Come Together by Marie Force
Chapter Sixteen
“We are afraid to care too much, for fear that
the other person does not care at all.”
—Eleanor Roosevelt
Noah couldn’t believe Bri’s ex might have a possible case against her after all the shit he’d done to her. He’d never thought of himself as a violent person, but he’d love ten minutes alone with that son of a bitch.
“I’m sorry you’re so upset.”
He looked over at her. “Don’t worry about me. This isn’t about me.”
“Thank you for taking me to see your brother. I’d be losing it if I hadn’t been able to do something after being served.”
“I’m sorry he wasn’t more outraged.”
“He’s just doing his job, and it’s not helpful to me if he doesn’t give it to me straight.”
“I guess… It just makes me so fucking mad.”
“You’re very cute when you’re mad.”
He looked over at her, seeming stunned before he had to return his attention to the road. “I must be fucking adorable, then.”
“You are, and I appreciate it, Noah. It helps to have a friend right now.”
“I’m glad. It’s total bullshit, and I have to believe that any judge in the world will see right through him and his bullshit lawsuit.”
“I hope so.”
“I hate that he’s going to cost you even more money than he already has. If you don’t have it, I can help you out.”
Later, she would probably look back and realize that was the exact moment when she began to have genuine feelings for Noah Coleman, the kind of feelings that could be complicated and wonderful and life changing. “That’s very kind of you to offer, but I’ve got some savings left. I just don’t want to spend it on him.”
“Try to think of it as spending it on yourself. It’s an investment in a future that doesn’t include him.”
“That makes it a little less painful.”
“I need to go see my sister. You feel like going for the ride?”
If she went home, she’d do nothing but stew about the latest nightmare with Rem. “Sure, I’d like that.”
“Good.” He reached across for her hand. “I don’t want you sitting home alone freaking out about this.”
Smiling, she glanced over at him as she wrapped her hand around his. “That’s what I would’ve done.”
“I know. I get it. I’ve been there. This kind of stress is all-consuming.”
“It’s the worst. That first month, after I realized our entire life was nothing but a house of cards…” She felt sick as she remembered the trauma of that dreadful time. “The worst thing I’ve ever been through in my life.”
“It’s in the past now, even if you still have to deal with this shit. He can never get near you again unless you let him, and you’re not going to let him. You got me?”
“Yes, Noah,” she said, smiling again. “I’ve got you. It helps to have you on my side.”
“I’m on your side.”
“Remember when we used to fight about everything?”
“I remember, and that was completely your fault for making me want you.”
Stunned by his confession, she said, “How was that my fault?”
“You were beautiful and sexy and smart and didn’t put up with my shit. I wanted you from the first day I ever met you—and I didn’t want to want you. I was very busy being a miserable loner. The last thing in the world I wanted was to be attracted to you.”
She couldn’t stop the laughter that gurgled up from deep inside her.
“It’s not funny!”
“Yes, it is.”
“No, it isn’t.”
“Is.”
“Isn’t.
“And we’re back to fighting.”
“This isn’t fighting,” Noah said with a sexy little grin that made her wish they were going somewhere they could be alone. “Aren’t you going to admit you were into me, too?”
“I wasn’t.”
“Oh, please. You were, too.”
“Full of yourself much?”
“I knew you were digging me. I could tell by the way your eyes would throw fire at me when we were arguing about why I’d done something I shouldn’t have.”
“I was throwing fire at you, hoping you’d disappear.”
“Nah, baby, I knew you wanted me.”
Brianna sputtered with outrage as she tried to pull her hand free of his.
“Stop fighting it.”
“I was starting to like you.”
“Let’s go back to that, then, shall we? After you admit you were digging me all that time you wanted me to go away.”
“You’re very exasperating sometimes.”
“Maybe so, but you’re not thinking about that other thing anymore, are you?”
“For a minute there, I was thinking of all the reasons I used to dislike you so much.”
Noah laughed. “It took a full minute to think of them all?”
“There were a lot.”
“But all that time you disliked me, you also wanted me, right?”
“You can keep trying, but you’ll never get me to admit that.”
“Oh, I do so love a challenge.”
“Thanks,” she said softly, glancing at him. He was too good-looking for her own good, and yes, she’d thought that from the beginning. But she would never tell him so.
“For what?”
“Taking me to see your brother, bickering with me, asking me to go to the hospital with you. You’re keeping me from a trip to the dark side, and it means a lot to me. Even if you are a pompous fool with a large opinion of yourself.”
“She gives and then takes away, all in the same sentence.”
“Gotta keep you humble, Coleman.”
“You do, Esposito. You’re very tough on my ego.”
“Your ego could use some humility.”
They were still going back and forth with the insults when he drove into the hospital parking lot twenty minutes later.
After he’d parked and shut off the engine, he turned to her. “Kiss me.”
“I’m not sure I want to after all your nonsense.”
“What nonsense?”
“You know what I’m talking about.”
His smile lit up his entire face, and dear God, she was powerless to resist him. That smile completely transformed his face. He bore no resemblance whatsoever to the man who’d driven her mad for weeks.
“You know you want to.”
Because she did want to, Brianna leaned across the center console to give him a chaste kiss on the lips.
“That was cheap. I know you can do better.”
“Maybe later. If you’re good.” She pulled free of his grip and was out of the car before he realized she was gone.
“That was mean,” he said as he followed her to the hospital’s main entrance.
“You’ll get over it.”
“I’m not sure I will.”
She couldn’t believe she was having fun after being served with that damned lawsuit. Under normal circumstances, she’d be losing her shit, but being with Noah had given her a welcome and entertaining distraction.
Inside, he asked if his sister was still in the ICU.
“No,” the woman working the info desk said. “She’s in four eighteen now.”
“That’s good news. Thanks.”
“How do you people stand to live without cell phones?” Brianna asked as they walked to the elevator. “In any other universe, you’d already know she was out of the ICU.”
“Vermont is unlike any other universe.”
“You can say that again.”
“You can admit it. It’s a very attractive place.” In the elevator, he hit the button for the fourth floor. “It has many attractions.”
Brianna rolled her eyes. “Give it a rest.”
“Not until you admit the truth.”
When they arrived on the fourth floor, they found a room full of Colemans, including one she hadn’t met yet.
“Brianna, my brother Jackson. Jack, meet Bri.”
Jackson, who had darker hair and eyes than Noah, shook her hand. He had the kind of perfect dark stubble on his jaw that models had to work to get just right. “Nice to meet the lasagna lady. I hear it was epic.”
“It was and is,” Noah said. “Leftovers are in my fridge.”
“I’ll be hitting that up later.”
“Leave some for me,” Noah said.
“Nice to meet you, too,” Brianna said. “I’ll wait here while you see Izzy.”
“I won’t be long,” Noah said.
“Take your time.” As he walked away, she took a seat facing Sarah, Vanessa and Ally with Jackson to her right.
“So,” Ally said. “You’re here with Noah.”
“That’s right.” Brianna bit her lip to keep from laughing at her shameless quest for info.
“They’ve been talking about that lasagna all day,” Jackson said.
“I’m glad everyone enjoyed it.”
“We loved it,” Nessa said, “but you know what we love even more?”
Brianna had her suspicions, but she played a little dumb. “What’s that?”
“Seeing Noah with you,” Sarah said. “He seems happy when you’re with him.”
“We’ve been worried about him for years,” Nessa added.
“I don’t remember when we weren’t worried about him,” Jackson said. “Been a long time.”
“He’s lucky to have you guys on his side,” Brianna said.
“We’re always on his side,” Ally said. “We don’t know what went down with her, but she’d better hope we never run into her. His loner stage began right after she departed. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to realize that two plus two adds up to her doing him wrong.”
Brianna felt a little guilty that she knew more than his siblings did about how Noah’s marriage ended. “You should just ask him what happened. He’d probably tell you.”
“We don’t want to push him away by prying,” Sarah said. “It’s a fine line.”
“I can certainly understand,” Brianna said.
“Sorry if we’re making you uncomfortable,” Nessa said. “It’s just so nice to see him smiling and laughing and joking around again. We’ve missed that guy.”
“You’re not making me uncomfortable,” Brianna said. “I’m glad to hear Noah seems happier than he’s been.”
“He’s much happier, and that seems to be related to you,” Sarah said.
Brianna felt her face heat with embarrassment.
“Now we’re making her uncomfortable,” Ally said. “Back off, ladies.”
“It’s okay,” Brianna said. “It’s nice how concerned you guys are about him. Your family is sweet.”
“Not always,” Jackson said. “We can get into it with the best of them.”
“Not so much anymore,” Ally said to her brother. “Well, except for Henry and Sarah. They fight like cats and dogs.”
“Noah likes to fight, too,” Brianna said.
Sarah scoffed. “Noah wishes he could fight like me.”
“No one wishes they were like you,” Ally said.
The two of them took it from there, and Brianna just watched the show, thankful they had stopped trying to get info from her about Noah.
For now, anyway.
* * *
“Tell me about lasagna girl,”Izzy said.
“Not until you tell me why Cabot spent the night here.”
Cabot had gone with their mother to get coffee in the cafeteria, leaving Noah and Izzy alone.
“You first,” Izzy said. “I’m injured, so I’m in charge.”
“Jeez, are you going to milk being injured?” Noah was thrilled to see her looking much better than she had yesterday, although the bruises on her face were turning an angry shade of purple.
“If it gets me some info. Spill it.”
“Nothing to spill. We’re friends.”
“You, Noah Coleman, do not have friends who are women.”
“Yes, I do!”
“Who?”
The only one he could think of was his friend with benefits, and Izzy didn’t know about her, nor did she need to. “People you don’t know.”
“Try that shit with someone who doesn’t know you as well as I do. You’ve never had women who were friends unless you were dating them.”
“I have, too! I had college friends who were women.”
“And when was the last time you talked to any of them?”
“I don’t know.”
“Rather than arguing with me about your lack of female friends, tell me about lasagna girl. Everyone was saying she’s pretty, nice and a great cook.”
“She’s all those things.”
“And?”
“And nothing. We work together.”
“If that’s all it is, why did she make dinner for your very large family?”
“Because she felt bad when she heard my sister drove her car off the road and was in the ICU.”
“I heard that in addition to the lasagna, there was dessert and salad and garlic bread.”
“So?”
“As a woman myself, I’ll tell you that most newer friends aren’t going to go all out like that for someone they barely know unless there’s a certain level of interest there.”
“Do you charge for this kind of insight into the female psyche?”
“It’s free for you. Family discount.”
Noah chuckled. “It’s good to see you feeling better, even if you’re trying to psychoanalyze my friendship with a colleague. Now let’s analyze you. What’s Cabot doing here?”
“I’m not entirely sure. He showed up last night. Said he drove from New Jersey where he was when he heard I was in the hospital.”
“That’s nice for someone who isn’t your boyfriend or significant other. He isn’t, is he?”
“Nope. We’re just friends.”
“Huh, and he drove from New Jersey to northern Vermont for someone he’s just friends with. That sounds like more than friends to me.”
“What do you know about such things? You needed me to tell you that lasagna girl wouldn’t be cooking for your entire family unless she was into you.”
“You think you’re so smart, don’t you?”
“I know I am.”
“Since you’re clearly fine, I should go rescue her from the others in the waiting room.”
“Wait a second! She’s here? Get her. I want to meet her.”
“You’re sick. You need your rest.”
“Go. Get. Her. Now.”
Groaning, he started toward the door. “Me and my big mouth.”
“Hey, Noah?”
“Yes, Izzy?”
“She wouldn’t be visiting your sister in the hospital if she wasn’t into you.”
“She came along for the ride.”
“She came because she is into you. Are you really this stupid? Wait, don’t answer that. I’ll answer for you—you’re that stupid.”
“I was glad you didn’t die in that crash.”
“And now?”
“I’m still glad. Kinda.” He left her laughing and went to get Brianna, certain he was going to regret this.
She smiled when she saw him coming, and he started to wonder if maybe Izzy was right. While Brianna wouldn’t admit to being into him, her actions were speaking loudly.
“How is she?” Brianna asked.
“Full of beans. And she wants to meet you.”
“Were you talking about me in there?”
“No, she was. She heard about the lasagna. By the way, she’s calling you lasagna girl.”
“It was good lasagna,” Ally said. “And PS, we were talking about you, Noah, while you were talking about her.”
“What was I thinking bringing you here?” he asked Brianna.
“That’s what we were wondering, too,” Sarah said, grinning. “The Colemans are a hornet’s nest at the best of times. We’re even worse when we have nothing to do but sit around killing time.”
“Looks like I’m getting you out of the hornet’s nest just in time, then.” Noah escorted Brianna from the waiting room and pointed her in the direction of Izzy’s room.
“We’re here all day,” Nessa called after them. “You can come back and tell us more about Noah after you see Izzy.”
“I didn’t tell them a thing,” Brianna said.
“I know you didn’t.”
“But you ought to. They’ve been worried about you since you broke up with her.”
“Is that right?”
“Uh-huh.”
“I’ll take that under advisement.”
