Lucas noticed Serena’s silence as they drove through the misty streets of Carmel. She stared out the window, her mind clearly elsewhere, her shoulders tense and hands clenched. He glanced at her from time to time, wondering how to ease the burden she carried.
“Where do you want to go?” Lucas asked gently, his voice breaking the quiet.
Serena shifted in her seat, her fingers brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. She let out a deep breath, her voice low. “I don’t know,” she admitted. “I just… I don’t want to go back to town.”
Lucas shot her a sideways look, already knowing why. “Because of Eli?”
She nodded, her jaw tight. “He keeps calling and texting. I don’t want to deal with him right now. I need space, Lucas. I don’t want to be found.”
He thought for a moment, tapping his finger
