Chapter 34
CHAPTER 34
SAVANNAH HOLLINGSWORTH
I hear a buzzing noise, but I’m too warm and comfortable to move. I’m snuggled in a soft heaven, surrounded by fluffy pillows, and it smells like Noah. I breathe in deeper. Yep. Just like Noah.
I slowly open my eyes, and I remember I’m in Noah’s bed. It’s the most comfortable place I’ve slept in a long time. What in the world kind of mattress does he have? I roll over and snuggle deeper into his pillows. That’s what smells like him. I’m sleeping on cozy, Noah-scented dandelion fluffs.
The buzzing sound comes to the front of my attention, and I sit up and blink. Noah’s not in bed with me. And I know what the sound is.
I climb out of bed and slip my feet into my slippers. I tug on a robe and run outside and around the other side of my house. Noah’s on top of the tree that fell into my house, and he’s got a chainsaw. Tobias and Levi are stacking branches, and Micah’s cleaning up debris from my yard. When Noah sees me, he lifts the chainsaw and the noise stops. “You’re awake.”
“What are you doing?”
His mouth quirks up into a smile, his dimple making my heart skip a beat. “It’s not obvious?”
“Where did you get a chainsaw?”
Noah pauses. “I borrowed it from Tobias.” To affirm, Tobias nods at me.
I squint at Tobias. He wears a suit and tie 24/7. He is one of the least handy people I know. There’s no way he owned a chainsaw. “That’s a lie. Noah went and bought one, didn’t he?”
Levi laughs and motions to Noah. “She’s too smart for you, bro.”
I scowl at Noah. “You’re a terrible liar.”
“But a good neighbor, right?” His grin widens.
My chest constricts, and a wave of emotions sweeps through me. How can I not fall in love with this man? “Yeah. The best neighbor.”
“It’s going to take a while for us to finish. Are you okay missing the pancake feed?”
Tears prick my eyes, not only for Noah, but for all the Barrett brothers. “Why don’t I make us all pancakes?”
Micah’s eyes light up. “Ooh, yes!”
Noah laughs. “That sounds delicious. We can take care of this tree and the window today. The roof will probably be next week’s project.”
I continue to struggle holding back my tears of gratitude. “Y’all are going to miss all the Fourth of July stuff.”
“No way,” Micah says. “We’ll be done by one o’clock. Do you think we’re slackers?”
I laugh and realize I don’t even know what time it is. “No, you’re not.”
Levi motions to the street and I turn to see Kiki, Kiera, and Cricket in a car, stopping in front of my house. “The girls went to town and picked up a window. Once this tree is out of the way, it won’t take long to pop the old one out and install the new one.”
More emotions swell in me as I look at this family coming together to help me. All the girls get out of the car, and I walk to them. “I feel bad. You guys are all working on my house, and here I was sleeping in.”
Kiki gives me a hug. “Noah wanted you to sleep. Don’t feel bad. Go shower and get dressed.”
“I was going to make the guys some pancakes since they’ll miss the pancake feed.”
Kiki smiles. “Good idea. I can help. You shower first. Noah told us how you guys worked on into the night to get the water off the floor.”
I nod, too on the edge of crying to be able to say anything else. I go inside Noah’s house and grab my overnight bag. I take a quick shower and that makes me feel a whole lot better.
By the time I walk into Noah’s kitchen, it’s ten o’clock. Kiki’s already got all the ingredients for pancakes out. I join her and grab the flour and measuring cups. “Where’s Skyler?”
“She’s with Violet. They went to try out some of the street fair rides.”
“I bet she’ll love that.”
Kiki gives me the side eye as I’m dumping the flour into a mixing bowl. “How are things going with you and Noah?”
I stare down at the bowl, not having the heart to tell her we’ve been faking a relationship. Well, at least it started out that way. I’m not sure what we’re doing anymore. I figure the best way to handle Kiki’s question is to change the subject. “We’re good. Have you and Tobias picked a date yet?”
Kiki smiles, and she’s positively glowing. “September 19th.”
I raise my eyebrows. “Wow, that’s fast.”
“We want to get married quickly. I know a lot of people plan a wedding for an entire year, or even more than that. But we don’t want to wait that long. I just want a small wedding. Just family.”
“Will your parents come?”
Kiki flinches. “They disowned both me and my sister. I doubt they’d come, even if I invited them, which I’m not.” She tosses me a pained look. “I know that sounds terrible.”
“No,” I say, shaking my head. “I understand toxic relationships. It’s okay to set boundaries.”
Kiki’s smile returns. “And sometimes family is who you choose to be family. Like you. I feel like we’re sisters.”
My heart warms with the sentiment, and I pull Kiki into a hug. “Me, too.”
She steps back from me. “Will you be one of my bridesmaids?”
Tears prick at my eyes. “Of course.”
“That is, if you’re still dating Noah,” Kiki says, then laughs.
Emotions overwhelm me, and I grab the milk as a distraction, the cold seeping into my fingers. Things are just weird right now. Noah and I…we’re not real. I fooled myself into thinking I could pretend for a little bit…but the reality is I can’t date Noah. I can’t have what Kiki has. “Right,” I say, not looking at Kiki.
I measure the milk and pour it into the bowl. Kiki stares at me. “Oh, heavens. Did I just step in something?”
I force a smile. “No.”
She puts a hand on my shoulder. “Savannah, I’m sorry. I was just joking. No matter what happens between you and Noah, I’ll always be here for you.”
I feel terrible for showing Kiki the cracks in my facade. “Thank you,” I say, while trying to get my emotions under control. I can’t tell Kiki why I’m upset, so I just shake my head. “Noah and I are fine. I’m just emotional today. I never thought Noah would bring his whole family over here to fix my house. It’s overwhelming.”
Kiki grabs the pan, as the batter is now ready. “I get that. This family is something else, isn’t it?”
“Yes.” I hand Kiki the bowl and she heats up the pan for the first pancake.
Kiki makes the pancakes, and I pour syrup on and run plates of them out to the guys as they’re working. They stop for a moment to wolf down breakfast, then they hand me the plates and continue dismantling the tree.
After breakfast, Kiki and I do the dishes, then I go outside to see what needs to be done. Noah’s gotten all of the tree out of the window and is chopping up the last of it with the chainsaw. I assess the damage to the siding and the roof.
Remarkably, the siding isn’t too damaged. The roof, however, will definitely need to be repaired. The gutter is bent and falling off. One section of it will need to be replaced. Overall, though, I fared better than expected, and I’m once again feeling so thankful for Noah and his family coming to my rescue.
I walk over to Levi, who’s wielding an axe. “What do you need help with?”
“Want to split wood with me?” Without waiting for a response, he picks up a second axe and hands it to me.
“Sure. I guess. Show me how.”
Levi sets a log down on top of the chopping block and wipes his hand on his jeans. He grips his axe with two hands and gets into position. “Stand with your feet apart, so you have some stable grounding.”
I do as he shows me.
“Space your hands farther apart.” He sets his axe down and moves my hands on the axe. I admit, it does feel better to grip it the way he shows me.
“When you swing, your top hand should come down the axe handle, like this.” He swings his axe down in slow motion, showing me how to slide my hand.
I repeat his movements. “Is that good?”
“Yes. Now, don’t try to muscle it too much, let the weight of the axe do the heavy work. Aim for the center of the log. Look for any cracks, it will split easier of you go with the grain.”
I nod, ready to try, but Levi holds out his hand. “And don’t miss. I like my toes where they are.”
I laugh. “You might want to take a step back, then.”
He obliges, chuckling. “Okay, go.”
I swing the axe down and try to remember all of Levi’s instructions. The axe hits the middle of the log and splits it nicely into two with a satisfying crack. I jump back and grin. “Hey, I did it!”
“Great job!” Levi claps me on the shoulder. “You’re a natural.”
I spend the next hour chopping wood alongside Levi as the other Barrett brothers install my window. As I chop, I can’t help but think of what Kiki said about me and Noah breaking up.
When we decided to start a fake relationship, it was to get rid of Donald. And honestly, I haven’t seen Donald for two weeks. He’s probably not going to bother me anymore.
So, why am I still holding on to this fake relationship with Noah? And why did I kiss him? Does that mean I want a real relationship with him? The answer to that makes me uncomfortable, and I don’t want to explore it. I just want to enjoy the Fourth of July with Noah and not think about the future. I don’t want to admit I’m falling in love with him when I know I can’t have a forever relationship.
I’m broken, and nothing Noah can do will fix me.