Noah #3
Abigail’s eyes narrowed as she stared at me.
I held her gaze with the same degree of intensity.
I liked this woman, but if she thought that one look would get me to cave, she didn’t know me.
I was trained on how to deal with interrogation.
There was nothing she could send my way that I couldn’t handle.
“Emery.” Abigail flicked her gaze over to her. “Demand that Noah tells you what cake he liked.”
I glanced over at Emery, whose eyes widened at Abigail’s request. She blinked before glancing over at me. “Um, why would he tell me if he wouldn’t tell you?”
My gaze turned to Emery now. She studied me as Abigail answered, “Just do it. I want to see something.”
The world around us began to slow as Emery held my gaze. All I could focus on was the beautiful woman in front of me. This was the longest we’d locked gazes since I’d come into her life, and I didn’t hate it. It was like she was searching for an answer to a question she’d never asked.
“Noah, will you please tell me what cake was your favorite?” Her voice was soft, and I could feel my resolve to keep my opinion to myself start to melt.
I was in an internal war. On the one hand, I didn’t want my opinion to persuade Emery. I was determined to make sure that she got the cake she wanted. On the other hand, there was no way I could refuse her. Not when she was looking at me like that.
I would do anything to make this woman happy.
“Chocolate with caramel,” I said before I could stop myself.
Her eyes widened slightly, and I saw a flash of regret. But it was gone almost as quickly as it had come, and her lips tipped up into a smile.
“Okay, we’ll get that cake.”
I shook my head. “No, you didn’t like it.” This was what I’d wanted to avoid. The kind of cake I wanted didn’t matter. This was Emery’s day. I was determined to make it perfect for her.
“I never said I didn’t like it,” she said.
I glanced over at Abigail. Her gaze was moving back and forth from me to Emery. I wasn’t sure what her plan had been, but I was frustrated that she’d forced me into saying anything in the first place.
“Noah, it’s okay. We can get the chocolate cake.” Emery reached out and rested her hand on my forearm.
Once again, my body reacted to her touch, and, out of instinct, I dropped my gaze down to her hand.
It was a strange sensation to feel both frustrated that I was potentially ruining Emery’s wedding cake and elated that she was touching me.
This tornado of feelings raged inside of me, making it impossible for me to think.
“Let me go get Hudson and tell him what we want,” Emery said as she pushed her chair away from the table and stood.
My lips parted. I wanted to stop her, but the words wouldn’t come out, and she was gone before my head cleared enough for me to form a sentence. Now alone with Abigail, I glanced over at her. She had her arms folded across her chest, and she was staring at me like she knew what was going on.
“Is this your plan for the entire marriage?” Abigail asked.
I frowned. “Is what my plan?”
Abigail leaned forward in her seat and tapped the tabletop with her forefinger. “Agreeing with whatever Emery wants. Never pushing her. Challenging her.” She narrowed her eyes. “It’s not what she needs.”
I scoffed. “And you know what she needs?”
Hurt flashed through Abigail’s eyes, and I instantly felt guilty. The last thing I wanted to do was cause anyone pain. I was protective of Emery, and I didn’t like that Abigail was suggesting I was somehow hindering her.
“Yes, I do.” She paused. “My mom died, and I watched my dad slip into himself. He was a shell of a person until he met his current wife. She challenged him. She helped him wake up. She helped him see that life wasn’t life without love.”
She held my gaze. “You’ve been given a rare chance to help someone heal.
And you’d be an idiot to not take that opportunity.
Emery needs help to move forward, but you’re just allowing her to stay where she’s comfortable.
Where she thinks she’s safe. If you care about that woman, for God’s sake, challenge her. ”
I stared at the empty platter in front of me.
Her words echoed in my mind. Was she right?
Should I be more vocal? Should I test Emery?
My goal at the end of these three years was to help her heal and open herself up to love, but how was she ever going to get there if I never pushed her out of her comfort zone?
We were interrupted before I could respond. Emery and Hudson entered the room, drawing our attention over. Hudson went over a simple cake design, and Emery nodded along. He was going to put together a three-tier cake with different hues of red roses cascading down it.
Emery made sure to remind him that the flavor we chose was chocolate and caramel. And he held up his order pad and confirmed that he had the selection noted.
With the cake situation handled, Hudson bid us farewell, and we headed out of the conference room. Abigail and Emery chatted about flowers as we made our way out to the parking lot.
Abigail’s words rolled around in my head as I followed them to the flower shop. I knew there was truth to what she said, but I wasn’t sure how I felt about it.
My job was, first and foremost, to protect Emery. Even if it meant protecting her from me.