Page 23

Chapter twenty

Robbie

“Tell me one thing you want out of life,” I say as we come to a stop at the corner of Main Street and Bingham Lane.

Once again, it hasn’t even been a full day since my last gig, and here I am, already back in Pine Falls.

This evolving connection with Naomi has been a powerful force that pulls on me as soon as I leave.

A gnawing in my gut that doesn’t go away until I’m able to see her again.

A force that’s almost starting to rival my aversion to this place.

Almost.

“Um.” She pushes her lips together while she thinks, tapping her finger on her chin.

I savor the opportunity to unabashedly roam my eyes over every last inch of her, starting with her hair that’s adorably pulled back into two low pigtail twists.

Then I note small details, like her square-shaped sunglasses that sit on the bridge of her nose, the sparkling star earrings that dangle from her ears, and the tan crossbody purse she has draped over a pair of jean short overalls.

But what keeps snagging my attention is the way her lips have a slight sheen from the Chapstick she applied on the drive over here, which inevitably brings me right back to the other night in her backyard.

I can’t stop thinking about how compulsive it felt to lean in and kiss her—like it was inevitable and absolutely necessary in that moment.

A need that was as vital as my next breath.

“I want to have a good work-life balance,” she states proudly, pulling my attention back up. “I want to always make sure I can carve out time for hobbies and adventure while still running a successful business.”

“I like it. Okay, let’s begin our next lesson for Operation Make Naomi a Boss.”

I continue on, smiling when she rolls her eyes at the name. “Today is all about building confidence in marketing your business.”

“Alright. Give it to me.” She rubs her palms together, readying herself.

I pull the stack of freshly printed business cards out of my pocket.

“Oh.” Her brows lift in surprise when she spots them. “I was planning on putting those in the delivery boxes.”

“You have to be proactive with your marketing if you want to be successful, right? That means putting yourself out there. I left some at home for the delivery boxes too, but I snagged some for today.”

“Okay.” She visibly deflates, her confidence slumping at the task. I turn my attention on the sidewalk to pick out a target before she loses all of it.

“There’s Mrs. Libman.” I point across the street to where she is browsing the curbside selection at the antique shop.

“Go give her your business card and talk yourself up,” I encourage Naomi.

She blows out a breath and takes a business card from the pile. I bite back a laugh when she does a few lip buzzes without me even prompting her to.

“Are you loose enough?”

There’s a small hint of annoyance detectable in her expression, but she still shimmies her arms out at her sides, loosening her limbs.

“Don’t pretend like these warmups don’t help,” I chide.

“I feel like a child,” she retorts. After stretching her neck to both sides, she walks off, straightening her shoulders.

I lean against the lamp post as I keep my eyes trained on her.

The confidence in Naomi’s stance slightly wavers as she approaches Mrs. Libman, her fingers visibly twitching with nerves, enough for me to see all the way over here.

But once the card is handed off and a smile grows on both of their faces, Naomi stands a little bit taller.

My chest blooms with pride. I had no idea being a direct cause of someone else’s inner strength would be this rewarding, but I’m absolutely finding it to be, especially when it’s with someone I care so much about.

After a couple minutes, and a wave goodbye to Mrs. Libman, she comes rushing back to my side. The beam radiating on her face seems to do something to my breathing, the air getting stalled in my throat as I take her excitement in.

“How did it go?” I ask with a matching grin.

“So good!” She claps her hands together, then playfully pinches my arm. “I even bragged about my lemon custard. You would be so proud.”

“Right on.” I chuckle, giving her a high five.

“She said she’s planning to place an order soon.”

“That’s great! Let’s keep the momentum up and move along.” I jerk my head, signaling for her to follow as we leisurely stroll down the sidewalk. We pass by the bank and grocery store before stopping in front of the flower shop.

“Why don’t you head in there and talk to Gina?” I suggest, pointing inside the building.

“Yes, sir.” She grabs another card and bounds inside, not a hint of hesitation this time.

While she’s inside, I relax a shoulder against the brick building and then my eyes snag on a group of bicyclists on the other side of the crosswalk—more specifically, one male rider who the sight of makes my stomach instantly drop and the hairs on my arms stand straight up.

My dad.

I hastily duck out of sight, nestling into the corner of the entrance of the flower shop. I hold my breath the entire time it takes for them to cross the street and continue onto the sidewalk, headed in the opposite direction.

Nausea hits me in full force, a blunt reminder of why it’s so uncomfortable for me to be back in Pine Falls that hits me straight in the gut. I mentally kick myself for being too focused on Naomi to do my usual scan of the crowds when we got here.

“Hey, are you okay?” Naomi places a hand on my arm. I jump, having not heard the door open.

“Yeah.” I mentally shake off the negativity as best I can.

I can do this. Focus on her. She’s right in front of you.

“How did it go?” I manage to ask.

“Great,” she beams. “Gina wants to place a weekly order for cookies that she’ll leave on a tray for her customers. Can you believe that?”

“Wow, that’s awesome, Naomi.” I welcome the hug as she enthusiastically wraps her arms around my neck. I grip her back tightly, allowing the warmth of her touch to further ease my nerves.

“Are you ready for the next one?” I ask, ready to move on, albeit with more of an awareness this time.

“Yup. Just tell me where to go.”

I chuckle, checking the streets thoroughly before continuing down the sidewalk. As we walk, we pass by a few out-of-towners before spotting Sylvia waiting patiently outside of the bait store.

“You know what to do.” I hand Naomi a card, and she heads off, leaving me alone to flick my gaze up and down the street, checking yet again for signs of bicyclists, even though they are likely long gone by now.

“I think this is my favorite exercise we’ve done,” she announces happily when she returns. “Everyone is so friendly. Why are they all so nice and welcoming about this?”

“Because they want to support you.” I throw an arm over her shoulder. “How about a couple more and then we’ll call it a day?”

I’m more than ready to get out of town and back to the quiet sanctuary that is her house.

“Sounds good.” She grabs a stack of cards and heads off without me needing to tell her where to go.

“Are you sure you don’t want any more help in there?” I call to Naomi in the kitchen, where she’s putting the last dirty measuring cup into the sink.

“Just say the word…” I slowly lower onto the couch with an exaggerated groan. “And I’ll run right over.”

“Relax, you’re off the hook,” she calls back. “I kicked you out for a reason. I’m sorry, I know you’re trying to help, but I just can't stand the way you load the dishwasher.”

“Shots fired.” I clutch my chest as I fully drop onto the couch. Finally able to relax now that I’m out of the public eye in town, I rest my head on the armrest, clasping my hands comfortably over my chest. My feet extend all the way to the other end, and I point my toes to stretch my calves.

“No offense.” She walks out of the kitchen and lingers in the space between the kitchen and living room, as if she’s unsure of her next steps.

I fight the urge to beg her to stay awake with me for a little while longer, as I’m equally unsure of my own.

I’m hesitant to push anything out of fear of ruining our friendship, so I’m more than content to follow her lead on this.

“Well, I’m going to call it a night,” she says, sending a rush of disappointment through me when she turns toward her room. “Goodnight, Robbie.”

For a split second I consider taking my chances and rolling off the couch to close the gap between us, but I stop myself.

“Goodnight,” I say quietly. “Great job today, slugger. A-plus.”

She throws me a bashful smile over her shoulder before disappearing into her bedroom. I keep my eyes hovering on her open door, again debating how I can manage to squeeze even one more second of time with her before the day is over.

Thunder rumbles softly outside, breaking me from my trance.

As I’m reaching for the blanket I left neatly folded on the back of the couch, my eye catches on movement across the room.

Naomi cautiously inches out of her doorway, wearing a charcoal-gray cotton pajama set.

The sight of her alone fills me with anticipation, and I freeze, waiting for her next move.

“Actually,” she says quietly but with a forced strength, “is there room for two on that couch?”

An exhilarated relief rushes out along with my exhale, and somehow, the breath sends adrenaline all the way to my toes.

“Get over here.” I shift onto my side, patting the leather cushion in front of me.

She crosses the room slowly, cautiously even, as if the weight of every step is being carefully considered.

Each step seems to melt any hesitation within her, and by the time she reaches the couch, there’s nothing but a steady resolve in her eyes.

Her movement has the opposite effect on me.

I’m a slow-coiled ball of nerves by the time she lowers in front of me.

I push myself further into the couch as she settles her back comfortably against my chest. I bring my arm instinctively around her torso, letting my knuckles graze against the leather fabric in front of her, careful not to push my luck by resting my hand on her just yet.

Her hair brushes against my nose, and the proximity of her sends a rush of warmth through me, along with an electric buzz of anticipation.

Neither of us says anything—or focuses on the TV for that matter. I couldn’t even say what’s on the screen right now. The only thing capturing my attention is the way her whole torso expands with each breath, filling my arms in the most soothing way.

She shifts her shoulders, and a strand of hair falls away from her neck.

I can’t for the life of me think of anything except for how tempted I am to bend down and find out how soft that spot is right where her neck meets her shoulder, if it tastes the same as when I kissed the spot above it on the boat.

Gone are the worries of seeing my dad earlier, along with my hesitation about the line that I won’t be able to uncross if I move an inch. Everything else seems so inconsequential when she’s in my arms like this. The temptation becomes unbearable, and I lower my head.

“Is this okay?” I whisper against her neck, my bottom lip snagging on her skin. Thunder rumbles outside, rivaling the way my heart is pounding in my chest.

“Mm-hmm,” she breathes, exposing more of her neck.

When I place my mouth, again, on her skin, I feel the gentle thumping of her pulse underneath me. She slowly threads her fingers through mine, tucking our hands against her body.

I sigh against her, pulling away to nuzzle my chin on top of her shoulder, then I grip her hand tightly, savoring the way she feels tucked into me like this.

I’m starkly aware that nobody is watching us. We’re not putting on an act for anyone else. It’s just the two of us—alone—letting ourselves simmer in the undeniable chemistry between us. I sneak my top leg through hers as she molds her whole body even flatter against me.

And there we lie, glued to each other for the rest of the night, pretending to watch the TV while faint thunder rumbles in the sky.