Chapter 22
“Of course, you’re in love with him. Duh.” Quinn rolled her eyes as they both sipped some wine instead of the bourbon-spiked tea. “Everyone loves Nolan. He’s a Keeneston treasure from what I’ve heard.”
“He’s such a good guy. Like nothing but a parade of green flags.” Helena sighed.
“And that’s a bad thing?”
“No, it’s a great thing. But am I really the right person for him? I mean, I have a bit of a reputation for being a ‘bitch.’”
Quinn slammed down her drink, drawing the attention of plenty of café patrons. “I am so tired of women being called a bitch in the workplace simply because they are doing their jobs and doing it better than men.”
“Hell yeah!” someone called out and others cheered and whistled.
“See? You get called that simply because you make weak men sad by being smarter than they are. You’re a wonderful person. You’re my best friend and Nolan, or any man, would be lucky to have you in their lives.”
Quinn reached across the table and squeezed her best friend’s hand. “Thank you. But what should I do? Should I tell him how I feel about him or wait? I mean, it’s crazy right? It hasn’t been long at all.”
“He’s loved you since you first came to Keeneston. And you might not have been in love, but you were definitely interested. I mean, you bid on him at the firefighter auction. This isn’t some split-second decision even if you think it is,” Quinn reminded her.
“True. Okay, I won’t hide my feelings.” It was like the universe was listening. The door to the café opened and Nolan raced inside. He looked frantic until his eyes landed on hers.
Nolan shoved through the crowd, hurried around tables, and pulled Helena out of her chair and into his arms. Only then did he finally let out a breath as he clung to her. “Are you hurt?” Nolan asked into her neck as he held her off the ground and in his arms.
“I’m good. Thanks to you for sending Cy to drive me here.” Helena cringed and then went for it. “I’m sorry about your truck.”
“I don’t give a damn about the truck. All I care about is you. I love you, Helena. Your safety and happiness are the only things I care about. Do you swear you’re not hurt?”
The concern in his voice melted her. “I love you too.”
Nolan froze. He leaned back enough to look her in the eyes as he continued to hold her in his arms. “You do?”
“I do.”
“Look at you two practicing. Want me to book the church for Saturday?”
Helena glanced up to see the priest, Father Ben, standing by them smiling along with the rest of the café.
“Let’s get through the snowstorm first, Ben,” Nolan told him before swinging Helena up into his arms like a bride. “If it’s okay with you, Quinn, I’d like to take my girlfriend home so I can tell her I love her some more.”
“I think that sounds perfect. I’m very happy for you both.” Quinn gave a little sniffle and Helena smiled at her best friend. The sister of her heart. Could they both have found love in this small town?
Nolan couldn’t believe it. Helena loved him.
He thought he’d blown it when he’d blurted that he loved her.
Except he’d been so scared after seeing the condition of his truck when Cy dropped it off and told him what had happened.
Nolan didn’t care about the truck. He just had to get to Helena to see for himself that she wasn’t hurt.
When he had her in his arms the words came right out.
It wasn’t a surprise. He knew he loved her.
He’d wanted to do something more romantic than a blurted confession of his feelings in the middle of the Blossom Café.
However, she’d told him she loved him back.
And that made his entire world perfect, shot up truck and all.
Because the woman he loved, loved him in return.
Even if he was beer and she was champagne.
“I want to take you back to my apartment for privacy, but after everything going on, I think we need to be at the bed and breakfast so we have backup,” Nolan told her as he walked down the street with her in his arms. It was becoming a habit to carry her.
It was because she felt so perfect in his arms. Helena was so small compared to him, and there was no better feeling than holding her.
“I don’t care where we go as long as you’re with me.” Helena nuzzled into his neck and placed a kiss there. “Tell me again.”
Nolan looked down at her and smiled. “I love you, Helena. You’re my sweet hellion, now and always.”
“I love you too, Nolan. No one has ever cared about me the way you do. The support, respect, and friendship you give me are so sexy. That’s not even counting when you’re shirtless.” Helena ran her hand over his chest and Nolan had to bite back a groan. Her little hand felt so good on his body.
Nolan chuckled instead and kissed her quickly as he walked toward the bed and breakfast. “I guess we both needed to look outside our familiar circles to find love.”
“It was the best decision I ever made to come to Keeneston to visit Quinn. I never imagined I’d find love, but I’m so thankful I did. Even if it comes with trouble. It’s worth it to have found you.”
This time when they climbed the stairs to the bed and breakfast, Lucas wasn’t waiting for them with a shotgun.
But that didn’t mean he wasn’t there. Nolan heard Lucas and Talon talking in the kitchen and saw that two new security cameras had been installed.
One by the front door, and one inside the hallway.
He gave a nod to the camera and heard Lucas call out a greeting in response. Yeah, they were safe for tonight.
Nolan hated that it was something he had to think about. Hopefully soon he wouldn’t need to worry about that and instead focus all his attention on his relationship with Helena.
“I’ll be here for you, always. Tough times and happy times. I’m in for it all.” Nolan carried her up the stairs and only put her down long enough for her to unlock her door. Tonight, he didn’t want to think about Garang or the danger Helena was in. He only wanted to show her how much he loved her.
“Nolan, I need you.” Helena turned to him when they entered her room.
She looked up at him with need and so much love that nothing could stop him from getting to her.
She took a step back when he went to kiss her.
Nolan paused, seeing what Helena was up to.
She kicked off her shoes while keeping her eyes on him.
Then her hands went to the hem of her shirt and slowly pulled it up and over her head.
She unbuttoned her jeans next and slowly shimmied them off.
Helena stood there in nothing in her bra and panties when she opened her arms. “Come here.”
Nolan crossed the short distance between them and kissed her reverently.
He wanted to take things slow to savor the moment and to make it as romantic as possible.
However, Helena had other plans. Her kisses grew desperate as her hands worked to pull off his clothes.
It reminded him of when you kept your feelings bottled up and the dam finally broke.
She was frantic in her need to touch him and to tell him how she felt.
In seconds, Nolan was swept up in the tide right along with her.
He was breathing hard and his heart was racing as they toppled, naked, onto the bed.
Helena let the cutest little giggle out a moment before his lips crashed against hers.
Then all laughing stopped. They were desperate with need as they touched each other, all the while giving each other whispered promises.
Together they showed each other how much they loved one another.
Hours later and Nolan couldn’t sleep. Helena was curled against him, sound asleep. Nolan slid from the bed and quietly got his phone from the pocket of his discarded pants.
He carefully got back into bed and pulled Helena back against him.
She made a grumbling noise, but didn’t wake up as he unlocked his phone.
Nolan pulled up the internet and searched for the New York Fire Department.
He scrolled through their page, looking for their recruitment information.
Finding it, he read through it to make sure he would be qualified for the job.
It hurt, and he’d need to talk to his parents about what to do about the feed store, but he bookmarked the page and decided to get his résumé together.
He’d watched his best friends fall in love one by one.
He’d learned that when they fell, they fell hard.
His friends would move heaven and earth for their partners.
Nolan was more than able to move to New York City for Helena.