The Workaholic Down the Hall

by Katharine Sadler

  He cut me off by pressing his lips to mine. His hand slipped down over my butt, pulling me still tighter against him. I moaned, because it felt so good, and he took the opportunity to slip his tongue into my mouth and kiss me like he'd been starving for me. I kissed him back, because I couldn't not kiss him, no matter how many warning bells were going off in my brain.

  He slipped his hand under my shirt and traced circles on my skin as he moved around to my belly and started working up toward—

  The doorbell rang and we both froze. I pulled away first, feeling dazed and lost. “Who?”

  Noah didn't seem to need a moment. He hoped out of bed and pulled on his jeans and t-shirt over the boxers he'd worn to bed. I sighed wishing I'd been awake for that. “I'll get rid of them,” he said. He didn't look at me and I knew he regretted kissing me, was probably relieved we'd been interrupted.

  I got out of bed. At least last night, I'd had the foresight to change into a t-shirt and pajama pants before he'd started the movie. I pulled a sweatshirt on over the t-shirt and followed Noah downstairs. Even if he did get rid of whoever was at the door, we wouldn't be going back to bed.

  ***

  I walked into the living room and Noah's gaze landed on me, his smile widening. “There she is,” he said. “The lady of honor.”

  “What?”

  “May and Mom are throwing you a baby shower. Sounds like it'll be a real blow-out.”

  “You'll find out,” May said from her seat on the couch. “You're invited, too.”

  Noah's smile fell. “What? Baby showers are for women.”

  “Not this one,” May said. “Bart and Cody and Mom's boyfriend will be there.”

  “I'll be there, too,” George said. He was standing near the front door and the look he gave May held some meaning I couldn't decipher. She studiously ignored him.

  “Will I have cell phone access?” Noah asked.

  May nodded. “You each will be given thirty minutes of unrestricted cell phone access.”

  “I'm in,” Noah said.

  All eyes turned to me, as though waiting for a response. “I didn't realize I had any choice about this.”

  May grinned. “Oh, no. You don't. We're just trying to be polite. Maybe act a bit more excited, though, since this party is for you.”

  “Yay,” I said, deadpan.

  May and George gave me and Noah time to shower, dress, and eat a quick bowl of cereal, and then we all piled into May's car.

  We didn't go to the bed and breakfast, as I'd expected. May parked in front of a lovely Craftsman-style home. “The party's not at Nora's Inn?” I asked.

  “We've got guests at the bed and breakfast,” May said. “Cody and Carrie agreed to host the party here.”

  I walked with Noah to the porch and the front door swung open to reveal Carrie, holding a phone out to each of us. “Nora's not here, yet, so we might be able to get you a little extra time to connect to the outside world.” She handed us the phones and paused. “How are you two doing?”

  “We're—” I was interrupted by the sound of a child's scream and a door slamming.

  Carrie sighed. “I should probably make sure no one is bleeding.” She looked over my shoulder at May. “Can you get them set up in the guest room?”

  Carrie disappeared inside. Noah stepped to the side to let May go in first and she led us through a lovely home, decorated with cozy furnishings and kids' toys.

  May took us downstairs and opened the door to a small, but tidy guest bedroom. “You should be safe down here for a while. We smuggled you in a laptop, too.”

  “Thanks,” Noah said. His eyes were already on the laptop as he hurried into the room. May left us and shut the door as she went.

  Noah sat at a small desk and turned the computer on. I got cozy on the bed and looked over my emails. I hadn't missed much in the day and a half since I'd last checked. I answered a couple and then I clicked over to a stock market app to check on my stocks.

  “Do you need the computer?” Noah asked.

  I considered it. I could probably buy a few stocks, since the market was down a bit that day, but I didn't want to buy anything new when I wouldn't be able to keep an eye on the market and see how it did. Plus, last month I'd invested most of what I called my “risky money” into a start-up. It was already showing good results, but I knew I'd feel more comfortable if I minimized my risks for a bit. I had enough drama in my real life. “No, thanks. I'm done.”

  Noah studied me for a long minute. “That's all the time it takes to be the owner of three rentals.”

  “I like to keep all my investments low maintenance.”

  “All your investments?”

  “I play the market, have several investment funds, and I just invested in my first start-up.”

  His eyes widened. “How well does that pay?”

  I shrugged. “Last year I made over a hundred and fifty thousand dollars.”

  He whistled and shook his head. “Unbelievable. You made more than me last year for a fraction of the time commitment.”

  “I also worked a full-time job.”

  He was looking at me like he'd never seen me before. “Why?”

  “Mostly for the health insurance,” I said. “Plus, I like to keep busy.” He didn't need to know about the panic that sometimes woke me in the middle of the night. The fear that I might lose it all and have to ask someone for help. I never wanted to be dependent on anyone ever again. The more sources of income I had, the safer I felt.

  A knock prevented him from saying anything else. The room was so small, Noah didn't even have to get up to open the door. He just leaned to the side and turned the knob. The door swung open and Mimi stuck her head inside.

  “Hi, Noah,” she said, giving him a warm smile before turning her attention to me. “Hey sweetie. How're you feeling?”

  “Other than tired and unwieldy, I'm doing great,” I said. “Any idea what I should expect at this shower?”

  “Are you done with your Internet time? We can chat upstairs so we don't bother Noah.”

  “And risk getting cornered by my mother?” Noah asked. “You two can hang out here, you won't bother me. Besides, I'd like to know what we'll be in for, too.”

  Mimi walked into the room and shut the door behind her. She sat on the bed next to me and wrapped one arm around me in a quick side-hug. “I'm not sure I can help with that. I just got here a few minutes ago. I didn't even get a glimpse of party central.”

  Noah shrugged and turned back to the computer screen. “Guess we'll find out soon.”

  Mimi turned to face me. “How's everything going, really? Was I wrong to help them with their crazy scheme?”

  I glanced at Noah, wishing I could be alone to talk to Mimi. “It really hasn't been too bad,” I said. “I've gotten to catch up on my sleep and it's not like I need the money or am missing out on work. I'm about to go crazy with boredom, though.”

  “Really?” Mimi said, wiggling her eyebrows. “Noah's not keeping you entertained.” Her tone and the look on her face made it clear she wasn't talking about board games.

  “Noah is right here,” he said. “And he can hear you.”

  Mimi wasn't cowed either by Noah's presence or my glare. “I'm sorry, Noah. I didn't mean to talk about you like you aren't here. Would you like to tell me what you and my niece have been doing all alone in that mountain cabin?”

  “So inappropriate,” I said, with a groan.

  “We played Monopoly,” Noah said, not looking up from the computer. “Your niece kicked my ass.”

  Mimi chuckled. “I've never seen her lose that game. It bores me to tears.” She squeezed my hand. “Seriously, sweetie, if it's too much, the boredom I mean, I can smuggle in some entertainment for you. Some movies, maybe, scented candles, sexy lingerie, whatever it takes.”

  I gasped. “Seriously, Mimi, what is wrong with you?”

  Noah spun on his chair to face us, shock and dismay clear in his expression.

  Mimi laughed so har
d she nearly fell off the bed. We just stared at her.

  “Is she on something?” Noah asked, only half-joking.

  “No,” Mimi said. She pulled in several deep breaths. “I'm just messing with you two. It's kind of crazy, isn't it? I mean if all Nora wanted was to get you two together so you could tell Noah about the baby, she would have let you go. She's making you two stay there because she's hoping you fall in love.”

  “She's wasting her time if that's what she's after,” Noah said. He spun back to his computer, his shoulders tense.

  I dropped my gaze to my lap, not wanting Mimi to see the hurt in my eyes. I knew, on a rational, logical level, that Noah wasn't falling for me, but I'd hoped. It hurt to have that hope shattered.

  Mimi didn't have to see my face. She placed one of her hands over mine. “You'd be lucky to fall in love with Aubrey, anyone would.”

  Noah turned back to us. I looked up to see his eyes on me, his jaw clenched tight. “I'm not suggesting there's anything wrong with Aubrey. I'm just saying you can't force two people to fall in love by kidnapping them and holding them hostage. Aubrey deserves the best, not some guy she's forced into close quarters with.”

  He spun back around and Mimi's glare softened a bit. “Well, right. Exactly my point.” She squeezed my hands. “If you want me to get you out of there, I'll take you right now. We can be in Atlanta before it gets dark.”

  “I don't want to go back to Atlanta,” I said. “I've got a doctor here and I like being close to Nora. Not that I think you wouldn't—”

  Mimi waved a hand. “Don't be ridiculous, Aubrey. I get it. I've got an insane schedule. As much as I'd like to say I'd be there the moment your water broke, I might be in court and unreachable. I will definitely be there as soon as I can after that baby's born, though. I promise.”

  Noah spun again. Clearly our conversation was more distracting than he'd let on. “If you're offering rides back to Atlanta, I'd be interested.”

  Mimi's eyes narrowed. “No, I don't think there's room in my car for men who knock up my niece and have no intention of making an honest woman of her.”

  Noah rolled his eyes. “It's not that simple. I'll be here for her in every way I can, but I have a business to run. A business that will pay for diapers and braces and college. I can't just disappear for a week.”

  Mimi's lips tightened into a frown. “I think your half hour is almost up,” she said. “We'll give you some space to get your work done.”

  Mimi hopped off the bed and helped me climb off. Noah grabbed my wrist as I walked past him to follow Mimi out of the room.

  “I'm not trying to escape you or my responsibility to our baby,” he said. “I just don't want to ignore my responsibilities at work. Jill is dealing with some major issues at the company all on her own.”

  “Of course I understand,” I said, even though I didn't, even though his eagerness to escape me still felt like rejection.

  ***

  Upstairs, Mimi dragged me to a couch and filled me in on what was going on in her life. She tried to get me to talk about Noah and our entrapped time together, but I wasn't about to get into it with members of Noah's family wandering in and out of the room. When more guests started to arrive, Mimi and I left the small den where we'd been camped out. Mimi grabbed Carrie as soon as she saw her, to ask about her experiences adopting three kids, and the two of them chatted like old friends while they snacked on chips and dip. May and Nora hugged me and welcomed me into a living room that was decorated like a pink monster had thrown up all over it. It was horrendous, but I couldn't feel anything but grateful to Noah's family for throwing the party for us.

  Nora took me around and introduced me to some local folks, including George's dad Bart. Even Noah's sister, Jenna, had made the trip from Atlanta. She was as shocked about Nora's kidnapping plot as the rest of us, but she assured me she'd love to have me as a sister-in-law and was so excited to meet her new niece. I smiled and pretended it didn't hurt to hear one more person tell me how much they wished Noah loved me.

  Noah showed up at some point and there were games and laughter and adorable baby clothes. There was so much love in that room full of good, kind people and it warmed me from the tips of my toes to the end of my nose to think that my daughter would grow up with these wonderful people in her life. And it wasn't just Noah's family and Mimi, it was the local people of Catalpa Creek, friends Nora had made who acted like they'd known her their whole lives. They welcomed me with warmth and smiles and I felt reassured about my decision to move to Catalpa Creek. My daughter wouldn't just have family here, she'd have a village.

  After most of the guests had left, none of them willing to take Noah back to Atlanta, I helped Carrie clean up. She quickly got caught up in breaking up fights between her three kids, so I was alone when I stepped back into the living room to gather empty glasses and overheard Cody asking Noah a question. “How do you like your place?”

  “You mean the place of imprisonment?”

  “No, man, I mean your place. Mom bought that place for you and Aubrey.”

  I leaned past the doorway a bit to catch Noah's expression at that news. I hadn't told him the house was a gift from Nora, and I hadn't been sure if she'd told him or not. Noah's eyes widened and his mouth pinched in dismay. Neither man had noticed me and I knew I should make my presence known, but I was curious. I needed some truth in my life. I needed to know for sure what was going on in Noah's head. It was wrong, so, so wrong, and I was a bad, bad person, but I couldn't walk away.

  “Why the hell would she do that?” Noah asked.

  Cody gave him a look of disbelief. “Seriously, numnuts? The first baby in the family and you don't think Mom's going to do everything she can to make sure she gets to see her every day?”

  “Does Aubrey know about this?”

  Cody shrugged. “I don't know, but Mom's doing everything she can to keep her here. If you want Aubrey to go back to Atlanta with you, you'd better make your move soon.”

  “Why would I want her to go back to Atlanta with me?” he asked, his tone dismissive. “I wouldn't have time for her in Atlanta. Here, she's got the entire town ready to lend a hand.”

  Cody stared at his brother, his mouth slightly open, before he shook his head. “You're a fucking idiot, man.”

  “Thanks—”

  “What the hell, Noah? Aubrey has been there for you through everything—”

  “She was my assistant, it was her job.”

  The disbelief on Cody's face changed to anger. “It was more than that and you know it, asshole. I for one really like Aubrey and I'm not going to lose her just because you're being a blind dickhead.”

  “What the hell does that even mean?”

  “It means if you fuck this up, which it looks like you're going to do in spectacular fashion, I'm choosing her.”

  “You're choosing her? I'm your brother.” I should have walked away. I should have, but I couldn't move. I was rooted in place.

  Cody put down his wine glass and propped his hands on his hips. “Man, I've seen you and Aubrey together. I've seen the way you look at her. You want her, which you made clear by knocking her up by the way, but you care about her as a person, too. I might even say you love her, if I believed you had a heart in that tin chest of yours. She makes you smile more than you ever smile around anyone else and she's having your baby. If you don't do everything you can to keep her by your side, by which I mean marry her and take her back to Atlanta with you, then you're an even bigger fucking idiot than I thought.”

  “You have no idea what you're talking about,” Noah said. “Sure, Aubrey and I have chemistry, but that's all it is. If I was going to have feelings for her, don't you think I'd've developed them by now?”

  Cody's gaze moved over Noah's shoulder and he spotted me. He winced. “I think you already have feelings for her, you're just too much of a chicken shit to admit it to yourself.”

  Noah turned to see me staring at the two of them. I forced an easy smile. “Hey
, you two,” I said, my voice cracking. “Got any glasses I can take to the kitchen?”

  Why? Why did it hurt so much? Noah hadn't said anything to Cody he hadn't said to me. Maybe he hadn't said it in such cold, hard language, but I'd already known he wasn't in anything more than lust with me. I knew he didn't care about me the way I cared about him. And the sad truth was that in our last week together, I'd fallen even more for him, had fallen so hard I doubted another man would ever be enough for me. I'd fallen harder, and he couldn't wait to get away from me.

  “Aubrey,” Noah said, pity in his eyes. “I didn't mean—”

  “Of course you did,” I said. I looked to Cody. “Noah's right. He and I would never work and forcing us to live together is only making that more obvious.” I was lying, of course, but it felt a hell of a lot better than the pity in Noah's eyes.

  Noah frowned. “What? What have I done?”

  I forced my smile to get bigger and started ticking off his flaws on my fingers. “You can't cook at all. I mean, honestly, were you even trying with that baked ziti? All you had to do was read the recipe.”

  “Wait, just a minute,” Noah said. Cody leaned back, arms crossed over his chest, and grinned.

  “You haven't done any laundry and how many days have you been wearing those jeans?”

  “I just pulled them out—”

  “You whine about being bored like a three-year-old. You go to bed too late and wake up too early. You have no sense of direction. You chew too loud.”

  “I chew too loud?”

  “You—”

  A gentle hand landed on my shoulder. “That's enough, dear. Bart is ready to take you home, if you'd like.” I turned to see Nora, a frown lining her features, her eyes sad. I didn't know why Bart and not George or Nora was taking me home, but it didn't matter. I didn't care how I got there, I just wanted to get there fast.

  “That would be great, Nora. Thank you.”

  George and Noah loaded our gifts into the bed of Bart's truck. When it was time to go, I hugged Nora and Carrie and thanked them for the party. I pretended I was fine. I pretended I was happy.