Chapter 22 Everly
Chapter Twenty-Two
EVERLY
The house hunting went easier than I expected.
We didn’t even need to look at the third house, but the realtor had insisted.
Noah wanted the second house. The one I fell in love with the moment I stepped into it.
Not that I was sure I would be there for any length of time.
What if what was happening between us fizzled out when the stalker situation was resolved?
I would need to find a new place since I was never going back to the cottage. Perhaps once it was scrubbed and cleaned, Julie and her kids could move in there. Surely it was bigger than the cramped apartment she was staying in.
Shaking off the thoughts, I looked over at Noah as we left the third house. “You still want that last one, right?”
“It's the one you loved.” His smile was whimsy. “Besides, Skylar could use the sunroom to practice or rehearse without having to constantly rearrange furniture. Unless you, of course, let it double as a studio. Then there’s also that CCTV camera. The only one owned by the town.”
Marina De Ferrier had no public CCTV cameras. The law had been passed years earlier. The one they had put up was the prototype and something went wrong, and the town council voted against them. Still, no one bothered to take it down.
My heart fluttered. That didn’t sound like anything temporary. Not that I could allow myself to trust it. “Noah, you can’t make decisions based on me. I mean, I get you wanting Sky to have a dance room of her own. But she could use the third room in this house if it better suits what you want.”
Noah stopped and turned us, so we were facing each other in front of his car. “I think we both know what that third bedroom is meant for.”
Yeah, we did. Another baby. Not that either of us were ready for that right way. We couldn’t even decide if we were together or not. “Perhaps, but you should pick the house you want.”
“Ev, you’re going to be staying with me for the foreseeable future.
” His hands cupped my cheeks as those brown eyes never left mine.
“I want to see where things go with us. I know what I want, but I am not going to force things on you. I may be a good man, but I am no prize and I come with a list of issues that I think has given my therapist plenty of gray hair.”
I didn’t like any of that. “You are a good man, Noah. You are the best man I know. And that makes you a prize. Maybe I am not ready for everything that is happening between us, but that doesn’t mean that I am not willing to try.”
His lips brushed against mine, before he pulled my bottom lip into his mouth.
The sting sent a wave of lust through me, and I needed to take a step away from him.
“We need to get to the studio.” I looked down at his groin and smiled at his erection.
“We can take care of that along the way if you want.”
He adjusted himself and opened the door for me.
“Yes, I do want. But when I have your lips wrapped around my cock for the first time in thirteen years, it will not be over the gear lever of my car. You will be on your knees in front of me and I will have the freedom to enjoy all that you are offering.”
It was not right that his words had me turned on so much. “I look forward to it.”
The drive to downtown San Diego was filled once again with talk about mundane things.
Since mine and Skylar’s schedule had to be available to Salinger Security, Noah pretty much knew where we would be over the next few weeks.
That made things easier. He asked about my relationship with Phil.
He was genuinely interested, not just curious for the investigation.
He wanted to know more about the tour with Five Hearts and the song I would be recording with Ricky. I had no doubt he was filing some of that information for later in case he needed it, but again he was more interested in my work.
I learned that he would be going out of state for a few days. He wasn’t sure when exactly, but he was preparing. He was going to speak to Jake about me staying with him and Cassie while he was away.
While I wasn’t exactly prepared to be on my own while the sick fuck was still out there, I was quite capable of taking care of myself and my daughter.
“I will call Cassie. Besides agreeing with you that it's not safe, I am actually scared. But I do know how to make a phone call. And Cassie is my best friend, she’ll be more than willing to help.”
Not to mention that she would welcome the help from me and Sky with baby Daisy. That was the name they had settled on. Daisy Hope Salinger.
I was surprised they didn’t name her Debra after Jake’s late sister. But Jake had let us know that he and his brothers had decided the name would be reserved in case Bex ever wanted to use it.
“Good.” He pulled into the parking garage of the recording studio. “I didn’t mean to overstep. I just don’t want you worrying.”
The bits of irritation seeped out of me.
“Then talk to me Noah. We cannot make this work if you forget that I’ve had to do this on my own for almost thirteen years.
That’s not anything against you. You did nothing wrong.
But I have been a single mom without the support of my family.
The one thing I know how to do is take care of myself and our daughter. ”
“I don’t know if I’ve thanked you.” He offered me a quick look before pulling into a space close to the elevators.
“I have a great daughter and it’s all thanks to you.
She’s beautiful inside and out, Ev. She’s smart and kind and dedicated.
Okay, her math skills make me worry, but she’s imaginative and hardworking. That’s all thanks to you.”
His words made my heart swell. I was a good mother. My daughter was happy and healthy and I was the most important person in her life. Still, it was good to hear Noah say it. It made me happy to share her with him. She would be lucky enough to have two most important people in her life.
By the time Phil met us at the entrance to the studio, I had gotten all the gushy feelings out of my head, and I was ready to lose myself in the music.
Of course, Phil was still in shock about the call he had received from Jared a while back asking for all my old fan mail. Noah had also called him the day before. While Phil didn’t have the finer details, he was made aware I needed a bodyguard and that someone had broken into my house.
Before he could ask me about it, I cut him off. “Noah, this is Phil Shaw. Phil, meet Noah Moore.”
Phil narrowed his eyes at Noah. “John Moore’s boy? I thought you were in the Navy.”
“The Marines, actually, sir.” Noah shook Phil’s hand. “And I’m in the private sector now. When I did my investigation on you, I didn’t realize you knew my father.”
“Oh, it was years ago, we traveled in similar circles. When we both started out in New York. Then I went into music and he went into film production. And I’m afraid I don’t know which of his wives was your mother.”
“Margaret Nash.” Noah smiled at what appeared to be a slight. Not that Phil meant it that way. “Half the time I don’t think he remembers which one was my mother.”
Phil laughed but I was still confused. I mean the names they mentioned were familiar but that would make Noah Hollywood royalty.
Wouldn’t it? Not in the nepobaby sense, since he didn’t go into the industry, but his parents were famous.
Oh, that explained that statement he made all those years ago.
He had parental issues. “So, you’re the child of John Moore and Maggie Nash? ”
Just then Ricky appeared chuckling as he looked at me. “You didn’t know? Come on? Everyone in the entertainment industry knew who he was. He was the guy you picked up at the bar the night of our debut album release party.”
And he still remembered that night. Wow.
I rolled my eyes at the asshole. “I know where I met him. He saved me from your bad flirting.”
Not once in the time I had known Ricky had I openly told him off like that. I couldn’t help the smile of satisfaction playing at my lips. Noah stiffened next to me, he wasn’t about to be outdone.
He stuck his hand out at Ricky. “Noah Moore. But I guess you already knew that. And you are?”
Ricky’s face paled as he took Noah’s hand. “Ricardo Gilles.” He turned back to me. “You were at the western bar in that little town you live in. You were quite something.”
Noah narrowed his eyes at the man. “You were in Marina De Ferrier last Friday?”
“Yes. We were filming a music video for one of our new singles and we only got time in the spot we needed after ten at night.” Ricky frowned, affronted to be questioned.
“My part was done earlier than everyone else’s and I went back to the bar, but you and your little friends were all gone already. ”
I shook my head and gestured for us to move forward. “Look my kid gets off from school soon and I have a lot going on, I do not have time to waste. Let’s get this started.”
Not even twenty minutes later, Ricky and I went through the revised version of my song, Lost. We worked on which parts each of us would sing while the band adjusted the song in his key.
When we went through our first full run through, he got so lost in the music, I understood why the industry put up with him.
The man was a musical genius and when he had to concentrate all his assholiness fell away.
With the cameras around filming the footage for the music video every part of the day was recorded.
We rehearsed twice more, making sure each of us knew where to harmonize.
By the time we went into the sound booth, we were confident that we had another single.
I just hoped I would be able to see it through the second time around.