Chapter 9

Chapter Nine

Noah

The foliage had peaked in Cozy Creek. Tourists were everywhere, and at least three autumn-themed activities were happening every week.

Driving past the visitor center, I noticed the marquee: Fall-elujah! It's almost time for the Fall Festival! Get your tickets today.

Shaking my head, I fought a smile. This town was . . . something else.

"Are you going to the Fall Festival, Noah?" Mrs. Angelo called from the back seat.

I replied a little louder than normal so she was sure to hear, "I was thinking about it. What about you?"

"I don't know. Always a lot of out-of-towners there. But you should go. Young people enjoy it. All the rides and games. Carnival food, too. It's the only time of the year you can get those deep-fried pumpkin hand pies. You should at least go on a hayride."

"I'll think about it, Mrs. Angelo. Thank you."

The elderly woman in the back seat was a regular. Every Monday since I'd taken the job driving for Huber, I picked up Mrs. Angelo at 5:15 p.m. sharp and took her to visit her cats at the pet cemetery. I waited while she sat on a nearby bench and then took her back home. She always invited me to stay for dinner, and I always declined. But I never charged her for the ride, and she passed me a Werther's Original when I opened her door in front of her home at 6:00 p.m.

Mrs. Angelo had a daughter who lived in town and some grandkids out of state, but she liked keeping up her regular visits to the cemetery, and I was happy to take her. She was brutally honest and a little grouchy, but I enjoyed talking to her on our rides.

Her encouragement to attend the Fall Festival made me think of Lu. Maybe she'd want to go with me. The girl was in love with fall, and I could imagine how she'd light up, taking me around and showing me all the things she loved about the festival. I smiled to myself at the thought as I pulled up to the last stoplight before we cleared downtown and the tourist traffic.

It had been two days since Lu and I had talked in the back of the Bronco—among other things. Things I was reliving in my mind with alarming distraction. The sounds she'd made. Her warmth and the feel of her body moving against mine. I'd never be able to glance in the rearview mirror again without thinking about Saturday night.

After I'd helped her off my lap, she'd reached for me, hands going to the button of my jeans. But I'd stopped her. Not because I hadn't been desperate for her touch but I wanted to do this right. Go slow. There would be other opportunities to be together. It didn't need to be rushed in the back seat of the Bronco at three in the morning like we were teenagers. I was giving this thing between us a chance despite my fears and instincts. Besides, I didn't want Lu to regret anything. Going too far too fast was the quickest way to fuck things up.

So we'd climbed in the front seat, and I'd taken her home, walked her to her door, and kissed her good night. We'd been texting for the past two days. I had Wednesday night off and planned to take her out, or we could stay in together—whatever she wanted. But it would be a real date outside the confines of Huber rides and casual run-ins.

She was more than just a dream girl now. This was real.

With my mind, once again, distracted and thinking of Lu, I glanced at the vehicle idling beside me and did a double take. It was Lu.

In an older cherry-red Jeep Wrangler, singing her heart out, was the girl I couldn't stop thinking about. The girl whose car was supposed to be in the shop.

Glancing forward, I saw the stoplight was still red. Tourists crossed in front of our vehicles, and Mrs. Angelo hummed softly in the back seat. But I couldn't focus because Lu was right there, in the driver's seat.

Straightening, I pushed my sunglasses on top of my head. The movement must have caught her attention out of the corner of her eye because she turned and froze. Whatever song lyric she'd been belting out died on her lips, and she stared back at me.

I lowered my window and shouted, "Lu!"

She winced and tried to slouch down in her seat—like I couldn't see her. Jesus Christ.

"Lu!" I yelled again.

Her passenger window rolled down, but she still remained ducked low.

"Lu, what are you doing?"

She popped up suddenly. "Oh, hey, Noah! Hi! How are you?"

I stared, incredulous.

"Your car is out of the shop?" I said it like a question to give her an out, but it definitely came out like an accusation. She hadn't mentioned getting her car back. And I'd literally given her a ride home two nights ago.

"Yeah?" she replied, and it sounded like a question, too.

"Did you just get it back?"

She made a face that told me no, she did not just get her car back, and she hadn't wanted to admit that.

Exasperation and impatience heavy in my tone, along with a healthy dose of what the fuck , I asked, "Lu?"

Dropping her chin to her chest, she admitted, "I've had it back for a while."

My mind spun, considering all the rides I'd given her, all the money she'd paid to go places around town, and all the way to the Denver airport.

"How long was it in the shop?"

Cringing, she confessed, "About a week."

I felt my eyes bulge in surprise. "I gave you rides for over a month!"

A horn honked behind us, and I glanced up to see the light was green. "Pull over," I called to Lu before speeding up through the light. I drove past the busy end of Main Street and then turned right into the bank parking lot. Lu shifted into the lane behind me and followed.

"I'm sorry for the interruption, Mrs. Angelo. This will just take a minute."

"No worries," she replied. "Leave the window down if you don't mind."

I shot her a confused look in the rearview, but I was too focused on figuring out what was going on with Lu to care.

Hopping out of my car, I opened the passenger door to the Jeep where she'd parked beside me and climbed in.

"What the hell, Lu?"

I took in her panicked expression and her wild blond hair held back by a headband.

"I know!" she wailed and rested her head on the steering wheel. "I'm sorry! At first, I requested the rides because I needed them. Something was going on with the Jeep. The engine made a weird sound, so I took it in. Then you showed up and replaced Zoe, and we started hanging out."

"But you kept calling for a Huber? Why would you do that?"

Lu finally raised her head and looked at me. Her red cheeks radiated fiery embarrassment. "Because I liked you, okay? I wanted to spend more time together and get to know you. And you were weirdly afraid of me."

Of course I was afraid of her. She was a hot girl who was also awesome, and I'd just gotten dumped in the most humiliating way imaginable. I'd kept my distance out of prideful self-preservation.

And of fucking course she drove a red Jeep Wrangler. Lu was basically teenage Noah's fantasy come to life.

"I didn't mean to lie," she rushed to add. "It was just the only way I could spend time with you—even as friends—with how skittish you were around me."

I sighed and really thought about what she'd admitted. Suddenly, the seriousness of being deceived for weeks left me like the air rushing out of a balloon. She'd requested rides she didn't need in order to hang out with me. I pressed my lips together as a smile fought to work itself out in flattered freedom.

Her pretty gray eyes were tortured. "I'm sorry I let you think my car was in the shop all this time. I was going to tell you now that we're . . . you know, dating. Hanging out? Whatever."

"Dating," I confirmed. "So you paid to spend time with me."

She nodded, looking horribly uncomfortable.

"Like a gigolo."

Slapping a palm to her forehead, she groaned, and my laughter finally escaped.

Her gaze snapped to mine, wide and incredulous. "Do you know I seriously worried about committing prostitution?"

I laughed harder, holding my stomach. "That's only if you pay for sex," I wheezed. "You complete nut."

Lu whacked me on the shoulder. "Stop laughing at me," she cried, but she was laughing too, cheeks still violently red.

She went in to whack me again, but I snagged her hand, pressing a quick kiss to her palm before hauling her toward me. "I deserve to give you a little bit of shit about this. And maybe it's kind of cute that you wanted to spend time with me so bad."

She immediately sobered, face stricken with remorse. "I am sorry that I lied. I was wrong." Her gray eyes were as sincere as her words. Lu worried her bottom lip, visibly anxious and genuine in her regret.

I shrugged. I knew what it was like to be lied to by someone determined to do damage. Lu's lie of omission wasn't going to send me spiraling, mostly because I knew the intent behind it. "It wasn't malicious, and you never outright lied to me. Unless you made up a carburetor shaft tank?"

Her nose wrinkled. "I actually don't know what was wrong. I'm not good with cars. The mechanic said some of those words, but I might have gotten the order wrong."

I smiled and leaned in to press my lips to hers. "Of course you have a bright red Jeep."

"It's my baby. I've had it since high school."

"So hot," I groaned.

Her grin unfurled against my lips, and I loved the intimacy of it. Making her smile and feeling it take shape, having her close and keeping her there.

But after a moment, I sat back. "I need to go. I have to take Mrs. Angelo to visit Noodles and Foxy."

Lu peeked around my shoulder, obviously just realizing I had someone in the Bronco. "Oh God."

I turned with her and saw the elderly woman wave.

Leaning across my body, Lu called out the still-open passenger window and into mine, "I'm so sorry, Mrs. Angelo!"

"No trouble, dear! This was better than one of those Netflix shows!"

I huffed out a laugh as Lu's body shook against mine. Annnd, I needed to get out of here before I had other, less innocent thoughts about Lu's body pressed to mine.

"I'll text you later," I said, giving her one last quick kiss. "We're on for Wednesday?"

"Yep," she confirmed, eyes bright.

"Later, Luke Skywalker."

When I finished driving for the night, I came home to my apartment over the Cozy Creek Confectionery. Madi would be in soon to start the bread, and then once I'd showered and settled into bed, I'd fall asleep to the smell of warmth and comfort.

But first I needed to check my email. I'd seen a notification pop up while I was driving Arnie Buchanan home from work.

There was a new message from my website's contact form. Everything had been up and running for about a week, but I hadn't advertised or posted my availability as a freelance website developer anywhere. I was actually planning on talking to Lu about locals I could approach who needed more of an online presence.

So the random person finding me and reaching out through the vastness of the internet was pretty unexpected. But the request seemed valid, and while super friendly and generous with her exclamation points, the stranger didn't seem to be trolling me. A graphic designer who lived in Detroit needed a website for her book cover and graphics services. She wanted to get my rate for design, setup and maintenance, and updates to the site. She seemed serious.

I didn't know how this Becca Kernsy had found me, but as long as the deposit went through, she would be my very first client. I emailed her back to clarify the scope of work and passed along the other payment details, even offering to have a call whenever she was ready. I was surprised to get an immediate reply at this time of night, but there she was, bright and enthusiastic in my inbox. We set up a time to talk the following day.

Sitting back in the chair at the kitchen table I'd been using as a desk, I couldn't help but laugh in surprise. I had my first client. Maybe I could really do this.

I closed my laptop and went into the bedroom. I took my keys and wallet out of my pockets before depositing them on top of the dresser. My eyes went to the painting by Lu, and I smiled.

I wondered what she'd have to say about my first client in this new venture. Probably something positive and upbeat— that was just her. She'd be encouraging and optimistic with an unwavering confidence in me that I likely didn't deserve.

Once more, the possibility of staying in Cozy Creek crept into my head. I thought about it while I shucked my clothes into the hamper and turned on the water to heat. Driving for Jimmy could pay the bills until I found enough clients to keep me afloat. I'd already applied for my business license in Colorado, established my LLC, and set up a separate business account at the local bank. Those had just been administrative things done with practicality and convenience in mind. But now, I had options.

The loss of my job and the move. The breakup. It had all been a house of cards crumpling to the ground. I'd simply been reacting and surviving.

Now, I felt like I had choices—decisions that could be made in my best interest. I had a business and a client with the potential for more. I had a steady income, a decent apartment, and was starting to make connections in this tiny town. And I had a girl who I couldn't get off my mind.

Grabbing my phone, I pulled up my text thread with Lu, knowing she'd see my messages when she woke up in a couple of hours.

Me: I'm updating your contact in my phone to Richard Gere. Make sure you change mine to Pretty Woman.

Me: Pizza and a movie Wednesday? I'll bring you a milkshake. Bet I can guess your favorite. *types in revenge*

Me: Can you give me that guy's contact info? The firefighter runner you mentioned. Cole something. Thanks.

Me: Good morning, Louisville Slugger.

Maybe leaving wasn't the only option anymore.

And then I told myself not to get my hopes up and stepped into the shower.