His eyebrows lift playfully, his gaze sparkling as he shrugs. “Just telling you so you don’t try to drive anywhere. I wouldn’t want to have to rescue you again.”
Something flutters behind my ribcage as he finally dips through the door and shuts it behind him. That almost felt like flirting.Almost.
Or maybe that’s just wishful thinking?
The truth is, I wouldvery muchlike for Noah to rescue me again. I would like anything that would give him a reason to spend a little more time with me.
Despite my annoyance at Olivia’s supposed matchmaking.
Despite Noah’s curmudgeonly insistence that we avoid each other.
Despite my pressing need to focus on studying for my exam and not get caught up in Christmas romance fantasies.
It’s probably time to admit, if only to myself, that I’m developing a tiny crush on Noah Hawthorne.
Five
I don’t seeNoah for the rest of the morning, but I’ve got plenty to focus on, so I do my best to put him from my mind.
Several employees come by the front desk to pick up their Christmas bonuses, and the phone rings at least half a dozen times, so overall, I’m feeling pretty useful. I almost wish Noahwasaround just so he could see theactual, for realwork I’m doing.
And I’m only going to get busier. Tomorrow, I have to decorate the farmhouse. According to Olivia’s instructions, there is a storage closet on the third floor where all the decorations live, and I will have plenty to choose from.
I was surprised, at first, when I learned I’d be in charge of decorating, assuming that most places like this probably put Christmas decorations up right after Thanksgiving. But Olivia explained that this year, with the Italy trip looming, the Hawthornes closed the farmhouse to events and decided it wasn’t worth the effort to decorate when no one would be here to enjoy it. Except, then the Peterson family called and made a special request to have their reunion at the farmhouse. Their original venue fell through, and they offered to pay triple theusual fee, so Olivia relented and agreed to open the housejustfor Christmas Eve.
The only trouble was that by then, the family was knee-deep in trip planning, and the decorating didn’t happen.
So now it’s my job.
I make the decision to tackle it first thing tomorrow—the reunion is still days away—then move into the living room to do some studying.
A few minutes after I sit down, the front door opens and Noah steps inside carrying a bundle of firewood. He isn’t wearing a coat, so he must not have been outside long.
I watch as he moves into the living room and crouches in front of the hearth to build a fire, much like he did last night, just after my arrival.
“Sorry I didn’t do this sooner,” he says, glancing at me over his shoulder. “Had I known you were in here, I would have.”
I lift my eyebrows. Did he go outside to get wood just for me? “It’s no problem,” I say. “I didn’t expect it. But thank you.”
He nods, then spends several minutes coaxing the fire to life. When it’s burning steadily, I assume he’ll turn and leave. Instead, he retrieves a book from a side table and settles into the chair across from me.
I frown into my iPad screen.
Noah said he wanted to keep his distance. And this…feels like the opposite of that. We’re in the same room. Not ten feet away from each other. And now, I’m so freakingawareof him, I’m not going to get any studying done.
Does he expectmeto leave? Is that what’s happening here? He’s staking his claim and I’m supposed to scurry off to my bedroom? I hope not, because I was here first, so I absolutely will not?—
“Megan,” Noah says, and my eyes snap to his.
“Hmm?”
“Don’t overthink it,” he says dryly. “It’s cold outside. The fire is nice. We can share the room like adults.”
“Can we?” I say, suddenly feeling salty that he’s insinuatingI’mthe problem here. “Because I’m pretty sure it wasyouwho requested that I stay out of your way and you stay out of mine.”
His jaw tightens, but then his expression shifts and he almost looks chagrined. For a split second, he doesn’t seem annoyed with me, but with himself. “I’m sorry I said that,” he says. “I was still feeling angry about the setup. If you’re comfortable sharing the room, then I am too.”
“Of course I’m comfortable,” I say. “I actuallylikepeople.”
