Page 29 of The Cinnamon Bun Book Store

Hazel shrugged. ‘Turns out Ferris wheels are kinda fun.’

Annie studied her, the crease in her forehead deepening. ‘You sure you’re okay?’

‘Yep.’

‘And this thing with Noah is...’

‘Casual.’

‘Casual?’

‘Yep. Fun and casual.’

Annie snorted.

‘What?’

‘Haze, we’ve known each other for a long time, right? And you’ve never done casual in your life.’

Hazel opened her mouth to speak but then shut it again. Annie wasn’t wrong. Hazel was a serial monogamist. She’d had exactly three boyfriends in her life, each one lasting a year or two and then petering out somewhat unspectacularly. Her break-ups weren’t even dramatic or interesting. Each time, they’d parted amicably and agreed to be friends. In fact, she still wrote semi-regular emails to her college boyfriend who’d moved back to Japan. It was all very ... boring.

‘Well, now I am doing casual.’

Annie considered her, tipping her head to the side as though she was looking at Hazel from a different angle.

‘I support this.’

‘So happy to get your okay on the matter,’ Hazel said dryly.

Annie smirked. ‘I think this could be good for you. I mean, Noah clearly wants to get in your pants.’

‘Don’t get carried away. All we did was kiss.’

‘You kissed!’ Annie nearly shot up off the couch. ‘Way to bury the lead, Haze.’

She shook her head at her friend. ‘It’s not that big of a deal.’

‘It definitely is.’ Annie leaned forward. ‘How was it?’

Hazel’s cheeks heated. ‘It was...’The best kiss ever.‘It was really nice.’

Annie frowned. ‘Nice? Hazel, this man is known for his sexual prowess. You need to get more than nice.’

‘God, Annie. Don’t talk about him like that.’

Annie lifted an eyebrow. ‘Wait a minute. You can’t get feelings for him. I mean, Noah is fun to hang out with, but he doesn’t have serious relationships. Like, at all. You know he only sleeps with tourists.’

‘I’m aware. And I don’t want serious this time. I’m tired of serious.’

Annie was still looking at her skeptically, but she nodded. ‘Okay. As long as you’re going into this with your eyes open.’

Hazel widened her eyes behind her glasses. ‘They are wide. Very wide. I know what I’m doing.’

‘All right, babe. I believe you. I gotta get back. I left George up to his elbows in cookie dough and we open in like half an hour. Love you.’

‘Love you, too. Lunch?’

‘Definitely.’ Annie nearly collided with Noah on her way out of the office. ‘Oh hello, Noah. And how are you today?’ Her voice was loud and strange and Noah glanced over her shoulder at Hazel with a look on his face that clearly said what is with her today?