Noel laughed, looking at him over her shoulder. “You don’t have a bad side.”
“One last time! Three. Two. One.” Flash. “Perfect.”
Victoria clapped her hands. “Oh, I’m so excited. Chris, would you settle up with her.”
“On it, honey.” Chris kissed her cheek as he passed by, a completely natural gesture that left Noel wistful for a moment. Their love was so effortless, the same way her parents were with each other and she couldn’t help thinking how nice it would be to have someone to touch. To share little moments with.
Until the moments ended and she was alone again.
Ignoring the heaviness in her belly, she forced a smile.
“Thank you for including me,” Noel said.
“Baby, stop that! Get in here and give me a hug.” Victoria wrapped her arms around her and squeezed hard. “Have a great day at work and don’t forget about Friday.”
“I won’t.”
How could she forget Nick’s birthday? It was the first one he’d actually been home for in years.
“I’ll walk you to your car,” Nick said.
Noel nodded, nervously twisting her hands together as their feet crunched beneath them.
“How would you feel if we met for breakfast tomorrow? My treat.”
“Sure, I’d like that. I get off work at six, but it usually takes me a little longer to get out of there. Would seven-thirty be okay?”
“Good for me.” He leaned over and kissed her cheek. “Text me when you get to the hospital, okay?”
“I will.” Noel climbed into her car, releasing a heady sigh. As she put her car into drive and pulled out onto the street, she contemplated the events of the last two weeks.
When Nick came home, she expected them to pick up where they left off as friends. She’d hoped that Amber wouldn’t be a part of the scenario for long, but she’d never dreamed she’d find herself here. Kissing Nick. Having breakfast with Nick. Was this a date? Did she want it to be a date? God, she was like a yo-yo, bouncing back in forth between yes and no.
It wasn’t just her own issues that gave her pause. Nick was the total package. He didn’t have emotional issues, not the way she did. He saw the best in people and was the first soul to jump in his car to help out a stranger. The wrong person could take advantage of his good nature.
Noel, on the other hand, had enough hang-ups to be a coat rack. Self-esteem issues, emotional issues, attachment issues, commitment issues. The only issue she didn’t have was with her sex drive and even someone like her, who wouldn’t know a healthy relationship if it bit her on the ass, knew there was more to love than good sex.
God, she didn’t want to think about this anymore tonight. She was driving herself crazy.
Noel flipped on the radio and “Complicated” by Carolyn Dawn Johnson blared through the stereo. She turned down the volume slightly, listening to the on-the-nose lyrics with frustration. She pressed the number two button. Colbie Caillat singing sweetly about falling for her best friend. “Lucky” button number three. Weezer’s 2005 hit “My Best Friend” was the last straw and she gave up. It seemed the universe was hell-bent on her dealing with her conflicted emotions.
Noel parked two rows back in the employee parking at the hospital. She tossed her small duffle with her uniform, lunch, and snacks over her shoulder, her feet crunching across the freshly strewn salt layer on the asphalt parking lot. She pulled out her phone to text Nick she’d arrived and slipped it into her back pocket. Maybe if they took it really slow, they could see where things go.
Say we are going great and start talking about kids. Do I want to go there?
Noel couldn’t imagine Nick not being a father. He was built for it. Like his dad, he was a sentimental softie. Denying him that wouldn’t just hurt him. It would eat her up too.
Noel passed by the nursery on the way to the employee lounge, stopping outside the glass. Inside were seven bays with tiny swaddled cherubs, three with pink knit caps and four with blue. She loved babies, which was a big reason she’d gone into labor and delivery in the first place. Once upon a time, she’d imagined having her own.
The hospital faded away and she sat on the end of her bed while her mother ran a brush through her long hair. She’d been twelve, her nose wrinkled in disgust.
“No way! I’m not doing that!”
Her mother’s rich laughter washed over her. “You might think it’s gross now, but when you are older and you meet someone wonderful, you’ll change your mind.” She tugged Noel’s hair playfully. “Much, much older than you are now.”