Page 29 of A Hard Habit to Break

Service had always belonged to Noah more than her. “And if I end up helping him anyway?”

“Then, Service gets a better infrastructure, and Noah gets a lesson in humility. Win-win.”

Rachel rested her head on Benji’s shoulder. “You’re an awesome plus one, Mr. Wiles.”

“Oh, FriendFriend. I’m plus one, plus plus. Just like in the Black Panther movie, we will show this whole town who you are.”

Benji stood and offered her his hand. “Now, can we please get out of this depressing restroom? The lighting is making both of us look jaundiced, and I refuse to be remembered that way if someone walks in and discovers our bodies.”

A reluctant smile tugged at Rachel’s lips as she accepted his hand and let him pull her to her feet. “Fine. But I’m serious about taking down that reel.”

“How about I change the caption? ‘When your bestie makes the hot firefighter look like an amateur at his own game’ has a nice ring to it.”

Rachel rolled her eyes, but the knot in her chest had loosened slightly. Maybe Benji was right. Maybe she wasn’t falling back into old habits. Maybe she was just being herself. The new and improved Rachel didn’t need Noah’s light to shine.

As they reached the door, Benji paused, his expression suddenly serious. “For what it’s worth, Rach, I think the reason you’re so angry isn’t that you helped him. It’s that even after all these years, some part of you still wants to.”

Rachel opened her mouth to protest, but no words came out.

“Shh, don’t speak. You’ve already hurt yourself once. Let’s go tour this fabulous town so we can sprinkle your Black girl magic on everything.”

Rachel emerged with Benji on her heels, having gained a new realization. Deep down, beneath her professional pride and hard-won independence, she knew her friend was right about her feelings for Noah.

Of course, the man himself stood guarding the hall as ifhe wanted to prevent her escape. Those hypnotic hazel eyes fixed on her, and Rachel’s pulse hammered in her ears. Ex-boyfriends should have skunk glands implanted in their armpits, so unsuspecting former girlfriends can smell them coming, and run. Or, in her case, stake out the Ty-D-Bol room.

“Can we start today? Working through the proposal?” he asked, Stetson in hand, a bulky black binder in the other. “I can drive you through town… the mountains—show you the changes in the preliminary plans and talk. You can take the binder home afterwards. Review what’s been done so far.”

Back straight, head held high, she said, “Yes, to the file folder. The rest… There’s no need. Benji and I can tour on our own. I know my job,” she said with every ounce of sarcasm she could muster when bombarded with Noah’s tanned and ruggedly handsome Noah-ness. “The community expressed their needs. I will review and translate the vision into a functional plan that complements the existing structures.”

“Working together means you and me… in the same place… at the same time.” When she didn’t reply, Noah gave her a boyish grin. “Come on, Six. It’s for the town.”

Geezuz, he knew her too well. “Fine,” she sighed. “I’ll give you one hour.”

Benji’s not-so-subtle attempt to disguise his active listening halted. “She meant to say, we can give you an hour,” he interjected, “because I like my tea fresh.”

They both knew the gossip would spread quickly and freely when people saw them riding together.

Noah’s grin spread, splitting his lips to reveal brilliant white teeth. “That’s more than I need.”

And that terrified her more than any town hall meeting ever could.

CHAPTER NINE

NOAH HAD ARRIVEDat the Service town hall expecting to take charge. Instead, he’d found out he needed to follow the one person he should never chase again. But today, Rachel had sucked him under her spell. Watching her captivate the room had struck Noah hard and fast, lightning in a bottle. Being too close to Rachel had stirred his latent needs and delayed responses. Having her so close the night before had been a misstep. Having her to himself drove his desire to occupy more of her time, just the two of them. Crazy, he knew. But his attraction to Rachel had always kept him off balance. All these years later, he still wanted to impress the girl.

He tightened his grip on the steering wheel of his truck, watching the side mirror as Benji shimmied himself into the truck cab like it was a Las Vegas party bus. Though the other man had stopped short of their shoulders touching, it felt awkward havinganother body, any body, separating him from Rachel. As if hisjock blockwas totally natural, Benji offered a serene smile, one hand gripping the leather strap dissecting his chest.

“If you have confetti in your crossbody bag, save it for the end of the tour,” Noah muttered to no one in particular.

“Relax,” Rachel said from the far passenger seat, flipping open her tablet with the kind of serene efficiency that made Noah want to drive straight into a mailbox. “Benji’s coordinated enough when it counts. And my dad and Bethany are riding with us.”

Of course they were. With Benji seated between them on the front bench seat and her folks behind, she’d created another wall.

What Noah imagined as a private tour around town to point out the proposed redevelopment zones had somehow morphed into a full-blown field trip, with him playing the chauffeur and guide.

As Matt and Bethany climbed aboard, Noah felt tension fill the cab like a slow gas leak. And it irritated him. Neither he nor Rachel was pleased with the situation, which gave him a modicum of joy. If he had to be on the freeway of awkward entanglements, albeit for the town he loved, then Rachel should have to share in the combustible experience.

“How did this become a group thing again?” he asked, only halfway pretending to sound casual.