“Oops.” Peggy uncapped her pen as she reached for the phone. “Hold that thought, now.”
Definitely would not.
Elisa released a low whistle. “Saved by the bell, huh?”
He didn’t smile back. The last thing he wanted to discuss with Elisa—or anyone, for that matter—was his relationship status. Which, for the record, hadn’t changed since he’d been back in Magnolia Bay or even for the past two years before that.
But Elisa was watching him, as if waiting for a response. Fine. He’d give her one. “What are you doing here?”
Her hesitant grin faded. “Not following you, if that’s what you’re implying.”
“I wasn’t.” He was, but he refused to feel guilty for the white lie. This Elisa he didn’t know, and despite their earlier shared crisis, he wasn’t about to start trusting her now. Not after her father’s tricks—and definitely not with Peggy casually bringing up their past like it was a local trivia game.
Elisa tilted her head, studying him warily. “If you must know, I have an appointment with Mr. Bowman. Sort of.” She glanced at her phone display. “Everything got all turned around on me after Delia’s collapse, though. I might not have gotten the time right.”
Okay, now he felt a little guilty. “How is Delia?”
Elisa tucked her phone back inside her purse. “She’s at Magnolia Memorial.”
He nodded stiffly. “They running tests?”
She hesitated. “It’s not my place to say.”
He snorted. He saw what she was doing now. The fire captain could be a pawn on Elisa’s chess board, but Noah refused to pick up a game piece. Not again. “Let me guess.Protocol, right?”
Elisa blinked twice at him with blue eyes that would stop any other man in his tracks, her long dark lashes fluttering against high cheekbones. He steeled himself. Noah wasn’t any other man. He was a Hebert. Maybe he’d forgotten for a moment earlier in the day, but he wouldn’t again.
“Protocol?” She leaned one finger into her cheek, drawing his eyes to the dimple adorning her jaw. “What are you talking about?”
He shouldn’t finish his thought. There was no reason on this entire storm-affected bay to finish his thought. And yet…he’d never been great at saying no when it came to Elisa. “That if you’re expecting me to try to woo information out of you next, don’t hold your breath.”
“Excuse me?” Her eyes flashed as her hands dropped to her lap.
He was too far in to back out now. “Like you did earlier today with What’s-His-Face. I’m not playing your games.” He leaned back and crossed his arms over his chest.
“Whatgames?” The words exploded from her lips, then suddenly, that same shell he’d seen at the diner slipped into place. She tossed back her hair, her expression now soft and controlled. She opened her mouth, but the sudden clatter of the phone hitting its base stopped her short.
“Oh, you two,” Peggy giggled as she gestured with her drink. “It’s not even Fourth of July and just look at all these fireworks!”
“I’d say more explosion than sparks.” He cut his eyes toward Elisa.
“You must have me confused with someone else, sugar.” Unfazed, she leaned toward Noah, holding his stare as her accent deepened. And like a sailor with a siren, he couldn’t look away. Her pink lips parted, and a thousand traffic lights couldn’t have stopped his gaze from following the movement. He felt her pause and short intake of breath in his own chest.
She didn’t break eye contact. “I never once asked you to woo me.”
The double meaning slammed his gut.
“You know, for a minute, back in the diner…” Elisa’s voice trailed off. She shook her head. “I thought maybe we could get along—for Delia’s sake, at least. But apparently not.”
Then the interior door to the lobby opened and August appeared in the frame. “So sorry to keep you waiting. Come on back.” He held the door ajar.
Gladly. Noah stood, his throat heated. Whatever August had to tell him would be better than this stroll down memory lane at gunpoint. He took a step forward, then hesitated. “Me? Or her?”
The same question was written across Elisa’s stoic face as she perched on the edge of her chair, tucking her purse strap up on her shoulder.
“Both of you, of course.” August hurried them along with a wave of his hand. “This way.”
* * *
