Page 60 of Catching My Dreams

Ella tutted. “And here I thought you were here for my outstanding personality.”

“That too,” he replied, squeezing her tighter.

The tension in her shoulders eased as he held her, and standing there in his arms, Ella could believe that everything would be okay.

17

“Did you tell them I was coming?” Ella asked Noah after he’d pulled into his dad’s driveway.

She’d been nervous since they’d left her place, and the short drive apparently hadn’t given her enough time to shed whatever concerns she had. Not that Noah didn’t have any, either. He was just better at hiding his nerves.

“I told my dad but asked him not to mention it to Riley and the others.” He shifted in his seat so he was facing her. “We really don’t have to do this today if you’re not up for it.”

She’d told him about the phone call with her parents, and he honestly wasn’t sure how she wasn’t curled up in a ball of tears and sorrow at that very moment.

“I want to be here,” she insisted.

He stared at her. The unbreakable, brilliant woman he was now lucky enough to call his. “You’re amazing, you know that?”

“It’s undeniable,” she agreed with a pleased smile. “So what’s the game plan?” she asked, her hands wringing together as she looked at the house that was his second home.

She had her long hair down and was wearing a light gray coat over a navy blue sweater dress. Noah wasn’t sure if she’d ever looked more beautiful.

He bit back a grin. “I know this sounds crazy, but I was thinking we just walk in and say hi.”

“Right. Sure.”

“You’ve met my dad and stepmom before,” he reminded her.

“Yeah, when I was like ten,” she argued, her voice high and panicked. “And then you probably told them I was a complete bitch after our falling out, which means they definitely hate me.”

“Actually, I didn’t ever tell them what happened.” He pried her hands apart and threaded his fingers through hers. “All they know is we grew apart.”

Ella was frowning at him, her nerves seemingly forgotten. “What? Why?”

“I don’t know. I didn’t really know why you’d stopped speaking to me, and I didn’t want them to get involved and call your parents or something.”

“I didn’t tell my parents either,” she admitted.

“What about your gran?”

Ella winced. “I might have given her all the ugly details.” She sent him an apologetic look. “But if it makes you feel better, she encouraged me to talk to you after I’d overheard what you said. She thought I was being too hard on you.”

Noah’s brows lifted in surprise. “Really?”

Ella nodded. “She’s a big softie. I was so mad at her at the time because it felt like she was taking your side, but it turned out she was right.”

“She’s a wise woman, your gran.” Just like Noah’s mom, who’d been thrilled to hear that Noah had, in her words, finally taken his head out of his ass and started dating the person he should have been with from the start.

Ella rolled her eyes and huffed. “I’ll be sure to tell her the next time I see her.”

Noah looked over at the double story, catching motion in the kitchen window. “Are you ready?”

“No,” she replied with a sigh. “But let’s do it anyway.”

Noah smiled. “That’s the spirit.”

He got out of the Jeep, and before he could walk around the car to open her door for her, Ella was slamming the passenger door closed.

---