Page 66 of When We Were Young
I want someone to look at me the way Noah looks at Emily. Please, God! #LotsofGoals.
And from there, well, from there it snowballed. Before they celebrated their first anniversary, they were making six figures simply sharing their love story with the world.
Emily flipped back to the album’s first page, to the picture she loved so much, and a thought occurred to her. She never could’ve imagined that this single photo would spark a generation’s fascination with Noah and her. She couldn’t have dreamed of the avalanche that picture would start. The tsunami of attention. Or that one day that most brilliant moment would represent something neither of them had seen coming.
The beginning of the end.
20
Of all the dreams he’d had lately, this was easily the best. Noah put his arm over his eyes and prayed the night would last forever. Because one thing was certain—here he could spend the rest of his life with Emily.
In the season after she said yes.
His sleep grew deeper and deeper and gradually he could see her again, the way she looked with her eyes all lit up, telling him yes. “Yes, Noah, a million times yes.”
That night, when all the commotion and excitement died down, Noah picked up dinner and brought it back to Emily and Clara’s house. No television, that was Noah’s only request. His announcement and their engagement, everything about his decisions that day—all of it would still be in the news tomorrow.
So that night all he wanted was this. A quiet evening with Emily and Clara.
Over fried chicken and mashed potatoes, Clara suddenly put down her fork and looked at him. Her smile took a few seconds and then filled every part of her face. “This,” she said, “is the best... day of my whole... life.”
Her words were slow with fits and starts and sometimes running together, but Noah and Emily understood exactly what she said. Noah reached across the table and took her hand. “It’s my best day, too.”
“And mine.” Emily raised her iced tea.
Clara wasn’t done. She looked from Noah to Emily and back again. “I prayed for this. Every day.” She looked up, as if God’s presence was hovering directly over her. Then with words brimming with hope and gratitude she finished her thought. “Thank You, God. You heard me. You see me!”
It was hard to eat chicken after that. Both Emily and he stood and walked over to Clara. They hugged her and made a circle together. Then they did something that would become a regular occurrence for the three of them.
They prayed.
When Clara went to bed that night, when she was happy in her room, still smiling in her sleep, Noah and Emily returned to the den. Noah started a playlist he’d made especially for that night.
The first song was Adele’s “Make You Feel My Love.”
“I thought it might be a good night for a dance.” Noah held his hand out to her. That pale pink sweater and her baby blue eyes. The electricity when their hands touched and she stepped into his arms.
They had to be careful, especially now. Since they knew it was only a matter of time before they were married. Standing there alone with Emily, Noah was deeply aware of her. Every move she made, the feel of her arms around his shoulders.Stay focused,he told himself.Don’t let things get away from you. He took a deep breath and looked into her eyes. It was important to God that they wait till they were married.
So it was important to him. To both of them.
But as they danced, as their bodies swayed together, a heat began to build that made Noah dizzy with anticipation. Gradually the music stopped and they stood there, lost in the moment, caught up in each other’s nearness.
The kiss that happened next still took Noah’s breath. It held all the feelings they’d ever had for each other. The longing and waiting, the times when Noah wasn’t sure they’d ever be more than friends. Even the breakup that had happened last week.
All of it was there in that single kiss.
It started slow, but after a few minutes, Noah needed a break. “Come on.” He took her hand and led her out to the front porch. Spring meant the nights were still cold. He stood next to her and pulled her close to his side. Together they turned their faces to the sky.
“It’s beautiful.” Emily’s breathing was almost back to normal. As if she had needed the break, too. The night was clear, a sliver of the moon hanging off to the side. Every star in the sky seemed to sparkle just for them.
“Think about it.” He looked at her. “God’s going to let us look at those same stars every night together for the rest of our lives.”
She smiled. “Even when we’re a hundred.”
The air between them grew more serious. Noah brushed his thumb across her brow. “It’ll never be enough. No matter how long we have.”
One night a week later they were out front, a blanket over their laps, when Emily took a deep breath. “Can I tell you something?”
