Friends Like These

by Carina Taylor

  I didn’t know anything about Cletus’ past—he’d never mentioned it. But grief is a cloud that’s entirely recognizable in people who have experienced it. Some people hide that cloud with other emotions. Some try to pretend like that cloud is never there. Others, like Cletus, carry the cloud in their arms—afraid to let it go.

  I swiped at the mist in the corner of my eyes. It must be getting close to my time of the month—that must be why I was getting so emotional at seeing Cletus happy on his little date.

  I focused on cleaning the pastry display case until the bell above the door sounded.

  The next customer was strong, handsome, and, hopefully, mine.

  “Good morning,” Noah smiled as he stepped in front of the counter. “I enjoyed last night.”

  I could have sworn I was blushing. My cheeks felt warm, and I had an overwhelming urge to bury my face behind the scone display.

  “I enjoyed last night, too,” I answered. His smile grew even more at that. “What are you doing here this morning?”

  “I know this great barista who can make anyone like coffee. I thought I might give her another chance to convert me. What do you think?”

  I grabbed a mug off the shelf. “I think I could do that.”

  He stepped over to the side counter and watched me as I worked. “What are the chances this barista might go on another date with me?”

  “I’d say pretty good. Only because you’re a good kisser.” I winked and waggled my eyebrows at him.

  It was his turn to blush as he glanced around.

  “Are you free tonight?”

  “I thought you had to do some work at the golf course tonight.”

  “I thought we might grab dinner together again. I can do work like that at home, anyway.”

  “I would love to go on a date with you again.”

  He cleared his throat. “I actually was hoping I could convince you to come with me to eat dinner at the golf course in a couple of weeks. The new chef is working on the menu right now. He’s still settling on a few things, but we plan on doing a trial run of the menu in two weeks. Which means there’s lots of taste-testing that needs to happen. I need a second opinion. What do you say?”

  I’d never been asked to be a taste tester before, but that was a job I wouldn’t mind. “Yes. Good food and good company? Count me in.”

  He grinned as I handed him his mug full of coffee—not tea. He turned to glance around the coffee shop. I took off my apron and hat, reminded Tanya—the girl sitting on the stool in the corner—to get off of the phone and take a turn at the counter. I grabbed my iced coffee from the fridge and walked around the counter to stand next to Noah. He was staring at Cletus, who sat in the corner with his girlfriend, her back to us.

  “Who’s that in the corner?”

  “That’s my cranky boss.”

  “Who’s that with him?”

  I shrugged and took a sip of my coffee. “Believe it or not, Cletus has a girlfriend. She’s nice. I’m not sure how he landed her.”

  “I think I do.” Noah’s smile reminded me of Cameron whenever he beat me at Monopoly.

  He made his way towards Cletus and Caroline’s table, and I followed behind, curious what he was up to.

  “Grandma, imagine finding you here.” Noah rested a hand on the back of Caroline’s chair. Caroline turned to face us, flashed a guilty look at Noah, then recovered with a big smile as she stood up and hugged him.

  I couldn’t stop staring. I’d been chatting it up with Noah’s grandma. I’d been making her four-shot coffees—he was probably going to kill me.

  “How are you, dear?” She pulled his head down and kissed him on the cheek. “I didn’t know you came to this coffee shop.”

  “Are you going to introduce me to your friend?”

  Caroline blushed and rested her hand on Cletus’ shoulder. “Noah, I’d like you to meet Cletus. My boyfriend.”

  Cletus choked on a sip of coffee, Noah was trying hard not to laugh, and I was grinning. It was nice to see Cletus so discomfited. If he didn’t know he was dating Caroline, he did now.

  Noah held out his hand to Cletus, who hesitantly shook it.

  “I hadn’t realized you knew my grandson,” Caroline said to me.

  “I hadn’t realized you were his grandma,” I answered.

  “Grandma, Page and I are dating.”

  “Oh, how wonderful!” Caroline patted my arm as she sat down again. “We’ll have to go on a double date sometime.”

  Cletus choked on some more coffee. There must have been something stuck in his throat. I really should remind him to go see his doctor more regularly.

  “It was good to see you grandma—and to meet your new boyfriend.”

  Cletus looked green, while Noah’s eyes had the twinkle I loved so much.

  I slipped my hand into the crook of Noah’s elbow, and we walked back to the front of the shop. “You have a grandma!”

  “Of course, I have a grandma. I’ve mentioned her before.”

  “Wait—oh! She was the grandma who was married to—”

  “Yes. She was married to Alec, who left me the golf course.”

  Racking my brain, I tried to remember the details of everything he’d told me about his grandma over the course of our date. “But he left her for someone else.”

  “Right.”

  “But now he’s mad that she’s seeing someone.”

  “Yup.”

  “And that someone is Cletus?”

  “Probably.”

  I sighed. “You’re full of conversation today, aren’t you?”

  He grinned. “Sorry, it surprised me to see them here. We’ve heard about this mystery-man, but grandma didn’t want any of us to scare him away, so she hasn’t introduced us yet.”

  “You? Scare someone away? That’s hilarious. You tried that with me; look where that got you.”

  He studied me as he took a sip of his coffee. He was quick to school his grimace. “You’re right. It got me a gorgeous girlfriend who’s fun to be around.”

  I bit the corner of my lip and raised my eyebrows. “Oh, so I’m your girlfriend now?”

  “We’ve been on a date. We’ve watched Indiana Jones together.” He lowered his voice. “I’ve kissed you. It’s definitely official.”

  “You know, I think you and I remember our little movie night differently. I remember you coming over, specifically to get mad about the goat.”

  “No, not the goat. All the single ladies. I didn’t need help to find a single lady. I’d already found mine.” He drained the last of his cup then set it in the bin on the side counter. “I’ve got to get to work, but I’ll see you later, okay? I’ll pick you up at your house again.”

  “That sounds great.” I leaned closer to him and kissed him on the cheek. He smiled and blushed as he headed out the door.

  It was going to be a good day.

  For the next couple of weeks, I felt like I could walk on water. I spent every spare moment with Noah. He was working long hours at The Garden, but we managed to fit in dates on lunch breaks or Sundays. If we weren’t together, then we were texting. I learned he really was the fastest texter on earth. Or maybe he dictated them while he worked; I’d have to ask him.

  I’d been looking forward to the taste testing night ever since he first mentioned it. Noah and I were the only ones sitting in The Garden’s restaurant. We’d just finished sampling everything that the new chef had made. Noah’s new chef, Mason Walsh, was amazing. It was the first time I’d eaten at the golf course since the day I killed the snake. The old menu wasn’t even comparable to the new one.

  Mason had made us sample dishes of all types. Salads, appetizers, soups, steak, and, of course, dessert. I was too full to ever walk again. Mason was a dreamboat with those skills. Noah explained that his friend Xavier had helped him find Mason.

  If I had the money, I would have tried to hire him out from under Noah to be my personal chef.

  “Do you think he’d be willing to cook for m
e if I offered him room and board?” I asked Noah as I licked the caramel glaze off of my fork.

  Noah chuckled as he glanced at the kitchen door then back to me. “No. Besides, I’m not sure how I’d feel about you sharing your small space with him.”

  I scooted forward in my seat. “Would it bother you? If I had a guy for a roommate?”

  “Honestly?” He set his napkin down on the table.

  “No, be dishonest.”

  He chuckled and tried to iron the crumpled-up napkin flat on the table. “Honestly, it would bother me.”

  “Because you don’t trust me?” I didn’t know why I was spoiling for a fight tonight. Maybe restless energy. I hadn’t traveled anywhere in months.

  “No, I don’t own you. I don’t want to make your decisions for you. That’s on you. I will not be the boyfriend who micromanages every move you make.”

  I unfolded my arms and reached across the table to run my fingers over the back of his hand. He caught them and gently massaged my hand in his. “Why would it bother you?”

  He glanced up, his piercing blue eyes prying me open with a look. “I’d be jealous. If you had a roommate, they’d get to see you in the mornings before breakfast. They’d get to see you morning and night. They would know if you slept in matching pajamas. They would know how grumpy you are before you get your morning coffee. And I would be jealous of that.”

  I squeezed his hand. “First off, I don’t want a roommate. I just want good food to appear on my little breakfast table miraculously. Secondly, sometimes I wear matching pajamas, sometimes I wear sweats and a t-shirt, and sometimes I wear nothing at all. I’m abominable to be around in the mornings until I have two cups of coffee, so don’t expect a good morning greeting if we meet in the early hours.”

  “Nothing at all, huh?” He grinned, and I lightly smacked the back of his hand, careful not to send any plates or flatware flying into the air. Chuckling, he said, “Well, if I can ever get you to go on a jog with me, I’ll bring you two coffees first.”

  I laughed. Then I laughed some more. “You’re the funniest thing. Me—go jogging.”

  He shook his head at me. “Not much of a jogger?”

  “Nope. I like being active. I like going on a hike and seeing new scenery. I even like beating my little sisters at tennis. But if you ever see me jogging down the road, please pull over and help me because there’s something chasing me.”

  Noah threw his head back and laughed. “I don’t know if anything would dare chase you, Page. You’d probably give it the scare of its life.”

  I shrugged. “There was that time when I was in New York, and someone tried to rob me.”

  Noah flinched then slammed his elbows on the table. “What did you say?”

  Waving a hand through the air, I took a sip of my wine. “Don’t stress out about it. It was nothing. By the time we were through, I’d earned five bucks for my efforts.”

  Noah shook his head. “Wait. You robbed him?”

  “No, of course not. I have scruples. But I pointed out to him that he could have easily traumatized me, and he owed me for putting up with his shenanigans.”

  Noah rubbed a hand over his face. “Were you alone?”

  “Yes, that time Jenny was at the hotel sleeping.”

  “That time? You mean you’ve been robbed more than once?”

  Maybe it wasn’t the best story to be telling Noah. He didn’t seem to appreciate the gist of the story. He was too focused on mechanics.

  “Where would you travel to if you could go anywhere?” I asked him.

  He reached across the table and latched onto my arm. “Were you robbed before?”

  His hand squeezed my arm firmly—but not painfully. When I looked him in the eye, he then pulled his hand back across the small table. He folded them together, resting them against his abdomen while he gave me a stern look. He must mean business.

  “It’s part of traveling and exploring. It’s not a big deal. That’s why you never carry a bunch of cash on you.”

  “Can you do something for me?” His eyebrows drew together.

  “Sure.”

  “Can you promise you’ll never travel alone?”

  I couldn’t tell if he was serious or not. I’d just added Nepal to my travel list the night before. No one wanted to go with me. Jenny said she had some stuff going on and wasn’t sure which trips she could commit to.

  “I appreciate your concern—I really do. I think it’s sweet. But I plan on doing a lot of traveling by myself.”

  “What does that mean?”

  “It means that my traveling partner said she’s busy. Kylie’s getting married. Mack and Jordan don’t like to travel. So that leaves me. And I still have a lot of places to see.”

  “You have to promise me you won’t go alone. It’s not safe.”

  “You know, Noah, if I wanted the Dad speech, I’d go home and hang out with my parents.”

  Shaking his head, he pressed his lips together. “I’m not joking around here, Page. You could have been hurt. This is serious.”

  I stood up and tossed my napkin onto the table. “Then I guess I’ll go home. I don’t want to spend my time with someone who doesn’t believe I can make good decisions.”

  Snatching my purse off the back of the chair, I stomped out of the empty restaurant, through the front lobby and out the large doors. It was another muggy night, and the mosquitoes were already humming.

  The door swung open, and heavy footsteps sounded on the sidewalk behind me. I continued walking toward the road. I would walk home if he thought he could tell me how I could and couldn’t travel.

  A car pulled alongside me, and the window rolled down. “Page, get in the car. We need to talk.”

  “I’m mad,” I informed him—just in case my crossed arms and angry steps weren’t enough for him to notice.

  Noah chuckled and stopped the car, getting out to open the passenger side door for me. He gave me his best puppy dog face.

  “Let’s talk,” he said in a cajoling tone.

  I scoffed, “Those are the worst words in the English language. No pleasant conversation comes after those words.”

  I stepped closer to him and glared. He opened his arms.

  The horrible man knew I couldn’t resist him.

  I stepped into him and wrapped my arms around his waist. I pressed my face into his chest.

  “I was mad at the idea of someone trying to hurt you,” he mumbled against my hair.

  “Well, don’t be so controlling!” I ran my hands up and down his back, feeling the corded muscles that stretched up his back and over his shoulders.

  “I’m not controlling.”

  I leaned back and studied his earnest face.

  “All right, fine, I am a little controlling.” He rubbed small circles on my back.

  I pinched his side—no fat to pinch, only skin.

  “Ouch! Hey, I’m not that controlling. I’m concerned.”

  “Well, you don’t have to concern yourself with me.”

  “Too late. I’m already concerned.”

  I inhaled the scent of him. Cinnamon and a hint of men’s shaving lotion. “Why are you so concerned about my traveling? People travel solo all the time.” His hands running up and down my back made me forget why I was mad at him. It wasn’t fair.

  His hoarse voice said, “Because I love you.”

  The words echoed into the night, and I stopped breathing, afraid that if I started again, it would erase the spoken words.

  I leaned back to look him in the eye.

  He visibly swallowed and lowered his forehead to mine. “I love you, Page. I would go crazy if anything happened to you. Don’t you know that?”

  I locked my hands together behind his waist. “You mean that?”

  “I mean that. I wouldn’t say it unless I meant it—I know without a doubt that I love you.”

  Forget fighting about my travel habits. He loved me. He said the L-word. Out loud. To my face. He seemed like the type of guy to
wait until at least the six-month mark.

  After taking a steadying breath, I said, “I promised myself that I wouldn’t fall in love until my thirtieth birthday. There’s so much to see and do in life. I didn’t want to be tied down.”

  His brow furrowed. “Love doesn’t tie you down. It bonds you with somebody—somebody to be with you anywhere, someone to support you, not hold you back.”

  Licking my lips, I spoke, “The night you walked into the art gallery, I started to fall. I kept reminding myself that I was too young to fall in love, but that didn’t seem to stop it. You’re kind, you’re funny, you’re steady, you’re dedicated. You’ve trusted me to try something new. With that trust, you’ve sparked an idea in my mind, a way to create my place in the world. You’re more than I deserve, and I love you too.”

  He drew in a deep breath. “You mean that?”

  I pinched his side again and tried to imitate his low voice. “I wouldn’t say it unless I meant it.”

  He smiled down at me. “I’m sorry I made you mad. I’m sorry I seemed controlling. I want to support you and love you—and keep you safe.”

  I nodded as I pulled his head down to mine, pressing my lips against his. I’d just have to kiss that fear out of him.

  CHAPTER FOURTEEN

  NOAH

  “We would have loved to continue as members at The Garden, but after speaking with Alec, I think it’s best we move on to somewhere we’re sure will be sustainable,” the man on the other end of the phone explained to me.

  “Mr. Ross, I appreciate the years you have spent here at the golf course. It’s been great to get to know you over the past couple of months, and I respect your decision. But I have to ask, why do you think it won’t be a sustainable golf course?” Might as well find out what the rumors were saying, so I’d know what I was dealing with. I had a pretty good guess I knew who to blame; my grandfather.

  “You know I hate to talk about money...”

  Oliver Ross loved to talk about money.