Scout and Coralee walk away, looking for a tree, and Brooks turns his attention to me.
“Now what kind of tree do you like?” he asks me. “It’s an important question.”
I smile, nerves fading away every time Brooks speaks to me. How is it a man I hardly know, can make me feel so comfortable in my own skin?
“There is only one kind of tree I’d choose.”
He smiles, his eyes so bright, so full of life, that my belly flipflops. He makes me feel more alive, just by being around him.
“Let me guess, a sad little Charlie Brown tree?”
I laugh. “How did you know?”
He rests a hand on my arm. “I don’t know what it is, Noelle. But I feel like I know you. In so many ways.”
I bite down on my bottom lip.
The truth is, I feel the exact same way.
Brooks
After we get the tree set up in my parents’ house, I haul out the boxes of ornaments, so my mom and Scout can get to work decorating. As they start stringing lights, I notice that Noelle looks a little uncomfortable. I know we just met yesterday, but it’s surprising seeing her out of sorts.
Noelle is standing in the living room, taking it all in. I have to admit my heart softens as I see Scout giggling with her grandpa — maybe she is missing out on not being closer.
“What’s wrong?” I ask, delivering her a glass of white wine.
“Nothing really,” she says, taking a sip of the wine. “Thanks for getting my tree to my place.”
I frown, not believing her for a minute but I let it go, not wanting to pressure her to talk if she doesn’t want to. “That one was easy, it was small. This one that Scout picked, though, is—”
“Huge?” Noelle smiles. “It’s sweet that you let her pick. You’re wrapped around her finger.”
“You think I’m too easy on her?”
Noelle shakes her head, smiling softly. “No, I think it’s precious. It’s the way a father should treat his little girl. Like she’s the gift she is.”
I rest a hand on the small of her back. “Being here, with my family, is it too hard?”
She looks up at me. “No, Brooks. I love being here.”
“Would you tell me if you didn’t?”
She bites her lip. “Probably not.”
I run a hand over my beard. “So, how am I gonna know what you’re really feeling if you aren’t gonna tell me?”
She shrugs. “Guess you’re gonna have to learn my body language.”
I snort. “Don’t mind being given that job.”
Mom walks past us with a string of lights and asks what we’re smiling about.
“Brooks was just telling me how much he loves to learn new things,” Noelle says.
Mom lifts an eyebrow. “Oh, yeah? Are you going to learn how to move closer to your parents?”
I chuckle. “You know my life is in Seattle.”
Mom just raises her eyebrows and then walks away. “Nothing’s set in stone,” she called over her shoulder.
“What is that about?” Noelle asks.
“My parents moved here from Seattle this summer and now they think Scout and I should follow. Not sure that’s how it works though.”
“It’s sweet they want you closer,” Noelle says wistfully, and I realize then, how she'd do anything to have the chance to be close to her parents again. I run a hand over my beard, considering my priorities. I’ve always put Scout first, but now I wonder what is best for both of us. My parents won’t be around forever, and they’re the only family my daughter and I have.
“You’re right,” I say. “I probably don’t tell them that enough.”
“Well, you at least got your mother a Christmas gift, didn’t you?”
“Shit,” I say laughing. “I really need to step up my game.”
“Do you have a problem with Christmas or something?” Noelle asks.
I shrug. “Hell, I’m not the most sentimental man, and I don’t have a wife. You know, someone to remind me to lighten up.”
Scout is shrieking gleefully as my mother brings her a cup of hot cocoa.
“You’re telling me that little girl doesn’t warm your heart?”
“She does. Without her, I’d probably turn to stone.” I look over at Noelle. “What about you? Who in your life makes sure you aren’t becoming jaded or bitter?”
She takes a sip of her wine considering the question. “I think I keep myself pretty busy as a distraction. The truth is I’m alone a lot. I have friends, but everyone is busy with their own lives.”
“Do you want someone in your life? Someone you can count on?”
She looks at me like I’m an idiot, and maybe I am. “Doesn’t everyone want that?”
“I’ve been single a long time,” I tell her. “Before I came to Linesworth this Christmas, I didn’t really think of myself as a settling down type.”
“And now?” she asks, her voice quiet.
I step toward Noelle, grateful my parents are occupied with Scout. “Now I wonder if I’ve been single all this time because I was waiting for the right person.”
I lean in, close enough to kiss her, and hell, I want to. So damn badly.
But before I can press my lips to hers, Scout has bounded over, a ball of energy. “Come help, Noelle. Come help with the ornaments.”
Noelle’s eyes meet mine and I know that she wouldn’t have pulled away from the kiss. She would have given in. To me.
She wants this too.
A chance at love, at an unexpected forever.
Mom calls me into the kitchen and when I enter, I know she knows there is something going on between Noelle and me. “So, is she who you were with last night?”
I nod. “Yeah, she’s planning the wedding, you know that.”
Mom waves her hand in the air. “I know, but after that, you two went to dinner, just you and her?”
I nod. “What are you getting at?”
She smiles, grabbing bowls and spoons for the chili. “Oh, nothing. Just thinking about how she is so much sweeter when she’s not talking about that darn wedding. And Scout adores her.”
“They’ve met twice.”
“Sometimes once is enough.”
I swallow. “You mean that? You think love can sweep into your life in an instant?
“They call it love at first sight for a reason, Brooks.” Mom pats my shoulder, then walks into the living calling everyone in to eat.
My heart pounds as I think about what she said. Love at first sight? I never thought it was real.
But this attraction to Noelle, this instant chemistry — it can’t be bought, can’t be forced. It’s either here or it isn’t.
Scout has her hand in Noelle’s guiding her to the table. They sit down next to my father who hobbles in on his crutches, talking about Santa’s naughty and nice lists, about presents Scout hopes to find under the tree.
I’ve never been in love before.
At least, I hadn’t thought so.
But as I grab my bowl of chili and sit down next to her, I realize what I want is right here, right beside me.
“What?” she asks when she catches me staring at her.