11. Chapter 11
Chapter 11
Noah
"I thought you’d have gone home by now," I say, unable to look away as her beautiful blue eyes meet mine, a warmth sparking in her gaze. I watch her add freshly sliced tomatoes, ripe avocado, crisp lettuce, and a thin spread of mustard to my sandwich.
"Here, try it now," she says, lifting the now mouthwatering sandwich toward me.
I take it from her and take a bite, savoring the burst of flavors that were missing before.
How could I have been married for fifteen years and never once felt the impact of something so small and seemingly insignificant yet so profoundly meaningful? Lily’s simple gesture touches me in a way I never knew I needed, opening my eyes to the beauty inside her heart.
I devour the whole thing in a few bites, each one a delightful explosion of flavors, as Lily watches me with rapt amusement.
I finish the last of my lemonade and smile, letting my gratitude shine through before speaking. "Thank you. It was sweet of you to turn my boring sandwich into something special."
"You're welcome," she says with a gentle smile. "I know it's late, but I wanted to ask about your trip. Did everything go smoothly with your publisher?"
Something else I’m not used to—someone genuinely asking about my day. "It went well," I say, appreciating her interest. "Once the publisher gives the manuscript a once-over, it’ll go to the editor. If any changes are needed, it'll come back to me. The release date isn’t set yet, but we’re getting closer."
"That's great," she says, her excitement genuine.
"How did things go with your dad?" I ask.
"Better than I expected," she admits with a smile. "Davey spoke to him in Spanish the entire time and even gave him a few Japanese lessons."
"You're kidding," I laugh, picturing the scene.
"No," she smiles, shaking her head. "They really hit it off."
"Let me walk you home, Sweetheart. It's getting late."
"Yeah," she says, "I’m meeting Dad at ten in the morning to give him a tour of the daycare, and then we’re going to lunch. Can I take Davey with me?"
"Well, now that the book is finished, I have more time. I can watch Davey. You go ahead and spend time with your dad. Have fun."
"Okay," she says. "Um...when do you want to meet him?"
"Your dad? Whenever you’re ready to introduce us."
"Okay," she smiles. "We can talk about it tomorrow."
I take her hand and walk with her across the lawn to her front door.
"Good night," I say, lifting her hand to my lips and kissing it gently. "I love you, Lily."
"I love you too," she says, her voice filled with emotion.
"Can I kiss you?" I ask, my voice barely above a whisper.
"I thought you'd never ask," she says with a smile, closing her eyes. I'm captivated by her breathtaking beauty. Each day, I uncover something new about her that pulls me in deeper.
Lily opens her eyes, studying me with a curious gaze. "What is it?" she asks softly.
"Nothing," I say, though I can feel the emotion welling up behind my eyes. "I’m falling deeper in love with you, Sweetheart."
"You love me more today than yesterday?" she asks, a smile tugging at her lips.
"I do," I confess, meeting her gaze.
"Was it the sandwich?" she teases, her smile growing wider.
I laugh, the unexpected question catching me off guard. "Maybe," I say, still grinning. "Or maybe it’s just everything about you."
"Everything?" she asks, her voice tinged with curiosity. "Like what?"
I pull her closer, my lips brushing against her ear as I whisper, "Let me show you." Her hands slip around my neck, her fingers lazily raking through my hair.
I gaze at her, watching as her eyes flutter closed as she waits for the kiss she knows is coming. Slowly, I bring my hand to her neck, my fingers tracing the delicate curve of her nape, feeling the warmth of her skin beneath my touch. I kiss her eyelids, then her forehead, lingering on each cheek, her chin, and the tip of her nose. My lips brush against her earlobe—a whisper of a touch that seems to make her breath hitch, before I finally let my lips graze hers, a tantalizing tease that leaves her breathless. I kiss her smiling lips softly, coaxing her mouth to respond, deepening the kiss gradually, savoring the way she melts into me. A tiny moan escapes her, and her hand moves down my chest, settling over my heart, where she can feel it pounding steadily, calling out to her with every beat.
As she steps inside and closes the door, I turn and make my way back to the house. I can’t stop the anticipation that builds inside me, knowing that tomorrow will bring me one step closer to her, to us.
Jon’s words echo in my mind again, “Noah, Lily is family.” I know he meant it as a brother's warning, urging me to keep my distance as a man and protect her like I would one of his daughters. But neither of us could have imagined just how true his words would become—because I intend to make her my wife.
***
When I finally go to bed after midnight, I lie awake, my body weary but my mind restless. Thoughts spin relentlessly, keeping sleep at bay. I can’t stop thinking about Lily’s accident—how her voice trembled as she recounted that night, so anxious about telling me she might not be able to conceive a child. I would've loved to have a baby with her one day, but what matters most is having her in my life. I'm committed to spending the rest of my days making her happy. Together, we’ll raise Davey. Though she’s not his mother, she means the world to him, and he means the world to her. We can form a family together.
Restless, I get up and walk to the window, staring out at the guesthouse across the lawn. My sweetheart is there, sleeping peacefully, when all I want is for her to be here with me. Overcome with longing, I grab a notepad from the small desk in my room and begin to pour my heart out, writing to the beautiful woman who has forever changed my life.
Sweetheart,
What am I going to do with you, Lily? These past few weeks have been the most incredible time of my life. Getting to know you, seeing you with my son, and feeling your love and devotion—it’s more than I ever dreamed possible. I am completely and utterly in love with you.
Love,
Noah
PS: Yes, I love you more today than I did yesterday.
I fold the small piece of paper and carefully write her name on it. Then, I take it downstairs and place it against the coffee pot, making sure it’s the first thing she’ll see when she walks in later this morning.
***
As I enter the kitchen, I see Lily flipping golden French toast on the griddle. The aroma of sizzling bacon and sweet syrup fills the air, mingling with the delicate scent of white lilies—her captivating perfume.
I walk up behind her and wrap my arms around her waist. "Hi," I whisper into her ear, feeling the warmth of her body against me.
She smiles and turns to face me, her blue eyes shining.
"Good morning,” she says softly. "I saw your note. Noah, I feel the same way. I don’t know how it happened, but I can’t imagine my life without you and Davey."
"Everyone will say we're crazy," I reply, drawing her closer. "You’re young, Sweetheart. They’ll question why you’d tie your life to a man nearly twice your age and with a child."
"I know," she nods, her voice steady. "But I don’t care. I love you."
"I love you too," I say, "What we have is worth fighting for. Only you and I truly understand the connection we share."
“Promise me that no matter what happens, we’ll never let anything come between us.”
“I promise,” I say, my voice steady and sincere. “Nothing will ever pull me away from you.”
“Now, about Dad,” she begins. “The last time I spoke to Loren, she mentioned I should make sure to invite him to Sunday dinner."
"Okay," I say, "but I’d like to meet him before then."
"How about tomorrow night?" she suggests. "We could all go out to dinner."
"Or, I could make something here.”
“Really?” she smiles. “You’re going to cook for us?”
“Of course,” I reply with a grin. “I’m a spaghetti-making expert.”
“You know what else you’re an expert at?” she asks, her cheeks flushing a pretty pink.
"Come here," I reply with a playful edge to my voice. I pull her close until our lips are almost touching.
"Kiss me, Noah. Kiss me like the expert you are."
***
After Lily heads out to meet her dad, Davey and I play catch in the backyard. We're deep into the game when the familiar ringtone of my brother’s call breaks through the afternoon calm. Since the day he said we'd table the conversation until his return, we've both sidestepped any mention of Lily and me. With everyone due back this week, the decision looms over me—should I tell him I'm dating Lily over the phone or wait to face him in person?
"I need to take this call, Buddy," I tell Davey, ruffling his hair. "Play by yourself for a bit while I talk to Uncle Jon."
With a deep breath, I pick up the phone. "Hi, Jon."
"Good morning!" his cheerful voice instantly puts me at ease.
"You sound rested," I say with a smile. "I can almost see your tan from here."
"Most of us are coming home with golden tans," Jon says. "But you know Sharon—she doesn't tan, so she doubled up on sunscreen to avoid burning. And Loren? She practically hid under a beach umbrella with a massive sun hat to keep the sun at bay."
"Is there anything you need done before you get back?" I ask, hoping he’ll dive into a list of tasks and steer clear of any mention of Lily.
"No," he says, "Lisa's already cleaned everyone's houses and restocked the refrigerators. I think we're all set. But while I have you on the phone, how's Lily doing?"
I should've known better—the idea that he wouldn't bring her up was just wishful thinking on my part.
"She's doing great," I reply, trying to keep my tone natural. "The daycare is all set for opening day. Enrollment starts at the beginning of the month, and she's really excited."
"And how's she doing with Davey?"
"Wonderful," I say sincerely. "Davey's thriving. He’s reading, doing simple math, and can name every flower in the garden. He’s even become an excellent swimmer. His tan is probably as golden as yours. Honestly, he almost looks more like Lily’s son than mine."
The moment the words leave my mouth, I cringe, realizing I probably shouldn’t have said that last part.
"Davey has a mom," Jon says, as if I needed reminding. "I spoke to Marian last week. She'll be here on the first."
"Lily isn't trying to usurp Marian’s role as Davey’s mother," I reply, more defensively than I intended. After a silent prayer, I continue, "Davey’s excited to see his mom. I hope it'll be good for him… for as long as it lasts."
"She's planning an extended stay until Davey starts school," Jon says, and the words hit me like a ton of bricks. A whole month with my past, present, and future colliding all at once.
"Are you still there?" Jon’s voice pulls me back from my thoughts after the prolonged silence.
"I'm here," I say, raking my fingers through my hair. "I wasn't expecting Marian to stay for an entire month."
"Is it going to be a problem?" Jon asks. "Maybe having her here will give you a chance to reassess everything."
"Reassess what?" I ask, still confused.
"Listen," Jon begins cautiously, "Marian spoke with Sharon and said she plans to win you back. I’m telling you this because I want you to be prepared."
"We’ve been divorced for a year," I respond. "I can’t see what she hopes to achieve with this visit, other than taking advantage of the time she’ll have with Davey."
"Is there a chance you two could work things out?"
"Absolutely not!" I exclaim, glancing over at Davey to make sure he hasn't overheard. Fortunately, he's engrossed on a swing, lost in his own world. Keeping my voice low, I continue, "Our issues started long before the divorce. We had problems dating back to before Davey was born. The complete collapse of our marriage didn’t happen overnight, and a month-long visit isn’t going to fix anything."
I can hear my heartbeat pounding in my ears as I struggle to keep my temper in check. I glance at Davey again—my son, my joy, my reason for living. The thought of anything disrupting his peace of mind with this visit and the ulterior motives behind it is deeply unsettling.
"What aren’t you telling me, Noah?" Jon’s concern is palpable in his voice. I honestly don't even know where to begin.
"I tried to make things work with Marian for years," I confess. "We had a son together, and for his sake, I was willing to stay married for the rest of my life, even though I was unhappy."
"What am I missing?" Jon asks, sensing there’s more to the story. "I thought your problems began when Mom got sick."
I swallow hard and decide to lay it all out. "Marian cheated on me throughout our marriage. She's a master manipulator, to the point where I often thought it was my fault. I wanted so desperately for it to work, and after Davey was born, I promised myself I’d stay no matter what."
"Noah, I had no idea," Jon says gently.
"How could you?" I ask. "We were married for fifteen years, and for half that time, Marian had multiple affairs. I never told you because I didn’t want you or your family to see her differently. She was my wife and then the mother of my child. I wanted our marriage to work—for us, for Davey. I wanted what you and Sharon have."
"You should’ve told me," he says, his tone shifting to that of the protective older brother he’s always been.
"Mom and Dad knew," I share bitterly. "They begged me to leave her, but we had Davey and the idea of a divorce was daunting. I wanted a lifelong marriage and a big family."
"Geez," Jon murmurs. I can almost picture him raking his fingers through his hair in frustration and disbelief.
"Look," I begin, wanting to reassure him. "It's over. I’m completely past that period of my life. I’m focused on the future, and the only role Marian will have in my life is as Davey’s mom. That’s it."
After hanging up the phone, I return to tossing the ball with Davey, my heart heavy with worry. I wish I could shield him from the storm that’s brewing with his mother’s imminent arrival. Our tranquil existence is on the verge of being shattered, and I can already sense the upheaval that her presence will bring.