The Heart of a Girl (2) (13 page)

Chapter 18

             
Thanksgiving was guaranteed to be a different experience this year. There was no Nora, no Gordon grandparents, no chance of being disowned by anyone. There was no Hannah which was a definite downer, but I had the comfort in knowing she was with her father and his family, the very first Thanksgiving they’d ever spend together.

             
My dad had been invited over to the Montgomery’s but had declined, saying he’d already accepted the Foster’s offer. I tried to imagine him sitting around a table with Erin and actually enjoying himself, but the image just wouldn’t come. Who knows, maybe they’d be the next to have an affair.

             
Mason and Cynthia accepted the offer but weren’t going to arrive until right before dinner was served. Not that I could blame them for it. If Adam and I had just spent the past few months apart I’d probably want plenty of alone time with him, too.

             
I was getting Harper dressed and ready for dinner when the argument happened. Adam poked his head in first and asked me when I thought I would be ready and closed the door after I answered him. I hadn’t thought much of it at first, until I heard the angry voices from the living room.

             
“What the hell are you doing here, really?” Adam was demanding.

             
“I already told you, Adam. I dropped out of college and my parents kicked me out. I needed a place to stay until I could figure something out.”

             
“It’s not that simple, Nolan. It’s never that simple with you.”

             
“Do you really think I’d come all this way for that? Calm down, dude. You’re paranoid.”

             
I couldn’t hear what Adam said next because he lowered his voice. I frowned, trying to think of what they could possibly be talking about but nothing came to mind. I’d always thought it was strange the way their friendship had deteriorated over the summer but I’d never really asked Adam about it. I figured it was due to Harper and all the responsibility Adam now had, but that didn’t make sense anymore. Nolan didn’t seem put off by Harper at all. In fact, he seemed almost intrigued by her.

             
Harper and her diaper bag in my arms, I opened the door to the nursery and stepped out. Immediately all conversation stopped. Both of them turned and looked at me.

             
“What’s going on?” I asked.

             
“Nothing,” Adam said before Nolan could so much as open his mouth. “We’d better head over.”

             
“Okay,” I agreed slowly. Nolan offered a small smile and headed out the door, leading the way. I had no choice but to follow, Adam behind me.

             
“What were you two arguing about?” I asked him once we were outside and Nolan was already at the back door of the main house.

             
“We weren’t arguing,” he replied, taking the diaper bag from me.

             
“It definitely sounded like you were.”

             
“Nope, we were just talking about stuff. No big deal. Come on.” He grabbed my hand and practically pulled me towards the house.

             
Mason and Cynthia arrived a few minutes later and we sat in the family room and talked for a little bit, catching up. Cynthia loved her new job as a substitute teacher but was reluctant to sign another contract, being unsure of what Mason was planning to do. Neil, his stepfather, had apparently told him it was either come back right after Thanksgiving or his job was being handed over to someone else, and Mason told him to go ahead. This made me feel guilty, knowing now that Mason was here because he felt I needed him but he smiled reassuringly at me, and announced that he was glad to be rid of that job.

             
“So are you thinking of moving down here permanently?” I asked and Cynthia nodded.

             
“I’m going to check in with some schools down here next week after I go back home, see if they’re looking for a substitute teacher or anything. I’ll have had a year’s experience and a place to live, so hopefully I’ll be able to find something by next year.”             

             
“What about your family?” I asked.

             
Cynthia smiled. “Mason is my family now, and so are you and Michael and of course Harper. Besides, it would be nice to have a change of scenery. I think we’d be happy here and I’m sure our parents would love visiting us.”

             
I was surprised but pleased. Having Mason around was great. The idea of having both him and Cynthia was even better. Greg had come home for Thanksgiving, but he still seemed awkward around Harper. It would be nice for her to have an aunt and uncle nearby that were willing to fill in the roles.             

             
Julia announced dinner was ready before the conversation could continue and we all headed into the dining room. Harper sat in a high chair in between me and Adam and Nolan sat on my other side. He and Adam seemed to be carefully avoiding eye contact but I wasn’t in the mood to ponder over it anymore.

             
Food was served and that was about it for formality. Everyone began conversations with those around them and it was surprisingly really comforting. Nora always wanted holidays to be a little formal and before then Thanksgiving to me and my dad just meant watching old movies on TV and eating whatever we found in the freezer. This was by far my favorite version.

             
“So where’s Hannah?” Greg asked from where he sat almost directly across from me.

             
“In South Carolina,” I replied, glancing at Nolan out of the corner of my eye, trying to gauge his reaction. He didn’t seem to have one.

             
“Oh,” Greg said, looking disappointed. “She seems like an interesting girl.”

             
“Too young for you, big brother,” Adam spoke up, smirking. “She’s only sixteen.”

             
Greg glared at him. “I’m not interested in dating her, little brother. I was just asking about her.”

             
“Uh huh,” Adam nodded, seeming unconvinced. Greg looked like he wanted to say something else, but Nolan cut in.

             
“She is a cool girl,” he remarked. “It took me a little too long to notice, but she is.”

             
“You dated her?” Greg looked disappointed.

             
“Oh, yeah. For a few months. Went to prom together,” he winked and I bit my lip, trying to hold in a laugh. Greg flushed, catching Nolan’s drift.

             
“I see,” he said, and that was the end of the conversation. Nolan grabbed my knee under the table and I nearly jumped out of my skin. I looked at him and he smiled.

             
I asked Sylvia why she hadn’t gone to her son or daughter’s house for Thanksgiving this year and she explained that they’d both asked her around the same time and it started an argument. “It seemed easier to choose neither,” she admitted. “Besides, I’m getting too old for travel. I figure if my kids really want to spend a holiday with me, they’ll come here!”

             
“In other words, she couldn’t bear to leave us,” Julia said, her eyes sparkling. “You aren’t fooling anyone, Sylvia. We all know you love us.”

             
“That’s true,” she admitted. “I couldn’t very well go away and miss my surrogate grandbaby’s first Thanksgiving, could I?”

             
“Nope,” I agreed, smiling. “I’m glad you stayed.”

             
Sylvia held up her glass of apple cider in a toast. Nolan touched my knee under the table again and when I turned to look at him he was facing forward, a smile twitching at his lips.             

             
I realized he was messing with me. I raised my eyebrows at him and nudged him in the side. He glanced at me, but only for a second. The smile was getting harder to conceal.

             
By the time dessert was finished everyone was entirely too stuffed and had difficulty moving from the dining room back into the family room. I offered to help clean up but Julia and Sylvia refused, so I gathered up Harper and her bottle and carried her into the dining room.

             
The only available seat was next to Nolan, so I took it. Adam and Greg had gone off to Greg’s bedroom to look at something and Mason and Cynthia were cuddled up on one chair, looking more in love than I think I’d ever see them. I was relieved. At least the distance wasn’t doing anything to damage their relationship. I wasn’t sure I’d be able to live with that.

             
“Why were you grabbing me under the table?” I asked once I was settled and Harper was drinking hungrily from her bottle.

             
“What are you talking about?” Nolan asked, his eyes wide with innocence.

             
“You kept grabbing my knee,” I reminded him.

             
“Nope, not me. Must have been someone else.”

             
“I don’t think so.”

             
“It was probably Ned,” he said, nodding as if that made sense. “Yeah, that’s probably who it was.”             

“Oh, shut up. That’s wrong.”

              Nolan chuckled and leaned his head back against the pillows of the couch, studying me. “So what if it was me? You must have liked it. I didn’t see you pushing me away.”

             
“I did not like it,” I argued. “I just didn’t want to cause a scene.”

             
“Sure. That’s why you’re sitting here with me now.”

             
“It’s the only available seat.” Harper seemed done with her bottle so I checked to make sure she’d eaten enough and satisfied, I placed it back in the diaper bag. Nolan was watching me carefully, another grin forming on his lips.

             
“Don’t say it,” I warned.

             
“Say what?”

             
“Whatever it is you’re thinking about saying.”

             
He laughed. “Fine, I won’t. I’m only messing with you, anyway. You’re the only person who seems remotely happy that I’m back.”             

             
“That’s not true.”

             
“It’s not? My parents kicked me out ten seconds after I arrived and Adam can’t stand me. I don’t think Julia and Ned were ever a fan to begin with so I wasn’t really expecting a welcoming commission, but still. It would be nice to think you were missed.”

             
“I’m sure you were, Nolan. I don’t know what Adam’s problem is but I’m sure your parents will come around.”

             
He shrugged. “Maybe. Did Hannah miss me?”

             
The question caught me off guard and I hesitated, having no idea how to answer it. I didn’t need to.

             
“I figured she didn’t,” he admitted, looking sad for the briefest of moments. “That’s okay. I didn’t treat her all that great in the first place.”

             
“She’s going through a lot right now,” I told him. “I’m sure she’ll be happy you’re back, though.”

             
“Maybe,” he said, but didn’t sound like he really believed it. “But if not I’ll just hang out with you and Harper all the time.”

             
“Oh joy,” I laughed.

             
“Hey, at least you can escape me at school.”

             
“I don’t go to school anymore,” I told him. “I homeschool so I don’t have to get anyone to watch her.”

             
He grinned. “Even better,” he said, wrapping his arm around my shoulders and pulling me to him. “Even better.”

Chapter 19

             
Adam had to work Black Friday because there was a job that needed to be done before the weekend was through. I woke up with him and he mumbled things about hating that Nolan was sleeping on our couch and he had to get ready in the bedroom instead of in the kitchen like he usually did. I wanted to point out that he hadn’t minded much when it was Hannah staying with us, but refrained.

             
Harper was still sleepy so I put her back down after Adam left and went back to sleep, only to take up two hours later. I got dressed and then got Harper up again, changed her into her outfit for the day, fed her and brought her into the living room so she could play with her toys. I laid the blanket out, put her toys around on it and then sat at the edge of the couch, placing my hand on Nolan’s shoulder.

             
He didn’t move. I shook harder, and a groan escaped his lips. “Nolan, wake up,” I said. “It’s after nine.”

             
He opened one eye and looked at me. “So? That’s early.”

             
“It is not. Wake up. It’s Harper’s play time.”

             
Sighing, Nolan pulled himself into a sitting position, blanket still wrapped around him. He noticed Harper and smiled. “She’s pretty cute,” he remarked.

             
“I know,” I agreed. “I love her.”

             
“I can tell.”

             
“Did you sleep well?”             

             
He yawned loudly and nodded. “Yeah. Not the most comfortable place I’ve ever slept, but not the worst either.”

             
“You know you can’t keep staying here, right? I can probably convince Adam to let you stay over the weekend, but after that…”

             
“I know, I know. I’ve already overstayed my welcome.” He rolled his eyes. “All the times I let him stay at my parent’s house and he can’t even spare a couch?”

             
“Your parents’ house had like, twenty bedrooms,” I pointed out, feeling a need to come to Adam’s defense, even though he’d been acting rude since Nolan showed up. “This is a really small house. We need all the extra room we can get.”

             
“I know, I’m just saying.” He shook the blanket off and leaned back, studying me. “Want to help me look for apartments today?”

             
“Apartments?” I repeated, surprised.

             
“Yeah. I have some money saved up. I’m just going to go ahead and get myself a place.”

             
“How are you going to afford the rent after your money runs out?”

             
He grinned. “I’m a Reeves’, Lainey. My money won’t ever run out.”

             
I made a face at him but agreed to go with him anyway. Knowing Nolan, he’d probably not find anything on his own and the sooner he got off our couch, the happier Adam would be.

             
Harper continued to play with her toys while Nolan showered and dressed. It took almost an hour, but he came back out dressed in a short sleeved white shirt and a pair of faded jeans. I felt my eyes wash over him and immediately blushed. I’d just looked at Nolan the way he’d looked at every girl, ever.

             
It wasn’t lost on him. He flashed me a knowing grin and slid into his jacket, taking mine off the hanger and handing it to me. Silently I put it on and bundled Harper up in hers then grabbed her already packed diaper bag. I motioned for Nolan to grab the extra car seat.

             
“Did you call and make any appointments?” I asked as we made our way towards his car.

             
“Appointments for what?”

             
“To see apartments. You’re supposed to call first, Nolan.”

             
He shrugged. “No biggie. I’m sure if they have apartments available they’ll let me see them.”

             
I sighed. Clearly Nolan wasn’t as prepared for any of this as he seemed to think he was.

             
I put the car seat in first then buckled Harper in, handing her the blue octopus for company. I kissed the tip of her nose and hopped into the front passenger seat. Nolan got into the driver’s seat and grinned over at me.

             
“People are going to think we’re a little family,” he said.

             
“Probably,” I admitted. “Too bad the baby looks nothing like you.”

             
“Yeah, that happens sometimes.” He started the car and chuckled, glancing at Harper in his rear view mirror. “Too bad she didn’t turn out blonde. I’d have something to mess with Adam about.”             

             
“Where did you pick up this habit of messing with people?” I asked. “The Nolan Reeves I remember was the cool, calm and collected type.”

             
“That got old,” he said. “It was just the persona I put up anyway, to get girls interested. This is the real me,” he grinned again and I rolled my eyes, but couldn’t help smiling. I think I liked this version better, anyway.

             
“Where to first?” I asked once we’d gotten on our way. I turned around to check on Harper but she was perfectly content, looking out the window.

             
“I don’t know, I figured we’d just drive around and stop wherever looks interesting.”

             
“Nolan,” I sighed.

             
“What? Isn’t that what you’re supposed to do?”

             
“No. You’re supposed to do research, find what you want in the range you’re willing to pay, and then set up an appointment to see it in person.”

             
“How do you know all that?”

             
“My dad and I moved around a lot and we’ve lived in a few apartments.”

             
“Maybe it’s different in Oregon,” he reasoned. “We’re more go with the flow here.”

             
“I don’t think so,” I laughed. “But we’ll try it your way. Worst that can happen is you end up on the couch a little longer.”             

             
We spent the next two hours looking at places and none of them seemed a good fit. I was surprised most of the places we stopped at let us look at their model apartments but apparently having the last name Reeves really made a difference.

             
Finally at the last one, I pulled Nolan aside and told him this was probably his best bet. It was one bedroom, had a decent sized open floor plan living space and was way below what I’d expected he would have to pay. Plus, all the utilities were included. It was called Haven Heights and had a balcony overlooking the ocean. It seemed pretty nice to me.

             
“It’s small,” he protested.

             
“You grew up in a mansion, Nolan. Of course it’s small.”

             
He sighed. “What do you think, Harper? Should step-daddy Nolan get the apartment?” I glared at him and he just grinned. Maybe I liked the old Nolan better, after all.

             
“They give you the option of a six month lease, too. Not every place we went to did that. If worse comes to worse you’ll be able to move out next July.”

             
“That’s forever away,” he protested. “What if it’s absolutely the worst place I’ve ever lived in? What if the neighbors fight all the time?” His eyes were sparkling with humor.

             
“It’s this or take me home,” I told him. “It’s already Harper’s lunch time and she doesn’t like to eat on the go.”

             
“What a picky baby,” he commented. “She must have gotten that from her father. And also, I’d like to take you home anytime.”

             
I ignored his last comment, although it forced another blush onto my face. “She must have. I’m going to take her outside on the balcony and you can keep looking around, okay? Come get me when you’ve reached your decision.”

             
It took all the effort I had not to storm out of the apartment. I was getting frustrated and I wasn’t entirely sure why. Maybe Harper’s grumpiness when she wasn’t fed on time was rubbing off on me.

             
Nolan joined me a few minutes later. “I’m going for it,” he announced, putting an arm around my shoulders. “You’re right. Six months isn’t that long and it’s the best place we’ve seen so far.”

             
“You’re sure?” I asked doubtfully.

             
He nodded. “As sure as I’ll ever be. Come on, I’m going to see if I can sign the lease today. They start at the first of the month though, so you might be stuck with me for a few more days.”

             
“I’m not the one you have to worry about,” I pointed out, and followed him off the balcony and out of the apartment. Downstairs Nolan announced he was interested and signed the lease. He could come pick up the keys the first of December.

             
“I’ll have my first Christmas in my new place,” he commented as we got into his car and started off towards home. “Pretty cool, huh?”

             
“Definitely,” I agreed. “Are you going to tell your parents?”

             
He shook his head. “No point. The owner knows my dad pretty well, he’ll tell him for me.”

             
“Is that how you got it for no money down and no record of income?”

             
“Of course,” he grinned. “Hey, sometimes being a Reeves really pays off.”

             
“Sounds like it. You should still try to find a job, though. Prove to your dad that maybe you don’t need college to help you grow up.”

             
“Or I can tell him I’m marrying you and adopting Harper,” he suggested. “That sounds pretty grown up to me.”

             
“I can never tell if you’re actually hitting on me or making fun of me.”

             
His face turned serious momentarily. “I’d never make fun of you, Lainey. I think you’re great. You should know that by now.”

             
“Okay, then stop hitting on me,” I reasoned.

             
“Nah, it’s fun watching you squirm. Besides, whether you want to admit it or not, you like it. Let’s go have lunch.”

             
“I do not. And we can’t, Harper likes –”

             
“To eat in the privacy of her own home, I know. But I have a feeling she’ll make an exception for me.”

             
“Okay, but when she starts screaming you can be the one to apologize to all the innocent bystanders.”

             
“Deal,” he said and pulled his car into one of the most expensive restaurants in town.