Back at Vista River, Ivy finally turned to Jake and asked, “Why did you come to find me?”

Jake glanced at Ethan, and with a subtle shift, he suppressed his plan to take Ivy back to Pinehill. Nonchalantly, he said, “No particular reason. I was just going to take you out for a meal, but then... that happened.”

Jake’s expression clearly displayed his frustration, and his gaze toward Ethan seemed to say, Gotcha, didn’t I?

Ethan sighed ...