NOAH

Ch. 30

Chapter 30

Fatigue simmers in the base of my eyelids as I sink deeper into the couch. Cherry glances over at the boys before raising the remote, upping the volume to her show as Blake continues with his lesson.

Not even a minute of being back in the house and Blake was eying Noah, who's nails never left his teeth. His eyes were wide as he spotted the red hues spread through the tips of his fingers. Immediately after I explained what happened, Blake was on his feet quick with the sudden urge to comfort his friend.

They did everything, Noah's eyes still far off into God knows where, before Blake offered to give him a crash course in the basics of surfing.  A course Noah quickly accepted, the sting in his fingers probably begging him to do so. But as I look back in their direction, it seems that his eyes have wandered once more and Blake sighs, rubbing a hand through his mop of hair.

"OK, I'm done. We're not doing this anymore."

Cherry pauses the show. "Doing what?"

"Sitting in this damn house, sulking."

"I'm not sulking."

He pats the top of Noah's head before plopping next to Cherry. "You're sulking."

"I just need a little break from catch the murderer, right now, to gather my thoughts and make a plan."

Cherry nods. "Well, is find the missing mother on a break too?"

I shake my head as Noah's eyes slink to mine, his lips lifting into a smile. "I cant, I didn't bring my outfit."

"I'll take you home so you can get ready."

"Noah, I don't know. I don't think I'm ready."

I look down at the Cherry's outfit, butterflies swarming my stomach. If today is the day that my dream comes true, is this how I want to remember it? In the same clothes that trekked through the contaminated confines of Noah's house. But are the clothes from Danielle's prison any better? Will she even care? She'll more than likely not look back at this moment for my fashion choices, but I want to look back and know that I gave her my all. I gave her back her daughter.

He reaches over, sliding his hand into my trembling palm. "Raine, you just told me that doubt stops you from getting what you truly want. You've been wanting this, needing this, for your entire life. Let's go get  it."

My hand tightens around his, a smile tugging at my lips, but quickly falling as my phone dings with a message from Danielle.

I need a sitter. Get back here now.

I sigh, my eyes burning as she once again comes between me and happiness. Noah taps his fingers against my hand, his other rubbing my shoulder.

"Raine, what's wrong?"

"I can't go. Danielle, of course, needs me to babysit." My phone hits the table with a smack.

Noah sighs, hugging me to his chest. "I'm sorry, Raine."

"I can babysit for you."

I raise my eyes to Blake. "Really?"

"Yeah, I have three younger sisters."

"Are you sure? These kids are nightmares, specifically the oldest."

Flower alone was enough to drain the happiness from anyone with her incessant brattitude. The twins would most likely cling to Blake as he's a surfer and they'd think that's cool, which it is. He could win the boys over easily.

"Well then, they'll get the wake up call of a fucking lifetime."

"Are you sure?" I say, gripping Noah's hand as the excitement that left me moments ago resurfaces.