Better for Us (8 page)

Chapter 12

“S
he wants me to take her out on dates,” Noel told Ian as he walked into his office.

“Isn’t that what a man does for the woman he loves?” Ian asked with a noticeable smirk on his face.

“Don’t be cute,” Noel said as he flopped into his napa leather office chair. He kicked his feet up onto his desk. “That woman is driving me crazy. First she demands an engagement ring, and then she tells me that I couldn’t just hand it to her.”

“So you got all romantic with it, huh?”

Bragging a bit, Noel said, “You know how I do it.” He stood and started strutting around the room. “I put rose petals on the porch and the steps, and then I rang the doorbell. I handed both Jaylen and Ryla a single red rose when they opened the door.”

As if remembering something he’d forgotten to do, Noel walked over to the file cabinet, grabbed a folder and then went back to his chair.

“Don’t keep a brother waiting. What did you do after that?” Ian asked.

Noel sat down as he looked through the file folder.

“Was the proposal
that
bad for you?” Ian continued waiting for Noel to respond.

“Huh?” Noel glanced up, and then shook his head. “Actually, I enjoyed every minute of it. That is, until my daughter jumped on my back and thanked me for marrying her mother.”

“What could be so wrong with that?”

Noel hadn’t yet revealed his plan to have Ryla leave him at the altar to Ian. Since the man was his campaign manager, Noel felt that he owed him the truth. “Sit down, Ian. I have something to tell you that you’re not going to like.”

Noel spent the next few minutes clueing Ian in on his runaway bride plan. When he was finished, Ian said, “Do you know how many marriages of convenience there are in the political spectrum? Why can’t you just marry the girl and let her move back to Houston?”

“I can’t do that, Ian. Not even to win an election.”

Ian shook his head. “I think you’re making a mistake. You’re counting on your constituents giving you the pity vote, but some of them may just assume that Ryla had good reason for not marrying you.”

“And some of them will feel as if I’m free of a woman who could keep a child from me for seven years.” Noel opened the file he needed to review and began going over information his staff had compiled on some of the campaign donors that would be attending the luncheon today.

Ian sighed as he sat down in the seat in front of Noel’s desk. “You really need to let go of this bitterness you have against Ryla. She seems like a nice woman, and if you want my opinion, I think she’s still in love with you.”

Noel glanced up and then pointed at the file he was studying. “Are you sure that David Lewis will be attending the luncheon today?”

“He confirmed last week, so I believe he’ll be there.” Ian leaned forward and asked, “Did we just change the subject?”

Noel closed the file and stared at Ian. “Shouldn’t you be happy that I have my mind on the campaign?”

Ian held up a hand. “Don’t get me wrong. I’m glad that you’re all-in when it comes to your campaign. I just don’t want you to forget about the issue that is dogging us at the moment.”

“That issue being...?” Noel asked, in a sarcastic tone.

Before Ian could answer, there was a gentle knock on the door and then it opened with Ryla and Jaylen peering in. “Is this a good time?” Ryla asked.

Ian jumped up, with a big smile on his face. “Come on in.” As Ryla and Jaylen walked in, he added, “I hear that congratulations are in order.”

“Show him your ring, Mom,” Jaylen said as she grabbed Ryla’s left hand.

Ryla held up her ring finger. “Thank you, I was really surprised with the ring that Noel had chosen. It is absolutely gorgeous.”

Beautiful
was the word Noel was thinking of as he watched Ryla show off her engagement ring. Her makeup was flawless, but if Ryla wore no makeup at all she would still be lovely. It irritated him that he was attracted to her, so instead he gruffly said, “You’re early.”

Ryla glanced at her watch. “I thought you said the luncheon begins at eleven?”

“It does. And you made it here at the perfect time. Now you can ride with us to the event,” Ian interrupted.

Noel stood and approached them. Ian was butting in, trying to smooth things over with Ryla for him, but he didn’t ask for any help. Jaylen ran to her father and he picked her up. “Hey, pumpkin, how are you doing today?”

“I’m great. Mommy says I get to be the flower girl.”

“I can’t think of anyone who’d do a better job than you, pumpkin.”

“I’m going to sprinkle rose petals on the floor for Mommy, just like you did.”

Noel drifted back to Saturday night when he got down on bended knee and watched tears roll down Ryla’s face as she accepted his proposal. The memory softened him as he spoke to Ryla again.

Noel put Jaylen down and then said to Ryla, “Thank you for helping me with this luncheon. And I’m glad you’re early enough to ride over with me.”

Ryla put her arm around Jaylen. “Well, it looks like I’ll always need to bring you with me when I have to deal with your daddy. You seem to put him in a good mood instantly.”

Noel lovingly pinched Jaylen’s cheeks. “Of course my little girl puts me in a good mood.”

“I’m your good-mood charm, huh, Daddy?”

Noel liked the sound of that. He had been disgruntled about so many things in life for way too long. Now that he was putting his life back on track, he needed a good mood charm to help him remember to smile and be thankful for the little things. “Yeah, baby girl, you’re definitely my good-mood charm. I’m just hoping that our donors will throw me some good moods today.”

“We really need a boost in our fundraiser to combat some of these negative attacks that your opponent has been airing,” Ian said, looking slightly worried.

“I don’t know how many times I have to tell you to stop worrying. I got this,” Noel said as he strutted out of the office with his two special ladies by his side.

* * *

The luncheon was held at the Hilton and was five-star all the way. Ryla stood by Noel’s side as he shook hands and rubbed elbows with constituents and big-money donors who didn’t even live in Texas. As she worked the room with him, Ryla found herself reminiscing on their college days. Even back then, Noel had known that he was destined to not just be somebody, but be that somebody who looked back, and helped the next one in line.

* * *

“Basketball isn’t my only dream,” Noel had told her while dribbling the ball that was never far from him. “I want to do something big. Something that’s not only about me, but that will help other people.”

“You’re so good at basketball, I’d never imagine that you would ever want to do anything else,” Ryla had said with the stardust of love and adoration in her eyes.

“Yeah, baby.” Dribble. Shoot. Swish. As the ball bounced back to him, he said, “With this ball in my hand, people stop and take notice. But one day, they’re going to notice me for a different reason.” He came and sat next to her on the bleachers. “I want other people to have the opportunity to become successful, too. I mean, I feel that I’m destined for greatness, but what about the people who can’t dribble and shoot like I can? What about the people in my old neighborhood who can’t afford a college education?”

“What do you think you can do to help them?”

“Well, I don’t know just yet, but I think about this kind of stuff all the time, you know.”

Noel scooted closer to her and looked into her eyes, and Ryla saw how serious he was about his dreams. It made her wish that she hadn’t grown up so spoiled and sheltered.

“My brother says that God has already given us everything we need to succeed,” Noel continued. “And if that is true, then once I’m done with basketball, I’m going to find a way to help thousands of people.”

“Wow” was all she could say, because she was so amazed that a guy with the potential that Noel had would even take time out of his day to worry about those less fortunate than him. He was truly a prince among men, and he was all hers.

* * *

At least Ryla had thought Noel was all hers at that time, until she had let Cathy drive her away from the only man she’d ever loved. But that was then and this was now. She looked up as Noel stood at the podium addressing his five-hundred-dollar-a-plate listeners.

“I want to thank you all for coming here this afternoon to show your support for my candidacy. I have dreamed about the day that my life would be used to help others, and because of your generosity, that day seems ever closer.” Noel glanced at Ryla, who sat on the right side of the podium with Jaylen seated next to her.

He turned back to his constituents and said, “And I guess it’s high time that I introduce you all to another dream of mine.” He held out his hand to her. “Ryla, baby, come up her so I can introduce you to everyone.”

He called me baby
. She stood and walked over to him as if she was in a Miss America pageant and knew she was about to win the thing. He squeezed her left hand as he told the crowd, “I’ve been in love with Ryla since we were in college. I let her get away from me back then.” He held up her hand so others could see the three carats she wore. He pointed at her finger. “But this time I put a ring on it.”

The crowd went wild with applause. Cameramen and reporters ran to the front of the room. So many flashbulbs went off that it blinded Ryla as she leaned into Noel.

“You okay?” he whispered into her ear.

“Too many cameras.”

Noel held up a hand. “Okay, fellows, give my bride-to-be a little space. We will take an engagement picture and send it to all of the media outlets.” He put his hand over his heart. “I promise.”

“When’s the big day, Noel?” one of the reporters yelled from the floor.

“September twenty-second.”

“I bet your little girl is thrilled about this news, aye, Ryla?” another reporter asked.

“She’s even more thrilled about being the flower girl,” Ryla said.

“Are you sure you can plan a wedding in just eight weeks, Ryla?” a reporter yelled at them.

“Event planning is what I do for a living. So, eight weeks is plenty of time. Hey, I might even move the date up a few weeks,” she joked, and the room broke out in laughter.

Noel leaned down and whispered, “You’re a natural at this.”

She glanced up at him, and at that moment her heart caught in her throat as their eyes locked. Earlier, in his office, Ryla could have sworn that Noel was angry with her, but right now he was looking at her the way he used to back in the day...when she was his and he was hers.

A snarky reporter broke their trance as he asked, “Does the rush have anything to do with the fact that Noel’s poll numbers have tanked since he brought you and your daughter on the campaign trail with him?”

Noel’s head jolted. “Who asked that?” he demanded.

But before he could get an answer, another reporter said, “Tell us the truth, Ryla, is this some kind of publicity stunt...like a marriage of convenience or something?”

Ryla lightly brushed her hand over Noel’s two-day stubble and then turned to the reporter and spoke the truth that was in her heart. “I have loved Noel Carter since the moment I laid eyes on him. I would marry him if he wasn’t running for public office, so I can honestly say that our marriage will be one filled with love, honor and respect.”

The audience applauded again. Ryla started to walk back to her seat, but Noel surprised her by leaning over and laying a soft, moist kiss on her lips.

“Thank you, baby,” Noel said, and then turned back to his constituents to deliver his speech.

Ryla prayed that her wobbly legs would carry her back to her chair. It didn’t make sense how out of sorts she was over a quick, soft, wet kiss. She sat down and closed her eyes as she wondered if she was strong enough for the game she was playing. Because if Noel didn’t fall in love with her as she hoped, Ryla knew without a doubt that her world would fall apart.

Chapter 13

N
oel was so pleased with Ryla’s performance that he would have taken her out that night even if she hadn’t already made dates a condition of their engagement. He was dressed in his best tux as he drove to Ryla’s aunt’s place. He knew a friend who had a friend who worked for the Dallas Symphony Orchestra. So, Noel spent the afternoon tracking his friend down in order to get tickets to tonight’s sold-out performance.

When he called Ryla and informed her that they were going to Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center and afterward to a quaint little place in Oak Cliff for dinner, she practically squealed her delight.

When Ryla had first insisted that he act like an engaged man and take her out on a few dates, Noel had thought he was entering into the worst eight weeks of his life, but after receiving such an appreciative response from her, Noel began to think that he just might enjoy these next few weeks after all.

Pulling up at her house, Noel tried to prepare himself for how beautiful Ryla was sure to look. The woman would be gorgeous in just a tank top and shorts. And she had impeccable taste in clothes, so he was a little worried that he would experience another jaw-dropping moment when she opened the door.
It’s just Ryla, so calm down,
he told himself as he rang the doorbell.

But when Ryla opened the door dressed in a navy blue strapless evening gown that flowed all the way to the floor, his heart almost stopped. Her hair was pinned up with a few curls dangling against her neck. He wanted to grasp her sweet face and pull her against him. But instead he instructed his body to calm itself. “You’re beautiful,” he told her as she stepped onto the porch.

“What? No rose petals tonight?” She grinned as she teased him.

“I try to only use rose petals when I’m getting down on my knee to ask a woman to marry me.”

“Is that a fact?”

“Them be the facts, ma’am.” They walked down the steps and Noel opened the car door for her and waited while she situated herself. He then closed the door and jumped into the driver’s side of the car and drove off.

“Thanks for taking me to the symphony, Noel. I’ve never watched a symphony perform, so this will be a real treat.”

He was surprised by her statement. Because as far as Noel was concerned, a woman as beautiful as Ryla should be treated to the finer things of life every day of the week. If she had truly belonged to him, Noel would make it his business to make her feel like a princess. But Noel forced himself to remember that Ryla no longer belonged to him.

The best seats that Noel could obtain for tonight’s performance were in the balcony. Noel wasn’t worried about the balcony seats, though. Even though the symphony center seated a little over two thousand people, it was well known for its high acoustical quality. “Are these seats okay for you? They were the best I could do at such short notice.”

“Are you kidding?” Ryla asked in awestruck amazement. “I prefer the balcony. I can see everything that happens on the stage from here.”

He relaxed in his seat as the show started but found himself watching Ryla more than the orchestra. He couldn’t take his eyes off her for more than a minute at a time, for fear that he would miss one of her delightful, wonder-struck expressions as the symphony struck cords that seemed to come straight from heaven.

Ryla caught him watching her and said, “Watch the show.”

“I am” was all Noel said, but kept right on watching her enjoy the symphony. When it was over, they drove to Oak Cliff for dinner.

Ryla said, “You know, I have to ask...” Ryla turned toward him.

“What?”

“After taking me to a fabulous symphony in the heart of the downtown area, with all sorts of restaurants close by...why on earth would you drive me to Oak Cliff?” She leaned back, studied him for a moment and then said, “Are you trying to get the sympathy vote for being carjacked too?”

Laughing, Noel shook his head. “I grew up in Oak Cliff. It might be a little rough around the edges, but there are plenty of good people in my old neighborhood. Some of my constituents are there and, believe it or not, Bolsa, the restaurant I’m taking you to, had been dubbed the best place to take a date by the
Dallas Observer
.”

“Best place to take a date, huh?” Ryla leaned into the luxury of his soft leather seats. “Why is that?”

Noel glanced over at Ryla. She really was beautiful, and he was in trouble if he didn’t watch himself. “For one, they have
mmm-mmm,
humming kind of good food. They do drink challenges on Wednesday night.”

“Drink challenges? But I thought you stopped drinking years ago,” she said.

“Keeping up with my bio, huh?” Noel grinned at her and then said, “But it’s not that kind of drink challenge. The customer’s give the bartender the ingredients they want in a drink and he has to be able to make the drink taste like something you’d want to drink.”

“Sounds like fun. But I’m like you...I don’t drink. I never acquired a taste for the stuff,” Ryla admitted.

“My problem was I developed too much of a taste for the stuff. And it led me down a seriously scary path.”

“I heard about the gambling, too,” Ryla said almost apologetically.

Noel shrugged. “I did it all. I can’t even complain about the stories the tabloids have told about me.” His eyes took on a look of gratitude as he thought back to how he pulled himself out of that wild lifestyle. “I’m just so thankful to my brother. Because no matter what people said about me, no matter what I did back then, he would call me up and say, ‘You are not who they say you are. You are better than this.’ And then one day, I started to believe him.”

“And now you’re getting ready to become a U.S. congressman.”

Noel nodded. “If God sees fit.” He held on to the steering wheel with one hand and grabbed her hand with the other and squeezed it. “You were great today. You took on those reporters like it’s something you do all the time.”

Ryla turned to him. “Since you told everyone that we’re getting married on September twenty-second, I think we need to secure a venue
like yesterday
.”

“I’m already on it,” Noel told her. “I gave them that date because a friend of mine has some pull over at the Four Seasons in Houston.” He pulled off the highway, and as they came to a stop he glanced over at her. “I figured that you’d want to have the wedding in your hometown instead of Dallas. Am I correct about that?”

“Absolutely correct. But, Noel, I can’t afford the Four Seasons, not even for a pretend wedding.”

He pulled into the parking lot of Bolsa, switched off the car and turned to her. “I wouldn’t dream of having you spend your own money on this wedding. You’re doing me a huge favor, and I appreciate it. But I want you to send every bill to me. Okay?”

A wide grin spread across Ryla’s face. She leaned over and kissed Noel on the cheek as she said, “I get to have a wedding at the Four Seasons. I’ve always wanted to get married and have my reception there.”

“I remember,” Noel said, referring to a comment she’d made to him almost a decade ago. He remembered a lot of things about her.

* * *

“It was wonderful, Danetta. He took me to the symphony and then we had dinner in Oak Cliff.”

“In Oak Cliff? That’s not a very safe neighborhood. Why would Noel take you there?” Danetta asked with concern in her voice.

“His constituents live in Oak Cliff and Noel likes to promote businesses in the area he grew up in. And besides, this restaurant was voted as one of the best spots in Dallas for couples, and I saw for myself why. It was
so
romantic, D.”

“If that’s the case, Marshall and I need to check this place out.”

“You sure do. There’s nothing like being in a romantic atmosphere with your boo by your side.”

“What’s got you sounding so deliriously happy?”

Gripping the phone tighter, Ryla yelled into the receiver, “Noel made arrangements for us to have the wedding at the Four Seasons.”

“That is wonderful, Ryla. Things must be changing between the two of you.”

Ryla shrugged, “No change yet. But I can tell that I’m getting to him.”

Danetta hesitated for a moment but then slowly said, “I’ve been thinking.”

Ryla knew what was coming and she didn’t want to hear it. “No, Danetta, don’t start with that do-the-right-thing attitude of yours. You have the man of your dreams. And when you asked for my help, I did everything in my power to help you get him. Now it’s my turn.”

“I’m not trying to stop you from being with Noel. I just think you should tell him how you really feel. You’re just asking for trouble by letting him believe you’re on board with his plan, when you know for a fact that you’re about to flip the script on him.”

Ryla switched the phone from one ear to the other as she sat on the edge of her bed and took her shoes off. “Maybe I shouldn’t have called you. It seems like you’ve been judging every little thing I do from the moment you and Marshall joined your aunt’s church.”

“I’m sorry you feel that way. Because nothing could be further from the truth. You’re my best friend and I just don’t want you to get hurt.”

Walking barefoot to her closet, Ryla put her after-five pumps back in the shoe box. “Then pray for me, Danetta. You’re always talking about how wonderful the women’s group at your church is, so why don’t you ask them to send a few prayers up for me?” Ryla wasn’t sure what she needed to do to help Danetta understand that she loved Noel and didn’t want to lose him again.

“I will pray for you, Ryla. But I will also pray that God’s will be done in your and Noel’s life. Is that all right with you?”

Ryla couldn’t think of a single reason why God wouldn’t want a man to marry a woman who loved him and he already had a kid by, so she said, “Yes, that’s perfect. Now I need to let you go. Jaylen and I will be attending a few summer barbecues and another fundraising dinner with Noel tomorrow.”

“He’s really putting a lot of effort into winning this election, huh?” Danetta asked with a hint of admiration in her voice.

“It’s important to him. For as long as I’ve known Noel, he’s always talked about helping the people in his community. With a seat in Congress, he’ll be able to help thousands instead of the few he’s already been helping with the scholarship fund he set up a few years back.”

“Noel sounds like a very honorable man,” Danetta said.

“He’s the real deal, Danetta.” Ryla thought back to the days when she and Noel had dated and how she had idolized him.

“Well then, I hope things work out for you, Ryla.”

“They will,” she said, more determined than ever. “I’ll call you next week with more details on the wedding and where you’ll need to go to be fitted for you bridesmaid’s dress.” Ryla and Danetta said their goodbyes.

Ryla hung up and then got ready for bed, all the while imagining how different bedtime would soon be once she was Mrs. Ryla Carter.