“The book club,” Jake and Noah said together.
“I haven’t seen any advertising. I mean, that potato festival was splashed everywhere.”
“You had a potato festival?” Joe Trainer asked. “Seriously, man, there is no way a town that has one of those is cooler than Ryker Falls.”
Lani left the men as they started to argue again and went to find Rose, who was studying the dog toys. “Which one are you picking for Buddy?”
“This one.” She took off a large yellow chicken. It squeaked as she gripped it.
“That could be annoying.”
“It could, but Buddy likes to play with squeaky things. He came to my house and ran outside with my squeaky ball.”
“I’m sorry about that.”
“It’s okay, I let him have it.”
Rose skipped back to her daddy. Lani inspected the hand-painted mugs next.
“You can’t just get one.” Noah now stood beside her, close enough that she could feel and smell him.
“There is only me.”
“But what if someone comes to your place and wants coffee?”
“I’ll let them use my cup.”
“That makes things awkward if you’re the only person drinking. It’s not exactly conducive to a cozy atmosphere.”
“Why would I want a cozy atmosphere?”
“For instance, after we’ve made love, you could make coffee and we could drink it in bed. But then maybe I’d let you share my mug.”
Her body did not just turn to liquid. She looked up at him.
“Why are you talking like this?”
“Like what?”
She waved a hand about, because she had no idea how to put what she meant into words.
“I need to be more open about what I’m thinking. Talking to you made me feel better, made me realize that I have been holding a whole ton of stuff inside me and it’s been making me mean. Shutting me off. I need to let it go, and the first part of that is the baby.”
He did seem different today, lighter somehow. Could she had helped him change? The thought was a good one.
“I can’t live my life the way I always believed I should if I allow what happened to hold me back. Personally, I mean. The business is going well, but for so long it’s just been that.”
Lani had a prickly feeling inside her. Did he want something from her that she would never be able to give?
“Noah—” He pressed a finger to her lips, stopping her words.
“I didn’t say I wanted anything from you, Lani; it’s me that needs to change. But I’m not going to lie, I like being around you and like that you are here in Howling. For now, how about we leave it at that. Plus, you promised you wouldn’t leave without telling me, so I’ll settle for that… for now.”
She didn’t know what to say, but the surge of longing his words created inside her was real. Lani had always wanted to be part of a couple. Part of someone’s life. She thought she’d found that once, but that dream imploded. Could she reach for it again?
“So let’s just play this out, no restrictions, and see where things take us.”
She managed to nod and tried to squash the surge of joy.
