Noah wasn’t surprised. With Duncan McCaffrey’s treasure hunting background and Dylan’s interests and contacts, adventure travel was a perfect next step for him. But it wouldn’t be the only one. After four years of hyperfocusing on NAK, he was as ready to explore multiple interests as Noah was.
“Maggie and Olivia are on their way to becoming full business partners,” Dylan added. “Maggie’s taking over more of the day-to-day running of Carriage Hill. She loves it and she’s good at it. Olivia loves the design work, planning, coming up with new ideas.”
“Finding old pillowcases,” Noah added with a smile.
“And soap making. They’re having a great time.”
Noah could get used to mosquitoes, and he could learn to love small-town life and hiking in the woods, but he wasn’t going to get into making soap. He suspected Dylan was of a like mind.
“NAK’s a success,” Noah said. “It’s in good hands, but we’re not done.”
Across South Main, people were gathering to check out the damage from the storm. The Civil War monument was intact, the stone Union soldier standing tall amid several downed trees. Several of the buildings on South Main had sustained damage. Across the common, the Knights Bridge Country Store was untouched.
Except for Phoebe’s cuts, there’d been no injuries. Noah watched her kneel down at eye level with her young nephews as she spoke to them. After their scare, they’d need reassurance.
“We’re friends, Noah,” Dylan said next to him. “That’s not changing, whatever comes next.”
He meant Phoebe, Noah knew.
She stood, Tyler and Aidan laughing now. Everyone looked more at ease. Noah felt his throat tighten. “I’m as sure about Phoebe as I’ve ever been about anything.”
“I know,” Dylan said.
“That obvious?”
“It is to me.”
“Phoebe and I need time together, but it won’t change how sure I am.” Noah went very still, a cool, gentle breeze blowing now. “I know it won’t.”
Dylan didn’t argue with him.
Olivia broke off from the Sloans and O’Dunns and Dylan met her on the corner of South Main and Thistle Lane. He put his arm around her as if he’d known her forever. Noah glanced at the library. Brandon had said he thought it would reopen quickly, within a few days, although the damage would take longer to repair. Would Phoebe lead that effort as library director?
She hugged her mother, then left her family and walked toward him. He wanted to go to her but waited for her to reach him.
“Thank you, Noah,” she said, stopping next to a small downed tree limb. “I’ve never passed out before.”
“You’re sure you don’t need to get checked out at the hospital?”
“I’m sure. I’ve been cleared to go home. My mother wants us all to come out to her place for hamburgers and hot dogs.” Phoebe smiled, added, “And tomatoes, of course.”
“Fresh from the garden,” Noah said.
“Absolutely.”
“Phoebe…” Then as he let his fingertips graze hers, out of view of her family and friends, he heard himself tell her that he was going back to San Diego. “I’m not a guy from Knights Bridge. I never will be. That’s a statement of fact, Phoebe. It’s not an apology.”
Her turquoise eyes widened but she didn’t speak.
“When we saw each other that night in Boston, it was like having a flash grenade go off in our lives. It changed everything. I had it happen when NAK took off and turned me into a very wealthy man.” He resisted an urge to touch her hair, her lips. “You need time, Phoebe. I’m giving it to you.”
If she said anything as he left, he didn’t hear it. He waved a hand at Dylan, who immediately joined him on South Main. “Noah, what’s going on?”
“I need a ride to the airport.”
“You’re going back to San Diego?”
“Tonight.”
“For how long?”
Noah glanced back at Phoebe, walking alone down Thistle Lane. “For as long as it takes.”
*
Word got out that Noah Kendrick had left Knights Bridge for the second time in less than a week. Phoebe was pouring wine when Maggie, Ava, Ruby and Olivia descended on Thistle Lane to take her to her mother’s house. Brandon was already there with Tyler and Aidan.
Maggie, looking emotionally ragged, took the wine bottle out of Phoebe’s hands. “Are you out of your ever-loving mind, Phoebe? It’s bad enough I’ve screwed up everything with Brandon, but you can’t screw up things with Noah because you’re afraid of not being there for us, for Mom, for Knights Bridge. You just can’t. I won’t let you.”
Ava glanced at her watch. “Noah doesn’t have that much of a head start. You have time to get to the airport before his plane takes off.”
“You’re assuming I was invited,” Phoebe said.
Her sisters groaned in unison. “Who cares? Go!”
“I’ll drive you,” Olivia said. “If we’re wrong and he doesn’t want you on his plane, I’ll drive you back here—”
“And we’ll drink a case of his wine,” Maggie said.