by Ann, Natalie
To bring himself to the end right there with her.
When he had nothing else left to give, he dropped his forehead to hers. “Are you okay?”
“That was going to be my question to you. I just held on for the ride.”
He let out a short laugh. “Let me move us. There is broken glass on the floor.”
“How did that happen?” she asked.
He looked down to make sure there wasn’t any glass by their feet and then walked her to the kitchen. “I think you hit the picture with your hand.”
“You’re the one who moved me to the wall. I was fine on the table.”
“You started it with the chocolate syrup.”
She laughed. “I thought I started it when I dropped your jeans.”
“That too,” he said. “Hang on, I need to clean this mess up.”
“You get the glass, I’ll get the chocolate. Sorry about this.”
“Don’t apologize. This might have been the best night of my life.”
She stopped and looked at him. “Really?”
“He set down the broom and dustpan he’d grabbed. “Yeah. Happy New Year. Here’s to a great year for us.”
“Happy New Year, Noah.”
26
Feels Like More
“When were you going to tell me?”
Noah knew he shouldn’t have answered his phone when he saw it was his mother calling. By now she would have known he was dating Paige. Jade probably told her at the party last night via text.
“I wasn’t hiding it from you,” he said, looking over at Paige. She was sitting at the island drinking coffee. It was barely ten and they’d rolled out of bed about forty minutes ago.
“But you never said anything either. You’ve brought up Sebastian’s name a few times. That would have been the perfect opportunity to tell me you were seeing Paige.”
“It was new then. It’s still new.”
Paige looked over and grinned at him when he mouthed it was his mother.
“Bring her to dinner at two.”
“I didn’t know you were cooking today,” he said.
“I decided to last minute. Wyatt and Jade will be here and so will Drake and Kara.”
“You called and asked them already? So I’m the last one and you want to guilt me into it?”
“I didn’t call them. I sent them all a mass text and told them dinner is at two. They all replied they’d be here,” his mother said.
“You couldn’t text me?”
“And have you make an excuse not to come because you had a guest?”
He should have realized by now his mother knew them all well. “I’ll talk to Paige and let you know.”
“Be here by one,” she said and hung up the phone.
“Your mother wants you to go to dinner?” Paige guessed.
“Yes. She didn’t plan on cooking, but since someone told her about you she wants you to come to dinner. I can make an excuse if you want.”
“After she guilted you into it?” Paige asked. “I don’t want to get on her bad side.”
“Are you sure you’re okay with this?”
“It’s fine,” she said. “I’ve met your mother before. And I met all your siblings. It’s just your father left. But I understand if maybe you aren’t ready. Do you think this is going too fast? You can be honest with me. I’ll understand.”
“It’s going at the speed I want it to,” he said. “I know it hasn’t been that long that we’ve been dating, but it feels like more.”
She started to laugh. “In a good way or bad way?”
“Good,” he said. “Why would you think otherwise?”
“No clue. It was just the way you said it. But if you are okay with it, I’d like to go. I’ve been texting Sebastian this morning. He stayed up late to watch the ball drop and then is just watching the parade with my father.”
“He likes parades?”
“No. He doesn’t. He’s trying not to complain, but I think he’s bored. If he’s working, he’s talking to the guys or customers. If he’s just sitting around the house, it’s not as much fun. Over the weekend my father worked on the cars with him, but today my father will relax.”
“Do you want to go pick him up and bring him to dinner? It’s not that far to get him.”
“I couldn’t ask you to do that.”
“You aren’t asking. I’m offering. Why not meet my family? Or do you think it’d be too much for him?”
“No. I think he’d like it. He did like your mother even though he doesn’t care that much about school. Let me ask him first. If he says no, I won’t push it.”
“Let me know,” he said, pouring himself another cup of coffee while she went back to texting.
“He said he wants to go. He needs to get out of the house but he wants to go back to my father’s after since he still wants to work the rest of the week. Are you okay bringing him back? If not then I can do it.”
“It’s only twenty minutes away. It’s not a big deal at all. Tell him we’ll be there a little after twelve. I guess I get to meet your father too.”
* * *
Paige hadn’t been thinking this through exactly. She’d thought it was sweet that Noah wanted to bring Sebastian to his family’s dinner but then picking him up meant her family meet and greet.
“About that,” she said.
“What? You said your father knew you were seeing me.”
“He does. He’ll be fine, but I haven’t brought a lot of men home to meet him. I’m not sure what he will say. He carries a lot of guilt around for what happened to Cora and the men she was with. I stopped bringing guys over because he’d sometimes embarrass me.”
He started to laugh. “Embarrass you how?”
“Let’s say I often wondered if he’d get his shotgun to intimidate men. He says I’m his baby and he isn’t letting anything happen to me.”
“You met my family. We are all pretty tight. Don’t worry about it. My mother might embarrass me too, so at least we’ll be in the same sinking boat.”
They both finished eating their breakfast, then did some laundry. She’d thought it was funny they were almost like a happy couple living together rather than her just staying there for the week.
Around eleven thirty they got in his car and drove to Morrisville to get Sebastian.
“You’re awfully quiet. Having second thoughts?” he asked.
“Not at all. I just don’t want you to be nervous.”
“You mentioned a shotgun. Am I not supposed to be nervous?”
She started to laugh. “He wouldn’t dare. I was just kidding.”
“Were you?”
“Maybe.”
When they pulled into her family’s house a short time later, Sebastian was opening the front door, but she shooed him back in. “Don’t just run out. That is rude.”
“Sorry. Grandpa is in the bathroom. He’s been in there for ten minutes.”
She shook her head. “We’ll wait then.”
When they walked in, her father was coming down the stairs. “I heard the car door.”
“It’s fine.”
“I’m Mitch Parker,” her father said, holding his hand out.
“Noah Fierce. It’s nice to meet you.”
“Sebastian talks highly of you. He doesn’t have a lot of things to say about many people, but he hasn’t stopped running his trap about you the past few days.”
“Really?” Paige asked. Sebastian talked to her about Noah, but she was shocked he was saying so much to her father. She’d have to get the details at another time.
Sebastian just shrugged. “Can we go now?”
“Sure. We’ll be back later, Dad.”
“Take your time. I can nap and not have to worry about Sebastian being bored now. I can’t stand video games, but he’s talked me into it.”
“It’s because you suck at them, Grandpa. Noah knows how to play.”
“Ah, so that is what it’s about?” Noah asked.
They
left her house and got into Noah’s car. “Do your brothers play games?”
“They’ve got systems but don’t have a lot of time to get online,” Noah said. “Sorry.”
“It’s fine. It’s better than trying to teach Grandpa to play.”
“Not everyone lives and breathes video games,” Paige said.
“Well, they should,” Sebastian said back and then laughed.
Paige shouldn’t have been shocked to pull into the massive house that was Noah’s parents’. “Wow, did you grow up here?” Sebastian asked.
“I did.”
“It’s huge. Who drives the A8?”
Noah laughed. “That would be my brother Drake.”
“Wow, I thought your Beemer was rad.”
She looked over to see Noah shaking his head as he parked and got out. “Behave, Sebastian.”
“What am I going to do? I won’t drop the F bomb, don’t worry.”
She gasped. “You better not!”
“If it slips it’s not the first time my parents have heard it.”
“From your brother Wyatt, huh? The one that always played pranks. Will he be here?”
“He’ll be here soon, I’m sure.”
They didn’t get a chance to knock on the door before it was opened by Carolyn Fierce. “Paige, it’s so good to see you again. Hi, Sebastian.”
“Hi, Mrs. Fierce.”
She waved her hand. “You can call me Carolyn just like you call Noah by his name. We aren’t in school. Come in, come in. I hope you’re hungry. I’ve got a roast beef in the oven with smashed potatoes and broccoli with cheese sauce.”
“Is there anything I can help you with?” Paige asked.
“Don’t let her,” Sebastian said fast. “I’m hungry and she burns everything.”
“Sebastian!”
Carolyn laughed and patted her hand, then pulled her in. “I’m used to wiseass kids. Let me introduce you to Noah’s father and then you and I and Kara can dish the dirt in the kitchen. Jade will be here soon.” She followed along as fast as she could with Carolyn. “Garrett, this is Paige Parker.”
“Nice to meet you,” Garrett said. Wow, now she knew where Noah got his looks. All the boys, for that matter. And their size.
“You too. Thank you again for the last minute invite.”
“Never a problem. We’ve always got room.”
By the time the triple chocolate cake and cookies were cleared away Paige wondered if Noah was going to have to roll her out of there. Surprisingly Sebastian was not only well behaved but also more talkative than he’d ever been before.
It just reminded her that maybe everyone was right. That she needed to put herself first as it was helping Sebastian too.
* * *
“How the heck didn’t you know what was going on with Noah?” Garrett asked her.
Carolyn had been avoiding her husband ever since Wyatt called to say Noah was dating someone named Paige. Wyatt always did like to throw people under the bus and she knew the day would come when all his siblings would climb in that bus and aim it right at him.
“Why would I know over you? You said Noah was in the office the other week and you suspected something was off. Why didn’t you ask more questions?”
“First off,” her husband said, “you and he are like peanut butter and jelly. Second of all, I tried to ask, but he blew me off. You know how it is with the kids. You can’t push too much or they clam up.”
She did know that. “Then why are you giving me grief? Let’s focus on the positive. They are dating. What did you think of her?”
“I like her. She’s sweet and open and funny. Sebastian isn’t nearly as withdrawn as you made him out to be.”
“He’s come out of his shell so much. I’ll have to find out from Noah what is going on there.”
“Paige got along great with Kara and Jade. That’s always a plus,” Garrett said.
“Yes, Jade finally told me when I got her alone that she liked Paige. I asked why she didn’t tell me she met Paige last night and she said it wasn’t up to her. I can’t figure that girl out. Normally she is all for getting back at the boys.”
“She doesn’t do it when she thinks it means something to them. She was great with Kara too.”
“You’ve got a point,” she said. “So now that we know they are dating we just need to keep them in the fold. I’ll make sure they all come to dinner when it’s Noah’s turn.”
“Don’t show your cards. Didn’t we talk about this before that if you start to express how much you like someone they pull back? They get suspicious of things.”
“No, no,” she said. “They get suspicious when I don’t show interest. Keep up, Garrett.”
He laughed at her and lifted the legs of his recliner. “Right now the only keeping up I need to do is my nap.”
She crawled into his lap. “How about we take one together.”
He put the chair back in place. “How about we do that.”
27
Judge Him
Sebastian put his head down to eat his lunch. Cafeteria food wasn’t that great but it was better than Paige’s cooking. He wasn’t being mean to his aunt, just honest.
He was biting into his turkey sub when a tray dropped down across from him. He sat alone at lunch. Sure, there were other kids at the table, but they were spaced out and no one really talked to each other.
“Heard your aunt is fucking the principal. I guess he has lower standards than I thought he did. Hope she doesn’t flip a noodle and take a knife to him like your mother did.”
If there was a color darker or deeper than red to be seen, it bypassed him as he launched across the table at Troy Miller and grabbed him by the shirt front, his arm going back to connect with the prick’s face. Seconds couldn’t have gone by before he was wrapped up in a bear hug from behind and heard the words, “Don’t do it. He’s not worth it.”
Ian again. What was it with this kid always grabbing him? “Let me go, you dick, or I’m going to think you like groping me.”
“I’m trying to save your ass, but if you want to go, then fine.”
“What the hell is going on here?!” There was a roaring. The kids all parted ways like the sea at Jesus’s hand. It was Noah standing there. “This is looking like a familiar scene between you two.”
“I don’t know what his problem is,” Troy said. “I just sat down across from him and he attacked me.”
“You’re sitting at this table and not across the room with your friends?” Noah asked with his arms crossed. Ian had let go of Sebastian now and he went to dive for Troy, but Noah grabbed his shirt and kept him in place. “Don’t even think about it,” he growled.
“I just wanted a change of scenery,” Troy said. He had a grin like the Joker taunting Batman in the public eye and it was just boiling Sebastian’s blood.
“You know what you said,” Sebastian said back.
“Tell me,” Noah said.
“No.”
“This again?” Noah turned to Ian. “Are you going to tell me?”
Ian didn’t say a word.
“I heard what he said,” a girl that sat at the table each day said. Sebastian didn’t know her name, but she always said hi or smiled at him.
“Everyone to my office now. You too, Allison.”
Noah didn’t let go of his shirt and Sebastian figured it wouldn’t be wise to mention it either. It’s not like he was going to press charges against the guy dating his aunt for saving his neck.
Ian and Troy followed with a security guard behind them. He realized now that was who pulled Troy back.
When they got to the principal’s section of offices, he said, “Allison you go in my office, Ian in that empty office with Sebastian, Troy sit right here. Tim, watch them.”
Sebastian sat in the empty office staring at the wall, knowing that everything he did, he did for Paige.
* * *
“Tell me what exactly happened at lunch, in your words, Allison.”
“Sebastian was just sitting there minding his own business like he always does. Troy came over and dropped his tray down and sat across from him. Then he said...he said… I’m not sure I can repeat it.”
Sometimes the girls were the most dramatic. “Then write it down for me.”
He handed her a pen and paper and waited. When it was given back to him he stared in disbelief at the words in front of him. “He said this?”
“He did. He made a comment about you and Sebastian’s aunt…well, you see the words he used. Then he said something about his aunt flipping a noodle and going at you with a knife.”
“Will you sign your name to this?” he asked.
“Yes.” She took it back. “I don’t like getting into the middle of things, but Sebastian is a good guy. I don’t know why everyone doesn’t just leave him alone.”
“Thank you, Allison. You did the right thing.”
He opened the door and called Troy in. “So you have a special interest in my dating life?”
Troy just stared at him. “What did that weirdo say about me?”
“Do you mean Allison? She has a name. And she wrote down exactly what you said.”
“It’s her word against mine,” Troy said.
“You are forgetting there are two other boys whose stories I’m going to listen to. I’m betting they match.” His phone rang and he reached over for it. “Yes, Trina. This better be important.”
“There are two more kids that were close enough to hear what was said and would like to talk to you.”
“Thank you. Send them into Mrs. Woodland’s office to get their statements.” As much as he didn’t want his personal life broadcasted he still had to follow protocol. “Imagine that, Troy? Two more kids coming forward. Would you like to tell me what possessed you to say this?”
“Freedom of speech,” he said. “I can say what I want. He laid his hands on me, not the other way around.”
Little punk. There were too many of them in his school. “There is also anti-bullying in the school too.”