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Noelle looked down at her long sweater and yoga pants, convinced the man was somewhat blind, or at least biased, but grinned like a schoolgirl at the compliment. “Thank you.”
Glenna helped him unload the groceries while Noelle began to lay out what they needed for the recipe. When all was set up, she hugged Noelle once more. “Have fun.”
“We will!” Wes smiled as the woman who ran their home left with a wave of her hand and a grin on her face.
“She’s something special, isn’t she?”
Wes’s eyes softened as he looked at the doorway where Glenna had exited. “You have no idea. She was an enormous help when Mom was sick. Since Mom’s death, she’s been an angel straight from heaven.”
“I think that’s the first time you’ve talked about your mom.”
“It’s not an easy subject for me.” They stood facing one another, each with a hip leaning against the center island. “And it’s why I never wanted to be in Marietta.”
Pieces began to fall into place. Montana was too painful for him. Man, she’d been so selfish. So clueless. All this time she thought his work was most important and why he’d never consider anywhere but New York. But there was more to it. Much more. Would the painful memories of his mother keep him from staying?
He took her face in his hands and kissed her forehead. “Noelle. Iwasagainst being here. But not anymore. If you’re here, that’s where I’ll be. If you go to Timbuktu, then I’ll go there. Doesn’t matter.”
She put her hands over his. “But…”
“No buts. I’m not afraid anymore to face how I feel. I miss my mom and I love you. Those things will never change. I can live here and make new memories. Crazily enough, Mike taught me that.”
Oh, how she had misjudged him. How silly she’d been to think he kept things from her to be deceitful. The man didn’t have a deceitful bone in his body. She took his hands from her face and intertwined their fingers. Her not telling him about Spellman’s plans was no different than him not saying anything to her. So what if he couldn’t do anything about it? Keeping it from him only showed mistrust. And she trusted Wes. Trusted him with everything.
“I need to tell you about something.”
*
Wes’s gut clenchedat Noelle’s words. Based on the look in her eyes, what she had to tell him wasn’t something good.
“Okay. Let’s sit down.”
He settled them in two barstools and got her a fresh cup of coffee.
“What is it?”
“I should have told you last night when you came by the studio. Me keeping it from you really is no different than you waiting to tell me what you knew of the real estate deal.”
Afraid of saying something to make her stop, or to get her upset with him again, he remained quiet. His hand sat atop hers on the counter. A rub of his thumb along her wrist his only urging for her to continue.
“Franchesca came by on Monday. She’d been heading into the drama school Sunday when she heard Spellman talking to someone in the alley near our studios. He was saying he’s changed his mind. He’s going to level the buildings he buys and start over, build what will work for the film.”
It took every ounce of Wes’s willpower to not change his demeanor in any way, but to continue listening. Even though his insides were a mess of anger and confusion. Spellman…that greedy, deceitful little bastard. Unfortunately, he’d known a lot of people like him in his lifetime and work.
“Did Franchesca hear anything else?”
“No. That was about it. But it’s enough. She and I are getting together in the next couple days to talk about what to do.”
Wes rubbed his chin, his elbow on the island countertop. His other hand still covered Noelle’s. Man, he hated when he misread someone. Although, if he thought through the past few weeks, any time he had met with Spellman, he’d walked away feeling off. He’d said as much to his dad a few nights before.
“Anyway, I know you didn’t know any of that. I believe you’d have told me something that important.”
It warmed every bone in his body to hear her say that. But the tears he saw in her eyes that threatened to fall made him want to punch a wall. Or even better, Spellman right in the face. Either worked. Or even better again, what he needed to do was get to his office and form a plan. He had a feeling in this case he could be a lover and a fighter, business being the ring he fought best in.
“It’s true. I had no idea about this.” He took her face in his hands again and kissed her. Not tenderly this time, but claiming her lips with his own, hoping every ounce of love he had for her would show in his kiss.
When he pulled back, her eyes now twinkled, any sign of tears now gone. “I believe you.”
“Those words are music to my ears.”
