"You're the Secret Saint?" she said, her brows going up.
She swallowed. No wonder the Secret Saint wasn't helping him with his furnace. Or his roof. No wonder. And no wonder he had no money. He was probably spending it all helping other people.
"You are the Secret Saint?"
He nodded slowly. "I'm sorry I kept it from you. There aren't very many people in town who know. I took over from someone who was doing it but had gotten married and was starting a family, and I wasthe perfect person to pass the torch to because I had no family, and all my siblings were moving out. I was not likely to get caught in the middle of the night doing something and have people ask questions."
"Did I see someone else with you?" she asked, looking around his shoulder.
"You did. I have a helper. He could be considered a second Secret Saint, although he doesn't live in Mistletoe Meadows and... I would really like to not tell you his name."
"All right. You don't have to. I believe you."
That was easy. Because he had always been honest with her, and he had given her the feeling of safety and security enough that she trusted him. Everything made sense, and there were no holes in his story.
"I'm not sure I deserve that, but I appreciate it."
"Of course. And it makes sense to me now why the Secret Saint wasn't helping with your roof or your furnace."
"Right?" he asked, a little grin lifting the corners of his mouth.
"That's right."
She loosened her fingers just a bit, and then, to hide the fact that when she dropped the envelope, it was going to make a sound, she shifted closer and did the only thing she could think of to do. Reached up with her other hand, pulled his head close, and touched her lips to his cheek.
"Good night." She turned around swiftly and walked out the door. She knew he would be looking on the floor because his grocery bags were down there. He would see the envelope. He would almost certainly deduce that it was her, but... He wasn't the only one who had secrets.
Chapter 21
Noah stood staring at the door after Grace walked out. His hand went to his cheek.
She kissed him.
Did that mean what he thought it might mean?
That was crazy.
Why hadn't he stopped her? Why did he just allow her to leave?
He took two steps to the door, then stopped.
Grabbing his phone from his pocket, he texted.
You can't just kiss me and leave.
He hit send quickly, then grinned, looking at the door. He wanted to open it and go running after her, but if she truly needed to leave, he wasn't going to embarrass her with a confrontation.
He wanted to stare at his phone and just wait for her answer to come back in, but he had things to deliver, and... Would she like to help? Now that he'd confessed that he was the Secret Saint, there was no reason why he couldn't ask her if she wanted to.
If she texted back, he was going to invite her.
Grinning, he took a step, and something crackled under his foot.
Had he dropped something out of the bags? He usually worked in the dark, and he had been known to accidentally forget a bag or leave something behind. He tried to be very careful, but mistakes like that happened when he was trying very hard to be secretive.
He bent down, seeing something that glowed white in the dim light on the floor. His fingers wrapped around it just as his phone buzzed in his other hand.
He didn't pay too much attention to the envelope, although it felt like a money envelope, as he glanced at his phone.
