Her hands rested on his arms. His muscles flexed under her palms. She pressed close to him, her body touching his. She looked up. His eyes locked on her mouth. She couldn’t move. She knew he was going to kiss her. She was going to let him. And this time, there would be no interruptions.
Slowly, he lowered his mouth to hers. His lips moved slowly at first, a cautious exploration. Her lips opened for his, and the kiss deepened, became more aggressive. A hand roamed up her back to cradle her head, his fingers curled into her hair. Her hands moved up his arms to his neck.
The boat rocked again and jolted them. They steadied themselves by grabbing onto each other and regaining their footing. Noah’s eyes burned into hers, and they were silent. He reached a hand up to her cheek and leaned down, placing a soft kiss on her forehead. He touched his forehead to hers. A long second later, he looked down at her.
He smiled. “I think I need another drink. How about you? And are you hungry?”
“Yes on the drink. I think I could use one too. And honestly, I am a little hungry too,” she admitted.
“What would you like?”
She shook her head. “No clue. What were you thinking?”
“I don’t want to be around people yet,” he said. “You want me to cook something?”
“You cooked the last time,” she protested.
“How about we both cook,” he suggested. “It’ll keep my mind off things too. I have some shrimp we should do something with.”
Emily’s eyes lit up. “You know what we could do? We could make a shrimp Creole. I haven’t had that in so long.”
“That, my dear Emily, sounds great. You tell me what you need.” He said as they left the deck and headed to the galley area.
She started rattling off a list of things they needed.
“Got it.” He started pulling onions and bell peppers out of the small dorm sized refrigerator.
“Cutting board?” she asked.
He handed her a board and a knife.
She started slicing and dicing. So intent was she on the task that she didn’t notice Noah had fallen silent.
“What?” she asked when she saw his stare.
“I’ve never see you like this.”
“Like what?” she asked.
He paused, as if looking for the right word. “Passionate? Your face just lit up when I put that knife in your hand and you started chopping.”
“You make me sound like a serial killer,” she said.
“You’d be a sexy serial killer,” he said, and she blushed. “I’ll have to have you over and cook with me more often. You make it so much more enjoyable.”
She cut her eyes at him. “Behave.”
“I am.” He laughed. “Trust me. I am behaving.”
She looked in his eyes, saw them darken. She knew he was thinking about that kiss earlier. Just like she was.
“Speaking of behaving,” she said, changing the subject. “Remember when we got in trouble with Pops?”
“Which time?” he asked.
“The time he let us take the boat out, and we anchored and swam until we were so exhausted that we fell asleep?”
“I remember that. He was livid,” Noah said.
“And I was grounded for a month!” she said. “He almost wouldn’t let us take the boat out again.”
“Pops was a good man,” Noah said. “I miss him. And Grams.”
Emily looked down at the onions. “They were good people.”
“Yes, they were.”
Emily scraped the onions into a bowl and started on the bell peppers. “So, Noah, you never married?”
“Nope. Guess I just haven’t found anyone to put up with me yet.” He grabbed her empty glass and his own and went to refill them.
He handed her the glass. “You let me know what you need me to do. Want me to make a salad?”
“That would be great. I’ll tell you when. This has to simmer for a while,” she said. She put the remaining ingredients in the pan and adjusted the heat. “Now, all we do is wait.”
“Awesome,” he said. “How about we finish our drinks on the deck?”
“That’s a great idea.” His proximity was wearing her defenses thin. She grabbed her glass and followed him to the deck.
“This is incredible,” Noah said after taking a bite. “Your husband is an idiot.”
“Why do you say that?”
“Any fool can see how much you enjoy cooking. You look so relaxed, but focused. In the time you’ve been here, I’ve never seen you look that way.”
Emily’s phone beeped. Eddie. Again. She hit the silence button. She would deal with that later. This time of night, he was already drunk anyway.
She smiled and took a sip of her drink. They spent the rest of the meal talking about the weather, the changes in the area since she left, and about Carly. The grand opening of Snapper’s that would begin the next day with Benjamin’s memorial. They were simple and safe subjects. She caught herself yawning as he swept the plates away.
“Tired?” he asked.
“Actually, I am. I’ll help you with the kitchen and head home.”
“I got the kitchen,” he said. “We’ll get back to the pier and I’ll walk you home.”
Noah walked with Emily across the street to her cabin. He kept his hand on the small of her back. Her insides were reacting like crazy. Would he try to kiss her again?
They stopped by the front door.
“Well, good night,” she said, feeling like a giddy schoolgirl.
“G’night,” he said. He lowered his lips to hers and gently kissed her. Slowly, as if he was relishing the taste of her. After he stopped, he touched her forehead with his, hugged her close, and walked away.
As he disappeared into the darkness, Emily touched her lips.
She was in trouble. Big trouble.
Chapter Seventeen
Noah
Just stare ahead, Noah told himself, looking at Benjamin’s coffin. Just don’t look. Don’t look at the coffin. Noah’s thoughts drowned out the priest’s voice as he went through the last part of the funeral service.
His parents sat in the chairs in front of him. His mother sobbed quietly into a handkerchief. Carly sat beside her. Carly stared at the coffin, clutching Joey’s dress pants. Her knuckles were white against the black fabric.
Don’t look. Don’t look at the coffin.
Daniel stood off to the side with Glinda. She held a handkerchief to her nose. Sunglasses shielded her eyes. Daniel patted her hand as it rested in the crook of his arm. A cool breeze blew through the small, green tent, blowing the black veil on the hat that adorned Glinda’s head. Emily stood a step behind Daniel, on the edge of the crowd. Noah was envious. He could handle the edge. He wanted to be on the edge.
Despite the crisp air, Noah felt his face began to warm. He longed to pull the tie away from his throat. Air, he needed more air. He was suffocating.
Don’t look.
Standing on the other side was Gabriel, Grace, and Ryder. The two guys flanked Grace as always, a protective barrier. Gabe shifted as if uncomfortable in something other than a t-shirt and jeans. Grace, who always wore black, looked pale and oddly frail in the somber dark dress. Ryder wore a black cowboy hat and jeans. He looked like he always did, but his devil-may-care smile was missing.
Noah’s face grew hotter. His heartbeat pounded in his ears. His eyes darted to the corners of the tent. There was no leaving. Not now. He was trapped. The open green tent a cage.
More pressure in his head, he was going to blow. More pounding. He took an unconscious step backward, wincing when he backed into the mourner behind him. Trapped.
His eyes caught movement by the coffin. The priest was clasping his mother’s hand. It was over. He took a shuddering breath. The crowd behind him shifted as the mourners made a line to pay their final respects to the family.
Noah turned on the ball of his foot. Resisting the urge to run, he walked swiftly away.
***
Noa
h shook the memory off and turned his attention to Benjamin’s memorial and Carly, who had taken her place on Snapper’s porch. Folding chairs were lined in the parking area in front. A large picture of Benjamin proudly displaying a good day’s catch was on an easel near where Carly was standing.
Grace, Gabriel, and Ryder stood off to one side. Grace in the middle as always. They all wore somber black. Emily was sitting with Glinda and Daniel. Joey was waiting for Carly, just off the porch steps. Noah had taken a place on the outskirts of the crowd. Carly had asked if he wanted to speak, and he had declined.
Carly took the mic. “I want to thank you all for coming out today. I wanted to do this before everything got all crazy.”
She stopped a moment and looked down at the ground before continuing, “Benjamin lived to fish. Every spare moment he had, he had a fishing pole in his hand.”
She gestured to the building behind her. “This was one of his favorite places in town. Every fishing trip he took started here.”
Noah glanced at Gabe, who had accompanied Ben on many of those trips. Gabe stared out at the gulf. Grace’s hand rested on his arm.
“Ben was the smallest of our little group,” Carly continued. “But what he lacked in size, he made up for in wit. He’d snap right back with a comeback that would cut you darn near to the bone. He earned that nickname Snapper, like a snapping turtle.”
Carly smiled. “We’ll be opening officially tomorrow, and will be hosting the First Annual Benjamin Devereaux Spaghetti Cook-Off here the day after that. All proceeds will go to create a scholarship in Ben’s memory. I hope you all can come out and show your support.”
At that time, Joey handed her a bottle of Ben’s favorite beer. Taking it in hand, she said, “We thought about doing a ribbon cutting ceremony, but that didn’t really fit Ben. So we thought we’d christen this place like a boat.”
Joey held out a big black trash can, and Carly took the bottle and slammed it into the porch railing.
Nothing happened.
Carly slammed it again, harder this time.
Still nothing.
Carly looked up and grinned at the crowd. She popped the top on the beer and took a big swig.
“Ben never did like to see a good beer go to waste,” she said, sending the crowd into laughter.
She poured some of the beer on the ground. “To Ben!”
“To Ben!” the crowd called.
“There’s a reception after this, please come. We would love to visit with you all. Again, thank you all for coming.”
As Carly stepped down from the porch, the crowd began to mill about, some to say hello to the family, some to walk into the bar to check out the changes. Noah took a deep breath, then went to meet his sister.
***
Emily
Emily stood beside Pops and Grams as the line of mourners filed by. Emily’s dress made her itch, and she resisted the urge to scratch. She shuffled her feet in the new shoes that pinched her toes. Her hair was hot against her face, but she had refused to pull it back and expose the jagged wound on her check that had not quite healed from the wreck. She had no clue who half the people were who stopped to pat her head and express their condolences.
Trish and Jim appeared next in line, followed by Noah, Carly, and Benjamin.
Noah cleared his throat and shuffled his feet.
“Hi, Emily.”
“Hi, Noah.”
“Sorry,” he said.
Carly was next, looking just as uncomfortable as the rest of them in a dress, her hair left down. “Emily, does this mean you’ll be staying here now? Will you be going to school with us? Does that hurt?” Carly said, pointing to the healing wound on Emily’s face.
“Hush, Carly. It’s not the time for that,” Noah said, elbowing his younger sister.
“Emily, do you want to go outside or something?” Noah asked.
Emily looked up at Grams and sighed with relief when she smiled and nodded.
Noah nodded in return and navigated the small group of them through the crowd.
***
Emily walked up the stairs to the Redbird Inn. The two hound dogs greeted her with tail thumps on the porch but didn’t move. Their dark eyes followed as she crossed over to the door and knocked. Daniel answered the door.
“Hi, Daniel.”
“Come on in, cher,” he said. “Everyone is here. And there’s a ton of food.”
Soft music played in the main room through the speakers. The sound of pool balls hitting each other drew Emily’s attention. Gabriel, Joey, and Ryder were by the bar. Ryder was lining up a shot, and Joey was watching, pool stick in hand. Grace sat at one of the bar stools. She twirled a lock of her black hair around a finger and stared out at the water. Carly sat in one of the armchairs, rifling through a book on her lap. She stared at the pages, not even really looking.
A breeze blew through the room, and Emily’s attention was drawn to the French doors where Grace was looking. Noah was leaning against the door frame, half in and half out of the room, as if at any second he might bolt. He held a drink. His lips lifted in a half smile when he saw her, but he didn’t approach.
Daniel touched her elbow. “If you’re hungry, there’s food on the buffet.”
Emily shifted her gaze from Noah to the buffet.
“Thank you, Daniel,” Emily said. “I think I’ll get a plate.”
“Okay, cher. I’ll go take a seat over there. You can come join me.”
Emily eyed the buffet. Taking a plate, Emily stopped at each silver lidded serving dish, and took samples of most of what the buffet had to offer. She took spoons of etouffee, red beans and rice, more gumbo—chicken and sausage this time—and made a promise to the bread pudding smothered in whiskey sauce that she would return for it.
She took a seat with Daniel at one of the tables by the deck.
Emily looked down at the small feast that awaited her on the plate and smiled. She grabbed a spoon and savored each and every bite. She closed her eyes in pure delight as she took a bite of the delicious gumbo. The spice was just right, the rice was fluffy and filling. The etouffee and red beans and rice were next. All of it was excellently cooked. Soon, she discovered that she was full, not even enough room for the bread pudding. Maybe later, she thought, pushing the plate forward.
“Man, I haven’t felt this full in a long time.”
Glinda came in then and, seeing Emily, came right over to the two of them.
“Why didn’t you bring Oscar?”
“I was afraid he’d be too active for this situation.”
“Go get him,” Daniel insisted.
“If you’re sure.”
“We’re sure.”
Emily left and a few moments later returned, Oscar almost dragging her as usual.
He burst into the inn and stopped, surveying the surroundings. He cocked his big head to the side and barked. The others then noticed their presence.
Ryder laughed. “Emily, your dog has to be one of the ugliest dogs I’ve ever seen.”
Oscar barked in response, causing the others to laugh too.
“He’ll fit right in here,” Ryder said, and motioned her over. “Pull up a stool. I won’t bite. Unless you want me to.”
Emily plopped Oscar down in one stool and sat on the other one. Oscar immediately began eyeing Ryder. Ryder scratched him behind the ear and Oscar repaid him with a lick.
“You have a friend for life now,” she said.
Oscar whined and looked to the floor.
Emily sat him down and Oscar immediately began checking out each of the people, getting pats from each. He ruffed at them in appreciation. Content with the company, he trotted off to check out the rest of the room.
Emily heard another bark and a low growl. Alarmed, she started to stand.
Carly laughed. “He found Sammy.”
Oscar barked again and was greeted with another low growl and a yelp. His paws clicked on the wooden floor as he trotted back to Emily, sat, and then cocked his head.<
br />
Following behind was an ancient looking weenie dog. The dog was brown but almost completely grey in the face and paws. Oscar looked at the low-riding dog, then looked at Emily as if to say, “I told you so.”
The fat dog stopped at every chair and looked at each person expectantly. Everyone reached down and gave a pat on the head before she moved on. She stopped in front of Emily’s stool, sat down, and glared.
“Carly, I don’t think this dog likes me.”
“Sammy doesn’t like anyone. She’s old and grumpy. Whatever Sammy wants, Sammy gets. She’s harmless. Too fat and too lazy to do much.”
Carly grabbed some French bread off a plate. “Here, give her this,” she said, tearing it into pieces. “A peace offering. Toss it though, don’t hand it to her, unless you want to lose a finger. Here’s another for Oscar.”
Emily tossed the bread down. Sammy snorted hers up like a small pig. She then sniffed Emily’s leg, licked her, and turned and trotted away, back around the corner of the sofa.
“See, she’s fine,” Carly said. “How’s it going?”
“It’s going,” Emily said.
“You talked to Noah?” Carly asked.
“Yes. I saw him this morning when I was walking Oscar.”
“How did that go?” Carly asked.
“It went okay, I guess. He seems quiet now,” Emily said.
“I worry about him,” Carly said.
“He’s going to be okay,” Daniel said.
Carly smiled and nodded. “He will. We all will.” She held up an empty glass. “Anyone else want one? It seems I’m empty.”
“I’ll take one,” Emily said.
Carly returned soon with two drinks. She handed one to Emily.
They sat in silence for a while and Emily sipped her drink. It was already halfway gone. She listened as Gabriel and Daniel talked about the weather, fishing, and other small talk. A good meal, a hot bath, and a good night’s rest were what she needed. It had been a long day.
“Emily?” Daniel asked. “You’re awfully quiet. You okay?”
“I’m just tired.” She took another sip and finished the drink off. “I think I’m worn out. I’m going to head to my place.”
Tangled Up In You (Fleur de Lis Book 1) Page 14