Page 25 of The Cinnamon Bun Book Store

‘I’m serious. You just kinda showed up here one day and I feel like I don’t know much about you.’

‘Believe it or not, Haze, there are a lot of towns out there that people come and go from without anyone noticing.’

‘Well, that’s sad.’

He shrugged but was no longer meeting her eye. His playfulness was gone. Hazel had managed to suck the fun out of the freaking carnival.

‘I’m sure plenty of people noticed when you moved here.’

‘Oh, they definitely noticed when I bailed on the family business.’

‘Oh.’

‘I’m not so much a mystery as a screw-up. Sorry to disappoint.’

‘You don’t disappoint me at all.’

He met her gaze again, a look of quiet surprise on his face. He quickly covered it up with a charming grin. ‘I think we need to get back on track.’

‘We do?’

‘Yep. I promised you a fun night. HANSOF, remember? We can’t be sitting around talking about my family drama on a HANSOF night.’

‘Sounds like a German cousin or something.’

Noah laughed, the playfulness back in his eyes.

‘And HANSOF says no more family talk. It’s time for the Ferris wheel.’

Hazel hugged her penguin tighter. ‘I think I’ve had plenty of fun for one night. I should probably get to bed.’

‘Haze, it’s nine o’clock.’

‘I’m tired.’

‘Haze, nine o’clock is an old-lady bedtime.’

‘I’m an old lady.’

‘No, you are young and vibrant and fun. And sexy.’ Another wink. How did he make winking not creepy?

‘Sexy?’

‘Terribly.’

She rolled her eyes, but heat had crept into her cheeks anyway. Noah, debaucher of entire bachelorette parties, thought she was sexy. It made her head spin.

‘Okay, fine. We can do the Ferris wheel, but if I vomit on you, that’s your fault.’

‘Understood.’ He held out a hand and helped her up from her sticky bench. ‘Kinda wishing we did the rides before eating, though.’

She laughed. ‘No turning back now.’

He held her gaze another second, something heavier there now, before pulling her toward the rides.No turning back now.

The Ferris wheel couldn’t do anything to her stomach that Noah’s stare wasn’t already doing.

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