Noelle

Chapter 9

The first week of December passes quickly, and I find myself sitting at Marta's with West on a brisk Saturday.

I watch the motherly woman interact with a couple standing by the counter and a thought comes to my mind. "Is there something going on between Alexander and Marta?"

West looks at me curiously. "What do you mean?"

"Well, they just get really weird when the other one comes up in conversation. I wondered if maybe they have a thing for each other."

A surprised laugh escapes him. "Ah, I see. You're not the only one who has noticed that. I think the whole town can see it. They're just too stubborn to act on the mutual attraction." He meets my eyes at the last statement, and a strange tension seems to fill the space between us.

I try to shake it off. "Oh. That's a shame. I think they would be perfect together."

He nods, eying Marta with a fond expression. "They would. Someone's just got to make them see that." A moment of silence passes between us, and then he continues. "Do you want to go up to the mountain with me again next weekend? I thought I would take one last trip before we get that snow they're calling for."

My face lights up. "I would love to!"

His smile is warm. "I'll give you a call. By the way, the girls have been asking about you. You've made quite an impression on them. Ava and Eliana want to know when you're coming back for dinner, and Naomi's been bugging me for your number."

"You can give it to her! I really like them."

He leans back in his chair, something unsaid in his expression. "They really like you too." He cocks his head slightly as he studies me over his mug. "By the way, I believe we've got a birthday to celebrate."

I crack a smile. "Oh?"

"If it's not too strange of me to suggest, I would love to do something with you to celebrate. We could go to dinner, or have something at Eli's. Naomi's been bugging me nonstop about getting you to agree." He sets his steaming cup of coffee on the table. "Unless you've already got something planned, of course. We wouldn't want to take you away from family."

I shake my head. "I don't have anything planned. I would love to spend it with you." I blush as I realize how that may have sounded, but this seems to please him.

"Would you want to have dinner at Eli's then? They've been asking about you, so I know they would love to be there if that's something you would like."

"That sounds great," I say, and I mean it.

•••

My birthday is on a Friday, so we decide to get together that day. I spend the morning at home but am thrilled when Fen calls to wish me a happy birthday. Alexander and her have already left for Arizona, but the chirpy girl assures me that if they'd been in town she would have come over to see me in person.

I half expect to hear from my mother but the call never comes. I disregard the heavy sorrow that this brings by rationalizing that we haven't spoken in months, so she's probably waiting for me to call first. Still, I almost long to hear my mother's voice; to hear a little of the woman I used to know.

I push away these thoughts by getting ready for dinner and end up arriving at Eli's a little early. Everyone is already there, though, and I realize that it appears to be the entire crew.

When Naomi answers the door and leads me to the dining room, I break out into a huge grin. Everyone greets me with warm wishes and kind words. It is then that I can see how far we've all come, considering how much unease there was in the beginning.