Page 52

“Hi, my name is Goldyn. Feel free to take a book or sit for a while,” she greeted the newcomer, chipper as ever.

I was just about to gather my snacks and free book when a familiar tattooed arm landed in front of me.

“Noah.”

“True.” He didn’t waste time pulling me out of the van and engulfing me in his arms. “I thought you fucking left,” he said against my hair before pressing a million tiny kisses against my temple. “I’m so happy to see you.”

I’d had about a total of six hours sleep since I woke up in Greyson’s bed Thursday morning. So, there was a possibility I was hallucinating, but the woman in my arms felt real. And she was hugging me back, giving me extra time to inhale the notes of cherry and vanilla that followed her everywhere.

“Hi, Noah,” she said softly against my shoulder, her voice vibrating through me.

“True, where were you? Where did you go? Where is your car?”

She hesitated, looked back inside the van at Goldyn who was grinning at us and held up one finger. “Give me a second.”

She turned to get her stuff, waved goodbye and motioned for me to follow her, leading me back through the maze of booths set up by local businesses.

“My car is at my grandparents’ house. I’ve been staying there.” True looked over at me and explained. “I needed a few days to myself.”

“So you aren’t leaving Bliss Peak?”

“No.” She shook her head and the red tresses caught my eye again. I almost hadn’t recognized her when I spotted her earlier. Straight hair framed her face differently and she went from beautiful to damn near so gorgeous she was unapproachable.

I swallowed the anxious knot in my throat and studied her profile as we weaved through the small clusters of people. “Okay. Did something happen?”

A flicker of emotion clouded her features before she smiled brightly at me. “No. Everything is ok, but I need to get back to my booth. I’ll see you tonight. At dinner. Greyson already invited me.”

“Bet. I can wait for you. I’ll drive us home.”

She looked like she wanted to tell me no, but gave in at the last minute hiding a shy smile. “Okay, Noah.”

Then she was gone. And I was left standing there with a goofy smile on my face trying to remember which way I’d come from.

Later, when I ran into Greyson, he was in the middle of a passionate discussion with Ms. Annie from the resort.

I walked in their direction, remembering too late that I was kinda avoiding him. Not because of the wet dream thing. Because of the cat thing. And I could tell from the way he was glaring at my approach that this was definitely about Duchess and her new bed. A new bed he was never supposed to see, but Ms. Annie had gotten to the resort too late yesterday morning to hide it before he arrived.

I tried to turn around and scratch my head like I was lost, but his deep voice called me out in the sea of people. “Noah! I know you see me.”

Ms. Annie ducked off as soon as I got close enough to see her mouth “you on your own,” and I chuckled at how easily she folded.

“What’s up? Something happened?” I was trying my hand at being aloof again and from the look on my best friend’s face, I was failing…again.

Then, four words I didn’t want to hear left his mouth. “We need to talk.”

I hiked a brow.

“What’s going on between us? Did I do something to you without realizing it? I know why True is mad at me but I don’t know why you’re shutting me out and it’s driving me mad.”

“Wait. This isn’t about Duchess?”

Greyson scoffed. “I don’t care about that damn cat bed. I just wish you would have told me so she could sleep in a lower traffic area, away from guests.”

“So we can keep her?” My internal celebration was dead on arrival when he gave me a blank stare.

“I didn’t say that. And we’ll talk about it later. But we’re not at work right now and all I care about is making sure you’re good.”

“Wait, why is True mad at you? I just saw her and she said?—”