Noah shot him a sidelong look. “Because you were.”
“Okay, maybe a little. But we’re old friends, it didn’t mean anything. I didn’t realize you two were…you know.Hose-worthy.”
“We aren’t.” Noah frowned. “Weren’t.” He didn’t know what they were now, since they were abruptly escorted to police cruisers before being able to figure it out. And now the whole town would be dissecting their relationship status—whatever that might be—before Miley could even fire up the espresso machine in the morning.
He leaned his head back and groaned. Elisa had been right. The need-to-know list for the hunt had just gotten significantly longer—with a second page attached that would be the juiciest gossip the town had devoured in years.
Maybe since his own father’s scandal.
“Sorry about the flirting.” Cade held up his bag. “Chip?”
Noah reluctantly accepted a Cheeto as Sheriff Rubart made his third or fourth pass by their car. “How do you think it’s going out there?”
“I’ve been trying to read his lips.” Cade squinted out the window. “He either saidrich pretty-boyorpretty rich boy.”
“Would it make a difference?”
“Valid point.” Cade shoved a Cheeto in his mouth.
Noah narrowed his eyes at his friend. “Why are you so chill about this? Earlier you were worried about getting fired if we got busted.”
“I always pre-panic about things. But when I’m actuallyinthe horrible situation that I feared, I get all ‘Ecclesiastes’ about it. You know—all is vanity? Owen would know the exact verse.” Cade lifted one shoulder before crunching another chip. “I do tend to stress eat, though. Where did those M&Ms end up?”
“I snuck them to Elisa before they hauled her away.”
“Aww.” Cade batted his eyes at Noah. “How sweet.”
“Shut up, and keep reading lips.” Noah shifted his position on the ripped upholstery, trying not to think about who or what had sat there before them.
“He might be calming down. It’s hard to tell.” Cade leaned closer until his nose practically grazed the window. “The man has one expression, and it’s annoyed.”
Movement from Elisa’s car caught Noah’s eye. He peered around Cade to see Elisa tapping on her own window and gesturing wildly. “I think Elisa is trying to tell us something.”
She lit up when she realized she had their attention, and flapped her hand, dramatically pointing to her mouth.
“I think she wants us to read her lips.” Noah would much rather be back to kissing them, but this wasn’t the time—country song or not.
Cade nodded. “That, or she’s out of M&Ms.”
Noah shot Elisa a thumbs up sign. She mouthed several words, over enunciating to the point it made it harder to decipher. He shook his head and held up his arms in an exaggerated shrug.
Cade rotated his hand in a circle, urging her to try again.
Elisa shifted a little, leaning closer to the window, and mouthed again, a little slower.
“Origami.” Cade held up his fisted Cheetos bag in victory. “She definitely just said origami.”
Noah tried to watch her say it again, but Cade’s head was in the way.
Cade’s hand stilled mid-air. “Or wait. Maybe she said Aurora Pinot.” He tilted his head. “Is that a wine?”
“Oh for heaven’s sake.” Noah shoved Cade backward with one arm, clotheslining him against the seat, and moved closer to the window. “One more time.” He pointed at Elisa with his free hand.
Elisa mouthed the words and Noah watched carefully.Origin. And something else…
The origin of.
He leaned back against the seat, releasing Cade. “She figured out something about the clue.” Of course she had.
