Chapter 17
Noah was still smiling to himself as he walked across the entrance hall and into the kitchen.
After all, it wasn’t every day that a gorgeous girl came up and just kissed him, was it?
And, he had to admit, he had been enjoying Beth’s company up until that point.
She was infectious with her happy positive spirit and so, if she wanted to use him to get back at her horrible ex-boyfriend, then he had absolutely no problem with that whatsoever!
He spotted Frankie, who had just switched on a camping light on the reception desk and was looking at him with raised eyebrows. ‘Well, they did tell me that you were a bad boy,’ she said. ‘Must say, your reputation precedes you.’
Noah’s smile grew wider. ‘It wasn’t like that,’ he told her.
‘Uh-huh,’ said Frankie, sounding as if she didn’t believe a word he was saying as he followed her into the kitchen.
Despite the low lighting from the candles with the power cut still going on, Noah realised that the cosy atmosphere had been replaced by a definite stilted one instead. Even Walter was looking at him with a frown.
Noah was about to explain himself but before he could start to speak, Dotty beat him to it. ‘You’re a fast worker,’ she said, raising her eyebrows at him. But the usual twinkle in her eye was missing.
‘About that,’ he began.
However, Ben interrupted him before he could explain. ‘Listen, you’re both single so it’s not our business,’ he said. ‘But just be careful, yeah? Beth falls in love all the time and I’d hate to see her get hurt.’
‘She’s starry-eyed,’ added Frankie. ‘Literally, in her case.’
‘She’s just got a soft heart,’ said Faye. ‘She sees hope in every relationship, a happy ever after in every man she’s ever gone out with.’
‘But this isn’t what you’re all thinking,’ said Noah, finally able to interrupt the one-way traffic defending Beth. ‘She kissed me to stop her ex-boyfriend from hassling her. It was all her idea.’
‘Beth did that?’ asked Faye, raising her eyebrows in surprise. ‘My goodness.’
‘Didn’t think she was pushy like that,’ added Frankie. ‘I’m impressed.’
‘Desperate to get rid of Jeremy once and for all,’ said Dotty, nodding thoughtfully.
‘So you two aren’t going out or thinking of developing a relationship?’ asked Walter.
Noah shook his head. ‘It was all for show.’
Ben’s shoulders relaxed. ‘Well, thank goodness for that,’ he said with a grin. ‘Didn’t want to get into an altercation with my own cousin.’ He glanced at his phone suddenly and said, ‘Great, this is from the electricity company. Excuse me.’
As Ben headed out of the kitchen, the family carried on expressing their relief that Noah and Beth weren’t going out.
‘I did think it was all a bit crazy,’ Dotty was saying to Frankie. ‘After all, they’ve only known each other for a day or so.’
‘I married my first husband on the same basis and look how that turned out,’ replied Frankie, with a grimace.
Noah was beginning to feel a little irritated. Is that all they thought of him? That he would be a bad influence on Beth? That he would hurt her? Did they not know him at all?
He had come into the kitchen feeling buoyed up and now he felt like a piece of dirt on the carpet. Unwanted, as per usual.
‘I hope you like lamb stew,’ Faye said suddenly, looking across the counter to him. ‘I think it’s just about done, everyone, if you all want to sit down.’
‘Actually, I’m not feeling very hungry at the moment,’ Noah found himself blurting out. ‘I think I’ll go and grab a shower. Excuse me.’
He walked out of the kitchen before anyone could say anything else to him. He knew he was being defensive, he knew that he had snapped a little harshly at Faye and felt bad about that but after all, if they didn’t trust him not to hurt Beth then didn’t that reveal how they truly felt about him?
Before that conversation, yes, the family had been a little much but he had thought them supportive. But it was obvious that the ‘black sheep of the family’ description had stuck to him a long time ago.
There was a reason that he distrusted everyone and had never put down roots anywhere. Everyone always thought the worst of him, but for once, it upset him.
The sooner he left Maple Tree Lodge the better, he decided as he headed upstairs.