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That from Henry, the town’s resident drunk, who was surprisingly sober for a change, and who loved Noah’s dad unrepentantly. Noah didn’t know all the details of Henry’s story except that the man was gay, and his father refused to enlighten him. And he had never seen his father be anything but kind to Henry, for whom he also seemed to hold genuineaffection.
“Remind Alvaro he owes me a twenty for the last game he lost before he went down south.”
That from one of his card-playing buddies. Why he didn’t just wait to give Alvaro the message himself was anybody’s guess, and Noah wasn’t going to bother trying to figure that out. He nodded and moved on, putting items into the cart as he practically sprinted aroundthe store.
“Do you think your dad will be up for a game of pool soon, my boy?”
Now how would he know that? Noah shook his head. “I dunno, Mr. Johnson. You’ll have to ask him when he gets here.”
The cucumbers and avocados were next on his list, and they weren’t exactly next to each other, which meant navigating through more unwanted conversational waters.
“Who’s the hottie you were with at The Lake and Inn the other night, Noah Santiago?” Clara Haines never called anyone by just their first name. “Does your dad know him? How long is hehere for?”
Noah almost crashed his cart into the display of different varieties of apples that he’d been about to walk by to get to theavocados.
“Excuse me?”
What the hell else was he supposed to say in response to that? Mind your own damn business? You don’t need to know who he is, he’s not available? He’ll be gone before you get your hooksinto him?
“I saw you and him at the pub the other night. He’s a looker for sure. And he’s got that whole sexy silver fox thingdown pat.”
Noah took a calming breath and counted to twenty while the woman currently delaying his shopping trip rattled on about what she would do with a colt like that. The old lady was at least seventy if she was a day, but she looked a lot younger, and based on the escapades she was rumored to be part of, she was an unapologetic cougar and then some. He tried not to chuckle at the thought of Jax having to fend off her amorousadvances.
“He’s a friend from my college days, Ms. Haines, and no, he’s leaving soon.”
She didn’t have to know any more than that, though why he felt the need to protect Jax’s identity wasn’t something he was prepared to look into too keenly. It was silly to feel annoyed by the interest of an old woman in the sexy silver fox who used to be his, especially because he knew Jax didn’t swingthat way.
“Pity,” she was saying. “I’ll bet we could have a good time together. Big men like that are my kryptonite.”
Mine too.Something else she didn’t need to know. “Well, I’d best be getting along, Ms. Haines. It was nice talking to you.”
“You take care of yourself, Noah Santiago. You look a little peaky for a young’un. Gotta keep your strength up, not to mention your looks, if you expect to snag a man.”
Noah wasn’t touching that comment with a ten-foot pole. He merely smiled politely and pushed past her to continue what was becoming an increasingly trying chore. He managed to make it to the checkout line before he was once again accosted, this time by a very pregnant woman.
“Hi. You must be Noah.” She must have overheard his conversation with Clara Haines. “I’m Annie, Jim’s wife. The boys haven’t stopped talking about you, and Jax passed on your invitation to dinner tomorrow evening. It’s nice to finally put a face tothe name.”
Noah shook hands and smiled at her. He wasn’t exceptionally tall, but next to Annie, he was almost a giant. Beautiful, soulful brown eyes took him in as she switched the shopping basket from one hand to the other. Noah reached over without thinking twice and took it from her, placing it on the edge of the conveyer belt.
“It’s nice to meet you too. Why don’t you go ahead of me and then wait so I can help you with this?”
“Oh, that’s so kindof you.”
She stepped ahead of him and once she was through, he moved to help her put her bags to the side so his things could be bagged. Then he put hers on top of his bags on the cart and they walked outtogether.
“I hope you guys like Mexican food.” He was screwed if they didn’t, and why he hadn’t thought to ask before he spent money shopping the menu was a mystery forthe ages.
She grinned as he put her bags into her car. “Jim will be your best friend for life. It’s his favorite. And the rest of us are easy. I’m sure it’ll be fine.” Extending her hand again, she said, “Thanks for the help. I’ll see youtomorrow.”
Noah waited until she had backed up and driven off before heading to his own vehicle. It was his dad’s truck. He’d have to get his own soon, if he was going to be staying. The quartet was getting ready to fly out on their first tour of the year. He would call them before they left so he could wish the guest artist filling his spot good luck. But not today. He couldn’t handle that just yet. He had to steady himself first so no one would hear the sadness he couldn’t uproot from his spirit.
After two lessons and a thorough cleaning of his house, plus changing the bed linens on his dad’s bed, he was ready for a shower and some shut-eye. He was going to pick up his father from the airport, and his flight was arriving just before noon. Noah needed forty-five minutes to get there, which meant he’d need to be up and out by ten thirty. With the way his eyes felt as he stripped for bed, he’d be asleep as soon as his head touched the pillow. Dreamless would begreat too.
His cellphone vibrated on the nightstand. Who the hell is sending messages at … oh, wait, it was just nine forty-seven on a Thursday night. Maybe no other adult expected him to be crawling into bed so early. A heavy sigh accompanied his outstretched hand to where the phone vibrated again.
“Hold your horses,” he grumbled and woke it without looking to see who was sending him a message. And then wished he had.
[Prof: What time’s your dad arrivingtomorrow?]
