Luke was stubborn. It didn't mean he'd never come around, but if he did, it would have to be in his own time. And part of him knew that--and that was why he was giving her an out. An option other than his shutting her down completely. It was, in his way, a truce.

And he was grateful that she'd accepted it, because suddenly it seemed a very lonely island. The prospect of the day ahead without company, while familiar, seemed suddenly empty. What did he do all day? He couldn't remember. And if she left, if he drove her away, he'd have to think about it.

"You're not missing anything," he said gruffly. "I grew up on a moisture farm. The closes settlement was almost an hour away, and wasn't much at that. If you went anywhere, you had to watch for Tusken Raiders or krayt dragons, and if you went into town--which my uncle would never let me do--you're contending with the various forms of corruption the Hutts controlled." He shrugged. "Maybe it's different now. I've avoided going back as much as possible."