Page 44 of Cherished Lands

"Oat milk, two pumps of vanilla, one pump of hazelnut, light ice, no foam, and extra caramel drizzle inside the cup. I know."

Oh.Elliot knew my very complicated coffee order—even Elena never got it right. It felt oddly... intimate.

Was it possible he paid just as much attention to me as I did to him?

"Would you quit it?"

Elliot swatted my hand away from the radio dial for the fifth time. Outside, the stretch of State Route 131 highway between Sable Point and Grand Rapids rolled past, snow-covered trees and farmland blurring together into a sea of white.

"I don't want to listen to this, Elliot. It's depressing."

A muscle jumped beneath his stubbled cheek as his jaw tightened. "It'snice.At least to those of us who don't have a yawning black void where our soul should be."

"Nice?This man is crooning on about the death of his wife." I slumped back against the leather seat, crossing my arms over my chest.

He mumbled something under his breath.

"I'm sorry. I didn't catch that. Sounded like you said something about the death ofyourwife, which is just rude. I'm right here."

"Don't I know it," he muttered, but his lips twitched with the hint of a smile. "If I let you change the station, can you sit there quietly for the last twenty minutes of this drive?"

"Absolutely."Not.

He let out a long-suffering sigh and gestured vaguely at the dash. "Fine, go for it."

I squealed and flipped through the stations until I found a Taylor Swift song. Elliot grimaced but didn't say a word.

"Ya know," I started, "newer trucks have this neat little thing called Bluetooth. You can just connect your phone and play whatever song you'd like."

"I like my truck just fine, and you said you'd be quiet."

"You didn't really believe that, did you?"

I spent the next twenty minutes peppering him with questions, most of which were answered with single syllables and grunts.

We pulled into the Holiday Inn Express parking lot just after eleven. My shoulders crackled and popped as I yawned and stretched. "I'm hungry. Are you hungry?"

"I could eat."

"Let's walk over to the Bob Evans before we check in. They probably don't have a room ready for us anyways. We can just meet Jim after lunch, then check in this evening."

We were at one of those little plazas just off the highway exit. On this side of the street, there was the hotel, the restaurant, Grand Rapids Supply, and a gas station. Everything we needed right here. Very convenient.

"Fine. That works."

We climbed out of the truck and walked over the grassy area that separated the two business's parking lots.

The hostess seated us in a booth by the window. I slid in across from Elliot and grabbed the menu.

"Let me guess," he said. "You're getting the Farmer's Choice Breakfast."

I lowered my menu slowly. "How did you?—"

"You always take a little bit of everything when Mom cooks." He shrugged, but I caught the slight upturn of his lips. "Some of us pay attention."

"Interesting." I matched his almost-smile with one of my own. "Then you won't mind if I order for you too? Since we're both so observant of each other's habits?"

His eyes narrowed. "Tessa?—"