"Looks like you can follow directions after all. Good. Come with me," Aaron said, emerging with his tray and taking Keeley's hand.

She kept her hood up. Aaron was too conspicuous sitting outside the cafeteria, but she didn't want to be associated with him.

As she halfheartedly picked at her lunch, he reached out and flipped her hood back.

"Hey! I was using that!" she protested, pulling it down again.

"You look like you're about to rob a convenience store," he said flatly.

That was rich, coming from him, considering he'd done the same thing to eavesdrop on her the other day.

Keeley pulled the drawstrings tighter, concealing most of her face. "You said I had to eat lunch with you; you don't get to dictate what I wear."

He sighed. "Fine. What do you want to talk about?"

Was he serious? She wasn't responsible for carrying the conversation if he wanted to talk.

"I don't want to talk about anything. I don't even want to be here. If you say something, I'll respond, and that's all you're getting," she said dully.

Less than ten minutes had passed, and she was exhausted.

Annoyance briefly clouded his gaze. "Why do you have to make things so difficult?"

"I could ask you the same question."

He drummed his fingers impatiently on the table.

"Touché. Alright then. If you could go anywhere in the world on vacation, where would it be?"

One of the most cliché icebreakers ever. This was the man who'd eventually be on the cover of Forbes magazine?!

If this was his best conversational effort, she must have been truly blind to ever have liked him. But it wasn't too personal, so she answered.

"Europe. I've heard they have cruises that hit several Mediterranean countries, so I'd choose that or visiting England and the countries around France. What about you?"

"I've already been to several of those countries. Technically, I can go anywhere, so rather than a specific place, I care more about who I travel with," he said nonchalantly.

Keeley frowned. She'd only asked because it's standard to reciprocate such a question.

The Aaron she knew was a workaholic. In all their time together, their only real vacation was their Caribbean honeymoon.

She didn't think he liked to travel—even his rare business trips were entirely professional. He certainly hadn't wanted to travel with her.

She felt a vague curiosity about whoever inspired him to want to do something fun. They must be better than she was.

The thought stung slightly before she reminded herself she didn't care. Aaron could do whatever he wanted, as long as it didn't involve her.

"Good for you," she said eventually, unsure how else to respond.

The atmosphere was so awkward she could barely breathe, yet he seemed perfectly at ease.

She wished she could see into his head and understand why he wanted to spend time with her. This whole thing was baffling.

"If you really wanted to go to Europe, I could take you."

Keeley's jaw dropped. She must be hallucinating. There was no way he'd just offered to take her to Europe. He knew how much she wanted to go but never had in their first life. Why would he offer now, when they weren't even friends?

"Are you insane?!"

"There's nothing insane about a mutually beneficial proposition," Aaron said simply, folding his hands as if making a business deal.

"Mutually beneficial?"

"Sure. You'd get your dream vacation, and I wouldn't be bored. Last time I went, my parents just took pictures to brag about and went shopping. It was all for show."

That was a sad way to spend a vacation, but she wouldn't be swayed.

"It wouldn't be appropriate."

"It's perfectly normal to take your girlfriend on vacation."

"I am NOT your girlfriend."

"Not yet."

His tone was oddly threatening. She needed to stop this before his ideas got weirder.

"Not ever," she retorted firmly. "I don't know what game you're playing, but I want no part of it."

Aaron lifted her chin, forcing her to meet his gaze. His face was deadly serious. "This isn't a game."

She swatted his hand away. "Of course it is. Don't be ridiculous. I don't know what you want from me, but—"

He cut her off by moving to the chair beside her, wrapping his arm around her shoulders.

"I want you to stop being so resistant."

Keeley's heart pounded. If she didn't know better, she'd think he actually wanted her affection. Impossible. He was the one who'd pushed her away. He'd never wanted her in the first place.

If she hadn't pestered him when they first met, they never would have been together.

Aaron had gotten used to her, nothing more. Once the novelty wore off, he'd changed his mind and left her.

She tried standing, but ended up on his lap, trapped.

"That isn't going to happen. Please let me go."

"Nope. Your lunch periods are mine for the next month."

"This is unreasonable!" she said angrily.

If this was how things were going to be, she might as well let him say what he wanted. No, that wasn't true. She still had Lacy to contend with.

"Aren't you worried people might get the wrong idea? Like, Lacy Knighton?"

Aaron's embrace tightened, his detached tone surprising her. He seemed unconcerned.

"What about Lacy Knighton?"

"Isn't she supposed to be the future Mrs. Hale? She's already giving me a hard time because of you. She'll kill me if she sees this."

He flinched at "kill." "Don't exaggerate. She can't do anything to me."

Keeley wanted to cry. She didn't care if Lacy did anything to Aaron! She cared what Lacy would do to her!

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