AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Yes. She is.”
“I meant my daughter, you lovestruck fool.” Mike’s full-body chuckle jostled their chairs. “Be careful. You might get drool on your shirt.”
The urge to tell his brother to shut up was derailed by their father shushing both of them like they were school kids. Mike went back to filming Annalise’s performance while Wes continued watching Noelle.
He loved her. It was that simple. Well, he wished it were that simple. Admitting it had been less painful than he’d imagined it would be, but now that she hated him, it was a moot point. Or was it? He had the second Bake-Off the next night and he clung to the hope that she’d still help him learn to bake for the third. That would give him a chance to explain to her, help her see that his intentions had centered around wanting good things for her.
What had begun as a silly fundraiser his dad volunteered him for now looked to be his best chance at making things right with Noelle. As the audience applauded and the students bowed, Wes made a mental note to do something he’d never imagined doing—thank his dad for volunteering him to bake.
Chapter Seventeen
He didn’t thinkit possible, but Wes was more nervous this time around than the last. The first Bake-Off was terrifying, yes, but the second one was being held at The Main Street Diner where the owner, Gabriella Marco, went through a laundry list of instructions for them before they could even enter the building. She was a pleasant woman, and Wes could respect her wanting to protect her business. But trying to remember all she was saying was close to impossible with his mind focused on the recipe as well as whether Noelle would show up for the event or not.
He’d been unable to find her after the performance the night before. And it wasn’t from lack of trying on his part. He’d waited for almost forty minutes. But if she wasn’t surrounded by parents and people giving their kudos or congratulations, she was in stealth mode, disappearing if he looked away from her at any point.
By the time the crowd had dwindled down, Annalise was exhausted, having crashed in her dad’s arms after coming down from the adrenaline of the night, along with a sugar rush from eating loads of cookies someone had provided for the event. Mike and his dad were ready to go and Wes didn’t see the point in trying to stay. As much as he wanted to see Noelle—fix things—it wasn’t the time. She had to have been dead on her feet.
What he wouldn’t give to be able to run her a bubble bath, pour her a glass of wine, pamper her a little, then tuck her in for the night. He could’ve if he’d played his cards better. Although he still wasn’t quite sure how he’d played his hand all that wrong.
He did have every intention of finding Spellman while he was in Marietta. Wes’s dad said they’d talked and his plans were to be in town one more day. Wes wanted another meeting. It wasn’t unheard of for the director to want to see where he was buying property and setting his next film, but the fact that Spellman didn’t say a word about his visit when they met in New York rubbed Wes wrong. Or maybe Noelle being mad at him had him second-guessing things he wouldn’t normally second-guess.
Man, he was a mess. Jodie Monroe, the MC for the Bake-Off, clapped for everyone’s attention, snapping Wes back to the hell that was his current situation. He didn’t have time for this. He had business to attend to and things to work out with Noelle; he didn’t need to be stuck behind the counter at a diner about to bake a damn pie.
Annalise waved her little hand so hard at him that her whole body shook in Mike’s arms. Mike was holding her up so she could see. His dad stood beside them, an uncharacteristic smile on his face. Wes shook his head. He still couldn’t wrap his mind around how much things had changed in such a short period of time. He’d come to town thinking he’d be there a few days at the most then fly home to New York. And yet here he stood, in the middle of a diner in Marietta, Montana, with his dad smiling at him and his niece cheering him on. It would almost be comical if it didn’t feel so…right.
He took in a deep breath and let it out.Home.He’d always thought of New York as home, but now he wasn’t so sure. He’d always thought his dad a tough man, unmovable in his mindset on, well, on anything and now here he was, living in Montana, building a new existence in a small town. Stranger things happen, he guessed. And Mike with Annalise, doing life without Anna. Not by choice, of course, but staying strong for his daughter and making a life for her, for both of them, out of the pieces that had fallen apart.
Could Wes make a change too? More and more the town grew on him and if he were honest, he’d admit that being around his family again brought a peace he hadn’t had in a long time. Not since before his mother got sick.
Hell, since he was spewing honesty left and right to himself, he’d also have to admit that Noelle was a huge part of him wanting something else. Something more. Never before had a woman made him want to do his life differently. With Noelle, he’d travel the world, give her the moon, or settle right there in Marietta in a cozy place all their own. As long as she was with him, that was all that mattered.
His sterile, perfectly designed apartment had little appeal anymore. That nugget of truth had hit him between the eyes when they’d gone back. Having Noelle in his home, what he’d thought of as home, made him see it through new eyes. Her warmth and gentle spirit made him see his world for what it was—cold and lifeless. As much as he’d always enjoyed his work, he didn’t have much else. But he was good at business, good at his work. He sucked at relationships. That was one main reason he didn’t venture into them often. And he’d proven how much he botched them with how he’d handled things with Noelle.
“You may begin.” The MC’s words brought him back to where he stood.Crap.He’d gone daydreaming about a life with Noelle and lost all track of what was happening around him. The Bake-Off was starting and his mind was anywhere but there.
While reading over the recipe once more, he got his apron on and tied. All the ingredients were there so he got them measured and prepped like Noelle had taught him.
“You can do it, Uncle Dubs!” Annalise cheered from the other side of the room. People smiled and laughed. Wes looked up and winked at her. As he did, he caught sight of Noelle, tucked in the corner of the diner, her coat still around her, a pink scarf wrapped around her neck. She must’ve ducked inside when he was focused on ingredients.
Their eyes met. He searched for answers. Was she still angry? Was she here to support him or throw baked goods at him? She blinked then looked away as someone moved past her and she scooted aside to let them pass.
Wes went back to baking. It had to be a good sign that she was there, right? He looked up again and saw that Holly had come in and was beside Noelle. Maybe Holly convinced her sister to come. But that was still good. It had to be. It took Herculean mental strength for him to focus on his task, but he did so because he was madly in love with the woman watching him and if he was lucky, she’d help him with one more round of this crazy Bake-Off and maybe he’d have a chance to win her back.
*
Noelle stood inthe corner of the diner and questioned her sanity. Or at least her willingness to always let her sister talk her into things.
“You’re glad you’re here. Admit it.”
“I admit nothing.”
Holly rolled her eyes, giving Noelle flashbacks to the night that started it all. The night they’d gone to Grey’s to meet new people and Noelle had danced for the first time with Wes.
“I still don’t see why you’re so upset with the guy.” Holly stood beside her.
The two of them peered over shoulders to see. The diner was packed. Noelle was glad she’d taught Wes to bake in her kitchen this time. Where the bachelors were working was a diminutive space for sure.
“It looks like he’s doing well. You’re a good teacher.”
