I take it you had an inspiring weekend.” He stood near the windows as he so often did, reminding her of a self-caged bird. Without replying, she studied the dark coloring beneath his eyes, wondering at the strict line of his mouth. He held himself stiffly, and Beth searched his expression for an answer to his behavior last week. Harrison looked worse than her, worse than the last time she’d seen him. It wasn’t anything startlingly obvious, but something was off. “That good, huh?” he continued, his eyes trained on hers. She could already tell the two of them were different from last week. While she was researching and thinking and coming to a decision, maybe he was doing the same. Beth was more emboldened, and he seemed more open, watching her in a way he hadn’t previously allowed himself. There was a deeper hitch to his mouth, a stronger light in his eyes. She lifted her chin, refusing to look away when their gazes collided.
