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Out of nowhere, I’m struck from behind and lose my balance, my entire body pushed straight into Noble’s. His arms go out around me as the little kid who rammed into me—followed by two others—turns around and calls out, “Sorry!” before disappearing in the crowd.

It takes me a second to realize that Noble and I are pressed together like the bread of a peanut butter sandwich.

He leans back and helps me regain my balance. “You good?”

“Yep.” I brush my hands down my thighs and nod. “All good.” I smile at him, and it doesn’t feel quite as forced as before.

I’m not sure that’s a good thing, but here we are.

“Some people really need to keep a better eye on their kids,” I say, trying not to linger on the fact that I liked being pressed against him a little too much.

A teenage boy walks up to Noble. “Uh . . . Mr. Kane . . .?”

I catch Noble’s eyes and mouth the word, “old man,” because I need things to feel light again.

The corner of his mouth twitches like he wants to smile, and the tension between us turns into something that feels more like friendship, placing us back on common ground.

“Hey, my name’s Cody, uh, Cody Barnes, and I wondered if you could give me some tips . . .” The kid pulls out his phone. “Could you watch my last ride and tell me what I’m doing wrong?”

“I’m going to be right over there—” I point to a nearby booth that sells goat cheese.

Noble nods at me, then back at the kid. “Uh, sure, I can take a look.” A sort of shyness washes over him.

Huh. Unexpected.

I walk away and smile at the guy behind the table. “Hey there, Rex. Can I get five of these individually wrapped?” I point to the cheese I want and hand him my empty tote bag.

He immediately brightens and flashes me a smile. Weird.

“You got it, Hattie.” He fumbles a bit as he starts to bag the cheese, then he leans in. “So, uh . . . you and Noble Kane, huh?”

“Me and Noble Kane what?” I frown.

“Together.” Rex over-articulates the word, then laughs nervously.

Dale McCauley and his big mouth. “We’re just friends.”

“Sure you are,” he says. “Don’t think that guy can be ‘just friends’ with a woman as hot as—” he stops, looks at me, sees my raised brows and snaps his jaw shut with a nervous laugh.

“I’ve been friends with him for a long time,” I say. “Not that it’s any of your business.”

“Well, probably better for you to just be friends I guess,” he says. Then, leaning in like he’s got a secret, “Everyone around here says he’s kind of a jerk.”

“He’s not a jerk.” I’m instantly defensive, but I’m not sure why. If he’d said this to me last week, I would’ve said, “Yes, he is, and let me tell you all the reasons why.”

Now though?

Noble’s question echoes through my mind. “Do you think people can change?”

I glance back and see him, standing next to the kid, eyes glued to the screen, pointing and gesturing a grip, like he genuinely wants to find a way to help. A few more people have wandered over, all interested in Noble’s feedback.

I turn back. “Rex.”

He stops and puts his full attention on me.

“Everyone around here needs to stop talking about people they don’t even know.”

He winces, at least having the decency to look embarrassed, then hands me the bag, and I pay for the cheese.