Noel smirked, her mouth still full. It took her a minute to chew and swallow, after which she said, “Oh, that kissing part is definitely a lie. There are so many onions in these fajitas, you do not want to go here.”
Nick leaned over their makeshift picnic and ran a finger over her bottom lip. “You know I hate onions, but I still want to kiss you.”
“Just kiss?”
“For now.”
“I guess I better hurry then.”
“I would.”
Chapter 21
NOEL
“How many people are coming?”
Gabby looked up from pouring M&M’s into a little white drawstring bag, the late morning sun spilling across the table, highlighting her hands. They’d agreed to all come over Sunday and make the favors for the wedding reception, but Noel was surprised by the bags of supplies lined up against the wall.
“One hundred people.”
Noel blinked. “I thought this was supposed to be small?”
“It was, but with my mom’s side, then my dad’s side, and Drew’s family and friends…it just exploded. I’ve already called the church and the reception location, so we’re good there. My mom is talking about getting my aunts together and making the food if I can’t find a caterer.” Gabby smiled brightly, popping a stray M&M in her mouth. “It’s going to be great though. I have faith.”
Noel laughed. “I’m sure it will be, but we are going to need more hands on deck to get these favors done.”
“Hmmm.” Gabby popped a few M&M’s into her mouth. “No worries, the rest of the girls should be here in a little bit. My cousins went Christmas shopping in the city yesterday, so they are driving back this morning. Amber said she’d be by a little later because she wanted to sleep in. I can’t blame her for that. I think after this wedding is over, I might sleep for a year.”
Noel almost told Gabby about Saturday with Amber in the bathroom and what a jackass friend Amber really was, but she didn’t want to ruin Gabby’s wedding. As long as Amber kept her mouth shut and gave Noel a wide berth, she could keep it together.
I hope I can, at least.
They went back to filling their little baggies with M&M’s, Gabby’s Alexa playing Christmas music for background noise. Noel was glad she got to spend a little alone time with Gabby before everyone else arrived. In high school, she’d spent many Sunday mornings sitting in this breakfast nook with Gabby and her family, having brunch and talking about their upcoming weeks. Since Gabby lived with Drew, and Noel had her own place, she didn’t make it over to the Montoyas’ often.
Actually, before Nick got home, she hadn’t visited the Winterses much either. The last few years she’d made excuses for not spending time with the people she loved, like being busy in school and then work, but the truth was, maybe she’d been distancing herself as a defense mechanism. The less time she spent with people, the less she’d miss them when and if they finally…
Noel swallowed the lump in her throat and pushed away those thoughts. Things were looking up. She was opening herself up to possibilities. Trying things with Nick.
When “My Only Wish” came on, Noel smiled, humming along.
“What was that?” Gabby asked.
“What?”
Gabby sat forward, her chin resting in the palm of her hand. She drummed her fingers along her skin as she smirked at Noel. “That little smile. The humming. The suddenly sunny personality shining through all that sarcastic sass.”
“I just like this song is all.”
“Bullshit.” Suddenly, Gabby’s lip curled in distaste and she sat back. “Ew, you didn’t get back with Trip, did you? I know you two had that dinner last night, but come on. He is a narcissist.”
“No! Absolutely not. You are completely right about him being self-involved. He invited me to dinner because he wanted money for his new microbrewery.”
Gabby’s jaw dropped. “Trip asked you for money? What a fucking tool!”
“Gabriella Ester Montoya!” Eleanor came into the room from the kitchen, glaring at her daughter. “I don’t ever want to hear you use that language again.”
“Mom, I’m an adult. I can say curse words.”
“Not in my house, you can’t!” Eleanor winked at Noel. “You hear her use it again, you smack her for me.”
“Will do.”
Eleanor walked back into the kitchen and missed Gabby rolling her eyes. “I swear, I feel like a kid being here. She is such a pain in my a…” Gabby glanced toward the door and sighed. “Butt.”