He knew how.
Her faith.
And the genuineness in which she embraced and lived that faith.
“Are you sure you're going to be all right here?” He squinted over at Mrs. Carter as Kizzie neared, his grin itching for release. “She's known for being a bit on the bossy side.”
Her chuckle warmed the space between them as she pressed the cola into his gloved hand. “Bossy doesn't bother me. Besides, she kind of reminds me of one of my grannies.” Her gaze held his as she drew even closer. “She's offered me a job helping with shopkeeping.”
“A job?” He ought to encourage emotional distance and refuse to cultivate this interest, but his curious heart refused logic altogether. “Have you experience?”
“Actually, I do, though not with such a fine facility as this.” She waved toward the room. “But I worked several years for the owner of a country store back home and particularly helped with her bookkeeping, since I got a mind for math like my daddy.”
“That's excellent, Kizzie. Already making your way in The Hollows, and you've only been here two days.”
“I'd say there's a whole lot of God's good grace wrapped up in my good fortune.” Her smile softened. “Especially meeting you and your mama. I'm real grateful for that.”
“If you need anything”—his fingers itched to touch her arm, to show her the earnestness in his words—“you have friends.”
“Thank you,” she whispered, searching his face, seizing him with the glow of gratitude in her expression. “It's good to have friends.” She drew in a breath and stepped back, gesturing toward Mrs. Carter. “I have a feeling I'll be making another one here.”
“I hope so.” The spell broke, and he withdrew another step. “I suppose you'll be in the boardinghouse?”
“Actually, she has an apartment over the store, right beside her own. She's putting me and Charlie there, overlooking the street. I've not seen it yet, but with the size of this store, I reckon it will be a nice-sized apartment.”
Good. The idea of her staying over the shop brought much more comfort than in the boardinghouse along with whatever guests came along needing room and board.
He opened the door, and the cool air swept over him. “I'll see you later then.”
“Let me know how Marty's doing, if you will.”
“I will.” And with a dip of his head and the image of her face captured in his mind, he closed the door and started for the sleigh.
As soon as the cold air hit his face, he lifted his face to the blue sky and cast a voiceless cry to the heavens. He knew what attraction felt like. He'd known it with Elinor. A quiet, gentle sort of feeling. She'd come into his life as a friend of the family seven years before, and they'd simply grown into love.
But this?
If he thought about it too long, he feared whatever spark came to life when he met Kizzie would burn like a lightning strike, leaving an open wound only she could heal.
He closed his eyes. This was all ridiculous. Utterly. They'd only met yesterday. She was an unmarried mother a few months into parenting. And George had the power to destroy Noah's livelihood if he turned a serious mind toward someone like Kizzie McAdams.
And yet, he wanted to know her better.
Laugh with her.
Ensure she and Charlie were safe.
Tickle Charlie's chin to see that dimpled smile again.
He pulled his coat close around himself and marched up the hill to his sleigh. He should have just kept riding toward Dr. Palmer's all along. Of course Kizzie would be safe.
What had he been thinking? Rushing in like some sort of hero. He rolled his gaze heavenward again and mounted the sleigh, glancing at the horses as he sat down.
Nugget stared back at him as if she knew something Noah refused to even contemplate. “Don't look at me like that. I was simply being a concerned friend.” He clicked his teeth and, after a slight hesitation, the two horses started up the path.
It wasn't until Noah got out of the sleigh at the good doctor's small house on the edge of town that he noticed Kizzie's trunks in the back of the sleigh. He could have walked them down to the store, since he'd gone inside anyway.
Nugget's whinnying almost mimicked laughter.
