Treat You Better (The Family Stone Book 3)

by Brooke St. James

  Chapter 16

  Everyone was in good spirits at school the next morning. It was our last day of the term, and we would only be there until noon, so the whole class was all-smiles when I arrived.

  Noah was slightly more dressed-up than usual. He had on sleek khakis with a white linen shirt. It was long-sleeved, but he had the sleeves rolled up to his elbows. His hair was also more polished than usual. It was combed away from his face and looking slightly damp, either from product or a recent shower. It was still long on top, but he had just gotten a haircut where he had cropped it shorter over his ears. I simply adored how he looked. He was sitting on the edge of Mr. Lee's desk like he always did, smiling and talking to several people who had come to stand next to him.

  I went directly to my station, trying to ignore the overwhelming happiness that bubbled up inside me at the sheer sight of him.

  "Somebody's happy," Brendan said as I set my things down.

  "Everybody's happy," I said. "But it's sad too, right? I'm gonna miss all of you."

  "Let's all get together to hang out," Marisol said.

  Brendan and I both nodded, agreeing with her. Mary Jane had just walked in behind me and was now standing next to us, listening.

  "Seriously," Marisol added. "I've been thinking about it. I don't want to just say we're gonna do it and then forget about it. I'm not trying to make false promises. Let's make a pact to get together after today. Maybe monthly or every other month or something—just to check in and see how we're all doing."

  "I’m up for that," Brendan said.

  I nodded. "Me too."

  "Count me in, obviously," Mary Jane said. "I'm up for doing it every weekend. In fact, when's our first one? I'll put it on my calendar right now." She was staring at her phone, but she looked up, scanning our faces as if waiting for one of us to say a date.

  "I say we do it Saturday," Brendan said.

  My eyes widened. "Tomorrow?"

  "Fine then, too soon," he said. "How about next Saturday? We could grab some dinner and maybe go see some music or a movie."

  "That sounds good to me," Mary Jane said. "I’m free next Saturday."

  "I can do Saturday," Marisol said.

  This whole conversation happened so quickly that it wasn't until they had all pretty much agreed on next Saturday when I realized that it wasn't an option for me. I (Fiona) would be playing a show Saturday evening at the Red River Inn. It was a big night for me. My family would be there, and so would the director of that Netflix movie.

  It crossed my mind to invite the three of them, but then I realized that Noah would be there and that would be as shocking to them as me singing in the first place. So many secrets. I couldn't keep them all straight. I felt blood rush to my face. I had no idea why I was keeping all these secrets, anyway.

  "Are you busy or something?" Brendan asked, seeing my serious expression.

  "Me? I… Saturday? Next Saturday?"

  "Yeah, but if you can't make it, we'll figure out a different time to—"

  "I'm actually d-doing some music—singing some songs, you know, like, at a place." I did not mean to be so awkward, I really didn't, but I hadn't expected to tell them about it, so it came out all jumbled sounding. Something just came over me, and I admitted it before I even knew what was happening.

  "Singing some songs at a place?" Brendan asked, sounding confused. "You mean like karaoke? I could go for some karaoke."

  "I am not doing karaoke," Marisol said, shaking her head. "You do not want to hear me sing."

  "I'll do it," Mary Jane said with a shrug. "I can't sing, but I don't care."

  Regret had already started to sink in. I was mad at myself for mentioning it in the first place, and now, there I was, faced with clearing up a whole karaoke misunderstanding.

  "It's, uh, not karaoke," I said. "It's a little, you know, concert. I mean, not a concert, but a show, or whatever."

  "You're putting on a concert?" Mary Jane asked. "Seriously? Like with a band?"

  "It's just me and a piano player," I said.

  All three of them stared at me as if it were the strangest thing they could have imagined me saying, which made me laugh.

  "Are you joking?" Mary Jane asked.

  "No."

  "When'd you decide to do that?"

  "A while back," I said.

  "So, it's just you on stage with a piano player?" Brendan asked. "And you're gonna sing songs?"

  "Don't act so surprised that she can sing," Marisol said. "Her dad is Alec Stone."

  "Yeah, but I just can't imagine little-old Indie getting up on a stage and rocking out like that."

  I let out a laugh even though I wished I hadn't mentioned it to them at all. "I don't sing rock music," I said.

  "Yeah, she said it's just her and a piano player," Mary Jane said.

  Marisol shook her head. "I don't care what kind of music it is. I want to go. I want to check it out."

  "I'm having a hard time even believing she's serious," Brendan said. He looked at me. "Are you serious? You get up on stage and sing songs? You've never even mentioned that before."

  "I am serious," I said, nodding. "And I've never mentioned it because I just do it for fun. I'm not trying to get a bunch of people there or anything. I don't even do it under my real name."

  "All right, everybody, let's get started on wrapping this up!" Noah still had a group of people standing around him when he made that announcement, but they all began to disperse and head back to their stations when he said that.

  "You use a fake name?" Brendan asked, whispering to me as we all got settled.

  I nodded. "I'll tell you later."

  ***

  "Ms. Stone, I'd like to see you for a minute, if you don't mind."

  We were on our way out of the classroom when Noah said that to me, and I turned around to look at him. He was sitting behind Mr. Lee's desk, organizing the projects we had turned in.

  I already knew he'd be coming over to my house in a couple of hours, but I smiled at the fact that he was asking me to stay after class. I had been walking out with my friends, and I glanced their way to find that Mary Jane was raising her eyebrows at me.

  "Do you want us to wait for you?" Marisol asked.

  I shook my head. "Go ahead," I said, reaching out to give her a hug before doing the same with Mary Jane.

  "We'll see her next weekend, anyway," Brendan added before being the last to reach out for a hug.

  I felt nervous as I turned and started to walk toward Noah. His dad hadn't come to class with him today, so once everybody made their way out, it would just be the two of us in the room.

  "Hey," I said, trying not to seem nervous as I approached.

  Noah stood up and moved to stand on the other side of the desk, closer to me. It was still difficult for me to stare at his face without being completely love struck, so I glanced downward at his chest. But his white shirt was thin and it hugged his chest and arms, so I was no better off looking at that.

  We converged in front of the desk, and I stood a few feet in front of him with my hands full. My purse was a backpack and I was clutching my school bag in front of my chest.

  "Hey," Noah said back to me.

  I glanced at his face to find that he was wearing a mesmerizing casual smile. "Are you headed to lunch?"

  He answered with a nod. "I'm supposed to meet Dan in his office in a few minutes. I'll follow him to the restaurant. I think it's right down the street but not close enough to walk."

  "I thought your dad was going with you."

  "He is. He's meeting us over there." Noah glanced at the door to make sure everyone had gone. "I could have sworn I heard you say something about your performance next weekend to your friends earlier."

  "I did. I told them about it." I shook my head. "I have no idea why I did that. We were just talking this morning, and out of nowhere, I—"

  "I'm proud of you," Noah said interrupting me with a sweet smile. "I'm glad you told them. I hope they go see you sing
."

  I bit my lip and nodded a little reluctantly. "I think they're planning on it."

  "That's wonderful. They're gonna be blown away. Do they know you use a pseudonym?"

  I shook my head. "I mentioned it, but I didn't tell them the name yet. I got scared and regretted even telling them about it at all."

  "Why?"

  "Lots of reasons. I mean, what if they see you there?"

  His eyes widened. "That's what you're worried about?"

  I gave him a little shrug. "I'm not worried about it, but, you know, what if they do?"

  "Then our cover's blown," he said with a wide-eyed expression of deep concern that was clearly fake.

  I smiled at him. "You don't care?" I asked.

  "Why would I?"

  "I don't know. I just thought—"

  "They can probably already tell something's going on between us, anyway," he said.

  "Is something going on?" I asked, acting shy and clearly flirting with him.

  "You tell me," he said.

  He swiveled and reached into his bag, and the next thing I knew, he pulled out a small box. I knew it contained the necklace he made for me. I had never seen it in person, and my heart started racing at the sight of the box. Nervously, I turned to look at the door. "I thought you were going to give this to me when you came over later."

  Noah still had his hand on the box, and my statement caused him to pull it back toward himself slightly. When he did, I reached for it, stopping him while he was still in motion.

  He smiled at me with a look of challenge. "If you don't want it, I'll just—"

  "I want it," I said. "I really want it." I took it from him and held it in my hand, resting it on my schoolbag, which was still clutched to my chest. "Thank you," I said. "I don't even know what to say. No one's ever given me anything like this—something they took time to make with their own hands."

  He grinned. "You haven't opened it yet. How can you even be sure what's in there?"

  "I know what it is," I said. I held it tightly. "I don't want to open it right now."

  "Why not?"

  I hesitated for a second, wondering if I should say the truth. "Because I feel like it might make me cry," I said. I could feel tears start to rise to my eyes just from admitting that.

  "You mean happy tears?" he asked, looking slightly concerned.

  I nodded instantly.

  Noah reached out and touched my arm. It was a caring, comforting gesture, like he wanted to hug me but wasn't quite sure if I would let him since we were at school. I couldn't help myself. I leaned forward, falling into his arms. I still had my hands full with my bags, and I was reluctant about touching him since we were at school, but I just couldn't resist.

  Noah caught me in his arms, hugging me and holding me tightly with no hesitation or reservation—no apologies. I felt his chest move as he took a long breath. It seemed as if he was relieved, which made me want to cry even more. He smelled like Noah, a clean masculine smell mixed with hints of metal and leather.

  I wanted to stand right there forever and just forget all about and the fact that we both still carried baggage. In those seconds, I did forget about all that. I just stayed there, letting him hold me.

  "I wasn't expecting to get to do this until about two-thirty," he said.

  "That's what time you have to go to the dentist," I said. I was so content and relaxed that my comment came out quietly and somewhat muffled sounding.

  "What?" he asked.

  My ear was on his chest, and I loved the way his voice sounded from there.

  I smiled. "You said two-thirty, and I said that's what time you go to the dentist."

  He was quiet for a second. I couldn't see his face but I imagined that he was confused based on his silence.

  "Two-thirty. Tooth-hurty. That's what time you have to go to the dentist. Didn't you hear that joke when you were a kid?"

  I felt his chest begin to shake with laughter, and I pulled back enough to look up at him.

  "No, I did not hear that joke," he said. "And I won't be going to the dentist. I'll be going to your house, Indie Stone."

  "I can't wait," I said.

  I wanted to kiss him. We were standing so close that it was a real possibility. I made myself take a reluctant step back, and it must've been God who made me do that because seconds later, Dan Lopez opened the door.

  "I figured I'd meet you over here since it's on the way to the parking lo—" Dan stopped speaking in mid-sentence when he saw that Noah was not alone. "I'm sorry," he said. "Were you still wrapping things up with your class?"

  "We were," Noah said. "But it's fine. You can come in."

  I had turned to face the door, but I was still standing close to Noah. I felt him reach out and take a hold of the belt loop of my pants, tugging on it. I was positioned in front of him, and he did it gently enough where Dan Lopez couldn't see or notice. I let out a barely-there, breathy sound in my throat, trying to tell Noah to behave while smiling brightly at Mr. Lopez.

  "How did the term go for you Ms. Stone?"

  "Wonderful," I said. "I loved it. I'm gonna miss it."

  "Well, we'd love to have you back," he said. "You should consider one of our degree programs."

  "I might do that," I said, nodding non-committedly.

  I started to take a step, and I realized Noah still had a hold of my belt loop. He let it go, but not before I made a weird hitching movement which caused me to giggle nervously. I tried to keep my composure as I started out on my way toward the door. I turned and made a dorky bowing motion to Noah, and then did the same thing to Mr. Lopez as I walked that way.

  "Okay, well, thank you. Thank you for a lovely experience."

  Chapter 17

  Noah rang my doorbell two hours later, and when I opened it, I saw him standing there with a small wooden crate. He was smiling at me, and it was difficult for me to peel my eyes away from his gorgeous, surfer face, but I was also curious about the crate. I glanced at it, and Noah tilted it so that I could get a better look at what was inside.

  "My mother did this," he said. "I was telling her about Leo, and she put this together. She likes to do stuff like this."

  I reached out to take it from him, and I stepped back to let him inside. I stared into it, feeling at a loss for words.

  Oranges.

  Oranges of all different shades and sizes. There must have been fifteen different types of them—all beautifully on display on this tan-colored paper shreds that were filling the bottom of the crate.

  There was a little tag attached to the side of it that said:

  To Leo, hope you enjoy!

  After I read it, I stared at Noah with a stunned expression.

  "She said if she would have known what your favorite fruit was she would have sent something for you, too."

  "Oh, my goodness. This is for me," I said. "Buying something for my baby is just as good as buying it for me."

  There was a table near the door, and I set the crate down as Noah took off his shoes. I turned to face him just as he was finishing.

  I ached to touch him.

  I wanted so badly to just hug him again like I did at school. He must have wanted the same thing, because before either of us said anything to each other, he took me by the arm and pulled me to him.

  "Indie I hate, hate, hate, hate having to pretend I don't know you," he said.

  We had spent so much time getting to know each other on the phone that I felt the same way when we were at school. I was so relieved to finally be alone with him and in his arms that I buried my face in his chest squeezing him tightly, feeling his body heat, and shamelessly breathing in his scent.

  I was desperate for his touch.

  It was one thing to know (from talking to him on the phone) that he cared about physical fitness and regularly went to the gym, but was a different thing altogether to stand there and wrap my arms around his trim, muscular body. I hadn't been able to relax and enjoy a hug like this when we were at school. Now that
I could, the feel of him caused all sorts of physical sensations to happen inside of me.

  "My precious Indiana Jones," he said. "I've been waiting too long to have you in my arms."

  I smiled against his chest. "I told Leo you called me Indiana Jones, and he said, who's Anna Jones, mama?"

  Noah chuckled at that before kissing the side of my head. "I'll just call you Anna Jones for short."

  "Anna Jones is not short for Indie." I said, pulling back to look at him.

  "Sure it is." He nodded seriously as if it made total sense, and I smiled and shook my head at him.

  "You haven't seen my house," I said.

  I didn't want to move from where we were standing. The only reason I said it was because I thought it was the proper thing to say to someone who had just come over for the first time. Plus, I wanted him to see the studio so that he would fall in love with it and want to move in. I watched as Noah's eyes drifted into my living room, moving slowly from one side to the other. Aside from shifting his gaze, he did not move a muscle. His arms stayed securely and gloriously wrapped around me.

  "It really is a beautiful home," he said.

  "Do you want to take a tour?" I asked. "I've been cleaning since I got home."

  "In a minute," he said. "And thank you for cleaning, but you didn't have to. Did you do that for me?"

  I nodded.

  "Indie."

  "What?"

  "It is taking literally all of my strength to keep myself from—"

  "From what?" I asked, interrupting him since he couldn't say it fast enough. I thought he was going to say he wanted to kiss me, and I had asked the question so quickly and breathlessly it must've been obvious that I wanted him to do it as badly as he wanted to.

  Without another word, he kissed me. He just leaned toward me with confidence and intention and did it. I knew what he was doing, so I stretched up to meet him. Our lips met in a sweet, tender touch. We stayed there for several seconds just soaking in the relief of our mouths finally meeting. Noah pulled back and then gave me at least four or five more sweet kisses in a row.

  "I forgot to tell you something," I whispered after he kissed me several times.