18. Grace
Grace
The crisp fall air cut through my coat as I walked down the block. The faint scent of wood smoke and fresh dough drifted out of the door as I approached, and for a brief moment, I hesitated. It wasn’t nerves. It was the unfamiliarity of it all—a pizza night with Caleb and Noelle.
When I walked in, I immediately saw Caleb sitting in a booth in the back, casually leaning against the seat, his easy smile lighting up the space around him.
I took the opportunity to give Noelle a once-over before he noticed me.
I’d seen her around town with Ms. Kenzie and Jena but had never really had a full interaction with her.
She was a very beautiful, young girl. Her eyes were aquamarine blue like Caleb’s, and certain facial features were identical to her father’s, but her hair was a light shade of brown, almost blonde.
Noelle sat across from him, her small legs swinging over the edge of the booth. Her eyes scanned the room until they found mine. They were laser-focused, skeptical, but there was an amusement behind them as well.
“You came!” she said, her voice bubbling with enthusiasm.
“I did,” I said, my heart racing a little. “I wouldn’t miss pizza night.”
Caleb chuckled softly as he slid over to make room for me. “Noelle’s been talking about this all day.”
Noelle beamed, her eyes sparkling with excitement. “It’s my favorite place,” she said, holding up the menu as if to prove it. “They have the best cheese.”
“Well, I’m sure it’s going to be amazing,” I said, sliding into the booth beside him. “Thanks for letting me join you two.”
Caleb spoke again. “Noelle, I’d like to introduce you to Grace. She has become a good friend of mine these past few weeks while she’s been staying at The Grand.” He looked at me and smiled then turned back to Noelle, obviously trying to gauge her reaction.
Noelle started her own cross-examination. “A friend?” She folded her arms across her chest and rolled her eyes in disbelief. “Does she work at Bar? Are you dating?” Damn, she could work for law enforcement.
Caleb and I answered simultaneously.
“No,” I said as I shook my head. Caleb stated simply, “Yes.”
I couldn’t help but chuckle.
“Who’s lying?” Noelle raised her eyebrow before she started laughing as well. “Grown-ups are weird.”
“Grace’s filling in, but she doesn’t technically work there. As for whether we’re seeing one another—” he tried to explain, but she was already over the conversation.
“You’re dating,” Noelle said simply and reached for a menu.
After we ordered, the conversation shifted to the pizza itself and we then found ourselves in easy chatter. I could tell Caleb was doing his best to make sure the night felt relaxed and comfortable, like a regular family dinner. Even though I hoped it was the start of something more.
Noelle’s gaze fell on my charm bracelet. I smiled to myself and my heart warmed at her appreciating my favorite accessory. “Do you like my bracelet?” I asked, my voice soft.
She nodded. “It’s so cool. What do all the little things mean?”
I smiled and held out my arm so Noelle could get a closer look. “Each one is a little memory. This one is from Paris.”
“Wow! You’ve been to Paris?” Noelle gasped loudly, covering her mouth with her hands.
I nodded and made a mental note to ask Caleb if I could buy her a charm bracelet. I recounted some fun facts about my time in Paris, a watered-down version, of course.
“That’s so cool. Your bracelet is beautiful and it tells your story!
” Noelle grinned and looked behind us to where the pizza was coming out.
It was hot and fresh, and we dug in. It was every bit as delicious as Noelle promised.
Caleb liked half pepperoni and Noelle teased him about being “high maintenance.” I found myself laughing more than I had in a long time.
Once we finished eating, Caleb turned to me, his expression softer than usual.
“I’m really glad you’re here tonight,” he said quietly.
“Noelle’s been asking about you nonstop. ”
I felt my chest tighten, and I smiled at him. “I’m glad I came. It feels good to be part of something—with you both, right here.” I gestured to the table. “It’s nice.”
Caleb’s gaze lingered on me. “You’re part of this, Grace.”
My heart burst with warmth. This was something I never anticipated. It was simple, but it felt like everything.
“Dad,” Noelle interrupted, her voice excited. “Can we go home and make ice cream sundaes?”
Caleb smiled at her, a little exasperated but tender, nonetheless. “You know we can, kiddo.”
“Grace, you’re coming with us!” Noelle declared, clapping her hands.
I laughed, allowing her to drag me out of the booth while Caleb settled the bill.
I didn’t have all the answers about what this meant to me, for me, or for Caleb and Noelle, but at that moment, it didn’t matter. I felt like I was exactly where I was supposed to be.
I was standing in Caleb’s kitchen barefoot, watching him rummage through cabinets for bowls while Noelle climbed onto the counter and began sorting through ingredients like a tiny sugar-fueled manager.
Chocolate, caramel, whipped cream, chopped nuts, and a jar of maraschino cherries that may or may not have been ten years old.
“Dad, I wasn’t even born when these expired.”
“Caleb, do you even eat this stuff?” I asked, eyeing the ancient cherry jar.
He shrugged sheepishly and handed me a bowl, our fingers brushing briefly. I felt the electricity between us like I always did whenever our skin came in contact.
Noelle built her monstrosity first: three scoops of ice cream, two sauces, a bunch of crushed Oreos, gummy bears, and a few cherries (from a fresh jar).
“My sundae is called the Raving Rainbow. This is how you build a sundae. Anything with less than three scoops doesn’t qualify as a sundae.
” She proceeded to instruct us on the ice cream sundae principles and how to build the perfect concoctions.
“Your turn,” she said, pushing the tub of vanilla toward me.
I hesitated but scooped three small scoops into my bowl, added caramel, whipped cream, and one cherry.
“Wow,” Noelle said. “Yours is … elegant. Like you.”
“It’s plain.” I smirked, amused at her observation.
Noelle cackled and turned her attention to her father who was building some kind of peanut butter ice cream bowl with chocolate sauce. He nodded like he’d solved some kind of major problem.
We all settled around the island with our bowls in hand. For a while, all we heard was the sound of spoons clinking against ceramic. Noelle started telling us stories about her art class and how stick figures were hard to draw for some people.
Once we were finished, I spoke again. “Thank you for a great night. I should head back to The Grand. It’s getting late.”
Noelle tipped her bowl toward her face, trying to drink every last drop of the now melted ice cream. She then slid off her stool. “Oh, don’t go now. I’m going to find a movie,” she announced, disappearing down the hall with her sticky fingers.
Like clockwork, Caleb yelled, “Wash your hands!”
Caleb and I stayed in the kitchen while we waited for Noelle to come back. He held my gaze longer than I anticipated, making my stomach flip.
“Stay for the movie,” he said softly.
I opened my mouth to protest but was quickly cut off. “She likes you, by the way. Interrogating people is her love language,” he joked, or maybe he wasn’t joking.
I nodded, processing everything. “I’ll stay.”
I had never wanted to stay anywhere so much.