Chapter 25
The McBride's house was crazy. Chaos, laughter, children, and more chaos everywhere.
But as Grace watched Marjorie interact with her children, the smiles and laughter of the grandchildren, and the gentle teasing of siblings, she longed for that for herself.
Noah came from a large family. Maybe he wouldn't want a big family like this, although he seemed totally at home, laughing and joking with the men, helping to carry chairs and set up a table for the children beside the adult table.
They carried large plates of food, platters of food, and soon with the ladies' help, everything was ready.
For the first time since they'd arrived, the chaos settled down as everyone bowed their heads and Jones said grace.
It lasted a little longer than the typical grace that she said, as he thanked the Lord for the food and asked for strength to be more like Jesus.
It was a sincere prayer and one that Grace could honestly say amen to after it was over.
She had been seated with Noah on one side of her and Dr. Hannah on the other.
She hadn't spoken too much to Dr. Hannah, but she knew who she was. And after they passed the mashed potatoes, she said, "So you're one of the McBride children?"
Dr. Hannah laughed. "No. Marjorie just loves inviting people over.
And somehow Ben and I have become like children to her, I think.
Anyway, she's like a mother to me. She's been a blessing.
I work with her daughter, whom you probably have not met, since Dr. Terry just had a baby.
She's on maternity leave and will be until the middle of January. "
"Oh. That explains things. I wondered why you didn't really look like everyone else."
Hannah laughed. "This family has been such a blessing to me.
I used to work in the city, and I didn't really think that family was that important.
I was more interested in my career and focusing on that.
But I had a few things happen, and I lost my job.
And thankfully, Terry hired me, and the McBride family took me in, and I fell in love with Ben, and I don't ever want to leave Mistletoe Meadows.
" She handed the gravy to Grace and then said, "It's crazy how God works.
Sometimes I've resisted, but in the end, I see how His way was best all along.
I don't know why I'm still so stubborn. I'm supposed to be a fairly smart person. But sometimes I'm kind of dumb."
Grace laughed and said something in response, but in her heart, she was thinking that God really did work things out. He certainly had shifted things around for her. Hannah looked so happy, like she didn't miss her big prestigious job but was indeed glad to have a slower and fuller life here.
They stayed for several hours after the meal was over, just talking and laughing, and while there was no singing, they did play games and sat outside on the porch, enjoying the sunshine in the afternoon.
Finally, she suggested that they go, knowing that Aunt Vivian typically took a nap in the afternoon and was probably exhausted.
Sure enough, when they got home, Aunt Vivian excused herself almost immediately to go lie down, leaving her and Noah standing on the front porch.
"Would you like to take a walk?" he asked, as though he too were loath to leave her.
"I would love to."
They stepped off the porch, and their hands brushed once, and then she felt his fingers slide around hers.
It surprised her, but it also felt perfect, and she allowed it, clasping his hand and weaving their fingers together.
She glanced up at him, and he was looking down at her, a serious look on his face.
"Is that okay?" he asked, lifting his brows.
"It's perfect," she said.
They walked slowly along, going in the general direction of his music shop, when she remembered something that she'd seen one of the first nights she had seen Noah.
"Do you write music?"
He huffed out a surprised breath.
"Oh. That's right. You saw me that night."
"That was beautiful music. That melody has been stuck in my head ever since, and I'd love to hear it again."
"I'm glad you like it."
"So you wrote it?" she asked, noticing that he hadn't answered her question.
"I did. I compose some. Nothing is published, but... I enjoy it." He shrugged and then sighed. "It's kind of my little secret."
"Would you share it with me?" She felt bold asking for that. After all, he'd just admitted that it wasn't something that he shared with anyone.
"I'd really like to."
They exchanged a long look as they strolled hand in hand down the sidewalk to his shop.
They didn't say anything else as he opened the door and she stepped in. She stood waiting for him to lead the way back to the room with the piano and his violin.
He took his violin out of the case, then tuned it to the piano and laid it on the top.
Reaching under the bench, lifting up the lid of the bench, he reached in and pulled out a notebook full of music paper, some scribbled on, some notes scratched out. But some neatly organized in a three-ring binder.
"This was the piece I was working on the night you interrupted me. It has evolved into something that I've never done before, and that is a duet between a piano and violin."
He didn't say anything more, but it made Grace wonder if he was writing it for them.
"I didn't really mean for it to go that way, but after I met you... Yeah. It just evolved into that, and multiple nights I've stayed up way past midnight with the music dancing in my head. It's practically written itself."
"May I?" she asked, forgetting until that second that she hadn't played the piano since that fateful night.
But this felt different. It felt right, and she had no fear.
"Of course," he said, but he didn't move to put the music down until she had asked. He set it on the piano and opened it up to the first page. She could easily see the violin part on the top and the piano part beneath that.
Reading the music, she saw that it was going to be a fun piece, a little flirty, and then she turned the page and it got a little more serious, a little more passionate.
"Can I play?" she asked.
"You sure can."
"Will you play the violin part?"
He didn't say anything but picked up his violin and tucked it under his chin.
Typically the piano would have a slight introduction, but with this music, the violin started by itself. A little bit of a sad melody, until the piano came in and kind of nudged it. You could almost feel the introduction as they danced around each other a bit, and then the fun interaction started.
She was so focused on Noah's music and hearing the story, seeing it play out in front of her eyes, that she forgot that she hadn't played in a long time, or that she had been scared to try again.
The music flowed out of her fingers as naturally as breathing, and Noah's playing held an understanding and brought out a depth to her own playing that she'd never heard before.
Playing with him was different. Better.
There were some unfinished parts, and they skipped over those, playing what was there, until the end.
The final page had tones of the wedding march and a piece that she often heard at nuptials as well.
There was a slight lullaby, only for a few bars, and then the music ended.
"That's it?" she asked, surprised and disappointed when the music just stopped.
"Yeah. That's all I have so far."
"It's my new favorite music. Oh my goodness." She put a hand to her chest and struggled to find words. "It's the most amazing thing I've ever played. I could see everything."
"What did you see?" he asked softly, curious.
"Back here is where they meet. The violin first, then the piano comes in. They introduce each other, and then they flirt back and forth. Then their courtship on this page, and this was the first kiss."
He dropped to a knee and tucked his violin under his arm.
"You did see it. You understood."
She nodded. "Yes. It was as plain as a movie running in front of me." She turned her head, not realizing he had been so close. Their breaths mingled.
"The part that I was writing the night I met you turned into the courtship part... It all came together once I saw you."
"I don't think I've ever been anyone's inspiration before," she said. Then she paused and took a breath. "You need to play this. This is what we need to play for the music festival. It has to be this."
He didn't seem upset by her insistence. Instead he searched her eyes, as though trying to read anything else other than what her words were saying.
"For you. We'll play it for you."
"For us," she gently corrected him. Somehow, her hand reached out and touched his cheek.
"I told you before I wanted to kiss you again. You probably ought to say something if that isn't what you want."
She just smiled and pulled him closer, closing her eyes. Of course she wanted to kiss him. How could she tell him that she'd wanted to since the first moment they'd met?
Kissing Noah was just as sweet and perfect as she thought it would be, and made even better by the music they had just played together. And the promise of more to come.
Somehow, his arm wrapped around her, and she slipped her hands around his neck, and they kissed for a really long time.
As she pulled away, she realized he was still holding his violin.
"I'm sorry. I suppose I should've allowed you to put that down."
"Maybe I'll do that now," he said, sounding a little breathless. He had his bow in the same hand, and he expertly set the violin gently on the piano and the bow beside it. "That's better. I wanted to have both hands on you."
They smiled at each other, although in the back of her head, Grace was asking how this was going to work. Was she going to stay here in Mistletoe Meadows? Was he going to chase his dreams in the big city? How were they going to do this together?
But she didn't need to worry about that. Maybe he wasn't thinking about anything along those lines, although relationships weren't really something that she did to be casual and uncommitted.
Still, maybe she could just enjoy the moment and not have to have the rest of her life planned out. Although, it was only fair for Noah to know that she didn't typically go around kissing people without thinking that there was some kind of commitment between them.
He had lowered his head, and she had eagerly joined in a second kiss, but as he pulled away, she looked down and gathered her wits about her.
"That was really nice," she said, and then opened her eyes and looked at him. "I don't want to push for anything, not really, but... I don't typically kiss people without thinking that there's a strong commitment there."
"Yeah. I was looking at you at the table today and wondering if we might have a family of our own sometime, the kids running around, laughter, fun, and music. Lots of music together."
Yeah. That was the kind of commitment she was looking for. And she didn't need any more than that. Not right now.