Chapter 15 Sasha
Chapter Fifteen
SASHA
By the time Noah left, on the heels of another breath-stealing kiss, I had to lean against the wall in the foyer downstairs. I needed a minute to gather myself and scramble my wits together. Once I could breathe and my knees weren’t threatening to give out, I headed back upstairs.
The second I crested the top stair onto the landing on the second floor, Melanie’s door flew open. Her grin was wide. “Noah is totally hot,” she announced. Melanie might not be young, but she acted like it sometimes.
I was hot all over. I bit my lip and tried to give a nonchalant shrug. “I won’t argue the point on that.”
Her eyes took on a gleam as they swept from my head to my toes. “He kissed you again, didn’t he?”
I leaned against the railing at the top of the stairs. “You know, you’re seventy-five years old,” I pointed out, completely sidestepping her question.
“Obvious much?” she countered quickly. “So what? I may not be getting any myself, and frankly, I’m past that stage, but I can certainly enjoy it vicariously.”
I sighed. “Yes, he kissed me again.”
“Want some tea?”
I could always use a late-night chat in Melanie’s comfortable kitchen. I nodded. “As if I’d say no.”
I followed her into her apartment, which was basically a mirror of Quinn’s and mine. We walked through the archway into her small kitchen. She filled the kettle, setting it on the stove.
We’d been neighbors and friends long enough that I didn’t wait for her to tell me to have a seat. That was a given. Just as she had a key to our place and could come over anytime for dinner, or tea, or whatever.
The anxiety that had welled after Noah left started to dissipate. Frankly, I didn’t know what to do about this man who turned me on like no other and who was so comfortable because I knew him from before. Yet I didn’t know how this would play out.
“What kind of tea?” Melanie asked over her shoulder as she pulled two mugs out of the cabinet by the sink.
“Do you have chamomile? I need something that will help me fall asleep.”
“Of course you need something to help you fall asleep. I’m sure you’re wide awake. Yes, I have it.”
I laughed. A few minutes later, Melanie was sitting across from me, and steam rose from our respective cups of tea.
“So that was Noah,” she began.
“Yep.” I lifted my teacup to take a sip, but it was too hot. I set it down on the table. “He wants to take Quinn and me to dinner tomorrow. I’m not sure about that.”
“What does Quinn think?”
“I’m not sure. He asked me in the hallway. She was polite tonight. He also bribed her with a calzone.”
“From where?”
“I forgot what it’s called. It’s right near that sandwich place we love by the old bank. It really is good.”
Melanie’s eyes lit up. “Oooh, I’ve been there. Very good place, but not too trendy.”
“Yeah. You’ve heard of it?”
Melanie smiled. “Of course I have. My John used to take me there. We loved it. You forget, but we lived over in that area when I was in college. It was a long time ago, and I don’t drive these days, but I’m sure the same family owns it.
Smart man to offer to get Quinn a calzone. I know how much she loves those.”
“I know.” I took a breath, letting it out before finally taking a sip of my tea. “Do you think I’m crazy?”
Melanie gave me a dry look. “Absolutely not. You went on a date. It’s not like you have to worry about this man doing anything horrible. You’ve known him and his family for years.”
I’d told Melanie a little bit about Noah after my week in Haven’s Bay with him. “Yeah, but Quinn’s not used to me dating.”
Melanie tightened her lips and cast me something approaching a glare.
“You don’t need to be alone forever. If I didn’t know better, I’d think you were aiming for that.
You’re not irresponsible. You haven’t been dating and running through men faster than some people do their rosary beads when they pray.
” I snorted at that. “It’s obvious he likes you.
And he’s a honey, very easy on the eyes. ”
A “honey” was Melanie’s description of a cute guy. She tended to select the men who did repairs on the building based on how cute they were. I doubted the wisdom of that, but she’d never had an issue.
I rolled my eyes. “I’ll ask Quinn if she wants to have dinner. If she wants to go, we’ll do it.”
“It’s a good sign he wants to include her this soon. She’s the most important person in your life.”
“Of course, she is.” I took another swallow of my tea. “I wish there was an instruction manual.”
“For what?”
“Dating as a single parent.”
“Sweetie, dating is fraught whether you’re a single parent or not. I’m not going to pretend it’s not more difficult when you have a daughter to consider. I think you’re a little rusty. Might as well try with someone who obviously thinks you’re sexy and wants you.”
I rolled my eyes. “Right now, he does. But wait until I have to cancel for one in a long list of reasons. Or wait until Quinn decides she hates him.”
“Or wait until it’s not as bad as you think,” Melanie pointed out.