Noah-Fierce

by Ann, Natalie

  “Noah will be able to handle anything thrown his way. You know that.”

  “He gets that from me,” she said.

  “We’ll let you think that.”

  30

  Typical Teen

  Paige had been surprised to get the invite for dinner on Sunday with Noah’s parents and she wasn’t sure she wanted to go, but Sebastian did. Since he didn’t ask for a lot and really wanted to go back there she wasn’t going to tell him no.

  Then she wondered if it was his way to get out of the house. He was grounded, no games, no phone when he was in the house. She’d take the TV away from him too, but then he’d just follow her around the apartment getting on her nerves. There was only so much homework he could do.

  She’d even left him home alone and gone out to dinner with Noah last night. Part of her felt guilty about it and the other part knew she needed it desperately before she strangled him.

  She was still upset over his behavior. She understood he was just protecting her. She also understood how hard it was to have someone push you around and do nothing about it. She just wished she didn’t have to keep dealing with these things.

  Maybe Noah was on the right track with this anti-bullying campaign because Sebastian had been talking about it a lot. Of course he had two full days to do homework and work on this with Ian too.

  “Are you sure it’s okay?” Paige asked Noah when he showed up at her apartment a little before noon on Sunday to pick them up.

  “Of course it is. Why would you ask me this now?”

  “I don’t know,” she said, shrugging.

  He pulled her to her room and shut the door. “What aren’t you sure about? Us?”

  “No. I mean I think everything is fine. Do you think it is?”

  His eyes grew wide. “Why would I think it wasn’t? I understand this is a bit tricky with Sebastian. Do you not agree with the way I handled it?”

  She didn’t want him to think that. If she was feeling any sort of insecurity over her parenting skills and what her boyfriend must think of her, that was her problem.

  “No. You handled it well. It’s your job and you did what you ‎​had to do. I did what I had to do.”

  “I think you did the right thing. It’s not like Sebastian has all that much you can take away from him except his video games and his phone.”

  She snorted. “I know. But then he is driving me crazy too. At least he is working on the Words Matter campaign.”

  “That was my hope, but that doesn’t mean things go the way I want them to either.”

  “This parenting shit is hard work,” she said. “I thought as he got older it’d be easier.”

  “It will get that way. You know as well as I do he’s a good kid. I can’t even say he’s misguided or confused because I think he knows exactly what he is doing and when. He’s a lot more mature than most kids are too.”

  “I know. He knew he was attacking that kid and it’s wrong. It must reflect poorly on you too. That you are dating me and know people know and think badly of him or are judging me. I hate that it seems like he didn’t get much of a childhood. I don’t know. I’m just all over the place today.”

  “Don’t be. I don’t care what other people think. They don’t live his life, mine, or yours. You can’t let that crap get to you.”

  “I can’t help it,” she said, not wanting to say anymore. He didn’t need this on his shoulders either.

  “Does he ever talk about his mother?”

  “No. He doesn’t like to. I asked if he wanted to see her at Christmas, but he said no. My father went to see Cora and she asked if he’d buy a Christmas gift and give it to Sebastian for her. My father said no.”

  “I can understand that.”

  “What do you understand?” she asked. Was she so completely wrong about Noah? Did he understand more than even she did at times?

  “Sebastian doesn’t want to be bought and he’d know that she didn’t do it. He might even feel like your father wasn’t on his side by doing that.”

  Paige moved into his arms and hugged him. She was wrong to doubt him or what they had. She couldn’t ever remember feeling this vulnerable before. “You understand him so well. Maybe better than I do. He asked me to adopt him.” She wanted him to know and see his reaction.

  “Are you going to?”

  “I want to give him what he wants, but I know it won’t be easy either. Or fast.”

  “No, it won’t be. But it will work out in time, I’m sure.” He kissed her forehead. “We better go back out there before Sebastian makes some wisecrack about what we are doing in here.”

  She laughed. “He’s just being a typical kid and you know it.”

  When they arrived at Carolyn and Garrett’s, they were the only car in the driveway. “Is it just the three of us?” she asked.

  “I think so. We all get our turn to eat with my parents. They’ve always been good about doing one on one time with us.”

  “Then why did they ask me and Sebastian?”

  “Because you are with me. Kara has been going with Drake for months now too. Drake doesn’t go alone anymore.”

  “Did you use to come with other women you dated?” she asked, as they all got out of the car.

  He hesitated, like he had to think about it. “I’ve had women over once in a while but not all the time. My mother can be a bit funny about who we date.”

  At least she wasn’t the exception. She wasn’t sure how she’d feel if she was. But then she didn’t know what to think about his comment about his mother.

  “Funny how?” she asked.

  “If my mother likes someone we date, she asks them over or wants to get to know them more. If she doesn’t care for them much, or doesn’t think they are a good fit, she kind of ignores the fact we are dating that person. She isn’t mean, but she isn’t welcoming either. Or at least doesn’t extend too many invitations.”

  “So your mom must like me and Sebastian?” she asked. It made her feel a bit better, or least helped with her insecurity level...a bit.

  “That’s my guess,” he said, laughing. “What’s going on?”

  “Nothing,” she said and hoped he let it drop.

  Did she think she was losing her heart to Noah? Yeah, she did and this situation with Sebastian made her take a few steps back and wonder if maybe it wouldn’t work out. If things would get too messy for Noah and he’d want to step back himself.

  Was Carolyn putting pressure on him to invite them and he didn’t want to say no to his mother? Or did Noah feel bad about her situation and he was just trying to help out rather than really caring for her?

  Why did it have to be so hard?

  What she learned was that he didn’t seem to back off from anything. And wasn’t that what she and Sebastian needed in their lives? Someone who would support them if they needed it?

  So was she falling in love with Noah, or the idea that maybe she could get some support in life when she’d always been afraid to even ask for that help?

  Noah opened the door, and they hung their jackets up and took their shoes off, walking to the back of the house.

  Carolyn was on the phone pacing and saying, “Wyatt. It’s a favor to me. I’m not asking you to take the girl out. Give me a break. She’s totally not your type. I just wanted you to know if you happened to see her, since you’ll be working around the same area, to just talk with her. She’s new and doesn’t know anyone.”

  Noah looked at her and grinned, Garrett sitting in a chair shaking his head. When Carolyn finally hung up she turned to them. “Sorry about that. My youngest son was giving me grief. Something about boys. They just aren’t as easy as girls.”

  Noah and Garrett started to laugh. “Please. Jade is anything but easy to get along with,” Garrett said.

  “I know. I just felt the need to make that comment knowing how much grief Sebastian is causing his aunt. It doesn’t go away when they reach adulthood either.”

  Sebastian grinned. “I keep telling Pa
ige she doesn’t have to worry about me.”

  “Please,” Paige said. “It’s a parent’s lot in life to always worry about their child.” She put her hand on her nephew’s shoulder. “Even if they aren’t their biological child.”

  “Yeah, yeah, whatever,” Sebastian said with a big grin.

  “What was that about with Wyatt?” Noah asked his mother.

  Carolyn waved her hand. “The stepdaughter of one of the teachers I work with just moved to Durham from San Diego. She had a bad breakup and she’s starting over. She got a job as an OR nurse at Duke Cancer Center. She’ll most likely run into Wyatt, maybe Sam. Either way, I just asked if he could talk with her a bit, as she knows no one. It’s not like Wyatt is anti-social.”

  “Why was Wyatt arguing?” Noah asked. “He’s always up to talking to people. Especially women.”

  “I have no clue. Maybe he had a bad night. He sounded tired and cranky,” Carolyn said.

  Noah turned to Paige. “Wyatt may be the joker of the family but he is also the moodiest if he doesn’t get sleep. I swear there are times he might drink coffee right out of the pot, if not suck on the grounds like tobacco.”

  “That is nasty,” Sebastian said. “Ewww, how can anyone drink that stuff?”

  Carolyn laughed. “All my kids started to drink coffee around their last year of high school. I didn’t want them to, but most were studying and pulling all-nighters on exams. They needed to stay up and did that. Wyatt and Noah drink it black. Drake and Jade put cream in theirs.”

  “How do you keep that straight?” Sebastian asked.

  “A mother remembers everything.” Paige caught the smile drop from Sebastian’s face. Everyone seemed to notice it including Carolyn, who said, “So I hear Noah put you to work on a new campaign?”

  “Yeah. You always told me words mattered when I was writing. I remembered that and it popped into my head.”

  Carolyn’s eyes almost got a little misty with that statement. “I didn’t know that,” Paige said. “Why didn’t you tell me that, Sebastian?”

  “I didn’t think of it at the time,” Sebastian said, looking a little embarrassed over it.

  “My mother has a way of knowing the right thing to do and say,” Noah said.

  “Just like her son,” Garrett said.

  * * *

  Noah was trying to figure out what was going on today when he picked up Paige. She’d seemed distant and now she was almost emotional. The same with his mother.

  Good Lord, he couldn’t remember ever having his own emotions be all over the place as much as they’d been in the past month.

  He never thought he was an unsure or insecure person, but he felt so out of his element lately, doubting everything he did.

  “Is there anything I can help you with for dinner?” Paige asked.

  “Please don’t let her,” Sebastian said. “Let me help you over her.”

  “Do you want to learn to cook?” Carolyn asked, the smile just filling her face.

  “One of us needs to in the house,” Sebastian said, grinning at his aunt. “Noah says he can cook, but he hasn’t for us yet, so I’m not sure if he is just making it up.”

  Noah started to laugh. If that wasn’t a challenge he didn’t know what was. God, why hadn’t he realized that when Sebastian was always talking about food? He thought he’d won over Paige but knew he had to win the kid over too.

  “Why don’t you and Paige come to dinner tomorrow night and I’ll prove to you I can cook.”

  Paige looked a little surprised and he wondered if maybe he was moving too fast again. If his mother could see it, then Paige probably could. Was that why she was acting weird earlier?

  “Are you sure?” she asked. “You might get sick of us.”

  “Nah,” he said, slipping his arm around her shoulder and pulling her to the couch to watch TV while Sebastian went into the kitchen with his mother. He knew he might have to work extra hard to assure her.

  An hour later they were all sitting at the table eating. “So Sebastian told me some of his ideas,” his mother said. “Have you thought about contacting Alex for some media tools? Palm cards, fliers, and so on?”

  “That’s a great idea,” he said. “I’ve got money in the budget for anti-bullying and this is the perfect campaign to spend it on and help Sebastian and Ian get a good start and get more people in the group.”

  “Who’s Alex?” Paige asked.

  “What is a palm card?” Sebastian asked.

  “Alex is my cousin Cade’s wife. She owns Marshall Printing in Charlotte. She does all the products for Fierce beer.”

  “And our firm,” Garrett said.

  “She’s so easy to work with and has great ideas,” Carolyn said.

  “A palm card is a small card you put in your palm with information on it. You hand it to people to give your information out,” Noah said. “You’ll need to get some kids that are interested in working on media and advertising too. There is a lot to do, but I know there are plenty in the school who would love it.”

  “This is cool,” Sebastian said. “It’s like running a business. Can I text Ian after dinner?”

  “You can have your phone back to do that,” Paige said.

  “Sweet. What do you think of the potatoes?” Sebastian asked.

  “They’re really good,” Paige said. “Are you going to ask me to learn how to make these?”

  Noah laughed. “My mother doesn’t give out her cheesy bacon potato casserole recipe to anyone.”

  “I made it with her,” Sebastian said proudly.

  “Damn,” Noah said. “Sorry, Mom, these might be your best batch yet.”

  She winked at him. He wasn’t sure what his mother was up to, but the fact Sebastian was so excited about dinner and the campaign was more than enough.

  * * *

  “You’re overdoing it, Carolyn,” Garrett said.

  “Do you think? It might have been a bit much with the casserole. I hadn’t planned on that, but he asked and I couldn’t tell him no.”

  “I understand. You were between a rock and a hard place, but if you don’t watch yourself you’re going to have some bruised toes soon. Noah isn’t stupid and he was looking at you oddly.”

  “Yeah, I caught that. I’ll have to keep my distance a bit. Those kids know me too well when it comes to their dating lives. But did you hear Sebastian? He named his campaign after something I said to him last year. I didn’t even realize it.”

  He walked over and put his arm around Carolyn much like Noah had done to Paige earlier. “You’re such a softie with the kids the same as Noah.”

  “I am, aren’t I? I told Noah that Sebastian had such potential and talent, but I didn’t realize what a nice young man he was.”

  “He is a pretty special kid. I might have to hand it to you if these two work out.”

  “How could they not?” she asked. “They are perfect for each other.”

  “No one is perfect, but I’ll admit it’s darn close so far.”

  31

  Ends Well

  Ian and Sebastian had made a lot of headway on their Words Matter campaign. They’d recruited a lot of kids so far and had a logo designed and ideas flowing like water over Niagara Falls. Noah finally had to rein the kids in as much as it hurt when he saw the enthusiasm. But they couldn’t have the world even if he wished he could give it to them.

  Today he was driving to Charlotte with Paige and Sebastian to meet with Alex so that they could talk about printing ideas to get even more kids involved. They were staying the night too. He’d wanted to get a hotel but then realized that might be rough having Sebastian seeing him and Paige share a bed. Things were a bit awkward on that front in his mind.

  In the end they decided to stay with Cade and Alex.

  Brody and Aimee had a baby with Sidney at their house; Aiden and Nic had a baby too. Mason and Jessica had the twins that were running around like crazy toddlers. That just left Alex and Cade’s new house, Ella and Travis, or his Aunt Jol
ene and Uncle Gavin. That wasn’t happening, no matter how much he loved his aunt and uncle.

  “So are we going to the brewery?” Sebastian asked from the backseat.

  He turned to look at Paige. “If your aunt says it’s okay we can stop and Mason will give us a tour. He’s there today like every Saturday. Tonight we’re going to get a treat for dinner though.”

  “Where are we going?” Paige asked.

  He snorted. “Fierce, the restaurant. Nic won’t be there, but you’ll meet Aiden and Brody. They will both be working. Aimee is out of work too.”

  “Aimee and Nic work there?” Paige asked. He realized now that he never talked all that much about his family in Charlotte.

  “Man, I’ve got an entertaining story for you for the trip. So my Aunt Jolene and Uncle Gavin set all five of the kids up with their spouses without them knowing.”

  “You’re joking, right?” she asked.

  “Nope. We all warned our parents to not get any ideas.”

  “Do you think they had anything to do with your cousins that are all engaged?” she asked.

  He thought for a second. “No. My aunt Diane has always been trying to set her boys up and it was with people that had the same backgrounds or careers as them. Dani and Sam’s careers are night and day. The same with Bryce and Payton. My mother has never gotten involved in our dating lives. We’ve appreciated it too.”

  “But she’s invited us over a few times,” Sebastian said from the backseat.

  “Yeah, she meets who we date, sometimes, but she stays out of our lives.” He thought for a second and realized his mother wasn’t though. Hadn’t he told Drake that their mother always pulled someone in when she liked them, and ignored them when she didn’t? At least he knew he had his parents’ approval in regards to Paige.

  “So the five in Charlotte all got set up. What do they do and how did it happen?” she asked.

  “It started with Brody. He’s the oldest and the hothead. He and Cade had gotten into a fight and Brody was sent out of town to cool off.”