10. Noel
10
Noel
N oel still wasn’t exactly sure how it had happened, but apparently, he was going out to eat with the lovely Addison Wedgewood. “And Barb Selway,” he reminded his reflection as he washed his hands in the restroom near the baggage claim. He’d helped Barb haul her two enormous suitcases off the conveyer belt, and then loaded them into the back of Addison’s compact SUV out at the curb.
“We’ll see you at the café in fifteen minutes,” Barb had said before climbing into the passenger seat.
Noel shook excess water from his hands, then carefully ran his damp fingers through his stick-straight hair, willing the styling clay he’d used that morning to wake up. He needed a haircut; keeping it short was the only way to avoid the irritated hedgehog look he sported when it started to grow out. That and the expensive hair products he’d discovered long after he’d left home.
So, Addison Wedgewood lived in Autumn Lake. That had to be the explanation of why she seemed so familiar to him. He must have crossed paths with her or seen her from afar somewhere out at the little lake town. Maybe one of the restaurants or a shop? “You’d think you’d remember,” he chided his reflection, but he still drew a blank.
He pulled open the collar of his shirt and took a quick whiff. Satisfied that he was at least presentable, he took a fortifying breath and headed out to locate his car.
Shoot the Moon was much larger than he’d envisioned. Barb’s description of it as a sandwich shop had been quite an understatement—the place was a full-service restaurant and bar. He was shown to a booth near the back where the two women were already seated next to each other. He slid in opposite them, accidentally bumping Addison’s knee with his own as he did. “Sorry about that,” he said, shooting her a warm smile.
“They’re all right,” she said, then grimaced, like that wasn’t quite what she’d intended to say. She looked away and began toying nervously with the corner of her napkin.
He bit back a smile; he didn’t want to do or say anything that would make her regret being there. But it did something to his insides to imagine she might be just as affected by him as he was by her. To Barb, he asked, “Am I late?”
“Not at all,” Barb assured him. “But I'm glad you're here. I’m suddenly ravenous. And my treat,” she reminded them both. “So order whatever you’d like.”
Noel was accustomed to meeting with strangers, and so was Barb, for that matter. A fashion consultant, she had several private clients, but she also worked with upscale vendors, and one such shop was the Ash and Aster Fine Clothing Boutique at the resort. It was how he and Barb had first met. He’d paid visits to each of the in-house vendors at the resort, and she’d been at the boutique the day he’d checked out Ash and Aster.
It quickly became evident, however, that Addison was much more reserved than the gregarious Barb. She wasn’t exactly shy, as he’d previously thought. She seemed more than content, however, to listen from the sidelines and let Barb and him keep the conversation going.
So, as Noel talked about his job at Carpe Diem, he did his best not to sound too boring. He was careful not to paint the resort in anything but the most glowing of terms. “No one likes the word ‘audit,’ right? So, I try to put a positive spin on it. My job as Financial Auditor is to pinpoint the company’s financial strengths and help them find ways to take those strengths to the next level.”
“I like that,” Barb declared, dabbing at her mouth with her napkin. She winked at him, and then nudged Addison beside her. “It almost makes his job sound fun, right?”
Addison grinned over at him, her eyes bright with humor. "Almost."
Noel nodded agreeably, hoping his expression wouldn’t give anything away. On the contrary, his job was not what he would call fun. Not by a long shot. John Sheridan made certain of that. Oh, he liked the work he did—he had always been a numbers man—but the current environment in which he did that work sucked all the pleasure out of it.
Addison didn’t contribute often, but she seemed to enjoy listening to the small talk. At least she wasn’t acting like she wanted to get away as soon as possible. Even so, her reserve had him second guessing himself. Maybe Barb was just being polite when she invited him to join them. Perhaps he should have excused himself the moment she’d veered toward Addison in the terminal, but he’d selfishly tagged along, happy for the chance to finally meet the woman who’d been on his mind so much over the last few months.
In the glow of the glass pendant lamp hanging over the table, Addison’s dark hair shone golden. She’d taken out the clip she’d been wearing earlier, and a curtain of soft waves fell forward whenever she dipped her chin. She absentmindedly tucked it behind her ear, the sparkle of a small silver hoop earring catching his attention. Something about the motion mesmerized him, stirring that odd sense of familiarity inside him again.
He shook it off and took a drink of sweet tea to distract his senses. The last thing he wanted was to make things awkward. What could he say that would draw her out without making her feel put on the spot?
“So, Addison, how did you end up living in Autumn Lake?” he finally asked, curious about her answer despite how banal the question was.
To his surprise, Addison straightened in her seat and put down the sandwich she’d been working her way through. Her eyes twinkled when she said, “It was simply meant to be. I was in Nashville with my parents for an event and fell in love with the Midwest, so I started looking for jobs. I applied for a position at the Nashville airport, but when they called me about an interview, they asked if I’d consider Evansville Regional, instead. I was able to catch a flight from Nashville to Evansville for super cheap, had an interview with the gang here, and voilà ,” she said with a one-shouldered shrug. “They offered me the job, and I took it.”
“Crazy girl,” Barb interjected with a chuckle, but it was obvious to Noel that this wasn’t the first time she’d heard the story.
“I had only three weeks to move and settle in, but I couldn’t find a place to live that suited me here in town. At least not on such short notice. Too much money or not a great neighborhood, stuff like that. So, I expanded my search and stumbled on a listing in the town of Autumn Lake. It's an apartment in an old brick building right downtown, within walking distance of both the lake shore and all the local hangouts.” She sighed dreamily. “It sounds idyllic, right?”
Noel nodded. “It does.”
“Well, it is idyllic,” she continued. “It’s perfect. I knew I wanted to live in Autumn Lake the moment I pulled into town. And when I saw the apartment? Well, I was sold. My landlords, the Veringers, could have charged me double, and I’d have gladly paid it.”
Noel settled back in his seat as she expounded on her home, thoroughly enjoying the way she spoke. She didn’t seem to have a regional accent of any kind, at least not one that he could place, but there was a pleasant lilt in her voice that made him think of sunlit days in spring. He almost laughed at the thought; was he waxing poetically about this woman?
“But then, I'm not telling you anything you don't already know,” Addison added, averting her gaze, but not before he saw the color in her cheeks. “You've been there. You know what it's like.”
“You’ve been to Addison’s apartment, Noel?” Barb asked, her eyes lighting up in surprise.
Addison made an odd sound in the back of her throat as she shook her head and exclaimed, “No, Barb. No. Sorry. That’s not— No. I mean, no.”
“Got it,” Barb chuckled and patted Addison's forearm. “No, he hasn’t been there.”
“I—I meant the town,” she said, meeting his gaze again. “You’ve been to Autumn Lake. You live in Autumn Lake, or at least you work there, so you already know how great it is.”
“I do,” he said, somehow maintaining his straight face. “It’s a great little town. There’s something almost out of time-ish about it, especially right now when there are so few tourists,” he agreed.
"Like Brigadoon," Barb interjected, her gaze darting back and forth between Addison and him. "But then, you two are probably too young to understand that reference."
“Not at all," Addison insisted. "I love that musical. The possibility of stepping out of time and into some enchanted town? That would be something else." She shook her head, her brow furrowing a little. “But to me, winter in Autumn Lake feels a little like being backstage. The costumes and makeup are off, the fake accents and pretenses are set aside. Winter is when the town is at its most genuine, in my opinion.”
Noel nodded slowly, appreciating her perspective. “I can see that. I suppose that’s probably true with a lot of tourist towns.” He cocked his head at her. “Do you consider yourself a local?”
“A Townie?” Addison asked after a moment’s hesitation, a mischievous grin tugging at one corner of her mouth. “I think so. I’ve made real friends in Autumn Lake. People have taken me in as one of their own.” She put an arm around Barb’s shoulders and gave her a quick squeeze. “People like Barb and Craig and their family. It’s home to me in a way no other place has ever been.”
He waited, hoping she’d share a few more details about her past, but she seemed to realize that she’d been doing most of the talking and fell silent.
“How long have you lived in Autumn Lake?” he asked, desperate to keep her engaged.
“It’ll be six years this summer,” she said, then picked up her sandwich. But before she took another bite, she added, “And if I have things my way, I’ll live there the rest of my life.”
Something in the way she said it, the sincerity, the certainty of it, poked at a tender spot inside of Noel. A bubble of envy swelled inside his chest as he acknowledged that he wanted that sense of belonging Addison had.
He'd yearned for it his whole life. To belong somewhere. To know that he was good enough, that he wasn’t just a burden, that he could pull his own weight. That he was an integral part of something bigger than himself. He’d been searching for that certainty for as long as he could remember.
He glanced over at Barb, and she smiled warmly when he caught her studying him. “You should spend some time on the south shore, Noel,” she said. “I think you might get a better idea of what Autumn Lake is made of from that side of things. The resort is so lovely, but it’s a vacation spot. Even the North Shore development is made up of homes built for folks who want to live in the shadow of Carpe Diem. If you want to get to know the heart of the town, then I suggest you get to know some of the locals, the people who call Autumn Lake home.”
“You’re absolutely right,” Noel readily agreed.
“Well, you already know this local,” Barb said, patting Addison’s arm again.
Noel felt every muscle in his body tense. He'd seen the calculating looks the woman had been shooting back and forth between Addison and him the whole evening. He knew what she was about before she said another word.
“You should show Noel around, dear,” she said. “Introduce him to folks. It’s such a great connection for both of you, don’t you think?” She winked at Addison, who almost choked on the last bite of her sandwich. “God usually has a reason for bringing people together, and it’s up to us not to squander those opportunities.”
Noel chuckled dryly, hoping Barb's lack of subtlety did not offend Addison. “Indeed, it is.”
Barb sighed contentedly and pushed her plate away so she could set her purse on the table to rummage through it for her wallet. “Well, I don’t know about you two, but I’m feeling the long traveling day. I’m ready to call it a night. Shall we?”
She paid the bill, and as they headed out into the chilly evening, she stepped between Noel and Addison and linked her arms in theirs. “I do hope you two will get together soon. Without me playing interfering third wheel, of course.”
Noel grinned over Barb’s head at Addison, but her gaze was fixed on her car across the parking lot. Even though he only saw her profile, her smile told him that she wasn’t averse to the idea. The thought of seeing her again outside of work certainly sounded enticing to him.
“I’d like that,” he said, taking a leap of faith.
Addison and Barb both turned to look at him, then Barb must have elbowed Addison, because she did a little sideways shuffle. “Right. Yes.” Then she hurried to say, “Not that you asked or anything. I just meant that yes, I’d like that, too.”
Barb released them both and swiped her hands together a few times. “Well. It seems my work here is done,” she declared with great satisfaction. “Addison, dear, take me home. My day is catching up with me, and it's going to be all I can do not to fall asleep in the car.”
Noel walked Barb around to the passenger side and held the door for her while she climbed in. Leaning into the window, he peered over at Addison in the driver’s seat. “I don’t have your number,” he said, doing his best to ignore Barb’s gleeful grin.
As soon as Addison gave it to him, he sent a text. A chime of crystal bells sounded from somewhere in the back seat. “Oh. My phone is in my purse,” she said, reaching back to scrabble for the bag she’d tossed onto the floorboard behind her.
“It’s okay.” Noel chuckled and shook his head to stop her frantic search. “At least we know you didn’t give me a phony number.”
“Noel,” Barb chided. “Our Addison wouldn’t do something like that.” He grinned at the collective 'our' she'd used.
“At least not in front of Barb,” Addison quipped with a smile.
“I see how it is,” Noel teased, relieved at her dry humor. “Text me—or call me—when you get home, okay? Let me know you made it there safely.”
Barb beamed like a proud mama. “Oh, good. I was going to have you text me, honey, but I might be asleep by the time you get home. You call Noel instead, you hear? We need to know you’re safe.”
Addison nodded agreeably. “I will, I will.” Then she said, “You two do know that I make this drive home multiple times a week without calling or texting anyone, and I’ve somehow managed to survive all this time.”
“That’s something that needs to change,” Barb shot back, eyeing her with motherly concern.
Addison reached across the console and squeezed Barb’s arm. “You worry too much. I’ve been on my own a long time, my friend.”
“Well, maybe that’s something that needs to change, too,” Barb said, her voice gentle now, and suddenly, Noel felt like an outsider again.
He patted the frame of Barb’s open window. “Ladies, thank you for the nice evening.” He held up his phone as he stepped back. “I’ll be watching for your text.”
He heard Barb say, “Now that is a nice young—” before her words were cut off by her window rolling up.
It was bitterly cold, and he hadn’t worn a heavy coat, having planned to go straight from the airport to the resort. He shoved his hands into his pockets, shoulders hunched against the brisk breeze that had kicked up while they were inside the restaurant, and he hurried to his car.
All the way home, he rewound the hour-plus he’d spent in Addison’s company. In spite of how nice the evening had been, he realized that not once had she initiated any part of the conversation, nor had she offered anything personal about herself. The only thing she’d let loose about—she’d all but gushed about, in fact—was Autumn Lake and how wonderful a town it was.
A message that was very different from what he’d heard from resort staff and even some of the residents of the North Shore housing development.
In fact, the common sentiment he heard on the resort side of the lake was just the opposite: how odd and off-putting the locals were. Phrases like “backwoods mindset” and “hicks and hillbillies” and “those people over there.” The term “quaint” when used had not been complimentary, and he’d even gotten a “Bless their hearts,” a time or two.
It seemed that there was a carefully and not-so-subtly cultivated elitist mentality surrounding the resort. The North Shore Haves versus the South Shore Have-Nots. Even the geographical location of the resort, perched on top of a prominence above the shoreline of the lake, gave it an air of superiority, like it was looking down on the town.
Carpe Diem had brought a lot of money flowing into Autumn Lake, had created jobs, increased the number of small business opportunities, and had almost single-handedly turned the tiny lake town into a booming tourist destination. But the company and its constituents behaved like self-aggrandized benefactors, separate and rather aloof.
It made sense to him that the locals remained so disinclined to make the newer residents who were populating the North Shore development around the resort feel welcome. They weren’t fools. The south shore locals knew exactly what the north shore folk thought of them.
A thought gave him pause. Was that how Addison thought of him? That would explain her reticence to open up to him this evening, and her eagerness to wax eloquent about the town. Although she’d seemed receptive to the idea of getting together with him in the future, he suddenly wondered if she might accidentally “forget” to text him when she made it home tonight.