“You looked me up?”
“Totally creepy Instagram stalking,” Olivia says. “I don’t even know what it was. Just something about your vibe that made me think Noah would totally fall for you.”
“Wait, are you and Noah like…a thing?” I look up to see adifferentbrother staring at me. This one is definitely Mason—the one right next to Noah in age.
“Um, I mean, it’s only been a week, but…”
“You don’t owe him any explanation,” Caroline says, glaring at her son. “Mason can mind his own business until his brother is ready to talk about it. That goes for the rest of us too.”
I smile into my plate as I fork up another bite of pancakes. It’s more than a little overwhelming to have all of these people interested in my personal life, but it’s also kind of amazing. No one is judging or being critical even when they’re teasing each other. It’s very clear they are only interested because they love each other.
I’ve spent the past few days imagining a life with Noah, but right now, my thoughts shift to a life withallthe Hawthornes. With nieces and nephews and more cousins than I can count. Aunts and uncles all rooting for us—forme.
Just then, I hear the sound of the back door opening, then closing again. I put down my fork, waiting and watching as footsteps move through the kitchen. It takes a minute; there are muffled men’s voices—maybe he’s greeting Lennox? But then, finally, Noah appears in the dining room. I watch as he quickly scans the crowd. As soon as his eyes land on me, he smiles, a full, glorious smile that makes my heart climb into my throat.
“Oh, he’s got it bad,” Caroline says. She looks over at Olivia. “Did you see that smile he just gave her? When does he ever smile like that?”
“You’re welcome,” Olivia says, like she’s incredibly proud of herself.
Noah sits next to me while he eats, but there are so many people, so many conversations going on at once, that we don’t really have an opportunity to talk. I love the energy and the laughter, but by the time the dishes are nearly done and everyone is gathering in the living room to open presents, I’m itching for some alone time with Noah.
He must be feeling the same way because when I pass through the kitchen to put an empty glass in the sink, he catches me on my way out, wrapping an arm around my waist and tugging me into his bedroom.
I let out a gasp of surprise as Noah closes the door, then pins me against it, his body a warm, delicious weight. “Hi,” he says softly, then he lowers his lips to mine.
Noah’s kiss is soft and tender and exactly what I want, and I melt into him, the stress of meeting so many new people quickly draining away.
“I’ve been wanting to do that all morning,” he says when he finally breaks the kiss.
“Hmm. You won’t get any complaints from me.”
“How are you?” he asks. “I know this wasn’t the Christmas morning either of us expected.”
“No, but it’s good. Your family is amazing.”
His expression softens. “Yeah. They’re pretty great.”
“How was your conversation with your dad?” I ask.
“Good,” Noah says. “Hard. But not as hard as I thought it was going to be.”
I lift a hand to his cheek, running my palm over his beard. “Good work.”
“I assume you met everyone?”
“I did. I even learned that Olivia stalked my Instagram profile. Did she tell you that?”
His eyebrows lift. “Should we be flattered she went to so much effort?”
“I think…yes,” I say as I tug him a little closer. “It means she loves you and she wants you to be happy.”
Noah presses a line of kisses along my jaw, inching closer and closer to my lips. “I don’t remember the last time I’ve been this happy,” he says. “I’m not sure I ever have been.”
“Me neither. It makes me sad to think about leaving this place. It’s wild to think I’ve only been here a week, and yet I already love it like it’s mine.”
“Yeah,” Noah says, giving me a pointed look. “I know the feeling.”
I suck in a breath, heat flooding my cheeks as the full meaning of Noah’s words sinks in. “Noah,” I say softly.
