Page 79 of Coming Home

Although, so many of her unspoken emotions seemed to be said with Noah. His presence was like coming home. With him, she was safe. She could be her. The woman who came out behind the closed door of her home. The home where she could be unapologetically Nat. Messy. Sassy. Sad. Happy. Goofy. Grieving. Self-doubting. He didn’t seem to just accept her but revel in all that she was and wasn’t.

“Did you know when I turned sixteen, he drove down from Buffalo to surprise me at school? I was in the cafeteria when he showed up with sixteen balloons, all different colors, and a car-shaped cake. He sang ‘Happy Birthday’ at the top of his lungs in the middle of the lunchroom. I wassoembarrassed, but my girlfriends went gaga for him.”

Noah laughed. “He was such a ham.”

“It was sweet, though. He sat there eating cake with me and my friends during lunch. After school, he picked me up, and we shoved all those balloons into his Chevy Cobalt.” Her entire body rumbled with the memory of the balloons slapping against their heads as they pulled out of the school’s parking lot.

“You know the first Christmas I came back on leave from the Marines, he gave me a signed, framed picture of himself?”

She snorted. “I forgot about that!”

Noah’s hand moved to her mouth, tracing her lips. “I know you worry about your mom, but if this smile is any indication, you need to talk about Evan. The good memories…” His hand trailed down to her heart, placing his warm palm on it. “…and the sadness and loss in here. You deserve to grieve properly.”

CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE

“I want to be great or nothing.”~Louisa May Alcott,Little Women

After several long goodbye kisses in the hotel parking lot, Nat slipped into her Jeep while Noah climbed into his SUV. It was odd to think they’d be driving back to almost the same destination but in separate vehicles. As she drove down the interstate, music blasted through her speakers. She lost herself in the idea of what it would be like to drive back with Noah riding shotgun. No doubt he’d tease her for her bad singing voice but join right in with her version of carpool karaoke. There’d be stolen kisses across the console, and hands clenched together. What would it be like to head to his place…their place?... instead of the Little Red Barn?

“You’re being ridiculous,” she chided herself with an exaggerated eye roll.

Cranking the music, she sang along with Taylor Swift’s “Love Story.” The song made her think of Noah. It was going to be a long ninety-minute drive. Hell, it was going to be a…however long until she got to see him again.

“Goddess, you have it bad.” Laughter belted out of her.

The pop music sing-along was soon interrupted by an incoming call from Summer. Nat hit answer.

“Are you alone?” Summer’s voice filled the Jeep.

“Yes. I’m on my way back. Why?”

“How was your sexcation?”

That’s why she wondered if I was alone.More laughter vibrated through her. “It wasn’t…” she scrunched her nose. “Exactly how much sex does one have to have in order for it to meet the definition of a sexcation?”

“The fact that you even have to ponder that tells me it was a sexcation.” Her laugh was somehow both buoyant and salacious. “Can you even walk?”

“Yes, I can walk, but I am a little sore.”

Delicious tenderness ached between her legs. In the ten years she’d been sexually active, this was the mostactiveshe’d ever been. She wasn’t a prude; she’d had plenty of sex with past boyfriends and a few regrettable one-night stands, but nobody who left her in an almost constant state of physical, emotional, and intellectual arousal like Noah did.

“Sex aside, how was the weekend?” Summer asked.

The sound of children playing in the background told her that Summer was at the park with Liam. The image of Summer relaxing on one of the worn wooden benches of the village’s park while Liam played on the swings filled her imagination.

“Amazing!” She couldn’t describe the sound she made. It was half-elation, half-wistful longing for more time with Noah.

“Girl, I can hear the Cheshire Cat grin in your voice. Oh, you’re a goner for him.”

Nat bit her lip. She could hear the question coming. She knew Summer well enough. She’d ask if there was a plan for them to disclose themselves as a couple. Nat still wasn’t ready for that. So much needed to be discussed with her parents and Clayton.Adding Noah to that equation may be too much. As much as she longed for the idea of parking her rather conspicuous yellow Jeep in his driveway during a very adult sleepover, there were too many wrinkles to smooth out first.

“Hey, so I grabbed a bunch of swag for you and some possible resources for your event planning business,” she said, changing the subject before Summer could pounce.

“It’s hardly a business.” The dismissive wave of her hand was audible in her voice.

“Whatever, Modest Mary,” Nattsked. “You’re a badass boss! Besides Elle’s wedding, you’re planning four other partiesandthe upcoming Fall Fest at the end of September. Anyway, I have lots of stuff for you. Also, I need your help with an idea I have.”

“Is it how to tell your family that you’re dating Noah so you can stop sneaking around like a pair of horny teenagers in a bad melodrama?”

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