by Judith Keim
As they made their way out of the dining room, Noelle noticed people watching them and stayed close to Silas.
Upstairs, in their suite, she helped put Silas to bed and then headed to her own bedroom.
Jake approached her. “Thanks for everything, Noelle. It was a pleasant evening. I’ll see you in the morning.”
She entered her room and closed the door. Jake Bellingham had turned out to be a real gentleman. But she knew better than to try to make it more than it was. Besides, she’d seen what life was like on his social level, and she wanted nothing to do with it.
###
The next morning, while Jake was busy with work, she and Silas hung out at the pool, walked the beach in search of shells, and shared lunch at the poolside restaurant. Noelle realized how lonely a life it could be married to someone as engrossed in his work as Jake. Alex hadn’t been as heavily involved in the financial advisory company his father owned.
The ride back to the Gulf Coast and Althea’s house was quiet. Silas, his nose and cheeks pink from the sun, had fallen asleep in the backseat of the car. Jake spent most of his time on the car phone. Noelle tuned out his conversations by reading a book on her iPad.
Jake dropped her off at Seashell Cottage and thanked her once more for her help.
Inside the cottage, Noelle unpacked her suitcase and pulled on a pair of jeans and a sweatshirt from her college days. This is more like it, she thought, wiggling her toes on the rug inside her bedroom.
That night, as Noelle was pouring herself a glass of wine, she heard a knock on the door. Surprised, she went to answer it. Opening it cautiously, she peered out.
Jake stood in front of her. “May I talk to you for a minute?”
“Sure, Come in. I’ve just poured myself a glass of wine. Would you like one? It’s a nice pinot noir.”
Jake checked his watch. “Guess I’d better not. I just wanted to stop by to tell you that I’ve been called to New York for a couple of days. Silas tells me you’re going to go to Nana’s each morning to see him.”
“Yes, I’ve agreed to do that for him to allow Dora time to help Althea prepare for the day.”
He shuffled his feet like a nervous school boy. “There’s something you’d better know. Liz Connors is making it appear on her society blog that you’re more than my nanny. It’s awkward, I know, considering your feelings toward me. I’m sorry it happened.”
“Really? She did that?” Noelle’s stomach filled with acid. “I hate that kind of publicity!” Noelle remembered how hurt she’d been in the past by such gossip and felt even sicker.
“Until things calm down, perhaps it’s best if Silas comes here for your get-togethers. This cottage isn’t far away, and if Dora calls to let you know he’s on his way, you could meet him.”
“Okay, that sounds like a good way to prevent further speculation about us,” Noelle said, wishing she’d never met him.
“Can you give me your phone number? I’ll give it to Dora as well.” Jake noticed her hesitation. “It won’t be given to anyone else. I promise.”
Noelle left him at the doorway to go into the kitchen for her cell. She returned, and they exchanged phone numbers.
“Thanks. One other thing. We can’t let Silas think his friendship with you is anything more than a holiday treat. You keep saying how much you love your job and your family in Boston, and I wouldn’t want him to get hurt by thinking you’d stay.”
“Yes,” Noelle replied crisply. “It’s probably best to think that way.”
His gray eyes studied her a moment. “You really are a nice person, Noelle. I hope you know how rare it is to find that in my world.”
“I can imagine,” she said softly. “Have a safe trip to New York.”
“Thanks. I’d better go now.”
She showed him out of the house and watched as he jogged down the sand as lithe and as handsome as his brother.
When she went back to the kitchen, she sank into a wooden chair at the table and let out a troubled sigh. Her carefully planned vacation of doing nothing had become very complicated. The last thing she wanted was for people to think she was Jake Bellingham’s woman.
CHAPTER NINE
A couple of days later, Noelle followed her new routine and stood outside the cottage waiting for Silas to appear. If it weren’t for him, Noelle would stop having any dealings with the Bellingham family. So far, she’d been told she was bossy, called a nanny, and asked not to get too close to Silas.
Yet, seeing that little boy run toward her with excited, leaping steps, she brushed away her irritation.
“Hi, Noelle! I brought a net bag with me for the shells,” Silas said, racing up to her.
“Oh, good idea! I’ve got one too.” They smiled at one another. “Let’s head north, away from your house.”
“Dora said to tell you there’s a man at Nana’s house. He’s got a camera and wants to take a picture of you,” said Silas. “Dora told him to go away, but he’s still there. That’s why she kept Duke at home.”
Uneasiness streaked through Noelle’s body. She did NOT want any kind of publicity. The press had devastated her once. That was more than was fair. She forced a smile and kept her voice light. “We’ll find plenty of shells here.”
Silas chattered with excitement as they strolled the beach, leaning over for a better view of the shells that lay at their feet. Watching Silas, Noelle couldn’t help smiling to herself. On Sanibel Island, south of where they were, shell-seekers were described as doing the “Sanibel Stoop”. Both Silas and she were “stoopers” now too.
After a while, they returned to Seashell Cottage. Noelle made Silas a peanut butter sandwich, and they sorted through the shells, choosing the ones they’d make into ornaments.
“Can we get the ribbons and the glue now?” asked Silas. “Dad said I could go with you.”
Noelle called Dora. “Okay if I take Silas shopping? We’re going to make a quick trip to one of the hobby stores. I’ll return him home in an hour.”
“That’s fine with me. When you come here, the coast should be clear. Some guy from one of the local magazines was here to get a photograph of you. I told him you didn’t live here.”
“Thanks.” Noelle hung up feeling better about her need for privacy.
###
When Noelle drove her car into the driveway at Althea’s house, she was puzzled by the powder-blue convertible sitting alongside Dora’s gray compact. She turned to Silas.
“Do you know whose car that is?”
He shook his head.
They walked inside the house and through the kitchen. Noelle could hear voices coming from the living room, and curious, followed the sound.
As Noelle stepped into the living room, a tall brunette jumped to her feet. Wearing tight white jeans, black high heels and a low-cut, black-knit top, she glared at Noelle. “You’re Noelle North? Jake told me you weren’t staying here.”
Noelle stood her ground. “Who are you and why would you even care?”
“I’m Alicia Witherspoon,” the woman said, her manner haughty. “And I care because I thought Jake and I had something special going on between us. He told me you weren’t living here and that you had no interest in him. But seeing you now, I’m wondering if that’s the truth.”
“Well, as hard as it might be for you to believe either of us, it is the truth.”
Silas took hold of Noelle’s hand. “Noelle is my friend. We’re making Christmas come to Nana’s house.”
Alicia turned her gaze onto him. “Is your Dad telling me the truth?”
“Don’t answer,” Noelle said, furious that Alicia would put Silas into such a difficult position.
“Well, is he?” said Alicia.
Silas shook his head. “No, he likes Noelle a lot. And I do too.”
Alicia placed her hands on her hips and let out an angry breath. “That does it. I’ll have to fly to New York and talk to him myself.” She turned to Noelle. “You stay out of my business. Understand?”
A temper that rarely exploded inside Noelle burst out in strong, angry words. “I have no intention of being in your life or Jake’s. Understand? I’m here for Silas and Althea. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have to leave.” She gave Silas a quick hug and spoke to Dora. “Talk to you soon.”
Quickly, before she could change her mind and expand on her frustration in dealing with Silas’s father, she left the house, got in her car, and drove away. She checked her rearview mirror several times but saw no sign of a blue convertible behind her.
At Seashell Cottage, Noelle parked her car and got out, breathing in the tangy, salty air and letting it out in a calming rhythm. What was it about Jake and his family that made life so difficult? Telling herself that it was only a matter of weeks until she was safely back in Boston, she unloaded her packages and carried them inside.
Later, she unrolled some of the red-and-green woven string Silas had selected for the ornaments. Practicing, she formed a loop and glued a portion of it to the back of a shell. It was, she decided, a cute way to decorate a tree. Something new and different for her. Satisfied, she set the string and glue aside. Silas would help her with the rest.
She picked up a book, a new one by one of her favorite authors, and sat on the couch, happy for time to unwind. If Alicia Witherspoon was the type of woman Jake was interested in, that was another reason to keep out of his way until her promise to Silas was over.
She was deep into the book when her cell rang. Checking Caller ID, her spirits lifted.
“Hello, Edith! How are you and the gang doing?”
“Not as well as you, my dear. Looks like you might’ve snagged a really good one.”
Noelle’s heart pounded with dismay. “What do you mean?”
“You and Mr. Jake Bellingham. I was talking to a friend of mine in Miami. She loves those gossipy social blogs everyone reads, and when she saw a picture of you, she called me. Through my letters and photographs she knows who you are and what you look like.”
Noelle’s breath left her in a gasp. “You mean it’s being circulated like that?”
“Hazel, Rose, and Dorothy are standing right here with me. I’ve got you on speaker phone. Now, tell us about it. How did you two meet? Do you think it’s going to be one of those quick engagements, the meant-to-be kind of thing?”
“Whoa!” Noelle hated to be the one to shatter that kind of romantic thinking, but she had no choice. “Oh, my sweet ladies, it’s nothing like that at all. I’m helping a little boy named Silas decorate a tree for Christmas. Silas is Jake’s son, and I befriended his grandmother. That’s it. Jake and I are definitely not suited for one another. He works all the time, has terrible taste in women, and belongs to a world I want no part of.”
“Mmm. Doesn’t sound very promising,” said Dorothy.
“We might have to go for Plan B,” whispered one of the women in the background.
“Thank you for your concern, ladies, but I came here to relax and get away from the holidays in Boston. I’m not looking for romance; I’m looking for peace and quiet, which has been elusive so far.”
“Definitely Plan B,” came another voice.
“I’m fine just the way I am,” said Noelle, knowing full well it wasn’t what the women wanted to hear. Who could blame them? They loved the idea of a romance. Three of them had been widowed for several years, and even though Hazel had never married, she was a devoted reader of romance novels.
“Well, we’re here if you ever want to talk things over,” said Rose.
Noelle’s heart swelled with affection. “Thanks. I love you all.”
After the goodbyes had been spoken, Noelle clicked off the call with a touch of homesickness. The four older women were dear to her.
Checking the clock in the kitchen, she saw that it was time to start fixing dinner. She liked fancy food, but something as simple as spaghetti was appealing too. She poured her evening glass of wine and took out the mushrooms she’d placed in the refrigerator, along with an onion and a red pepper. Adding those ingredients plus crushed fresh garlic to the contents of a jar of special sauce she’d bought at the gourmet store nearby would make a perfect, easy meal.
She set the prepared sauce to cook on low on the stove and took her wine out to the porch. Pulling her thick fisherman’s sweater tighter around her, she plunked her sneakered feet up on the railing and sat back in a rocking chair, content to let time drift by. This was the kind of peace for which she’d been searching—a way to decide if she wanted to purchase the condo she’d been renting or go on a trip to Europe with her mother. Either would be a step forward.
From inside, she could hear her cell phone ring and decided to ignore it. If it was an emergency, whoever it was would call her back.
Sighing with pleasure, she gazed at the stars in the sky, thinking of their timeless beauty and the miracle of them. She noticed the familiar belt of Orion and smiled, remembering camping outside in the backyard with her brothers. She’d had a nice childhood.
She jumped when a tall figure entered the field of light cast by the lamps inside the cottage. Her heart pounding, she stared at the figure approaching her, readying herself for a quick retreat.
“Noelle? I tried calling you, but you didn’t answer. I took a chance and decided to walk here. I need the exercise anyway.”
She clutched her hands to her chest. “Jake? You scared me! I thought you were the guy wanting to take my photo.”
“What?”
“You know, the guy that works for the social magazine. Liz probably sent him. I’m not happy about it.”
Jake climbed the stairs to the porch. “I’m sorry. That’s why I’m here. I want to apologize to you.”
She let out a sigh. “It’s not your fault. I’ve poured myself a glass of wine. Would you like one?”
“Sounds great. Silas has already had dinner, and I wasn’t ready to eat quite yet.”
They went into the kitchen together. While Noelle poured the wine, Jake said, “Mind if I look around?”
“Not at all. I love this cottage. It’s perfect for a beach getaway.”
Jake was standing in the living room when Noelle found him.
“What do you think?” she asked as she handed him a glass of wine.
“I love it. Two buddies and I rented a beach house in college similar to this. Those were the best days of my life—all that fun and none of today’s worries.”
“Have a seat,” said Noelle. “I just put frozen appetizers in the oven to bake. Thought we could share those. And if you’d like to stay for dinner, I’ve put together a spaghetti sauce and I can make a salad.”
“Sounds great.” The smile that spread across Jake’s face gave Noelle pleasure. She could sense how troubled he was about everything happening in his life.
“Do you like to cook?” Jake asked.
“Brett knows I’m not very good at it. But since being here, I’ve decided I’m going to learn to do more than the basics. Maybe it’s finally having some time to myself, but it seems like an excellent idea. Especially if I’m going to be alone.”
“What’s this about being alone?”
“Oh, it’s nothing but my deciding I’m not going to get into any relationship any time soon. I hate the dating scene.”
Jake cleared his throat. “Speaking of that, I understand you’ve met Alicia Witherspoon.”
Noelle rolled her eyes. “She’s convinced there’s something going on between us and told me to stay out of her business. I tried to explain, but she didn’t believe me.”
“She and Claire could be twins in both looks and attitude,” Jake said. “I’ve been upfront with Alicia about any future together, but she’s not listening.”
“I take it that you and Claire—”
“—were not getting along when she died. She wanted a divorce,” Jake said bluntly, lowering his head. When he lifted his eyes to hers, a sadness lingered there. “Silas doesn’t know she was about to leave both of us behind. I don’t want to do or say anything
to destroy his love for his mother.”
“That’s very generous of you,” Noelle said. “I know how much you love your son.”
A brightness came to his face. “Yes, he’s the best thing in my life. This Christmas decorating idea of his is in memory of his mother. I thought you should know that.”
“I won’t do anything to take away from that,” Noelle assured him before rising and going into the kitchen. Jake followed her.
Noelle put a pot of water on to boil for the spaghetti and pulled out lettuce from the refrigerator. She held up an old salad dressing bottle. “I’m not sure I’ve got enough.”
“No problem. Want me to put together a salad dressing?” Jake asked. “All I need is olive oil, vinegar, garlic, dry mustard, a little salt and pepper, and a touch of curry.”
She opened the cupboard. “Go ahead and check. The cottage was advertised as having a very complete kitchen.”
He poked in the cupboard and turned to her with a triumphant grin. “We’re all set. Hand me a salad bowl, and I’ll whip up a dressing you won’t believe.”
Noelle poured more wine into their glasses and watched as Jake mixed the ingredients.
“Wow! You do know how to cook. Brett told me you’re great at it.”
Jake smiled. “It’s a form of relaxation for me. When I’m home I like to do it.”
“I’m impressed.” Noelle lifted her glass and clicked it against Jake’s. “Here’s to good health and good food.”
“Yes, for us both.”
Noelle was surprised by how at ease Jake was with her. Perhaps it was knowing that they had no real interest in a future together that made it possible. Whatever the reason, she found herself enjoying his company.
After the meal ended, Jake checked his watch. “I’d better go. I promised I’d tuck Silas into bed. It’s important to both of us for me to do that as often as I can.”
“I understand. No problem making your way back home? Or I can drop you off at your house.”
“Are you sure? That would be great.”
Noelle grabbed her purse and car keys and led him out to the driveway where she’d parked her rental car.
