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“My neighbor. She’s in the apartment across the hallway upstairs. She’s lived there since we moved in and owns the building. She used to babysit when Quinn was younger, and now she’s there if I ever need her in a pinch. Quinn doesn’t really need a babysitter when I’m gone for a few hours, but I like having someone nearby.”
Noah held the door open, waiting as I walked through. The cold winter air of January in Boston struck my cheeks when I stepped outside.
“That’s nice.” He caught my hand as the door swung shut behind us.
This was the first time we’d seen each other since last week in Haven’s Bay. Although it had been only four days since we got back, our time there felt like a distant memory. It was so separate from my day-to-day life. Even if my vacation hadn’t included hot nights with Noah, it was nothing like my regular life.
I’d missed him acutely, which was unsettling for me. I’d discovered that he was a reliable caller and texter. He had called me every single day since we’d gotten back from Boston. He tried to persuade me to go to dinner sooner, but I told him I wanted to give Quinn a few days to adjust to the idea. She’d scoffed at me when I told her that.
Moments later, the holiday lights glittered as we drove through Boston. “Where are you taking me?”
“Obviously, an Italian place with great calzones,” he teased. “I know a good one. It’s actually right in downtown Boston. We don’t have to worry about parking.”
Downtown parking in Boston was a forever challenge. “No?”
“We’ll use the parking lot for my work. That’s one handy perk of having to drive downtown for work every day.”
“I don’t even know where you live in Boston,” I commented. “How long is your commute?”
“I actually don’t live that far from you. About five minutes by car and maybe a fifteen-minute walk.”
“Really?”
He nodded and turned onto the street that led to downtown Boston. “We didn’t really discuss our Boston lives much last week. It’s a good neighborhood, but not right downtown and sort of affordable.”
I laughed. “Absolutely. I suppose it is logical. I lucked into my place. Melanie knows my boss and gave me a good price. I don’t know if I could have afforded it without that connection.”
Noah nodded before adding, “Quinn looks a lot like you. She seems like a nice kid.”
“I’m glad she was polite tonight. She’s not accustomed to me dating anyone.”
“No?”
“We already had this conversation. I hardly ever date. I’ve dated so little she doesn’t even know I’ve dated. I think she’s a little worried because I already know you, so she thinks it’s going to be a thing.”
“A thing?”
“Her description, not mine,” I said dryly.
“What is a thing?”
“According to her, it’s a relationship. She teased me and then cried, so…” My words trailed off, and a sigh slipped out.
I was startled when I felt Noah’s hand curl around mine, pulling it from my lap. His thumb brushed along the side of my wrist. “She’s fifteen, and she’s had you all to herself. It’ll be an adjustment for her.”
I glanced at his profile, taking in the strong, clean lines. My belly flipped again, and my heart clanged like a bell in my chest. “I know. Is this a good idea?”
“Having dinner?” His eyes slipped briefly to mine and then ahead again as he came to a stop at a stoplight.
“Yes, this whole thing.” I waved a hand vaguely in the air. I was a nervous wreck, and I hated it.
“Sasha, I think it is. You’re not just a fling to me. I know we have to take it one step at a time with Quinn. She’s important to me, even if I just met her.”
ChapterThirteen
NOAH
Sasha traced her fingertip in a little circle on the table. Her focus dipped down, moving her fingertip more deliberately along the circular edge of a plate.
