by Len Webster
Things with Clara weren't defined, and maybe that was because he wasn’t willing to push her. Heated kisses and innocent touching was all they really were. Besides that, he could see the doubt and resistance in her, and Noel wasn’t sure how to rectify that. As sorry as he was, he was sure she didn’t forgive him.
“She still seems to be a little…”
“Cautious?” Rob offered.
Noel nodded as he stared at his phone.
“What do you expect? Her boyfriend cheated on her, and now she has Nolan Parker after her. You’re the guy who treated her like shit when she was a kid, and the guy who slept with his ex-girlfriend in her apartment on her birthday. She’s going to keep thinking this is a game. You've got to prove to her how much you want her. It’s not just Valerie that’s playing on her mind. It’s the whole situation between the both of you and Alex. If you want to be with her, you really got to step up your dates with her! This isn’t any girl,” Rob explained as he looked up at Noel.
Dates?
“Motherfucker!” Noel slammed his fists on the table, drained his Guinness and grabbed his keys as he quickly leapt out of his seat. Rob let out a hard chuckle.
“I never took her on a date!” Noel explained as he pulled out a twenty for their drinks.
“Well, I can see why she’s cautious about you. You wine and dine a girl, Noel! You wine and dine!”
I asked for her heart, and I didn’t even ask her out on a date!
“Gee, thanks, love guru. I’ll remember that when you strike out with Jewel. I’ll be back in a few!” Noel teased as he turned and ran out the pub doors. He ran straight back to the row club’s parking lot and towards Alex’s Mustang. He was out of breath and his muscles pleaded for him to stop, but he had to get to the car as quick as possible. His heart thumped hard against his chest as he roared the engine of the Mustang to life. He didn’t have time to waste. He had to ask Clara the one thing she deserved—a proper date.
Parking the car, and to his delight he saw the bakery was quieter than he expected. Outside of the front door were a few customers sitting on the tables, enjoying the October sun. Noel took a deep breath in before placing his hand on the door handle and pushing the door to hear the familiar bell ring.
The first thing to hit him was the sweet smell of cinnamon and apples in the air. He looked over to the counter to see Josie standing behind it.
“Well hello, sexy! You just missed the rush!” She winked as he approached her.
“Hey, Josie. Clara free?” he asked, his palms sweaty and his muscles still burning from his row.
“I’ll go grab her,” Josie said before yelling out, “Clara, god is here!” Noel couldn’t help but laugh at her.
“God? What are you on about? Did you eat a bag of icing again?” Clara asked as she walked to the counter, an icing bag in one hand and a plain cupcake in the other. Clara laid eyes on him, and the smile on her face was literally heartstopping.
“Oh, hey. This is a surprise,” she said pleasantly. Only the counter separated them.
“Hey yourself!” he grinned. His mouth twitched from the sight of her lips. Removing his gaze, he looked at her warm eyes and his insides started to melt.
I shouldn’t look at her at all. Too. Fucking. Sweet!
“What are you doing here? What happened to rowing with Rob?” Her eyes flashed with fear. She feared bad news when in reality he was the one that was on the brink of collapse.
“I just came by to ask you something before I go back to the pub. Can we uhh… talk?” he asked as he looked at Josie suspiciously.
“Fine! I know when I’m not wanted,” Josie whined as she turned on her heels and walked towards the tables, cloth in hand.
“What’s up?” Clara asked as she placed the cupcake and icing bag down. He took in a deep breath to calm his nerves. His heart was straining and his knees shaking.
Just ask her. You’ve asked women on dates before… stop being shit scared. Ask her!
Noel shook his head and placed both hands on the counter to steady himself. “Have dinner with me?” he blurted out. Clara’s facial expression didn’t change; she still had the same smile, and that worried him.
“I’ll order some Thai from Poppy’s on my way home an—” She didn’t get the concept of his question. He wasn’t sure if he should laugh or run.
“No, Clara. I’m asking you on a date,” he corrected. He watched as Clara’s lips parted and her smile faded, his stomach dropping.
“A date?”
“Yes, a date. One with just you and me. Tomorrow night, dinner?” he asked, his hopes a little dashed.
“I uhh… a date?” she asked in shock.
“You can say no, Clara. You said you wanted us, and I’m hoping a date would cement that idea in your head. I told you I wanted you, and I’m hoping you give me the chance to prove myself. One chance to prove my worth. I just want one date, just one. I’m begging here, and I’ve never begged before. Please give me an answer, because you’re killing me with your silence.” He breathed out heavily. He stood there patiently waiting for her answer, but Clara seemed to be lost in her thoughts.
“Christ, Clara! Answer him. Look at the desperation in his eyes! You’re killing him. If you don’t say yes, I’m revoking our friendship, and I’m taking Noel!” Josie argued behind him. Turning around, he smiled his thanks to Josie for her reassurance. He turned back around to face Clara, unable to read her.
“Let me get this right. A date. You and me. Tomorrow night?”
I should just go back to the pub. She doesn’t want this. She doesn’t want it with me.
“I can see you don’t want this. I get it. I’ll see you back at the apartment,” Noel said, deflated. He looked at Clara one more time to still see her confused expression. Noel turned and signalled his farewell to Josie, her mouth dropping, and he walked towards the front door.
“What are you doing?” Clara asked as he reached the front door. Turning around, Clara stood in the middle of the shop floor, eyebrows raised.
“I’m leaving. I’ll let you get back to your cupcakes.”
“I can see that. But you’re so quick to take my silence as a ‘no.’” He watched as Clara crossed her arms protectively over her chest. Noel ran a hand through his hair and walked back towards her.
“So your answer is?”
“No.”
That simple “no” pierced his heart and almost caused his knees to buckle from under him. That protective stance told him of her seriousness and he had to accept it.
“Okay, I understand. I’ll see you later,” Noel said as he tried to contain his frustration. He had never been rejected before. It was new to him, and it hurt him deeply. As he turned for the door, Clara’s hand gripped his arm. He stopped in surprise and looked at her.
“Wait! I wanted to see how you would react if I said no. I wanted to see how much you wanted this. I said we’d give us a try, so yes. One date. Tomorrow night.” She smiled. His heart fluttered and relaxed its anxious beats. The relief that consumed him was utter bliss.
“God, Clara, I swear you just ripped my heart out.” He breathed out as he took two steps towards her. He brushed the loose hair out of her face and placed it behind her ear.
“That was the idea.” She laughed. He placed a kiss on her forehead, then her nose and then her lips, allowing his lips to linger on hers. Fisting his shirt in her hands, Clara deepened their kiss to another level, one inappropriate for the bakery.
“Umm, I have to get back to work,” she mumbled against him before she stopped their kiss and let go of his shirt. Clara’s cheeks were a vibrant red. It gave him a lift, a sense of ownership that he could give her cheeks that colour.
“It’s a date,” he announced proudly.
“A date,” she replied with that smile that was stealing his breath more often than once. He bent down and placed a kiss on her red cheek.
“Tomorrow,” he whispered in her ear as he straightened his legs, winked at the grinning Josi
e, and walked towards the front door.
A date with Clara Lawrence; this should either be life changing or a train wreck.
As Noel stood on the almost-black concrete footpath of Little Collins Street, he realised just how much he needed their date to happen, how perfect it needed to be. As he walked back to the car, he paused and took out his phone.
“This needs to be the best date she’s ever had. I have to make sure I give her that,” Noel said to himself as he unlocked the Mustang.
Clara stared at the phone in her left hand while she held the mascara wand in her right. She looked at the message again to make sure she was reading it right.
Danny: Hi, Clara. I need you to stop by the bakery tonight and give those recipes a glance and approval for tomorrow. You have a key. I need them first thing tomorrow morning for the printers.
She sighed and glanced at the small clock on her dresser. It was just after six, and if she drove to the bakery before the restaurant, she'd be late. She didn’t factor in surprise work text messages when she was getting ready.
Clara: Sure, Danny. I’ll stop by the bakery now.
She got a reply instantly.
Danny: That's why you're my favourite employee. Sorry to rain on your HOT date!
Clara: Josie?
Danny: Josie!
She sighed. Ever since Noel asked her out at the bakery, it seemed everyone knew, Stevie and Annie especially. When Clara called to let them know the developments, there was no real surprise in either one of their voices. It seemed the day had dragged; she woke up alone, and it was unfamiliar. For the past five nights, she’d wrapped herself around Noel, and to wake up without him left her feeling empty inside.
Clara glanced at herself in the mirror. Had she known a month beforehand that she would be going on a date with Nolan Parker, she'd laugh and tell the universe it was dreaming. The hell that was happening! But here she was. As she waved the mascara wand over her lashes, she realised that she didn't want to laugh; she wanted the universe to play nice. Clara wanted this date to be perfect.
They both came so far that the thought of how they wound up together caused her head to hurt. She still doubted it. Clara knew that was in the back of Noel's mind as well; she saw it every time they'd lie in bed together. His eyes feared that she would change her mind, when in reality it was the opposite. It was the idea that Noel would run back to Valerie that scared her most about them. But she gave them one chance; if they blew it, there was nothing left in their stars.
The traffic into the city on a Saturday night was horrible. A ten minute drive took double, the suburbs coming out to the city to play happened every weekend. Clara stood beside her Lexus and thought about walking; she’d have to go through Fitzroy Gardens and through China Town. Walking alone at such an hour wasn’t ideal. No matter how much of a local she was, being alone in the Melbourne night made her feel like a stranger in her own town. Clara pressed the button on her keys and unlocked her car. She’d rather be late than be attacked, and she was sure Noel would agree, too.
It didn’t take her long until she turned off the main road and onto Little Collins Street. To her surprise there was parking in front of the bakery. Clara was sure there wouldn’t be any. But as she cut the engine, she looked to see all the bistros and restaurants on the other side of the street packed and busy. Clara was thankful that the bakery closed at six-thirty p.m. every night and didn’t have to deal with the city folk that late; during the daylight was enough.
Clara sat in the driver’s seat and looked out the windshield. She needed to get it together, and she knew it. This date scared the life out of her. And she was scared of the consequences of tonight if it went horribly wrong. But then again, she was excited; this was something that felt so real that it started to hurt her. Every kiss and touch of Noel’s drove her crazy with need; it was addictive, and the fact that she called him hers for the night sent her heart on a rampage. Only he seemed to affect her so badly, and it was confusing. As hard as she tried to ignore the feelings, they seemed to explode through her body, demanding to be felt.
From the corner of her eye, she noticed a couple holding hands, walking as they spoke to each other, and even laughing. She couldn’t help but think maybe that could be them, but she knew it wouldn’t be like that. Clara wasn’t sure where their date would take her, but she had to face it head-on, because if she blinked too fast, she’d miss it all. Clara smiled at the silhouette of the couple walking away and reached over to grab her handbag from the passenger seat.
Clara nodded to herself and breathed in to calm her nerves. She’d go into the bakery, grab the recipes from Danny’s office, and drive to the restaurant. Cutler & Co. was closer to her apartment than the bakery, and it annoyed her that she would be making such a trip. Clara took out her phone, opened the car door, and stepped out, dialling Noel's number. It only took three rings before he answered.
"Hey," Clara greeted as she rested the phone between her ear and shoulder and she fished out her keys from her handbag.
"I'm here, Clara. Don't tell me you’re bailing." The disappointment in his voice was clear, and she knew he was there waiting for her. She breathed in as she fumbled with her keys until she found the one that opened the front door.
"Of course not, Noel. I would never."
"Then what's this phone call for?"
“I'm just outside the bakery. Danny needs some recipes signed off first thing tomorrow morning, and I've got to get them now before our dinner. I hope you don’t mind if I'm a little late?"
She stopped short of the bakery's front door; she would have gone through the back, but the boom gates would have slowed her down. Placing the key in the lock, she waited for Noel’s reply.
"Noel?" she asked as she turned the key and heard the click of it unlocking. The bakery was awfully dark, which was odd. Normally they had the small light above the counter on to deter thieves. Josie must have forgotten. Clara wasn’t going to be the one to tell Danny; he’d rip Josie to shreds for being unreliable.
"So you're at the bakery now?" he asked. He was either really curious, or he was impatient for her company, the latter making her smile.
"Yes, I’ll just grab the recipes, and I’ll be there in a second."
Removing the key from the lock, she pushed the door open. Her hand searched the wall to her left for the light switch. When she found the switch, Clara placed her fingers over it and flicked it, but the bakery remained dark. Suddenly lights appeared out of the darkness and momentarily took her breath with it.
"What the?" she said into the speaker, startled at the brightness that engulfed the room.
"So, what do you think?" His voice pulled her out from her thoughts.
"What?" she breathed out.
She removed her gaze from the fairy lights that filled the store and saw Noel standing in the middle of the bakery. He stood in a pair of black dress pants and a light green, button-down shirt; she realised she loved him in green. He was breathtakingly beautiful and the lights that wrapped around the rafters highlighted his emerald eyes.
She was in awe. The bakery was empty of its usual tables and chairs. But in the middle sat just one table and two chairs. The table was draped with a light grey tablecloth, plates, and an empty vase. The windowsills were lined with unlit candles and fairy lights, shimmering against the moonlight that shone through. Clara was speechless and incredibly moved. She watched as Noel held his phone tighter to his ear and began to speak. Those beautiful green eyes were laced with concern and skepticism.
"Clara, are you going to say something? Because you’re beginning to scare the shit out of me!"
It was in that moment she knew. She couldn't help it anymore. She couldn't fight it anymore. She couldn't deny it anymore. She just knew.
"You did this all for me?"
"Only you, Clara. Only ever you." The genuine smile displayed across his face melted her heart.
Hanging up the phone, she didn’t take her eyes off him. The feelings in her wer
e demanding to be set free. She ran up to him, throwing her arms around his neck and letting her lips crash into his. Hot, breathtaking, and heart stealing. His lips were firm and strong against hers. A soft gasp escaped her once his hands found her waist, holding her tight against his solid body.
“Clara, we won't be able to have this date if you keep that up!" Noel’s lips left hers and she couldn’t help the frustration she felt.
"Me? I don't see you refusing!"
"I am now," Noel clarified with a complacent smile.
"Yeah, now!" she laughed. Noel untangled himself from her and said, “I’ll be back in a second,” before turning for the kitchen, leaving Clara alone on the shop floor.
Looking around, she saw the beauty of what he did. She wondered where the rest of the tables and the bakery went to. He had to have had help, and she couldn’t help but think who helped him. Clara walked over to the table and ran her fingers across it. Her heart quickened its beat. It was perfect, and her heart constricted at the effort he went to for her. It was the most romantic notion anyone had ever done for her.
"Here, these are for you," Noel said, entering the shop floor with a bouquet of flowers. She looked down to see purple tulips. Her heart clenched at the sight of them.
"How did you know my favourite flower are tulips?" Clara asked as she saw a pleased smile plastered on his face. "Wait! Did you ask me questions while I was drunk? What the hell did you ask me, Noel?"
“No, I didn’t ask. I just knew,” he answered as he handed Clara the flowers. She looked at them and smiled; not a lot of people knew she loved tulips, and that’s when she remembered why.
“You were the first person to ever give me a tulip,” she breathed out. Looking at Noel through her lashes, he seemed like her remembered, too.
“I remember my parents had a party at our place. You and Alex were there, your parents, too. The other kids didn’t want to play with you, so you just sat on your dad’s lap. The next minute I watched you get off his lap and start running to the edge of the garden. You were four, I think. I saw you fall and scrape your knee, and I ran after you. You cried and told me you hated me. I wiped your tears away before I ripped out one of my mother’s purple tulips and gave it to you. I think that was the day you liked me… for an afternoon. I forgot about that.” Noel tilted his head and breathed out at their childhood memory.
