“Wow, your name’s as pretty as you are.”
What a darling girl. “Thank you, that’s so sweet of you to say.”
“You’re welcome. I made this for you. It’s a welcome to the neighborhood present.” She smiled wide, green eyes sparkling with delight. Something about her seemed familiar, but I wasn’t sure what it was. I was pretty certain I hadn’t seen her before. “You didn’t look like you’d like cake so I went with fruit.” She handed me the basket.
The Johnsons came by on Saturday evening with a casserole and Mrs. Granville, the elderly lady who lived in front of me, had stopped by as well yesterday with a cake and some homemade jelly. Now I was getting fruit, delicious fruit being handed to me by a girl with a friendly face. It was just the pick-me-up I needed.
“Oh my gosh, you’re the best. I love fruit, and these are all my favorites.”
Pineapples, apples, ripe juicy grapes, and massive oranges filled the basket, which was encircled by a pink ribbon.
“Yay! I’m so glad.”
I liked her energy.
“Do you want to come in?” I stepped aside so she could enter.
“Oh wow, yes please.”
When she walked in, she looked around and her whole face brightened.
“The place looks amazing. You really made it look like one of those homes onBeautiful Houses.”
I laughed. “I wish I could say it was all me, but my friend hired a designer to deck the place out.”
I’d unpacked all the stuff I’d bought, spent the whole weekend doing that, and Noah had gotten Tina to actually decorate and furnish the place. She was coming back on Thursday to look at my bedroom. I wanted a new bed and matching wardrobe. Perry had gotten his own designers to get all that stuff for me a few weeks back, but the bed was uncomfortable and I needed my beauty sleep.
“That’s so cool. I saw the trucks from Neiman Marcus come by the other day. I’d love to go there one day. There was a really cute dress I saw once in their online shop.”
“We should go together.” I nodded. “We could be shopping buddies.”
Her face when I said that was classic. I actually thought she was going to cry.
“Really? I could go with you?” Her hands clasped together and she did a little hop.
“Sure.” I had an idea. It wasn’t like I was going to be as busy as I’d thought I’d be today, and I needed to prep to see Sally tomorrow—needed to prep my mind. Maybe hanging out with my new shopping buddy would do the trick. “Do you want to see the stuff I got? I probably got too much makeup, and there’s a skirt or two that I think would fit you perfectly.”
“Oh my God.” She breathed and nodded. “I must be in heaven.”
If only. I’d thought I was in heaven too when I’d been selected to do the piece on Sally.
Clearly I wasn’t.
* * *
“I still can’t believe I met Noah Whyte,” Aria gushed, smiling ear to ear. “God, what a great day.”
I laughed at her starry-eyed expression. I’d forgotten how much attention Noah got and how other people saw him.
Before he’d come by earlier to give me that hug, I hadn’t realized how much I’d needed him until I saw him. Seeing him helped; it reminded me that I had someone who believed in me.
“Well you did.”
“He’s so nice. I’ve never met a real live athlete before.” Aria chuckled. “I always kind of thought they wouldn’t be as nice as he was.”
Noah was nice. I loved that his fame hadn’t gotten to his head and he was still the same crazy guy I’d always known, the same crazy guy who always made time for me.
“He’s always been like that.”
