Page 43 of Loving Josy
The snow continues to fall, blanketing the world in a quiet peace. I feel that peace settles inside me, too. I rub small circles over my belly, a tender smile on my lips. “We’re doing okay, aren’t we, pepper?”
The soft sound of my voice fades into the room as I glance back outside, the snowfall mesmerizing me. The world beyond the window feels like a dream, silent and serene, until a sharp knock pierces the tranquility of my house.
I jolt slightly and glance at my phone. It’s almost seven. How have two hours passed so quickly? The thought makes me chuckle softly as I set my mug down and make my way to the door, wondering who could be out in this weather.
When I open it, I’m greeted by the sight of Noah standing on my porch, bundled in a thick black jacket with snow dusting his shoulders. A beanie covers his gorgeous hair, though a few dark strands peek out, framing his striking brown eyes. My heart skips a beat at the sight of him, a familiar warmth spreading through me.
“Noah?” I’m not even hiding my smile as I step to the side to let him in. “What are you doing here?”
He stomps the snow off his boots before stepping inside, closing the door behind him with a solid click. The chill of winter air follows him briefly until it’s replaced by the warmth of the house. My eyes never leave him as he starts peeling off his layers, first his jacket, then his beanie, revealing a black button-down shirt rolled up to his forearms. It clings perfectly to his broad shoulders and tapers down to dark jeans and his signature black boots.
I try not to stare, but it’s impossible. Every time I see him, my mind betrays me, dragging me back to that day at the coffee shop. The memory of his lips on mine, his hands in my hair, his touch igniting every nerve—yeah, I want a repeat of that. Badly. But I have to contain myself.
Once he hangs his jacket in the coat closet, he turns to me, his gaze sweeping over me like a warm caress.
“You look cute.” His lips curving into that devastatingly charming smile.
Heat rushes to my cheeks at his compliment. “Thanks, but that doesn’t answer my question. What are you doing here?”
He steps closer, his eyes softening in a way that makes my heart flutter. “I was at my parents’ house with my sister and her family. Dinner was great, the company was even better, but something felt...off. I realized it wasn’t complete because something—or someone—was missing.” He pauses, holding my gaze. “That someone is you. So I said goodbye to everyone and came here. I didn’t want you to spend tonight or tomorrow alone. So, here I am.”
All I can do is blink as his words sinking in slowly. My walls, the ones I’ve carefully built over the years to protect myself from feeling too much, wobble under the weight of his sincerity.
“Okay. Thanks for coming.” My voice softer than I intended. “But...you know, this hasn’t been the only Christmas I’ve spent alone. In fact, most Christmases are like this for me. I guess I’m used to it by now.”
Noah steps closer, closing the small gap between us. His presence is steady, grounding, yet there’s a tenderness in his expression that makes me want to cry. “That’s the thing, sweetheart. From now on, you’re never going to be alone.” His voice is low, each word laced with conviction. “That’s why I’m here.”
For a moment, the world feels still, as though even the snowfall outside has paused to listen. His words wrap around me like a blanket, chasing away the lingering cold of solitude. I swallow hard, my throat tight with emotion.
“Okay,” I manage, giving Noah a small smile.
He grins, the kind that reaches his eyes, and it’s impossible not to feel lighter in his presence. “So, what have you been up to?” he asks as we start walking toward the kitchen.
My house is big, almost too big for one person. My grandfather built it for my grandmother, pouring love into every corner of its five bedrooms, three bathrooms, full kitchen, and massive dining and living rooms. When they both passed away, they left it to me. It’s filled with happy memories, and I cherish it but keeping up with the house is no small task. Thankfully, June comes once a month to clean. Without her, it would probably be overtaken by cobwebs and dust.
“Not much,” I say, shrugging. “I was just watching the snow fall from the window.”
“Sounds peaceful,” Noah replies. “You know, my youngest niece, Milly, has this wild fascination with snow. Today, she wanted to eat outside because she made a table out of it.”
I laugh, picturing it. “Did she actually eat outside?”
“Nope. My sister shut that idea down real quick. It’s too cold, and it hasn’t stopped snowing since yesterday. Milly ended up crying at her little snow table, trying to convince us with her puppy eyes. Nice try, but no luck.”
“How old is she now?” I ask, recalling the times I’ve seen his nieces and nephews at the coffee shop when Julia brings them along.
“She’s five going on twenty,” Noah says with a chuckle.
“Was Eva there too?”
“No.” His expression shifting slightly. “She was supposed to come, but she canceled at the last minute. My mom wasdisappointed, but what can we do? Eva’s always canceling on us.”
“But why?” I frown. “She’s been gone so long. I don’t get why she doesn’t visit more.”
“She’s busy finishing her PhD. She should’ve been done by now, but something happened during her research stage, so she had to push it another year. We’re hoping once she finishes, she’ll come back and spend more time with us.”
“Oh, I hope so too,” I say sincerely. “It’d be nice to see her again. I always made sure to check in on her when she was in high school. She was so sweet.”
“Yeah, she’s good people,” Noah says, his tone softening. Then, shaking off the serious mood, he grins. “Anyway, what do you want to do? Got any board games?”
