Page 59 of Kiss the Girl
“That’s a lot of eyes,” I told him. “Miss Lily and Dr. Boone, plus all the other guests. You sure you’re up for it?”
He reached over and hauled me into his lap, nuzzling his face into my neck. “I think we’ve got this,” he said.
It was an act to make a point, but it startled me how right it felt to be nestled against him, his breath against my neck. It broke out goosebumps on my arm, and I decided to seize back control by running my fingers through his hair and nipping at his earlobe. He froze as my teeth scraped softly against his skin, but I only looked up at Brooke and smiled, as if the faint saltiness of his skin hadn’t just slayed me.
“I think we do too. What do you think, Brooke? Convincing?”
Her eyes narrowed. “Very convincing.”
I slid off Noah’s lap, and I could feel a reluctance in his hold, like he didn’t want to let me slip away, but he did, his fingers grazing my hip as I escaped to my side of the couch.
“Now, what am I whipping you two at tonight?” I asked.
Brooke’s face had questions written all over it, but she didn’t ask any of them, which was for the best because chances were, I had the same questions and no answers.
Chapter Eighteen
Noah
I’d told the boys we’d take off the Saturdays before and after Thanksgiving. We needed that time to work on the booth, but we’d made it to regional finals, and they needed to practice even more.
It meant less of Grace though. And that felt like a bad trade. Paige drove herself out to the store the Saturday before Thanksgiving, and her car worked both ways so there’d been no need for me to go and fetch her and no reason to pop into the store and say hi to Grace.
On Thanksgiving Day, Brooke had told us we should come around 4:00, drink some cocktails, and prepare to eat ourselves into a stupor starting at 5:00. Grace and I had agreed to meet there, and I pulled into Miss Lily’s driveway as Grace climbed out of her car, which was parked behind her parents. She wore boots and a simple cream-colored dress made of sweater material, but it skimmed her curves in a way that reminded me how well I’d gotten to see them in the garden that first night, right next to this house. Dang, but that girl had a backside it was hard to look away from.
“Hey,” she said, as Paige and I got out. “Is it weird eating Thanksgiving with your boss?” she asked Paige.
“Not unless you make it weird, which I’m sure you will with your whole, uh…” Paige dropped her voice and looked around to make sure no one else was outside to hear us. “Fake dating thing, you idiots.”
“Don’t call your boss an idiot,” I told Paige.
“We’re off the clock and out of the store,” she said. “So I’m calling it like it is.”
“She might not be wrong,” Grace said, looking unbothered.
I walked up to join her at the foot of the steps to Miss Lily’s porch while Paige unbuckled Evie from the car.
“Time to get on our game faces.” I took her hand, liking how small and strong hers felt in mine.
She looked up, her face serious. “Dr. Boone won’t have any reason to doubt us.”
Izzy, Brooke’s sister-in-law, answered the door and greeted us with smiles and directions on where to leave our coats.
“Welcome, Winters and Redmonds,” Miss Lily said as we walked into a giant room where several people had already gathered. “So good to see you all. Ian—” She glanced over to her grandson who sat on a loveseat with Brooke tucked tightly against his side. “Never mind. Landon, get up and see what everyone would like to drink. Miss Evie, you should run to the kitchen. I believe my cook has something delicious waiting for you, if it’s okay with your mom.”
Paige nodded, and Evie ran off in the direction of the kitchen as Miss Lily pointed out the way.
While Landon got everyone’s drinks, I took a minute to study the room. I’d only been here once for the wedding dinner, but that had been hosted entirely outside on the terrace. It was my first time seeing the interior, and it reflected Miss Lily perfectly. Light, soft fabrics, splashes of color from flower bouquets, well-made furniture, and throw pillows a touch too much on the fussy side for me filled the space, but they did make the sofas and armchairs look inviting.
Izzy curled up in one of the armchairs facing the sweeping windows that overlooked the grounds. She looked as if her mind were off in other places.
Grace nodded toward an attractive couple in their late fifties. “You probably recognize Ian’s parents from the wedding.” His dad looked as if he were about to give a distinguished lecture in an oak-paneled university auditorium, and his mom wore a cream pantsuit that communicated extreme competence. The Greenes were talking to each other with easy smiles, but Mrs. Greene’s eyes kept darting toward her daughter.
I knew how that look felt. That was what it was like being Paige’s older brother: always watchful, always worried. Izzy looked okay, though. Just daydreamy.
Grace’s hand was still in mine, and she tugged on it lightly until I leaned down. “This is going to be a long day,” she whispered, her eyes on Dr. Boone.
Maybe, but I had no objections to putting on a performance.
