Chapter 21

Noah's alarm went offat seven-thirty and he groaned. He threw the blanket aside and sat up stiffly. He should have thought to turn the alarm off the night before, but he hadn't exactly been thinking straight. Besides, Maggie was clearly already awake. He could hear her moving around in the bathroom. He could see Boon in the kitchen, munching on his breakfast and vigorously lapping up water from the dog dishes he'd brought in from the car last night. The pet supplies and dog food his brother Jake had given him had certainly come in handy with all the running around they'd been doing with Boon in tow.

Noah stood up and groaned again. He felt like he'd been through a battle. The stress of their encounter with Valentina combined with tossing and turning all night long on Maggie's sagging sofa had left his muscles sore and his head was fuzzy. On top of that, Maggie's sudden declaration last night had devastated him. But his hours of self-reflection during the night had led him to some definite conclusions. And one thought was now crystal clear. He was about the lose the only woman he'd ever truly loved, for the second time in his life.

And he was not going to let that happen.

Why was she so convinced that she was the wrong woman for him? Both times they'd kissed, he was convinced that her passion had answered his own. It had been genuine. He was sure of it. But why couldn't she see it? Why was she in such denial?

He ran his hands over his face and sank back down onto the sofa. Apparently, he'd promoted the friendship angle a bit too much in his attempts not to push her too hard. But he was determined that this was not going to be a repeat of their freshman year of college. He wasn't about to let her just disappear this time. Not without a fight. He had to find a way to let her know he was in love with her—had been in love with her since high school. Convince her that his feelings for her were real. But how?

He was deep in thought, folding up the blankets he'd used when she emerged from the bathroom. She looked adorable, all wrapped up in a thick, fluffy yellow robe that reached to the floor, her damp curls framing her face. He looked closer and could see dark shadows beneath her amber eyes, which looked swollen and pink at the rims. Had she been crying?

"The bathroom is all yours," she said with clearly forced cheeriness, then turned and padded back to her room before he could respond.

In the bathroom, Noah breathed in the subtle vanilla and floral fragrance of Maggie's shampoo and soap, making him feel a pang of longing. He splashed his face with cool water and wet his hair, borrowing her comb to slick it back from his face. He ran a hand over the dark stubble that covered his chin and jaw and stared at his reflection in the mirror. The storm had ended. And now, in the bright morning light that poured through the bathroom window, he felt exposed. His emotions were raw and clearly visible on his face.

For all his thoughts about not losing her again, he wondered if he was just clinging to a fantasy. And he was suddenly terrified by the possibility that maybe she was just trying to spare his feelings by insisting on being "just friends." The thought sent a sharp pain through his chest. Then he shook his head, determined to push those doubts aside. He couldn't let fear dictate his actions. He had to fight for Maggie and show her that his love for her was real. If she truly didn't reciprocate his feelings, then that would be the end of it. But one way or the other, he had to know.

He opened the bathroom door and heard a groan come from her kitchen. He walked across the main room and poked his head around the corner. "What is it?"

Her golden curls were almost dry and she was dressed in a yellow sundress sprinkled with tiny daisies. She held an empty coffee can in her hands. "I completely forgot that I was out of coffee," she moaned. "And if there was ever a day when we needed coffee, it's today."

"That's true," he said, stepping into the kitchen to examine the empty can over her shoulder. The intoxicating fragrance of warm vanilla and Maggie wafted up to him again. He sighed inwardly but kept his voice light. "How about we pay a visit to the coffee shop before we start our day? I can drive you there and drop you back off here before I head home to change."

Her face filled with gratitude. "That would be wonderful," she said.

Noah drove the short distance to Lakeside Latté. It was busy with the morning rush. Noah put Boon on his leash and they all headed toward the entrance. Just as they approached, the door swung wide and a small group of chattering teenagers bustled out.

"Hey, Mr. R!" said one of the boys in the group, smiling at Noah. "Nice dog," he added, giving Boon a welcome pat on the head.

"Oh, hey, Ben!" Noah said, taking the boy's proffered hand and performing a complex series of handshakes, elbow knocks, and fist pumps.

"Are you coming tonight?" Ben asked.

Noah's caffeine-and-sleep-deprived mind moved sluggishly through his memory banks, then cleared. "Right! It's open mic night here, isn't it?"

"Yeah," Ben gushed. "I was just double-checking our time slot. A group of us are gonna be performing a few songs."

"That's great, Ben," Noah smiled. "I wouldn't miss it! By the way, this is my, er, friend, Ms. Milena."

"Nice to meet you," Ben said politely. "You should come, too! We're going to be performing some of our original pieces. It's guaranteed to be a good time!"

"Oh, um..." Maggie looked surprised. "Sure, that sounds fun."

Ben gave Boon one more pat on the head and then moved away to join his friends.

Maggie turned a confused look toward Noah. "Who was that?"

Noah was still smiling as he opened the coffee shop door. "That was Ben Newcastle. He's one of the students I tutor at JAMZ."

Maggie's expression cleared. "Oh, right, that's the music education charity program for low-income kids that you told me about before, right?"

"Right," Noah said, leading her to join the line-up for coffee.

"I didn't realize that the kids actually learned to write music in that program," Maggie said.

"Not all of them get that far," Noah remarked, gazing down at her. "But Ben and a couple of the other kids we work with have a natural talent for it. Along with music lessons, our program also provides the kids with musical instruments for free, which is so great. I just strongly believe that musical training shouldn't be limited to only those who can afford expensive private lessons."

Maggie was looking up at him with an unreadable expression in her eyes. There was something about the way she looked at him that made his heart flutter with hope.

Then an idea began forming in his mind.

"Look, Maggie," he said as they surged a step forward with the line. "I know you're ending our professional relationship. And you've made it clear that you're not interested in anything romantic with me, so what I'm about to ask you is not a date. But I'd really love it if you'd come with me tonight. Some of these kids are really gifted and I think you'll be impressed."

He studied her closely as she nibbled at her bottom lip for several interminable seconds.

He pressed on. "Think of it as a reward. We've definitely earned it! Now that we know Valentina is okay, and we have a plan in place to help her break free from her situation, we should celebrate. Just as friends." It pained him physically to add that last bit, but he kept his expression neutral.

"I...guess that would be okay." She finally nodded her agreement.

"Awesome!" he said, and clenched his fists to help him fight the overwhelming urge to wrap her in his arms and lift her off her feet.

"You're already awesome and you haven't even placed your order yet?" Olivia joked as they reached the front of the line. "What can you possibly be so happy about?"

"Getting to see your smiling, beautiful face," Noah said, giving her a wink.

"Pshawww! Get outta here!" Olivia laughed with a wave of her hand.

Noah continued grinning as they placed their orders and then moved to the other end of the long counter to wait for them.

"You really do seem ridiculously happy about just getting a cup of coffee," Maggie observed, taking a sip of her caramel delight latté—with extra caramel, of course.

"Just enjoying the company," he said as he took a sip of his own café Americano.

They were quiet as he drove her back to her apartment. When they stopped, he said, "Can I ask you a favor?"

She'd opened her door, but paused to look back at him with a questioning look.

"Could you keep Boon with you just until we meet again tonight? I haven't figured out what to do with him yet now that we know he's not Valentina's. I have some errands I need to run that would be difficult if he was with me. And besides, I'd feel better knowing you have a watchdog protecting you while we're both at work."

"I'm sure I'll be fine," she said. "But I admit I'd love his company. Are you okay with that, Boon?" The dog poked his head through the seats and gave her an answering lick on the cheek, making her laugh. He looked particularly adorable, with both of his long ears flopped over at cockeyed angles the way they sometimes did.

Maggie and Boon exited the car, and Noah watched them walk away, his plan solidifying in his mind. He grinned to himself again. He'd come up with the perfect way to share the true depth of his feelings for her. It was risky, but he knew in his heart that it would be the perfect grand gesture for a romantic like Maggie.

He'd reached the point of stay safe or risk it all. And he was ready to risk it all.

After tonight, either Maggie Milena would become the woman of his dreams or leave him broken-hearted forever.