I pulled the car to a hard stop on the shoulder of the highway, shifting into park as the engine idled beneath us. Exhaling deeply, I let the silence stretch between us.

My eyes met Micah’s for a fleeting second, but she quickly snapped her head toward the passenger window, staring out at the passing coast. A sudden, sharp pang of guilt hit my chest for the reckless remark I had spat at her. I wondered if she still harbored some remnant of affection for Taylor, even though Mr. Bianchi had explicitly told me they shared no true bond. I had seen the icy detachment in her eyes when she...