Chapter 11

ELEVEN

Noah took it as a sign of good luck that they managed to make it through the Asheville airport without a camera being shoved in their faces. Not that anyone had a chance to. He set a pretty fast pace as they hurried from the plane to the kiss and ride. Fortunately, Charlotte's long legs matched him stride for stride.

He really needed to stop fixating on those damn long legs of hers. Sleep had been impossible last night. Not when all he could think about was her legs wrapped around his waist while he lost himself inside of her.

Christ.

This was a dumbass play. Spending the weekend with a woman he couldn't keep his hands off of. Inviting her into his inner sanctum. Letting her see the real Noah Hudson, in all his simple glory. Well, better now than later. This way, it wouldn't hurt too much when she realized she preferred worldly playboys to small town jocks.

"Yoo-hoo!"

Noah froze at the sound of the familiar voice. Charlotte stopped short behind him.

"Noah! Over here!" A horn honked.

"I think the woman in the minivan is trying to get your attention," Charlotte deadpanned.

He pinned her with a look. "Ya think?"

It was too late for second thoughts. Charlotte was here now. Less than half a football field away from his sister and his two little nieces. The horn honked again.

"Brace yourself," he warned her before trudging toward the minivan idling by the curb.

Squeals of "Uncle Noah" floated through the passenger window. Alex shushed her daughters before racing out of the driver's door and around the hood of the van so she could throw her arms around him. Her enthusiasm was over the top. More suited for a guy who'd just returned from a year's deployment overseas. Not a brother she'd seen in person a month earlier.

"Hey, you! What a game you had last night."

His nieces were chanting his name, accompanied by the pounding of their fists and feet in their car seats.

"What are you doing here?" he asked. "I thought mom was picking me up."

Alex's brown eyes sparkled with mischief. She brushed her long blonde hair back from her face. She'd kept it long once it had grown back, explaining to Noah once that her hair was a badge of honor as a cancer survivor. And motivation for the young patients she cared for. The only time she pulled it into a ponytail was when she was working a shift at the hospital.

"The girls and I were packed up and on the road from Winston-Salem earlier than I expected. Chris decided to come down separately after his morning meetings." She bounced up on her toes. "I offered to swing by and grab you since Dad spent most of the night at the hospital. Mom is taking Meemaw home as we speak. The tests were all negative for anything major, by the way. She was dehydrated." His sister peeked past his shoulder at the woman standing behind him. "And I'm not gonna lie. I was dying to meet your guest."

Charlotte extended her hand to Alex. His sister had her wrapped up in a hug before Noah could warn her a handshake wasn't going to cut it.

"Alex, this is Charlotte Davis." Noah grabbed Charlotte's carryon and rolled both their bags to the rear of the van. "Charlotte, this is my sister, Alex. The two little darlings in the car are my nieces, Maisy and Ainsley."

"Oh my gosh," his sister gushed. "I can't believe I'm actually meeting you. I'm a huge fan of your products." She twisted her wrist several times, showing off her armful of silver bracelets. "I love the affirmation bracelets the best. I give them out to all the patients on my floor. The kids need all the inspo they can get, right?"

"Um, yes. Yes, they do." Charlotte aimed a WTF look in his direction.

"My sister is a nurse at the children's hospital," Noah explained.

"Seriously?" Alex slapped him on the shoulder. "You didn't tell her anything about us, did you?" She heaved an exasperated sigh before rolling her eyes at Charlotte. "He's like a fortress, this one. He doesn't share anything."

"I can attest to that." Charlotte shot him a mocking smile.

Alex opened the van's sliding door and his niece's squeals rained out over the kiss and ride.

"Uncle Noah!"

"Hey you two troublemakers. Did you save any of those animal crackers for me?"

"I'll sit with the girls," Charlotte surprised him by saying. "There's no way your long legs will fit back there."

"More like you don't want to spend forty minutes being interrogated by my sister, huh?" he murmured as he helped her into the car.

She tossed another one of those taunting grins over her shoulder. "And let you miss out on all the fun?"

Damn, there was so much to this woman that he appreciated. Her snark was just part of her appeal. The vision of her jean-clad ass swaying in front of his face was also fascinating. He slammed the door shut and jumped into the passenger seat before he did something stupid, like joining her in the backseat just so he could hold her hand again.

"Who is Maisy and who is Ainsley?" Charlotte asked his nieces as Alex pulled away from the airport.

"I'm Maisy," the four-year-old replied. "Are you really a princess?"

Noah groaned. Here we go.

"Sometimes," Charlotte told them. "But only in my imagination."

He laughed out loud at that one.

She raised her voice to be heard over him. "Every girl should think of herself as a princess. That way, you always have the right amount of confidence to do and be anything you want. That's important when you want people to take you seriously."

"Amen, sister," Alex chimed in as she merged onto the highway.

Noah met Charlotte's eyes in the extra rearview mirror Alex used to keep an eye on the kids. He wanted to ask her why she didn't believe that to be true for herself. Why she doubted her capabilities when she'd already proven herself to be a shrewd businesswoman?

Maisy beat him with a follow-up question of her own. "Do we call you Aunt Charlotte?"

Christ.

He speared his sister with a pointed look. Alex barely managed to stifle a giggle before she shrugged.

"Why don't you call me Charlie," Charlotte said. "That's what my family calls me."

Noah's body instantly ached as though he'd been hit in the chest with a helmet.

That's what my family calls me.

They weren't her family. Charlotte would likely never see his nieces again after this weekend. It felt too intimate for his nieces to call her by her nickname.

It also felt right.

So fucking right.

He risked another glance back. Ainsley's head was already bobbing to the side as the two-year-old drifted off to sleep. Maisy was regaling Charlotte about her friend whose guinea pig was also named Charlie. Charlotte smiled adoringly at everything his niece said.

For a reputed pampered society princess, she had no problem going one-on-one with kids. He'd noticed that the day she'd interacted with Dalton and his family. Her interest was genuine. Her concern was real. All he had to do was remember those moments in the elevator when she nearly passed out imagining her niece or nephew suffering through what Dalton had.

"Mm-hmm."

His sister's muttering had his attention shifting.

"What?" he demanded when she aimed a knowing smile in his direction.

I love her, Alex mouthed.

"Shut up and drive."

Alex laughed loudly this time as Noah focused on the familiar mountains rising ahead of them. Better to concentrate on something concrete than the crazy feelings churning deep in his gut. Especially since he was pretty sure he'd fallen in love with Charlotte Davis three years ago in a London hotel room, talking the night away, munching on crisps and falling asleep to a decades-old chick flick.

He was so screwed.

Forty-five minutes later, Alex exited the highway onto the main drag through his little hometown. Like one of Pavlov's dogs, Maisy began chirping about lunch at DQ.

"No DQ today," Alex told her. "You'll have plenty of junk food at the football game tonight."

"But Mommmmm," Maisy wailed as the DQ came into view.

Noah did a double take at the ice cream store's marquee, declaring today as "Noah Hudson Day." The marquees for the bank and the Tractor Supply announced the same thing.

"What the hell is Noah Hudson Day?" He looked over at his sister.

Alex sported a huge grin. "Surprise!"

Maisy echoed her mother. "Surprise, Uncle Noah! We get to wear your jersey to the game tonight. The one from when Gramps was your coach."

Noah's teeth began to hurt, his jaw was clenched so tight. "Alex?"

"You didn't think you were coming home just for Meemaw's birthday, did you?"

"Uh, yeah, I did."

His sister imitated her daughters and bounced in her seat. "Then it's the perfect surprise."

"Dammit, Alex," he growled. "I hate surprises."

"I know. That's what makes this one so much fun." She took pity on him. "They are renaming the football stadium in your honor tonight."

What the actual fuck?

"No one asked me if they could do that."

"Because you would have said no. You're way too modest, by the way. It's happening though, little brother. Face it. You're the biggest star to come out of our football program. The whole county is turning out for the ceremony tonight."

When they rounded the corner leading up to the home where he'd grown up, Noah spotted a convoy of television vans parked outside the post office. His gut clenched.

"Don't tell me the media is covering this?"

"Of course they are, silly. Lest you forget, stuff like this is big news in small towns."

Noah whipped his head around to stare at Charlotte. Her expression was unreadable—except for her teeth buried in her bottom lip. Dammit. What had he dragged her into?

They drove down a longish driveway, ending at a sprawling brick rambler with a wraparound porch featuring Chippendale railings. It was all decked out with pumpkins, a buffalo plaid mat and other fall decorations. All of that paled compared to the splendor that was behind the home, however, an unobstructed view of the Blue Ridge Mountains in all their autumnal glory. Charlotte was trying to take it all in when Noah yanked her from the van.

"You don't have to stay," he said, his words a hurried whisper.

His brown eyes held a look of raw anguish. He hadn't counted on them being seen together by the paps. This trip was so under the radar, they'd both decided she didn't need any security.

Cleary, he didn't want to add any more fuel to the rumors of their relationship. She got that. She hated that it was because he didn't believe she was his type. But that was neither here nor there. Their reality was a football game swarming with cameras.

Noah's voice wasn't as steady as usual. She had no doubt that if he had a way of leaving, too, he would use it. Humble didn't even begin to describe this man. Which was so incongruous with every professional athlete she'd ever known. His reticence only made him even more endearing.

You can always count on me , he'd confessed to her on the plane.

Well, that went ditto for her. They were in this together. For better or for worse.

Her heart stuttered a beat at her brain's whimsical choice of words. She patted him on the chest, letting her palm linger over his heart a moment longer for added reassurance. His heartbeat stuttered for a few beats as well. Their gazes collided and held.

"You're leaving?"

Maisy's question had Charlotte dropping her hand and turning to placate the little girl. She fingered the end of one of Maisy's braids.

"I'm not going anywhere, Miss Maisy. I've never been to a high school football game. And you promised there would be funnel cakes."

"Yay!" Maisy raced to the front porch.

Noah remained where he was. "You sure?"

She nodded with more conviction than she felt. "I owe you, remember?"

He closed his eyes with a pained sigh. "I was wrong to ask this of you."

"Why did you bring me here, Noah?"

Charlotte was surprised at the steady way she'd voiced the question, considering how desperately she wanted to know his answer. He'd told her she was here at his grandmother's request. She knew there wasn't anything he wouldn't do for his Meemaw. Deep down, though, she hoped she was here for a different reason.

His lashes jerked up, revealing a maelstrom of emotion in his eyes. Just when she thought he might answer, his sister called to them from the porch.

"Hey, you two. Lunch is on the table. Come and get it."

Meemaw was everything Charlotte expected and, yet, so much more. For starters, the older woman's eyes were bright and discerning, even after a night spent in the hospital. Her grey hair was long, its sleek waves framing her face. Most women of her age favored a shorter style. Noah hadn't exaggerated her height—six feet, if Charlotte had to guess. Meemaw still carried herself with the regality of an aristocrat, shoulders back, chin held high.

An aristocrat who drove a giant pickup truck.

"Do you mind if I borrow your truck this afternoon, Meemaw?" Noah asked during lunch.

"You're welcome to use my van," Alex offered as she nabbed a pickle from Ainsley's hand before it landed on the floor.

Noah shot his sister a horrified look.

Their mother, Val, chuckled. "It's your brother's day. Let him drive something that isn't a mom-mobile." She turned to Noah. "Are you going to show Charlotte around town?"

He gave Charlotte a sheepish look. "Actually, I was going to head over to the high school. See what I can do to dial back this whole Noah Hudson Day nonsense."

"It's not nonsense and you'll do no such thing," Meemaw declared, lowering her palm to the tabletop with a loud whack.

Noah sighed. "This weekend is supposed to be a celebration for you, Meemaw. Not me."

"And what if honoring your many accomplishments is what I want for my birthday, huh?"

"Check mate," Charlotte mumbled so that only Noah would hear.

He smacked her thigh with his. She nudged hers against his in response. Their nonverbal sparring continued back and forth until Noah placed a hand on her thigh.

And left it there.

She tried to jerk her leg away, but he spread out his long fingers and anchored her leg where it was. His lips turned up slightly at the corners as he shoveled some potato chips into his mouth with his free hand. Charlotte stole the last chip off his plate in retaliation.

"Hey!" He tried to grab it back.

"Mm," she said as she chomped down on it.

The room was quiet by the time Charlotte remembered they had an audience. Ainsley and Maisy were both staring at them curiously. Alex arched an eyebrow at her brother as she bit back a smirk. Meemaw donned a self-satisfied grin.

Charlotte abruptly pulled her leg from his grip, her body instantly missing the warmth of his palm. She dropped her gaze to her plate, attacking what remained of her chicken salad with gusto.

"Behave," Val scolded her son.

It didn't go unnoticed by Charlotte that Val took the opportunity to touch Noah every chance she could get. A tender brush of her hand along his back as she passed behind his chair when she was refilling the bowl of potato chips. A caress of his biceps when she reached past him to hand Ainsley her sippy cup. Now, she tousled his hair as she stood and cleared the plates.

It must have been difficult for Val during those long years when Alex was sick, devoting most of her time and energy to her ailing daughter. Charlotte couldn't imagine having to choose between Vivi and Gray. Her stomach rolled at the thought. Noah's mother was clearly making up for lost time with her son.

Charlotte wondered if he even noticed. Noah was so good at diverting attention away from himself. It astounded Charlotte that he believed he didn't deserve it. Even when he was outperforming most every other quarterback in the game. Case in point: tonight's honor.

Her heart ached for the man sitting beside her, who was still holding on to the traits of his childhood. Still denying himself the spotlight he deserved. She wanted to rest her hand on his thigh in comfort. If only she trusted herself.

"I'm sure your father would like it if you stopped by the high school this afternoon," Meemaw said as she tossed her keys across the kitchen table to him. "The boys would love a pep talk before tonight's game. Before you hurry off, fetch Charlotte's bag, and bring it over to my place."

"Your place?"

"Noah, she is not sleeping on your top bunk," Val said.

"Charlotte can have my old room. But that means the girls will have to sleep with you, baby brother." Alex's offer didn't really sound like a legitimate one.

"Nonsense." Meemaw strode toward the door leading to the breezeway that adjoined the two houses. "I told everyone a real live princess will be sleeping at my house. And that's what is happening."

"Meemaw, Charlotte isn't—" Noah started to say.

Charlotte shushed him. "It's your grandmother's birthday. If she wants me to be a princess, then I'm a princess." She turned and curtsied to Meemaw. "Which makes you the queen." Maisy and Ainsley giggled. Charlotte mimed tapping them both on the head with a wand. "And you are both ladies-in-waiting."

Maisy grabbed hold of Charlotte's hand while Ainsley curled her sticky fingers around one of Charlotte's.

"Come on." Maisy tugged them toward the breezeway. "Meemaw's guest bed is really bouncy."

"It's a big bed, too. Plenty of room for both of you. And I take my hearing aids out at night, so whatever you get up to, I won't hear a thing." Meemaw said with a wink.

"Christ," Noah moaned behind them.