I opened my mouth to say something, but her gaze flicked to mine and the words got stuck in my throat.

Olivia Morgan had always tripped me up.

“What, no kiss hello?” I asked. The helicopter had been so loud, and there were two other people with us, watching and listening, so we couldn’t talk.

Her lip curled as she stared at me in disgust. "Can we finish up the paperwork so I can go home?"

I crossed my arms, mirroring her body position, leaning back in my chair to study her. “You’re cranky tonight.”

Her nostrils flared, and behind her eyes, I saw rage. Amusement pitched in my chest.

"If you're cold, I can put a blanket around your shoulders," I continued. Her jaw tightened, and it took everything I had not to smile.

"Finn." Her voice was sharp and her glare could melt my skin off.

The way she said my name made the back of my neck prickle.

I raised my eyebrows at her and patted my lap, because around her, I couldn't help myself. "You can sit on my lap for warmth."

She looked like her head was about to explode, and I tried not to laugh. This rage? This was good. Rage was better than indifference, because indifference meant she was over me. Rage meant she still cared—which meant there was hope for us.

Olivia's eyes flashed. "You have three seconds to start asking me the questions on your form before I leave."

"Are you seeing anyone?"

She stood. "I'm out of here."

I jumped up, hands in the air in surrender. "Okay, okay. I'm just teasing you. Let's fill out the form."

She regarded me for a moment before taking her seat again, and I sat down across from her. I glanced over the form.

"What were you doing out there?"

She glanced away, crossing her arms. "Hiking."

"Just hiking?"

Over the years since I left Queen’s Cove, I’d never outright asked about Olivia, but any scrap of information, any overheard gossip or updates, I was listening. I knew she was finishing up her PhD in forestry sciences, and that she was looking for a flower she and I had spotted as kids.

Since she was a kid, Olivia's dream was to work in forestry science. She had always been curious about plants and ecosystems in school. Two decades later, I still remembered how her whole being transformed in the forest, how she smiled and laughed more.

I leaned in. "You were looking for the flower, right?"

Her gaze lingered on mine, wary and uncertain, but she didn't answer me.

"Sadie had your route, which was helpful. That was smart of you," I told her, "to give her that information."

She snorted. “I’mthrilledto have your approval.”

"We would've had a tough time finding you if not for that map. The Search and Rescue crew picked up a group of hikers last week from that area as well."

I watched her face, hoping this information would make her feel better about being rescued. Olivia hated being helped.

She was safe, though. She was the most qualified person in this town to be hiking out there by herself, but the idea of her stuck alone all night in the pouring rain? I'd hike out there by myself to rescue her if I had to.

Her gaze swung to the forms in front of me. "What other information do you need? I have to be up early."

I pulled the forms closer to me so she couldn't see them. Most of the information I could fill out myself. Location of rescue, reason for rescue, time and date, name of person rescued. She didn't need to know that, though. I had a feeling that finding moments like this, just me and her, would be tough.