One More Time (Red Hook 1)

“You’re looking good, Alana.” Liam winked at her. He looked at her sister. “You, too, Alicia.”

Alicia huffed and folded her arms across her chest. Noah looked at Liam and grinned with amusement. Apparently Liam was also the enemy because of his last name.

“Are you enjoying the festival?” Noah ignored Alicia’s rude looks and concentrated on Alana. She looked so beautiful. She had makeup on, and her hair was loose down her back, straight and silky. Her dress draped across her generous breasts and ended above her knees. She looked a little fragile still because she had lost some weight, but she made his pulse race and his heart beat frantically.

Alana nodded. “I am surprised, but yes, I am having fun.”

She looked a little sad despite her words. Noah wanted her to enjoy her outing. He was so happy to see her out. It had been hard to convince her to sit on the porch with him. She had looked around warily until he held her hand. She had been so jumpy and nervous.

“Are you going on the Ferris wheel?” he asked, remembering her favorite ride. Last year they had kissed at the top of it. It was a memory etched in his brain. That was the first time he had been brave enough to give in to his temptation to kiss her sweet lips. He wanted nothing more than to drag her up there right now and kiss her.

Alicia moved up in line. She looked over her shoulder at Noah. “She is going on the Ferris wheel, with me or Ray. He is here with us, too.”

Noah realized Alicia was trying to warn him. He decided to live dangerously. Alana was worth it.

Alicia ordered two apples, and Noah insisted on paying for them. Alana thanked him shyly, and he got lost in her big brown eyes and her sweet smile. Liam had to nudge him to pull out his wallet and pay for four apples. He felt his cheeks heat up, and he was glad it was dark.

Alana moved out of the line and away from the crowd. She bit into her caramel apple and closed her eyes. He just stood there and watched her take a few bites and lick her lips to get the caramel off.

“Mmm.”

He felt his cock react, and he had to breathe through his nose. He could not walk around town with a hard-on. Liam would tease him for the next twenty years and then tell Adam.

She opened her eyes and looked at Noah. She wrinkled her cute pixie nose, and he felt his smile coming automatically. Something about her just stirred his soul. She finished her apple and threw the stick in a nearby trash can.

“Thanks. Caramel is my weakness.”

He grabbed a napkin and handed it to her. She had caramel on her chin, and he would have loved to lick it off, but it would definitely have freaked her out. Not to mention Alicia would most likely throw her apple at him. He didn’t want that sticky mess in his hair.

“Want another?” He would buy her five more if it made her happy.

She shook her head no. “Ray forced me to eat a hamburger, and it upset my stomach.”

The four of them had moved to the side, and while Liam engaged Alicia in a conversation, he spent his time taking in Alana’s beauty. Her long brown hair fell down her back, and he hoped she never cut it. He wanted to reach out and touch it, but he refrained.

“I’m glad to see you out and about,” Noah said, taking a bite of his own apple. He had been so busy watching her he had forgotten his. “I know it was a hard move, but I am proud of you, Alana. This crowd must make you apprehensive.”

Alana nodded. “I know my family is worried about me. I am trying. I know it doesn’t seem like it, but I feel like no one understands how scared I was, ho

w scared I still am.”

Alana looked away from him. She blinked the tears away and whispered so only he could hear her, “I promised myself I would be strong tonight. Alicia is so excited to be here. I can’t ruin that for her.”

“Hey, you are strong, Alana. Give yourself credit,” he whispered. He threw the rest of his caramel apple away and pulled her into a hug. Her body was tense and rigid at first, but then he felt her relax and lean against him. She wrapped her arms around his waist, and he laid his chin on her head. It was the best feeling in the world. He would gladly hold her for hours if it helped.

“I have some good news to cheer you up. Tomorrow the sheriff’s station is having a dunk tank right on M Street. A block down from your restaurant. You can tell Alicia and Ray to buy tickets. They would love to dunk me, over and over.”

She looked up, a little insulted. “You think I can’t hit the target, too?”

“I know you can. I remember your killer pitch when we were on that baseball team together. You just got your stitches out. I don’t want you hurt again,” he explained, kissing the top of her head. Her shampoo smelled like a summer rain. “If you give me one genuine smile, I will let you walk up to the target and push it with your hand. I’d do anything to see you happy again.”

Her small chuckle went straight to his heart, and he tightened his arms around her waist.

They stood like that for a minute or two. Noah felt excited that she was allowing this and not pushing him away. Maybe she would forgive him for hurting her. He had hugged her plenty of times in the past but not in the last six months. He missed her laugh and talking to her about everything. He had not realized how much he leaned on her when he was having bad days. How could he not see she was meant for him like peanut butter was meant for jelly? Because he was scared, he told himself. No more, though. He had a new goal: to get Alana Garcia to fall in love with him again. This time he would appreciate what he had and hold on to it like a miser.

“Well, well, isn’t this cozy?” a feminine voice said behind them.

Alana kept her face hidden in his chest but peeked out over his arm. Noah turned to see Cora standing with her hands on her hips. She wore a short pink summer dress with thin straps. Her blonde hair was curled in some fancy hairstyle. She recognized Alicia and took a step back.