LITMIR.BIZ

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hair and blue eyes.

      Noel was blond with brown eyes.

      But the contrasts didn’t end with their appearances. Where Noel seemed quietly contained and often far too serious, Amber was bold, incredibly outspoken and carefree.

      Sure, she was pretty enough to reel in any guy, but he’d assumed Noel had enough backbone to keep from being drawn into her scheming.

      When Amber only smiled, Adam grated, “What guys?”

      Shaking his head, Noel said to Amber, “I think we’re interrupting.”

      “Don’t be silly.”

      Noel said evenly, “I am never silly.”

      Amber just smiled at him. “Isabella already asked for my recommendations, and I’m giving them.” Her gaze raked over Adam. “And that’s that.”

      Issy laughed. “Well, I don’t suppose it’d hurt for me to take a little look, now would it?”

      Of all the... Adam narrowed his eyes. “You can’t be serious.”

      “I’ll be right back,” she promised, and patted his chest—like he was a damned wayward mutt.

      Stunned, Adam stared down at her. He had no idea what to say, so he said nothing.

      Issy waited, but with his extended silence her smile faltered, and finally she looked away. “Noel? Are you ready?”

      Very ill at ease, Noel hitched his chin. “Sure.”

      “I’ll join you in a minute,” Amber told them.

      Still disbelieving, Adam watched Issy walk away, her hand in the crook of Noel’s elbow, until he couldn’t see her anymore.

      “So,” Amber started.

      “Forget it.” Beyond peeved at her, Adam headed back into the booth. She’d already done enough. No way in hell would he listen to some half-baked lecture from her.

      Of course she followed.

      “She’s all wrong for you, Adam.”

      He leveled a sharp look on her. “Contrary to what every wimp in the county tells you, you do not know everything.”

      It was never easy to put a dent in Amber’s confidence. “I realize that. But I do know you. And I also know Isabella.”

      Folding his arms over his chest, his temper on the rise, Adam said, “So what? You think I’d break her heart or something?”

      She gave a surprised laugh that she quickly muffled with a cough. “No, I wasn’t concerned about that.”

      Adam waited her out, his scowl not budging.

      After another cough, Amber got serious. “I hope you won’t think I’m gossiping—”

      “Shohn already told me what you said.”

      “I only told him so he could tell you in case I didn’t get to you in time. Even before I’d reached you two, I knew you were playing with Issy. Everyone was talking about it.”

      “Define everyone.”

      “People who’d passed the two of you. Ms. Marburl was scandalized. Little Chuck started singing that you had a girlfriend. When I stopped at the corn booth, Shohn didn’t know where you were but he said you were due to replace him at any minute. So I told him.”

      “Told him that Issy is a wild child?” He snorted. “That’s nuts and you know it.”

      “Oh, Adam.” With a pitying look, Amber patted his arm. “You’ve known her all this time and yet...you don’t really know her at all.”

CHAPTER THREE

      ISABELLA HAD A hard time keeping her smile in place as she walked away from Adam. She didn’t want to meet any other men, and she definitely didn’t plan to get intimate with anyone—well, except maybe Adam.

      If he was still willing.

      “You okay?” Noel asked.

      “Course I am.”

      “You know, if you want, I can make your excuses to the guys. Say you got busy or something.”

      She peeked at him. “Is my disinterest that noticeable?”

      “Afraid so.” He paused with her under the lights of the roller coaster. They both looked up at the screaming riders as the coaster cars zipped by. “Amber has a tendency to bulldoze her way through life.”

      “She is confident.” Sometimes Isabella envied Amber for her headstrong certainty.

      “That’s an understatement.” Noel turned his speculative gaze down to her. “Don’t let her bully you into doing anything you don’t want to do.”

      Compelled to defend her friend, Isabella said, “She’s actually been very helpful.”

      “And she always means well,” Noel added. “I’ll even admit that most of the time she knows what she’s doing. But I’ve gotten to know her.”

      “Do tell.”

      One corner of his mouth curled. In a husky, satisfied-man voice he said, “Let’s just stick to talking about you tonight.”

      Deflated, Isabella sighed. “If we must.”

      “Amber doesn’t know men nearly as well as she thinks she does.”

      Oh, now that was interesting. “You came to this conclusion...how?”

      “Because she’s always playing games. And as a man—”

      He was definitely all man.

      “—I can tell you, we don’t appreciate it.”

      “And yet,” Isabella pointed out, “she’s so often successful.”

      “How about we give a little credit to the men, too, okay? Yes, she hooked up Shohn with Nadine, and Garrett with Zoey, and Gray with Lisa-”

      “You’re ruinin’ your own case.”

      Noel shook his head. “Making the point that while Amber might’ve pointed them in the right direction, or given a helping hand, she didn’t make them fall in love. Each of the guys was smart enough to do that all on his own.”

      She peeked up at him. “That’s what you think I want? To fall in love?”

      After a commiserating smile, Noel took her arm and got her walking again. “I think you’re already in love. What you want is for Adam to love you in return.”

      That insight so surprised her, she faltered a step.

      How was it Noel knew that when no one else did? For sure Adam didn’t suspect. If he did, he probably wouldn’t be chatting with her now. She’d done her best to hide it, but she’d known for some time that he was the one for her.

      It was party his great rapport with kids and his awesome contributions to the community . Adam was a very admirable man.

      But it was also the way he carried himself, with pride and dignity, the way he pitched in to help others, the easy way he smiled.

      Those dark bedroom eyes... She shivered, and admitted to herself that his body was pretty darned fine too.

      But it was mostly his character, she assured herself. Sure he was great to look at, but she wouldn’t love a man for his looks alone.

      Realizing she’d gone too quiet, too long, Isabella stammered, “I, um...Why would you say such a thing?”

      Noel stopped, faced her. “I saw you with him, and I’m not a dummy, either. Amber can play all the games she wants, but in the end, Adam has to know the real you. What it

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