Chill Out

by Jana Richards

  She’d cry later, but for now she needed to get through the morning.

  Renata took a long shower and dressed in the nicest outfit she’d brought before screwing up her courage to go downstairs. As usual, Noah had coffee ready for her. He looked up when she entered the great room, giving her a strained smile.

  “Hi. Did you sleep well?”

  “Yes, thank you.” She wanted to scream at their asinine conversation. Were they ever going to talk about their night together? Was Noah even going to acknowledge it happened?

  “I can make you eggs and toast, if you like.”

  “No, thanks, I’m not really hungry. I saw the snowplow. With any luck, I’ll be able to get to work by noon.”

  “I’m heading to the city too. I called Dylan. We’re going to meet at his place.”

  “That’s wonderful, Noah.” She touched his arm before she remembered he didn’t want her. She pulled her hand back. “I’m sure everything will work out.”

  “I’ll follow you to Winnipeg. I want to make sure you get home safely.”

  “You don’t have to do that. I’ll be fine.”

  “I’m following you, Renata. I won’t take any chances—ˮ He left the sentence unfinished and turned away. “I’m following you to the city.”

  She stared at him, confused. “If that’s what you want. I should leave in a few minutes.”

  “I’ll be ready.”

  Renata started her car and let it warm while Noah saw to Spike’s needs. When she stepped back into the cottage to retrieve her bag, he came in through the patio doors with the dog.

  “Are you ready to go?” he asked.

  “Yes. So, I guess this is where we say goodbye.” She couldn’t make herself look him in the eye.

  “I guess it is. Renata…”

  “Yes?” Please tell me this isn’t really goodbye.

  He pulled her into his arms and kissed her hair. “Drive carefully, okay?”

  She swallowed back tears of disappointment and clung to him, wondering if this would be the last time she ever touched him. “Okay.”

  He held her for a moment before stepping away and clearing his throat. “We should go.”

  She nodded and walked to her car while Noah locked the door. She backed out of the driveway and headed for the highway. When she looked in the rearview mirror, Noah’s SUV was right behind her. He stayed close all the way back to Winnipeg, and she felt comforted knowing he was nearby.

  When they reached the edge of the city, Noah pulled next to her car at a stoplight. They stared at each other, and though Renata’s heart was breaking, she couldn’t look away.

  Someone behind her honked his horn when the light turned green. She gave Noah a tight smile and choked back tears before driving south while he went west.

  Never to meet again.

  ****

  Noah found Dylan’s house in River Heights without any trouble. It was an attractive older home in a pretty neighborhood full of beautiful trees. Dylan had done well for himself.

  As he stood poised to ring the doorbell, his emotions were all over the place. Joy at seeing his brother again mixed with apprehension. Dylan had said he was glad he was home, but until he actually saw his face, Noah still had fears. He rang the bell.

  The door opened almost immediately. His brother grabbed his arm and pulled him inside. After closing the door, he wrapped Noah in a hug.

  “God, it’s good to see you.”

  “It’s good to see you, too.”

  Noah clung to Dylan, barely able to keep his tears in check. Seeing Dylan again, combined with saying goodbye to Renata, was enough to overload his system. He took a deep breath before pulling away.

  “I want to apologize for the things I said before I left,” he said. “They were ugly, cruel things, and I never meant them.”

  “You were hurt. We both said things we regret now. Can we move past them to be brothers again?”

  Noah nodded in relief. “I’d like that.”

  With those words, all the anger and heartache drifted away, and he had his brother back.

  “Noah, Kendall is here. She wants to see you. Do you mind?”

  “No, of course not. I’d like to see her, too.”

  Dylan left the room for a moment and came back with Kendall. He looked into the face of the woman he’d once loved and felt nothing. No jealousy, no sadness, no regret. After being with Renata, his relationship with Kendall felt inconsequential in comparison.

  “It’s good to see you again, Noah.”

  She stood a few feet away, an uncertain look on her face. She was hugely pregnant, but as beautiful as ever. Noah grasped her outstretched hand.

  “You look wonderful. How have you been feeling?”

  She smiled. “You sound like my doctor.”

  “Occupational hazard. But seriously, how’s everything going with the pregnancy?”

  “Everything is perfectly normal,” she said. “We’re thrilled about the baby, but there’s been a black cloud hanging over us for two years. I want you to know I’m sorry. I should have spoken to you. I should have told you I was falling in love with Dylan.”

  Dylan was at her side immediately. He put his arm around her and kissed her hair. “It’s okay, honey.”

  Kendall shook her head. “It’s not. You’ve tried to hide it, but I know how much your falling out with Noah has hurt you.” She turned to Noah. “If you want to be angry at someone, be angry at me. I’m the one who made the first move.”

  “I’m not angry at anyone anymore. Really. I was at fault, too. I know now we probably should have gone our separate ways a lot sooner.”

  “Yes, I knew I couldn’t marry you, but I was too scared to tell you. I don’t even know why anymore.” She looked at Dylan. “I know what real love is now. I’ve never questioned Dylan’s love. I feel it every day.”

  Dylan smiled at her, and Noah could see how deeply they loved each other.

  “I’m truly happy for you. I know it’s a lot to ask, but I hope we can be a family again.”

  “I want that, too,” Dylan said.

  Kendall smiled, tears shining in her eyes. “Maybe we can start by sitting down and sharing a meal together. Lunch is ready. Why don’t we catch up with each other?”

  Noah followed them into the dining room. The three of them talked and laughed and ate. After being with his brother for a half hour it was as if they’d never been apart.

  “Are you planning to stay in Winnipeg, or will you be going overseas again?”

  “I think I’d like to stay.”

  A picture of Renata suddenly pushed its way into his mind’s eye. Her laughing eyes, her smiling, kissable mouth. She was everything he wanted to come home to every day.

  He wanted what Dylan and Kendall had. He wanted Renata in his life. Forever.

  But did she want him? She hadn’t said anything about seeing him again. Hell, he didn’t even have her phone number. But then, he hadn’t said anything, either.

  They finished lunch, and after hugs all around, Noah said goodbye, promising to call soon.

  All the way back to Falcon Lake he thought about Renata. She couldn’t have laughed with him, comforted him, made love with him the way she had if she didn’t feel something for him. Could she?

  He’d been wrong; it wasn’t easier to walk away. He couldn’t spend the rest of his life wondering. He needed to talk to her, really talk, and find out if she felt the same way he did. She was worth taking a risk for.

  As soon as he got back to the cottage and had looked after Spike, he called Caroline. The phone rang a couple of times before she picked up. “Caroline Montgomery here.”

  “Caroline, it’s Noah. I need your help. Can you give me Renata’s phone number and address?”

  “Why would I want to do that? She’s been moping around the office all afternoon. What did you do to her?”

  Noah never talked about his feelings, but for Renata he was willing to spill his guts.

  “It’s not what I d
id to her, it’s what she did to me. She made me fall in love with her.”

  Silence greeted his declaration. Eventually Caroline cleared her throat. “I see. Okay, I’ll tell you, but you’d better not break her heart. Understand?”

  “That’s the last thing I want to do.”

  ****

  Renata pulled another candy heart from the bag. True Love. She popped the candy into her mouth and ground it with her teeth. So much for the Oracle. It had obviously lost its powers of prediction. Over the course of the evening she’d pulled Amore, Love Me Tender, and You’re Mine. They all left a bitter taste in her mouth.

  Noah didn’t feel the same way about her, and she simply had to accept it and move on.

  Brave words, but difficult to do.

  Her cell phone rang, and when she checked the call display and saw Noah’s name, her heart nearly stopped.

  “Hello?”

  “Renata, it’s Noah. I was wondering…”

  “Yes?”

  “Could I see you again?”

  She tried not to cry. “Yes!”

  “How about now?”

  “What?”

  “I’m standing outside your door. I’m in love with you, Renata. If you feel the same way, even a little bit, open up. If you don’t, just hang up and I’ll never bother you again.”

  She almost tripped over her feet in her haste to get to the door. As soon as she ripped it open, Spike let out a bark and lunged for her, knocking her over. He stood on her chest and washed her face with adoring kisses. Renata laughed, her heart full of joy.

  “I love you too, Spike.”

  “Spike, down!”

  Noah pulled the dog off her and helped her to her feet. “I’m sorry, sweetheart. Are you okay?”

  She wiped dog drool from her face with her sleeve. “I’m fine. Did you really mean what you said on the phone?”

  “That I love you? Absolutely. I know it’s crazy. We just met, but it feels like I’ve known you all my life, like I’ve being waiting for you.”

  “Then we’re both crazy, because I feel the same way.” She walked into his arms. “I love you, Noah.”

  Renata sighed with pleasure as her lips met his. Spike let loose with a volley of barks.

  Noah broke the kiss. “This is the first time I’ve heard him bark. I’m not sure if he’s happy we’re together or jealous.”

  “Maybe he really was my boyfriend in a previous life.”

  He took her face in his hands. “Maybe, but in this lifetime, you’re mine.”

  Epilogue, One Year Later

  The beautiful Falcon Lake cottage that she and Noah had purchased together was decorated with red roses, pink hearts, and white cupids. Even Spike’s collar was adorned with red and pink hearts spelling out “Best Dog.” Their wedding guests mingled happily while eating hors d’oeuvres offered by the catering staff. Though her caterer had balked at the idea, Renata had insisted on placing bowls of candy hearts around the house as a tribute to their predictive powers. Perhaps the Oracle would bring luck to their guests today.

  Her sister Adriana kissed her cheek. “You’re absolutely glowing.”

  Renata caught Noah’s eye across the room, and he smiled a secret smile at her. He was talking to Dylan, who held his nearly one-year-old son in his arms. “That’s because I have so much to be happy about.”

  “You do. But I’m surprised you chose to get married on Valentine’s Day. I seem to recall you saying it was the cheesiest holiday ever.”

  “I’ve had a change of heart.” Renata saluted Noah with her wine glass. When she saw the happiness in her husband’s eyes, she knew she was the luckiest girl in the world. “Valentine’s Day is my favorite holiday of the year.”

  A word about the author...

  Jana Richards has been making up stories since childhood, but she was in her thirties before she began to put pen to paper. While romantic suspense is one of her favorites, romantic comedy holds a special place in her heart. She loves writing romance fiction because of its message of hopefulness and its steadfast belief that love makes people better human beings.

  When not writing or working at her day job as an office administrator, Jana can be found reading, gardening, spending time with her family, or tearing up her favorite golf course. Jana lives in Manitoba, Canada with her husband and daughters.

  Visit Jana at http://www.janarichards.com

  Thank you for purchasing

  this publication of The Wild Rose Press, Inc.