The Ghost of You

by Tori Fox

  He raises a brow at me.

  “I mean, not that I wouldn’t date you. I would. You are like the perfect specimen of a man and—” Shit. Did I say that out loud? I look over at him and I nearly die at the expression on his face. I can feel my cheeks are the color of a fire engine. I bury my face in my hands. “I didn’t mean that. I mean, I would. But goddamnit. Fuck me. Okay, I don’t want your mom thinking something—”

  Noah starts laughing before squeezing the top of my knee. “Relax. It will all be fine.”

  I just nod my head and turn so my hair covers my face. Hopefully the red of my hair covers the red on my cheeks. I stare out the window and hope he isn’t looking at me.

  His hand stays on my leg for what feels like hours but I am sure is only thirty seconds. “So you would really date me?”

  I try to keep my jaw from hanging open. Is he really wondering that? I feel like I am very obvious when it comes to my attraction to him. But wait, does that mean he wants to date me too?

  Before I can say anything stupid Noah goes on. “I’m kidding, Anna. But it does something to my ego. Makes me not feel like an old man.”

  I peek through my hair at him and see him smiling. “You’re not an old man.”

  “I feel like I’ve lived a lifetime some days.”

  “Don’t we all.”

  We stay silent for most of the ride. He drums his hands along to the classic rock on the radio while I take in the views of the mountains. Every now and then we will pass a clearing on the winding road and the view will be incredible. Like I can see hundreds of miles away, mountain top after mountain top of green trees as far as I can see.

  In the year I’ve lived in Asheville, I’ve only made it out to the mountains a handful of times to hike and I stayed mostly near the bottom.

  “It’s beautiful, isn’t it?”

  I turn to Noah and see the same awe on his face that I have on mine.

  “I grew up here, yet somehow the view never gets old.”

  I smile thinking about all the Taylor brothers running around in the woods causing trouble. “What was it like growing up here?”

  “Isolated. I hated it when we first moved here. But after a few years, I grew into the peace and quiet. The ability to do whatever we wanted, well until Dad found out. But this land became ours. Like it was the Taylor Kingdom with brothers fighting for the throne.”

  “And who was usually king?”

  He looks at me and smirks. “Me of course. Although Hunter gave me a run for my money a few times.”

  “How old were you when you moved up here?”

  “I was ten. Mom was pregnant with the twins, so they wanted more room for all of us. And Dad’s business was doing so well, they could afford to build their own castle.”

  “What does your dad do?”

  “You know the Taylor Farms Grocery chain?”

  I bug my eyes out. “That’s your family business.”

  Noah nods. “Yeah. Dad started it before he met Mom. He grew up on a farm and always ate farm to table. He wanted that same quality as he got older but found it hard to find. So he started a small grocery store out near Charlotte, not far from where he grew up. He met Mom and she helped him with the business. Eventually they opened ten stores around the area before the demand became so large, they were able to open stores in all the major cities. Dad always loved Asheville. I think it’s because it’s where he met Mom so they moved their headquarters to Asheville fifteen years after they started the business and bought the house soon after.”

  “Wow. That’s amazing. To start from nothing and grow so large.”

  He grips the back of his neck. “They wanted me to take over the business but math was never my thing.”

  “Are any of your brothers going to take over for your dad when he retires?” I ask curiously.

  Noah shrugs. “That’s the tough part of it all. No one really wants to. We are all on our own paths. It’s kind of a sore subject for my parents. So it’s best if you don’t bring it up.”

  I gesture, locking my lips shut with a key. “What about your mom? She still work for the company?”

  “No, after she had Carson and me she went to part-time and then when Hunter was born she became a housewife. But her passion was always cooking. She went back to school a few years ago. She could probably get a job at any restaurant she wants but she prefers cooking for the family.”

  “Ahh, so that’s why you said I didn’t need to bring anything,” I say as I point back to the dish in the backseat.

  “She is meticulous in her meal planning. But she will always be glad when someone brings a dish.”

  We slow down as Noah pulls into a gated driveway. He must have a sensor in his SUV because the gate opens as he gets close to it. The woods clear out to a small, but well-manicured lawn that sits in front of an enormous log cabin.

  “You grew up in this house?” I shriek.

  Noah chuckles beside me. “Part of my childhood.”

  “It’s huge.”

  “It’s not that big. I mean it’s six thousand square feet but it never felt excessive. You’ll see when you walk in.”

  I look at him sardonically. “Never felt excessive? I grew up in a ranch with the tiniest back yard.”

  “There were six kids. We needed the space.”

  I mumble to myself as I take in the property. It takes me a minute to realize Noah parked the car. In fact, I don’t realize the car is off until he opens my door and asks if I am coming in.

  “Honestly, Anna. It just sounds big. It’s not that large. We don’t have an elevator or a movie room or whatever else those extravagant houses have. In fact, the kitchen was dated until my mom went to culinary school.”

  “Yeah well, I am sure you all had huge bedrooms and a pool.”

  He smiles at me. “Well yeah, there is a pool. But don’t be overwhelmed. Please. We aren’t some rich people trying to show off money. My parents just bought a house that fit our needs and fit their budget.”

  I hold my hands up. “Okay, okay. I will take your word for it until I see this thing and throw it back in your face.”

  “Whatever you want, Mayberry.”

  I look up at him as I step out of the car and he says his nickname for me and smiles. “Don’t say things like that or else you may find yourself in a bad situation.”

  He shuts my door then grabs my dish out of the back seat. “For some reason, I don’t think I could ever be stuck in a bad situation with you.”

  I blush at his flirting and hope it ends before we walk in the door. Because I can’t take the smile off my face when he flirts with me. And I don’t want his mom thinking we are a couple.

  I follow him to the front door just as an older woman opens it. She is beautiful and timeless. Long silvery-gray hair cascades over her shoulders, her skin smooth except for a few wrinkles around her eyes. Her blue eyes the same as Noah’s, the smile on her face reminds me of Mason’s grin.

  “You must be Anna. It’s so nice to meet you. I’m Marlene,” she says as she wraps me in a hug. I freeze at the movement but she doesn’t seem to mind. She pulls back and looks at my outfit. “Oh dear, I got some flour on you.”

  I look down and brush it off. “No big deal. I brought a dish.” I gesture to the one that Noah is holding.

  “You didn’t need to do that.”

  I shrug. “It’s the least I could do. Thank you for having me.”

  “The more the merrier.” She smiles and I can’t help but feel relaxed in her presence. She reminds me of my mom, welcoming everyone. “Now let’s go inside. It’s chilly out here and I have a lot more cooking to do.”

  “Hi to you too, Mom,” Noah mutters as we walk in the door. I giggle as he says it.

  She grabs the dish from his hands. “Hello, Noah. I am so glad you finally brought a girl here. I got over-excited about it.”

  He stares at his mom. “Mom, I told you we aren’t—”

  “Oh you keep telling yourself that. I saw the way you
were looking at her as she got out of the car. It’s only a matter of time.”

  My cheeks flush as Marlene walks away. “Give her a tour, Noah. I need to check on the turkey.”

  “Sorry about that. Mom likes to…” He grabs the back of his neck as he tries to explain.

  “I get it.” I start to take my coat off and Noah helps me, sliding it down my arms, then putting it in the closet by the front door with his.

  “Come on, let me give you a tour before everyone else shows up and it’s so loud in here you won’t be able to hear yourself think.”

  “Does it get that loud?”

  He nods. “Four of my brothers will be here. You know how Mason is, well when Asher and he are drinking it’s insane. Carson’s girlfriend likes to talk up a storm. My grandparents will be in your business and never let you out of their sight. My dad’s brother is as obnoxious as Mason and my grandma on my mom’s side is a spitfire. And if the neighbors show up.” He pauses and shakes his head. “All hell breaks loose. It’s why I didn’t drive my brothers up here. They are responsible for their own drunk asses.”

  I laugh at his assessment of his family. “This sounds interesting.”

  “Oh trust me it is. But I love them even through all the craziness. They are my family and they have my back more than anyone.”

  His words hit me hard. Maybe this is a step in the right direction for me. They might not be my family but spending time with them may give me the courage I need to one day go back home and see my own. Apologize to them for my behavior. But baby steps. I just need to make it through this day first.

  Noah leads me down a hall that I refer to as a wing. This house is huge, I don’t care what he says. All the kid’s rooms sit on one side of the house, which I would have loved when I was growing up. It would have made sneaking out a lot easier.

  “What was that?” Noah asks me.

  “Oh, um, I was just mumbling.”

  “About what?”

  I trace my fingers over the desk in his childhood room. “Oh you know, sneaking out. How easy it must have been when you were growing up. With all the kids over in this wing.”

  Noah gives me a lopsided grin that weakens my knees. I’ve never seen it before and I would love to keep seeing it, his young side. His playful side. “It was great. Easy. Me and Carson were sneaking girls in and out of here all the time.”

  I can feel a but coming. “And?”

  “Until Hunter got jealous. I was a senior in high school, Carson a junior. We had the same group of friends. Hunter was in eighth grade and wanted to be cool like us.”

  I snort at his cool comment.

  “What?” he says, crossing his arms over his chest. “I was cool.”

  “I don’t doubt that. You also sound like you were a little playboy,” I tease.

  He flexes his biceps at me. “All the girls loved these.”

  I roll my eyes and laugh. “Please continue your story.”

  “Well, Hunter was jealous, so he tattled on us. But we didn’t know. So one night I was in the back yard with this girl, out of sight of course. And all of a sudden, lights came on and lit up the front and back yard like a baseball field. Carson was running around the corner of the house, sneaking back in after a party. Apparently my parents installed motion sensor lights so we would be caught sneaking in and out. Unfortunately for me, I had my pants around my ankles and I couldn’t pull them up fast enough. I doubt that poor girl ever gave a blow job again, she was scarred for life. I was grounded for three months.”

  I burst out laughing.

  “It’s not funny.”

  “Shut up, you know it is.”

  Noah continues to show me around the house. The downstairs is a walkout basement. There is a rec room that is practically a teenage boy’s dream. Although I am sure he and his brothers still use it when they come home. It has a giant television, two gaming systems, a pool table, a foosball table, and a few old pinball machines, which belong to his dad.

  The back yard is dream-worthy. An outdoor kitchen and bar that opens to a seating area and fire pit next to a large pool. It all overlooks the woods on the edge of the mountain. No doubt the view from the main living room will be gorgeous.

  We walk up the rounded staircase to the large deck off the back of the house before going in through a side door that leads to the main living area of the house. Noah points to a wing off to the left where his parents’ bedroom and office is. But the view I was waiting for is phenomenal.

  “I saved the best for last,” he says as he gestures to the cathedral ceiling and floor to ceiling windows that overlook the woods and into the mountains. All you can see is miles of rolling hills and lush green trees.

  “Wow.”

  “I know. That’s why I love coming here. It’s peaceful.”

  “It really is.”

  The front door of the house bangs shut and I hear two people bickering.

  “It’s peaceful until the family starts showing up and destroys all semblance of quiet.”

  Mason and Asher walk into the room arguing about something. Carson and his girlfriend follow behind.

  I’m hit with the realization that I haven’t seen Asher, nor been properly introduced, since he was shitfaced on his birthday and ground against my ass. My cheeks flame. “Fuck.”

  Noah looks down at me. “What?”

  “Is this going to be embarrassing? With Asher?”

  Noah chuckles. “Nah. It was worse when it was brought up at Sunday dinner one night.”

  Mason walks over to us. “Yo Anna May, I’m glad you came.”

  I give him a brief hug. “I heard you wanted me here.”

  He shoots daggers at Noah before turning back to me. “I thought you might want company is all.”

  “Well thanks for inviting me. Noah wouldn’t let me not show up.”

  I look over at Noah and he has a strange look on his face.

  “Hi Anna May. I’m Carson, nice to finally meet you. These two idiots are always talking about you. I feel we may need to have a gauntlet over who is going to win your affection.”

  That blush that was on my cheeks earlier just came back full force. “Umm, there isn’t—we aren’t—”

  “Geez Car, don’t even let the girl catch a break before you start saying shit,” Asher interrupts. “Besides, we all know she enjoyed my drunken ride on her. We have a secret relationship. Been keeping it hidden from all of you.”

  The Taylor brothers all burst out laughing before arguing over sports.

  “They are a handful. Took me some time to get used to them.” Carson’s girlfriend says as she walks over to me.

  “That’s for damn sure,” Marlene answers as she walks out of the kitchen, wiping her hands on a towel.

  “I’m Tiffany, by the way.”

  “Anna. Nice to meet you.”

  “Will one of you boys get your father?” Marlene asks, cutting off the argument they all found themselves in. “He insisted on getting work done this morning but since you all are here now, he needs to come out. Just close his laptop.”

  “I’ll do it, Mom,” Noah says and disappears down the hallway.

  “Carson, can you please offer drinks to the ladies? Mason and Asher, I need you to bring the appetizers out. Your uncle will be here any minute and he will be easier to tolerate if he has food shoved in his mouth.”

  Tiffany tells Carson to grab us champagne then grabs my hand and drags me over to a large, fluffy couch right by the massive windows.

  “Those boys can be so obnoxious.”

  I nod in agreement.

  “Last year was my first Thanksgiving here and I wasn’t sure if I was ever going to come back. I thought Sunday dinners were rough. When even more Taylors gather, it’s like being on a pig farm. There is so much testosterone in the air. We girls need to stick together.” Carson comes over with two glasses of champagne and we each take one before he walks away. “Just wait until Dottie gets here.”

  “Who’s Dottie?”


  “Their grandma. She is as wild as they come. Carson told me she has strip poker parties at her house. Hell, she is in her eighties!”

  “What about her husband?”

  Tiffany sips her champagne. “He passed away ten years ago.”

  “Noah told me his grandparents come by.”

  “Dottie is Marlene’s mom. Pops and Grams are Mr. Taylor’s parents.”

  I sip my champagne and nod as Tiffany loads me in on the family drama. It’s not so much drama, to me it sounds like regular family dynamics but it’s good to prepare me for what’s to come today.

  From the corner of my eye, I see Noah walk back into the room talking to his mom. He looks over at me and smiles and I can’t help but smile back.

  “So how long have you and Noah been seeing each other?”

  I nearly spit the champagne out of my mouth. “Excuse me?”

  “You two seem pretty close. Thought you might be secretly dating.”

  I shake my head. “Umm no. We are just friends.”

  “Hmm. He hasn’t ever brought a friend over for dinner here before at least when I’ve been around.”

  “I’m friends with Mason too. We write music together. They both thought I should come here. Didn’t have plans today.” I keep it nonchalant as possible. I don’t know Tiffany at all and I don’t want her coming to any conclusions she doesn’t need to.

  “What about your family? Are they close?”

  I start to feel agitated by the twenty questions game I wasn’t aware I was playing but luckily Noah cuts in and shuts the conversation down.

  “My grandparents just pulled up. Want to meet them?”

  “Sure.”

  Noah holds out a hand and I take it as he pulls me up from the couch. “Sorry about Tiffany. She likes to get in everyone’s business.”

  “It’s fine.”

  “I heard her say something about your family. Figured you needed to be rescued.”

  “Thanks.” I can’t help but swoon a little bit over that. Typical Noah, bringing out his protective side.

  As we walk to the foyer, a tall man with gray hair walks down the hall. “Noah, is this your neighbor?”

  “Hi, I’m Anna,” I say to the man I can tell is Noah’s father.