3. Chapter Two
Chapter Two
Noah
T he Blue Star Diner was classic Americana—and I loved it.
Andrew, an adorable guy with golden-brown hair and the co-owner, greeted us with a huge smile. “New in town or passing through?”
I met his grin. “New in town. We’ve rented a house just outside of town.”
“Oh, whose house? If you don’t mind me asking. I know just about everyone around here.”
“Miss Esmeralda’s home.” Christian added his smile to our little group as Andrew guided us to a booth.
“I was so sad to hear she went into the nursing home—but for the best, I think. She was so very independent.” The young man gestured for us to slide in .
“We’re going to visit her once she’s settled and she invites us.” I eased into the booth with vinyl seats. “And I’m starting to ramp up my business.”
After he placed the menus on the table, Andrew cocked his hip. “Business?”
“Dog training.”
“Oh! I love it. There are a couple of people in town who can definitely use your services. Whether they will or not is an entirely different story. Do you have a business card?”
“I do.” I yanked out my wallet and handed over three cards. We’d had these printed at a store in Sacramento as we passed through so we’d be ready to go when we arrived. “I have flyers as well.”
“The library. Maybe the feed store? They’re just out of town. And I’d suggest the rec center in Hartsville. There’s a pet store as well.”
“Hartsville?”
“Yeah, oh, and maybe the hardware store? The owner’s a friendly guy...” Andrew grinned.
“May I ask a question?”
He pivoted his attention to me now, watching me with intensely curious eyes. “Sure.”
“I’m looking for a job. Now, I’m a hard worker.”
“That’s a given,” Noah muttered.
I shot him a look.
He held up his hands.
“What kind of job are you looking for? Depending on the time of year—hell, depending on the year—work can be scarce or it can be abundant. These days? Try Dillon over at the grocery store. I think he’s looking for someone to stock shelves. It’s not glamorous—”
“It’s perfect.” I grinned goofily. “That’s exactly what I’m looking for.”
“Well, okay, then. Foggy Basin Grocers. You really can’t miss it.
Dillon’s…well, you’ll see.” He offered a sweet smile as he tucked my cards into his pocket.
“Gabriella will be here to help you shortly. Welcome to town.” He sauntered off and, as we watched, a handsome, tanned-skin police officer, in uniform, walked into the diner.
Andrew stepped right into his embrace, and they kissed.
I chanced a glance at Christian. As I watched, his frown morphed into a sappy smile. “I think I’m going to like this town.”
“Hey, I thought you already did. You were certainly gung-ho when I proposed it.”
“I didn’t know much about it. I will say my conversations with Esmeralda definitely swayed me.” He offered me a smile. “Anywhere you are is home to me.” He bit his lower lip. “That came out wrong.”
“Nothing wrong about it. You’re home to me as well.
Just no longer in Tennessee. Here? Nestled in the tranquility of Northern California with national forests on both sides?
Temperate climate? Decent-size city within a couple hours’ drive?
We’re in nature, Christian. Can’t you just smell the fresh air? ”
He inhaled. “French fries, frying meat, ketchup and… Huh. Something…but I wasn’t certain what.” He cocked his head. “I will admit this is exciting. As far away from Tennessee as we can pretty much get.”
“Unless we went to Alaska or Hawaii.” My grin never faltered.
“As you said, temperate climate.” He straightened his cutlery on his napkin. He had a habit of doing that and probably didn’t even realize it.
“Well, California could get hot like Hawaii, but never as cold as Alaskan winters. Nope, this town is just right. Kind of like Goldilocks when she found the right bed.”
“What can I get you today?” A young woman with black hair and dark-brown eyes offered a warm smile .
“Gabriella?” I returned her grin.
“Yes.” She gazed back and forth between the two of us. “New in town?”
“Yep.” I continued to grin like a loon.
“Well, watch out for the cops. They’re big on giving speeding tickets. My brother’s one of them, and you don’t want to upset him.”
For a moment, I wondered about her warning.
Then she added, “But he’s married to Andrew, my boss—so no stealing him.”
“We saw them together earlier. They make a cute couple.”
She grinned.
Then, I had a moment to ponder, but Christian beat me to it. “We’re not together together. We’re best friends.”
“Oh. My mistake.” Although she didn’t appear the least bit chagrinned. “I see so many gay people hooking up that maybe I see couples where they don’t exist.”
Why would she think Christian and I were together? Although maybe she somehow senses I’m gay? The rainbow bracelet might give her that idea…
“What would you like?”
“I’ll have the chicken fingers and fries.” I always chose unhealthy when we came to a place like this. Given I ate healthy most of the rest of the time, this felt fair to me.
“I’ll have a burger and a salad, thank you.” Christian handed Gabriella the menus.
“Could I get extra fries?” I eyed him. “He always steals some of mine.”
“Hey.”
I arched an eyebrow .
He crossed his arms. Then, after a moment, relented. “I might resemble that comment.”
Gabriella laughed. “Oh, I think I like you.” She winked and headed back in the direction of the kitchen.
“Well, that took you thirty seconds.” I toyed with my napkin.
He blinked. “What took thirty seconds? ”
“You finding someone to flirt with. You should ask her out. She’s a little young, though.” Although we were probably only a few years older than her. Still, she was damn attractive. Although the older cop brother might be an issue.
“I wasn’t flirting. She had a vibrant personality—” He gesticulated in a way I didn’t understand.
“She’s gorgeous.”
He pursed his lips. “I don’t select potential future partners based on their looks.” Even as he said the words, though, he sort of petered off. His eyes took on a dreamy quality that I noticed every once in a while.
Must be thinking about Laura again. Damn shame she had to run off and leave him high and dry. They would’ve made a stunning couple. Except if they’d married, then I might be in Foggy Basin alone. That idea made me sad. “Christian.”
He blinked. “Sorry.”
I waved my hand as if to indicate I hadn’t meant anything by calling him. Except I had. I wanted details he’d never shared with me.
He snagged my hand. “Please say whatever you were going to say.”
“Uh—” I held his gaze, then looked down where he held my hand. Warm fuzzies enveloped me, as they always did. Touching Christian always grounded me in a way few other things did.
“Right.” He released me. “Wouldn’t want to give people the wrong impression.”
“Gabriella in particular.”
He sighed. “Even if she’s single—which she might not be—”
“She was flirting with you—”
“—Even if she’s single,” he repeated. “I’m not interested.”
“You’re not over Laura. You need to meet someone new. Have…new experiences.”
“I don’t need new experiences.” He held my gaze. “I’m fine just the way I am.”
“I didn’t mean—”
“But you did.” He cut me off. “Everyone always assumes that to be happy with one’s life, one must be in a relationship.
That precludes the notion that someone can be alone and happy.
Take Miss Esmeralda. She’s alone, and yet has assured me she’s very happy.
Being in a relationship doesn’t always alleviate loneliness.
My parents have been married for thirty years, yet I wouldn’t say either is happy.
Or not lonely. It’s all by degrees. I have you in my life as a best friend. Ergo, I am not alone.”
“But you’re not—” I gazed around to ensure we were alone. “—getting laid.”
“One does not have to have sex to be happy. Asexual people can be very happy without the benefit of regular...” He rolled his hand.
“Penetrative sex?”
“One order of chicken fingers with extra fries and one burger with a side salad. I forgot to ask your preference in dressing and if you want gravy.” Gabriella gazed back and forth between Christian and me.
I was quite certain I’d be scarlet, if not for my skin tone.
Undoubtedly, she’d heard the penetrative sex comment.
I wasn’t a prude—far from it. But I didn’t generally have conversations like this.
And never in public. Also, clearly never with Christian because I had no idea about the asexual thing.
He didn’t actually say he was asexual — just that asexual people were fine without sex.
And even some people who aren’t asexual are happy without sex.
And, for the record, I’ve had lots of sex and I’m not all that happy. Well, unless I was with Christian.
“Uh, ranch is great.” He ducked his head.
“I’ll take some gravy.” I kept my voice strong—as if I wasn’t humiliated by using such graphic language in public.
“Be right back.” Gabriella hustled away.
“Christian?”
“Uh-huh.”
“Look at me?”
Clearly, he wanted to say no , because he almost never said no to me. That wasn’t his nature. Actually, I knew he had a difficult time saying no to anyone. Which might’ve been how he wound up here with me—in Foggy Basin. “We’re going to find you someone, okay?”
Finally, he met my gaze. “I don’t want to meet someone. I’m fine.”
I snagged a fry and waved it at him as an idea coalesced in my mind. “Operation Find Christian a Girlfriend begins today.”
He groaned.
Probably he thought I couldn’t hear—but I could. I had excellent hearing.
“Noah—”
“No. It’s time you put Laura in the rearview mirror and move on with your life. I know you were humiliated—”
“Gee, thanks.”
“—but I think it’s important that you find someone you can spend your life with.”
“Like you?”
That fry, midway to my mouth, dropped to the plate.
“I’m done with me, okay? Fresh start means no more dating assholes.” Shit . I glanced around. No Gabriella— Okay, she was making her way to us.
“One bowl of gravy and some ranch dressing. Anything else?”
“This is perfect.” My chicken fingers had come with a side of plum sauce, so I was literally in heaven.
“Okay.” She pointed to our plates. “Too hot?”
Crap. We hadn’t taken a bite. “Uh, an intense conversation. Just trying to figure out who’s single in this town?”
“Oh, lots of people.” She toyed with her apron. “I’ve got a friend, Joanie. She’s super cute and has a great sense of humor. I can call her—”
“No.” Christian said the words quickly. “But that’s awfully nice of you. I’m not actually looking.”
Gabriella pivoted her attention to me.
“Very gay and very not looking.”
She furrowed her brow as if trying to piece together why I’d just asked how to figure out who was single while simultaneously not looking for, uh, single people.
“If either of you change your mind, I know several single women.” She gave Christian that look. “I also know some gay single guys, and I know my brother could put out feelers—” Her gaze fell to me.
“Really appreciative. I’ve just…sworn off men for a while.”
“Oh, I get that. I could tell you about—”
“Gabriella? The order’s up.” Andrew’s voice rang out.
“Oops. We’re super busy. Later.” With a little wave, she hustled back to the kitchen.
Christian cut his burger in half—as was his custom—and gave me one long look. “Watch out for turnabout. All’s fair in love and war.”
In other words—don’t rock the boat. I’m happy with things the way they are now.
I saluted him with a fry.
While totally trying to figure out how I was going to find a guy.