AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Wearing a little grin, she nodded gracefully and rose from her seat. Noah had a moment alone when she excused herself to use the restroom, and he took the time to question his sanity. What the hell was he doing?
This had definitely taken on the feeling of a date. Although it had been so long since he’d been out on a date he couldn’t be sure he remembered right.
That aunt of hers couldn’t have been more obvious with her ploy to shift this bowling distraction into the date zone. Willow had appeared just as appalled about the woman’s shenanigans as he.
Well, just because the woman tried her maneuvering didn’t mean that he and Willow had to cooperate. Even if Noah did want to date again—and he absolutely did not—no way could he date Willow Eldridge. She had a four-year-old daughter. Deal killer right there.
Damned if he wasn’t feeling a bit of regret over that truth.
Tannehill, you are not yourself tonight.
Then, it was as if he heard the echo of Daniel’s voice in his mind.Yeah, you are. You’re finally acting like yourself again. It’s about damned time you shrugged off the sackcloth and ashes. They don’t suit. You don’t deserve them.
“Well, hell,” Noah muttered.
Then, for something to do while he waited for Willow, he carried the cash for the tab over to the bar. “Thanks, Jace. Great as always.”
“Glad you enjoyed it. Say, who’s the looker you’re with tonight? I haven’t seen her in here before.”
“Her name is Willow. Willow Eldridge.”
Jace snapped his fingers. “The event planner. I’ve heard of her. She’s related to Helen McDaniel somehow, isn’t she?”
“She’s her niece.”
“So, how did a loner like you hook up with her?”
“It’s a pizza, not a hookup,” Noah snapped back. “I never figured you for a gossip, Jace.”
“I’m a bartender. Gossip is my wheelhouse.”
“Well, don’t gossip about Willow. She’s a nice lady. Emphasis onlady.”
Jace held up his hands in surrender. “My bad, bro.”
Both men turned to look at Willow as she emerged from the ladies’ room, putting a stop to the conversation. Noah noticed she’d tidied her hair, but she hadn’t put on any lipstick or touched up the minimal amount of makeup she wore. He liked that about her.
“Are we ready?” she asked him.
“Yeah.” Noah gave a nod to the bartender. “See you next time.”
“Pizza was great,” Willow added with a smile.
It seemed natural for Noah to place his hand on the small of her back as he opened the door for her and escorted her outside. They left the clack and clatter of the bowling alley behind and stepped into the quiet of the small town, settled down on a school night. A single streetlamp combined with the red, white, and yellow of the bowling alley’s neon sign to illuminate the parking lot. A gentle breeze swept the pine scent of the forest down from the mountains.
He walked her to his truck and opened the door for her. She observed, “You’re an old-fashioned guy, aren’t you?”
“The way my parents raised me.” Noah shut the door and walked to the driver’s side of his truck. He climbed into the cab and started the engine.
His stereo came on automatically and played the throaty, smoky voice of Norah Jones. As Noah pulled out of the Mountaineer Lanes parking lot, he tried to recall the lasttime he’d been alone in a vehicle with a woman. Maybe in the ambulance after the accident? He remembered a female paramedic. But no, there’d been two paramedics working on him that day.
And it had been a totally different atmosphere. That had been chaos. The vibe now was, well, intimate. He noted that Willow was tapping her foot.Don’t be nervous, Goldilocks.He was nervous enough for the both of them.
Which was stupid. Once upon a time he’d been a smooth operator. Once upon a time seemed like a lifetime ago. But he didn’t need to be smooth tonight. This was a ride home. Not a date. He cleared his throat and reached for something—anything—to break the silence. “So, what are you serving for supper at this shindig?”
“Steak,” she replied immediately, her tone holding a slight note of relief. “Rib eyes. There will be other choices for those guests who don’t eat beef, but Jake and Tess are Texans.” She then rattled off a menu that gave Noah a moment of regret for refusing the wedding invite.
When they exhausted the topic of the wedding, she appeared more relaxed. Noah was, too. They continued their drive in easy silence. So easy, in fact, that Noah did yet another crazy thing. He cracked open a window on his life.
