Dear Reader...

Chapter Seven

~Juliette~

God this is so stupid. Not once since I moved here have I even passed a second thought as to what I'm wearing. Not when I was hoping of running into Noah, not when I've camped out at his damn coffee shop all day, not for a single second. But now it's 5 minutes before he's due to turn up and I'm staring at myself in the mirror seriously second guessing the 'cute and understated' outfit Riley had put together for me from across the world.

I sat there, staring at my phone, reading each message he sent out loud and needing Riley to help me draw up a response. How I was going to get through tonight I had no idea. We'd text for hours. Riley eventually dropping off the call to sort Anya out since she was screaming and I'd ended up crawling under my duvet, leaving my room a mess to sort this morning. It was almost 3am when I must have passed out. I'd had to text an apology for vanishing again when I woke up at lunch time. Followed swiftly by an apology for keeping him up late. He ignored my apology, jumping straight to calling me 'sleepy head' and asking how I'd slept.

3 loud knocks at the door made me jump out of my skin and I half turned, looking at it from the hallway where I was stood. I glanced up slightly, the clock hanging by the front door showing he was indeed a few minutes early. Another 3 knocks and I realized I still hadn't moved. I was just stood staring like it was going to answer itself. I leaped forward, turning the key and pulling it open.

Why does he have to look this good so freaking casually? Just a black polo and black jeans and an unzipped jacket. My gaze locked on his, soft and gentle and so Noah I was somehow more anxious and not at all. Like I was on both ends of the scale at the same time. Noah's lips tugged up slightly, the crease by his eyes deepening.

"Hi." He stepped forward, holding out some flowers and I looked up at him.

"You got me flowers?"

"Mhm. Usually customary to get someone you like flowers. Not a Canadian thing?"

"No. I mean- yeah, I guess it would be but no one's ever- you didn't have to Noah." His lips twitched as he stepped forward again, pressing a soft kiss to my cheek. I'm not going to make it through tonight. If he continues like this I'm going to be a boneless puddle just melted to the floor like an ice cream. "I- uhm. 2 seconds." I took the flowers, leaving the door open and running to the kitchen, putting them in a jar of water so they didn't die whilst we were out. When I came back he was still stood in the doorway, looking around the mess that was my current living situation.

Half patched walls that were still drying after I filled them earlier today. Paint testing patches everywhere, sanding materials and paint stripped on the stairs along with piles of dust sheets literally everywhere.

"Ready?"

"Mhm." I pulled my bag from the side, locking the door as I left. He opened the fucking door for me as we got to his car and I have never gotten in a car so awkwardly in my life. He started driving and I still hadn't said anything. I was just in shock I think. This whole thing felt otherworldly and I wasn't exactly sure how to handle it all. I like Noah. I like the idea of Noah a lot too.

"You're very quiet tonight." My head shot up at him breaking the silence. He took a quick glance over at me and I took a steadying breath. Normal. It's just a normal conversation Jules. It's not as scary as you're making it out to be. Relax.

"Sorry. Nerves I guess." His lips lifted again and one hand left the steering wheel, reaching over and wrapping itself around mine, fingers pressing between my own.

"No need to be nervous." He said, "Just relax. How was your day?"

"Fine. Yours?"

"Yeah, mine was fine." He chuckled, shaking his head slightly.

"What are you laughing at?"

"Nothing." I continued staring at him, ignoring how his thumb was tracing over my skin and how it felt like my stomach was trying to vacate my body. "What did you get up to today? I didn't see you in the shop."

"You worked today?"

"Mhm."

"But you don't close until 6."

"Yeah?"

"Did you come straight from work? We can go out another time? Oh god I kept you up so late and you had work."

"Juliette?" Noah squeezed my hand, the sensation causing me to slam my mouth shut before I could say another word. "I'm not rescheduling, I enjoyed talking to you last night. You didn't keep me up, I stayed up because I wanted to talk to you. Should I have gone to bed earlier? Probably. Would I go back and tell myself I'd be exhausted? No, it wouldn't change anything, I'd still stay up."

"But-"

"But nothing. You didn't keep me up, I wanted to take you out tonight even if I finished work an hour ago and had to rush getting showered and ready because I wanted to take you out tonight. Please Love, don't make yourself feel bad about it. It's fine. Tell me what you got up to today." Chills. Literal. Chills.

"Um. Not much. Paul gave me some paint tester pots so I tried those out, did some little jobs around the house."

"What jobs?"

"Hm?"

"What jobs? Keep talking Juliette."

"Uh. The old owner had loads of pictures on the walls so I just walked around filling them all in. Started stripping the banister because there's no word of a lie, 7 different colours on it and it's starting to lose its shape. So, I started on that and nearly knocked myself out with the fumes. Um- then I moved the box for my desk upstairs which in hindsight, I really should have opened the box and moved everything up one at a time because I think I pulled a muscle. The box said it needed 2 people."

"And you moved it alone?"

"Mhm."

"Why didn't you just wait, I'd have helped?"

"Because I could do it."

"But you just said you pulled a muscle."

"I said I think I have. I'm achy. It'll be fine tomorrow." The car pulled to a slow stop, Noah looking over his shoulder for a second before parking up in a space. "Why did you want to know?"

"Hm?"

"About the jobs I'd done today at home."

"Oh. I knew you needed something to talk about to get you to relax a little. Reckoned it was a safe start to the evening and I was genuinely curious as to what you've been doing." Taking the keys out of the slot, Noah turned in his spot, still holding onto my hand. "I called ahead. They've deep cleaned the spaces in the kitchen so there shouldn't be any trace of nuts or anything and Chris said they have the best allergy friendly menu in the area and most things they can make specially for you."

"You called ahead?" I blinked at him.

"Well yeah, had to make sure I wasn't going to bring you somewhere that was going to kill you. How am I supposed to get a second date if you're dead?" He said something else but I was too busy going back over the fact he called a restaurant he wanted to bring me to just to make sure it was safe for me to eat there. Not only that but that he'd gotten recommendations from Chris. He'd gone not only a little out of his way but he somehow did all of this on probably next to no sleep, whilst he was working and still found time to pick up flowers before he got to me AND still get to pick me up on time. "Hey." A finger pressed under my chin, gently tipping it up slightly. "Are you okay?" No. No I'm not okay. I'm freaking the fuck out right now.

"Mhm." I nod, forcing a smile. "I need to pee." Noah chuckled, pushing his door open quickly.

"Well then, let's go inside shall we?"