21. Chapter Twenty-One

Chapter Twenty-One

Noelle

The heat from inside wraps around me like a warm blanket. I inhale deeply and enjoy the heat, hoping it will soothe the worry that's overcome me since that weird expression on Cole's face.

Odds are, I'm worrying for nothing. That expression could've been about anything and not have anything to do with me.

I shake the snow from my coat and stomp my boots before slipping them off and putting them away. I rub my hands together, trying to eliminate the chill embracing me from the inside out.

"I hear the plow coming down the street; I'm gonna wait for it to pass to clear the driveway." Cole closes the door before I can respond.

Why does the closing door feel like it's closing something in me?

"Noelle. He got a look…that's all. A look." I chastise myself and try to shake away the fear gripping me.

What if he's uncertain of us getting back together? What if he's regretting the time here with me?

Thoughts roll in like storm clouds, and I give myself a mental and physical shake.

"Cole will tell you what that look was about when he's ready," I try to comfort myself. "He will!"

Doubt that I can't do anything about at the moment consumes me. So, instead of dwelling on it, I head to the kitchen and prepare to bake sugar cookies.

Yeah, just plain old sugar cookies. From how insistent Mel is about getting them fresh, you would think I made something like Jam or Ricotta cookies. Of course, I know how to make those, too. Gran loved baking and passed that joy on to me.

A small smile lifts the corner of my mouth as I think about Gran, and almost simultaneously, a heaviness clenches my chest. This time of year is bittersweet for me. It's the time I feel closest to my grandmother and saddest that she's no longer with me.

I faintly hear Jingle Bells playing and realize I left my phone on the nightstand. I run down the hallway and grab it but miss Mel's call. I'm attempting to call her back when Jingle Bells plays again.

"Merry Christmas Eve," Mel and Mike all but scream on the phone, and besides having my hearing potentially permanently damaged, a smile crawls across my face. "Dan told us that he was plowing the street, and we're officially on the road."

"Merry Christmas Eve! I can't wait to see you," I say as I walk down the hallway and back into the kitchen. Turning on the speaker phone, I go back to gathering mixing bowls, baking sheets, and anything else I need.

"Do those sounds mean what I think they mean?" Mel's voice inches up a few octaves, but Mike's comment has me grinning. "Oh, thank goodness."

"It could mean anything," I tease, having a bit of fun torturing my best friend.

"Noelle, please don't tease her," Mike begs. "It's been a rough morning."

A laugh spits out at the desperation in his voice.

"Michael!" She yells just as Mike responds, "What? It has been."

Suddenly, everything is muffled, and it sounds like Mel may have covered the phone to lecture Mike on what to say and not say.

Which has me wondering what my best friend is hiding.

The front door closes, and I hear Cole fiddling around by the front door.

"The driveway is clear," he yells as I hear him pick up a log and put it on the fire.

"Mel already gave me an update," I yell back. "They're on their way now."

He walks into the kitchen and puts his head over my shoulder, unaware that Mike and Mel are on the phone.

"Mike will be relieved that these will be ready when they arrive. Apparently, Mel has been a bit on the cranky side."

"MICHAEL!" Mel screams, and I hear a muffled slap from the other end of the phone. Cole cringes when he realizes his mistake, but I can't stop the laugh that escapes me.

"Thanks a lot, man!" Mike scolds. "Now I have another hour in the car alone—"

"You're not gonna make it five more minutes if you don't stop," Cole says before he and I cover our mouths as our glances meet.

"With my amazingly beautiful wife," Mike says, attempting to cover his massive mistake.

Cole and I both snort, knowing that laughing out loud right now would be a very big mistake.

"Thank you for baking, Noe," Mel says in a clipped tone. "I'm looking forward to Gran's recipe, freshly baked."

"Anything for you. And take me off speaker for a second," I hear some soft clicks as I turn the speaker off and bring the phone to my ear.

"Are you okay?" I ask, my voice laden with concern. I leave Cole in the kitchen and head to the living room for privacy.

Mel is silent for a moment before responding. "Yes, I'm fine, I swear. I just have some news to tell you. News I want to tell you in person."

"Mel…" My thoughts immediately fly to her being sick.

"NO!" Mel quickly interrupts, knowing the direction my thoughts are heading. "It's good news. I promise."

"Phew." My hand flies to my chest. "You had me worried."

"Sorry," she softly chuckles. I can all but see her lifting her shoulder and squishing her nose. "Now go and get back to baking, please."

"Will do," a huge smile lights my face as I put the pieces together. "Drive safe, and try not to kill Mike. He's a keeper."

There's a pause, and I can imagine her eyeing Mike up and him raising his hand with a "what did I do" gesture.

"Maybe you're right, we'll see. He's on thin ice at the moment." I'm unable to stop the giggle that escapes me. "See you soon!"

"Can't wait!"

I stare at the phone briefly before returning to the kitchen. I lean against the door frame, a broad smile covering my face.

"Everything okay?" Cole asks.

When I don't respond, he glances in my direction. I watch his mouth go from tipping down to a full-blown smile. "What's that grin for?"

"Mel's pregnant," I whisper excitedly.

"What?" His eyes widen, and his mouth drops open. "Did she tell you that?"

I shake my head back and forth and my smile widens. Without thinking I take a step toward Cole with my hand out. Just as I almost reach him, I catch myself and drop my hand. I see sadness run through his eyes at my hesitation.

"Mel is never cranky—"

"Never?" Cole tilts his head and narrows his eyes at me.

"Okay, maybe not never ," I shrug and giggle. "But rarely. She and Mike are usually madly in love with each other and sickeningly cute. Her reaction is abnormal for them, and I know they've been trying to get pregnant for a long time. Sooo…"

"You think they are?" Cole's whole expression brightens as I smile and nod. "WOW! I'm gonna be an uncle."

My heart skips at how much I love him, and my stomach drops as the earlier look in his eyes pops into my head.

"Definitely exciting news." I return to the counter and get organized for baking cookies.

There's a thickness in the air as I mix the ingredients. Cole grabs one bowl, and I give him a questioning look.

"This is for the dry ingredients." My eyebrows shoot past my hairline, and he gives me the most adorable boyish grin. "I paid attention that Christmas."

"So it would seem," My lips gently lift.

He continues with the leaveners as I mix the eggs, butter, flour, and vanilla with an electric mixer.

When the mixer quiets, I hear Christmas music playing softly. Pressure burns the back of my eyes, and I drag my attention back to blending the leaveners with the flour mixture.

At the same time, Cole preps the baking sheets, lining them with parchment paper. He sets one down in front of me and keeps the other.

We roll the dough into balls and place them on our sheets. When the balls are evenly placed, we pat them down to flatten them out.

I grab my sheet and put it in the oven before grabbing Cole's and settling it next to mine.

I set the timer for ten minutes and feel a burning sensation on my face. I look up to find Cole's gaze on me.

"Noelle?" My stomach knots at Cole using my first name. "About earlier… "

I look at him chewing his bottom lip, and my knotted stomach falls to the floor. When he sees my expression, he lifts his gaze to mine and pulls me in his arms.

"Bug," He whispers into my hair, his arms wrapped around me, holding me tight. "I'm sorry."

"Sorry for what?" I mumble against his chest.

"This morning." He blows out a big breath, which rumples my hair. "I should've just told you what I was thinking, but I got…"

I pull my head back and look up at his face. I can see the fear in his eyes but I don't understand the reason behind it, and it's terrifying me. My heart throbs throughout my body and I'm pretty sure there is no way he can't feel it.

"I had a moment of regret." I push away from his chest, but he pulls me tighter to him. "About the fact that I missed so much time with you, and it made me sad."

I can't help it; I laugh.

"Why are you laughing?" He scowls.

"Because I'm a complete idiot!" His brows knit together. "I immediately went to…"

I stop, feeling heat scorch my face. Embarrassment at where my thoughts went floods me. I feel Cole's thumb on my chin as he tilts my face to look into my eyes. There's a small smile on his face.

"You always did have an overactive imagination." He shakes his head, and I slap him lightly on the chest.

"Well then, I guess you'll need to make sure I don't have time to let my thoughts take me on any more wild adventures." I clench his shirt with my fist and pull him a bit closer.

His eyes suddenly turn serious. "I promise to tell you how happy I am to have you back in my arms every day for the rest of my life."

The love shining in his eyes fills my heart with joy. He cups my face with his hands and whispers, "I love you so much, Noelle."

"I know," I wrap my arms around his neck and pull myself as close as I can get to him. "I prefer it when you call me by my nickname, though."

"As you wish, Ladybug."

When the timer goes off, our lips are a hair's breadth apart. We both giggle, and I move to shut it off when he pulls me back to him, shaking his head back and forth.

"What do you think you're doing? We can let the cookies get a little brown." He stares down at me with a lopsided grin that melts all of my insides into a gooey mess.

I stand on my toes and feel his arms move around me, lifting me. Our bodies flush against each other. "I think Gran and Mel will understand just this one time."

He waggles his eyebrows, and I giggle.

The feather-light touch of his lips is electrifying, and I'm pretty sure that if he wasn't holding all of my body weight, my knees would have definitely given out from under me.

He's right. Gran and Mel will understand this one time.