Home to Whiskey Creek (Whiskey Creek #4)(23)
Author: Brenda Novak

“Better. Fine.” She smoothed the T-shirt she wore with a pair of cutoff sweats. “Really, there’s no need for all the fuss. You shouldn’t have troubled yourself to come by. Everyone’s making too big a deal out of what happened.”

Too big a deal? She could’ve been killed! “From what I’ve heard, the guy who assaulted you had a knife.”

“A knife was found in the bushes, but…that doesn’t mean he would’ve used it. I’m not even sure it belonged to him.”

“Putting you in the mine was bad enough, Addy. You know my brother died in there.”

The color drained from her face, creating a starker contrast between those bruises and her regular coloring. “I—I know. I’m sorry. Truly. I wish…”

He waited for her to finish.

“I wish that had never happened,” she said softly.

She seemed so sincere it was difficult to be annoyed with her, although he didn’t understand her obstinate refusal to deal with the man who’d attacked her. He bent his head to catch her eye, since she was no longer looking at him, and held out what he’d bought for her. “I thought some of this might come in handy while you recuperate.”

Her eyebrows shot up. “What is it?”

He shrugged. “Just a few things to pass the time.”

She seemed reluctant to accept his offering but eventually took the bag and peeked inside. “This is…nice of you, really, but…completely unnecessary.”

He fended her off when she tried to give it back. “Consider it my apology.”

“For…”

“Being too self-absorbed in high school, I guess.” He grinned. “That’s what you hold against me, isn’t it? That I didn’t befriend you or—or remember you or something like that?”

“No! I don’t hold anything against you. I’m sorry if I gave the impression that I do.”

He clapped. “Great. Then we’re friends?”

She toyed with a pendant bearing the word Courage hanging from her neck. “Um, sure. Of course. But…I won’t be staying in Whiskey Creek for long, so…I’m not someone you’d want to invest any time in.”

This surprised him. “Milly’s agreed to sell?”

She glanced over her shoulder to make sure her grandmother was still in the kitchen and lowered her voice. “Not yet, but…I can’t imagine she’ll refuse.”

He scratched his head. “So you haven’t asked her yet?”

“I will. Soon.”

“Even if she says yes, it could take months to accomplish!” he said with an incredulous laugh.

She shifted uncomfortably. “Noah, I…I guess what I’m trying to tell you is that I appreciate what you did for me, and I don’t want to be rude, but…I’m not anyone you’d…like.”

What? He hadn’t even decided he was interested in her, not in that way. “Aren’t you assuming too much?”

She flushed. “Maybe. I’m just saying…in case.”

“In case I planned to ask you out.”

“That’s right. I wanted to…to let you know up-front.”

“Wow. You don’t even want me to ask. That’s shutting me down pretty hard.”

“We wouldn’t be compatible.”

“How can you tell? I’m cutting my hair shorter than it was in high school or…I don’t have my baby face anymore?”

“This isn’t about looks.”

“It’s about personality, then? I’ve already flunked the personality test?”

“Don’t worry. There are a lot of other women in Whiskey Creek who’d be thrilled to—” she smoothed her shirt “—to gain your attention.”

Other women. This was another first. Never had he had one woman refer him to others. “Just not you.”

She blanched when he stated it so baldly but didn’t correct him. “Surely that can’t disappoint you. You didn’t know who I was until yesterday.”

It shouldn’t have disappointed him, but somehow it did. He’d given her a sack of junk. How could that be considered coming on too strong? He’d been shooting for “thoughtful.” “Can you at least tell me what I’ve done wrong?”

“Nothing.” Her lips curved into a sympathetic smile, but that only made it worse. “You’re just…not my type.”

“Really? Because you don’t even know what type I am.” Suddenly suspicious, he shoved his hands in the pockets of his jeans. “Wait a second…”

“What?”

“Is this your idea of revenge? Are you trying to get back at me for…for how I made you feel in high school? Because I haven’t met many seniors who’d bother with a sophomore, no matter how smart or pretty she is.”

Her mouth dropped open. “I’m not after revenge!”

“You were once interested in me.”

She hesitated as if she couldn’t decide whether to admit it. “Maybe I had a slight crush—”

“So slight that you came to every one of my baseball games and looked like you were about to hyperventilate the one time you dared to approach me?”

“You remember—? Never mind.” She raised a hand. “Don’t answer. It was embarrassing enough the first time. So I had a big crush on you. Okay. I’ll give you that. But it’s irrelevant. I’m over it, er, you. That’s ancient history, a stupid schoolgirl fantasy.”

“Maybe you think it was stupid now, but it tells me that you used to find me attractive.”

She seemed to be getting flustered. “Everyone finds you attractive, Noah. They’d have to be blind not to! But I didn’t know you, so it’s not as if…as if…it was real.”

“You still don’t know me. That’s my point. Is it that you’re embarrassed?”

Her forehead rumpled in confusion. “That I was attacked?”

“That I’ve seen your ass!”

“Excuse me?”

“I thought it was a nice ass, if that’s what you’re worried about.”

She almost smiled in spite of herself. “Quit trying to charm me.”

Apparently oblivious to their argument, Milly called out from the kitchen. “Coffee’s ready. But save me the trouble of bringing it out and come in here, will you?”

“I’m sorry,” Addy whispered. “I know you’re used to getting what you want, but…I—I’d appreciate it if you’d leave me alone from now on.”