I snorted. “Yeah, I heard. Apparently she and Maeve both went on the stage at one point. I think Kristine from Nomad Yoga was up there when I left. I can’t remember everyone.” I shrugged, considering how I was feeling about it. “I’m not a prude…”
Noah laughed again. “Your books are testament to that.”
“Hey.” I flicked his arm. “They aren’t erotica.”
“Well, they aren’t closed-door romances either,” Noah pointed out.
“Look at you, using romance terms. Well done. Next thing we know, you’ll be talking about third act breakups,” I said, rather impressed despite my commentary.
Noah flipped on his blinker to take the exit and glanced my way as he navigated us to the Starbucks parking lot. “I absolutely know what that is referring to in a romance book. When you told me you wrote them, I downloaded your series but also read a few articles about the overall plot structure and unwritten rules of the romance genre.”
I sat up straight and looked over at the man while he pulled into a parking spot and turned off the car. “I’m sorry, what?”
He looked at me and tilted his head like he was trying to figure me out when it should have been the reverse. “Did you look me up on social media when we met?”
Topic change much? “Uh, yes. Doesn’t everyone?”
He nodded. “I did the same. When you learned what I’d done in Africa, I’m assuming through the women in town or Lou, did you look up the company I work for?”
I began to get a little uncomfortable. Did he think I was internet stalking him? I mean, I’d been curious. “Well, yeah.”
“Why?”
Yep, now I was feeling embarrassed. “I wanted to know more about you.”
Noah reached out for my hand, I think sensing I was a little uncomfortable. “I get that. And I was doing the same. When you’re interested in someone, or least this is how I feel, I want to know more about the things they’re fascinated by. You write romance, and I knew very little about the genre other than some folks disparage it because they’re sexist?—”
“You knew that already?”
His wide smile brought me no small amount of comfort, and I was worried I’d lose myself in the deep blue pools of his eyes. Another mental writing note, use that description in the book.
Noah continued, oblivious to my inner dialogue. “Ivy is my best friend from childhood, remember? She actually sent me a romance to read before I knew anything about yours.”
I began to bounce in my seat; I loved talking books. “Ohhhh, what one?”
Noah pulled out his phone, opening what I could see was a reading tracker app. He scrolled for a few minutes, then looked up. “Jana Goes Wildby Farah Heron.”
I grabbed his phone and saw the cover opened. “May I? Thanks,” I said as I scrolled to read the description. “Yes,” I said, without looking up. “I read this one, but it was a few years back. I wonder if Ivy sent it to you because it was set in Africa. Was this before or after she got with Jake?”
“Why?” He was watching me with some amusement as I took over the man’s phone.
“Well, if it was before, as you might remember from reading it, the main characters have a kid together—unintended—at the beginning of the book. Then they break up and the book flashes forward five years or so; then they go on this destination wedding together and decide they’re perfect for each other.” I looked up and met his gaze. “Do you think she was trying to send you a message?”
Noah looked at me for a few seconds before bursting, and I do meanbursting,into laughter. “You think—” Laughter. “I mean—” More laughter. “Are you trying to say—” You get the picture. I was marginally concerned that the man was either going to expire from lack of oxygen or pee his pants.
I put his phone in the cup holder and sat back with my arms crossed, waiting.
His laughter slowed as he wiped his eyes and took a deep breath. “I’m sorry,” he said, still fighting back a chuckle.
“I really don’t see what’s so funny,” I said, feeling a tad embarrassed, though I had nothing to be embarrassed about.
“Sorry, sorry.” Noah was almost back to normal. “I just…” He took a stuttering breath, the laughter threatening to come back. “The thought Ivy would be trying to suggest anything is laughable.”
“Why?” I asked, truly puzzled. The two of them were together for some amount of time, right? It wasn’t a completely foreign concept.
“Ahh.” He sat back and looked from some random point out the windshield. “I don’t how to best explain this. You know Ivy and I’ve been friends since we were young.”
I nodded.
