Asshole,I think fondly.
I huff and busy myself with gathering the dishes into a pile. Liam follows me into the kitchen, where Howard greets us with an offended meow; he hates being shut out. But if we let him in, Liam says he’ll knock all the dice off the table, turning critical hits into critical failures. I set the plates down and soothe the cat with chin scritches.
“I met him at a bar,” Liam says, his mouth quirking up at the corner.
“…On a date?”
“Yes. Well—no, not on a date withNoah,but…yeah. I was there on a date a few months ago. Noah was bartending.”
“Bartending?” I swing to face him, grinning. “And you, what—you just invited him to play after meeting him for the first time?”
Liam spreads his hands wide and lets out a surprised laugh. “Look, I know it’s random, but he seemed cool. Honestly, I had a better conversation with him than I did with my date. And he’snew here, too, Sadie. He seemed eager to make friends.” He pauses. “…And he also likesLegends of Lore.”
The fastest way to Liam’s heart.
“Well, as long as you’re sure he won’t axe-murder us after earning our trust,” I tease as I snatch up the keys to the Civic. “I’m going to go grab a few groceries for the week. Do you need anything?”
Liam hesitates. “I’ve still got leftover pasta and some frozen pizzas, if you want them.”
But he’s been more than generous enough—especially on his teacher’s salary—and I’ve got an unexpected urge to cook for myself. I’d thought socializing with strangers for the first time in weeks would be draining, but I haven’t yet come down from the unexpected high of how much fun I had. Besides, Sunday has always been grocery day for me, and a step back into a routine feels…good. Maybe next week I’ll even get back into running. “Thanks, but I’ll be fine for this week, Liam. I appreciate it.”
He gives me a quick nod and a plea to pick up some toilet paper as I swing open the front door. The Texas summertime heat is like a slap in the face, and the sticky, oven-like humidity is almost enough to make me turn around. Instead, I persevere.
Chapter
Three
Speak of the devil.
Or, well, the elf.
Noah sits on the curb next to Liam’s Prius, scrolling lazily through his phone. It’s been at least twenty minutes since everyone else left, and his flannel lies discarded in the grass. Seeing him in just a tank top, I can tell he’s no stranger to the sun, with his tanned, freckled (and wonderfully broad) shoulders. I bet he’s regretting wearing flannel and jeans, too. Maybe he’s waiting on his ride—or maybe he waited for everyone to leave so he could axe-murder Liam and me, just as I suspected.
He turns and sees me hovering behind him before I can make up my mind about his motives.
“Sadie!”
We’ve known each other for only a few hours, but Noah greets me with the enthusiasm of a big fluffy dog who can’t help but treat every stranger he meets as a potential new friend. He unfolds from the curb like a pop-up book, rising to his feet until he looms over me. Privately, I’m thankful for the shade provided by his silhouette. His smile is bright, and his eyes are the same hue as the cloudless sky above him.
It’s hard not to smile back, so I do. “Noah. Your ride bail on you?”
“Not quite. I usually bike, but she’s in the shop today, so—I Ubered.”
I wince.
“Exactly,” he confirms with a sigh. “Heller’s so tiny, there aren’t any available drivers at all. The one I matched with is still…” He checks his phone again as he runs one hand over his thick hair. The sunlight catches on a little silver hoop pierced through his left ear. “Eighteen minutes away.”
“Bummer. Good luck with that, yeah?” I turn on my heel and head toward the Civic.
Kidding.
I set my axe-murderer concerns aside and take pity. “Do you want a ride?”
Noah’s eyes go soft at the suggestion. “Would you?”
“I would.” He bends to grab his backpack and flannel off the grass and follows me to the car. “Where to?” I ask.
“I’ve actually got work in an hour, and not much time left to change, so straight to Alchemist Brewing, I suppose.”
