30
Jett
As my brain comes into consciousness, I silently groan.
Today is not the day. Another cramp rolls through. The misery of day one menstrual cramps is excessively painful. It must be a design flaw. Because why on God’s green Earth would he have purposely designed a body that sheds its uterine lining . Painfully. Once. A. Month. Like, no thank you. Please return it and provide me with a new, better-functioning organ, please.
I pull my phone from under my pillow, having forgotten to charge it again, before curling into a tight ball and completely disappearing under the comforter on Noah’s bed. Sadie shifts against my feet. Since our truck bed date, it seems like we’ve unofficially moved in together. It’s both parts terrifying and exhilarating. It feels like we’ve moved so fast, but at the same time, we’ve been on this path for roughly five months now. Everything with Noah is just so seamless.
Once I tuck my knees all the way to my chest and wait for Sadie to settle in at my back, I check my phone. There is another text from my mom and a “good morning beautiful” text from Noah, complete with a sunrise picture from the roof of whatever building he is working at today.
I start to send a response when my phone rings, my mom’s photo popping up on the screen. Sighing and hoping I don’t live to regret it, I tap the green answer button.
“Hello?” My voice is twinged with discomfort, and I bite my lip and pray that she doesn’t notice.
“Jett,” my mom starts, clearly surprised that I answered. Can’t blame her. While things aren’t as rocky as they were, I’m still not joining Reece for his weekly calls with her. I also may or may not have been communicating through text only.
“Honey, I didn’t expect you to answer.”
“I know,” I say shortly, a cramp ripping through my defenses.
“What’s wrong, honey? You sound pained.”
My filter is officially gone because I mutter “monthly stuff” without hesitation before facepalming myself for blabbing.
“Do you have someone around to help you out?”
“Mom, no. I’m fine.” I try to placate her, but her mom senses must be more powerful, because she reads right through it.
“Certainly not. You sound miserable, honey. I’ll be there in an hour.” With that, she ends the call, and I’m stuck wondering what the hell just happened.
***
Before I can get comfortable on the couch, my phone goes off again, Noah’s name lighting up the screen.
“Hey.”
“You okay, chaos?” His concern has butterflies filling my stomach for a moment.
“What do you mean?”
“Your brother just texted me telling me I needed to cause a distraction for you later if you still have company.”
I roll my eyes. Of course, Reese pulled it onto Noah.
“My mom’s coming down. I asked for help to get her gone later if it turns out to be too much to handle. Not sure of my mental capacity today.”
“Need me to come home?” he asks. Not me silently loving how we’ve taken to referring to our two lofts as “home.”
My eyes pinch closed as another bout of pain overtakes my middle, the smallest whimper slipping through my lips. Too late, I realize Noah hears it.
“Jett? I can be home in forty-five minutes. Just say the word.”
“No, um. Just girl stuff.” My cheeks heat with embarrassment, even though he’s proven not to be affected by talk of cycles.
I hear him sigh in relief that it is nothing more than that.
“I’m sorry, gorgeous. Today is your day off, right? Get some rest, and I’ll pick up anything you need on my way home. Just text me a list of what you want.”
“You don’t need to, Noah.”
“Didn’t say anything about me, now did I? If you don’t send me a list, I’ll just go get random things that sound good, and you can’t hold me accountable for any of the random shit I bring you.”
“Okay, okay,” I say softly. “Same things as last month please.”
“Animal crackers, peanut butter cups, and Twizzlers. Got it. Try to get some rest, sweet girl. I love you.”
“Love you, too, Noah.”
The feel of the words is still so new and makes me feel all the feels. Though that could also be due to the crazy influx of hormones.
“If you think of anything you need, just text me.”
“Okay, dear.”
I can hear the smile in his voice as he parts ways.
“See you later, chaos. Give Sadie ear scratches for me.”
With a bit of luck, I manage to doze back off. When I wake again, it is to incessant pounding on the front door and Sadie barking. Except the knocking is not on Noah’s door. It’s on mine, next door.
“Shit,” I mumble as I stumble out of the covers.
Sadie is already at the door, complaining loudly in her own way and stomping her nails against the hardwoods.
“Quiet, girl. Sit.”
She sits, but the wiggle butt ensues, whines and whimpers filling the air in her excitement for me to open the door. Curled in on myself as I try to keep the pain to a minimum, I unlock and open the door, peaking out. Sure enough, my mother is pounding on the door to my loft. Reece must have given her the address.
“Mom, you’re banging on the wrong door,” I whisper-yell.
She turns abruptly, startled by my voice. “Oh, Jett,” she says as she quickly closes the short distance between us and wraps me into a hug. “Sorry, I thought that was your place.”
“Technically.” I blush. “I’m staying at Noah’s.”
Mom’s eyes light up, and I can see two thousand questions brewing, but she keeps them to herself and ushers me back through the door.
“Come on, get back inside and I’ll fix you up,” she says as she nearly pushes me back through the door and closes it behind us. It’s then that I notice the bags with her.
“You didn’t need to drive down here, Mom. It’s like a half-hour drive one way. I’m fine,” I lie, wishing desperately that I was curled back up under the fluffy comforter in Noah’s room.
“Hush, you. Go put on one of your shows and curl up.” She waves me off with her hands, guiding me toward the couch. “I’ll get you some ginger ale and animal crackers before I start getting the hot water bottle prepared.”
Mom takes care of what she says, and I return to bed, not interested in turning on the television. When my mother waltzes in with my water jug filled to the brim with ice and ginger ale, a bowl of animal crackers, and both ibuprofen and acetaminophen options, I can’t take the questions swirling around in my head anymore.
“What made you come, Mom?”
“I know things are a little strained between us, but you’re still my baby.” She leans forward and rests her hand on my multi-blanket covered knee. “Reece also filled me in on your romance. He must not have realized that you wouldn’t be at your own home when he sent me the address earlier.”
“Yeah, that part is really new.” I feel myself wanting to shy away at the admission but force myself to own it. There is nothing wrong with doing what makes me happy. “Reece doesn’t know about the sharing of lofts yet.”
“I brought lavender candles and bubble bath. Can I interest you in that?”
“Probably after I pop something for the pain.” The level of exhaustion that I feel is top notch. No way this is just from my period. As I try to think on what could have me this exhausted, I realize that it’s most likely a combination of the crazy changes over the last few months as well as the fact that we stayed up until almost one in the morning watching a west coast hockey game.
Mom slips down the hall to the bathroom and starts running bath water.
“You don’t need to pamper me, Mom. I can do this part myself,” I holler after her, but she keeps at it.
“Let your mama take care of her baby, why don’t you?”
Instead of arguing as she slips back into the bedroom, I ask shyly, “Did you make a way for me to fall asleep without slipping down?”
“I sure did. Go enjoy it. We can talk about your boyfriend and the address change after you get a nap in.”
As I sink into the bubble bath, the lavender candle’s aroma surrounding me in the small bathroom, I silently thank my mother for her nosy, excessive need to take care of me even when I make it absolutely impossible for her to do so. Sadie settles on the rug beside the bath, and I rest my head on the headrest of towels that Mom folded for me.
I don’t know how much I doze, but the water has cooled when I come to. There are clean clothes and one of Noah’s sweatshirts resting on the counter with a pair of purple fuzzy socks on top. As I move through the motions of drying off and redressing, a small part of me dreads the thought of drying my hair. Instead of dealing with it, I towel dry and pull it into a knot on top of my head.
About the time that I realize Sadie isn’t with me, I notice two voices talking down the hall. Picking up my pace, I nearly run to the kitchen and sling myself into Noah’s already open arms.
“Hey, gorgeous. How ya’ feelin’?” he asks. His hand immediately starts its trek up and down my spine in a soothing motion as he drops a kiss on my forehead.
“Better thanks to Mama’s intervention. What are you doing home?” When I look up, he smirks at me before looking at my mom. Her gentle smile has me looking back and forth between mother and boyfriend. “What’s going on with you two? This is kind of creepy, to be honest.”
Noah chuckles before pulling an envelope from his back pocket. “I left work early so I could pick up this,” he says while placing the envelope into my hand.
Glancing up at him through my lashes, I suddenly feel bashful. “What is it?”
“Open it and find out,” he says.
“You’ll love it,” my mom adds, stepping close and squeezing my shoulder. “I’m going to slip out since you are no longer alone.”
Reaching out to grab her hand, I hold tight, unable to voice my appreciation.
“Love you, sweetheart. Call or text me, okay?”
I mumble an “I love you” and stare after her as she leaves. Once the door latches, my attention flips back to Noah and what is in my hand.
Feeling even more unsure, I slowly peel into the envelope and slide its contents onto the counter. Leaning my hip into the bar stool, I stare down at two season passes for the Steele Valley Voltage’s upcoming season.
“Is this for real? How did you even manage this?” My fingers ghost over the items in front of me. These haven’t gone on sale yet. When I say as much, Noah reaches up to smooth my lip from between my teeth.
“I had Silas pull some strings for me. He was more than willing when I told him they were for the woman of my dreams.”
“Stop.”
“Seriously. That’s all it took.”
“This is too much, Noah. I know what those tickets run. I’ve looked at them every year but never had anyone to go with.” Unable to keep my fidgeting under wraps, I pick at my sleeve. Noah quickly traps my hands in his and places them on his chest.
“I called in favors, so I didn’t pay full price. But I would have if I hadn’t been able to secure these.”
“You’re insane.”
“For you? Always.”
Fisting his shirt and pulling him closer, I press my lips to Noah’s. He understands my method of appreciation and kisses me back, one hand sliding to cradle my head while the other settles on my waist.
My mind drifts, wondering how any of this is real.
This chapter of life since moving to Havenwood was a much-needed reset. I never expected to find love, friendships, or business success when I came down here on a whim after being stuck in an elevator during a thunder storm. I never expected Noah Slater and this town to piece me back together the way they did. For the first time in my adult life, I feel whole.
Fighting the sudden emotions that these thoughts bring, I pull back just enough to ask, “How did you do it?”
“Do what?”
“Turn my life around. Quiet my mind. Make me a better, stronger version of myself.”
“That was all you, chaos. You learned how to chase your dreams. I just cheered you on.” He squeezes me to his chest, his chin resting on my head. “And I’ll continue being here for you for as long as you’ll let me.”
Lucky for me, I plan on letting him be my biggest fan indefinitely.