She slid inside, shut the door, and leaned over to talk to him through Zoey’s window. “Zoey bet I couldn’t, so now, I can treat both of us to Burger Barn fries on the way home.”
“Slay.” Zoey slapped her a high-five. “Cash is in my coin purse on the console, there.”
Noah clenched his fists. He’d made a mistake. Less than an hour ago he’d been on the pier with the guys, most of whom had completely understood his need tonotget involved in this hunt with Elisa. Now, after ten minutes in her presence, he’d shaken hands on the opposite—andbecome the subject of a bet at the same time.
He stifled a growl.
Zoey waved as she yanked the gearshift into reverse. “Thanks, Noah!” Clouds shifted overhead, revealing more of the moon. The glow illuminated the front yard, pushing back the shadows as she backed up and cut the wheel, gravel skittering.
“Meet me at August’s office tomorrow morning!” Elisa hollered out her open window before they gunned it out of the drive.
Noah crossed his arms and stared after them as the vehicle zipped away, Elisa’s arm weaving a pattern in the wind as they sped off. Yep. That smile had definitely been sassier. She’d gotten the best of him, and she knew it.
And he’d just agreed to work with her.
* * *
“I have to admit, seeing you two here is a surprise.” August Bowman handed Elisa a ballpoint pen and pointed to the legal documents spread across his desk. “Considering the way we left things yesterday.”
Elisa leaned over the desk and signed her name in her best cursive, intentionally ignoring Noah’s tense posture next to her. “He had a change of heart.” She hadn’t expected said change to come that easily. She’d barely even flirted. Was Noah warming up to her?
“More like I had a heavy dose of reality.” Noah plucked the pen August offered and scrawled his own name in a barely legible chicken scratch under Elisa’s. “Is that it?”
“Initial page three.” August accepted the pen Elisa handed him. “And that should do it! You’re officially on the hunt and in agreement with the terms.” He stacked the papers carefully before sliding them into a file. “I’ll get Peggy to scan and upload these, but I’m old-school—I like having paper copies too.”
“Seems reasonable.” Elisa hoped her manners would make up for Noah’s lack of.
As if reading her mind—bless it, wasn’t that a scary concept—Noah cleared his throat as he stuffed the pen back in the desktop holder. “I apologize for my grumpiness. I didn’t get a lot of sleep last night.” A muscle twitched in his jaw. “Had an unwelcome guest late into the evening.”
Elisa’s eyes widened. So much for warming—his tone could freeze water.
August frowned as he tugged his ever-present tweed jacket down over his slacks. “I hope they didn’t vandalize anything. You have enough going on over at that inn of yours.”
“I thought people would realize that, but alas.” Noah cast Elisa a sidelong glance. “So far, no permanent damage done.”
She opened her mouth to tell him exactly what she thought of his innuendo, then clamped her lips shut.Be a good girl and calm down.She lifted her chin and flashed her best smile at August. “Thanks for all your help. I’m sure we’ll be updating you with our progress.”
“Right.” August snapped his fingers, looking down so fast his glasses slid across his nose. “Speaking of progress, you need your first clues.” He shuffled through the folder and pulled out the envelopes he’d shown them yesterday. “Here you are. There will be four clues to follow. Five locations.”
“Great.” Elisa eagerly accepted hers. This was going to be fun—she hadn’t had a good puzzle to solve in ages. Or rather, itwouldbe fun, if Noah wasn’t being a living, breathing Eeyore about it all.
Noah was slower to take his packet from August. “Thank you.”
At least he was polite this time.
“We’ll be in touch.” Elisa hoisted her purse on her shoulder and clutched her packet to her chest. Best to get Noah out of there before he dove for that file folder of paperwork, wielding liquid Wite-Out. Neither of them could afford to back out now.
“Best of luck to you.” August began ushering them toward his office door. “Remember the rules, and call if you have any questions. But I’m sure you’ll do fine.”
Elisa felt confident as well, but Noah’s drawn expression indicated otherwise. “Absolutely.” She tugged at Noah’s sleeve—flannel again?—and beamed for August’s sake. “In fact, we’ll go get started right now.” Maybe if she stayed upbeat, Noah would eventually follow suit.
Noah allowed the contact on his sleeve until they were out of the office, then pulled his arm free. He held open the exterior door to the law firm. “Don’t you have to go to the café?”
They stepped out into the morning sunlight. Elisa smirked. “Trying to get rid of me already?”
Noah squinted as he looked left and right before crossing Magnolia Bay’s main drag. “Don’t tell me Delia is already back at work today.”
Elisa fell in step beside him on Village Lane, pulling sunglasses from her purse. “No, she’s still at the hospital for monitoring since her blood pressure was having trouble regulating. But we got the morning shift at the Blossom covered, and I arranged for a limited menu with a temp chef Delia recommended. I just need to go help him during the lunch rush.”
