“Solene.”
“That’s a yes, then.” Solene nodded. “You turn super red when you’re embarrassed, you know.”
“Shut up.”
“Look at it this way. I doubt Mr. Roboto is used to what happened with you guys either, not from how you described him. Somaybe he’s as freaked out as you are.”
“I doubt it.”
“You don’t know. You need to talk to him. Just go next door and discuss things.”
“I can’t. He’s got company.”
“Chicken.”
“Bok bok.”
Solene shook her head. “You can handle a classroom full of rowdy nine-year-olds, but one guy scares you. Pathetic.”
“Why doIhave to be the one to discuss it? Whycan’t he come over and talk to me?”
“You’re reaching.”
Still, Addy liked that idea much better. She stuck to her guns throughout the evening into Wednesday after school. Noel hadn’t called or come over. So maybe their night had been a one-time thing? The thought depressed her, that he’d be like so many others. But she’d decided to stop being the one to run to him. If he was interested,he’d come to her.
Just before she readied to turn in for the night, someone knocked at the door.
She put on a robe and checked through the peephole. The sight of an annoyed Noel holding his—the—baby, amused her. She opened the door a crack. “Noel?”
“It’s not the mailman,” he grumbled. “Can I come in?”
“It’s late and”—he pushed his way in—“I guess you’re in. Seems tobe a habit with you.”
He grunted, and she took that to mean any number of things.
“Well?”
“I tried to stay away and give you space, but then the kid keeps crying. Hammer took off and Deacon’s been busy. So it’s just me with the boy.”
“No name yet?” she asked, reaching for and taking the baby before she could stop herself. “Oh, you are so cute.” She snuggled him andbreathed in the scent of innocence. “Is he dry?”
“What?” Noel appeared frazzled, and she loved that look on him.
“His diaper. Is it clean?”
“Oh. Yes. First thing I check before his royal highness started caterwauling.”
She blinked. “Caterwauling? You seriously just used that in a sentence?”
He shrugged. “I’ve been reading about the English monarchy. Some of thearchaic language lingers.” He sighed. “I would have talked to you sooner but I’ve had my hands full. I’d like to go out again.”
She hugged Noel Jr.—as she liked to think of him—tighter. He grabbed her hair and cooed, no longer upset while she rocked him against her. “By go out, you mean…?”
To her delight, Noel flushed and shoved his hands in his pockets. He wore a dark green sweaterand jeans that looked as if they’d been pressed. She had never, in the two years she’d known him, seen him in anything resembling slovenly attire.
“I mean you and I could go out to dinner again or see a movie. Maybe take a hike.”
“Oh.” She was disappointed and shouldn’t have been. But God, just thinking about how amazing he’d been woke her ovaries from their hibernation.
