by Vella, Wendy
“And isn’t that the problem,” HRH said from her position below. “Not all of them listened.”
Noah’s mouth dropped open as he watched the woman regain her feet and move on to the next contestant.
“Why is your mouth hanging open?”
“HRH. Did you hear what she said?”
“Yeah, so what?”
“She doesn’t usually engage in conversation like that. Well, not humorously anyway.” Noah wasn’t sure what had just happened but felt like the earth had shifted slightly under his feet.
“You people are weird. So tell me what the rules are so we can win.”
“I thought you weren’t competitive.”
“I’m competitive sometimes.”
“And this is one of those times?”
“Well, clearly.”
He outlined what they had to do as HRH tied the last two contestants together.
“So you’ve never done anything like this before. That seems weird, considering I’ve been doing this since I was five. Where did you say you were born?”
Because they were tied together, his shoulder touching hers, he felt her stiffen. Chemistry, Noah thought. They had it in spades.
“I didn’t.”
Noah grabbed her chin and turned her to face him. There was that expression again. Closed up tight.
“Okay, so I’ll ask again. Where were you born?”
Chapter Twenty-Five
“California.” Lani always went with this. It wasn’t a lie and covered a lot of places.
“Where in California?”
“In a hospital.”
“Smart girl.”
“I’ve always thought so.” She eased back out of his grip.
“With a smart mouth.”
“I do not have a smart mouth, especially when compared with the people in this crazy town.”
“There’s some truth in that, actually. So where in California?”
“What does it matter where I was born?”
“It’s called interest, Lani. Sharing information about each other is how we get to know a person better.”
“Yeah, well, count me out.” She made herself look away from his dark, knowing gaze and around the town.
So much color and happiness. People were laughing and smiling, except for Ms. Lawrence. She was scowling and pointing to the sidewalk. The two boys with her had their shoulders hunched.
“I know you have secrets, Lani, but then so do we all.”
“My secrets are dark and dangerous,” she said before she could stop herself. “So leave it alone, Noah, it’s better for everyone that way.”
“Maybe if you share them they won’t be so dark and dangerous?”
“That only happens in fairy tales.”
“Lani.” He turned her body to face him again. “If you need help, I’m here for you, as are others in this town.”
Lani forced a smile onto her face and the tears back down inside her. “Thanks, but I’m a loner. It’s better for everyone if I stay that way.”
Someone with a microphone chose that moment to start talking, much to her relief.
“Mr. Hope taught me English in school, but his real passion is music. He’s kind of the unofficial master of ceremonies in Lake Howling.”
“He can certainly project his voice.”
“Lani—”
“Please leave it alone, Noah.” Lani hated the begging tone in her voice.
“Okay, but what I said stands. You need me, just call.”
“Sure. Thanks.” She felt a hand slip into the pocket of her costume.
“What are you doing?”
“Putting my number into your cellphone.”
“I could have done it.”
“And now I have.” He handed it back to her with a smile.
“Like I’ve said previously, you people are in-your-face and have no respect for privacy.”
“The finish line is at the end of the street,” Mr. Hope said. “First there with their potato still on the spoon will win the prize of dinner for two at the Howler, courtesy of the Harris twins.”
“Bummer.” Lani shot a look over her shoulder at Noah.
“Not at all. I’d be happy to sit down in my restaurant and share a meal with you. I hear the food is great.”
“No cheating,” Mr. Hope said.
“As if we would do that!” Newman called.
“I know you boys.” Mr. Hope shook his fist and did a mock growl into the microphone.
“Were you all really bad in school?” Lani asked Noah.
“Not really bad. A bit bad, and maybe disruptive.”
“Noah was bad,” Jake said. “I was a saint.”
“Jake was the golden boy. Everyone believed he could do no wrong, which meant he got into trouble and we took the rap for it,” Noah said.
“What can I say, everyone loved me.” Jake smiled.
“And then one day he came home from serving his country a different man,” Noah whispered in Lani’s ear. “A broken one.”
There has been plenty of ugly in this town.
“Not now, though?” Lani wasn’t sure why she needed to know Jake was all right. Suddenly it was really important to her.
“Not now. He’s doing great. Friends, family, but mostly Branna helped him get through.”
“It seems idyllic here, like nothing bad can touch the inhabitants. But that’s not true, is it, Noah?”
He shook his head. “Bad gets to most places and most people at some stage in their lifetimes, Lani. It’s how you fight your way out of it and who helps that’s the key.”
She looked at him for long seconds, and suddenly it was as if they were alone. His dark eyes seemed to read her every thought.
“Are you over the bad?” she whispered.
“I’m trying. How about you? Want to share your bad with me?”
“Twenty seconds!” Mr. Hope roared, and it snapped Lani out of her trance. She dragged her eyes from Noah’s.
“Tell me again what I have to do,” Lani said.
She felt his hand in her hair briefly.
“All you have to do is hold the spoon and potato until we reach the finish line. I’ll clear us a path.”
“I don’t understand,” she took the spoon he handed her and balanced the potato on it.
“My friends don’t fight fair, and they’ll do what they can to stop us. You ready?”
She nodded, then tried not to stiffen as he slipped his arm around her waist and pulled her into his side. She did the same, grabbing a handful of his shirt.
“The secret is to try and get a rhythm going early. Start with the outside foot, then the bound one. You up for this, pumpkin girl?”
“Mrs. C made me wear it.”
“She’s a forceful woman, that one.”
“But the best.”
“Got me there.”
The starting horn had them all surging forward.
“Don’t let go of me or the potato, Lani.”
“I won’t.”
The start was a bit shaky, taking a while for them to get into a rhythm like Noah had said, but they soon got it.
“Nice work.”
Newman and Hope drew level. He then veered into Noah, nudging him. He blocked, and Newman stumbled sideways. Hope dropped their potato.
“He cheated!” Newman howled. Noah laughed and ran on.
“Pick up the pace, Ethan!” Annabelle shrieked, following them down the sidewalk pushing the pram. “Seriously, you two look sluggish!”
“My wife.” Ethan beamed. “She’s so supportive.”
Macy and Brad were up ahead.
“I’m not being beaten by either of those two couples,” Noah gritted out. He increased their pace, and Lani pushed herself harder. Her lungs started heaving from the exertion. She really needed to exercise more. It wasn’t something she did often… or ever, actually. In fact, since she left the cheer squad, she’d been lazy.
“Pick up the pace there, pumpkin.”
“N-not sure I
c-can.”
The arm around her tightened, and she was lifted to her toes. “Move it!”
They drew level with Macy and Brad.
“Is that Billy calling you, Macy?” Noah leaned in to say the words as they passed. Macy hesitated; Brad stumbled but managed to stay upright. He snarled at Noah as they passed.
“That’s ch-cheating,” Lani wheezed.
“Yes, it is,” Noah said, sounding as if he was taking a stroll, while she was dying.
“Those cupcakes you gave me were burned, Lani.”
She turned to see who was speaking to her and found Jake and Branna McBride.
“Focus!” Noah roared, but it was too late, and she tripped. Large hands grabbed her, steadying her. She was lifted slightly and they stumbled several steps. Noah cursed.
It all happened in slow motion after that. They fell, not hard, with Noah landing first and Lani ending up on top of him.
“Get a room,” someone said, running by.
“Aww, look at that, Noah and Lani stopped for a cuddle.”
Arms banded around her, and suddenly they were both laughing.
“That sounds good on you.”
Lani tried to get off him, but he held her still on top of his long, hard body.
“Laughing, I mean. It suits you.”
“Let me go, Noah. Everyone is looking at us.”
“I think it’s more likely they’re watching the race, which incidentally we’re not going to win now.”
“I need to get up.”
“Okay, calm down. It’s not easy, seeing as we’re still connected.”
He managed it with Lani’s help, and seconds later they were back on their feet.
“Let’s go, we need to finish,” Noah said, wrapping his arm around her again.
“But we’ve lost.”
“We still have to finish.”
They were last, but still received a fair amount of applause.
“Mr. Harris, I’m Jackie Rolland, DVT news.” Lani froze as a woman appeared with a microphone. With her was a cameraman. “We’re doing a segment each week on small towns and their traditions.”
Lani’s tongue stuck to the roof of her mouth, and her limbs suddenly didn’t work.
“As one of the local business owners, we would like to interview you for the segment.”
Shock changed to fear, and that’s when she started moving. Bending at the waist, she struggled to get the tie at their ankles undone. She had to get away from that camera. Had they already taken footage of them? Who would see it? Would he see it?
Panic had her fingers clawing at the knot.
“Okay, if you come to the Howler later, we can talk then.”
She saw the feet walk away but still couldn’t breathe.
Large hands cupped hers. “Lani, let me do that.”
“I-I it w-won’t undo.”
“Calm down, you’re making the knot tighter.” He gently pushed her aside and worked the knot free.
“G-got to go.” She didn’t stop to thank him, simply ran back to the Howlery. Buddy was there, still leaning on the wall. Lani dropped down and hugged him close, needing to feel his warm body. He rested his head on her shoulder.
“What’s wrong?” Mrs. C said from above her.
“Nothing. I just missed him.”
“In the twenty minutes you were gone?”
She took a few seconds more, then got to her feet feeling calmer.
“Are you all right if I take a br-break, Mrs. C? I’m hot and sweaty. It’s not a good look when serving.”
“You go on inside and take five. I’ve got things under control here.”
Looking down as she entered, Lani noticed her hands were shaking. Thank God Mrs. C hadn’t noticed. Running through the shop, she took the stairs up.
You can’t keep doing this, Mel had said, and she was right. But running was the only option she could come up with, and now she’d have to do it again. The thought of leaving Lake Howling was not a good one. She’d tried not to form bonds, but it had happened when she wasn’t looking. These people had slipped into her emotions.
Falling onto the bed, Lani put her face in her hands.
“Lani?”
Lowering them, she found Noah entering the room.
“I was just washing. I’ll be down soon.” Leaping to her feet, she made for the bathroom. He moved to intercept her.
“Why did you panic and run when that camera was in your face?” He was advancing on her, so she stepped right. He did the same.
“I didn’t panic, I’m just sweaty and wanted a wash.” Lani stepped left, and he mimicked her move.
“Go away, Noah.” Lani went for being direct.
“What’s the deal with you?” One large hand grabbed her arm as she tried to move round him again.
“No deal. Now go away so I can clean up. Mrs. C will need me back out there soon.”
“Here’s what I’ve observed.” He moved her backward slowly, both hands on her shoulders now.
“You’re a man, so you’re not observant.” The only word to describe what was going on inside her at that moment was panic. It sliced through her, and with it came memories of the moments in her lifetime when she’d been really scared. Moments she’d experienced over the last four years.
“That’s sexist, and I should seriously be offended about that, Miss Pumpkin.”
“I don’t have time for this, Noah.” Her voice sounded squeaky.
“Sure you do. Mrs. C said that you were on a break.” He walked her back another pace, and her back pressed to the large chest Hank had said she needed for her clothes. She took up the top drawer. Before she could speak, he’d placed her on top of it.
“What are you doing?”
“Putting you where you’ll stay while we talk.” He stepped close, his body blocking her exit, hands braced either side of thighs. His face was now inches from hers.
“Here’s what I’ve observed about you, Lani Sullivan. First, you hide behind clothes and an attitude designed to shut people out. You live out of your vehicle—and have for some time, is my belief.”
Lani looked at his neck and formed a tight seam with her lips. He couldn’t make her talk.
“There is no sign of you on the internet. Nothing at all, and unless you have been living off the grid your entire life, that’s just not possible. No school records or cheer squad. Nothing.”
Say nothing, Lani.
“So with that comes another conclusion. Lani Sullivan is not your real name. There’s also the fact you avoid cameras and ran like a scalded cat when you saw that film crew.”
The panic clawed at her throat, and suddenly she couldn’t breathe.
“Lani?” Two hands cupped her face. “What’s going on?”
“C-can’t breathe.”
He stepped back and lifted her down, then forced her head down below the waist.
“Take it easy, slow breaths in and out.”
She listened as he talked, focused on his words, and slowly felt the panic subside. Lani thought about simply staying there, bent over and avoiding Noah, but knew he’d make her straighten sooner or later.
She watched his feet disappear and had a faint hope that he’d gone, but the sound of running water told her that wasn’t happening.
“Drink this.”
She straightened and took the glass. Gulping the water down, she felt better. He left again, and this time came back with a damp washcloth, which he proceeded to pat over her face. It was bliss.
“I can do that.”
“So can I.”
She didn’t have the energy to fight him. Next, he lifted her into his arms and walked to the bed, where he sat with her on his lap.
“Let me go, Noah. I’m okay.”
“Your face is the color of unbaked pastry.”
“Charming.”
He cupped her head and eased her onto his shoulder, and the hell of it was, she wanted to rest there. Close her eyes and forget the mess that was her life. Forget
that now she’d have to leave Lake Howling and this man. For a brief moment there, she’d let herself hope for more. Hope that maybe she could stay here and live a normal life if only for a while. Not so much.
“Talk to me, Lani.”
“I’m not a criminal, if that’s what you’re thinking.”
Chapter Twenty-Six
“I already knew that much.” Noah ran a hand down her back, his fingers trailing over the delicate line of her vertebrae.
“How did you know that?”
“You’re honest, and a nice person.”
“I’m sure nice people can commit crimes, Noah.”
“Maybe, but I’m a pretty good judge of character, and I never had you pegged as a criminal.”
“Thanks, I think.” Her voice was small and defeated, and he felt something shift inside his chest.
“How about we make a deal. You tell me something about you, and I tell you something about me,” Noah said.
“I already know stuff about you.”
“Not all the stuff, though.”
She snuffled. “I’m not interested in you.”
“Sure you are, most women can’t resist me.”
This time she giggled, and it made him smile. Holding her in his arms like this felt good… too good, but he didn’t fight it. She needed some comfort, and he could give it.
“I-I am transient.”
“How long have you been running?”
“I didn’t say I was running, I said I was transient.”
“Lani, you’re running. How long has it been?”
“Four years, and I’m not sure why I’m telling you this now, when I’ve never told anyone else before.”
He whistled softly. The thought of Lani out in the world on her own for four years was not a happy one. She must have been lonely. Must have missed what and who she’d left behind.
“You about done with running?”
She shook her head, the short curls brushing his nose. Lifting back slightly, he looked down at the top of her head, and it was then he saw that the roots were blonde. She died her hair black.
“Lani, you can’t keep this up forever.”
“I can. It’s my life.”
“Living out of your car, having no friends or personal connections. No place to call home. Sounds like hell to me.”
“You get used to it.”