A Buckhorn Bachelor. Lori Foster

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СКАЧАТЬ you in time. Even before I’d reached you two, I knew you were playing with Issy. Everyone was talking about it.”

      “Define everyone.”

      “People who’d passed the two of you. Ms. Marburl was scandalized. Little Chuck started singing that you had a girlfriend. When I stopped at the corn booth, Shohn didn’t know where you were but he said you were due to replace him at any minute. So I told him.”

      “Told him that Issy is a wild child?” He snorted. “That’s nuts and you know it.”

      “Oh, Adam.” With a pitying look, Amber patted his arm. “You’ve known her all this time and yet...you don’t really know her at all.”

CHAPTER THREE

      ISABELLA HAD A hard time keeping her smile in place as she walked away from Adam. She didn’t want to meet any other men, and she definitely didn’t plan to get intimate with anyone—well, except maybe Adam.

      If he was still willing.

      “You okay?” Noel asked.

      “Course I am.”

      “You know, if you want, I can make your excuses to the guys. Say you got busy or something.”

      She peeked at him. “Is my disinterest that noticeable?”

      “Afraid so.” He paused with her under the lights of the roller coaster. They both looked up at the screaming riders as the coaster cars zipped by. “Amber has a tendency to bulldoze her way through life.”

      “She is confident.” Sometimes Isabella envied Amber for her headstrong certainty.

      “That’s an understatement.” Noel turned his speculative gaze down to her. “Don’t let her bully you into doing anything you don’t want to do.”

      Compelled to defend her friend, Isabella said, “She’s actually been very helpful.”

      “And she always means well,” Noel added. “I’ll even admit that most of the time she knows what she’s doing. But I’ve gotten to know her.”

      “Do tell.”

      One corner of his mouth curled. In a husky, satisfied-man voice he said, “Let’s just stick to talking about you tonight.”

      Deflated, Isabella sighed. “If we must.”

      “Amber doesn’t know men nearly as well as she thinks she does.”

      Oh, now that was interesting. “You came to this conclusion...how?”

      “Because she’s always playing games. And as a man—”

      He was definitely all man.

      “—I can tell you, we don’t appreciate it.”

      “And yet,” Isabella pointed out, “she’s so often successful.”

      “How about we give a little credit to the men, too, okay? Yes, she hooked up Shohn with Nadine, and Garrett with Zoey, and Gray with Lisa-”

      “You’re ruinin’ your own case.”

      Noel shook his head. “Making the point that while Amber might’ve pointed them in the right direction, or given a helping hand, she didn’t make them fall in love. Each of the guys was smart enough to do that all on his own.”

      She peeked up at him. “That’s what you think I want? To fall in love?”

      After a commiserating smile, Noel took her arm and got her walking again. “I think you’re already in love. What you want is for Adam to love you in return.”

      That insight so surprised her, she faltered a step.

      How was it Noel knew that when no one else did? For sure Adam didn’t suspect. If he did, he probably wouldn’t be chatting with her now. She’d done her best to hide it, but she’d known for some time that he was the one for her.

      It was party his great rapport with kids and his awesome contributions to the community . Adam was a very admirable man.

      But it was also the way he carried himself, with pride and dignity, the way he pitched in to help others, the easy way he smiled.

      Those dark bedroom eyes... She shivered, and admitted to herself that his body was pretty darned fine too.

      But it was mostly his character, she assured herself. Sure he was great to look at, but she wouldn’t love a man for his looks alone.

      Realizing she’d gone too quiet, too long, Isabella stammered, “I, um...Why would you say such a thing?”

      Noel stopped, faced her. “I saw you with him, and I’m not a dummy, either. Amber can play all the games she wants, but in the end, Adam has to know the real you. What it is you want or need, what you care about.” He squeezed her shoulder. “Who you are.”

      Not knowing what else to do, Isabella nodded.

      “So for now, if you want to follow Amber, go ahead. Just don’t play so long that Adam mistakes your sincerity for an amusing pastime.”

      Wow. Who knew Noel was so attentive and discerning?

      Well, obviously Amber did. “She said I couldn’t be easy. That I had to make him work for it.”

      It surprised her when Noel flushed.

      Now wait a minute... Suspicion lifted her brows. “Is that what you’re doin’ to Amber?” When he looked even guiltier, a grin made her cheeks ache. “You are! You’re makin’ her work for it, aren’t you?”

      Noel walked on.

      Delighted, Isabella hustled to catch up to him. “That is so funny.”

      “No it’s not,” he said.

      “But this is great. Amber, caught in a game of her own makin’.” She clapped her hands. “Totally great.”

      Pivoting to face her, Noel opened his mouth, hesitated, and clamped it shut again. “Just think about what I said, okay?”

      “Oh, I definitely will. And thank you.” This time as they started off, Isabella hugged his arm and even put her head on his biceps. A nice, solid biceps, she noticed. “You’re a good man, Noel Poet. Whatever you do to catch Amber, I hope you catch her right and tight.”

      Little by little, Noel smiled and relaxed. “That’s the plan.” They turned the corner and there were three men drinking beers, playing horseshoes, and laughing loudly. One wore a firefighter’s T-shirt, one was an EMT, and the other was Tucker Turley, the sheriff. She knew him well since he’d done plenty of community outreach programs at the school library. Turley was the handsomest of the three, which was saying something since they were all pretty fine. But Isabella knew Amber’s cousin Kady was already sweet on him, and besides, he’d never, not once, looked at her with interest, and vice СКАЧАТЬ