Page 55 of Stick Move

“You’re family now, Brighton. You’re welcome anytime.”

“Thank you.” I check the time as Noah comes back to the deck. Standing on the grass, he puts one foot on the bottom step and grips either side of the handrail with his big hands, looking larger than life and sexy as hell. While I’d prefer to just stand here and admire all six feet of his hotness, I need to remind him about tomorrow. “Camryn has a big first day early in the morning.”

His eyes confirm he’s well aware and instead of gathering up his daughter, he gestures with a nod toward his father and Camryn still playing. “Do you think we could give her half an hour alone with Mom and Dad? She’s having fun on the swing and I want to take you somewhere.”

Surprised, I straighten. He wants to take me somewhere. Okay, now that I wasn’t expecting. “Oh, where?”

Without a smile or a frown, his face completely unreadable, he murmurs, “You’ll see.”

What the heck is he up to? “Is it the puppy?” I snatch my phone off the table and check it again. “I haven’t heard back yet.”

“It’s not the puppy.”

Confused by all this, I shrug my shoulders and turn to his mother. “I guess, if it’s okay with you, Sandra.”

“Of course, it is, darling.” She cups my cheeks. “We love our granddaughter, and we love you too.”

My heart nearly jumps out of my chest as the lines around her dark eyes crinkle with joy. With my throat squeezing and not really knowing how to respond, I point to the empty plates on the table. “What about the dishes?”

Sandra waves a dismissive hand. “Oh, leave them. We have a dishwasher.”

Noah nudges me. “By dishwasher she means Dad.”

I laugh at that. “Okay, we should get going, then. We don’t want Camryn out too late.”

“Agreed.” Noah puts his hand on the small of my back and I give a little wave to Paul and Camryn as he leads me into the house and down the hall. I glance at Noah over my shoulder, and narrow my eyes. “Why are you smiling at me like that?”

“I just love the way you’re worried about Camryn’s well-being. You’re a nurturer by nature.”

“So are you,” I say, reminding him he’s a good father and mother. “I just don’t want her tired on her first day of school. It’s a big day, Noah. That’s when friendships are formed and bonds are made. I want her at her best.” What I’m not saying is I want the other kids to like her, because bullying starts in kindergarten.

He nods. “I know.”

We step outside, and I climb into the passenger seat of Noah’s car. After he slides in beside me, I turn to him. “Where are we going?”

He grips the steering wheel, his jaw tightening. What the heck? I shift in my seat, suddenly not having a good feeling about this. “Do you trust me?” he asks.

“That’s a weird question, Noah.” Trying to make light of it, I joke. “Wait, you’re not driving me out to the middle of nowhere to…” I slice my finger across my throat. “You know…high school.”

“High school is behind us, Brighton,” he assures me and I nod, knowing it is too, and that this man beside me is someone very special. If only I’d had the courage to stand up to his bullies—my friends—and got to know him better all those years ago. It saddens me that we’ve lost time we could have had together.

“I trust you,” I say and he nods and looks straight ahead at the house for a second. I’m about to ask him if he trusts me, but close my mouth when the muscles along his jaw ripple again, giving me the sense that where we’re about to go, what we're about to do might not be so pleasant. My stomach tightens and I fold my hands together and press them into my abdomen.

Remaining quiet, I watch the street signs go by as Noah drives and every time he glances at me, my apprehension grows, until he reaches across the seat, takes my hand in his and gives it a reassuring squeeze, holding the ring between us like it’s where it’s always belonged. Which makes me think, he’s not going to do anything to hurt or upset me, right?

He takes a couple of side roads and finally slows in front of a very familiar set of wrought iron gates. My heart stops beating and I push back into my seat.

“Why are we here, Noah?” I choke a bit, barely able to get the words out as my gaze scans the cemetery, the place I put my father to rest a few months ago. I haven’t been here since that dark day. I’ve been too busy trying to get the resort back in the black or find a new owner, and then I took over taking care of Camryn. Well, not exactly. My role as nanny doesn’t officially start until Noah leaves. But I’ve been accompanying them everywhere, and there was just too much to do to return. I take a few deep breaths as Noah watches me carefully and that’s when it hits me. I’ve been avoiding the place, finding reasons not to visit.

Why is that, Brighton?

“Noah,” I begin again as he slowly drives through the gates and parks in the designated spots assigned to visitors. He unbuckles and turns to me, pain and worry on his face. His big palms swallow my hands whole as he takes them into his.

“We don’t have to do this if you don’t want to. I just thought you might have some unresolved things that you haven’t been able to work through yet, because you haven’t been able to face them. I want you to know you don’t have to do this alone. You’re with me now, Brighton. You don’t have to do anything alone ever again.”

Pain grips my throat, raking it raw, partly because he’s right, I have avoided dealing with the pain inside of me, partly because if I can’t get him to see how good we are together, when the NHL season is over, I’ll be alone again.

“Noah,” I push out, tears flooding my face. “I haven’t been back…” I let my words fall off, unable to finish them.

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