Jules
“…I love you and I need you to know it.”
As Noah finished a romance monologue that I wished I could have my heroes say, he looked at peace. My heart broke for him because what I’d seen when I walked into Jake and Ivy’s was just that, heartbreaking. As flighty as my parents were, I thought of all the times over the years that I’d come to them for advice, to dry my tears, just to be held. Noah hadn’t had that, not even anything close. And today, he’d found some comfort in Margot. I was grateful he had that, but I wanted so much more for him. I wanted to be that. I wanted him to get that from my parents, from Lou and Verdell. I wanted him to feel love coming from every direction and have an endless supply of support, anywhere he could turn.
“Jules?”
I looked up and realized I’d gotten lost in my head again.
“Sorry, sorry, I was just thinking of how much I love you and what I want for you in this world,” I said, still thinking of the best way to support him.
“I’m sorry, did you just say you love me too?”
I looked at him in confusion. “Yes, of course. I thought that was established.”
He gave me a brilliant smile. “For a romance writer, you don’t feel like you need a long-winded speech?”
I laughed. “I mean, I thought in yours you mentioned you felt my love supporting you all week.”
“True, true. But you can love someone like a friend, care about them. And I love you like that but more.”
I got up to sit on his lap.
“Oh my, Ms. Maxwell, is this appropriate?”
“Hush. It is for this.” I put my palms on either side of his face. “Noah Michael Lawson, I love you. Frankly, you are all my romance heroes come to life. I think I fell a little in love with you when I saw you walk into the Homestead the first time. I know I did when I saw you holding Addie’s hand. When I saw you with her, it was there. Watching you with Mary and realizing how deeply your soul craved love. I felt it when we were in the kitchen, when I slept by your side in the dark, in the silence of our everyday life, on the car ride back to Highland Falls, in all the little things you do for me. The way you treat me told me you cared too. Watching you sleep, waking up next to you, I knew I was in love with you. I just didn’t want to scare you by telling you, which I now know was just stupid.” I pressed a kiss to his lips.
Noah dropped his head to my chest and wrapped his arms around my waist. I had mine around his shoulders and we just sat together, breathing.
Then he leaned back and looked at me. “So why are you moving?”
I looked at him in confusion, then thought of my house. “Oh, because the boxes?”
He nodded.
“Oh, you sweet man. We are the ultimate miscommunication storyline of one of my books. My dad was checking my rental out. The foundation in the front room is shot. I called my landlord this morning, and fortunately she knows of a mason who has time in his schedule to do some work next week. I’m clearing out that room because they’re jacking the house up to fix the foundation and I just figured if it got dusty or anything, it would be easier.”
He dropped his head to my chest again. “Not moving.”
I kissed the top of his head. “Not moving.”
“And that was Kylie?”
“Yep. Did she hit on you?”
“A bit.”
I snorted. “She wasn’t serious, just who she is.”
He didn’t lift his head, just nodded his understanding. “Is she staying?”
“For the weekend. I figured she could have my bed.” I waited for him to put the pieces together.
He lifted his head. “And you will stay…”
I shrugged. “In yours? If you’re okay with that when Addie is over.”
Noah leaned his head up and pressed a kiss to my mouth. “I’m very okay with it when Addie is over, but I think she can stay with Jake and Ivy tonight. Maybe a big dinner for all of us—including Addie, the Spencers, your parents and Kylie—at the Homestead? And then you and I can celebrate finally getting our communication down at home in my bed?”
