As he hugged the curve around the bay on his Harley heading toward Beach Road, Noah grimaced, running the conversation he’d just had with Mia through his mind.
He’d acted like a total idiot. You’d think he’d never talked to a girl before, with as much trouble as he’d had having a normal conversation.
Waiting until Bree had exited the parking lot in her compact Volkswagen, Noah had followed them along the road until Bree had turned into the driveway belonging to the mansion on the hill, which overlooked Crystal Rock Lake.
It figured Mia’s family were the ones who had built that house. Noah had watched it being constructed, wondering who’d torn down the cabins belonging to the resort which had been abandoned for several years. Noah knew it had to be someone who was probably rich and powerful.
He sighed, because apparently it was Mia’s father.
Noah didn’t want to think what that would mean for him if he continued pursuing Mia. He just hadn’t been able to stop himself. The stupidest thing he’d probably done is waited to approach her since he’d known he’d be enlisting. In the back of his mind, Noah had been thinking if they never actually connected, he’d have one less person to worry about once he was off to boot camp. He was concerned enough about his grandparents; most particularly Gramps, who’d had a lot of trouble with infection in his leg off and on through the years.
But it had hit him hard, that he wouldn’t be seeing Mia anymore. Strange as it was, seeing her around school had been enough for him until now.
Well, that and the fact he didn’t have any real competition. Noah had been able to discourage anyone who’d talked about asking Mia out by telling them to keep their hands off. Noah had to laugh—why in the hell did so many guys at school seem to think he was such a tough guy?
It had to be the Harley.
But after thinking about how he’d be leaving at the end of the year, Noah had decided to make a move. Even if she hadn’t been at the concert tonight, which had been pure luck, he knew where she liked to hang out.
It really was a beautiful night, Noah thought as he pulled into the parking lot of the inn. The remnants of sunrise remained, casting a golden rosy glow while the moon was beginning to rise in the sky above.
But the satisfaction he was suddenly feeling about his life most likely had to do with the fact he’d finally had the courage to approach Mia.
He parked his bike, and only a few minutes later as Noah stood and waited near the sidewalk leading toward the entrance, Bree drove into the parking lot, pulling into an empty spot beside Noah’s Harley.
Bree quickly stepped out from the car, while Mia was more hesitant.
Smiling, Noah approached, reaching for Mia’s hand, attempting to immediately put her at ease. “Look at the sky. It’s beautiful tonight, isn’t it?”
Mia looked less nervous and let him take her hand, before staring upward at the stars. “It is.”
Noah glanced at Bree, who seemed to be holding back, while letting them have their space. “Come on, Bree. You’ve gotta know most of the people here?”
“Probably,” Bree answered. “You sure I’m not in the way?”
“Of course not,” Noah and Mia answered in unison.
Noah smiled, looking into Mia’s eyes.
Bree laughed. “Okay. Since you both seem to agree, I believe you. Let’s go get some ice cream.”
“I suppose you’ve eaten here a lot, since you live pretty close?” Noah asked Mia, holding open the door for the girls, and then following them through the breezeway into the lobby.
“A few times. Dad likes to take me here when he’s home,” Mia answered, grimacing. “Which hasn’t been too often lately.”
“We used to come here quite a bit when we were young,” Bree said. “But Mom and Dad work an awful lot, and my two older brothers always seem to have something better going on. We used to eat together all the time when we were growing up, but not much anymore.” Bree grinned. “I have more meals with Mia and Amanda than I do with my family.”
“My mom and I used to always have dinner together, even though she worked weekends, and sometimes pretty late during the week,” Noah said quietly. “I always try to eat dinner with Gram and Gramps, even when I’ve got a lot going on, because I don’t know where I would be right now without the two of them.”
“That’s so nice,” Mia said. “I don’t remember those kinds of things about my mom. I was only about eight when she passed away.”
“I didn’t realize that you…” Noah sighed. “I don’t remember too much about my dad, either,” he said, pausing at the entrance of the café and looking into her eyes. “So we’ve both lost our moms?”
Mia sighed heavily, giving him a rueful smile.
Bree was walking ahead of them, and glancing back, she grinned. “I’ll go save us some seats. I already see a few people I know. How about ordering me a chocolate shake?”
Mia grinned. “Alright. Thanks, Bree.”
Noah held up her hand. “Ready to make an entrance? You know they’ve been waiting to see if I show up with you?”
Mia blinked. “No?”
“Yes,” he answered smiling, tugging her hand and guiding her towards the soda fountain.
When Mia paused, studying the menu high on the wall, Noah grinned because he knew she was having a difficult time ignoring the whistles echoing through the air.
She muttered, “Is that for our benefit?”
“It is,” Noah answered. “You’re the first girl I’ve ever brought along with me.”
Mia looked stunned.
Noah smiled widely. “What would you like?”
“What do you recommend? I had no idea this soda fountain was here. I’ve only been inside the restaurant, and a couple of the shops—like three or four times.”
Noah pursed his lips. So that’s why he’d never run into her when he’d been working. “Really? I can’t believe you’ve never been here. It’s always been a hangout for high school kids. You’ve lived in town like what—nine months?”
“Bree and I used to cruise around town on our bikes before we drove, and we spent a lot of time at the Dragonfly Pointe Beach. Even in the winter, we’d watch hockey or go skating there. It seems like the concession stand near the beach is always open.”
“Skating, huh? That’s something that I’m not too good at,” he admitted, giving her a rueful smile.
She gave him an impish grin. “Kind of like the dancing, huh?”
Geez, she was pretty, Noah thought, becoming distracted.
But she was looking at him strangely. And then she shook her head and gave him another one of those dazzling smiles, which reminded him a little of the sun coming up, because it was just that vibrant.
“I think I’m going to have a small chocolate sundae,” she said, opening her purse.
Noah held his hand over hers. “It’s on me.”
A friend of Noah’s finally came over to wait on them. “We’ll have a chocolate shake, and two small chocolate sundaes.”
Phil answered, “Sure thing, Noah. Coming in tomorrow?”
“Two to six. The Band’s playing tomorrow night,” Noah answered, motioning at Mia. “Mia this is Phil.”
“Nice to meet you, Phil,” Mia said, smiling.
Phil smiled back. “Same here, Mia.”
Preparing the sundaes, Phil turned back to Noah. “Hey. Danielle Loughlin was asking the other day if I thought you guys would be interested in performing at some of their Summer Under the Stars concerts?”
“Really? Of course we’d be interested,” Noah said.
Phil laid the sundaes on the counter. “Between you and me? They pay pretty well.”
“Anything helps,” Noah said, trying to halt the conversation. He didn’t feel comfortable discussing finances around Mia.
“What else was it you ordered?” Phil asked. “A chocolate shake?”
“Yes. It’s for Mia’s friend,” Noah said.
Phil glanced across the restaurant. “Hey was that Bree Dalton who came in with you two?”
Mia answered, “That’s who the shake’s for.”
Phil’s eyes went wide. “Really?” He grinned. “In that case…”
Phil turned, and began preparing the shake.
Both Noah and Mia watched in amazement as Phil loaded ice cream into the largest cup available and began piling ingredients—whipped cream, chocolate sprinkles and even three cherries on top—after making the deluxe shake extra thick.
Laying the monstrous shake on the counter, Phil looked at Mia. “Tell her it’s on me. Will you?”
Mia grinned at Phil and then looked at Noah. “I’m not sure I’m going to be able to carry that thing. It looks too heavy. You’d better take it, and I’ll grab the sundaes.”
Noah barked out a laugh, picking up the shake.
He couldn’t wait to see Bree’s reaction, and he was certain Mia couldn’t either.
Looking puzzled as they approached, Bree was sitting in a corner booth.
“What the…?” Bree’s eyes went wide when Noah laid down the shake on the table in front of her.
“That’s from Phil,” Mia said, obviously trying not to laugh.
After laying down the sundaes, Mia dug through her purse, and pulling out her phone, she snapped a quick picture of Bree with her mouth gaped open.
“Hey,” Bree said. “What am I supposed to do with this?” Suddenly, she looked at Mia. “Did you say Phil?”
Mia looked at Noah, raising her brow.
Noah countered, “Uh, Phil Jordan.”
Bree swallowed. “Is that the same Phil who plays varsity basketball?”
“That’s him,” Noah answered.
Bree looked dazed. “He’s a friend of my brother’s.”
“Well, I think he might want to be your friend too.” Obviously teasing, Mia put her hands on her hips. “That’s twice today. You’ve been holding out on me, Bree. I thought we told each other everything?”
Bree laughed. “You two better sit down and eat your sundaes before they melt.”
Noah was pretty sure Bree had purposely laid her monstrous bag in the seat beside her, and he grinned when Mia was forced to sit across from Bree.
Noah winked at Bree as he slipped into the seat beside Mia.
Bree grinned.
Watching Mia eat the sundae was trouble in itself, Noah thought. She was awakening all kinds of crazy desires in him that he didn’t know he was capable of feeling. Even the way she scooped the ice cream into her mouth and took the extra time to lick off the spoon had him thinking about how those lips would feel against his.
He cleared his throat and decided to watch Bree instead.
And Noah just couldn’t help it when he began laughing loudly, because she looked determined to show her appreciation of Phil’s gift by finishing it off.
“I just can’t eat anymore,” Bree finally admitted. “I think I’ll take it home and put it in the freezer. There must be a gallon of ice cream here.”
“Nah,” Mia said. “But maybe a half gallon.”
Bree giggled, but then her eyes went wide as she looked over Noah’s shoulder.
Phil walked up to the table. “Hi, Bree.”
“Hi, Phil. Thanks for the shake,” she answered.
Phil smiled. “You’re welcome. Hey, I have a half an hour break. Would you like to go for a walk?”
Bree looked at Mia. “Do you mind? Is there time?”
“It’s only ten. We still have an hour,” Mia answered.
“We’ll be around,” Noah reassured her. “I thought I’d show Mia the gazebo, since there’s a good chance we’ll be performing there this summer.”
“Alright.” Bree grinned, looking at Phil. “I guess I’ll bring along my shake. I thought I’d take it home and put it in the freezer for tomorrow.”
Phil laughed. “I did kind of go overboard, didn’t I? We can stop by the soda fountain and I’ll grab a freezer bag for you to slip it into.”
“Alright,” Bree agreed, reaching for her purse and sliding out from the booth.
Noah grinned when Bree glanced over her shoulder with a comical look on her face. She seemed incredibly nervous, but Phil was a great guy. He’d been one of the first kids in town who’d reached out to Noah after his move from Virginia. In fact, Phil was responsible for getting Noah his job here at the Dragonfly Pointe Inn, since management had been searching for responsible teenagers to hire, hoping to draw a younger crowd into the café.
Mia suddenly looked shy. “I don’t know why she’s so surprised. People gravitate toward her, and she just doesn’t see it.”
Noah grinned. “She’s something else, isn’t she? I remember when she came along with her brother once when we practiced. We had to stop like twenty times because she kept asking questions and giving us advice.”
Mia’s eyes went wide. “No?”
“Oh, yeah,” Noah answered.
Mia held her hand over her mouth, looking horrified.
“Actually, her advice wasn’t bad.” Noah grinned. “It’s because of her we stopped with the heavy metal. When we blended our individual preferences, and I started writing my own songs, we began drawing a wider audience. She’d make a terrific manager.”
Mia seemed a little less nervous when she laughed.
“Are you ready for that walk?” Noah asked, standing from his seat.
Nodding her agreement, Mia slid from the booth onto her feet in one graceful movement, picking up her purse.