Page 13 of No Place Like Home
“What do you mean?” Linc asked.
“It means he literally blew up a science project in sixth grade trying to impress her.” Noah grinned.
Cade reached to pick up the bed again. “Sothatpart you remember.”
“Dude, it’s a core memory.” Noah grabbed his end of the frame and began back-stepping across the room. “The look on Mr. Thompson’s face when volcano goo hit the ceiling.”
More like the look on Rosalyn’s face when she’d laid into him for showing off. Leaving her to do all the work and coming in last minute to ruin it.You always get away with everything because of your dad. Because you’re a Landry.
Cade winced. “Yeah, we never really got along in school. I think that senior-prank-turned-ice-cream night was a fluke.”
Until the Harvard-Yale game, anyway.
Linc set his side of the bed on the rug by the window. “So why aren’t you trying to impress her now?”
Cade released his end of the frame, took a step back. “She’s not even staying in town. What does it matter?”
“Maybe you’re afraid to try.”
Cade glared at Linc.
He lifted both hands. “I’m just saying…women aren’t poultry, but someone here seems like a chicken.”
“Shejustagreed to do the circus. Hardly the right time to ask the woman out.” He’d thought about it though, hadn’t he?
Noah scooted the end of the bed to align with the window. “If you’re not going to try, why were you whining about Rosalyn being beautiful?”
“I thought we’d already established this wholebeautifulthing.” Linc ran one hand down his scruffy face. “I’m buying you both dictionaries for Christmas.”
Cade lifted his chin. “Careful calling other women attractive. Zoey might get jealous.”
A thundercloud formed in Linc’s expression. “Now why would she do something stupid like that?”
Cade fought the urge to back up a step.
Noah wiped his face with the hem of his flannel, but not before Cade caught the smirk spreading across his lips.
It boosted Cade’s courage. “NowI’mjust saying.”
Either Linc missed, or ignored, the tossing back of his own words against him. “Zoey and I are friends.”
Were his eyes growing darker? Cade went ahead and took that step away. “Of course.”
Linc moved forward. “Justfriends.” His long hair, piled on his head in his usual tangled knot, also seemed to be growing blacker.
“I was kidding.” Linc wouldn’t hit him. He didn’t think so, anyway.
Linc grunted as he turned back to the window. “Why don’t you focus on a real problem? Like getting this circus pulled off.”
“How’s that going, by the way? The festival plans?” Noah straightened. “No pressure, but I hope your answer is ‘fabulous.’ The inn needs customers.”
Cade corrected the folded over corner of the rug with the toe of his shoe. “First of all, I would never sayfabulous.”
“Sorry. I don’t know what the cool kids are saying these days.” Noah hiked an eyebrow. “Probably because I’m busy with my girlfriend.”
“Low blow.” Cade snorted. “But you know I’m happy for you and Elisa.”
Noah’s jaw twitched. “Even though you flirted with her that one time.”
