Chapter 3

THREE

Ansel

“Let me give you the whole tour,” I say as I take her hand and head around the couch and over to the stairs.

I try to ignore how perfect her hand feels in mine, but I can’t. She’s always felt so right next to me. I used to think that all I needed in life was to be close to Noelle. After being away for years, I’m sure of it. She was all that I could think about, all that I could dream about. Now that I’m back home, I need to figure out a way to keep her close to me. Starting with convincing her to move in here with me.

“So, down here on the first floor, we have the kitchen and living room. There’s a half bath there and a storage closet.”

She nods as she looks over her shoulder towards the bathroom and closet. I grab her duffle bag as we head upstairs, and I nudge the first door open.

“This is the first guest room.”

“First? Oh, so fancy,” she says with a mischievous smile.

“Very fancy. I have three,” I tell her, and her smile widens.

“Do I get to pick which one I stay in?”

“Sure.”

I just hope that she picks the one closest to mine.

“Here’s the guest bathroom,” I say, and she pokes her head in and looks at the bare room.

“Could use a shower curtain,’ she points out, and I grin.

“See? This is why I need your help with this place. You should just stay here with me. You can move in and stay here instead of with your family.”

She looks so sad whenever I mention her family, and I hate it. I mean, I’m not surprised. Her family is the worst. They’re shit people who don’t deserve to be graced with my girl’s presence.

They’ve always been terrible. They’ve treated Noelle like crap for as long as I can remember. She’s more like their servant than their daughter. It’s why I want to take her away from that house and those people. I want to be her family, to take away any of the pain that they’ve caused. I’ve always wanted to rescue Noelle, to take her away from her toxic family and make her happy. Buying this cabin was step one of that plan.

“Here’s the next bedroom.”

She steps into the room and looks around.

“You may really need me,” she murmurs. “This one doesn’t even have a bed,” she points out.

“It has that mattress.”

“Did it come with the house?” She asks, and I try to bite back a smile.

“Maybe.”

“You should just toss it. It looks like it’s seen better days.”

“Got it.”

I drag her to the last bedroom, and she steps inside.

“Okay, this one. I want to stay in this one,” she says and I laugh.

Good.

This is the only other bedroom that I even kind of sort of set up, and that was strictly because I wanted her to have a place in the house until she moved into my room and started sleeping in my bed.

I set her duffle bag down on the end of the bed, and her stomach growls. She blushes, embarrassed, but I just squeeze her hand and start to lead her back downstairs.

“Wait! Can I see your room?” She asks shyly.

“Sure. I’m right next door,” I tell her as I lead her into my room.

She steps in front of me, and I watch her face as she looks around the space.

“What do you think?” I ask her after a beat.

“It’s nice. Kind of cold.”

“Want me to build another fire?” I ask her, and she smiles.

“I mean, it could use a few more touches.”

“Yeah, and furniture, I’m sure,” I agree. “We’ll have to go shopping.”

“There are still not many places in town to get furniture. We can look online too,” she says and I nod, then take her hand and lead her downstairs.

“What are you hungry for?” I ask her.

“Grilled cheese and soup?”

“Ah, you’re still a soup fanatic, huh?” I ask, and she laughs.

“Guilty.”

I grin as I grab a big pot and set it on the stove. Noelle has always loved soup. Doesn’t matter what kind or what the weather is like, though she does tend to make it more when it’s cold or rainy outside. I remember cooking with her in July, making minestrone or leek soup, then sitting outside in the blazing heat and eating it because we were avoiding her family.

“How are your parents?” She asks me as she pulls open the fridge and smiles when she sees all of the vegetables inside.

“They’re good.”

“We could do broccoli cheddar, tomato, leek, or minestrone soup!” She says happily, and I smile.

“Whatever you want.”

“Minestrone,” she decides, and I nod, pulling out the chicken broth and small noodles that she likes in the soup.

She grabs the vegetables and we get to work peeling and dicing up everything.

“Sorry, I interrupted you with the soup talk. What are your parents up to?” She asks.

“They’re settled and happy down in Charleston. They seem to love it there, and I know that my dad’s arthritis is better in the warmer weather.”

“That’s good. I’ve talked to them a few times in the last few months. Your mom seems happy there too. She’s always going on about her garden. She sent me some pictures too and it was gorgeous! I wish that I had her green thumb,” Noelle says.

“You could ask her to teach you. I’m sure that she would love to help you if you decided to plant a garden. We can try to make some flower beds here this spring,” I offer, and she smiles.

“I’d love that, although I may kill everything,” she warns me.

“Maybe. Maybe not.”

She tells me more about the book club that she and my mom have been doing together, and I smile as she talks. I love that Noelle is so close to my family. I love that they can be the family that she deserves.

The soup starts to boil, and Noelle starts to make our grilled cheese while I make each of us a bowl and set it down in front of the barstools at the kitchen counter. I don’t have a kitchen table yet, and I add it to my list of things to look for online.

She flips the sandwiches in the pan, and I grab a plate for her to put them on when they’re done.

“What was your favorite place that you went to?” She asks me as we sit to eat.

“I liked Qatar. There were a lot of cool places to see there. Colorado was cool. Kind of reminded me of this place, at least weather-wise.”

“Did you ever get homesick?” She asks, and I nod.

“All of the time. I missed you like crazy,” I tell her.

“I missed you too. So much.”

We finish eating, and I carry our dishes over to the sink. Noelle pushes up her sleeves to start washing them, but I stop her.

“I’ll do it later.”

“But—” she starts, and it breaks my heart that she’s so used to doing nothing but chores and working.

“I’ll get them later. Let’s just relax right now.”

I lead her over to the couch and she snuggles against my side as I turn on the TV and put on the first movie that comes on.

“Oh! I love this one,” she says, and I smile.

She rests her head on my chest, and I wrap my arms around her, enjoying being with her. She feels so perfect. This is where she’s meant to be. This is where I’m meant to be.

The fire flickers in the fireplace as the movie ends, and I look down at Noelle to see her fast asleep, her head resting on my shoulder. I kiss her forehead and then stand and lift her into my arms and carry her upstairs to bed.

As I tuck her in, I realize just how badly I want this to be my life. I want to tuck her in each night. I want to wake up and see her touch all around me. I want her to be mine.

And I’m going to make that happen.