Catherine had called her younger brother her mother’s change-of-life baby, the boy born when she’d been fifteen. Apparently starting over had come with some challenges and the now nineteen-year-old was spoiled, exuding an air of entitlement that his sister frequently threatened to slap out of him.
Noah recognized the family immediately. Although he had never told Catherine, he had met her father many years ago, on the day his own father had turned him away. Back then the Moore family had been members of Reverend Perry’s congregation and the two men had been friends. Mr. Moore had been in the church office. Noah, sixteen years old then, had asked for a minute of his father’s time, hoping to convince the wayward pastor to acknowledge his illegitimate children and give their mother a much needed hand.
Reverend Perry had been less that welcoming, telling Noah to never darken his doorstep ever again. Charles Moore had been kinder, giving Noah advice that he’d followed ever since. Noah paused for a brief moment as he thought back to Catherine’s father’s words.
“Don’t beat yourself up asking why a man doesn’t do what he should do. Just remember that good or bad, God will always know that man’s heart. And you can’t make someone love you, son. So learn to love yourself, keep God first and grow to be the man your mother knows you can be.”
But Noah had been angry at both men for months afterward. It wasn’t until many years later that he could appreciate Mr. Moore’s timely advice.
He took a deep breath as he extended his hand. “Mr. Moore, Mrs. Moore, I’m Noah Stallion.”
Catherine’s father hesitated for a brief second, or at least Noah thought so.
“Noah, it’s a pleasure,” Catherine’s mother said, pulling him into a warm embrace. “We’ve heard such good things about you.”
“It’s been some years, young man. It’s good to see you again,” Mr. Moore said.
CJ nodded his head but said nothing as he continued to bob his head to the music that played on the earphones connected to his iPod.
“I hope your trip was satisfactory?”
Mrs. Moore nodded. “It was. We couldn’t have asked for better.” She looked past his shoulder and around the room. “Where is that daughter of ours?”
Noah smiled. “She was sound asleep. And she doesn’t know you’re here. She has no idea that I called and invited you to come to Paris.”
Her parents exchanged a look, both eyeing him curiously.
“I can explain,” Noah said, “but why don’t I show you both to your room first. Catherine might come looking for me, and I don’t want to spoil the surprise.”
Minutes later, Noah had the family comfortably ensconced in a two-bedroom suite on another floor of the hotel. CJ fell across the living room’s sofa, still listening to his music. Charles Sr. rolled his eyes in annoyance, snatching the earplugs from his hands.
“Hey, whatcha do that for?” the boy snapped.
“You need to go get a shower and change,” Mr. Moore admonished. “We have a schedule to keep and I will not put up with any of your nonsense on this trip. Is that understood?”
“Yeah, whatever,” CJ muttered as he stuck the earplugs back into his ears.
“CJ, do what your father says please.”
For a brief moment, Noah stood watching as the parents went back and forth with their son, the boy intent on doing what he wanted and not what he was asked. After CJ had finally retreated into the other room, the couple took a seat, gesturing for Noah to do the same.
“So why don’t you tell us what’s going on?” Mrs. Moore said.
Noah took a deep breath. “I don’t know what Catherine has told you about me or about us but your daughter and I have become very close.”
Mrs. Moore smiled. She reached for her husband’s hand, squeezing it gently.
“You two haven’t known each other long, have you?” her father asked.
“Well...it’s only been a few months since our high school reunion when we reconnected.”
“That’s right. I forgot that you two went to high school together.”
Mrs. Moore giggled softly. “You probably don’t know it, but Catherine had the biggest crush on you in high school.”
Noah smiled. “Probably not as big as my crush on her, Mrs. Moore.” He shifted forward in his seat, clasping his hands tightly together in front of himself. He took a deep breath.
“Mr. Moore, Mrs. Moore. I love your daughter. And I asked you to come to Paris because I plan to ask her to be my wife. But I knew I couldn’t do that until I spoke to the both of you and asked for your blessing. I know how much Catherine respects you and how important it is to her to have your approval. So I guess what I’m trying to say is I’m here to plead my case and if necessary, convince you that I’m the man for your daughter. To let you know just how much I love and appreciate her.”
Mrs. Moore looked to her husband, fighting to contain her excitement. Mr. Moore leaned back in his seat, pulling one leg over the other. For a brief moment he seemed to be lost in thought until he lifted his eyes back to Noah, meeting his stare.
“We were sorry to hear about your mother’s passing, Noah. She was a good woman.”
“Thank you, sir. I appreciate that.”
“I’m sure you made her very proud.”
Noah nodded. “I tried, sir.”
“One day, Noah, you might have a daughter of your own and you’ll understand how I’m feeling right now. A man doesn’t like the idea of giving his daughter away to another man.” He paused, the silence becoming a bit uncomfortable before he spoke again. “Even if he is a good and decent man.
“Cat is my baby girl so I only want the very best for her. I know she can take care of herself. But I also know she needs a companion and partner who’ll be able to step up to the plate if she ever needs him.”
Noah nodded. “Mr. Moore, I assure you that Catherine will be in good hands. As long as I’m able she will want for absolutely nothing.”
Mr. Moore stood up, moving onto his feet. Noah stood with him. “I’ve always trusted my daughter’s judgment. You don’t accomplish what she’s been able to accomplish without making good decisions. From what she’s told her mother about you, Mr. Stallion, it seems that she feels for you the same way you feel for her. A father can’t fight love like that.”
He extended his hand. “Congratulations. My wife and I are delighted to give you our blessing. Do right by my daughter and I’m sure you and I will get along famously.”
Noah grinned as his future father-in-law pumped his arm up and down eagerly. “Thank you, sir. Thank you very much.”
Mrs. Moore clapped her hands excitedly. “I guess we should go get ready.”
Noah stole a quick look at his watch. “My sister will come for you in about two hours. I plan to pop the question at the Eiffel Tower this morning. Catherine won’t know you’re there until we get to the top.”
Mrs. Moore reached up to kiss his cheek. “This is so exciting!”
After they closed the door on his exit, Noah stood for a quick moment outside their room door. He grinned, excitement painting his expression as he pumped a fist in the air, jubilation guiding his steps.
Chapter 14
As Noah moved back through the front lobby he checked off one more item on his mental checklist. The parents, the ideal place, the perfect woman. The last thing he needed to make sure of was the ring. As if on cue, Naomi called his name. She was waiting where Noah had just been sitting before the arrival of Catherine’s family.
“Good morning,” he said, whispering loudly. He leaned to kiss her cheek as he dropped down onto the seat beside her.
“Does Catherine suspect anything?” Naomi asked.
Noah shook his head. “I don’t think so. You did pick that package up for me, didn’t you?”
A hint of annoyance crossed his sister’s face. “Did you really think I’d forget to pick up your engagement ring?”
“Of course not, Naomi. I’m just nervous.”
“You should be. T
his is a big step.”
He nodded. “I just spoke with her parents and got their blessing.”
“Look at you being all proper and upstanding, talking to her daddy and asking for her hand.”
“It was the right thing to do, right?”
Naomi laughed. “You are nervous!” she exclaimed.
He rolled his eyes.
His sister wrapped an arm around his shoulder and gave him a quick hug. “For what it’s worth we all really like her. Even Natalie, and you know she doesn’t like anyone. Catherine is perfect for you. I personally look forward to spending some time with her and getting to know her even better.”
Noah smiled, leaning to kiss his sister’s cheek. “Thanks. I really needed that.”
Naomi nodded. “You need to go get ready. I’ll take care of your in-laws, and stop worrying so much. It’s going to be absolutely perfect.”
* * *
Back in the room, Catherine was awake, sitting on the red velvet sofa waiting for him. “You forgot your cell phone,” she said in greeting as he stepped through the door.
His eyes widened as she continued.
“I tried to call you to see where you were and it rang. It was under the covers in the bed.”
The device now rested on the coffee table in front of her. Catherine shifted forward in her seat, drawing her hands together as if in prayer. “Who’s Sugar and why did she call you this morning? In fact, you two have spoken to each other quite a lot in the past few weeks.”
Noah bit back a smile. He took a deep breath, not wanting to show any emotion. “You went through my phone?” he questioned, his brow lifted.
She met his stare with her own. “Do you have something you’re hiding from me?”
Noah chuckled softly. “No, I don’t, so why would you go through my phone?”
“Then who is Sugar?”
“She’s a friend.”
“Is that where you went? To meet your friend? Because her text message told you to come to the lobby.”
Noah didn’t miss her intonation on the word friend. He laughed. “Catherine Moore, are you that type of woman?”
He saw her visibly bristle, which made him laugh even more.
“What type of woman is that?” she snapped.
“Confident and assured on the outside but secretly insecure and jealous on the inside?”
“I am not insecure and I am definitely not jealous!” she quipped, her voice rising ever so slightly.
“That’s good to know,” Noah said with a quick nod. He moved to her side and kissed her forehead, his hands pressed firmly against her shoulders. “We need to get dressed or we’re going to be late and I still need to get a shower,” he said.
As he stepped away he reached for his cell phone then he disappeared into the other room.
* * *
Sugar.
Noah had conveniently avoided answering her questions about who Sugar was and what she was to him. But Catherine had seen enough to know whoever Sugar was, she and Noah were obviously close. A text message exchange that had ended with Noah telling Sugar he loved her and Sugar responding that she loved him more had told Catherine that.
So who the hell was Sugar?
Catherine tilted her face into the spray of water, the shower just warm enough. She suddenly thought about Noah’s question. Was she that kind of woman? Because truth be told, after going through his phone she was suddenly feeling out of sorts. She had never before imagined herself ever going through her man’s phone as if she didn’t trust him. And she did trust Noah. She trusted him explicitly. But when her call had given her access to his device, curiosity had gotten the best of her.
She sighed, air escaping past her lips. She should have known better. Wasn’t it her friend Camille who’d told her once that if a woman went looking for something wrong in her relationship that she would be sure to find it? Or was that Crystal adding that trusting a man was overrated? She sighed again.
Catherine wanted to just let it go and move past it but she needed to know more about Sugar. Noah not volunteering to give her answers suddenly had her asking questions she never imagined herself asking. What was the nature of their relationship and just how much love did the two have between them?
A knock on the bathroom door made her jump, the harsh rap pulling her from her thoughts. She was slightly surprised when Noah stuck his head into the room.
“Hey, are you going to be much longer? It’s almost nine o’clock.”
“No, I’m getting out now,” she said as she shut off the raining water.
“Okay. Well, unless you need me to wait for you I think I’ll head downstairs. I need to speak with my sister.”
She nodded. “That’s fine. I won’t be long.”
There was a moment of pause, the tension between them feeling awkward.
“I love you, Cat,” Noah said softly.
She nodded, tears suddenly swelling behind her eyelids. “I love you, too, Noah,” she answered.
After he’d closed the door, she slid back the shower curtain, taking one breath and then another. As she stepped out of the claw-foot tub, she muttered under her breath, “I’m still going to find out who Sugar is!”
* * *
As the Stallion and Boudreaux family exited the tour bus, Cat moved off to the side, standing alone as she stared at the sky. She was stunning, dressed in a black unitard, black leather boots, and a black leather trench coat. She wore a patterned scarf wrapped loosely around her neck and carried an oversized Coach bag. Her makeup was pristine, her lips shimmering in candy-apple red.
Noah wanted to kiss her candy-colored lips but he knew Catherine wasn’t happy with him. He continued to eye her as Marah and Joanne moved to her side, pulling her into conversation. He sensed they were talking about him when both turned in his direction, neither looking happy.
His brothers suddenly distracted him. “Hey, is everything okay?” Nick questioned.
Noah nodded, shifting his gaze away from Catherine.
“Everything’s good.”
“Your girl looks upset this morning. What did you do?” Nathaniel asked.
Noah laughed. He gave them the short version of his Sugar dilemma. The trio laughed heartily together.
“That’s why I plan to stay single,” Nathaniel intoned. “I can avoid that kind of drama.”
“All women bring drama!” Mark interjected, joining the conversation. “They can’t help themselves.”
“Who are we talking about?” Kendrick Boudreaux asked, extending his hand to the group in greeting.
Everyone turned to acknowledge the family that had just arrived on the second tour bus. Kendrick was joined by his wife, Vanessa, his sister Maitlyn and her husband, Zakaria Sayed. His brother Donovan and his sisters, Kamaya and Tarah, his brother Guy and Guy’s wife, Dahlia, Darryl and his wife, Camryn, and their parents weren’t too far behind. The hugs and kisses were abundant as the two families reconnected.
Natalie suddenly gestured for everyone’s attention, shouting out instructions. Arrangements had been made to enable them to bypass the notoriously long lines to climb the monument. The family and a team of photographers were guided through a special entrance to the elevators that took them right to the summit.
As the family took turns entering the elevators Noah moved to Catherine’s side and grabbed her hand. She tensed for a brief second before relaxing into his touch.
“You still mad at me?” Noah questioned, his voice a low whisper.
“I was never mad.”
He laughed. “Oh, yes, you were!”
“No. I wasn’t. I was just curious about your friend.”
There was that intonation again, Catherine spitting the word out as if it were bitter in her mouth. He shook his head. “That woman doesn’t mean anything to me.”
“If you say so.”
“I do.”
The tour guide gestured for them to wait, the lift too full to take on anyone else. Noah, Catherine and the photographer we
re suddenly the last ones waiting to go to the top.
Noah turned and grabbed her hands. “Do you trust me, Catherine?” he asked, calling her by her full name. “And I really want you to think about that before you answer. Do you, Catherine Moore, trust me?”
She gazed into his eyes, his soulful stare rippling heat into the pit of her stomach. “Of course I do. I love you.”
“Then why are you questioning something as irrelevant as me having a conversation with another woman? Obviously if it were important I would tell you. But it’s not. It doesn’t impact how I feel about you or how you feel about me so why are you getting so worked up?”
She shrugged. “I just... Well...I...” she stammered, unable to formulate an answer that would actually make sense.
Noah pulled her close and kissed her. As his mouth met hers she suddenly realized just how foolish she’d been. She smiled, the tension falling from her face.
“I’m sorry,” she apologized. “I don’t know what got into me.”
Noah nodded. “Me, either, but you definitely have a little jealous streak. That surprised me.”
“It surprised me, too, and I see that I’m a little possessive. I was really having a hard time thinking that Sugar might have a piece of your heart that I didn’t have.”
He laughed. “Trust me when I tell you that no other woman has my heart the way you have my heart.”
Catherine nodded, her smile bright. “So who names their child Sugar, anyway?”
Before either could comment further, the elevator doors opened and the couple were ushered inside. The ride was quick and when the door reopened both were suddenly struck by the panoramic views of the city below. As Catherine stepped out of the conveyor she was transfixed on the sights, not noticing the family that stood grinning with excitement.
“It’s so beautiful!” she exclaimed, tossing Noah a look over her shoulder.
Stallion Magic Page 14
