The Man She Should Have Married

‘I’ll drive.’

Her chin jerked up. He was beside her, and somehow the air no longer felt cold, but warm.

‘Or do you not mind driving in the snow these days?’

It was a deliberate hook to their past, but if the last few days had taught her anything it was that returning to the past was a bad idea.

She glanced pointedly over his shoulder. ‘I’m sure you’ll have a lot more fun in one of the ATVs.’

‘You didn’t answer my question.’

‘That’s because the answer is irrelevant. I’m not spending all morning sitting in a car with you, Farlan.’

‘Why not?’

‘You know why,’ she whispered, glancing over his shoulder again. Johnny and Allan were looking over at them curiously.

‘You mean because you’re worried you won’t be able to keep your hands off me?’ he murmured.

‘I am not.’

‘So what’s the problem?’

You—you are the problem.

Biting her tongue, she stared at him in mute frustration. She didn’t do confrontation very well. As an only child she’d never had to fight her corner, and by nature she was shy and moderate.

Now, though, she wished she could just get into her car and drive off, like a character in a film. But if she did that it would be all over the estate by noon, and then Tom and Diane might hear something, and—

‘There is no problem,’ she said crisply. ‘But if you change your mind you’ll have to walk back. This is a working estate, and some of us are still working.’

With twin bright spots of colour burning her cheeks, she got into the driver’s seat and slammed the door.

As they slithered along the road he leaned back, stretching out his legs. ‘It’s pulling a little to the left—you might want to check the brakes.’

Staring stonily ahead, she followed

the ATVs up over the snow-covered hills. Her heart had begun to thump loudly.

Last time they’d parted he had been tense and sparring for a fight, the heat from their kiss still flooding his veins. But his mood seemed lighter this morning. Probably because he was back in the director’s seat. Or rather the passenger seat of her car.

‘So where are we going?’ he asked.

‘Up to Inverside. It’s at the far edge of the estate. We’ll go there first and work our way back. The radio doesn’t work so well around here, but if you want to listen to music there’s a couple of CDs knocking around.’

At least that way she could just concentrate on driving and try and forget he was even there…

‘Actually, I thought we could talk.’

Her spine tightened so swiftly she thought it might snap. ‘Talk?’

‘About what happened.’

She jerked round, her eyes widening with shock. When the car followed the direction of her gaze he reached across and gently straightened the steering wheel.

‘You know… In the library.’

Her breath was trapped in her throat, the memory of that moment echoing through her like the bells of the local church.