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“No, it’s just—that’s more than you’ve spoken the entire trip.”
“It’s only been a couple of hours.”
She chuckled and he chuckled, and for a second Noah thought maybe...
“Hey, so...” Vanessa tossed a look around and lowered her voice. “Do you know if Garth is dating anyone?”
Oddly enough, being firmly friend-zoned by Vanessa helped Noah relax as Alec and Brianna traded places with Chad and Jane and their long drive resumed. He hadn’t realized he was putting relationship pressure on himself again—not that it ever truly relented for a single guy his age—but her question about Garth helped him consciously decide against trying for any of the women on the trip. Better to just develop some new friendships.
With that in mind, along with Vanessa’s comment about him barely speaking, engaging in the conversations around him grew easier. The girls were entertaining without being obnoxious—Emily with a ready laugh and expressive face, Vanessa more subdued but every bit as funny. Even Garth was drawn in with their rapid-fire Q&A game about hypotheticals relating to music.
“So the zombie apocalypse has arrived,” Vanessa said, a hint of a smile on her lips, “and you have to choose which music to preserve for the remnants of mankind. Do you choose classical or modern?”
“Modern,” Noah said. “No contest.”
“Live or studio?” Emily asked him.
“Studio. Hate the screaming.”
Vanessa asked next. “Jazz or rap?”
“Uh, neither?”
“No, you have to pick one,” Vanessa said. “We’re narrowing the field.”
“Really. Neither.”
“Noah!” Emily said.
“Fine, Jazz. But it’s out on the next round.”
Vanessa smirked and shot another question at him. “Folk music or country?”
“Can you not include something I actually like?”
“Hey, don’t knock country,” Garth said, adding a little extra twang to his rural accent. “I’m named after Garth Brooks, you know.”
Emily practically jumped out of her seat. “Not true!”
“True. My parents are nuts about him.” Garth clasped his hands over his heart and raised his pitch. “‘Garth Brooks brought us together!’”
The girls laughed. “How?” Emily asked.
“They met country dancing, two-stepped to ‘Two of a Kind, Workin’ on a Full House’ and never looked back.”
“Oh, that’s sweet!” Emily said.
Garth shook his head. “I guess, but really? They had to name me after him?”
Vanessa squinted at Noah. “You’re a classic-rock guy,” she said.
He hid his surprise behind a lifted eyebrow, neither confirming nor denying it as the van slowed and took an exit ramp.
Smug, she turned back to the front.
“Where are we?” Alec asked, rousing himself from sleep.
“North Phoenix,” Jane said and then directed Chad through the heavy traffic.
