“If you think a giant black egg is impressive . . .”
She turned, her chest pressed against his as she looked up at him. “Of course it is. It’s the world’s largest egg.”
“World’s largest Czechoslovakian egg.”
“But that’s not what makes it impressive. People cared enough about their town to try to save it. Someone dreamed it up and designed it. A man donated his time to make it. Then the town came together and painted it.” She pivoted and stared up at it, thoughtfulness in her eyes. “Have you ever cared about anything enough to devote yourself to it like that?”
Yes, and it killed him that he was just now seeing it. Especially when he wasn’t sure she could take him seriously. “Have you?” he asked, deciding it was safer not to answer.
She sucked in her bottom lip, sadness flickering across her face. “No. I don’t think so. But I’d like to.”
“You’ll find it,” he said. “Maybe it’s right under your nose.”
Her forehead wrinkled. “Maybe.”
Some of her happiness faded, and he couldn’t have that. “Are you hungry?” he asked, sounding excited. “I hear they have great Czechoslovakian food here.”
She laughed. “I had no idea you liked Czechoslovakian food.”
“Never had it. But today’s all about adventures. We need to hurry and eat, though. Demonic cherubs await you in Carthage, Missouri.”
She cocked her head and laughed. “I’m feeling pretty safe considering we’re headed in the opposite direction.”
“Maybe I was just trying to throw you off. You better be careful not to fall asleep in the car; we might just be there when you wake up.”
“I’m warning you, if you take me there, and a demonic angel jumps out at us, I’m pushing you in front of me,” she teased, then turned more serious. “No heading back east. At least not today, okay? I don’t think I can handle going back yet.”
He pulled her into a hug. “No heading east.” He gave her a squeeze, then chuckled, saying in a commanding voice, “Go west, young woman. Into the unknown frontier.”
She stepped away from him and headed toward the car. “Let’s go get some Czech food.”
Their lunch was leisurely and their food delicious. While he’d always loved being with her, something felt different today . . . in a good way. Was it this realization that he wanted more with her? Was it that they were on an adventure? Or was it that the universe had finally shifted and made Noah care about someone other than himself?
As he watched her over lunch, he realized it was true. For the first time in his life, it was more important to him that someone else was having a good time than that he was enjoying himself. And, weirdly, he was having a better time because of it.
They headed back into the car after lunch and Libby fell asleep halfway to Garden City, which gave Noah time to check his messages on his phone. Donna had told him to go to hell and rot there, adding plenty of other colorful language. Megan and Blair’s texts were frantic messages that had been sent before Libby spoke to Megan. He paused before moving on to the texts from Josh. He could only imagine the things his brother had accused him off. Sure enough, the first text had been sent while Noah was on the plane the day before. It accused Noah of being irresponsible and self-centered, citing Noah’s loss of the account and his subsequent resignation as the perfect examples, then went on to add that if there was anyone he needed to consider in all of this, it was Libby. The next text had come later that night, after Libby had told off Megan, and it denounced Noah’s decision not to let anyone know he’d taken her from the parking lot. The third said Josh was giving Noah until Tuesday to change his mind about quitting or he’d tell their mother when she came home from her cruise.
Damn, how had he forgotten about his mother?
Last was the friend request from Tiffany Brown. Not only had she accepted his request, but she’d sent a message.
Hey, stranger. I never expected to hear from you again after our crazy night at the Super Bowl Party last year . . . but that doesn’t mean I’m unhappy I did. Call me.
Then she’d listed her phone number.
Oh shit.
“Where are we?” Libby’s drowsy voice interrupted.
He locked his phone and set it down beside him. “We’re almost to Garden City.”
“Garden City? Where’s that?”
“Close to Colorado.”
“Colorado?”
He grinned as she spent the next ten minutes trying to guess what they were going to see.
“A Hungarian waffle?”
“No.”
“A Greek taquito?”
He laughed. “No.”
She was amused when he parked in front of a newer-looking red brick building. “The Finney County Historical Museum? Are you trying to bore me to death? Is this your payback for using your toothbrush?”
“Guess you’ll find out.” He was more nervous this time, not only because what he was about to show her was disgusting, at least in his eyes, but he suspected Libby would appreciate its eccentricity. He got out of the car and stuffed his phone into his jeans pocket while he waited for her.
“I’m not about to get a history lesson, am I?” she asked, sounding skeptical.
He laughed, motioning for her to follow. “You’ll find out when we get inside.”
She tagged along until she was beside him, her arms tightly wrapped over her chest.
“We need to stop and find you a real coat,” Noah said, watching her shiver. “There’s a Target in this town.”
“You just need to take me somewhere warmer.” Then she hurried to the front door and went inside.
After he paid their small admission fee, they walked into the museum together.
Of course, she immediately made her way over to a genuine human skeleton nestled in a coffin and covered in Plexiglas.
“Oh, my God,” she gushed, leaning closer to it. “Is this why you brought me here?”
Noah laughed. “Strangely enough, no.”
She read the sign next to the display and cringed. “They used to carry this through the town in parades?”
He crossed his arms over his chest and shook his head. “So it claims.”
“That’s disgusting.”
“You love every minute of it.”
She grinned up at him. “I do.”
“Then you’ll love why I really brought you here.” The museum was small, but it took him a moment to find the purpose of their visit, a brown ball nearly the size of a basketball that sat on a table. He swept his arm in an arc, pointing to the sphere. “This is it.”
Her eyes widened as she read the sign. “The world’s largest hairball?” She looked up at him. “Is this a Guinness World Records tour?”
He grinned and lifted his shoulder into a half-shrug. She read parts of the sign out loud. It been removed from a cow’s stomach, and had originally weighed over fifty pounds instead of its current twenty pounds.
“I’d like to remind you,” he teased, pointing to the bottom line of the sign, “that you are not to play with the giant hairball.”
“Ewww. Disgusting.”
She cringed and giggled at the same time and Noah felt a fizzy happiness float through him. He’d been with literally countless women, but while those easy dalliances had been fun, they’d left him feeling empty and unfulfilled, ready to look for the next bright young thing. He’d only ever felt this . . . contentment with her.