Page 40 of A Hard Habit to Break

Tobias winced. “Don’t get so defensive. I read this book—”

Noah held up a hand. “A book or a romance novel?

A look of genuine confusion graced his brother’s face. The skin around his blue eyes, their father’s eyes, crinkled at the corners. “What’s the difference?”

“I’m glad you asked, ’cause I’ve peeped your OverDrive book suggestions,” Noah laughed, finally digging into a biscuit smothered in sausage gravy. “It’s got the feels of a preteen girl who’s addicted to theInside Outmovie.”

“First off, romantasy as a genre is ageless. Second, that’s an invasion of my privacy. And third, I’m trying to help you.”

Noah almost choked on his orange juice. “By pushing over-the-top pretty-boy book tropes at me?”

Eli outright hollered. “You tell him, Noah. You ain’t no over-the-top, dazzle-and-shine pretty-boy slingin’ his dragon-tamer at a woman who’s journeyed to a land far, far away to escape your clutches.”

“Good heavens, you boys are worse than I thought,” his mama said, wiping her hands and sitting beside him.

Pointing his fork like a dagger at a grinning Eli, Noah said. “He’s not helping.”

“Never said I would. I’m here for the tantalizing conversation.” Eli smirked, sopping up the last of his hashbrown casserole.

Tobias chimed in again. “Maybe your chances with Rachel would improve if you avoided late nights in the plunge pool, speaking at committee meetings, and the route to the high school.”

“Not another word, Mr. Page Turner. This isn’t one of your books.”

“Sticks and stones, little brother. Don’t take my advice. If you listen to Petey again, you’ll come crawling back at the dark moment.”

“See?” Noah gestured to his bookish brother. “That right there is what I’m talking about.” His voice carried through the house, and he realized his brothers, with their talk of him messing things up again, had gotten to him. “If you want to help, make sure that folks show up on the farm to help Rachel and me with the preparations. And leave Pete out of it. He’s the only one who told me to marry Six as fast as I could or she’d leave this place and never look back,” he accused. “I didn’t. She did.” Yeah, he’d sped up the timeline from what he and Six had discussed, but it shouldn’t have mattered. She’d lied about wanting the same things he did. Marriage. Kids. Him. And now she was back, telegraphing signals that maybe something had shifted in his favor. Noah aimed to find out.

“Noah, breathe,” his mama said, placing one hand on his cheeks. “Don’t worry about people showing up in support of the Johnsons. The town knows what needs doin’.”

He inhaled calmly and exhaled his frustration. When he opened his eyes, his mama’s loving smile greeted him.

“You don’t have to listen to anybody, lil’ rabbit. Your heart knows. And I can’t think of a time when you didn’t want Rachel around.” Noah wanted to protest. Say it wasn’t true. But the farmer’s daughter had branded his heart. “Do not let that woman slip away again.”

“Mama, it’s not that simple. She’s not staying. She has a whole life somewhere else.”

“So build a life she’ll want to stay for,” Tobias said. “Or go with her. Eli left for the military. I travel.”

“To book conferences,” Noah bellowed. “For more books. So stop with the dating advice.”

“Okay, Mom’s speaking,” she said gently, turning his face until she could look him square in the eyes again. “You’re good at so much, Noah, that I imagine love not being easy for you is hard to fathom. But it’s worth it. Love always is.”

The room quieted for a beat as everyone turned back to their plates, the kind of thoughtful quiet that settles when truth’s been spoken.

Then Eli ruined it by reaching for the last piece of bacon and getting smacked with a spoon.

“So,” Tobias said, grinning, “what’s your next move, Nomeo?”

Noah took a sip of coffee, his gaze steady. “I’m picking Rachel up for a lumber run. We’re building her dad’s wedding arch.”

“Oh ho, romantic, and so you and Rachel,” his mama gushed. “Just like when you two were teenagers. We all knew if you saw one, the other was close behind. Rachel in the bleachers with those old pom-poms. And you, in Matt’s fields, helping with her chores. It’ll be nice to see you two building something together again. Your daddy always teased that Rachel taught you just as much about construction as he did.”

“Yeah, but back then Rachel didn’t have a Benji protection detail following her every move.” Eli grinned.

“You ain’t never lied. That guy looks unassuming, but he might take you out if you hurt his FriendFriend.”

Noah shot his brother a withering look. “Shut up, Tobias. From the moment I pick her up, I have the day all planned. Slow drive, time at my place to discuss designs.” And how to renovate them, doing more than just talking, the next time they were alone in the barn. “I have a couple of steaks marinating for later—”

Barking, loud and incessant, interrupted Noah’s fantasy. Followed by a blood-curdling “MRRRRROWWWWWWW!”