Page 126 of Sweet Ruin

“You still thinking about your grandfather?”

“Among other things.”

The thought of William made me shiver, and as a chill ran down my spine, I pulled my arms a little closer around myself. “You don’t honestly think he did it, do you?”

Noah lifted his eyebrows. “You know what he’s capable of. You know what he’s done in the past.”

“I know, but why would William come after my mom and me? We weren’t the ones who took his company.”

“No, but Matthew and I were,” Noah replied. “We took the thing he cares most about in this world, so he tried to do the same. I don’t know what I would have done if I’d lost you. He knows that.”

“So, he had motive, but that doesn’t mean he torched our home.”

“He was also here in Rapid Bay that night…”

I drew back from Noah, and an icy chill wrapped around my body and seeped into my blood. “What do you mean?”

“Matthew has been paying off several people in my grandfather’s employ for information on him,” Noah explained. “He wanted to make sure William wasn’t going to do anything stupid after we took his company. We know he hired a private charter plane the night of the fire. It was supposed to be going to L.A., but the itinerary changed at the last minute. None of our contacts found out in time to warn us…” He shook his head. “It’s not the kind of proof that would put him behind bars, but it’s pretty damning.”

I suppressed another shiver as I stared out at the water. It was one thing to guess Noah’s grandfather had started the fire but another to know he was in town the night of the blaze. It was certainly enough evidence to attribute guilt in Noah’s eyes, and I was starting to feel convinced too.

“You know you can’t go after him, right?” I said. “If he’s crazy enough to start the fire that nearly killed my mom and I, who knows what else he’s capable of.”

Noah’s mouth formed a hard line, and he didn’t respond.

“Noah, I’m serious. He’s dangerous.”

“I’mdangerous,” Noah growled. “I’d do anything to protect you, Isobel.Anything. And if that means going after my grandfather, I’ll do it a million times over.”

“Noah,” I whispered, but he kept talking.

“After all we’ve been through this year, there’s one thing I’ve learned: you are all that matters to me. I nearly lost you this week, and I won’t let anything happen to you again.”

My heart was racing, and my chest was swirling with butterflies. Noah had been telling me how he felt about me since he revealed the truth in New York, but it was only this past week I’d begun to understand the depth of his feelings. He really did love me.

A soft pink glow lit up the sky, and the crack of a firework exploding quickly followed. I didn’t look upward though. I couldn’t seem to take my eyes off Noah. He seemed unable to look away either, and he slowly lifted a hand to cup my face.

“Happy New Year, Isobel.”

“Happy New Year, Noah.”

His eyes dipped to my lips, and the look of longing in his gaze nearly broke me. I still felt so scared of my feelings for Noah, but right now, my heart didn’t seem to care. There was only one person I wanted. Only one person I needed. And his bright green eyes were currently staring into my soul, asking for me to give him just one more chance.

My breath held as Noah lowered his head toward mine, and my heartbeat slowed to thump in tandem with the drawn-out pop of the fireworks in the distance. It felt like time stilled as he moved closer until his lips finally met mine. His kiss was perfect and beautiful, and a part of me felt like it was only now that I was truly at home.

Just one kiss, and I was overpowered by my feelings for Noah. They broke free of the carefully constructed cage I’d trapped them in and flowed through me so hard and fast I thought I might be swept away by them. I didn’t know how to cope with the strength of them, but I somehow found myself pulling back from Noah.

“I need more time,” I gasped as I broke our kiss. Kissing Noah felt far more perfect than I’d been prepared for, and I needed space to strengthen my heart and feel confident I was making the right decision before giving us a second chance.

Pain flickered through Noah’s gaze, but it was followed by understanding, and he nodded as he pulled away from me. “Take all the time you need,” he said. “I’m not going anywhere. I’ll be ready when you are.”

His words alone made me want to kiss him again, but I turned my gaze to the fireworks overhead. They were building in number now, constantly crackling and flashing as they drew toward their dramatic conclusion. When the last one burst and they finally blinked out of the sky, the darkness that took over felt so much colder.

“We should probably get back to the house,” I said.

Noah nodded and helped me from the sand. We made our way back up the beach, both of us quiet as we walked. I had so much to consider, especially when it came to my relationship with Noah. But I found my focus was on William Hastings.

After what Noah had told me about William being in town the night of the fire, I felt certain he’d been the one to start it. The blaze had nearly killed my mom, and I wasn’t sure I could sit and wait for the fire department to do their job. Even if they somehow found incriminating evidence on William, I knew Noah’s grandfather would probably make it go away with ease.

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