Noah (7 Brides for 7 Soldiers Book 6)(20)

As soon as he had a plan, Noah relaxed, and by the time he parked and  jumped from his dually, he was in a better place. He wandered up to the  watersports business in what appeared to be a large old house. The front  door had a sign that read "Come On In."

He pulled the door handle open and let himself inside. "Hello?" Noah stepped in. "Zane? Adam?"

"Hey, man, what are you doing here?" Adam came from the right, off the  edge of a desk he'd perched on, and tossed his clipboard down.

Noah marveled at how a space that had likely been a sitting room in this  large house seemed perfect as a reception area. "Stopping in to see how  the place looks."

Adam proudly gestured to the renovated room, and Noah nodded his  approval as he listened to the quiet bluegrass playing in the  background.

A To Z was comforting and homey. Actually, it reminded him of his  parents' house with its beloved wood detailing and always-brewing  coffee. Familiar thoughts from his past tugged at his heartstrings until  he couldn't help being reminded of Lainey.

Noah remembered how he and Lainey would go to No Man's Land after the  Founders' Day celebrations and order HALO pancakes drowned in whipped  cream and a syrup that they called rocket fuel. Hell, it was hard to  believe so many years had gone by and that they'd lost touch then  reconnected.

When Adam and Zane had come to Noah's house on his first day back in  Eagle's Ridge, they didn't reference the last time he was in town-for  Lainey's funeral. Nor had they relived the painful conversation where  Noah broke the news about Lainey over beers at Baldie's.

Why those memories rushed at him now, Noah had no idea, especially when  his visit to A To Z was about escaping Lainey. Except, he wasn't trying  to escape. He simply needed a conversation that wasn't built around  life's worries and downsides.

Noah backed out of the reception area and let out a low whistle. "This place is impressive."

"Appreciate that." Adam walked in step with Noah.         

     



 

"I meant to tell you that it's really something how you've opened this  for tours and rentals." Noah admired the work the brothers had done.

"There's also the boat house and an apartment."

"Sounds big." The place seemed as though it would continue to unfold if he turned corner after corner. "Do you live there?"

Adam shook his head. "No. Jane and I are building a place."

He lifted his chin upon hearing of the major step in Adam and Jane's  relationship, but he still couldn't believe that someone wouldn't wake  up to the possibilities of this place. "I won't say too bad, but man,  someone should live here."

"We had camps here all summer."

"Yeah?" Noah smiled at the vision of kids and laughter filling the house  and the surrounding forest and water. He could send Bella to camps when  she was old enough. What kind of camps would she like? He'd loved  sports camps. Did they have other types? Like gifted program or reading  camps? And how life had changed that those thoughts even popped into his  head now. He rubbed his chin as that sank in.

"It's an adventure camp for at-risk youth," Adam added.

Noah nodded. "Solid."

"But I know you didn't stop by just to check out the place. What can I  do you for?" Adam thumbed over his shoulder. "We got a rad new surfskis  that just came in. Fiberglass and carbon mix. Closed deck, thirty-seven  pounds. No one's even seen it if you want first dibs."

Noah laughed. "What the heck is a surfski?"

"They don't train you SEALs in the latest state-of-the-art equipment?"  Adam walked on back, and Noah followed him to a room where equipment was  stacked and stored. "This beauty"-he waved his hand over a slender  canoe-"is a surfski."

Noah admired the narrow kayak but still side-eyed his friend. "Yeah, I don't know about that word."

Adam walked along the side and let his fingers trace the shock cord deck  rigging. "Don't knock the power of the surfskis. It's like a kayak but  lighter. Very narrow, and rounded, so maybe your big, clumsy ass should  stick to a kayak. We don't need to have you tipping out on the river."

"Yeah, right." Noah scoffed as if he wouldn't hit the water, but this  thing was nothing more than an overgrown drinking straw. Balancing would  take a hot second. He moved toward the hull and angled down to get a  good look at the cockpit and seat.

"It's like balancing on a log. Only the best survive. Maybe you should  stick to something like whitewater rafting." Adam held his arms out as  if balancing on a tight rope. "More room to spread out."

"Sounds like a challenge." Noah straightened and let his hand drift  along the edge, resting on the carrying grip. "Sign me up for the  all-powerful surfski."

They laughed, and it felt good to bullshit and joke with Adam. All they  needed was for Zane and Gambler to walk in, and he could practically see  the future of his life in Eagle's Ridge rekindling without the catalyst  of a major event. No one had died. No huge life changes were imminent.  Just two old friends catching up as though it hadn't been too long. But  his stopping by wasn't entirely without purpose, and now that he was  here, he could talk to Adam about Nuts and Bolts.

"But not today, though." Noah paced the length of the room and turned.

"Fair enough."

"You have a few minutes to talk?" Though if he asked about Teagan, he'd be overstepping. Again.

"Of course." Adam crossed his arms and leaned against a metal pole.

"Teagan."

Adam's brows arched. "Unexpected turn in the conversation."

"Tell me about it." Noah ran a hand over his face. "Look, you've known her for a while?"

"Since she moved to Eagle's Ridge. I'm not sure when. But she's always been involved in the community. A bit outdoorsy."

"Did you know her ex?"

"Yeah, sure. Spencer comes in town every now and then, stocks up on  equipment sometimes." Adam rolled his eyes. "The guy's a"-he made air  quotes-"treasure hunter, whatever that means."

"Is he … " Noah waved his wrist, at a loss for words. "Athletic?"

"Um … " Adam pursed his lips. "I'm not sure what you're getting at, buddy."

Yeah, where was anyone supposed to take that? He needed to be clear. "Do you think he smokes?"

"Oh. Cigarettes?" Adam's forehead bunched. "I have no clue."         

     



 

Noah rubbed his chin, unsure why he was asking Adam instead of talking  to Teagan-except for that whole stepping-across-the-line problem.  Talking to Adam like this probably wasn't going to help. "Never mind. I  was just making generalizations. They won't help me, anyway."

Adam looked no less confused than when Noah had first turned the  conversation to the topic of Teagan. "Won't help you with Teagan? Are  you two … ?"

"Yes. No. Not like that. We have an agreement that … " Noah had no idea  how to explain what he could barely understand himself at that moment.  How they had agreed to mutual disinterest, for the sake of the kids. "We  have an agreement."

"I see."

Noah was glad Adam did, because Noah was getting more confused by the  minute. "If her ex-husband was bothering her, I'd have a problem. That's  all."

"Huh." Adam wandered the small room then turned back to Noah. "I wish I  had something to add, but I can't say I've heard a word that'd be  helpful. The guy is in and out of town-with BS tales of adventure-and  only here long enough to wash clothes, restock accessories, and keep his  licenses up to date."

All were good reasons for a water-dwelling guy to keep an old home base handy. "Makes sense."

"I wish I could help. Anything else?" Adam asked. "Or I can show you our  new trail maps if you want to take anyone you're not interested in out  for a hike."

Color hit Noah's cheeks. It was one thing to talk about Teagan in a  protective manner. It was another to discuss date planning, especially  since he didn't know how much to hang with her. "How about Nuts and  Bolts? I'm open for business, and nobody knows."

"Oh, come on." Adam's forehead furrowed. "You've been back for less than  a month. It took a long time to pull together the youth camp."

"I have to pay bills and figure out how to generate income from a business that's been shuttered."

"People will hear that Nuts and Bolts is open. By the time Halloween comes around, they'll see it in the parade."

Halloween felt a lifetime away. Noah rubbed his temple. "You're right."

Adam paced quietly around the backroom. "How about I help spread the word?"

"That'd be huge."

"Great. If they can drive it, I'll tell them to head your way."

Noah's shoulders relaxed, and he hadn't realized how tense they'd been.  The burden of carrying for someone other than himself was weighing heavy  on him. Not that he didn't think he could do it, but he wanted to do  more than just rely on what his family could provide. He wanted to be  successful in his own right. "Let them know I can fix anything. ATVs,  four wheelers." He dropped his gaze pointedly. "Surfski trailers, I can  service those too."