NOAH: A Childhood Nemesis Sweet Romantic Comedy (Waco Wranglers Reid Brothers Book 2)

by Heather Horrocks

  “I appreciate the thought, anyway.” Emma straightened her spine. “Now let’s do some snorkeling.”

  She splashed her head under again and began slowly moving her flippers.

  Back on shore, Emma and her friends walked along the white sands back toward the rental car.

  As soon as they reached the parking lot, her cell phone rang. It was Trevor’s ring tone: “Your Cheating Heart.”

  She’d avoided talking with him, but she supposed she couldn’t keep doing that forever. It was time.

  “Excuse me,” she said, and headed out to a corner of the parking lot where she could have a little more privacy. “Hello, Trevor. How do you want to harass me today?”

  “Babe, why can’t you be happy to talk with me?”

  She rolled her eyes. “What do you want, Trevor?”

  “I want you to sign the papers on the house. It’s way past time. Come on. Just sign it.”

  “No. I’m not going to.”

  “Come on. Then it will be over.” His voice took on a wheedling tone. “I’ll tell you something very important if you sign. Something that will make you very happy.”

  And suddenly she wondered why she was bothering to hold the house over his head any more. With hyper clarity she could see that Ashley was right — by refusing to sign, she wasn’t just getting back at him for all the hurt he’d caused her, she was actually keeping that connection with him alive. The toxic connection she didn’t want any more.

  Suddenly wanting the divorce to be totally over, she said, “Okay.” And, because she was curious, she asked, “What’s the very important news?”

  “I’ll tell you after you sign it and email it to me. But you have to do it before midnight tonight. Midnight here, not wherever you are. Email it to me and I’ll call you tomorrow.”

  “Okay, Trevor. I’ll do it.” And then it really would be over. It didn’t matter what he thought he could pass off as very important. It was simply very important to get him out of her life once and for all so she could move on.

  She might not move on with Noah, but eventually she would heal enough that she could move on with someone else. But her heart told her that day would be a long time coming.

  Stuffing her phone in her purse, she headed back to Ashley and Gary. Climbing into the back seat, she just said, “Trevor.”

  “What did he want?” Ashley said, suspiciously.

  “I’ve agreed to sign the house papers. I’m ready to cut that last tie I have to him.”

  “Hallelujah!” Ashley said. “I’m so glad. Let’s go back home first before lunch so you can print, sign, and return the stupid document. And then we’ll celebrate.”

  “Amen,” Emma said.

  What a relief that was!

  Emma watched as the email moved to the SENT folder.

  She’d cut the last string connecting her to her ex-husband, and it felt great.

  Ashley put up her hand. “High five time!”

  Emma raised hers and smacked it against Ashley’s. “I did it.”

  “Yes, you did.” Ashley nodded. “And since you’re doing wise-but-hard things today, now you need to talk with Noah.”

  “Oh, no.” Emma shook her head. “I can’t face him.”

  The door opened and Emma froze, afraid it might be Noah returning. She glanced at the wall clock. It was time for the auditions to be over, so it could be him.

  Instead it was Preston and Min, which meant Noah could be home any time, too. They were hugging and kissing as they came in.

  “Get a room,” Emma and Ashley called out together.

  Min waved to them. “Hi, ladies.”

  Preston wrapped an arm around Min’s shoulders. Then he tipped his head, released his bride, and walked closer to inspect Emma’s face.

  “What?” she said.

  “You’ve been crying.”

  Stupid perceptive brother. “No, I haven’t.”

  He turned to Min. “I’ll be there in a minute, babe. I need to talk with my sister.”

  “All right.” She gracefully moved through and went out onto the back patio.

  Preston sat by Emma. “Now tell me what’s wrong. Is it Noah? Do I need to punch him for you?”

  Shocked, Emma stared at him. “Why would it be Noah?”

  “Because he told me he wanted to date you, that’s why. Plus I have eyes.”

  “Well, he doesn’t any more. He knows I can’t have a baby. Plus didn’t you hear the news that shot round the world?”

  “What?”

  “His ex is pregnant and says it’s Noah’s baby.”

  Preston grimaced. “She’s a lying witch. He hasn’t had anything to do with her since the divorce and that’s been two years ago. If she’s pregnant — which I doubt because that’s why they divorced — then it’s someone else’s baby.”

  A tiny bubble of hope rose through her. “Do you think so?”

  “I know so. As for your not being able to have children, he won’t care about that.”

  “He wants a family.”

  He took her hand. “Listen, sis. Give Noah a chance, okay? Plus there’s always adoption. He’s a good guy and he likes you. It’s not his fault his ex is a witch any more than it’s your fault your ex is a jerk. Unless by fault we mean you chose to marry them in the first place.”

  With the auditions portion of the day over and the movie at the theater not for several more hours — and he was considering skipping it anyway — Noah sat in the rental car and clutched the wheel.

  He hadn’t seen Emma all day, and it was driving him crazy. He hadn’t realized how much he needed her in his life until this moment. And what a time for Deena to pick to claim she was pregnant with his child.

  He picked up his phone and called his grandfather. It was a little past two p.m. here, which meant it was nine p.m. in Waco. The old man was usually up until ten, and his gruff voice came on the line. “Noah, my boy. How are you doing?”

  “Hi, Gramps. I’m still in Fiji, but I just wanted to hear your voice.”

  “What’s troubling you?”

  “Why does something need to be troubling me for me to call?”

  “You’re calling from the other side of the globe and I just saw you last week. What has happened that you need to call me again so soon?”

  The old man always knew, and Noah felt relief that he didn’t have to pretend. “I have two different problems that are running together.”

  “Tell me,” Gramps said, and Noah could picture him settling into his recliner, his feet in his favorite fuzzy slippers.

  So Noah did. He told Gramps about meeting Emma again and falling for her hard, about her telling him she couldn’t have children. And about Deena claiming she was carrying his child.

  When he finally stopped, Gramps whistled. “That’s a passel of trouble you’ve got there.”

  “Yeah.”

  “I remember Emma. She was cute as a button and smart as a hooty owl. And you’re in love with her?”

  “Yes.”

  “So where’s your confusion?”

  “Well, Deena.”

  “Did Deena ever lie to you?”

  “All the time.”

  “Has Emma ever lied to you?”

  “No.”

  “I bet it was right hard for her to tell you she couldn’t have children.”

  Noah’s chest tightened. Of course it had been. “Yes.”

  “There’s your answer. ’Nuff said.”

  There was a long pause, and Gramps went on. “I love my children and grandchildren, but if your grandmother hadn’t been able to have children, I’d have married her anyway and we’d have worked things out. Grandma always said you make a long, happy marriage with a lot of patience and a lot of forgiveness. I’m thinking this young lady has reason to forgive you. She was incredibly brave to tell you that. Does she love you?”

  “I’m not sure. She likes me.”

  “So you told her you wanted honesty, and then she was honest and you reacted poorly.” />
  Trust his old rancher grandpa to tell it like it was. Noah sighed. “Yes.”

  “It’s okay you’re taking time to think about it, so when you go back to her, she’ll know it really is okay.”

  “I guess I’d always know where I stand with Emma.”

  “Yup. No games there.” Gramps drew in a noisy breath. “I’d say give her until tomorrow morning, and then go apologize to her, son.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  “Are you going to propose to her?”

  Noah laughed. “I’d like to, yes.”

  “Make it a grand proposal, then. You say you’re in Fiji on some beautiful beach?”

  “Yes, sir.”

  “That sounds like a grand proposal setting to me. Be sure to text me some pictures.”

  Feeling better than he had all day, Noah said, “Yes, sir. I will.”

  16

  I’ll Take That as a Yes

  Conference Day 6

  Beach Day, Dinner, Graduation Ceremony

  Emma woke early because she hadn’t slept well. Again.

  This was the last day of the conference, so she could leave tomorrow. She hated the way things had ended with Noah, but didn’t know how to fix it. He wanted a family and she couldn’t give him one.

  This was a day for enjoying the island, with the only official activity left being the fancy dinner and graduation ceremony and brief keynote speech that night.

  She felt numb so when Trevor called about noon, she sighed and answered. “Yes, I sent it.”

  “I got it, babe. Thanks.” He actually sounded grateful.

  She reminded herself that she had just cut her last tie with this guy. For the first time, she was thankful there were no children between them so she could really never have contact with him again. “You’re welcome. I guess from now on we can just let the attorneys handle communications between us.”

  “We won’t need to communicate anymore.” He laughed. “Except for this bit of information that you won’t want your attorney to hear.”

  “What?” she asked, suspicious.

  “I promised to tell you something important if you signed, and I’m going to keep my word.” He laughed. “Remember when we went in for the fertility tests?”

  Her heart clenched. “Of course I remember.”

  “And remember when I told you I called and got the results because you were too afraid to call?”

  “What’s this about, Trevor?” Her heart sank. What was he up to?

  “You know how you always wanted kids and you thought you couldn’t have them?”

  “Trevor,” she warned.

  “Well, it wasn’t you. It was me. I had a vasectomy before we were married. You can have kids, after all. That ought to make you happy.”

  Shocked, she sank to the floor. “What?”

  “I didn’t want to have children. It was easier to let you think it was you.”

  “I can have children?”

  “Yeah. Isn’t that great?” He was mocking her.

  Rage exploded within her. Who would do something like that? A sociopath, that’s who.

  “You are the worst person in the world. How could you have done that to me? You knew how much it meant to me!”

  “Hey, don’t get angry. I thought you’d be glad to find out.”

  “Glad to find out you lied to me about that, too?”

  “Hey, I don’t have to listen to this crap. There’s just no pleasing you.”

  And he hung up.

  She raced down the beach, oblivious to everything and everyone. Her rage drove her on and, when she had to, she stopped to gasp in breaths, and then ran again.

  There were people from the conference on the beach, but she didn’t care. None of them approached her, probably because they could sense the fury emanating off her.

  How could Trevor have done that to her? To someone he claimed to love? To have lied to her back then when he knew how much she wanted children?

  Finally, she stopped. How did she know he wasn’t lying now?

  She pulled out her phone and called the fertility clinic, asking to speak with a nurse. When the women finally pulled up her file, she confirmed that, yes, the reason they couldn’t have children was Trevor. Emma was normal and could have children.

  She thanked the woman and felt the fury rise again.

  How could Trevor have done that to her?

  “Emma!”

  She heard a man calling her name, but she didn’t stop.

  A few moments later, Noah grabbed her arm. “Emma, stop!”

  She whirled on him and lifted her fists, pounding on his chest. His eyes widened, but he let her do it for another moment, and then wrapped her in his arms.

  She fell into them and clung to his strong arms.

  “What’s wrong? Preston called me and said you’d run out of the house and he’d never seen you so angry.”

  “You know how I told you I couldn’t have children?”

  Noah nodded. “Yes.” His voice was gentle. “And it doesn’t matter. We can adopt if we need to. Hire a surrogate. We can get children to love without you giving birth to them. They’ll still be our children and we’ll love them just as much.”

  Shocked into silence, Emma said, “What?”

  “I don’t care that you can’t have children. I want you.”

  Tears stung her eyes. “You don’t care?”

  “No.” He smoothed the hair back from her face and wiped the tears from her face. “I love you, Emma.”

  She started to cry. “I’m not damaged goods.”

  “Of course you’re not, baby. You’re beautiful.”

  “You want a family.”

  “We can adopt.”

  “We won’t have to,” she said. “My ex-husband just told me that he lied about the fertility tests. It’s him who can’t have children. I can.”

  “He lied to you? Are you sure?”

  She nodded. “I called the clinic to verify and they told me I can have children.”

  “He told you that? Who would do that?” His face went stormy. “Say the word and he’s a dead man.”

  “Don’t kill him. He’s not worth going to prison over.” She laughed, in between tears of joy that Noah wanted to protect her.

  He hugged her close. “I love you, baby.”

  “I love you, too.”

  Noah stood at the head table at the fancy graduation ceremony. The culmination of his week of fundraising for this island.

  “Preston and I want to thank you all for coming, for helping to raise money for this beautiful island resort and its residents. Thank you.”

  There was clapping from the crowd.

  “We have specially designed Oscar-style awards for the six lucky people who are coming to Hollywood to have parts in the next Max Booker movie, five extras and the extra-lucky person who earned a speaking part. Preston will announce those people in a moment. But, first, I need to say something to someone important to me.”

  He stepped down off the stage and walked to Emma, who was sitting at Ashley’s table. “I mentioned that this beautiful woman is Preston’s sister and my childhood friend. What I hadn’t even realized was that I love her.”

  There were gasps from some people, whistles and cheers from others.

  “Nooooo!” a woman called out.

  He grinned and played to the crowd for a moment.

  Then he turned to Emma. She looked gorgeous tonight, in a fancy emerald-green dress and heels, with her red hair pulled up in a messy bun.

  “I want everyone here to know that I am in love with this lady. Head-over-heels in love.”

  She beamed up at him, even while her face blushed at all the attention.

  He knelt down on one knee and took her hand. “Emma Archer, I am in love with you and I always have been. Will you marry me?”

  Her chin quivered and she threw herself into his arms, hugging him tight.

  He grinned and said, “I’ll take that as a yes.”

  The crowd erup
ted into applause and he stood, holding her in his arms. He peered into her face. “That is a yes, right?”

  She nodded. “Yes. It’s a definite yes.”

  “We’ll choose a ring as soon as we get home so you can get the one you want.”

  As forty million women around the world sighed in disappointment, Emma beamed up at Noah, happier than she’d ever been.

  This man loved her. He wanted her. He hadn’t seen her as damaged goods, even when he’d thought she couldn’t have children.

  He said, “We’re here on this beautiful beach. If you want to get married tomorrow, I’ll do it.”

  She shook her head. “I want to get married in Waco and have the reception in my family’s back yard. I’ve always pictured it that way.”

  “Whatever you want. As long as I have you with me. We can split our time between Waco and Hollywood, but I really need you with me. Forever.”

  She wrapped her arms around him again, full to overflowing with joy.

  17

  Epilogue - A Fire Ant Farm?

  The Following Spring

  Emma and Noah got married in March at a local Waco church with the reception in her family’s backyard, as she’d wanted. In fact, Noah had gone along with just about everything she’d wanted. She’d never been happier.

  They’d foregone the traditional reception line so people could just find the people they knew and wish them well. A DJ — a friend of Preston’s — played music that was the background to lots of dancing and laughing.

  The DJ played “their song” — “God Bless the Broken Road That Led Me Straight to You” — while they’d had their couples dance.

  With her beautiful eight-month-old baby in her arms, Ashley danced with Gary, who’d been delighted when their third baby had been born in the good ole U-S-of-A a week after her due date.

  She’d even danced with Noah’s grandfather, who was quite the two-stepper. “I want you to know I’m delighted to have you as my new granddaughter.”