“Does that mean I can call you my boyfriend?” She singsonged the word.
Noah’s brows scrunched together and he tested out the word, making her smile wider. “Sort of feels like middle school. Girlfriend. Boyfriend.”
She batted her eyelashes. “How about my fella?”
His lips quirked. “Oh look, it’s 1950.”
Grace tapped a finger to her lips. “My man. My big, strong—”
He groaned dramatically. “‘Boyfriend’ works fine. Girlfriend.”
She leaned against him, hiding her smile. Middle-schoolish or not, she liked the labels.
He pressed the buzzer for the apartment again, but he also took her hand and linked their fingers together. It didn’t matter what they called each other. She appreciated his willingness to be vulnerable more than any label he could have given to their relationship.
The apartment was on the fifth floor, overlooking the rest of the residential neighborhood.
“You’ve already unpacked everything?” Grace asked, looking around the living room after handing Rosie the brownies.
“I didn’t have a ton of stuff and we got rid of things we had doubles of,” Rosie said, passing Grace a glass of wine.
“Nice place, man,” Noah said to Josh.
“Thanks. Is this weird for you? Us hanging out? Or is it everything you were hoping it’d be?”
Noah gave him a look that Grace knew the story behind. She smothered her laugh with her hand, which had Noah side-eyeing her.
Rosie glanced between them. “What am I missing?”
“Have you told her the story?” Grace asked Josh.
His surprise was clear. He clapped Noah on the shoulder. “You told her? You’re a confident man. Not everyone would share that story with someone they were into.”
“Tell me,” Rosie said, pulling her toward the couch.
“Pretty please?” Grace folded her hands together and looked at Noah through lowered lashes.
“Dude. She does it or I do.” Josh sat down on the chair that sat kitty-corner to the couch.
Noah flopped onto the chair opposite it. “Whatever. Clearly, I’m just here for entertainment.”
Grace told the story, stopping when Rosie nearly spit wine out of her mouth.
“Aww, things could have worked out so differently for us,” Rosie said, leaning her head on Grace’s shoulder.
“That’s fine. Laugh it up. Like none of you have put both feet in your mouth?”
“How about I grab us some snacks,” Josh said.
Grace wanted to reach out to Noah or go curl up on his lap. She’d never craved physical closeness with anyone before. Growing up with her mom, she’d gotten used to drying her own tears, reveling alone in her small successes, and lifting herself up when she fell down, physically or emotionally.
“I think it’s supercute,” Grace said.
Noah rolled his eyes. “Just what I was going for.” He winked at her, then looked at Rosie. “How’s school going? You’re on the same timeline as Grace, right?”
“Yes. Less than six weeks. It seems hard to believe. Speaking of, we can finalize the slide show after dinner,” Rosie said.
Josh joined them with stuffed mushroom caps and scooped tortilla chips filled with salsa and topped with melted cheese.
“You are a man of many talents,” Noah said, leaning forward to pass out the napkins Josh set down on the coffee table.
“It’s just snacks.” He sat back down after pressing a kiss to the top of Rosie’s head.
“He’s modest but he is good at everything he does,” Rosie said.
Grace heard the happiness in her friend’s voice. Maybe it was too soon, but Rosie had a point: Why wait if you’ve found what makes you happy? Too often, people waited for the perfect moment only to have it pass them by.
“What’s the slide show about?”
Grace picked up a tortilla bowl, holding it over her napkin. “How to make a house a home. We had to talk about essential design elements that change a place from being walls and floors to being a home. We’ve been introduced to so many techniques, styles, and influences, it’s basically a wrap-up with our preferences.”
“That’s a good description,” Rosie said, after she finished a chip. “Grace has a fondness for marrying modern with rustic.”
Noah choked on his chip, pulling all of their attention to him. He pressed a hand to his chest, coughing, but lifted his other hand as his eyes watered.
“You okay?” Grace watched him carefully.
He nodded. “Yeah. Sorry. Wrong tube and all that.”
She continued to stare.
“I’m fine, baby.”
The term of endearment threw her for a loop. It was like her heart took a leap in her chest.
“It might have been the word ‘marry,’” Josh said, snickering.
“Bite me,” Noah said, his voice rough.
“No matter how many times you ask, the answer is going to stay ‘No.’”
Noah cleared his throat. “Sorry. What are you fond of, design-wise, Rosie?”
She sighed into her answer. “I love vintage. Unique patterns, heavy furniture, old parlor rooms.”
“Now,” Grace said, pleased he was so clearly interested in their assignment, “we just have to show how each of these things, the elements we choose, can transform a room into something more. I guess it’s establishing a connection between the technical and the emotional. Because really a design only comes to life once you start putting the features, textures, and materials into place.”
“We’ve got examples of what fabrics we might choose to create a warm sitting room or what décor we might give a modern-day library or home office.” Rosie looked at Noah. “We’re allowed to have a guest for our presentations. Josh is coming.”
Grace glared at her friend. “Way to put him on the spot.” She looked at Noah. “You do not have to come.”
“Do you want me to?” His voice was flat, like he didn’t want his tone to influence her decision.
The truth was, no one had ever been there for her milestones. Having him there would matter. It would mean something to her, she realized. But she didn’t want him to feel like he had to.
She tried to match his neutral tone. “I would love to have you there.”
“Then I’ll be there.”
She couldn’t tame the excitement in her chest. “Really?”
He nodded. “Promise.” He turned back to Rosie, but the warmth of his tone and his words sank into her skin.
“It’s really interesting, what you do. You’re obviously very good at it, like Grace.”
Rosie poked her in the side. “Maybe since she’s busy with your house, I’ll have a chance at the internship.”
“Of course you have a chance. A great chance,” Grace said. She wondered if anyone in her classes felt like she didn’t deserve the opportunity since she’d already been given such a huge one. Earned. Not given.
The rest of the visit went well. They shared a nice dinner, more conversation, and Grace and Rosie were able to finish their slide show while Noah and Josh watched sports and chatted back and forth. The website looked fantastic. It was a productive night.
As Grace was putting her notes back in the messenger bag she’d brought, Rosie leaned in, her mouth close to her ear.
“I live with a boy,” she whispered.
Grace giggled. “How is it?”
They both glanced at the couch where the guys sat, staring at the television.
“It’s good. Weird but good.”
“I’m so happy for you,” Grace said, still whispering.
“Me too. I didn’t think I’d find this. I wasn’t even looking.”
Grace squeezed her arm. “You deserve it.”
Rosie covered Grace’s hand with her own. “So do you. Things look like they’re going well.”
“We’re trying to go slow but, yeah, it’s really good. I’m happy and … optimistic.”
“There are no guarant
ees in life. Just chances to jump at happiness when it’s offered.” Rosie stood up from her chair by the desk where they’d been working. She stretched.
“You should get that put on a shirt,” Grace said, also standing.
“You done?” Noah called.
Grace met his gaze, nodded. “We are. You ready to go?”
“I am. I have an early meeting,” Noah said.
“Three early meetings. Your tee time has been moved to eleven,” Josh amended.
“I don’t like golfing with that guy,” Noah said as he stood up. “He wants me to attend a bunch of events. It’s too much like what I did in New York. If he doesn’t commit to a donation during the game tomorrow, I’m done with him.”
Grace was surprised at the frustration in his tone. Sometimes she forgot he had so many irons in the fire.
Josh, however, looked impressed. “About time. There are plenty of people who would want to work with you and be committed to the cause. If he’s just holding out for a connection to your father, it’s best to walk away. Also, I finally got ahold of the owner for the strip mall on Eighth. He’s supposed to review your offer, get back to me.”
“Excellent. It’s a good deal. I want to add it to our portfolio. Chris wants our other businesses to be in closer proximity to the station.” Noah caught her staring. “What?”
Grace looked at Rosie to see if she was the only one impressed. “Oh nothing. Just my boyfriend talking about buying a strip mall.”
Josh laughed, slipped his arm around Rosie. “He does say it all pretty nonchalantly, doesn’t he? Josh, can you schedule me a dentist appointment, and there’s this house on the other side of town I think I should make an offer on. Set that up as well.”
The girls laughed at Josh’s impersonation. Noah rolled his eyes and reached for Grace’s hand. “I have never asked you to make me a dentist appointment.”
They laughed harder, walking to the door and finally saying good night.
Noah lifted Grace’s hand in the elevator, pressed his lips to her knuckles. “You have fun?”
“I did. You?”
He nodded. “I kind of like hanging out with a couple as a couple.”
They stepped off the elevator, headed for the exit. “Kind of?”
He stopped them just before they pushed the door open. “If I had to choose, my preference would be just you and me, but yeah, if we need to socialize, it’s cool to have mutual friends.”
Every time he confirmed things she felt, the more hopeful she became. Maybe the other shoe wouldn’t drop. Or maybe you’ll break up and have to split the friends.
Noah ran his finger from her forehead down the bridge of her nose. “That was supposed to be a good thing, not something to make your nose crinkle.”
She laughed. Here and now. Focus on that. “It is a good thing. A great thing.”
When they got back to his place, she wondered if it was presumptuous to head to his bedroom. It’d become routine, but maybe he wanted some space, especially if he had an early meeting. Before she could ask him, Noah pulled her into a deep, thought-dissolving kiss. When he pulled back, smoothed a hand down her hair, he asked, “You need to grab anything from your place or are we good to head to bed?”
Her heart filled like a balloon. Looks like it’s okay to be presumptuous.
She wrapped her arms around him. “I have everything I need right here.”
37
Noah wanted a real office space. He loved what Grace designed, and if he was paying bills or sending emails, it worked. But he wanted to get up in the morning and go into the office. He finished up his second meeting of the day before texting Josh.
Noah
Keep looking for a space to lease or buy. I’m losing home field advantage every time. It’s pissing me off.
Josh
On it, boss. Don’t like doing it from home?
Noah liked the house a lot. Loved the way the space was coming together, but with everything else going on, it wasn’t conducive to working.
Noah
It’s not working.
Josh
I’ll have a list of places for you by the end of the day. Did the meetings so far go okay?
Noah frowned, reminded of how similar the outcomes of both had been. He’d had these guys. They wanted his investment, his name. These meetings were supposed to be formalities, deal closers. But both companies had gone “a different direction.” Was it him? Were these guys picking up on the fact that his priorities were shifting? He spent more time thinking about his house, the community center, and office space than investments. People could read passion. Was his dimming visibly?
Noah
Not great. I’m going to get ready to go golfing and hope I can get Sergio and his friends to invest in the community center. Keep your fingers crossed.
Josh
Skalifajarioelald.
Noah scrunched his eyes, brought his phone closer to his face. Leaning against his truck, he typed his response.
Noah
WTF?
Josh
That’s how I text with my fingers crossed.
Noah laughed out loud. Shit. He had a good assistant. He absolutely did not feel like laughing or even smiling right now, but Josh had found a way. Weird how he’d gone his whole life thinking he had more than enough people in his circle. Now that it’d expanded considerably, he wondered how it would feel without them. Thinking of being without Grace made him feel like he was putting on a sandy wet suit. Inside out and backward.
Noah
Gotta go. Thanks for the laugh.
He got into his truck, headed to the highway, replaying the meetings in his mind. When they used the line “We’ve decided to go in another direction,” it translated to “We found someone to give us a better interest rate, cut a better deal.” The question was, who was cutting the deals, because what Noah offered was pretty great. He was trying to establish himself here in a multitude of ways, but he had a strong reputation and, truthfully, thought it would be easier.
In New York, he’d had his hands in corporate and personal real estate. He flipped properties, invested capital, acted as a liaison for purchases. Since coming to LA, his focus had shifted, downsized in a sense. He’d lost three out of four of the investment property bids he’d made. He wasn’t even sure if he was pissed about the opportunities so much as that he kept losing.
He was working on a proposal to build a new community center between San Verde and Harlow Beach. He’d always wanted to find a way to honor his grandfather’s vision. Under his father’s watchful eye and tight fist, he hadn’t been able to. That was pulling his attention hard right now, but it shouldn’t be impacting his sales pitch for investments. Something else was going on.
His phone rang as he hit the highway. Seeing the ocean to his left filled him with a sense of calm. Tapping the Bluetooth, he answered.
“Hey. It’s Wes. What are you up to?”
“Heading out to golf with Sergio-stick-up-his-ass.”
“I was going to ask how that was going. Not well, I take it?”
“I don’t know. I’m completely off my game.”
“Weird. I know he’s looking for people to invest with.” As usual, Wes’s tone was thoughtful.
Noah spoke before he could change his mind. “Maybe I read him wrong. Instead of pitching things I normally would, I’ve asked for help funding a community center.”
Silence. He gripped the wheel tighter.
“That’s unexpected.”
Right. Because he was the family fun guy. Not responsible like Chris or logical like Wes. He was impulsive, acted on his gut. I can be more than that. He started to say that but Wes spoke.
“Why wouldn’t you talk to Chris and me about this? It’s an opportunity to add to our portfolio—we could think about starting a nonprofit. But more than that, it reminds me of something Gramps would do.”
Like he’d punched him in the solar plexus, his brother’s words stole his breath. Why hadn’t
he trusted them enough to open up?
“I don’t know. You guys are always saying shit like I’m flighty and less reliable. I want this. It’s not a whim.”
“Jesus, Noah. You’re in my face all the time about being a nerd. Last week you texted that my longest relationship was with my Switch console.”
Noah laughed, remembering the text.
“Okay, fine.But I didn’t want to joke about this.”
“I saw the magazine.” It was a quick shift in topics but Noah rolled with it.
“And?”
“Clearly you’re finding your passion. You look and sound different. The house is gorgeous. As is Grace, but that’s beside the point. We bug you because we’re your brothers, same as you do. But we have your back and you know it. The house, the community center … you’re doing what you wanted. You’re finding your own path.”
Noah’s fingers loosened, his chest puffing out. “It’s not what I thought it’d be.”
“Most things aren’t. You should have seen Dad’s face. If he’d tried any harder not to react, he would have exploded. His face was so still it was like he’d had Botox.”
“So much for making the old man proud, huh?”
“I don’t know, man. I think part of him has to be. You’re making your own rules and he’s realizing he shouldn’t have let you go.”
Did he? Or was he pissed at Noah and looking to get back at him? The thought hadn’t occurred to him before. “Do me a favor?”
“The very reason I phoned,” Wes said dryly.
“I know you’re short on time, what with all the gossiping you and Chris do about me,” Noah said.
Wes laughed. The sound reminded Noah how much he missed his brother. “There’s so much to dish about.”
It was Noah’s turn to laugh. Wes interrupted, saying, “What do you need?”
“Look into a couple companies for me. Do some digging. They said they were going in a different direction.”
“Ouch.”
Exactly. “I know. I want to see which direction.”
“Okay. But the real reason I called is the warehouses.”
Noah took the turnoff for Anaheim. “What about them?”
How to Love Your Neighbor Page 24
