Page 47 of Between Love and Loathing
His blue eyes shone bright, and he had a smile that was so infectious, I squealed with delight. “Noah freaking Romero, what are you doing here?”
He opened his arms and bellowed out, “Lucy, I’m home.”
There wasn’t an ounce of hesitation when I ran to leap into his arms, and he caught me like I was lighter than air. Immediately, I felt home. He smelled like ocean breeze and spicy cologne and his hair was shaggy enough for me to rub back and forth as I nuzzled into his arms. He’d been a laid-back friend long before we did more than just hang out. He was supportive and fun and never had one expectation of me other than being there when it meant a lot to him.
My pink hydrangea-printed maxi dress swung around us as he spun me in circle after circle until I stopped giggling. “You didn’t say you were coming. Why didn’t you tell me?”
“What? I’ve called you damn near fifteen times.” He let me slide down his body but kept his arm around my waist. “If I’m not one of the first to see Clara’s Bakery in California, I’ll always regret it.”
I laughed. “Not the name.” I sighed as I looked above the doors. “We actually don’t have a name yet. I just put in a request for approval.”
“What is it? Am I the first to know? Tell me I’m the first to know, and I’m going to be the first to see this finished place of yours.”
I rolled my eyes. Noah wanted to be the first at everything, the best, and the person that would always be on your mind. He would have been for a lot of girls. For me, he was a friend who’d filled a void for a while. I did the same for him, and that’s as far as it went.
“Clara? You going to show me?” He crossed his arms over his chest, waiting.
Damn. I knew Noah also loved to stir a pot big or small, and Dominic was a big-ass pot to stir.
“Fine.” I grabbed his arm and pushed through the doors fast.
“Clara Milton,” Noah breathed out right when he walked in. He did not turn to Paloma or Dominic, he gave my bakery his attention first, which made my heart swell and brought tears to my eyes right away. He ran his big hands over the leather seating and said, “The pink seats suit you. You about to blow it up with color in here?”
I bit my lip. “I’m trying.”
“You better, babe.” He snatched a chocolate cupcake off the table and moaned when it hit his tongue. “Goddamn, I missed these.”
Paloma snatched one too before I could smack her hand away.
“And this wall you did, right? Damn, I love it.”
I waved off Noah. “It needs to be fixed. I’m fading it a bit and cleaning up the edges.”
His eyes checked the corners, and he started laughing. “Guessing that got your ass in trouble.”
I wrinkled my nose. “But you like it?”
“Of course. I’m here for a day, going up to Vegas after. Want help?”
I went to stand by where the pink bled onto the white, dragging a finger over it.
“I’ve already told Clara I’ve got it handled.” Dominic’s voice was low, quiet, and completely dominating in my small bakery. He closed his laptop slowly and turned in his seat to stare down Noah.
Noah didn’t seem at all deterred. He just turned back to me and flicked his eyes to the wall and then to me. “Proud of you, little dancer.” His nickname had Dominic standing up slowly. “You know, pink’s your fucking color.”
“Don’t start, Noah.” He had that look in his eye.
“But you blush and it shows up all over you.” He smiled and his eyes glinted as he went to stand right in between me and Dominic, cutting off my line of sight to him. Instead, I was staring at my old friend, giving me a look I knew very well. I’d enjoyed that look for years. We were friends with benefits after all. “See. Like right now. Bet I know for a fact that under that dress, you—”
“Clara.” Dominic’s voice cut through the bakery, loud and authoritative. When he used it like this, my body jumped to attention.
Why did I feel guilty immediately when I peered around Noah’s massive shoulders to see Dominic standing there?
“And Noah Romero.” He said the name carelessly, like it didn’t hold any real weight. “What are you in town for?”
“Hey, man.” Noah walked up to shake his hand. They were cordial, had met before when Dominic was in Florida, even trained once or twice together at the HEAT gym. It should have been an easy handshake, quick and friendly, except Noah continued, “Here to see my girl and her bakery, of course.”
I’d never seen Dominic stand taller and really size someone up. He didn’t even do it here. He was utterly confident in his ability to outshine another man, and yet I saw the way his jaw ticked when Noah saidmy girl. Would he correct Noah when there was no need? He was respected and feared around here because he threw the truth fast and ruthlessly. Yet, Noah wasn’t talking to him about the resort, only about me.
