The Apartment on Larkspur Lane (Autumn Lake #2)

21. Addison

21

Addison

A ddison giggled at the half-serious expression on Noel’s face. “It’s not a proposal,” she said, having forgotten until that moment that Arnie had scribbled the words, Let’s live on a prayer together, above his signature.

“Looks pretty close to one to me,” Noel quipped. It came out sounding almost like an accusation, and Addison shook her head as she settled more comfortably into her spot.

“I was listening to my music in my car and he heard it,” she explained, feeling a little self-conscious about the admission. “I have a thing for 80’s hair bands.”

Noel furrowed his brow. “I’m so lost. This Arnold Archer guy just happened to be walking by—or driving by?—your car and overheard the music you were playing? I’m assuming it was Bon Jovi.”

“It was, yes,” she said, grinning at his attempt to reason it out.

“So he just happened to overhear it… and then what? He pulled out a book and signed it for you?”

Addison laughed and shook her head. “For your information, a lot of authors have day jobs. Arnie is one of those authors.”

Noel picked the book up and waved it between them. “This guy has a day job? This is good stuff, Addison. I know mines—my father was a miner—and this guy knows mines, too. Maybe even better than I do.”

“Well, he should. He’s a retired miner, too, after all.”

“So…” Noel dragged the word out, clearly having a hard time accepting her words at face value. “Are you telling me that he works with you at the airport?”

“Not exactly with me, but at the airport, yes.” She was enjoying doling out the juicy bits a little at a time. “And I bet you two have crossed paths several times.”

“Okay. Now you’re just being cruel.” Noel put down the book and crossed his arms.

Addison’s mouth went momentarily dry as he cocked his head and gave her what she could only call ‘sad puppy dog eyes.’ He was so cute, so boy-next-door handsome, that she was finding it hard to take a deep breath. “Maybe I shouldn’t tell you,” she managed to say with a cheeky grin. “I mean, he does use a pen name. Maybe he wouldn’t want me telling anyone.”

Noel scooted a little closer to her and stuck out his bottom lip.

“Oh, my goodness,” she snorted, covering her eyes with both hands. “That is the most pitiful expression I’ve ever seen. Stop it.”

“I won’t tell anyone,” he cajoled. From between her hands, she saw him hold up three fingers. “Scout’s honor.”

“Are you even a scout?” she challenged.

“Depends on who’s asking.”

“I am, you dork.” She dropped her hands and gave him a mock threatening glare. “Fine. I’ll tell you. But if you betray my trust….”

“I would never,” he vowed, crossing his heart.

“Arnold Archer is the pen name for Arnie Bowman.”

“Ah. I see what he did there. Bowman. Archer. Nice.” Then he lifted his gaze to the ceiling, clearly trying to sort things out. “I know that name. Both names, obviously. But I feel like I actually know who Arnie Bow—Arnie!” He spun back to her, his eyes going wide with surprise. “Arnie at the parking lot exit? Super friendly guy at the ticket booth, right? That’s Arnold Archer?”

Addison was grinning again, nodding slowly, feeling remarkably proud of her friend. “He’s brilliant, don’t you think?”

“Yes. Brilliant, yes!” Noel exclaimed. “What is he doing sitting in that ticket booth?” he asked, stunned by the revelation.

“He’s writing books; that’s what he’s doing,” she declared. “And he’s writing books because he’s sitting in a ticket booth, according to Arnie. He took the job because once he retired, he found he was terribly bored, and he was starting to drive his wife crazy being at home all the time. He thought it would be a nice change for him to sit there in the sunshine all day greeting folks. You know, after working so hard underground all his life. But then he started to get bored in the booth, too. So now he brings his laptop and writes his books in between cars passing through his line.”

Noel shook his head in disbelief. “I’m… flabbergasted.”

“Next time you leave the airport, you be sure and tell him how much you like his books. He still can’t believe people read them, even though Claire says they fly off the shelf.”

A strange expression crossed Noel’s face. “Speaking of Claire and the bookshop, I’m a little surprised we haven’t run into each other here in town before. It sounds like you’re in The Cracked Spine fairly often, and I’ve been going in there a lot lately.”

“Oh, well, I’m sure we’ve just been in at different times,” she said a little breathlessly. Had he seen her in there the other night? She’d been so sure he hadn’t.

“Actually,” Noel continued, moving the books to the coffee table and turning in his seat a little so that he could look more directly at her. “I think you were there the other night when I stopped in to pick up The World in Darkness. I could have sworn I heard you talking to Claire. I didn’t want to interrupt, but I’m curious. That was you, wasn’t it? Night before last?”

“Um, yes, I was there,” she admitted reluctantly. And here, she’d thought she could get away with never having to admit she’d been such a fool that night. “That’s why I couldn’t join you for coffee. I’d promised Claire that I’d help her out; she was short a staff person, you know? And I’ll use any excuse to putter around The Cracked Spine.”

Noel nodded slowly, his expression growing serious. “I apologize up front, because this isn’t going to make me look good, but I wasn’t intentionally eavesdropping, okay?”

“Okay,” Addison said slowly, dreading what was going to come out of his mouth next.

He hesitated, then took her hand. He studied her fingers, rather than meeting her eyes, but she thought that might be more for her benefit than his. “I overheard you say something. Do you mind if I ask for… well, for clarification? I know you weren’t talking to me, that what you said wasn’t meant for my ears, but I don’t want to misunderstand or misread things between us.”

Wow. So, this is the way she should have handled things. It’s called communication, Adders. It’s what grownups do. “It’s okay. You can ask.”

“I heard you say that you’d rather be single and happy.”

Addison sighed and nodded. She had, indeed, said pretty much those exact words. “It’s the truth,” she explained. “But I said it in response to Claire asking if I’d rather be single and happy than in a relationship just to not be single.”

“Right. I heard her ask you.”

Then what was his question, she wondered, relishing the way her hand felt tucked into his. Her heart was pounding so hard that she could feel her blood throbbing in her veins.

“I guess I’m wondering how you feel about us,” he finally said. Now he did look her in the eyes. “Let me be really forthright. I’ve been thinking about you all week, hoping that I’ve been on your mind, too. And Addison, I don’t want to be an obligation to you.”

“You’re not an obligation,” she whispered when she could find her words. “And I’ve been thinking about you all week, too.”

“Thank goodness.” Noel let out a great sigh of relief, closed his eyes, and leaned his head back on the cushion behind him. The sound he made sent a flurry of tingles skittering just under her skin. He cracked one eye open and turned to grin at her. “I was afraid you’d concocted a story about not feeling well just to get out of going out with me. But then you invited me here tonight, and I couldn’t help hoping….” He let his words trail off.

She couldn’t lie to him. She simply couldn’t. She stared down at their intwined fingers and said, “Actually, I kinda did. I mean, I felt awful, so that part wasn’t made up.” She sighed, hating how silly she felt.

He squeezed her hand encouragingly. “What is it, Addison?”

“I thought you… and Claire. I thought the two of you might—” She broke off, unable to finish the sentence. Her cheeks were hot with embarrassment. “I jumped to conclusions.”

“Ah. Claire of The Cracked Spine.” Noel fell silent for so long that Addison finally chanced a look at him. He was studying her with a broad grin on his face. “You have nothing to worry about there, Addison. That woman scares me a little. She is not my type.”

“Really?” Addison ducked her head again, hoping she wasn’t getting all blotchy. “I mean, look at her. She seems like she’d be everyone’s type.”

“I’d much rather look at you.”

“Oh.” Addison picked up The World on Fire just for something to do with her free hand.

Noel took the book from her and set it on the armrest beside him. Then he tugged on her hand, gently drawing her toward him. “We can talk more about books tomorrow.” The rumble of his voice made him sound a little dreamy. “Come here.”

She let him pull her closer to him on the sofa. Shoulder to shoulder, hip to hip, thigh to thigh they sat, Addison barely breathing at the rapture of the moment. She’d imagined the possibility of this for months, and suddenly, here she was, snuggling— snuggling! —with the actual man of her actual dreams. How was it possible?

“This is nice,” Noel said, resting his cheek against her head. “I’m glad you’re here.”

“You are, too,” she managed to say, the butterflies doing a happy dance in her stomach. “I mean, I’m glad. That you’re here, too. And that you’re glad.” Ugh.

Noel chuckled softly, then turned and pressed a kiss to her temple. “I like the way you talk when you’re nervous.”

Addison, mortified, covered her face with her free hand. “Don’t make fun of me,” she groaned. “You make me nervous. But in a good way, I mean. And then my tongue forgets how to work.”

Noel turned slightly toward her, wrapped his fingers around her wrist and lowered her hand so that he could see her face. He didn’t let go. “I wasn’t making fun of you, Addison. It makes me inexplicably happy to know that I make you nervous in a good way.” He waited until she gave him a side-eyed look. “You do the same thing to me.”

“But your tongue seems to work just fine,” she shot back, her gaze lowering to his mouth. Such a nice mouth… Her eyes widened in censure as she tried to rein in her wayward thoughts. “I mean, your mouth works.” She wasn’t making things better. “You talk just…”

Her words drifted off as Noel leaned closer and pressed the mouth in question against hers.

The kiss lasted only a few moments. His lips were warm and firm against hers, and to her embarrassment, she sighed out loud when he pulled away.

“You are lovely, Addison Wedgewood,” Noel said, resting his forehead against hers. He let go of her hand so he could cup her cheek, his thumb tenderly stroking the corner of her mouth. Then he settled back into the sofa again, wrapping an arm around her shoulders and drawing her closer to him, until she was resting snuggly against his side. After a moment’s hesitation, she leaned her head on his shoulder, and then it was his turn to let out a sigh of satisfaction.

After a long, comfortable silence, she heard him say her name. “Addison?” It sounded like he was talking underwater, though.

“Hmm?”

“Hey, Addison.” His voice was low and soft, a gentle murmur near her ear.

Suddenly, she stiffened and tried to sit up. She’d fallen asleep. Oh, good grief, she’d fallen asleep on him! “I’m so sorry, Noel. I guess I—I just drifted off.”

Noel didn’t let her pull away. “Please don’t apologize,” he said. She could hear the grin in his voice. “I’m not complaining. You can fall asleep in my arms anytime you want.”

“You’re teasing me again.” She stopped trying to move away from him, but squeezed her eyes shut.

“If teasing you makes you turn that pretty shade of pink, then I’m not so sure that’s a bad thing.” He planted a playful kiss against her temple, then lifted his arm from around her shoulders. “I think it’s getting late, though.”

Addison sat forward and scooped up her phone from the coffee table. She gasped when she saw the time. “Oh goodness. Noel. It’s after one in the morning.”

“It is?” he asked, then yawned as if on cue, making both of them laugh. “Guess we should call it a night.” He got to his feet, then offered her his hand to help her up, too.

When she tried to step back, he didn’t let go. The look on his face gave her a momentary jolt of concern. “Are you okay?” she asked. He was so close she could see the fine lines of black that striated his brown irises, and she almost couldn’t bear it.

“May I kiss you goodnight?” he asked, his voice low and husky, his eyelids lowering as his gaze moved to her lips.

She nodded without hesitation.

The kiss was soft, tender at first, then grew more passionate, more intimate. She pressed one hand to his chest, the other, almost of its own accord, slipping up to curve around his jaw. She’d been right; there was absolutely nothing wrong with his mouth. It was working just fine, indeed.

They finally broke apart, both a little flushed, and she shifted her hands to his waist to steady herself.

“Wow,” he murmured, dipping his head a little to look her in the eye.

“Yeah,” she said quite breathlessly, but she didn’t care. “Wow.”

Noel took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “My heart is racing. So, it’s not just me?”

Addison shook her head. “Mine, too,” she whispered.

The room was quiet for a few moments, then he took her hand again and led her around the coffee table toward the door. He released her long enough to slip into his jacket, then took her in his arms again. “Thank you, Addison, for tonight. Everything about it was perfect. I’m so glad we didn’t wait until tomorrow to get together.”

“I am, too,” she said, smiling up at him. “I’m glad you liked my cobbler.” He’d declined taking any of it home, telling her he’d rather eat it with her than all alone in his suite at the resort.

“I’m forever changed after tonight, Addison. You’ve ruined me for all other cobblers.”