Chapter 3
CHAPTER THREE
I missed you more
Ruby
After finishing work late last night, I’d braved the three hour drive home to Detroit. As tempting as it had been to put it off until the morning and slip straight into bed, the empty roads made the late-night run worth it.
By the time I was pulling into my parents’ drive, it was well past midnight and they were fast asleep.
As Mum’s way of still being around to greet me, she’d left dinner in the oven, laid out my pyjamas, and made up my bed with fresh linen.
It was one of the perks of being an only child – I received all the attention.
Checking the clock now, it had just gone eleven a.m. While I could easily drift back off to sleep, I didn’t want to waste time. I only had two full days here, and one of those would be entirely tied up by Thanksgiving.
I’d somehow lucked out and scored Thanksgiving off, but I had to leave first thing the day after to make it back for my afternoon shift.
Reaching for my phone, there were two missed calls from Noah, a message from Ryker, and a stream of unopened alerts from the girls’ group chat. Knowing that would take the longest to get through, I opened Ryker’s message first.
Ryker: My flight gets in at four. Are we hanging tonight or what?
Ruby: I’m spending the day with Noah. Sorry. :(
Ryker: Roger that. See you tomorrow.
I returned Noah’s calls next. He picked up straight away.
“Finally, babe. I was worried you were going to sleep the day away.”
“I was tempted,” I said, muffling a yawn. “Where are you?”
“At Bella’s Café.”
“What are you getting?”
“A coffee for me.” A spark of excitement slipped into Noah’s voice. “And an iced latte for you.”
“Anything else?” I coyly prompted.
“I suppose I could get you a chocolate croissant.”
“I’ll make it worth your while later if you do.”
Noah chuckled. “I’m almost at the counter. I’ll see you soon.”
Knowing the drive between Bella’s and my house was only fifteen minutes, I dashed to the shower to get ready for the day.
I was so excited to see Noah. It had been way too long since we were last together.
Like Ryker, Noah’s water polo schedule kept him busy.
His team hadn’t made it to the conference tournament though, so his season was over.
While Noah was bummed about that, I wasn’t.
It meant his weekends were free now, so realistically we could see each other more often. I couldn’t go another two months again.
After taking an express shower, I hurriedly went through my skin care routine and tamed my hair with a claw clip. Pulling on a pair of jeans and one of Ryker’s old football hoodies, I rushed downstairs, just as Noah walked through my front door.
Leaping down the final two steps, I threw myself at him. Despite clutching a paper bag and tray of coffees, he managed to catch me with his free arm.
Resting my head against his chest, I listened to the familiar thrum of his heartbeat. Even with a sweater between us, he felt bulkier, like he’d packed on some muscle. Given how obsessed he was with clean eating and exercising, it was highly likely.
There’s no chance he would have treated himself to a chocolate croissant too. It wouldn’t fit into his meal plan.
As annoying as his health obsession was – since it meant no dessert dates – the perk was I never had to share my treats with him.
Pressing a gentle kiss to my forehead, he eased back slightly. “Hey, babe.”
I grinned. “Hi. I missed you.”
“I missed you more,” he returned, matching my smile.
“Ruby? Noah? Is that you?” Mum called out.
Too excited about seeing Noah, I’d completely forgotten Mum was home.
Following her voice to the kitchen, we found her at the breakfast bar with a stack of ingredients laid out, prepping the Thanksgiving pies.
She made the world’s best pumpkin pie, and each year she also made a pecan pie because it was Ryker’s favourite.
Wiping her hands on her apron, she rounded the bench to hug Noah. “You’re looking very tanned, hon.”
“The sun shines year round in Miami, Cherie,” Noah smiled, showing off his perfectly straight and bright teeth.
Noah’s father was a dentist. He owned a dental practice here in Detroit and had been prepping Noah since high school to help run it after college.
“What are you making, Mum?” I asked.
“Just the usuals. Pumpkin pie and Ryker’s favourite.” She picked up her knife and sliced a pumpkin straight through the middle. “Are you coming to the Richardson’s for Thanksgiving, Noah?”
He never had before, and there were no plans for that to change this year. My parents and I spent each Thanksgiving with the Richardsons – a tradition we’d had my entire life – and Noah’s family always spent the day with their extended relatives.
As a kid, I used to fall asleep in Ryker’s bed while waiting for my parents to be ready to head home. More often than not, I’d wake up there the next morning too, with my tipsy parents having snuck home at some absurd hour and decided it would be easier picking me up in the morning.
It happened so many times that mine and Ryker’s annual Thanksgiving sleepover became its own tradition. After stuffing our faces all day and playing countless games of charades, we’d sneak off at some point and fall asleep while watching a movie in his bed – or a football game.
“Noah’s family already have plans,” I answered. “We’re spending today together instead.”
Mum smiled. “Well don’t let me stop you. Have fun.”
Taking Noah’s hand, I guided him upstairs, closing my bedroom door behind us. In high school my parents had an open door rule whenever Noah was over, but they’d relaxed that since I left for college.
My bed was still unmade, with the blankets messily kicked to the foot. I subtly attempted to straighten things out while Noah shrugged off his sweater.
Noah was, to put it bluntly, a complete neat freak. He kept his car spotless and literally couldn’t leave his house in the morning without making his bed. Often before we’d leave for an event, he was the one offering to iron my outfit.
Case in point, as I placed my iced latte and pastry bag on my dresser, Noah’s face twisted.
“I wouldn’t leave that there, babe. That bag is really greasy.”
“It’ll be fine.”
Knowing we were finally alone, I kissed Noah, something I’d been waiting months to do. It wasn’t a hello kiss either, it was an I-missed-you kiss.
I tangled my fingers through his cleanly washed hair, though instead of parting his lips, Noah nervously chuckled before placing his hands on my hips and edging me back an inch.
“Your mum is downstairs, Ruby.”
“So?”
“So what if she comes up here?”
“She won’t,” I said. “She has pies to prep.”
“Ruby, if your mum caught us fooling around, I’d never be able to look at her again. Not to mention your dad would murder me.”
With a defeated sigh, I gave up on my terrible attempt at seduction. Once Noah had his mind set on something, nobody could change it.
“What do you want to do then?” I asked.
Noah kicked off his shoes before falling onto my bed. “How about we watch a movie.”
I frowned. “You don’t want to go out and do something?”
“Nah. I’m kind of hungover. I caught up with some old school buddies last night and things got out of hand.”
Noah and I didn’t share the same school friends. While I’d hung out with them in the cafeteria or at parties, they were his people, not mine.
“Okay. If that’s what you want.”
He pushed off from the headboard, reaching forward to wrap his arms around my lower back. “If we head into town, we’ll spend the whole day bumping into people,” he complained. “I don’t want to share you. We barely have much time together as it is.”
Lifting my hand, I ran my thumb along his freshly shaven jaw. “You know, you could come tomorrow. Ryker and his family would love having you there.”
Noah raised a challenging eyebrow. “And my family would appreciate it if you spent Thanksgiving with us.”
I sheepishly grimaced. “It’s not that I don’t want to see your family–”
“I know, babe. I get it.” He trailed his fingers along my ribs. “But for the record, once we’re engaged, you and I will need to start making our own traditions.”
My heart skipped a beat and a nervous flutter started in my stomach. “Once?”
Noah flashed me his picture-perfect smile. “All in good time, Ruby Wilson.”