Chapter 8 #2
That feels like a lie, but I won’t call her on it.
Suddenly, the door opens wide, and I find Brad’s wife, Noelle, standing in the doorway. Her eyes widen in disbelief as they land on me before shooting over to Cara.
“Ace? Is that you?” Noelle asks.
“It is. Did Brad not tell you who your new neighbors are?” I say with a chuckle.
“No, that man certainly did not! Well, come here,” she replies.
Noelle widens her arms and steps forward to embrace me. I return her hug, and as we pull away, she holds onto my shoulders for a moment.
“It’s great to have you back around.”
“Happy to be.”
Noelle turns to Cara.
“Don’t tell me you married this one?” she teases.
“My own prince charming,” Cara jokes back.
“It’s lovely to meet you. I’m Noelle. My husband, Brad, is just out back on the grill. Would you two like to come in?”
“We would love to,” Cara says before I can.
“Come on in then!”
“This is for you,” Cara says as she takes a pie out of the container I’m holding.
Noelle’s eyes gleam with delight.
“Ace, you really found a good one, I see.”
“The best out there.”
Cara smiles warmly at the interaction, and in this moment, even I believe we’re a real couple heading to an old friend’s house to say hello.
Noelle lets us walk in first and then follows behind with the pie in tow.
“I’m just going to put this in the kitchen. Why don’t you both head on out toward the back, and you’ll see Brad in a pile of smoke.”
Noelle laughs.
“In a way like the old days, right, Ace?”
The memory of the building burning down and me getting Brad out of the fire in time will be imprinted in my mind forever. I left this memory out when talking to Cara, and I’m not really sure why. Brad may have had his suspicions about me, but after that night, he never said a word.
“Right,” I murmur.
Cara gives me a side-eye, clearly noticing the change in my tone.
I head out toward the back patio with Cara by my side. She doesn’t comment on that exchange.
Opening the sliding glass door, I step out to see the silhouette of a stocky man covered in tattoos behind a smoke-filled grill.
Brad pops his head to the side and must notice our two figures walking onto the patio deck as he closes the grill. The smoke around him starts to dissipate.
“Hi there?” he asks, somewhat questioning who we are still.
“Hi, Brad. It’s been a long time.”
Brad steps forward, and realization dawns on him that it’s me.
“Get over here, you fucker,” he jokes.
I close the distance and shake Brad’s hand as I balance the bag of pies in the other.
“It’s been a while,” he says as he lets go of my hand and steps back in amazement.
“I did tell you I’d be coming.”
“You did, but that house has been sold for over a month. I didn’t know when you’d be moving in.”
I glance over to Cara at that bit of news. The agency has owned this house for over a month. They must have been onto Brad in that case. A piece of news they hadn’t shared with me at any point. I wonder if they knew about Brad’s and my relationship that far in advance and didn’t let on.
“You know how it goes. Had to make this one my wife.”
Cara beams as she extends her hand out to Brad.
“I’m Cara. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”
“Cara, the pleasure is mine,” he says as he takes her hand in his and places a kiss on top of it.
Cara giggles at the gesture.
“Alright, hands off my woman,” I tease.
Brad lets go and brings his hands upward, pretending to be caught.
“First time you’ve ever raised your hands up like that, mate?”
He lets out a deep, bellowing laugh as he lowers them.
“Don’t you know it.”
Brad continues to chuckle.
“We’re just about to eat some burgers. Interested in staying for a bit?”
“Oh, we wouldn’t want to impose,” Cara lies.
“Nonsense,” Brad says.
Just then, Noelle starts to open the sliding glass door.
“Baby, can you get a couple more burgers?”
“No problem! Do y’all want cheese on them?” she asks.
Cara nods, and I do the same.
“Two cheeseburgers, coming right up,” she says before disappearing back inside.
“Thank you,” Cara calls out.
“Take a seat.” Brad gestures to his patio set.
“Can I get either of you a beer?”
“That’d be great,” I answer.
I set down the bag of pies that we still have to share with the other neighbors. Brad walks over to his cooler and pulls out two cans of beer and hands one to each of us.
“Thank you,” Cara says.
“Of course.”
Brad takes a seat on the opposite side of where Cara and I both sat down.
I crack open my beer, and Cara does the same.
“How has life been, man? What have you been up to?” Brad asks.
“A little this, a little that,” I answer.
“Right. Still the same, I see.”
“Well, he did also get married,” Cara chimes in.
“That he did!” Brad shouts.
Brad focuses his attention on Cara, who is showing off her wedding rings.
“That’s a beaut. Looks a lot like the diamonds I’ve seen recently,” he mumbles, almost to himself.
The illegal diamond trade. I don’t think Brad intended to say that out loud.
“She deserves the best. How the hell else can someone like me get a girl like this?” I say, trying to distract him.
“I’ve been asking myself that since she stepped out here next to you,” he says with a laugh.
Noelle comes out with the burgers. She walks over to the grill and sets the plate down on the side. Brad gets up to join her there and starts to cook our burgers and plate theirs.
“Thanks for doing this,” Cara says.
“Sweetie, of course. We are just so pleased to have y’all here!” Noelle answers.
Brad concentrates on the grill as Noelle takes the two ready burgers and puts them on the patio dining table.
“Do you have plans for this weekend yet? You have to attend the neighborhood barbecue. It’ll be a great opportunity to meet everyone.”
“When is it?” Cara asks.
“Saturday. One o’clock at Ms. Miller’s house right down the road.”
“Ms. Miller?”
Noelle’s facial expression flusters slightly before going back to her previously friendly demeanor.
“Yes, she basically runs the neighborhood,” she answers with a fake laugh.
“She’s actually on my list to bring a pie to,” Cara says.
“I wouldn’t go over there unannounced. If you can bring one on Saturday, I’m sure she would love the gesture.”
“We’ll do that then. Thank you for the tip,” Cara answers.
“Us ladies have to stick together,” Noelle says.
“Burgers are ready!” Brad shouts.
“Why don’t y’all head over to the dining table? We’ll bring your burgers over there.”
“Perfect,” Cara says.
Cara and I both give each other a knowing look as we walk over to the table as Brad and Noelle focus on the grill.
Noelle is afraid of Ms. Miller, and we need to find out why.