Page 63 of The Pumpkin Spice Romance
He tilted his head and raised an eyebrow at her.
“What about these last strands of lights?”
“They’ll be our first task tomorrow,” he answered with a pointed look at his empty hand, which remained extended and waiting for hers to hold.
She relented, setting the lights on the worktable they’d constructed from two sawhorses and an old wooden door. “We’ll have to—” she started, thinking out loud about the next round of items on their to-do list.
Noah silenced her by placing a soft finger against her lips.
“Tomorrow,” he reminded her with a deep, quiet voice.
“Tomorrow,” she repeated, murmuring against his finger.
“Tonight, we picnic.”
“Picnic?” she asked, shifting her weight onto her heels to put space between her lips and Noah’s gentle heat.
“I never knew parrots lived in this part of Twin Oaks,” he mocked.
Scarlett bumped her shoulder against his in response to his teasing.
Noah seemed pleased with his clever witandhis picnic plan.
He switched her hand to his other one and wrapped his arm around her shoulders. They walked that way to the truck, where Noah opened her door and didn’t release her hand until she’d settled in her seat. Then he walked around the bed of thetruck, closed the tailgate, and took his seat to start the engine. He flashed her a quick — and sexy —smile before putting the truck in gear.
Noah made life feel easy — uncomplicated. Things she’d never known.
He also made the little things feel intentional. . .important. In ways she’d never experienced.
“Where are we going?” Scarlett asked, forcing her thoughts away from Noah and what drew her to him.
“Daisy Lake with a detour through the Fish & Spoon to pick up fish and chips and brookies on the way. No, maybe chocolate pecan pie bites instead.”
“Brookies? Pie bites? Is this more of the Grays owning the Orange Grove Lavender Farm?”
“What?No.” Noah feigned exasperation and disbelief. “The Grays own the Bluebird Boutique. Miss Goldman — 95 years old and a real spitfire — still owns the lavender farm, but she sold the orange grove several years ago.”
He said it with a straight face, zero mirth, and as ifshewas the crazy one for not knowing those facts.
“Are you serious?” she demanded.
Noah broke and burst out laughing.
“Laugh all you like,” Scarlett scoffed, facing the windshield and refusing to glance his way. “I wouldn’t be surprised by such absurdity in Green Hills.”
“Well, the Plum family does own the biggest pear orchard in Latimer County.”
Scarlett shot daggers at Noah but soon fell into laughter alongside him.
“There’s an entire county of this lunacy?” she asked with tears leaking from her eyes. Once they’d started giggling, neither seemed able to stop.
“Not just one, I’m afraid.” Noah listed the names of adjacent counties and nearby towns, pointing out funny facts and idiosyncrasies. He had her rolling and holding her aching stomach before they’d reached the restaurant.
“So many small towns, community quirks, and family connections. . . I’ll never get it straight before I’m finished with the fall festival,” Scarlett confessed while they waited for their order at the to-go window.
“Then I guess you’ll have to stay when it ends,” Noah said, still smiling, but sounding 100 hundred percent serious.
“Could I, do you think?” Scarlett asked, bemused.
