Chapter 38: Hailey's Past

Each time Hailey learned a new fact about Noah, she liked him even more. That was bad. He was going to leave in months and she couldn't let him take her heart with him. She wasn't the type of woman to have a fling.

This relationship couldn't go any further, but she did like him a lot. "Wow. That's very..."

"Odd?" he said, finishing her sentence for her.

"No. Sweet."

He flashed a wan smile. "Okay."

"You don't think it's sweet?"

"I'm not sure I like being called sweet. I'm a man and all."

Hailey laughed. "Yes, you are a man and no one would question that, Noah. It's unexpected your ideas about nudity, that's all. Not odd. Nice."

Noah grimaced. "I'll take nice. I do my best to be nice."

Hailey picked at the rest of her pancakes. She was full, but they had been the best pancakes she'd ever eaten. She didn't know if that was because of the diner or the company. Maybe she just needed comfort food so badly right now that the pancakes tasted good. They could be crap on another day.

"That's n