Noah

by Cristin Harber

  He left his contact information, hung up, and rubbed his hands on his face. He’d called Wyatt and now Lexi, and all because his gut said Teagan wasn’t telling him something. Maybe Noah needed to take a look at himself and not everyone else because if he was off base, he’d really messed up.

  ###

  It took five minutes to drive home, and he parked in the driveway before slipping through the door quietly to find Wyatt playing on his phone.

  “Are you going to tell me what’s going on now? Wyatt tossed the cell down. “Because I have a solid reputation I like to hold on to.” He gestured between them. “Past or no past, we’re not talking about transgressions that’ll land us in detention like back in high school.”

  Noah unholstered his weapon, heading for the gun safe in his bedroom. “Give me a minute.”

  Wyatt narrowed his eyes, giving Noah hell. “Not like I don’t have a warm bed and beautiful woman to go home to.”

  They were joking. He knew it, but his grin was forced, and that pang in his chest was uncomfortable. He didn’t know what to call it. Jealousy, envy … that was all wrong because he was happy for Wyatt. “You’re lucky to have her awake and waiting.”

  “Even if she’s not.” Wyatt settled against the couch, back to playing the game on his phone again. “I’m a lucky bastard.”

  Noah’s chest lifted with silent but heartfelt appreciation of his old friend’s sentiments as he went to stow his gun. With a quick finger combo and a thumb scan, the safe popped open, and he’d safely disarmed and returned to the living room. Wyatt tossed the phone again then checked his watch. “You have two minutes and counting to explain why you didn’t find what you went looking for, but you’re still concerned.”

  “Not bad, big shot.”

  There was a reason Wyatt was trusted in his field. The man’s eyes missed nothing, even as he kicked back.

  Noah shook his head, joined Wyatt on the couch, then looked at his friend, wanting to share without coming off as though he was cracking up after leaving the military and looking for problems to fix. As best he could, he gave a sixty-second rundown including Teagan’s phone call, the neighborhood canvass, the pile of cigarettes, and the neighborhood watchman with his hands in his pockets.

  Wyatt shook his head. “If he weren’t off exploring the wild blue yonder, I’d say I never trusted the ex-husband.”

  “Did you know him?” Noah glanced at him from the corner of his eyes, not expecting to hear that.

  “Nope. Just heard whispers of him. I’ve made it my business to know a little bit about everyone.”

  Noah snorted. That was Wyatt, the lone protector, always quiet and observing. But Noah frowned, uncertain why Teagan’s ex would spy on her. “I didn’t think the ex was hung up on Teagan when they split.”

  “It doesn’t have to work that way.”

  “Meaning what?” Noah asked.

  “Spencer doesn’t have to care to see her as his,” Wyatt explained. “And this town? Why come back when everyone knows it’s not for his family.”

  “She doesn’t think they know.”

  “Why does a guy like that ever marry a woman like her in a town like Eagle’s Ridge?” Wyatt lifted a shoulder. “It stands out.”

  Noah could list a hundred reasons why any sane male would marry Teagan. Her heart, her smile, how she cared.

  “She’d be amazing to be with,” Noah volunteered.

  Wyatt shook his head. “There’s a difference between hanging with a woman and planning for the future.”

  “Makes sense.” An emptiness hit Noah as he dropped his head back on the couch. He wasn’t envious that Wyatt had a woman to crawl in bed with, but he wished he had Teagan to hold. To plan with—maybe for the future? Definitely more than for a few days and beyond a warm bed and ensuing hot night. Though that would be a bonus Noah wouldn’t complain about. Just like Wyatt, Noah would call himself a lucky man if he was within a shooting chance of that kind of future.

  He rubbed his chest, concentrating on the night’s troubles and not the unsettled hollow feeling eating at him. “I’m too close to see what you can.”

  “What makes you think I do?” Wyatt asked.

  “Because I know your perspective. It doesn’t matter that we grew up on different sides of the river or that it’s been this many years since high school detention.”

  Wyatt nodded and quietly laughed.

  “We might’ve been on different SEAL teams, but once a SEAL, always a SEAL.” Noah rubbed his temples. “You’re not going to give me a BS answer when I need a heads-up.”

  “I don’t trust a man who has no reason to stay and never quite leaves.” Wyatt shrugged. “But it makes more sense that you stopped an angry kid, a PTA member gone nuts, or a would-be thief from running off with an armful of counseling files.”

  Noah’s brow pinched. He tried to picture anyone at school that upset with the woman who had recently worn a black sweater with two white stick figures on it. One held a line above its head, the other was missing the line body, and the text said, “I’m a school counselor. I’ve got your back.”

  Wyatt shifted on the couch. “Teagan has dirt on half the families in this town—stuff that Hildie could only dream of and hormone-crazed teenagers would go nuts for.”

  Noah couldn’t imagine. All things he hadn’t considered. “Hmm.”

  “How about this?” Wyatt stood. “I’ll make a call to a detective friend and see what he thinks, then I’ll follow up with you in the morning.”

  Noah could get behind that plan. “Okay. That works for me.”

  “Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m headed to bed.”

  Lucky bastard.

  CHAPTER FOURTEEN

  One follow-up phone call with Wyatt and Noah found himself heading to the Eagle’s Ridge Police Department with a detective’s name on a Post-It Note instead of heading straight into Nuts and Bolts. The office was small and quiet, and the detective was awaiting him.

  By the time Noah was shown to the officer’s desk, he was certain that everyone had mentioned he was the one who’d burned down Lainey’s house. To the ground.

  “Wyatt is your friend.” The detective leaned back in the scarred office chair and rolled a toothpick between his fingers. “We did him a favor.”

  Noah worked his jaw back and forth. “I appreciate that. He also mentioned that I need to speak with you. Meaning, we’re all friends.”

  “You put me in a predicament.”

  The meeting wasn’t off to a great start. “That wasn’t my intention. I had a concern, and if it was unfounded, I didn’t want to needlessly worry Teagan.”

  The detective popped the toothpick into his mouth, holding it between his teeth like a plank before he relaxed and worked the side of his gum. “And what’s your relationship with Miss Shaw?”

  Good question. “What’s that have to do with this?”

  He lifted a shoulder. “You’re new in town, question suspicious activity, and that’s not something we’re used to.”

  Man, did Noah hate the new-in-town line. He wasn’t one to name-drop, just as he didn’t use his service in the military as a shiny object to get attention. But he was raised in Eagle’s Ridge and born in a hospital that bore his family name—the Coleman Center.

  “I wouldn’t say I’m new to town. ‘Returning’ might be a better word.”

  The toothpick worked its way to the other side of the detective’s mouth. “Ah.”

  This was a waste of time. Noah would have better luck getting secondhand information from Wyatt. “All right, thank you for your time, detective.” Noah stood, ready to shake his hand and get to work. Not that there were cars in line for tune-ups yet, but if he didn’t at least show up, there never would be.

  “The cigarette butts.” The detective motioned for him to remain seated.

  Noah rolled his shoulders but dropped into the chair. “What about them?”

  “They could’ve been piled up in the corner by someone who works there on a regula
r basis. A cleaning service not allowed to smoke inside. A landscaper, a next-door neighbor kid sneaking off to grab a smoke.”

  He lifted his chin. “All things I’ve considered, which is why I talked to Wyatt.”

  “But they were fresh butts. Smoked about the same time.”

  Noah raised his brows and rolled his bottom lip into his mouth and thought. “Hmm.”

  “Hmm is right.” He shifted the toothpick. “Why were you over there?”

  Surely Wyatt had already shared, but Noah was sure that this was something the detective had to ask, anyway.

  Noah filled the man in on his conversation with Teagan and how he planned to explain everything that had gone on thus far but had not yet done so. The detective nodded then pulled out the toothpick and rolled it between his fingers.

  “Look, but those cigarette butts, that’s concerning,” the detective said. “But it’s the positioning that concerns me. Not just the window but the corner of the house, with a view of the driveway and the neighbor.”

  “What? Like a lookout?” Noah’s brow pinched.

  The detective rocked in his office chair. “I took a gander around the back side of her property. She doesn’t keep her shed locked.”

  “Who locks their shed?” Noah shrugged. “I have no idea.”

  “It’s insulated. Expensive, not the run-of-the-mill kind that you can order online and assemble from a prefab kit. You don’t buy those at hardware stores. It was built some time ago.”

  “Okay,” Noah said, failing to understand where the conversation was going.

  “The insulation had been stripped out, which is odd. But it doesn’t look like it’s used often. Could’ve been an animal, could’ve been long ago.”

  Noah leaned forward, resting his forearms on the detective’s desk. “Was it?”

  “Nope.” He shook his head. “That wasn’t an animal. But as for when? No idea.”

  Why would someone open the shed walls? “Anything else you can tell me?”

  The detective shook his head. “There’s nothing to share. Hell, it’s not even an investigation. She hasn’t called in a concern or a crime. This was nothing more than a friend of mine asking about a concern for his friend. I looked, and we talked.”

  Noah ran his hand over his chin. “I get it. And I really appreciate it.”

  “If you talk to Teagan, and she’s concerned, have her file a police report. Otherwise…” The detective shrugged then tossed his toothpick into the trash can.

  Otherwise, Noah realized, this was just a weird occurrence, brought on by a noise that she had heard during a week of storms. The cigarettes were weird but not criminal. Still, they were suspicious enough that he would be on alert. Noah stood up and extended his hand. “Thanks again for your time.”

  “I’ll have someone drive her street every now and then.”

  “Appreciate that.” And now Noah had the awkward task of explaining to Teagan that he’d scoped her backyard without letting her know and confided in an old friend, who then sent the police to do the same.

  All in all, Noah should have looped her into the conversation much earlier. It was too late for that, and he had nothing much to share other than his boundary crossing and a strange pile of cigarettes.

  CHAPTER FIFTEEN

  Every station on the radio irritated Noah. Commercials seemed trivial, radio hosts annoying, and too many songs had lyrics that spoke to him. He read between the lines and heard about the trust that Lainey had bestowed upon him by letting him raise Bella, the same trust that he might’ve overstepped by going to Teagan’s at night. Noah’s angst left him confused over his protective nature and how he wanted to protect Teagan specifically.

  He flipped off the radio and concentrated on the list of action items for Nuts and Bolts. His CPA had sent him a list of accounts payable items he needed to categorize. He hoped for a customer or two to drop by but guessed that wouldn’t happen until the afternoon.

  The truck’s tires ate the road as he wound his way through Eagle’s Ridge. Noah drummed his thumbs on the steering wheel, uncomfortable in the silence and his worries that kept going back to Teagan.

  He couldn’t be alone with his thoughts right now, and hell, what did it matter if he was on time to the shop? With a quick change of lanes, Noah pulled a left-hand turn and headed to see if Adam or Zane were around at A To Z Watersports.

  As soon as he had a plan, Noah relaxed, and by the time he parked and jumped from his dually, he was in a better place. He wandered up to the watersports business in what appeared to be a large old house. The front door had a sign that read “Come On In.”

  He pulled the door handle open and let himself inside. “Hello?” Noah stepped in. “Zane? Adam?”

  “Hey, man, what are you doing here?” Adam came from the right, off the edge of a desk he’d perched on, and tossed his clipboard down.

  Noah marveled at how a space that had likely been a sitting room in this large house seemed perfect as a reception area. “Stopping in to see how the place looks.”

  Adam proudly gestured to the renovated room, and Noah nodded his approval as he listened to the quiet bluegrass playing in the background.

  A To Z was comforting and homey. Actually, it reminded him of his parents’ house with its beloved wood detailing and always-brewing coffee. Familiar thoughts from his past tugged at his heartstrings until he couldn’t help being reminded of Lainey.

  Noah remembered how he and Lainey would go to No Man’s Land after the Founders’ Day celebrations and order HALO pancakes drowned in whipped cream and a syrup that they called rocket fuel. Hell, it was hard to believe so many years had gone by and that they’d lost touch then reconnected.

  When Adam and Zane had come to Noah’s house on his first day back in Eagle’s Ridge, they didn’t reference the last time he was in town—for Lainey’s funeral. Nor had they relived the painful conversation where Noah broke the news about Lainey over beers at Baldie’s.

  Why those memories rushed at him now, Noah had no idea, especially when his visit to A To Z was about escaping Lainey. Except, he wasn’t trying to escape. He simply needed a conversation that wasn’t built around life’s worries and downsides.

  Noah backed out of the reception area and let out a low whistle. “This place is impressive.”

  “Appreciate that.” Adam walked in step with Noah.

  “I meant to tell you that it’s really something how you’ve opened this for tours and rentals.” Noah admired the work the brothers had done.

  “There’s also the boat house and an apartment.”

  “Sounds big.” The place seemed as though it would continue to unfold if he turned corner after corner. “Do you live there?”

  Adam shook his head. “No. Jane and I are building a place.”

  He lifted his chin upon hearing of the major step in Adam and Jane’s relationship, but he still couldn’t believe that someone wouldn’t wake up to the possibilities of this place. “I won’t say too bad, but man, someone should live here.”

  “We had camps here all summer.”

  “Yeah?” Noah smiled at the vision of kids and laughter filling the house and the surrounding forest and water. He could send Bella to camps when she was old enough. What kind of camps would she like? He’d loved sports camps. Did they have other types? Like gifted program or reading camps? And how life had changed that those thoughts even popped into his head now. He rubbed his chin as that sank in.

  “It’s an adventure camp for at-risk youth,” Adam added.

  Noah nodded. “Solid.”

  “But I know you didn’t stop by just to check out the place. What can I do you for?” Adam thumbed over his shoulder. “We got a rad new surfskis that just came in. Fiberglass and carbon mix. Closed deck, thirty-seven pounds. No one’s even seen it if you want first dibs.”

  Noah laughed. “What the heck is a surfski?”

  “They don’t train you SEALs in the latest state-of-the-art equipment?” Adam walked on back, and Noa
h followed him to a room where equipment was stacked and stored. “This beauty”—he waved his hand over a slender canoe—“is a surfski.”

  Noah admired the narrow kayak but still side-eyed his friend. “Yeah, I don’t know about that word.”

  Adam walked along the side and let his fingers trace the shock cord deck rigging. “Don’t knock the power of the surfskis. It’s like a kayak but lighter. Very narrow, and rounded, so maybe your big, clumsy ass should stick to a kayak. We don’t need to have you tipping out on the river.”

  “Yeah, right.” Noah scoffed as if he wouldn’t hit the water, but this thing was nothing more than an overgrown drinking straw. Balancing would take a hot second. He moved toward the hull and angled down to get a good look at the cockpit and seat.

  “It’s like balancing on a log. Only the best survive. Maybe you should stick to something like whitewater rafting.” Adam held his arms out as if balancing on a tight rope. “More room to spread out.”

  “Sounds like a challenge.” Noah straightened and let his hand drift along the edge, resting on the carrying grip. “Sign me up for the all-powerful surfski.”

  They laughed, and it felt good to bullshit and joke with Adam. All they needed was for Zane and Gambler to walk in, and he could practically see the future of his life in Eagle’s Ridge rekindling without the catalyst of a major event. No one had died. No huge life changes were imminent. Just two old friends catching up as though it hadn’t been too long. But his stopping by wasn’t entirely without purpose, and now that he was here, he could talk to Adam about Nuts and Bolts.

  “But not today, though.” Noah paced the length of the room and turned.

  “Fair enough.”

  “You have a few minutes to talk?” Though if he asked about Teagan, he’d be overstepping. Again.

  “Of course.” Adam crossed his arms and leaned against a metal pole.