“‘Tis a good idea.What was that you were saying t’other morning?” Noah shifted so he could see her more easily. Shelooked so weary, and his instinct was to help. “The bit about the food.”
“Food?” Caitlyn’s brows creased, her full lips pursed.
Almost like they would be if she were preparing for a kiss. Noah’s gaze lifted to meet hers. She watched him, her expression now wary, like she sensed something was happening but she didn’t trust it.
Wassomething happening?
“Food?” she repeated.
“Aye,” Noah murmured. “All that you were saying ‘tother day about getting folks to do things when you feed them.”
“Right. If you feed them, they will come.” She straightened. “You think we should go out to eat?”
“And do something besides. You said food helps people relax. We could combine a meal with an activity, one where we learn more about each other.”
“Yes.” Caitlyn’s expression brightened. “Yes.”
Noah jumped to his feet. “Are you up to it, my fair colleen?” He hadn’t meant to say it but, when her cheeks went a pretty pink, he was glad he had.
“Yes. Maybe I’ll feel better when I eat something too.”
“Grand.” Noah led her to the others and said, “That’ll be enough of that now. We have another activity for you instead. Let’s be returning the equipment to the flat.”
“And then what?” Sona asked.
“Food, to begin with,” Noah declared. “After everyone’s little tizzy just now, we’re needing to calm things down.”
Kayn’s phone rang. He stepped away to answer it. Since Sona watched him expectantly, everyone waited as well. When he turned around, he blinked in surprise to find them all looking at him. He shrugged.
“They’ve moved up our appointment,” he said, “so Sona andI won’t be able to take part in your food team-building activity.”
“We’ll expect a full report at dinner. Give us the equipment. We’ll return it to the condo.” Sona took the camera while Kayn and Joe gathered the rest, and the three of them strode back to the building.
“Where to?” Max asked.
“Last night I noticed online that there’s an ice cream shop called Cold Chaos not far from here,” Caitlyn said. “They mix it right at your table. If we split into two groups, we can have two flavors to sample.”
“You’re making me hungry.” Finn spun around, scanning their surroundings. “Tell me which way to go.”
Caitlyn pulled the phone from her pocket to check the location and pointed up the street. “It’s a couple of blocks that way. We should learn more about each other as we walk. Zoe, tell everyone what your favorite book is and why.”
“I have to choose justone?” Her friend gave her glasses a nudge.
“That was my thought too,” Max said with a grin.
As the group headed in the direction Caitlyn had indicated, Zoe and Max both started listing books they liked. The others chipped in. It must have been Caitlyn’s intent because she smiled softly when a debate started.
“You’re good at this,” Noah said, walking beside her.
“Good at what?”
“Getting people to talk about themselves. I wouldn’t have thought it, seeing how quiet you are at work.”
“I wasn’t quiet in that class we had your first semester.”
“‘Tis true. How did you know ‘twas my first semester?” he asked.
“You said so when the prof had everyone introduce themselves.”
