“True enough, but I’m telling you she’s the one for you, Noah. You’ve changed since she came to town. Your soul is lighter.”
“Okay, that’s it. Stop listening to Willow, Buster. Next you’ll be tie dying and driving a mobile home. I’m going before you burst into song. Give me my coffee.” Noah took the cup and left with his friend’s words in his head. He’d have to find Lani later; he had work to do now. But he would, and then they would talk, and if sex followed, he wouldn’t be upset about that.
The rest of the day flew by and then guests were starting to arrive for the auction. He still hadn’t made time to see Lani. She’d told him she’d come tonight; Noah had his doubts.
“Man, look at you.” Branna gave him a kiss. “Hot, hot, hot.”
“Okay, that’s enough, your husband is standing right here.”
“Hey, McBrides,” Noah said, doing a chest bounce with Jake. “You want to pay the money, Bran, I’m yours for a night.”
“I have five dollars in my wallet. That should cover it.” Jake walked by him and dragged his giggling wife with him.
Noah greeted people with Faith, who looked nice—he wouldn’t say hot, as she was his sister, after all—in a deep blue suit. Tailored trousers and a cropped jacket. She wore a red something underneath.
“That works.” He looked her over.
“Same.” She looked him over.
“The staff are all good to go, so we should be able to have the night off, but are on call if needed,” Noah said.
“So did you speak to Lani?”
“No.”
“I really am sorry, Noah. I never meant to cause you any trouble.”
He wrapped an arm around her shoulders and squeezed. “I know it came from a good place, so that’s why I’m still speaking to you.”
“The magnificence of you two is blinding.” Newman arrived with Hope and the Ryker Falls boys. “Seriously, you need to tone it down.”
“What can I say, if you got it….” Faith moved in to hug him and Hope.
“Hi. I’m Fin Hudson from Ryker Falls. This is my friend, Joe Trainer.”
“Faith knows Joe, and stop ogling my sister or I’ll punch you,” Noah drawled, then received an elbow in the ribs for his efforts as Faith stepped in front of him to talk to Fin.
“Clearly this protection thing doesn’t work both ways,” he muttered.
“Is Lani coming?” Hope asked him, which told Noah that more people than his sister and Mrs. C had noticed they were a thing, if loosely. The hell of it was, he wanted it to be more than that. Much more, he realized right then and there.
“She said she was.”
“Okay, then she’ll come.” Hope walked by him with Newman, and his sister and the Ryker boys followed. Noah stayed and waited.She will come.
Chapter Thirty-Three
Lani went for a walk with Buddy after closing the shop so no one would come looking for her and make her go to the auction. Noah was there, and she was trying to keep her distance from him.
After Faith’s talk, she’d thought long and hard about what she should do next. The truth was, she wanted to stay in Lake Howling, but could she do that and not have her past come calling?
Picking up a stick, she threw it off the trail for Buddy. The dog bounded after it with a high-pitched yap.
“I could have it all here with Noah.”
She wanted that. But was it fair to live a lie? Should she tell Noah, or should she face up to her past and try to deal with it herself? The thought terrified her.
She let thoughts come and go, and for the first time in years allowed herself to remember the life she’d lived with her parents. She’d been spoiled, the only daughter of a wealthy family. Lani had it all, and she’d been loved. The three of them shared that, and so much more.
