless someone had asked him to keep it quiet.”
“I told you, he kept me in the dark too.” David had a point, though. When she had reconnected with George over a year ago, he’d asked after David. And she’d told him, in detail, about how their relationship ended. George had known it would be awkward for both of them and yet he kept it to himself. She huffed.
David’s gaze darted behind her and down the hill. “What? Did you see something?”
“No. Sorry. I just realized George was trying to play matchmaker.” She spotted a white tail bouncing up the boulders. This area of the coast had wild bunnies. They were a treat for visitors ever since she could remember. A rustle in the grasses revealed more bunnies, bounding up their way.
“Wonder why they’re all coming this way,” David mused. He pointed to a bend in the creek. “Think we can make it over on those boulders?”
If her shoes weren’t sopping wet, it’d be a piece of cake. She steeled her nerve. “I can manage.”
David lengthened his stride. “Barbara was the matchmaker, wasn’t she? Didn’t she set up your mom and dad?”
Aria cringed. He was hitting all the painful memories today. “Yes. Did you know Barbara passed away?”
He jutted his chin out. “Yeah.”
“Did you know George remarried last year?”
“Yes, but I haven’t met her yet. What’s she like?”
Trophy wife came to mind, as well as gold digger. The woman was probably twenty...maybe thirty years younger than George. “Uh. George loves—loved her. I know that much.”
“That’s all you can tell me?”
“I was raised if you don’t have something nice to say...”
David turned and raised an eyebrow. “Point taken.” He sighed. “We should warn her in case those men come after her. Do you have her number?”
Her face burned. She should’ve thought of that first. George would’ve wanted her to make sure Valentina was safe. “No,” she admitted.
David reached out for her hand and together they crossed the creek one boulder at a time. The first boulder was easier than she thought aside from a little slipping, which he helped remedy. He let go of her hand and crossed to the second boulder.
“It’s farther than I thought. Can you reach?”
Aria didn’t answer but focused on her destination and stepped out. Unfortunately, he was right to be concerned. The front of her toe reached the rock, but she was uncomfortably straddled...and stuck. David grabbed her waist and pulled, and she found herself in his arms. “Thank you,” she murmured. The remaining boulder she crossed without incident, but she was thankful when her squishy shoes touched dry land.
“How long since you called the police?”
She consulted her phone. “Assuming the pileup is still an issue, I’m guessing Summerville police are still...ten or fifteen minutes out?”
He blew out a long breath. “That long? Let’s get to your car before they spot us.”
“Except I don’t have my car keys with me. They’re in my room.” There were fifteen other buildings on campus still waiting for their turn to be remodeled. Thankfully, George had let her stay for free in one of the units.
He put his hands on his hips. “Your room?”
“I’m staying in one of the cottage units,” she continued. “The
