27
Jett
“So, do you like this color scheme, or do you want to go brighter?” Kelsey asks.
My eyes flit from paint card to paint card as we sit in the front of the café. I can feel the anxiety building in my chest.
The grand opening of The Write Brew is right around the corner, and Kelsey has decided we need to repaint the café and the new book room—even though the guys already installed the bookshelves. Between serving customers and keeping the counter stocked, we have been moving non-stop.
“You already let me name it when it’s mostly yours to begin with. I think you should pick the colors. I’m good with whatever. I swear,” I say.
“My sweet, cautious Jett. You, my dear, need to live. This is your dream that we are bringing to life.” The dreamy look on Kelsey’s face puts a smile on mine. I never expected to find such a solid friendship when we started putting this plan into action, but I am beyond grateful. Even still, I shake my head, adamantly against claiming this dream as mine alone.
“It’s your café, Kels. I’m just adding books.”
“We are doing this together. You own half. Besides, I want to change things up… Tell you what. Your favorite color is purple, right?”
I nod, a little scared of where she’s going with this, but also willing to let her ease some of the decision fatigue.
“Okay, so I’ll just pick one of these that have the purple theme. How’s that?”
“Whatever you want to do, Kels. Really. I’m so far out of my comfort zone here. Are we really three weeks out from the Summer Market already?”
The bell on the door chimes, and Noah slips in.
“Hi, gorgeous. What are you guys up to? Picking colors?
“Jett won’t help me choose.” Kelsey pokes out her lower lip in a ridiculous pout.
Noah hugs me closer and whispers, “Overwhelmed?”
I shrug noncommittally. While it may be true, I won’t admit it. I want this place to be perfect. Can we make it what I’ve always dreamed of? A quiet, cozy escape from reality for the bookworm while also being a judgment-free zone for aspiring authors. With tasty treats and coffees and teas. Sandwiches during the lunch hour. The perfect getaway right in the town square.
Noah’s warm hand settles over my lower back, his pinky dipping under my T-shirt as he brings my focus back to our current dilemma.
“When you thought about creating this place over the years, what colors were in your mind?”
“I don’t know, Noah,” I snap before I can stop myself. “The color doesn’t matter. The atmosphere does.”
His fingers slip around my hip and squeeze tight enough to grab my attention. It isn’t as addictive as when he cradles my head, but it’s a close second.
“Take a breath, chaos.”
I work on centering myself. This isn’t something to get out of sorts over. It’s simple. I’ve fixated on it enough over the years.
“I always pictured dark wood and lavender with either olive or a deep teal.”
Kelsey squeals. “That’s perfect! I can take it from there if you want.” She sashays to the back room that is now our shared office space.
“She driving you crazy yet?”
I pick up our empty mugs and carry them to the sink behind the counter and wash them so the two high schoolers working today won’t have to. Although, my willingness to clean up has more to do with the pent-up energy that makes my skin tingle.
“I love her, but I think I need to go hide and decompress. When I walked through the door this morning, it was like she was waiting to pounce.”
Noah snorts as he pulls me to the front of the café. “She probably was. That girl has been obsessed with this project since you agreed. Maybe even before that.”
Reaching up on tiptoes, I brush a kiss across his lips, reveling in the feel as his arms wrap around me, his hands settling just above my ass.
“Can I steal you away for a bit?”
“Might be able to work something out. What for?”
Hugging me close, he drops a kiss to my temple. “I was hoping to convince you to just trust me and go along for the ride. I think you’ll like it.”
“Is there food?”
Nodding, he grins. “So, is your answer yes?”
“Whisk me away, Mr. Elevator Man.”
***
And boy does he ever whisk me away.
“You know, this could be considered questionable behavior from a male suitor. Definitely morally gray behavior.”
I can’t see his face thanks to the blindfold he insisted I wear until we arrive wherever he’s taking me, but his snort is perfectly audible and loaded with amusement.
“The number of book tropes that flit through your head on any given day is impressive, chaos.”
“I’m just impressed you’ve caught on so quick to the fact that it is fictional-boyfriend material. And while I may enjoy a sprint through a dark and dangerous fictional world, I’m not sure what I think of it actually becoming a reality.”
He places a warm, steady hand on my thigh and offers a light squeeze. “I promise I am not kidnapping you or leading you to any dark and dangerous areas. No crazed murder fantasies here.”
I do laugh at that—at some of my words to him from that first time we met again in Havenwood. He’d been so concerned about me walking back to Reece’s alone. If I’d had any idea of the trauma that triggered his reaction, would I have let him go with me?
“I can’t believe you remember that.”
“I remember everything about you.”
As the truck rolls to a stop, I hear him shift it into park. “Can I take off these blinders now?”
“Give me two seconds to get everything set, and then I’ll help you get out. Okay?”
“Okay, but if it takes more than three, I may have to assume that you are a serialist and that I need to take my chances and run.”
“Smartass.”
I stick my tongue out in response. As Noah’s door clicks open then closed, I start to fidget.
Yes, I agreed to this date.
Yes, I want this thing—this relationship—to thrive.
But what if whatever he has planned proves we aren’t as compatible as I think?
As my mind drifts to all the ways this could go horribly wrong, Noah startles me by opening the passenger door.
“Okay, miss. Let’s get you situated a few feet over here and I’ll remove the blindfold.”
As he guides me along, I note the crunch of grass and leaves under my shoes. The air is fresh, and it’s cool for a summer afternoon. I almost question him again but stop just as Noah brings my body into his, halting us. He slips the blindfold off and hugs my back to his front.
Staring in awe at the sight in front of me, I let myself lean into Noah’s hold, unsure how to convey my thoughts to him.
It’s perfect. Simple as that.
Noah’s old truck is parked on a hill in one of the ranch’s fields, a handful of horses grazing nearby. We’re far enough away from town that it’s quiet out, the noise pollution not reaching us. “What do you think, gorgeous? Worthy of a book boyfriend’s first date?”
All I can manage is an enthusiastic nod as I step closer to the tailgate, taking in the dozen blankets and pillows that create a comfortable snuggle spot in the bed of his truck. A speaker is situated on the tire well, the low hum of some old-town country floating through.
“You did all this for me?”
I squeal as he lifts me up into the bed, not expecting the sudden move but loving it all the same. He slides in next to me and slips his arm around me.
“I wanted to run through the town square screaming ‘Jett Taylor is my girl’ at the top of my lungs, but I figured that’d have you fleeing Havenwood and the town questioning what little sanity I possess.”
“Fair enough,” I say, unable to sort through my thoughts. This is the most thought-out, put-together date I’ve ever been on.
“We have subs from Jace’s place, dessert from the future home of The Write Brew, and Dr. Pepper. Also, plenty of blankets to snuggle in even if I’m partial to being snuggled instead,” says Noah.
“You are very snuggable,” I say, leaning into his side.
His arm wraps around me, tucking in at my waist and gently running a finger over the skin at the hem of my shirt. My head rests in the space between his neck and shoulder so naturally that I wonder how I ever thought Joey and I were right for each other.
Loving Noah is like breathing in fresh air for the first time.
Being loved by Noah? That shit is insane.
I never expected to find a man who trusts me implicitly, who understands and caters to my needs, or who wants me to succeed more than I do. Three-in-one package deal.
Tilting my chin until I can see his profile, I can’t help but grin. “I love you, Noah.”
He glances down and reaches his free hand to cup my cheek. His thumb glides along my lip before he leans in and gently teases my lips with his. As he sits back, the full grin on his face lights his eyes.
“I’ll never tire of hearing you say that. I love you, too. More than I ever thought I could.”
And while his lips tip into a gorgeous smile, there is still a shadow that flits across his expression. He doesn’t try to hide it from me, and that willingness to be vulnerable grounds me. The fact that I recognize it, but also the realization that no man has ever allowed me to witness his emotions from me.
“What do you need, Noah?”
“I’m good. I swear.”
“No. You’re always making sure I have what I need, whether I see it or not. You tend to do it for everyone without even noticing that you’re doing it. Drew, Kelsey, Declan. You’re our caretaker. Well, you and Jace. We all see it. Maybe I have missed some of the cues up until recently, but even I can see how much you’ve been struggling. You’re great at hiding it, but there’s this shadow in your eyes. There has been since February.” My hands cradle his cheeks, forcing him to look me in the eye as I say, “You’re the one who is always saying this town is all about helping others. Let them help. Let me help.”
“I’m fine, chaos.” His eyes flit away from mine before closing.
“Don’t lie to me, elevator man.”
This man is everything to me, and he’s clearly still trying to be the caretaker. But sooner or later, he’ll realize that I’ve made my decision. I’m done running, and I know what I want. Or rather, who I want.
Leaning his head back against the rear window of the truck, he blindly reaches for my hand and squeezes it. I squeeze back, hopefully lending him the confidence to say whatever he’s thinking.
“I made an appointment with Kristen. I want to be able to give you the freedom you deserve. Logically, I know you should be able to walk around town without me needing to bubble wrap you or place myself between you and the road. I want to make sure my grief doesn’t suffocate you or hold you back. I don’t want to ever be a controlling asshat who loses sight of how lucky he is, so I’m going to work on me.”
“You’d never hold me back, Noah. All you’ve done since we met is push me to strive for things I never thought I’d accomplish.”
He cuts me off from saying more. “Yeah, but what if I do? What if, at some point down the road, I let my constant worry for your safety keep you from opening a second location, or traveling, or something else you set your heart on?”
“Honey, I think the fact that you worry about the what-ifs is a pretty strong indicator that you won’t do any of that. You love fiercely. You worry because you care.” I snuggle deeper into his chest while pulling a blanket up to my chin. “I’m proud of you for talking to someone, but I’ve never once felt like you were overstepping.”
He kisses the top of my head, a deep sigh releasing some of the tension in his posture. We sit in silence, taking comfort in the closeness while soaking in the view. As the sun starts to set, pink and orange dance across the sky, bathing the horses and the field in a soft glow. It’s peaceful out here, as if none of life’s problems can reach us.
I nuzzle back into that perfect divot at Noah’s shoulder and breathe in his teakwood scent. This is perfect. He’s perfect. Havenwood, too.
There’s just one thing missing from this crazy new life of mine. And if Noah can be brave enough to tackle his demons, then so can I.
It’s time to repair the last broken piece.