Page 12 of The Cinnamon Bun Book Store

Hazel’s small puff of laughter skated over his arm. ‘I bet you always impress the girl.’

Noah cleared his throat. ‘Some of them.’

‘Where do you get these? I’ve always wondered.’ Her fingers ran over the colorful braided bracelets he wore on his wrist. Friendship bracelets, the kind girls make at summer camp.

‘My nieces make them for me and send them in the mail.’

‘And you wear them.’

‘They require photographic evidence of me wearing them at all times.’

Another quiet laugh. ‘You’re a good uncle.’

He would have shrugged but he didn’t want to do anything to dislodge Hazel’s head from where it was now resting on his shoulder. He was actually a pretty crappy uncle, avoiding going home as much as possible, but he didn’t want to tell Hazel that, either. He wanted her to think he was a good uncle. And wise beyond his years. And really anything other than just a reckless, fun time.

But if reckless fun was what she needed, then that was what he’d give her. Anything to spend more time with her.

‘There you two are! We thought you left.’ Annie’s voice cut through the silence and sent Hazel careening away from him. She would have tipped over if he hadn’t caught her elbow and held her upright.

‘Or got murdered,’ Jeanie added, following behind her with a flashlight.

‘No one is going to get murdered here.’ Logan pulled up the rear, a small black cat snuggled in his arms. Where the hell had that thing come from? It was like the man attracted strays.

‘It’s just so dark out here. We’d never see it coming.’ Jeanie shone the light across the strawberry patch, lighting up the incriminating scene of Hazel and the wine and Noah beside her. Jeanie’s eyebrows rose.

‘Whatcha guys doing?’

‘Eating berries,’ Hazel said, shielding her eyes from the light.

‘You and Noah were just sitting here in the dark, eating berries?’ Annie said ‘eating berries’ like it was the most absurd thing she could imagine.

‘Yep. That’s what we were doing.’ Noah stood and held a hand out to Hazel, who took it and let herself be hauled up. She brushed the dirt off her butt and faced her friends.

‘Sorry I drank all your wine.’ She handed Logan the empty bottle on her way past, weaving dangerously in the dark.

‘I’ll drive her home.’ Noah followed her toward the driveway, ignoring the surprised and curious faces of their friends.

‘To her home! Not yours!’ Annie called after him and he waved her off. He stopped that kiss in the field, didn’t he? He would never take advantage of Hazel, or any other woman for that matter, but he was more than excited to start their adventure together.

By the end, she’d be kissing him with no wine required.

ChapterFive

Hazel was hungover. But it was Thursday and she had a standing breakfast date with her dad on Thursdays, so here they were in their usual booth at the diner on the corner of Main and Central, the one with the best pancakes and mediocre coffee. She’d stop at the Pumpkin Spice Café on her way to work for something actually drinkable.

The diner was filled with the usual weekday crowd, which consisted mostly of very loud seniors. Hazel’s head pounded every time Amir Sharma raised his voice to argue with Rico Stephens about their ongoing football pool, and the crowd of retirees in the back corner was getting rowdier by the second.

‘You look terrible, Hazelnut.’

‘Thanks, Dad. That’s sweet of you to say.’

Her dad took a sip of his coffee. ‘You know I value honesty.’

‘I’m hungover.’

‘On a Thursday?’ The mayor looked truly scandalized. So maybe, ‘act like a teenager’ mission accomplished?

‘Yep. Logan and Jeanie had people over for a bonfire last night.’