28. Noah
Noah
Bailey had officially worked at the inn for six weeks. Exactly half the time of her contracted stay. To think she hadn’t been in my life six weeks ago was shocking, considering I couldn’t go six seconds without thinking about her.
I obviously had no intention of sending her away, but she couldn’t stay on as my employee.
With the future I had in mind for us, I wanted us to be partners in everything we did.
No fake hierarchy or weird power dynamics.
She deserved to be my equal in every aspect of her life, including professionally.
I shot her a quick text before my meeting with Grant.
Noah: Hi peaches. Was just thinking about you.
Bailey: You’re sure you weren’t thinking about last night?
Noah: I mean I’m only a man. What do you expect from me?
Bailey:
Noah: Come to my office after my meeting with Grant
Bailey: No funny business
Noah: No funny business…today
Grant strolled into my office, no knock or heads-up given.
“You know I am technically the boss, right? It wouldn’t kill you to at least knock on the door,” I said.
“And miss the opportunity to irritate you? I could never,” Grant replied.
I rolled my eyes. “I wanted to check in on the alcohol preparation for Emory’s wedding. I don’t need to give her jackass of a father any reason to have issues with us.”
Grant raised his eyebrow. “Did something happen there that I missed?”
“He was a dick to Bailey. I handled it.”
“Speaking of Bailey—”
“Not part of our current conversation. Alcohol update. Now, please,” I said.
Grant looked up at the ceiling before scratching his nose, his tell before he knew he was about to say something that would piss me off.
“Funny you should ask that. In the request from the Lewis family, they asked for an open bar with wine, beer, and cocktails,” he said.
“I also learned to read in kindergarten, Grant. Keep going, an open bar isn’t new to us.”
“Right-o, brother. But, turns out our liquor license is about to expire, and we’ll have to get a rush turnaround on that.”
I placed my head in my hands, counting to five before looking back at my brother.
“Why would our liquor license be behind on its renewal?” I asked.
“Because someone didn’t send in the forms on time,” he muttered.
“How late is it?” I asked carefully.
Grant shifted his weight back and forth, which was never a good sign.
“Couple weeks,” he replied.
I stared at him. “Tell me you’re joking, Grant. Tell me this is some sort of poorly timed prank you’re planning.”
“I thought I’d already mailed it.”
“And you didn’t think to double-check?”
I pushed back from my desk, irritation crawling up my spine. We were days away from one of the biggest events the inn had hosted all year, and the Lewis family were already a pain in my ass. I didn’t need to give them any reason to question our professional abilities here.
“That’s your whole job, Grant. Jesus, you wonder why no one takes you seriously around here. It’s because you pull shit like this. Bailey and I just got to a good place, and now I’m going to have to disappear in the middle of all this to clean up another mess.”
A glimpse of hurt flickered across his features before an icy and very un-Grant-like expression settled on his face. I should’ve backed off or taken a moment to cool down, but the momentary anger had me in a chokehold.
“Like father, like son, right? I’m the classic fuckup who lets everyone down.”
He grabbed the door handle.
“Sorry to disappoint you, Dad,” he said mockingly.
I closed my eyes, feeling like an asshole and ready to apologize, but he stalked out before I could say a word. My phone buzzed.
Bailey: Ready for me?
Noah: Come on in
Bailey glided into my office, looking like a breath of fresh air and a tease all at once in her little baby blue sundress.
“Hi, baby. I love this dress on you. Easy access,” I said as I waggled my eyebrows.
“Noah Allen, you said no funny business. Also, why was Grant stomping his way back to the restaurant?”
I sighed. “Turns out we need to put a rush order on our liquor license renewal, which means I’m going to have to head to Nashville today to get it done in person. I know we planned on a movie night at my place, and I’m so sorry, peaches. I’ll make it up to you.”
Disappointment washed over Bailey’s face, and god, did I hate to see that.
“It’s okay. I understand. We just hung out yesterday. It was clingy to—”
“No, Bailey. It is killing me to have to leave you. If it weren’t an urgent need for the wedding, I wouldn’t even be going to begin with. Twenty-four hours and I’m all yours again.”
“Watch out for the woo girls,” she replied, the joke an attempt to disguise her disappointment.
“You’re the only girl I ever plan on wooing.”
She came and sat on my lap, winding her arms around my neck and pressing a soft kiss on my lips. The citrus scent of her hair filled my senses, and I nuzzled closer.
“Really, it’s alright,” she said. “I have to go over glassware options anyway for the wedding, so I’ll have my hands full here. I’ll also probably reorganize the storage room while I’m at it. It’s a mess back there. I’ll miss you, though.”
I squeezed her tighter.
“I’ll miss you too. Call me if you need me while I’m gone. Call me even if you don’t.”
She rubbed her nose against mine, a tender form of affection we had taken to giving each other.
“I need you.”
The drive to Nashville, while a pain, was short.
Bexley Grove was only an hour and a half south of the city, and traffic wasn’t bad yet, considering it was only three o’clock.
I placed a call to the Alcohol Beverage Control agency right before I left, and they were thankfully able to squeeze me in before the end of the day.
The only bright spot of this trip was squeezing in a meeting with our family lawyer, Nate. He had worked with our family for years now and was willing to do me a favor.
I knew Bailey was from Nashville proper, but I still wanted to take her up for a long weekend at some point. To have time that was for us without worrying about a guest walking in or Ma blowing up my phone.
To my relief, the agency meeting was quick and painless, and Emory’s guests would now have the option to get properly sloshed if they so chose.
It would have been less painful if Grant had filed it online like he was supposed to, but I would eventually get over that after I made him work a couple of double shifts.
I texted Nate that I arrived and parallel-parked outside his office, which was quite the feat given the size of my truck.
He greeted me at the door, and I couldn’t help the grin that spread across my face. I trusted Nate. Ma trusted him. He felt like a surrogate father at times, his beard peppered with black-and-white streaks, always prepped to give one of us boys a piece of well-timed advice.
He pulled me into a hug. “Noah, you look like you’ve aged about five years since the last time I saw you. The inn is gonna give you grays,” he said.
“Tell me about it,” I muttered. “It’s great to see you, Nate. I really appreciate you letting me come after hours like this.”
“Well, I’m charging you double, so I’d start talking if I were you,” he said.
Damn. “I need to know everything you can tell me about starting up an independent, small business,” I replied.
His eyebrows raised. “Looking to leave the inn or something? Because you know I’m not capable of keeping a secret from your Ma.”
I chuckled. “God, no. It’s not for me, but it’s for someone very important to me.”
“Well, let’s get to work then,” he said.
We spent the next two hours discussing all the legal parameters for starting a business and the steps to get registered in the state of Tennessee before calling it a day. I reclined back in my chair, my shoulders tense from the drive earlier.
“So this girl is really special, huh?” he asked.
I exhaled. “She is everything and then some. She deserves it, she’s earned it, and I just want to make it possible for her.”
“I’ll email over everything we talked about and get some contracts in the works. I’d better be invited to the wedding,” he called out as I walked back to my car.
“Ma would kill me if you weren’t first on the list.”
I got in my car, anxious to get back to Bailey and hopefully surprise her before bed. Ma’s name popped up on my car screen as I pulled onto the road.
“Hey, Ma. I’m on my way back to town. Everything went really—”
“Noah, sweetheart, I need you to pull the car over.”
My stomach sank.
My eyes darted around, looking for a place to pull over, before I spotted a rogue gas station and put the car in park.
“Ma, you’re scaring me. Are you okay? Are the boys—”
“Noah, I’m at the hospital with Bailey.”
My vision blurred, and it was difficult to breathe. I could tell Ma was speaking to me, but none of the words she said made any sense. All I could make out was “Bailey,” “head injury,” and “blood loss.” I sucked in a ragged breath as Ma started repeating my name over and over again.
“Noah. Noah, honey, I need you to get home safely. You’re no good to Bailey if you’re wrapped around a streetlamp,” she said.
“Is she okay?” I choked out.
“She’s going to be fine, Noah. I just need you to get here. I’m at the hospital with her.”
I sucked in a breath. “Okay. I’m on my way.” I ended the call, slamming my palm against the wheel. My hands were shaking.
“Goddamnit,” I shouted.
I white-knuckled my wheel and sped back to Bexley. Somehow, a drive that should have taken an hour and a half only took an hour.
I’m coming, baby. Hold on for me.