by Force, Marie
After he’d parked and shut off the engine, he turned to her. “Kiss me.”
“I’m not sure I want to after all your nonsense.”
“What nonsense?”
“You know what I’m talking about.”
His smile lit up his entire face, and dear God, she was powerless to resist him. That smile completely transformed his face. He bore no resemblance whatsoever to the man who’d driven her mad for weeks.
“You know you want to.”
Because she did want to, Brianna leaned across the center console to give him a chaste kiss on the lips.
“That was cheap. I know you can do better.”
“Maybe later. If you’re good.” She pulled free of his grip and was out of the car before he realized she was gone.
“That was mean,” he said as he followed her to the hospital’s main entrance.
“You’ll get over it.”
“I’m not sure I will.”
She couldn’t believe she was having fun after being served with that damned lawsuit. Under normal circumstances, she’d be losing her shit, but being with Noah had given her a welcome and entertaining distraction.
Inside, he asked if his sister was still in the ICU.
“No,” the woman working the info desk said. “She’s in four eighteen now.”
“That’s good news. Thanks.”
“How do you people stand to live without cell phones?” Brianna asked as they walked to the elevator. “In any other universe, you’d already know she was out of the ICU.”
“Vermont is unlike any other universe.”
“You can say that again.”
“You can admit it. It’s a very attractive place.” In the elevator, he hit the button for the fourth floor. “It has many attractions.”
Brianna rolled her eyes. “Give it a rest.”
“Not until you admit the truth.”
When they arrived on the fourth floor, they found a room full of Colemans, including one she hadn’t met yet.
“Brianna, my brother Jackson. Jack, meet Bri.”
Jackson, who had darker hair and eyes than Noah, shook her hand. He had the kind of perfect dark stubble on his jaw that models had to work to get just right. “Nice to meet the lasagna lady. I hear it was epic.”
“It was and is,” Noah said. “Leftovers are in my fridge.”
“I’ll be hitting that up later.”
“Leave some for me,” Noah said.
“Nice to meet you, too,” Brianna said. “I’ll wait here while you see Izzy.”
“I won’t be long,” Noah said.
“Take your time.” As he walked away, she took a seat facing Sarah, Vanessa and Ally with Jackson to her right.
“So,” Ally said. “You’re here with Noah.”
“That’s right.” Brianna bit her lip to keep from laughing at her shameless quest for info.
“They’ve been talking about that lasagna all day,” Jackson said.
“I’m glad everyone enjoyed it.”
“We loved it,” Nessa said, “but you know what we love even more?”
Brianna had her suspicions, but she played a little dumb. “What’s that?”
“Seeing Noah with you,” Sarah said. “He seems happy when you’re with him.”
“We’ve been worried about him for years,” Nessa added.
“I don’t remember when we weren’t worried about him,” Jackson said. “Been a long time.”
“He’s lucky to have you guys on his side,” Brianna said.
“We’re always on his side,” Ally said. “We don’t know what went down with her, but she’d better hope we never run into her. His loner stage began right after she departed. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to realize that two plus two adds up to her doing him wrong.”
Brianna felt a little guilty that she knew more than his siblings did about how Noah’s marriage ended. “You should just ask him what happened. He’d probably tell you.”
“We don’t want to push him away by prying,” Sarah said. “It’s a fine line.”
“I can certainly understand,” Brianna said.
“Sorry if we’re making you uncomfortable,” Nessa said. “It’s just so nice to see him smiling and laughing and joking around again. We’ve missed that guy.”
“You’re not making me uncomfortable,” Brianna said. “I’m glad to hear Noah seems happier than he’s been.”
“He’s much happier, and that seems to be related to you,” Sarah said.
Brianna felt her face heat with embarrassment.
“Now we’re making her uncomfortable,” Ally said. “Back off, ladies.”
“It’s okay,” Brianna said. “It’s nice how concerned you guys are about him. Your family is sweet.”
“Not always,” Jackson said. “We can get into it with the best of them.”
“Not so much anymore,” Ally said to her brother. “Well, except for Henry and Sarah. They fight like cats and dogs.”
“Noah likes to fight, too,” Brianna said.
Sarah scoffed. “Noah wishes he could fight like me.”
“No one wishes they were like you,” Ally said.
The two of them took it from there, and Brianna just watched the show, thankful they had stopped trying to get info from her about Noah.
For now, anyway.
* * *
“Tell me about lasagna girl,” Izzy said.
“Not until you tell me why Cabot spent the night here.”
Cabot had gone with their mother to get coffee in the cafeteria, leaving Noah and Izzy alone.
“You first,” Izzy said. “I’m injured, so I’m in charge.”
“Jeez, are you going to milk being injured?” Noah was thrilled to see her looking much better than she had yesterday, although the bruises on her face were turning an angry shade of purple.
“If it gets me some info. Spill it.”
“Nothing to spill. We’re friends.”
“You, Noah Coleman, do not have friends who are women.”
“Yes, I do!”
“Who?”
The only one he could think of was his friend with benefits, and Izzy didn’t know about her, nor did she need to. “People you don’t know.”
“Try that shit with someone who doesn’t know you as well as I do. You’ve never had women who were friends unless you were dating them.”
“I have, too! I had college friends who were women.”
“And when was the last time you talked to any of them?”
“I don’t know.”
“Rather than arguing with me about your lack of female friends, tell me about lasagna girl. Everyone was saying she’s pretty, nice and a great cook.”
“She’s all those things.”
“And?”
“And nothing. We work together.”
“If that’s all it is, why did she make dinner for your very large family?”
“Because she felt bad when she heard my sister drove her car off the road and was in the ICU.”
“I heard that in addition to the lasagna, there was dessert and salad and garlic bread.”
“So?”
“As a woman myself, I’ll tell you that most newer friends aren’t going to go all out like that for someone they barely know unless there’s a certain level of interest there.”
“Do you charge for this kind of insight into the female psyche?”
“It’s free for you. Family discount.”
Noah chuckled. “It’s good to see you feeling better, even if you’re trying to psychoanalyze my friendship with a colleague. Now let’s analyze you. What’s Cabot doing here?”
“I’m not entirely sure. He showed up last night. Said he drove from New Jersey where he was when he heard I was in the hospital.”
“That’s nice for someone who isn’t your boyfriend or significant other. He isn’t, is he?”
“Nope. We’re just friends.”
“Huh, and he drove from New Jersey to northern Ve
rmont for someone he’s just friends with. That sounds like more than friends to me.”
“What do you know about such things? You needed me to tell you that lasagna girl wouldn’t be cooking for your entire family unless she was into you.”
“You think you’re so smart, don’t you?”
“I know I am.”
“Since you’re clearly fine, I should go rescue her from the others in the waiting room.”
“Wait a second! She’s here? Get her. I want to meet her.”
“You’re sick. You need your rest.”
“Go. Get. Her. Now.”
Groaning, he started toward the door. “Me and my big mouth.”
“Hey, Noah?”
“Yes, Izzy?”
“She wouldn’t be visiting your sister in the hospital if she wasn’t into you.”
“She came along for the ride.”
“She came because she is into you. Are you really this stupid? Wait, don’t answer that. I’ll answer for you—you’re that stupid.”
“I was glad you didn’t die in that crash.”
“And now?”
“I’m still glad. Kinda.” He left her laughing and went to get Brianna, certain he was going to regret this.
She smiled when she saw him coming, and he started to wonder if maybe Izzy was right. While Brianna wouldn’t admit to being into him, her actions were speaking loudly.
“How is she?” Brianna asked.
“Full of beans. And she wants to meet you.”
“Were you talking about me in there?”
“No, she was. She heard about the lasagna. By the way, she’s calling you lasagna girl.”
“It was good lasagna,” Ally said. “And PS, we were talking about you, Noah, while you were talking about her.”
“What was I thinking bringing you here?” he asked Brianna.
“That’s what we were wondering, too,” Sarah said, grinning. “The Colemans are a hornet’s nest at the best of times. We’re even worse when we have nothing to do but sit around killing time.”
“Looks like I’m getting you out of the hornet’s nest just in time, then.” Noah escorted Brianna from the waiting room and pointed her in the direction of Izzy’s room.
“We’re here all day,” Nessa called after them. “You can come back and tell us more about Noah after you see Izzy.”
“I didn’t tell them a thing,” Brianna said.
“I know you didn’t.”
“But you ought to. They’ve been worried about you since you broke up with her.”
“Is that right?”
“Uh-huh.”
“I’ll take that under advisement.”
Chapter Seventeen
“Pain is what we’re in most of the time.
And I think the bigger the pain,
the more gods we need.”
—John Lennon
Noah held the door to Izzy’s room and sent Brianna in ahead of him. “Izzy, this is Brianna. Bri, meet Izzy. I apologize in advance for anything she might have to say.”
“Come closer so I can see you,” Izzy said.
“She can see you just fine.” Noah hadn’t thoroughly thought out the consequences of bringing Brianna to the hospital or the conclusions his family would leap to if they saw them together two days in a row. He was jumping to some significant conclusions where she was concerned all on his own.
“I’m so glad you’re doing better,” Brianna said.
“Everything still hurts, but it’s a tad bit better than it was yesterday.”
“That’s good.”
“So, I hear you’re one hell of a cook.”
“I don’t know about that.”
“You’ve got my whole family talking about your lasagna.”
“I’ll make some for you when you get out of the hospital.”
“I’ll look forward to that.”
“I’ve seen some of your work. There’s a book about you at the house I’m renting. It’s so impressive.”
“Thanks. That’s nice of you to say.”
“I felt like I’d had a tour of Vermont after flipping through that book.”
“Vermont is the gift that keeps on giving.”
“It’s beautiful. Especially the fall colors.”
“You’ll have to come back to visit next fall so you can see it for yourself.”
“I’d love that.”
“What’s a nice girl like you doing hanging out with a degenerate like my brother?”
Brianna laughed at the face Noah made at her.
“She thinks she can get away with that crap because she almost died,” Noah said, “but when she gets out of here, it’s business as usual.”
“They want to send me to a rehab place,” Izzy said, frowning. “I can’t be home alone.”
“I’ll stay with you,” Cabot said from the doorway. “You don’t need to go to rehab.”
“Oh, um…”
Noah hadn’t seen Izzy flustered very often. She was the most self-assured, confident woman he knew. “Someone has a boyfriend,” he said in a soft singsong voice.
“Someone else has a girlfriend,” Izzy said under her breath.
“Cabot, this is Brianna,” Noah said. “Brianna, meet Cabot.”
He shook her hand. “Nice to meet you, Brianna.”
“You, too. There’re so many of you. I’m going to need a cheat sheet.”
“He’s not technically part of the Coleman family,” Noah said. “He’s our cousin Wade’s father-in-law.”
“That’s helpful,” Brianna said.
“My daughter, Mia, is married to their cousin Wade,” Cabot said. “I met Izzy and the other Colemans at Mia and Wade’s wedding last June.”
“Ah, I see.”
“There’s no need for you to go to rehab,” Cabot said to Izzy. “I can take care of you at home.”
“You have work. And stuff.”
“Nothing I can’t do from here.”
Noah found it interesting that Izzy seemed extremely flummoxed by Cabot’s offer. If only he knew Cabot a little better. Noah might’ve given her a taste of her own ridiculous medicine. But he didn’t want to embarrass Cabot, even though it would be fun to tease his sister. She deserved it after the crap she threw at him before.
“We ought to go,” Noah said. “We’ll let you guys talk.”
“You don’t have to go,” Izzy said, seeming almost frantic to keep them there.
What was that about?
His mother came in, carrying a coffee cup. “Oh hey, Noah. I heard you were here with Brianna. Nice to see you again, Brianna.”
“You, too, Hannah.”
“We were just going to head out.” Noah leaned over to kiss his sister’s cheek. “I’ll come by tomorrow.”
“But things are just getting interesting,” Izzy said. “You brought a date to visit me at the hospital. This is huge news.”
“We’re not on a date, you nitwit. We were taking care of some other business and came here after. Tell her, Bri. It’s not a date.”
“I thought it was a date.”
Noah stared at her, shocked, which was how he saw her crack up laughing.
“Oh my God, your face,” Brianna said, wiping laughter tears from her eyes.
His mother snorted with laughter. “Well played, Brianna.”
“I really, really like this woman,” Izzy said. “I like her a whole lot.”
He liked her, too, even if she was busting his balls. “Now that you ladies have had your fun at my expense, we’ll be leaving.”
“Come see me again soon, Brianna,” Izzy said.
“I’ll do that.”
“I will, too,” Noah said.
“Only if you bring her. Otherwise, don’t bother.”
Brianna was still laughing when they left the room. “I wish I’d had a picture of your face when I said we were on a date. Not that I’ll ever forget your expression. Priceless. And PS, your family is awesome.”
“I can’t stand them.
”
“Can’t stand who?” Ally asked when she approached them from the direction of the vending area, holding a bottle of Diet Coke.
“You and your sisters and most of your brothers, too. Gray is okay. The rest of you are a pain in my ass.”
“I take it Izzy gave you shit about coming here with Brianna?”
“Yes, and Brianna was mean to me.”
“I was not! I was joking!”
Noah shrugged and pretended to be hurt, when really, her immediate groove with Izzy and the others pleased him. The Colemans could be a tough crowd. Brianna fit right in. Her delicious lasagna had helped pave the way, but she’d held her own, and he admired that.
Ally took Brianna by the arm. “You have to tell me what you said.”
Noah steered her out of his sister’s clutches and walked them toward the elevator. “We’re leaving now. Get the dirt from Izzy.”
“Oh, we will. See you at home, Noah!”
“Freaking pains in my ass,” he muttered on the ride to the lobby.
“You love them.”
“Sometimes.”
“All the time.”
“If you say so.”
“I say so.” She glanced over at him. “I’m sorry if I took your sister’s side against you.”
“You are so not sorry!”
“I’m really not,” she said, laughing again. “Your face… Hysterical.”
He held the passenger door for her. “Get in the truck and shut it.”
“Hey, Noah?”
He held on to the doorframe. “Yes, Brianna?”
“Thanks for making me laugh. A few hours ago, I never would’ve believed it was possible to laugh tonight.”
“I’m happy to have been the victim of your little joke if it took your mind off other things.”
“It did.”
“Good.”
Giving him a cute side-eye, she said, “So the little joke was funny, right?”
She was adorable, and he liked her more with every passing minute. “Nope.”
“Yes!”
“Not even kinda.”
“Oh, come on!”
Grinning, he said, “That’s my final answer.” He shut the door to make his point and walked around the truck to get into the driver’s side, dismayed to realize it was snowing a lot harder than he’d thought when they first came outside. He’d have to take it slow going home, which was fine. That gave him more time with her.
