Chapter 6

Chapter Six

Lu

The late September day was autumn perfection. The sun was bright and warm, but the breeze carried with it the bite of cooler weather to come. I tugged my oversized scarf a little closer and reveled in the day.

Noah had just dropped me off downtown for my ride request, and I had some time to kill until he picked me up.

I probably could have just texted him to hang out, but despite offering up his number, he still seemed a little skittish. I thought this was the safer route.

It had been almost a week since Noah and I had eaten pizza and watched television in comfortable friendship on my couch. The friendship part was emphasized. It had to be or I'd stare too long at his mouth or do something to scare him off—like ask for another hug.

We'd been in touch throughout the week, texting and swapping funny memes and videos. Surprisingly, we both had a thing for those TikToks of people cleaning obscenely dirty rugs. Who knew?

My phone buzzed in the pocket of my peacoat, and I stepped to the side so that tourists and downtown foot traffic could flow by unobstructed.

Cody: We still on for tonight?

Me: Yes. Drinks at 7

Cody: You bringing your boy?

Me: IDK. Haven't asked yet.

Cody: Worried he won't pass the best friend test?

Me: No, Noah's great. You're going to love him.

Cody: Or are you worried he'll fall in love with me instead?

I snorted.

Me: That is a risk one must accept when having you for a best friend.

Cody: *flips hair* Damn right.

Cody: What Lu did he call you today?

Smiling, I typed, Luella De Vil.

Cody: Damn. That's cute.

Me: I KNOOOOWWW

Cody: See you tonight, LuLu.

Cody: brING HIM!

Smiling, I tucked my phone away. Noah had work and couldn't drink with us at Bookers tonight, but maybe he could stop by and say hi, meet Cody, and pass the best friend test of doom. But I needed to prep Cody and make sure he didn't say anything to make Noah uncomfortable like indicating that I was in love with him. That sort of thing.

I wasn't in love with Noah. I just . . . liked him a lot and found him very attractive. But friendship was the name of the game right now, and I was happy to follow Noah's lead.

The prospect of my online dating life left little to be desired on the best of days, but now I'd much rather hang out with Noah. And it was getting easier to ignore my DMs and date requests.

I walked by the visitor center. The marquee advertised our Cozy Creek fall festivities: Aw shucks! Don't miss out on the corn maze at Sutton Farm. The view is a-maize-ing!

I grinned. Sonia, who worked in the main office and answered the phones, was adorable and loved a pun.

Maybe Noah might want to check out the farm. I could show him the pumpkin patch. We could take a hayride and grab some apple cider doughnuts. Oh, or the haunted corn maze. I paused, considering. That might be overdoing it.

I'd loved visiting the farm as a kid with my parents. Mom especially loved the various activities, especially the Fall Festival in October. Part of me wanted to relive those memories with my dad, even willing to have a family outing to the farm with Kimberly and Ginny in tow. So far, it hadn't worked out.

That reminded me. I needed to call Kimberly to get the details for Dad's upcoming birthday dinner at Laurel Park Inn. I'd texted days ago, but my stepmother hadn't responded. Frowning, I pushed aside the hurt that threatened when I thought about how I hadn't been included in my stepmother's plans.

Walking beside the cheerful flower beds filled with bright marigolds and mums, I visited a few of the shops on Main Street. Then I headed toward the Cozy Creek town square, where Noah would be picking me up.

"What's up, Lou Bega? Did you take care of your errands?" My Huber driver awaited, window rolled down and black sunglasses on.

"Yep!" Crossing in front of the Bronco, I noticed the ever-present Igloo cooler was nowhere to be found. So I opened the front passenger door and stuck my head in. "Can I sit up here?"

Noah patted the seat. "Go for it."

I climbed in and took in all the buttons on his dashboard. "Everything looks so different from up here."

He chuckled and shifted into drive. "No, it doesn't, you dork."

I squawked out a surprised laugh and turned my gaze on him. He was in full profile now, so I could see the long line of his lean torso and the way his legs spread beneath the steering wheel. He was relaxed in the driver's seat in his blue jeans and long-sleeved tee shirt.

"What?" he said, still grinning.

"Nothing," I replied, a little flustered at the horny path my thoughts had taken. I faced forward again.

"Am I taking you home?" Noah asked after a moment. We were getting close to the turn for my apartment building.

"Do you have any scheduled rides?"

"Nope. Free as a bird."

I smiled. "You up for a milkshake? I'm buying."

Glancing my way, Noah said, "Why not? Let's do it."

I directed us the short distance to the Shake It Shack on the tail end of Main Street. There was no indoor seating. It was more of a walk-up window, but they had these amazing milkshakes and daily specials that were never repeated. You might find your favorite flavor on the special's placard outside and only get to have it once. Lucky for me, I knew the owner and most of the workers and could get pretty much whatever flavor I wanted.

"Let me order for you," I begged. "I bet I can pick your favorite flavor."

Noah slid his sunglasses up into his brown hair and eyed me skeptically.

"I'm really good at this. Pleeeease," I said, drawing the word out and batting my eyelashes.

"Okay," he relented. "But if I hate it, I get to drink yours."

"Deal."

After grabbing a hazelnut mocha milkshake for myself and a coconut cream pie one for Noah, we hopped back in the Bronco.

I turned in the front seat to stare at Noah as he pulled out into Main Street traffic.

Glancing my way, he did a double take. "Why are you staring at me?"

"Take a sip."

He raised a skeptical brow. "You're being weird. Is it poisoned?"

Huffing in exasperation, I quickly replied, "No, I just want to see if you like it. Go on. Try it."

Noah waited until we stopped at the traffic light before slowly lifting his milkshake from the cup holder and bringing the straw to his lips. I watched as his mouth parted around the plastic and his cheeks hollowed, sucking in the thick mixture until he could taste it on his tongue. He made no outward sign as he swallowed.

"What do you think?" I asked, practically bouncing in my seat.

"It's good," he finally replied around another long swallow.

I eyed him skeptically as he pulled into the parking lot of Shady Peaks. He grabbed a space for the Bronco close to my building and shifted into park.

We sat, drinking our milkshakes in his car, the only sounds were our straws squeaking in tandem. I let it go for another thirty seconds before I held my cup out to him.

Snatching it out of the air, he sighed, "Thank God."

My shoulders were shaking with repressed laughter as I accepted his coconut cream pie milkshake. "Were you just going to suffer through the whole thing?"

"I'm sorry! I don't like coconut. Something about the texture is like hair in my mouth. But this," he acknowledged around a sip, "is amazing."

I watched him with a smirk but didn't say anything.

Hazel eyes slid my way. "You did that on purpose, didn't you?"

"I said I could pick your favorite. I didn't say I'd order it for you."

"Diabolical," he accused, then drew on the straw again. "Delicious."

"I use my powers mostly for good," I claimed. "I just wanted to see what you'd do. If you'd immediately admit you hated the coconut shake or if you'd hide it from me to spare my delicate feelings."

He hummed around his straw. My gaze strayed to where his lips wrapped around the plastic—where my own lips had been just moments ago. His cheekbones were more pronounced as he worked to get to the sweetness inside. With my eager eyes, I traced the flexing of his jaw and the column of his throat as he swallowed.

"What?" he finally asked, breaking me out of my inappropriate ogling.

Damn. I needed to get it together. "Nothing," I squeaked, forcing my attention out the front window. "Actually, I was going to invite you tonight," I decided and said simultaneously. "Cody and I are grabbing drinks at Bookers, the pub and grill on Main Street, if you get a break and want to drop by. I know you can't have alcohol while you're working, but you could finally meet Cody and hang out until you needed to pick someone up."

Noah nodded. "Yeah, that sounds good."

I smiled, happy that he'd agreed so readily. Cody would be thrilled. "I'll probably head over around seven."

"Do you need a ride?" He took another distracting gulp of his milkshake.

"No," I said, feeling a prickle of guilt. "Cody's picking me up." Why was I being weird about this? I could just tell him. I didn't have to be dishonest.

I must have stared too long in shameful contemplation because Noah laughed and said, "You're staring again."

Quickly glancing away, I attempted to bring balance to the force. "Just thinking about why you moved here."

"Oh yeah?" I could tell he was smiling. He knew this game we played.

Feeling the flush on my cheeks, I took a quick sip of my shake—Noah's shake—to steady my sudden horny nerves. "Yeah, you heard about local legend and movie star Grayson Ames. You moved here to try to stake out the town for when he comes home for the Fall Festival and to grand marshal the Christmas parade."

I could feel Noah's attention on the side of my face. "Grayson Ames is really from here?"

"Yep. Went to Cozy Creek High School and everything. He was a few years ahead of me, though. He's a really nice guy and has done a lot for the town. His family is pretty great, too."

"Wow," Noah replied. I still couldn't will myself to make eye contact with him. "I love his movies. Small world."

"Small world," I agreed.

"Not so much the draw of Grayson Ames—great though it may be—but I've been working on setting up a web design business."

Desperately trying to be chill about this freely given information, I turned my head to look at Noah. It wasn't the reason he'd moved here. He wasn't quite giving me that, but it was something—something personal. Those details had been pretty sparse so far.

"That sounds cool," I replied, my mind already spinning and thinking how amazing this could be. "Really cool actually. There are so many businesses that would benefit from having their own websites. Amari could use more than a social media page with infrequent updates. The visitor center and the town, for that matter, need a centralized website to promote activities and events. It could really impact tourism."

I could feel myself talking faster the more enthusiastic I got. Noah could have clients in town. He could have a successful business and help others. It would make him a part of Cozy Creek—a real part.

Noah looked thoughtful as he sipped his milkshake and listened to me babble excitedly. "That . . . gives me a lot to think about. Thank you."

I beamed at him.

"I'm still in the planning stages," he said in that same slow, cautious tone.

"That's fine. I love planning stages. Let me know when you're ready to move forward. I can help."

His smile was genuine and sweet, that almost-worried look slowly melting from his features as his eyes moved over my face, caressing every part. "You are a really nice person."

I felt warm under his sudden praise. Compliments didn't come around like that every day. It was normal to have someone comment on your hair or your clothes, but those were just outward things. When someone praised your character and your heart, well, that was special and rare. "I like to think so. Well, I hope I am."

"You are," Noah insisted, his voice low and soft. Those hazel eyes lingered, touching my cheekbones with reverence, carefully following the line of my jaw before landing heavily on my lips. "I'd forgotten that good people still existed."

Confusion washed over me, along with a heavy frown. What did he mean by that? Who had hurt Noah so badly that he'd lost faith in people?

Before I could wonder those thoughts aloud, Noah shifted closer, leaning over the center console and cupping my cheek.

My eyes widened in surprise, but I leaned into his touch, meeting him halfway.

His fingers slid into my hair and flexed a little as if they couldn't help themselves, gently clutching the strands. Then Noah's thumb brushed against my cheekbone over and over, making my heart race.

I ached to cradle his jaw or run my fingers through his brown hair in return, but somehow I knew that whatever magic had instigated this closeness was tenuous and fragile. One wrong move might break the spell and have Noah's walls slamming into place, leaving me painfully alone on the other side.

Hazel eyes caressed every inch of my face before landing on my lips. Finally, Noah's eyes drifted shut and his mouth met mine in a spark of tender heat. Our lips parted and slotted together, my bottom lip caught between his.

He tasted dark and delicious, like chocolate. The scruff of his short beard was rough and welcome, lighting up my senses and making me eager to feel it everywhere—along my throat and collarbone and lower still.

Our mouths moved together in a slow dance. He led, and I followed, feeling dizzy from his touch. This was what I'd been wanting. What I'd been waiting for. All our comfortable conversation and simmering attraction were leading us here, together. I'd known we had something more between us. It was rare to feel an instant connection with another person. From that very first Huber ride, meeting Noah had felt like a gift. We just clicked.

Yes, we would be great friends, but more was waiting just beneath the surface. And this was the beginning.

A loud buzz to my right had us jolting apart. I giggled a little as Noah groaned, palming his face roughly before grabbing his phone out of the dashboard holder. A text from Jimmy Huber was lit up on the screen. Looked like Noah had a new ride request.

"I should, uh, get going," Noah said, gaze fixed on his phone, refusing to meet mine.

Unease started as a tiny whisper before it became a dull roar.

"Okay," I replied slowly in confusion, watching him stare unseeingly at the dark screen before him. "I'll talk to you later?"

Noah sighed, finally lifting his eyes to look at me. He looked resigned and . . . sorry. "Listen, Lu."

"Oh." I interrupted, my mood abruptly nosediving into the sea. "I think that is the fastest letdown in the history of letdowns." I was already reaching to the floorboard for my bag, trying not to be the emotional girl who'd let her heart get away from her head.

"Lu," he tried again. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have kissed you. It was a mistake. I'm not in a position to?—"

His apology and excuses were white noise in the background of my frantic attempt to exit this vehicle with my embarrassment and pride imploding like a star and sucking me in.

"Got it," I mumbled, focusing on opening and closing the passenger door with appropriate force—not hysterical-girl force that wanted me to slam his stupid fucking door for making me feel like such an idiot.

He had kissed me . I didn't need to feel bad. It wasn't some signal I'd missed. He'd been the one to lean in. Noah had looked at me all dreamy and then slid smoothly across the threshold of friendship. Yet I was the one fighting tears of frustration and hurt while he called me a mistake.

Noah didn't reach out for me again.

I couldn't believe how wrong I'd been. Here I was, pushing—always pushing. Trying to make this guy like me. Wanting him to love this town. I would have done anything to banish that wounded, sad-boy look from his face. But whatever I'd been doing hadn't been enough. Or maybe it was too much. I didn't know.

What I did know was that I'd been wrong. Noah and I weren't going anywhere, after all. Whatever path I thought we'd been on had been wishful thinking because Noah had thrown up a roadblock that I couldn't even see around.

"Well, aren't you a ray of sunshine?" Cody eyed me as I threw my bag down and dropped into the booth across from him.

"Sorry," I mumbled.

My best friend's dark brows were still raised in surprise as he watched me get settled. "Do you want to talk about it?"

"No," I grumbled. "Not yet anyway."

He slid his margarita in front of me.

I picked up the drink and took three gulps before placing it back on the table.

Cody's eyebrows had gone absolutely nowhere. "What about now?"

"Maybe." My response was petulant and grouchy. It wasn't Cody's fault that I was in a bad mood. He hadn't blown me off. He was here, being the amazing, supportive friend he always was.

Cody and I had met in college as freshmen who were still trying to figure things out. We'd formed a tight-knit trio after meeting Emma in an Intro to Psychology class during our first semester on campus. We'd eventually become roommates, and having two amazing best friends had helped heal my tender heart.

At the time, college had been an escape. I'd desperately needed to get out of Cozy Creek. My mother's death and my father's subsequent decision to remarry so soon afterward made my last two years in high school the most difficult of my life.

A fresh start and a town without so many reminders of all the things I'd lost helped me find myself again. And Cody and Emma had given me the companionship I needed.

We'd supported each other through so much. I was unbelievably grateful that Cody had chosen to relocate to Cozy Creek after graduation. He was the pastry chef at the Cozy Creek Lodge. His dream was to own his own bakery. He had the business degree and the baking talent to make it happen. He was just saving money and waiting for the right time to leave his current position. But it was hard. A lot of people depended on him. And part of me worried that with his crush on the executive chef at the Lodge, he'd never find the motivation or the wherewithal to step away. A night off like tonight was very rare.

And I shouldn't be ruining it with my shitty attitude.

I took in Cody's pale elegant button-up that stood out against his warm brown skin and his black hair, parted on the side and styled in a trendy swoop. Either my BFF was on the prowl for a guy or he'd pulled out all the stops to make a good impression on Noah—for me. That thought made my stomach twist. There was no way Noah would show up now.

"Noah kissed me and then said it was a mistake," I admitted before bringing the margarita back up to my mouth.

Somehow, Cody's artfully manicured eyebrows managed to go even higher. "Okay, tell me everything."

So I did. Over another round, I relayed the milkshakes and our conversation. The kiss and the interruption. I confided in Cody. I told him how Noah had said it was all a mistake. That I had been a mistake.

"You know he's just afraid, right?" my friend said immediately. "Something in that boy's past has him running scared. It has nothing to do with you, LuLu. You're perfect."

"Pfffft." I might have been a little drunk.

"And," Cody continued as if I hadn't made a rude noise of disagreement, "I bet you anything, it has to do with why he's in town. It wouldn't be a secret if it didn't hurt."

I considered that. Noah had let me keep guessing, each reason more ridiculous than the last. But he'd never told me the truth. It had been weeks now. Why was he still hiding?

Shaking my head, I said, "It doesn't matter. If he doesn't want to open up to me, I can't force him. I wouldn't want to do that anyway." What good was trust if it wasn't earned?

"Soooo, what? You're just giving up on him? Gonna duck behind bushes when you see his Bronco go rolling down the street?"

Despite my melancholy, I laughed at that imagery. I was definitely a little drunk. "What's the alternative? I'm embarrassed, okay. I kissed him back. I like him. I want to kiss him again. I thought we had something—something special. A connection. I don't know. But we're clearly not on the same page."

Cody looked disbelieving. "I just can't see you giving up on this guy altogether. Not with the way you talked about him. What if he wanted to go back to being friends? Oh! What if he can't go around kissing you?" He lowered his voice and hissed, "What if he has a girlfriend?"

That made me pause.

"I shouldn't have kissed you. It was a mistake. I'm not in a position to ? —"

God. What if Noah did have a girlfriend? I'd never even considered that. He'd never mentioned anyone, and we'd been hanging out so much. Surely, a girlfriend wouldn't be okay with that.

"What if they're long distance?" Cody said, reading the direction of my panicked thoughts. "He moved here for . . . something. Whatever. But she's back in South Carolina."

Thumping my head on the back of the booth, I mumbled, "Oh crap."

Cody met my eyes and mouthed, "Home-wrecker."

"Oh my God. Stop!" But I laughed a little and threw a lime wedge at his head.

"Not my hair," he squawked, looking around the bar to see if anyone noticed.

I smiled. "No more mopey Lu. I'm sorry I'm ruining our night."

"Honey, this is what best friends are for. Your dating life has been woefully uninspiring. I'm sorry it didn't work out with Noah Sad Boy, but now you can put him behind you." I made to protest but Cody kept right on talking. "Stay friends or whatever. But go back to online dating and trying to find Mr. Right. I know you slacked off while you were dealing with the whole Noah infatuation. But now he's not a distraction anymore. You can focus on you, LuLu."

Focus on me. Go back to swiping right, dick pics in my DMs, and no-show first dates.

Great .

I didn't want to be lonely forever. I wanted a family—a partner. I wanted to feel a connection with someone.

Like how I felt with Noah.

Well, I guess I wasn't going to find what I was looking for if I didn't actually put some effort into the search.

I nodded, but Cody didn't notice. He was eyeing some guy at the bar with a really nice beard.

"You're right," I said, drawing his attention.

"Of course, I'm right. Give it a few days to let the sting wear off, and then get back on that horse."

The horse sounded terrible, but Cody made a good point. I might miss out on someone amazing while busy pining over someone who didn't even want me.

I didn't know if Noah would even still want to be friends or if I could manage that. But I thought about how he seemed all alone in this town. It was true. I couldn't make Noah care about me. And he was wrong to have instigated something if he did, indeed, have a girlfriend.

But the idea of losing Noah altogether made me feel terrible. It felt wrong. If Noah needed a friend, I could do my best to be that for him. I could try to put aside my romantic feelings and be what he needed. I couldn't just give up on him.

I sighed and considered ordering a third margarita.

And to no one's surprise, Noah didn't show up for drinks.