Page 63 of The Workaholic Down the Hall

My heart sank, but I was grateful for the reminder. Better a little hurt now than a ton of hurt later. Sophie had fallen back to sleep, so I stood and carried her back to my room. She didn't need to hear this conversation.

I found Noah back in the kitchen, still stirring something at the stove. “That smells so good,” I said. “What is it?”

He spun to face me. “Chili. Mom made it and May brought it over. It's good for cold days. Are you hungry?”

Between the nursing and the lack of sleep, it seemed like I was always hungry. “I am.”

He fixed us each a bowl of chili and put shredded cheese and warm cornbread on the table. “Wow,” I said. “Nora went all out.” I hadn't seen Nora since I'd left the hospital. I'd told myself it was because she was busy at the Inn, but I suspected it might have something to do with May asking her to leave the delivery room and me agreeing. I would call her just as soon as I had a quiet moment.

Noah and I ate in comfortable silence. I waited to speak until we'd finished and the dirty dishes were in the sink. “Noah, I know you've got this idea in your head of us being a happy family, but you shouldn't have to force this. We can be a family, we can still spend Christmas day together, we can do it as friends.”

His jaw clenched. “I don't want to be your friend, Aubrey.”

His phone rang and he glanced at it. He sighed and answered. His frown turned to serious concern. “What happened? No, it's fine. I'll be right there.”

He hung up. “I'm sorry. I have to go.”

I stood. “What happened?”

“It's Mom. She fell. She's at the hospital.”

I slapped a hand to my mouth, tears already stinging my eyes. “Is she okay? I'll come with you.”

“No,” he said. “You stay with Sophie. She shouldn't be at a hospital right now.” He pressed a kiss to my forehead. “I'll call as soon as I know something.”

He left, and I washed the dishes and tried not to freak out. I turned on the lights on the tacky Christmas tree and peeked out the front window to see the lawn littered with blow-up Christmas characters. Noah really had gone all out.

I was grateful when Sophie woke up, because she distracted me from my worry about Nora. I sat on the couch with her in my arms and hoped Nora was okay. Sophie needed her grandmother.

***

This time, when the knock came at the door, I opened it fully expecting to see Noah. I hadn't seen him in two days. He'd been at the hospital with his mom, who'd broken her leg, and helping at the bed and breakfast, all worthy causes, but I missed him and I'd gotten very little sleep with neither him nor May there to help me out.

Noah was on my porch, but he wasn't alone. Nora stood next to him on a pair of crutches, her leg in an enormous cast. “Hi, sweetheart,” Nora said. The break had been bad enough that she'd needed surgery and she'd had to spend a couple days at the hospital. She'd fallen off a ladder trying to put up Christmas decorations at the Inn.

I stepped aside. “Hi, Nora. Noah. Please, come in. Sit down.”

Sophie cooed from her bouncy chair next to the Christmas tree. She loved to stare at the lights and colors on the tree. Noah helped Nora to sit on the couch.

“How are you feeling?” I asked.

Nora looked older without make-up on, her hair pulled back in a neat ponytail. Her face was drawn with pain and exhaustion. “I'm fine, dear, but I was hoping I might be able to stay here while I recover. I'm supposed to stay off my feet as much as possible for the next couple months. I can't manage stairs, so I can't make it to my room at the—”

“Oh, my goodness,” I said. “Of course, you can stay here. I'll move upstairs and you can have my room.”

“Thank you, Aubrey. I really hate to intrude, but Cody's got a full-house already and May's apartment is at the top of two flights of stairs.”

“You won't be intruding. I'd love to have you here. This way you can spend more time with Sophie.”

Nora smiled, relaxing for the first time since she'd walked in. “I'd love that, Aubrey. Thank you.”

“I'll help you move upstairs,” Noah said. “It might be good to do it now while Sophie is happy.”

I stood. “Good idea.”

I led Noah back to my room. “Are you sure this is okay?” he asked once he'd closed the door behind us. “I know you've got all you can handle taking care of Sophie, but I'll be here as much as I can to help.”

“Of course it's fine.” It was mostly fine. I was exhausted. Sophie was back to confusing her days and nights. No matter how hard I tried to keep her awake longer during the daylight hours, she popped wide awake as soon as the sun went down. But Nora could get around on her crutches and probably wouldn't need too much help. Probably.

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