Page 73 of Forbidden Whispers

Chapter 21

Noah’s alarm went off at 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?”