Treat You Better (The Family Stone Book 3)

by Brooke St. James

  Collin and I walked off the stage and headed toward the backstage area. "That was lit," he said. "By the fourth song, you had some kind of magical vibe going, and it was all over after that." He put his arm around my shoulders. "You sang like a siren out there. My own Marilyn Monroe."

  I laughed. "Thank you," I said.

  "I saw that your dad was here."

  "He was. My whole family was."

  "Are they hanging out?" Collin asked the question because he, no doubt, was interested in meeting my father.

  "No. My sisters were planning on heading out right away."

  I knew the plan. My family would leave as soon as we finished, but Noah would stay. He would meet me in the backstage area in about ten minutes so that we could ride home together.

  "Thank you for letting me be a part of what you're doing, Indie. It's really fun out there."

  I turned to look at Collin as we walked. He wasn't usually much for sincere statements, so it made me smile. "You're welcome, Collin. And thank you. The act wouldn't be the same without you."

  He gave me a shy smile as he stopped in front of door. "I guess I'll talk to you later," he said. He knew I would be going inside to get changed, and there was no need for him to go in with me.

  I reached out to give him a hug. "I'll let you know what I hear from Netflix."

  He shook his head. "If they don't hire us, they're crazy."

  Collin started to walk away, but before he could make his way down the hall, I called out to him. "Hey, if you see Noah out there, could you please send him back?"

  "Sure," Collin answered.

  I opened the door. As it was in a lot of these venues, my dressing area was a dual-purpose room. There was a couch, chair, and coffee table on the left making a little lounge area, but lining the walls to the right were open-backed shelves that jutted out from the wall and were stocked with linens and other restaurant supplies.

  I had planned on getting changed before Noah came back, but I just couldn't wait to see him. I felt giddy with nerves and anticipation as I waited to see if he would knock on the door. I positioned myself behind one of those shelves like I was a kid playing hide and seek.

  I wondered how long it would take Collin to find Noah, or if he would at all. I told myself I would give it a minute, and if Noah didn't come in, I would assume Collin had been unable to find him.

  I stood there, feeling antsy and wondering if he'd ever show, and then I remembered all I had to do was text Noah tell him for myself. I was walking across the room to get my phone out of my bag when I heard a knock on the door. I gasped quietly, and did a one-eighty to head back the other way. I was wearing hi-heels, so I tiptoed as quietly as I could.

  I wasn't sure why I hid behind the shelf instead of answering the door—I just did.

  "Come in," I said, peering at the door from above a stack of napkins. "Come in!" I yelled a little louder when nothing happened right away.

  I watched as the door slowly opened, and Noah came into the room. He closed the door behind him as he looked around curiously.

  "Hello?"

  "Hello." I said.

  He heard me and he looked my way. I could see when he spotted me from behind the napkins, and he smiled. "What are you doing back there?"

  "Hiding."

  "Why?"

  "Just because."

  I felt like a teenager. I was so in love with this man, and there he was, smiling at me and looking like a surfer turned J. Crew model. I wanted to be with him for the rest of my life.

  "Your friends are waiting out there," he said.

  "You mean my family? I thought they were leaving."

  "They did. They're gone. I'm talking about Marisol and Brendan, and the others from school."

  He stepped toward me, but he moved so tentatively that I could tell he was waiting for me to invite him to come closer.

  "Thankfully, your dad left before they accosted me. They said they were going to wait for you to see if you wanted to hang out. Marisol said she tried to text you. They asked me what I was doing here, and I didn't know what you wanted me to tell them, so I—"

  "You could have told them that I'm your girl," I said. "I thought we were telling people that. Surely, they saw my necklace and figured it out, anyway."

  Noah stepped closer, continuing to smile. He peered at me from over the stack of napkins. He reached out to press them down a little and craned his neck get a better view of me through everything that was on the shelf. "Whatchew doin' hiding back there if you're my girl?"

  I shrugged. "I got shy."

  He shook his head slowly. "The woman I saw on that stage was anything but shy."

  "I know, but I had a microphone up there. I had to not be shy. Plus, I saw you out there. You looked so handsome sitting with my family, and then I saw when you chased off my…" I hesitated, feeling like I didn't want to even refer to Kai. "I just saw you out there, and I was so happy, and now I feel nervous. I have a little crush on you."

  Noah peered through the napkins—his whiskey-colored eyes seeming to stare straight through me. My knees got weak simply by the way he looked at me.

  "Indie, baby."

  It was a statement, not a question.

  "What?"

  He rubbed his jaw and chin as if thinking about something. "I, uh, I used a lot of restraint when, uh… (sigh) I've just got a lot of… let me think of how I can put this… I might to do something crazy like pull down this shelf and climb over it if you don't come out here to me. I need to feel you in my arms."

  His words made my insides get that warm feeling. I could feel and see my chest rise and fall with the effort to get a breath of air into my lungs. I wanted to be in his arms at least as badly as he wanted me there. It was with great pleasure and anticipation that I took three steps, positioning myself at the end of the shelf.

  Noah came around his side, and I watched as he stepped back, taking me in, scanning me from head to toe.

  "I thought you were going to change," he said.

  "I am. I will. I'll change before we go anywhere. I just couldn't wait to see you."

  He reached out for my hand. He was still a couple feet from me, so our clasped hands dangled in the air between us. He was so handsome that I could hardly stand still.

  The combination of Noah's light eyes, long lashes, and short facial hair was utterly mesmerizing. He tugged my hand, causing me to take a step forward. He pulled me hard enough that I fell into his arms. He was prepared for it, and he caught me easily. I had on heels, but he's still a little taller than me and he stared downward, our faces only inches apart. Both of us struggled to catch our breath. My chest was gloriously pressed against his, and our bodies flexed in breathless unison.

  He held me tightly by the waist, pulling me to him with wonderful, unrelenting pressure and staring into my eyes. "Indie, you said something to me when you called me from backstage."

  I nodded.

  "Do you remember what it was?"

  I nodded again.

  "Tell me."

  I shook my head.

  "No?"

  I shook my head again.

  "Why not?"

  "I'm too shy now."

  "Is it because you don't feel it?" he asked.

  I shook my head. "I really feel it a lot."

  I was happy that Noah had such a firm grip on me, because my knees were so weak, I felt like they might give out from underneath me. He ducked, placing his mouth so close to mine that I thought he was going to kiss me.

  "My sweet Indie. I love you so." His mouth was so close that it barely brushed mine when he spoke. "I want you to be my girl tonight, and tomorrow night, and every single night after that."

  I nodded. "I want that too," I whispered. "I want you to come to my house and work in my studio, and pretty much never leave."

  He smiled. "Are you trying to kidnap me?"

  I nodded. "Yes, please."

  "Kidnappers usually don't say 'please'."

  I tightened my grip on him,
squeezing the fabric of his clothes and holding him closer to me like I didn't plan on letting him escape. I was out-of-my-mind with feelings of love and desire. I wanted so desperately to be next to him that I felt like I wanted to morph into the same person.

  "You are truly exquisite, Indigo Stone."

  "Does that mean you'll come willingly?"

  He grinned at me. "I'll go wherever you tell me to go."

  "I like where you are right now."

  Before I had the chance to say anything else, he kissed me.

  This time, Noah was not messing around. He was telling the truth when he said he was barely able to restrain himself. He kept a hold of my waist with one hand, but with the other, he reached up and grabbed the back of my head, pulling me to him, tilting my head just the way he wanted it with a gentle but firm grip that he had on my hair.

  He controlled every second of the kiss. All I did was melt in his arms and open my mouth to him, and he did the rest. Noah kissed me with a type of delicate determination and urgency that I had never experienced before. He held me close and he kissed me with warm, wet, tender passion. His tongue slid into my mouth like silk, coaxing me into a slow, pulsing rhythm that had me gripping fistfuls of his clothing and whimpering with desire. Our mouths fit seamlessly together as he covered me with his kiss. I got my wish. It felt to me like we became one in those moments. He kissed me hungrily, greedily, and I answered him by kissing him back, opening to him, answering his every movement with one of my own. My insides burned with yearning, and I pulled him closer still.

  I completely lost track of time. We could have kissed for three minutes, and it could have been ten. I barely even knew where I was standing or if I was standing at all. There was an exchange of raw passion in those moments that left me utterly spent when Noah finally pulled back.

  He kissed me twice more, just gentle pecks on the mouth, before he pulled back far enough to look at me.

  "Oh, my gosh," I said dazedly.

  He grinned. We were silent for a few seconds, just staring at each other.

  "Can we please do that again sometime?" I asked, finally.

  "All the time," he said. "Anytime." He kissed me again, a sweet, short kiss where he let his lips linger on mine for a second or two.

  "Are we gonna get married?" I asked when he pulled away again.

  "Yes."

  I smiled.

  "Why? Do you want to?" he asked.

  I nodded. "Even if I have to kidnap you."

  "You don't," he said. "I'm already yours."

  Epilogue

  The following December

  It usually didn't rain much in Los Angeles, but today was an exception.

  It had been a nice morning, but it started raining cats and dogs this afternoon, and it didn't show any signs of slacking up.

  I was so ill prepared for this weather that I had to borrow an umbrella from Blue and Taylor when I was at their hotel just now. I was glad I had it because I had to walk a block to get from my parking spot to the diner.

  I held open the glass door with my foot while I turned and shook my borrowed umbrella, getting most of the water off before I went inside. I closed it at the same time that I let the door close behind me.

  It was the diner where Collin worked, and I was meeting Noah there for dinner before we went on a date to a concert. Maybe, for most people, a diner would be an odd choice for a date night, but Noah and I were easy to please, and we both enjoyed eating at places like this. Besides, it was close to the venue where we were seeing a concert.

  I looked around as I walked inside. They would've normally been busy at 7pm on a Friday night, but tonight, there was hardly anyone there. The row of booths lining the windows were empty except for two or three of them that were occupied down at the end. And the bar, which was normally full, only had two people sitting at it.

  I knew Noah was a few minutes behind me, so I headed for the bar instead of a booth. It was a no-brainer that I would sit there and talk to Collin and Phil through the kitchen window. Both of them had their back to me when I walked in. Collin was the first to turn around.

  "Hey, Indie's here," he said, informing Phil of my arrival.

  "Hey, Indie! Come on in and have a seat," Phil said, turning to look at me from over his shoulder.

  Janet, one of the waitresses came up to greet me as soon as I walked toward the bar.

  "Pretty slow in here tonight," I said.

  She nodded. "It's the rain," she said. "Phil already sent two people home. How've you been sweetheart?"

  "Great, thanks."

  "Collin said you and your boyfriend got married."

  I nodded and smiled at her. "We did," I said. "A few weeks ago. It was right before Thanksgiving."

  "Congratulations. Are you staying for dinner, or are you just here to talk to Collin?"

  "I'm staying. We're eating. Noah's meeting me here in a minute."

  She nodded. "Make yourself comfortable. Sit wherever you like."

  I sat on one of the barstools, putting my umbrella near my feet and my purse on the bar beside me.

  "What can I get you to drink?" Janet asked.

  "I'll take a cup of coffee. And some water, if you don't mind."

  Phil put two plates in the window and rang the bell. He smiled and nudged his chin at me, and before I knew it, both he and Collin came out of the kitchen so we could all talk.

  "How you doin', Indie-girl?" Phil asked, wiping his hands on his apron.

  "I'm fine."

  "She's more than fine," Janet said. "She's a new bride."

  Phil made a dismissive sound. "That's old news, Janet. She's done been in here twice since she got married."

  "Well, I haven't seen her," Janet said.

  She placed a mug in front of me and filled it with coffee.

  "Where's my man, Leo?" Phil asked.

  "He's spending the night with my sister. Noah's taking me to see Brass Cat."

  "Oh, that's right. I forgot that was tonight," Collin said. He stood next to Phil who was leaning against the counter.

  "What's Brass Cat?" Phil asked, scowling.

  "A band," Collin explained. "They're super popular, Phil. You gotta get with it."

  "I don't listen to hip hop." His tone and expression was so full of distain that it made me laugh.

  "They're not hip hop," Collin said, shaking his head and rolling his eyes. He and Phil always cracked me up with how they bantered back and forth.

  "They're not anywhere as famous as Fiona White and her piano playin' sidekick," Phil said. "These two are gonna be in the movies."

  We had just finished filming that scene for a Netflix movie, and Phil was extremely proud of us. He was also really stoked that he had been the one to get us that connection. He brought up the movie every time I saw him, which fine by me. I thought it was sweet.

  "I can't wait for that to come out," Janet said, coming to stand near us after she checked on the customers at the end of the bar. "I don't even have Netflix, and I'm gonna order it just so I can watch that movie." She sighed and looked at me. "But I've heard about the movie a hundred times. What I really want to hear about is your wedding."

  "It was in a grocery store," Collin said.

  "Nu-uh!" Janet's eyes got huge as she looked at me.

  I laughed at her expression. "It's sort of true," I said, nodding. "We didn't get married in an actual store, though. We did it in the old Beverly Building. But we had it all set up like a grocery store since that's where we first met. Instead of the traditional stage set-up with candles and bridesmaids, we had the whole place decorated like a produce section."

  "Oh, my goodness," Janet said, still looking wide-eyed.

  "It was first class," Collin explained. "It looked so cool. They brought in these wooden displays and had it all fixed-up. It was really bright and happy feeling with all that fruit and stuff. It was different. I loved it. Plus, Noah made her a ring for a surprise and made a speech about how meant-to-be they were. It was seriously the coole
st wedding I've ever been to."

  "Aw, thanks, Collin," I said, tilting my head at him.

  "What'd you do with all that food?" Phil asked.

  "I wanted to know about the ring," Janet asked. "I want to see the ring."

  I held my hand out so that she could inspect the ring, and I turned to look at Phil. "We donated it," I said. "To a couple of different places, I think. The wedding planner made sure it didn't go to waste."

  "This is so beautiful," Janet said. "Did he say your husband made it?"

  I nodded, feeling proud and knowing it was a gorgeous ring. "Yep."

  "That's what he does," Collin said.

  "Makes wedding rings?"

  "Makes jewelry," Collin said.

  "Get with the program, Janet," Phil said.

  "Well, I didn't know. I only work weekends, Phil, and nobody tells me anything around here." She looked at me. "I didn't know you married a jewelry maker. I thought somebody said he was a surfer."

  "He does that too," I said. "But not for a job. That's where he's been today, actually. He was down in San Diego helping one of his friends."

  "Helping one of his friends learn to surf?" Phil asked.

  "His friend's starting a surf club down there for disabled vets. He had more of a response than he thought he would, so he's got his hands full. Noah went down to help him out for the day—just teaching some basic lessons."

  "Well I can't wait to meet him," Janet said. "I'll bet he's as handsome as he is sweet."

  "He's all right for a hippie," Phil said, being his old wonderfully grumpy self.

  "He is not a hippie," I said to Janet while shaking my head at Phil.

  "I saw a picture of your sister and her new baby in a magazine yesterday," Collin said. "My girlfriend was looking at it, and she was like, Collin isn't this Indie's sister?"

  I nodded. "Little Ezra," I said. "I call him Ez. He's super cute."

  "Is that the actress sister or the hotel sister?" Phil asked.

  "The actress," I said. "But the hotel sister is gonna have a baby, too. They just found out, though, so it'll be a while."

  "Oh, be still my heart. My goodness, good gracious, this must be him." Janet let out a long breath and started pulling on the fabric of her top as if to cool herself off. "My word, sister, if this is your husband—" She stopped talking abruptly and smiled broadly at whoever had just opened the door. "Hi, welcome to Skyline," she said. "Have a seat wherever you like."