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He gave me the slightest smile, the kind that didn’t reach his eyes. “Pretty quiet, I mean. I hope nothing’s wrong.”

After the world’s most awkward conversation, I couldn’t imagine another five minutes in this guy’s company, let alone staying overnight. “She’s tired. We all are.”

Jeremy glanced toward the hallway. “It’s just… things seem kind of tense.”

No shit. We were sitting in a stranger’s house in the middle of nowhere after flipping our fucking car. Why wasn’t this guy more on edge? “We’re fine.”

He stared at me for a beat too long, nodding slowly.

When Ava and Kirby returned a couple of minutes later, my palm flattened against the wood. The pipes hadn’t rumbled once with a flushing toilet, let alone a second time.

Ava stepped through the archway first. “We should get going,” she said, forcing a smile.

I lifted my brows, keeping my relaxed position. “Now?”

Kirby came in behind her, taking a long look at Jeremy. Neither of them returned to their seats. “Yep. Time to get back on the road, muchacho.”

Something was definitely up, but I stayed where I was and lightened my tone. “You seriously want to walk all that way?”

“Not me. Her.” Kirby jabbed her thumb at Ava. “She just got her period and swears she can walk off cramps. I think it’s a load of crap, but I guess we’ve got twenty kilometres to find out.”

Ava’s features stiffened, then she wrapped her arms around herself, wincing as if her muscles were spasming.

Jeremy’s upper lip curled almost imperceptibly, then he laughed to disguise the reaction. “Yeah, why don’t we add that to the list of things Jeremy doesn’t need to know?”

I ignored him and glanced toward the hallway, convinced it wouldn’t take long to find out what had spooked them. “Mind if I use the bathroom before we take off?”

“Go for it.” He pushed back his chair and stood, tucking his shirt in a little tighter. The slippers he’d been scuffing around in were the kind my grandpa used to wear, and his belt looked to be the only thing keeping his jeans up.

Clasping Ava’s shoulder, I slipped past her into the hall, stopping as soon as I found the photos. I’d heard her whispering to Kirby while they were gone, but I hadn’t caught the gist of their conversation. Was this what they were talking about?

After I’d scanned the first few pictures, I moved down the hallway and took in the rest, drawn in by the story they told. So many people, so many gatherings. Recurring faces, familiar surroundings.

No conversation came from the kitchen at first, then Ava said something I couldn’t make out, her voice strained. Kirby joined in, her words just as forced.

By the time I reached the end, I’d found the missing piece, even if I was no closer to understanding what it meant.

I stood in front of the last photo, taking in the grey-haired couple at the centre of it all. Did we need to know their story, or should we just get out of here with the least friction possible?

I headed back to the kitchen, and Ava stared at me from her spot beside the island bench, waiting for my reaction. I gave her the smallest nod, and her shoulders loosened.

Kirby pushed off the side wall. Neither of them had bothered settling in again. “That didn’t take long.”

“What’s going on?” Jeremy asked. “Why is no one using the bathroom?”

I didn’t want to force a confrontation by rushing Ava and Kirby out of here. We’d take our time. Make sure we didn’t make any wrong moves.

“Whose house is this?” I asked, crossing my arms and leaning against the doorway.

Ava went still, and Kirby couldn’t take her eyes off Jeremy.

He grinned then, a strange light in his eyes. “My grandparents.”

“You’re not in any of the photos.”

He shrugged. “I’ve never been big on pictures.”

“How long have you lived here?” Maybe, just maybe, we could take the car and let him do the walking.