Page 10 of The Cinnamon Bun Book Store

‘Yeah, I’d love to help with your book clues.’

Her eyes lit up. He’d made Hazel Kelly happy.

He didn’t get to savor that thought because her mouth crashed into his before he could register what was happening and oh God, she tasted like berries and wine. A soft groan left his mouth before he could stop it and Hazel leaned deeper into him. Her hands had come to rest on his chest and she twisted her fingers in his shirt, pulling him closer.

And Noah wanted to kiss her. He wanted to do so many things to Hazel Kelly and his mind was filling with all of them and she was sighing against his lips, but Hazel was drunk. And even though she’d just asked him to help her be reckless, he was pretty sure this wasn’t what she meant.

And Noah had no intention of being something Hazel regretted.

‘Haze,’ he whispered. The name felt newly intimate on his tongue. He’d never called her that before, but he’d wanted to.

She yanked back, her eyes huge behind her glasses. ‘Oh God, oh my God. I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. I don’t know what is going on with me.’ She tried to stand but her shoes were hanging off her feet and she couldn’t seem to get them back in.

‘Hey.’ He grabbed her hand, keeping her next to him. ‘We’ll just blame it on the blueberries.’

Hazel softened and her mouth tipped into a smile. ‘They are really strong blueberries.’

A surprised laugh burst from Noah. ‘Yeah, they are.’

‘I shouldn’t have done that.’ Her chin was resting on her pulled-up knees now and she directed her words to her bare toes, her shoes forgotten. ‘That’s not what I meant about needing your help.’

‘You don’t need to apologize.’

‘I do!’ Her expression was earnest when she turned to him. ‘That isn’t what I was asking for and I don’t want you to think I was trying to ... I don’t know ... take advantage of you.’

Noah would have laughed if she didn’t look so sincere and worried. ‘Haze, if you weren’t kinda drunk I woulda kept on kissing you.’

Somehow her eyes widened even further. ‘Really?’

‘Yeah.’

‘Oh. I didn’t ... I mean you’re ... you.’

‘Right.’

‘And I’m...’

‘Hot.’

Hazel’s laugh burst through the quiet around them. ‘And I’m not your type.’

‘Hot is definitely my type.’

She just shook her head, like she couldn’t possibly believe he was serious. And now he had a new mission. To convince Hazel Kelly she was hot as hell and that he wanted her.

‘So you’ll do the clues with me?’

‘Of course. Who do you think is leaving them?’

She shrugged. ‘Maybe the book club? Although I don’t know why they would, but they’re always up to something. Plus, all the books have been in the romance section, and that’s their usual haunt so ... I don’t even really know if the clues are meant for me but I just feel like ... I don’t know ... like maybe they’ll help.’

Noah still didn’t really know what she meant but he nodded like he did and pulled his knees up to his chest. He rested his forearms across them and looked out over the plants. Besides the blueberry bushes there were strawberry plants too, but the fruit had already been picked earlier in the summer. This must be where Henry’s famous strawberry jam came from. For a minute, Noah worried the old man might come out and yell at them. Something about sitting outside in the dark with a cute girl and a possibly stolen bottle of wine made him feel sixteen again.

‘I’m about to turn thirty.’ Hazel’s voice was quiet in the darkness, nearly drowned out by the chorus of crickets chirping around them. ‘Well, in two months I am.’

‘I’ll be sure to get you a gift.’

She huffed a little laugh before going on. ‘I feel like I forgot to do my twenties. Like I didn’t fully live them, or something. I feel ... stuck.’