I return the gesture and begin my walk back to work. The sun is sweltering, so I do my best to stay in the shade. I walk straight past our house and continue toward Hardwick. As I near the open clearing of the main grounds, I spot Nevio walking toward me.
“Where are you headed?” I ask once we’re close enough to talk without yelling.
He squints in the sunlight, narrowing his already hooded eyes to nothing but slits. I have no idea how he even sees out of them. He gives me a beaming grin, his half-dimpled smile causing a flutter to stir in my chest.
“I was just out getting some air. What about you?” He directs me back beneath the shade of a large tree. “It’s too damn hot to stand in the sun.”
“Welcome to summer.” I wink. “I had to run an errand, so I took a late lunch. We missed you at d
