14. Nolan

CHAPTER 14

Nolan

I adjust the brown paper bag to balance in one arm as I reach out to test the door at Katie’s house. It opens without an issue, and I step into a dark house that feels empty. I walk through to the kitchen to set my food on the counter. Leaving it there, I head back out to find Katie.

I peek over the couch and stop short. She’s lying on her stomach, her hands up under the pillow. Her face is completely relaxed in sleep, her mouth is open just a bit, and her poor little nose is red.

She’s still wearing her teaching lanyard that holds her keys. It’s wrapped around her neck and rucked up under her armpit. She looks like she collapsed onto the couch and hasn’t moved since.

I’ve never seen anyone so fucking beautiful. Even sick as a dog, Katie takes my breath away. All I want to do is take care of her. I want to share every burden she carries so she never has to bear them alone again.

I walk around the couch and squat in front of her. With gentle fingers, I slide her dark hair off her face. Should I wake her up? I can’t imagine that she’s eaten anything since she got home. Then again, she probably needs the rest .

I continue running my fingers through her hair while I decide the best thing to do. Before I can choose, Katie wakes up on her own.

“Nolan?” she asks without opening her eyes.

“Yeah, baby. It’s me.” I press a kiss on her forehead to make sure she doesn’t have a fever. All I feel is soft skin and the scent of her floral shampoo.

“I don’t feel good.”

“No, I’d say you don’t. Do you think you’d be up for something to eat? I brought you chicken noodle soup from Alma’s cafe.”

Katie’s stomach growls.

“I’ll take that as a yes.” I laugh. She smirks, her eyes still closed as I massage her head. “I also have cold medicine, Advil, and cough syrup. I wasn’t sure what you might need.”

“Soup first, then meds. I think I have a cold.” Her voice is scratchy from either sleep or sickness. Or both, actually.

“Okay, little dove. I’ll be right back.” She starts to get up, but I press a hand on her shoulder. “No, you stay right there. I’ll bring it to you.”

She sighs back into her pillow, and I get up to put together her meal. Alma’s has the best soup and sandwiches in town. I got Katie both, but I have a feeling she’s not going to be awake long enough to eat all of it.

The soup is still warm, so I search through the cabinets for a bowl. I plate up the sandwich, too, just in case she wants it, and then make a plate for me before bringing everything to the living room. I set our food on the coffee table and then go back to the kitchen for our drinks.

When I get back to the living room, Katie has maneuvered herself into a mostly sitting position on the couch. She yawns and looks up at me with sleepy eyes. “You’re so fucking adorable,” I blurt out. She wrinkles her nose, obviously not believing me. I shrug my shoulders, not bothering to argue with her about it. “I got you a Sprite and a water. Whether you’re throwing up or drowning in snot, Sprite is always the go-to.”

I plop down on the couch by her feet. She’s got them tucked up by her butt while her back rests against the armrest of the couch.

Leaning forward, I grab her bowl of soup and hand it over to her. As she digs in, I grab my sandwich. We eat in comfortable silence for a while. Every now and then, while I chew, I wrap my hand around her calf and give it a squeeze.

“I’m sorry I forgot to text you about our date,” Katie says after a bit. She sets her half-eaten bowl down on the table and picks up the Sprite.

I look over at her. “It’s all right. I’m kind of glad you didn’t. Gave me a chance to take care of you.”

“You didn’t need to do all of this.” She waves at the coffee table with our food. “I would’ve been fine on my own.”

“Yeah, you would’ve, but this way, I didn’t have to worry about you.” Without a doubt, if I hadn’t caught Katie half asleep, she would’ve refused my help. She’d have sent me away and told me she’d text me when she felt better.

She frowns. “Why would you have worried about me?”

“You really have to ask?” I can’t keep the surprise out of my voice.

“I guess so.”

I straighten Katie’s legs and slide my arms around her to maneuver her onto my lap. She gasps at the sudden movement before relaxing into me. Using my thumb and forefinger, I lift Katie’s chin to make sure she’s listening as I prepare to pour out my heart. I’m tired of walking on eggshells around her, too afraid to make any sudden movements to keep from scaring her off. If she doesn’t want me around after I’ve shared every truth in my heart, then at least I can say I tried.

“Katie Cole. From the moment I met you, I’ve known you were someone special. Then you put me in my place at Adam and Ellie’s wedding, and I haven’t been able to stop thinking about you since. I’ve spent many nights wondering if you’d ever give me the time of day, and for a while there, I never believed you would. That is, until New Year’s Eve, when you looked so goddamn gorgeous, I couldn’t stop flirting with you if I wanted to. When you started flirting back… well, let’s just say I was sunk. I want you. I want to be with you. I want to be the man who takes care of you when you’re sick and celebrates with you when something amazing happens.

“I want to spend time with you, even if that means we hang out on your couch and watch Disney movies with your amazing son sitting between us. I want to give you everything, and all I ask for in return is that you give me a chance. Give me a chance to prove to you that I can be the man you need.”

I swipe my thumb across Katie’s cheek as a tear slips down her face. Her eyes haven’t left mine, her unshed tears making them sparkle. My heart starts to pound with nerves as the silence stretches. I’m about to let her go when she whispers the word that I’ve been dying to hear.

“Okay.”

“Yeah? You’re going to give me a chance?”

She nods her head. She starts to open her mouth, but I don’t give her a chance to say anything. I press my lips against hers, needing to kiss her more than my next breath.

She pulls away far too quickly for my liking. “Germs. I don’t want you to get sick.”

“I couldn’t give a fuck about germs. The woman of my dreams just gave me permission to date her ass off. I’m gonna kiss her.” I grin.

Katie rolls her eyes. “What have I gotten myself into?”

“Too late now. No takebacks.” I press another kiss to her lips as she laughs.

“I’m not taking care of you if you get sick,” she warns, kissing me again .

I gasp with dramatic flair. “I did all of this for you and you won’t even offer to blow my nose for me? Rude.”

Katie fake gags. “That’s disgusting.”

I bust out laughing at her face. “I swear I will never ask you to wipe my nose for me.” I tuck a piece of her hair behind her ear. “Now, how about we turn on a movie and eat the pint of ice cream I put in the freezer?”

Katie’s eyes light up. “Can we watch a fully grown adult movie?”

“Baby, you’re sick. I don’t think it’s a good idea to watch porn right now,” I say, deadpan.

She smacks my arm with indignation as I laugh. “Shut up. You know that’s not what I meant.”

“We can watch whatever you want.” I press a kiss to her temple and move her back to her original position. After grabbing the ice cream container, I settle back on the couch. I pay very little attention to the movie. Katie laid her head against my shoulder while we shared the ice cream, and now she has her arms wrapped around my waist.

My thoughts are spinning with ideas of how I can continue to woo Katie. Date ideas pop into my head. Some that involve Cody and some that don’t.

I want to shout from the rooftop that she’s finally agreed to be mine. I just hope to God she doesn’t wise up in the morning and decide to take back what she agreed to.