Noella couldn’t stop the flush that crept into her cheeks. “It’s more about getting close to your cookies.”
“Say the word, and I’ll be happy to give you a regular supply of them. For your personal use only, however.”
She had suspected for a while now that Finn’s flirting was leading to something more. Why couldn’t he have been someone in a better financial position? Then she could have had everything. A man she could love who was also financially secure enough to not need the money she had worked so hard to earn.
“If I ate these cookies on a regular basis, I’d outgrow all my clothes and have to buy a whole new wardrobe.”
“Aye, you might, but you’d still be as beautiful as you are now.”
Noella ducked her head as her cheeks once again heated with his compliment. She wasn’t doing either of them any favors by indulging his flirting. Though there was a part of her that longed to find that complete package, Noella knew that when push came to shove, she would have to choose financial security over love. She’d seen how love made a person weak and susceptible to hurt and being taken advantage of. She didn’t think Finn was that kind of person, but they would still be financially unequal, and she just couldn’t get past that.
“Thank you for the stew and the cookies,” Noella said as she got to her feet. “They were both delicious, but I think I need to call it a day. I’ve been up since five, and I’m beat.”
“You need to take better care of yourself,” Finn said as he put the empty glass on top of the plate where the cookies had been. “I hope you have a restful night.”
“Thank you.” Noella picked up her purse and laptop bag. “I’ll see you around.”
“You certainly will,” Finn replied with a smile.
Noella headed toward the hallway that led to her bedroom. She breathed a sigh of relief when she shut the door and leaned back against it. For just a moment—a weak moment—she wanted to go back out to the kitchen and eat more cookies and continue talking to Finn, enjoying the lilt of his accent as he told her more about his day. But doing that would move things forward in a way that would lead to a place Noella couldn’t go. She just wouldn’t—couldn’t—allow that.
2
Finn watched as Noella walked away from him. It seemed that it was what she did best when it came to him. He was pretty sure it was a fluke that he’d actually caught her when she’d come in earlier. From the look of things, she’d been ready to make a Nutella sandwich and most likely head to her room without ever coming downstairs to see the people gathered there. It wasn’t necessarily that she was a reclusive person. There were times that she joined in with the group, but from things Erin had said earlier, he got the feeling that she wouldn’t be joining them that night.
Once Noella was out of sight, Finn turned back to the dishes and put them in the dishwasher. He had stepped up his game where Noella was concerned, and it seemed fairly likely that she was aware of it. He’d spent the last year getting to know her in addition to her foster sister and brothers. The four of them were a tight group, and he was grateful that he’d been welcomed into their little family so easily.
Finn grabbed the container with the rest of his cookies and headed back downstairs to the rec room where the others were gathered. When he heard Gabe’s voice, he recalled Noella’s inquiry about Bennett McFadden and frowned. He had nothing against the man. In fact, he’d quite enjoyed the conversations he’d had with him. The problem stemmed from the fact that Noella seemed to have some interest in him. That didn’t work for Finn since he was interested in her.
From the moment they’d first met, Finn had been intrigued by Noella. Where Erin had been outgoing, welcoming and friendly right off the bat, Noella had taken a bit longer to warm up to him. Since most people usually took to him right away, that Noella held him in reserve had come as something of a novelty. She’d watched him with those deep, dark chocolate brown eyes as if trying to figure him out. Though she hadn’t been as open and friendly as her foster siblings, Noella hadn’t made him feel unwelcome. Perhaps it was just that she wasn’t sure how to take his presence in their lives.
It wasn’t long before Finn found himself intrigued for another reason. With her lightly tanned skin, high cheek bones and large brown eyes, Noella was an attractive woman, but it was her smile that truly made her beautiful. It lit her up from the inside out, and when she’d turned that smile on him for the first time, Finn had been filled with the desire to continue to draw those smiles from her. Whether it was laying on his accent a little thicker than usual or telling her a joke, bringing a smile to Noella’s face was a goal that Finn had any time they were together.
“Hey, man, I thought you’d left.” Tennyson Page lifted a hand which Finn slapped as he settled onto the couch next to him.
“Have a cookie,” Finn said as he held out the container he’d brought downstairs. “I have it on good authority that they’re great.”
Tennyson lifted a brow as he took the container. “Were you upstairs with Noella?”
“I went up to get the cookies, and she was in the kitchen so we chatted for a bit.” Of the group, Tennyson was the first one who had picked up on the fact that Finn had developed feelings for Noella. “Fed her some stew and cookies before she took herself off to her room.”
The corner of Tennyson’s mouth quirked up. “She does need someone to take care of her sometimes. She’s the hardest worker of us all, that’s for sure. Though Erin is a close second.”
That was something Finn had picked up on almost from the beginning. Noella’s entire focus was on the bakery business she’d started with Erin. Without fail she was the last to arrive and the first to leave any sort of social gathering. While Finn could certainly appreciate her work ethic, he got the feeling that she was looking for fulfillment in the success of the bakery. That somehow the size of her bank account would bring her security.
Unfortunately, it appeared that there was no place in that whole equation for him. Although apparently there was for Bennett McFadden. That thought made him frown again.
“What’s got our resident Scotsman frowning?” Forrest Williams asked as he reached out a long leg to kick at Finn’s foot. “Did someone steal your Haggis, lad?”
Finn rolled his eyes at Forrest’s horrendous attempt at a Scottish accent. “Have a cookie, lad. Give your mouth somethin’ to do besides making our ears bleed.”
Forrest grinned and happily took a cookie. He was a lot like Erin when it came to his personality. Very much easy going and always on the lookout for a good laugh. Tennyson was more reserved, although not to the extent that Noella was. It was much easier to make him smile, and he didn’t try to speak to Finn with a Scottish accent, so that right there made him a smart man. He was also the one who had first met Finn and befriended him.
“You going into work tomorrow, Erin?” Finn asked. “It seems it’s a bit past your bedtime.”
Erin nodded from where she was curled into a large moon chair. “Yes, it is, but I’m not working in the morning. We’ve been training someone to work the weekends and starting tomorrow, they’re on their own.” She paused and frowned. “Well, as on their own as is possible considering that Noella will likely still be there with them. There is no way to keep Noella home as long as the bakery is open. She might not be there for the full day, but she’ll be there for a good chunk of it.”
“I think she’s afraid something will happen to it if she isn’t there to make sure everything runs smoothly,” Tennyson commented.
“No doubt,” Erin agreed with a nod of her head. “But she’s got that place so organized that she could probably take a week off and everything would still run like clockwork. I just need to somehow convince her of that.”
Finn wished her great success with that, but he doubted she’d have any luck. Something had to give, though. He’d seen the dark circles beneath Noella’s beautiful eyes. He’d seen the exhaustion that had weighed down her shoulders. Was whatever she was working so hard for, wo
rth it? Surely she wanted more from life than to only see the inside of the bakery and watch her bank account grow. Finn was pretty sure that as long as she had that focus, he didn’t have a hope of winning her over.
Once the evening was done, Finn headed for home, leaving what was left of his cookies behind. The old truck he drove took a while to warm up and not for the first time, he wondered about trading it for something better. It was his sixth year in Canada, his second in Manitoba. He had started out in Toronto, but it had been too busy for him. Vancouver had been nice. Its weather at times had reminded him of home, but for some reason, Winnipeg had been where he’d settled.
As he drove, Finn looked around at the lights on the houses, admiring the trees that stood in front of windows, their lights twinkling in the darkness. He needed to get his own tree up soon. They’d done outdoor lights at the trailer park early in November when the weather had still been nice. He’d just had no time to take care of his own tree.
The moment he drove into the trailer park, he smiled. After much discussion, they’d decided to go with a common theme for the outdoor lights. This year was all white. Some were icicle. Others were just regular white lights around the roofline. That was what he’d gone with on his own place, and they were shining in welcome as he swung his truck into his parking spot next to the trailer.
The smell of the stew still lingered in the air as he stepped through his front door. Home, sweet home. It was definitely his favorite place. Well, aside from the family home in Scotland. Usually, he went back for Christmas, but this was the first year where he felt like if he did decide to stay in Winnipeg, he’d have a place to go. In fact, Tennyson had already asked him what his plans were and had issued the invitation to spend the holiday with them. And by them, Finn knew that would mean the four of them plus their foster parents, whatever kids they were currently fostering, and their biological children along with their families.
Finn picked up the pile of mail he’d retrieved from his mailbox earlier but hadn’t had the time to go through before heading over to Erin and Noella’s place. Most of it was just junk and flyers, but finding the heavy envelope with his name and address in black ink on it made him smile. He settled into his recliner and reached up to snap on the lamp next to his chair.
Knowing what was to come, Finn took his time working the flap open. The scent that was released as the flap opened and he pulled the thick folded paper from within was familiar. It was the perfume his grandmother had worn for as long as he could remember, and it immediately transported him to the library of their family home.
He unfolded the heavy paper and settled back in his recliner to read.
My darling Rhys,
Her greeting never ceased to make him smile. She had lobbied hard for his parents to name him Rhys after her beloved brother who had died at the tender age of twelve. The compromise was that it became his middle name, but it was the only name by which she called him. The family had long since stopped trying to correct her. They would only roll their eyes when she said it now, and she, in turn, would roll hers back at them before turning her indulgent smile on Finn…Rhys. Yeah, he was her favorite. Had been since the day he’d made his unexpectedly early arrival into the world while his Canadian-born mum had been visiting her family in Canada.
His gran still held a wee bit of a grudge against her daughter-in-law for daring to fly so far away from home while pregnant, even if it had been to see her dying father. Since his gran hadn’t been able to hold him until he was almost six months old, the older woman had spent the past twenty-eight years making up for it by spoiling him.
Finn grinned. Okay, so pretty much his whole family spoiled him. That’s what came with being the surprise, the youngest of four children, two of whom were twin girls who had loved baby dolls a lot around the time he’d finally come home. And it was probably what had sent him back to Canada once he was old enough to choose for himself where to live and could withstand the guilt trip that came with the announcement of his plans to emigrate to Canada.
The guilt trips hadn’t stopped either as he learned within the first line of this latest letter from Gran.
Your mum—dear that she is—has just informed me that you haven’t, as of the time of this writing, made known your intentions to return to the manor for Christmas. I’m sure you’re aware, darling Rhys, that she misses you dreadfully and would be most upset if you failed to put in an appearance over the holidays. Your dad appears to be moping about, and I can only assume it has to do with your potential absence for Christmas. And Emily and Amelia? I’m sure you can only imagine how they feel at the thought you might not be home. So, be a love, darling, and make your family happy by showing that beautiful face of yours here for Christmas. It’s entirely too depressing being surrounded by these sad expressions.
Finn noticed that Gran had avoided any mention of Brice wanting him around. Not that his older brother didn’t, but it would have made her manipulation a bit too obvious. He and his older brother were in regular contact, and Brice was a firm believer in Finn being where he felt God wanted him.
Also, your mum mentioned that there might be a young lass that has caught your attention. If that’s the case, it’s even more imperative that you come home. And you must bring her along. You know that your mum and dad will need to meet her before you can plan anything serious.
Finn grinned. He could only imagine what Noella’s reaction would be if he asked her to go to Scotland with him for Christmas.
Gran was certainly not above using his parents to achieve her goals. Strangely enough, he’d made it pretty clear when he’d gone home for their anniversary in the spring that he likely wouldn’t be back for Christmas. He had to give his gran points for creativity. However, it wouldn’t change his plans. There was just no way he could be away from the shop for any length of time, and honestly, the friends he’d made in Canada helped to make it feel more like home. Leaving didn’t hold a whole lot of appeal. Particularly since he knew that his family would make sure that they had him on Skype for a portion of their celebrations.
Setting aside his gran’s letter, Finn got up and was heading to the kitchen when his doorbell went. Switching direction, he opened the door to see the teenage son of the woman in trailer 16.
“Hey, Mikey. How’s it going?” Finn stepped back to allow the teen to come in from the cold. “Everything okay?”
“Mom’s working late tonight,” Mikey said as he shoved his hands into the pockets of his jacket and hunched his shoulders.
With a nod, Finn said, “You hungry? I think I have some stew left over from earlier.” He headed for the kitchen without waiting for the boy to reply. “Take off your jacket and boots.”
By the time Finn turned around with the container of stew he hadn’t taken to Noella’s earlier, the teen was seated on a bar stool at the island counter. He tugged off the toque that covered his blond curls and grasped it between his hands. This was a familiar scene for the two of them. Mikey’s mom worked hard, which often meant that Mikey was left home alone. When his mom was working the evening shift at the hotel where she had a job at the front desk, Mikey seemed to end up at Finn’s until she got home.
Finn had never asked where the teen’s father was, and Mikey had never volunteered the information. As he heated up the stew, he asked how school was going. It always took awhile for Mikey to warm up to the conversation, but once he did, Finn only had to listen without having to prompt him any further. He went ahead and heated up a bowl for himself as well and then sat down with the teen to eat.
As they talked, Finn realized that Mikey was yet another reason he wasn’t prepared to spend a few weeks back in Scotland. Too many important pieces of his life were now in the country of his birth.
3
The following Tuesday, Noella stared at the pictures Erin had taken of the products they had available for the day, making note of the ones with the best lighting and that looked the most appealing. Erin had written the names of each of the items o
n a sheet of paper to match with the pictures. Putting things on social media to attract people to the bakery was part of what Noella did each day.
Candy Cane Macarons
Midnight Peppermint Brownies
Santa’s Favorite Cupcakes (Check them out now then buy more to have on hand Christmas Eve for the big guy)
Sometimes, Noella just had to laugh at the names and comments Erin came up with. The fun names were certainly an attention-getting bonus on the social media sites. She picked the pictures she planned to sue then matched the names with the items before posting them on the bakery’s Instagram, Twitter and Facebook pages. Erin hadn’t been completely convinced that social media advertising would be beneficial, but Noella figured it didn’t cost them anything to give it a whirl. Admittedly, it had taken some time to gain momentum, but now they had new people following them every day and interacting with their posts.
“Hey, No, have you put up the pictures of the red velvet cupcakes?” Erin plopped herself down in the chair next to Noella’s desk. “If not, let me change the name.”
Noella pushed the paper toward Erin then pointed to the screen. “It’s that one, right?”
Erin leaned forward and nodded. “Yeah. Betsy came up with some cute facial decorations for them, so we want to go with Rudolph the Red Velvet Cupcake. I’ll retake the picture with the adorable little faces on them.”
“Sounds cute.” Noella didn’t have the creativity that Erin had, not just with names, but with the products themselves. With Christmas coming, the holiday-themed baked goods were flying off their shelves. “Are all the cupcakes ready for the law office’s party?”
Erin sat back and nodded. “We made all those and some extra to sell here. Let me know if you want to try one. They are awesome, if I may say so myself.”
“Your stuff is always awesome,” Noella said with a smile. “So I don’t really need to try it all.”
The Wonder of His Love: A Christian Romance (Fostered by Love Book 1) Page 2
