Page 31 of The Luminosity of Loriana Harper

She got in as well and watched with amusement as he fiddled with the controls. Marnie’d been the last one to sit in the passenger seat—they’d attended a symposium together—and the seat was definitely set for the petite woman.

Since Mitch was still struggling, Loriana reached over to hit the handle under the passenger seat.

He shot back with a snap and jerked his head to look at her.

They both laughed.

As she moved her hand back, she made certain to brush his thigh lightly. Enough of a touch to be memorable—but not enough to be seen as a come-on. No, if she was to make a move, he’d be left in no doubt.

The engine purred to life, and she hit the defrost button so the windshield would clear. She leaned over the steering wheel and peered up at the sky. “They say snow.”

“Yes.” Mitch stowed the bag by his feet and clapped his hands. “These are good gloves, but not quite as warm as promised.”

She wiggled her fingers. “I bought this pair after the first Santa Parade—many moons ago. They’ve stood me in good stead for all these years.” She eyed the stitching. “And they might need to be laid to rest soon. That’ll break my heart.”

“Surely you can get another pair.”

“I’m sure I could…ifI could remember where I bought them andifthey’re still manufactured.”

“Fair enough.” He chuckled again.

The windshield was clear enough, and she verified her passenger had secured his seat belt then she pulled out of the spot and out of the parking lot. She waited while a group of stragglers crossed the sidewalk.

One of the younger women spotted her and waved frantically.

Loriana waved back with enthusiasm.

“A fan?”

She snickered. “Not really. I helped her with her application to get into college. She’s in her second year of mechanical engineering at the University of British Columbia.”

Mitch whistled.

After she pulled safely onto the street, she shot him a look.

He held up his hands. “I’d be just as impressed if she was a he. UBC engineering is a tough program to get into. One of my friends in high school tried. Couldn’t make it. He wound up studying at the British Columbia Institute of Technology and landed a great job in an architecture firm. He was always better with practical rather than theoretical anyway.”

“Sounds like a good job. Do you see him often?”

Her question was met with resounding silence.

She turned right onto James Street and they headed up the hill, then she took a quick glance at her companion.

Stone.

Well, then.

Did that mean all his friends were off-limits or just that one? And he’d yet to say anything revelatory about his family. He revealed a pinch of personal things at the cuddle party—and had shared a few more details over their lunch, including about his mother’s death—but that’d been about it.

She turned right onto Fourth Avenue, drove to her house, and pulled into the driveway. She cut the engine, but she didn’t move.

“Are we not going in?”

She met Mitch’s gaze. “Are you going to talk?”

“About my friend? No, we didn’t keep in touch. I didn’t keep in touch with any of my friends from high school. I moved to California, and they moved on with their lives.”

They continued to hold gazes.

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