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All three men’s gazes shifted to Noah’s leg. They didn’t know that the main problem remained inside his head. Mark cleared his throat, then said, “The station isn’t the same without you around.”
“He’s right,” Lyle agreed. “Nobody plays bad eighties music when I’m trying to sleep anymore. That was your specialty.”
“You coming back for the Memorial Day ceremony this year, Noah? It’s the station’s twenty-fifth anniversary. The chief is putting together a really nice remembrance presentation for our fallen. Of course, I’m sure you know about it already, with Daniel being your brother and all.”
Noah couldn’t have responded to that question had his life depended on it.
Willow, God bless her, stepped up and saved him. “I’msorry to interrupt, but I need to check on my children. They’re home with a babysitter, and we didn’t expect a trip to the ER with my mother.”
Noah’s former coworkers took the hint and said their good-byes. Noah’s instinct was to flee to his truck and burn rubber back home. Except he was having trouble making his feet move.
“C’mon, Noah. Let’s get out of here before we see someone else we know. Where are you parked?” When he motioned toward his pickup, which was three spaces over from where they stood, Willow nodded. “Let’s go in your truck. You’re closer.”
“Okay.” Because Noah knew that he was going to have to tell her about Daniel, and he was steamed about it because he wasn’t ready, his voice had a bite to it when he asked, “Where are we going?”
“Well…” Willow offered him a crooked grin. “The first official meeting of the Lake in the Clouds Emotional Wrecks Club can’t happen at my house. My kids are there. We could go up to the lodge, but we risk running into your buddies again. How about the Mountaineer Lanes? I’ve been scheduling some campaign events for my aunt, and I happen to know that there’s no league bowling tonight.”
Noah closed his eyes and rubbed the back of his neck. “Sure. That’ll be fine.”
Tejano music drifted from the open window of a car driving by as Noah hit a button on his key fob. Lights flashed and the door locks thunked their release. Once inside the truck, Noah started the engine, but rather than place his car into gear and exit his parking spot, he sat with the engine idling. Eventually, Willow asked, “Noah?”
“Turns out I’m not feeling the bowling alley for this. Mind if, instead, we head back to my place? I think I’d be morecomfortable limiting attendance at this self-help meeting. Also, I have emotional-support puppies.”
She laughed softly. “Actually, I think that’s a good idea. First, let me call home. I need to make sure all is well there and that the kids and the sitter are cool with her putting Emma and Drew to bed.”
With that task completed and her maternal concerns addressed, they headed out of town. Willow suggested that she bring her own car so that he wouldn’t need to take her back for it, but he preferred the return drive to riding alone for twenty minutes right now. Neither one of them spoke during the trip. Willow sat with her head tilted back against the headrest, her eyes closed.
Acting instinctively, he reached over and took her hand in his. She glanced at him and smiled, then closed her eyes once again.
Noah’s thoughts returned to the scene in front of the hospital. What craptastic timing. And yet having Willow beside him when it happened… maybe it was meant to be.
Arriving home, he debated skipping the workshop and heading straight for the comfort of his great room, but Noah was a man of his word, and he’d promised puppies. Besides, the apartment might not be as comfortable as the house, but it came a close second. The outdoor lighting tied to motion detectors switched on, illuminating the workshop’s surroundings as he parked by the side entrance and switched off the engine. “We’re here.”
Willow opened her eyes and sat up. “Another five minutes and you might have heard me snoring. I’m exhausted. ”
“I’m right there with you. It’s been quite the day. Why don’t we go inside and veg a bit before we kick off our… what did you call this?”
“Emotional Wrecks Club.”
“Right.” He snorted a laugh. “How about we delay the opening gavel and veg a little first? Talk about nothing more serious than puppies.”
Willow smiled and opened the passenger-side door. “Well, puppies can be serious.” As she got out and walked around the front of his truck, she passed theSANTA’S WORKSHOPsign and added, “So can Santa Claus. With talk about the Easter Bunny abounding all around, Drew is beginning to put two and two together. He made a couple of discerning observations, and earlier this week, I was afraid he was about to pop the dreadedIs Santa real?question. We both avoided it. Honestly, I think he suspects but doesn’t want to know the truth.”
“Nothing wrong with that. A smart kid will milk an extra Christmas or two of Santa gifts out of it.” Noah opened the door and escorted her inside the building.
“Okay, I’m confused.” Willow gazed around the space. “This is really nice, but I thought this was your workshop. Have you remodeled since I was here?”
A pair of bar stools sat at the bar that separated the galley kitchen from the living space, where a couple of floor-to-ceiling bookcases flanked a stone fireplace. Furnishings were basic and chosen for comfort rather than style—an upholstered chair and ottoman with a good reading lamp to the side of the fireplace, a sofa long enough for Noah to nap on, end tables to put drinks, and a rug here and there added to help protect the wood floor once Marigold wandered into his world.
A circular staircase led to the loft bedroom and a bathroom upstairs. A barn door made from wood that matched the flooring led to his workshop and the downstairs powder room.
“No. We came in the side door. The apartment has always been here. The workshop is through there.” He gestured toward the barn door. “Puppies are this way.”
Noah slid the door open, and the yips and yaps of puppies filled the air.
“Aww…” Willow said in that melting voice that females tended to use around pups. It made Noah smile.
“Are any of them spoken for?” Willow asked.
