This Just In... (Harlequin Superromance) (24 page)

“You’d consider them.” A dullness crept into his voice, scarier than any aspect of his cold demeanor. She wouldn’t let him go down that rabbit hole. She wouldn’t lose him to something so ridiculous.

“Of course I’d consider them.” Sabrina put her hands on her hips. “That would be a perfectly reasonable reaction.” Push and push and nudge and nudge.

“You’d leave.” His tone was a like a gray fog, sucking the life out of everything in the room.

She blinked and felt everything slow. “Noah.”

“You wouldn’t stay.” Her eyes met his.

She opened her mouth, wanting to deny it, her brain screaming at her to deny it, but she couldn’t. She would consider them and she wasn’t going to lie to him. “I didn’t say I’d leave. I said I’d consider them. The two have nothing to do with each other.”

Noah closed his eyes, as though he’d been steeling himself to hear her words and now that he had, all his energy was gone. “I understand.”

“No.” She was desperate to explain. “You don’t. I wouldn’t just leave. I’d think about it. Talk to the people who were important in my life and then make a decision.”

“The way you talked to us last time?” His gaze was calm now. Mr. Mayor was back in the house.

Her arguments faded on her tongue. He was right. It was exactly what she’d done. Why wouldn’t he assume she’d do the same thing? It was her pattern. But she was breaking it. Slashing through the pastel stripes with some flashy red snakeskin. Only she didn’t get a chance to tell him.

“Sabrina. It’s fine.” His tone was gentle, understanding. He had it all under control, while she felt like she was spiraling downward with nothing to grab on to, no one to hold. “I understand your career is important to you and has to come first.”

She watched as his Mr. Mayor persona slipped into place. A smooth, unflappable mask. She wanted to tear it off and rail about the injustice of arguing with someone who wouldn’t argue back. But she felt frozen.

“I encourage you to pursue any opportunity that might come your way.” He smiled, like she was some supporter clamoring for his attention and he was too polite to pawn her off. “We had a good run.”

A good run? Fear and anger surged through her. No, she wasn’t going down. Not without a fight. She’d see how long he could keep up under her onslaught, even as she locked her knees to keep them from trembling. “You can’t shake me, Noah.”

“I’m not trying to.”

Sabrina stepped toward him, not stopping until their bodies bumped. She saw the emotion flare in his gaze before he blinked it away. “Then stop talking like we’re over.”

“We are—”

“No.” She clamped her hand over his lips to keep him quiet. His lips were warm under her palm. She rose onto her tiptoes so she could look him directly in the eye. “I’m. Not. Leaving.” She said each word slowly, distinctly, just in case he’d misunderstood her earlier. “Get that through your skull.”

Noah raised an eyebrow at her, but that was the only indication he’d heard her at all. She waited until she started to feel foolish and slowly lowered her hand.

“Done?”

No, she wasn’t done. She was barely getting started. “You’re being very passive aggressive.”

“I’m not being anything. You just don’t want to hear what I have to say.”

“Because you keep saying the wrong things.” Sabrina scowled up at him. “Stop acting like what we had is finished.”

“Sabrina.” She wavered under that cool, collected authority, but remained in place. “You left, remember? I just got on with life.”

But a life without her? No, she couldn’t imagine it. Her lungs tightened. “I made a mistake. I’m trying to fix it.”

Noah’s smile was gentle, like the one he gave Daisy when she was getting overwrought and needed to be calmed down. “There’s nothing to fix, Sabrina. It’s fine.”

He could speak for himself because she was not fine. Not even a little. “But, Noah.” Her breath caught and the edges of her visions grayed out. She blinked as her pulse thundered through her ears. It felt so final, like he was really saying goodbye. Forever. “I love you.”

She had to say it. She couldn’t hold back any longer. What was the point anyway? She did love him and he needed to know everything before making a decision that could affect the rest of his life. Affect the rest of both of their lives.

Sabrina held her breath and watched as Noah absorbed her information. The veil he protected himself with lifted. Only for a moment, but she saw it. The warming of his gaze, the tilt of joy on his lips and the way his hands automatically reached out to clasp her elbows and pull her even tighter into him.

Then he let go and stepped back, cleared his throat and tried to blink the hope away, but she saw it. Hiding beneath the surface, wanting desperately to appear but afraid. “If you really loved me, you would have stayed.”

“People make mistakes, Noah. You have to forgive me for being human.”

But he just shook his head. “I can’t do this right now, Sabrina. The election...” He trailed off.

“I love you,” she repeated.

“No.” And this time there was nothing lurking below the surface, he just looked sad. “You only think you do.”

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

N
OAH
FELT
LIKE
AN
ASS
watching Sabrina slowly blink and then turn and walk out of his apartment. Out of his life. But things would be better this way. The two of them would go on leading their separate lives. She would figure out what she wanted and go out and do it. He would survive. Because he’d be a fool to think that this time she really was staying.

She wasn’t a small-town girl. Wasn’t that what she’d told him? He rubbed the heel of his hand against his chest. Better that he lock down all those feelings and hide them away where they couldn’t get him into trouble again.

His chest continued to ache even when he rubbed hard enough to leave a bruise. Nothing left to do but get on with things.

Noah forced himself into motion, closing his door once he saw Sabrina was safely in her own apartment, then putting one foot ahead of the other until they led him to the kitchen table. He thumped down in the chair, looking at the bits and pieces of his campaign scattered across the table and told himself that this was enough. The town would remain and he a part of it.

He slept poorly. If what he did that night—namely, looking at the ceiling, counting to one thousand, practicing his talking points—could be called sleeping. The last time he’d looked at his alarm clock it had read five in the morning, which he already knew from the slow lightening of the sky. The next time he opened his eyes was when the clock started wailing at him. He stumbled to the shower, hoping that the spray would do something to refresh him.

It didn’t. Even after a vigorous toweling, his brain remained groggy, his body lethargic. He needed coffee, but he’d forgotten to set the timer on his machine last night. Now he didn’t have time to make any. He was going to have to stop by the coffee shop, go caffeine-free or drink the swill that passed for coffee at the dealership. He suspected the staff of making bad coffee on purpose so that he’d continue to bring them the good stuff on Mondays. He should probably tell them that they’d get the good stuff regardless.

There was no choice. Noah needed the caffeine to function and he wasn’t drinking swill. He hoped Sabrina wasn’t working this morning. Or, at least, wouldn’t be making his coffee. She’d burned it the last time. On purpose. Not that he’d said anything.

Resigned that he was going to have to run the risk of seeing her, he ran a comb through his hair, threw on a suit jacket and headed for the door. Briefly, he thought about leaving by way of the French doors, but that would be like running scared. And he wasn’t scared. He just wasn’t looking for any contact.

So, of course, Sabrina was standing in the entryway, leaning against her door, one leg crossed in front of the other, waiting for him. She straightened, smiling as he stepped out. “Good morning.”

Noah didn’t know what was so good about it. He grunted. And tried not to notice her red boots. Those things were like Kryptonite. He never should have told her about that fantasy of her wearing them with a smile and nothing else. She was shamelessly using them against him now.

Sabrina fell into step beside him as he headed for the front door. “Coffee?” And there in her hand, like nectar from the gods was a steaming cup of what smelled like the most delicious, strong, unburned coffee.

He’d declined last time, able to lift the travel mug he’d made himself, but his hands were empty now. It would be petty not to take it. Also, he was desperate. “Thanks,” he said and drank half the cup in one swallow. He shouldered the door open and held it open for her to exit behind him. He wasn’t a total ass.

But rather than detour toward her own car, she followed him to his. Her boots crunched across the pavement. He stopped short and turned to pin her with a gaze. “Is there something else we have to discuss?”

Her smile was wide and bright, no indication of the falling out they’d had last night. And why did she look as though she’d spent her night in full REM sleep, not even waking up to roll over? “I need a ride.” She raised an eyebrow when he didn’t nod or give any other indication that this would be fine. “You’re going past the coffee shop, right?” She took a step toward him. So close. Like last night.

Noah’s body hardened at the memory as her scent wafted over him. How tempted he’d been to kiss that gorgeous mouth and tangle his hands in her hair. It would be so easy to push the troubling thoughts aside and kiss her now.

Even better pick her up and carry her into his bedroom. But then what? He could fall again. So, so easily. And Sabrina could—no, she
would
—leave just as easily. He remembered why it was a bad idea. He couldn’t put his heart, his trust, in someone who wouldn’t stick around. He didn’t think he could handle the pain.

“You have a vehicle,” he pointed out, refusing to take one step closer or farther away. Either might give her an indication of the inner turmoil currently making the coffee into a whirlpool in his stomach.

“It’s out of gas.” She fluttered her lashes at him and laid a hand on his chest. Noah felt the touch like a brand, forced himself not to react.

“Really.” He didn’t believe her, even before that silly batting of the eyes routine. “Call Vic at the station. He’ll swing by with a jerrican for you.”

“I’ll be late.”

“You’re the boss’s daughter.”

Sabrina pouted at him. Damn, he loved that little jut of her lips. Made him want to run his tongue over them. “I try not to abuse nepotism,” she explained, seemingly unaware of the fact that he was holding on to his control by a thin thread. “You’d understand.”

“Me?” Why would he understand? His father had died long before Noah was ready to enter the workforce and Ellen had never been in a position to offer him or Kyle a free ride. Unless he wanted all the prune juice he could drink.

But Sabrina nodded as though this made perfect sense. “Yes, you. You’re the mayor, but you never use that to your advantage. Even when you should, you don’t trade on your position in this town to make your life easier.”

Her assessment stunned him into stillness. He could still hear the bird songs in the trees around them and still see the leaves fluttering under a gust of morning wind. But for one long moment he didn’t move.

“Don’t look so shocked.” She lifted her hand to pat his cheek. “You’re a good man, Mr. Mayor. The type of man who would give a stranded woman a ride to work.”

Her blatant attempt at manipulation made him smile. Not a large, open smile like hers, but he could feel the corners of his lips tilting up. Even when he told them to stay down.
Bad lips.
“Is your car really out of gas?”

Sabrina looked over her shoulder at the offending vehicle in question. “It could be.”

They both knew it wasn’t. “Let’s check.”

She put her hand back against his chest when he started to move. “Let’s not and say we did.”

“Sabrina.”

“Noah.” She mimicked his tone. The way she had of taking over a space, swamping it with her energy, washed over him.

Again, Noah wondered why he was putting up a fight. Whose battle was this? And then he thought about how it would feel if he let her back in and she left him again. The air in his lungs vanished. He inhaled slowly, cautiously. The way he’d always lived his life until her. The way he should return to living it. “You don’t need a ride.” Very carefully, touching as little of her as possible, he removed her hand and placed it by her side.

“I could.”

“You don’t.” And he needed to get out of here, away from her. “I’ll follow you to make sure you don’t run out of gas.” Once she was safely parked, he’d leave.

And from now on, Kyle could be responsible for getting coffee.

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

S
ABRINA
KNOCKED
ON
Noah’s door causing her new friend to yip.

“Oh, God, Chester. Do not pee all over me,” she whispered to the puppy and was rewarded with a lick from neck to ear. Not quite as good as if it were Noah doing the licking, but there was comfort in the warmth of the wriggling body and the joyful look in the puppy’s eyes when she petted him.

She hugged the little guy, glad that her current landlord allowed pets. More glad that the current landlord was her.

She smiled. Yesterday, she and her parents had finalized the particulars of transferring the title of the apartment into her name. They’d wanted to gift it to her, told her to consider it an early inheritance, but Sabrina wanted to buy it herself.

The amount in her bank account was paltry—wouldn’t even afford her the likes of The Cave in Vancouver—but Wheaton wasn’t Vancouver and housing prices were far more reasonable. Especially when she factored in the daughter discount.

Sabrina had had a busy couple of weeks since the late-night conversation with Noah. Every morning, she waited for him with coffee. Every morning, he accepted. But he still declined her invitations for dinner or an indoor picnic since the weather had turned or just hanging out and watching a movie. Still, she felt like he was starting to believe her when she said she was staying.

He just needed a little more encouragement. She hoped today would provide enough.

Chester burrowed his cold nose into Sabrina’s neck. Good thing he was so cute. She’d adopted him from the animal shelter yesterday and already they were besties. His tags jingled as he wriggled in her arms and she fussed with the extra tag she’d added making sure the “Vote for Barnes” sticker was visible. It was election day and she wanted Noah to know she was fully behind him.

She felt a little faint when she heard the click of the lock and she squeezed Chester, which caused him to bark again. “Hi.” Okay, maybe she should have thought out her greeting.

Noah stared at the pair of them for a moment. Chester tried to jump into Noah’s arms, but Sabrina held him tight. “Good morning.”

“Big day.” Sabrina nudged her way past him into the apartment and put Chester down. He immediately barked and scrabbled across the wood floor, on the scent of something.

“What is that?” Noah’s gaze tracked the dog, who had his head jammed between the couch and a side table, his tail wagging madly.

“That’s a dog. Don’t get out much, do you?”

“You know what I meant.” He pinned her with a look, those beautiful blue eyes finally focusing on her. Not through, not around her. On her. Sabrina might have melted right there if she hadn’t feared that Noah would simply mop her up and put her outside. “What is the dog doing in my apartment?” His eyes narrowed. “Sabrina, he’d better not be a gift.”

“Chester is my dog. Mine. He’s simply here for a visit.” She clasped her hands together when Noah ran his fingers through his hair. She wanted to do that for him. “Consider him a mascot of sorts.”

Noah studied her, only looking away when Chester, apparently bored with his investigation, ran over and slid into his legs.

“He’s still working on stopping,” Sabrina said. Chester, more paw than dog, leaned against Noah’s leg until Noah finally gave in and bent down to scratch him behind the ears.

Chester whined in puppy ecstasy. Sabrina told herself not to be jealous. Not even when Noah crouched down to give the dog a full-body scrub and tell him he was a good boy. His fingers danced over the collar fit for a diva. “Nice collar.”

Sabrina had picked up a pretty, sparkly red one studded with diamonds before heading to the shelter. Daisy had helped. It wasn’t until they got there and Chester stole her heart that Sabrina realized she should have bought something neutral. Oh, well. It had looked sparkly and pretty in the store, and it looked just as sparkly and pretty around Chester’s neck. “He’s comfortable with his manhood,” Sabrina told Noah.

A smile quirked the corner of his mouth. Her heart, which had been living in the vicinity of her toes these past few weeks lifted. Only to her knees, but it was a noticeable improvement.

“I wanted to wish you good luck, though I’m sure you won’t need it.”

“Thanks.” His smile flickered again.

Sabrina wanted to hug him, but she held back. Marissa had said she needed to let Noah come to her now. She’d made her position clear and after today, everyone in town would know it. Her pulse raced a little when she thought about what she’d done, but she shoved the trickle of fear away. Trish wouldn’t fire her. Probably. No matter the outcome, it would be worth it. It had to be. “Have you read the paper yet?”

Noah pointed to the folded-up edition sitting on his table. Her unopened envelope sat beside it. She felt a slice of pain lance through her, but kept her smile in place as she walked over to pick up the envelope and wave it at him. “Not much for reading, I see?”

He had the grace to look embarrassed. “Yeah. I’ve been busy.”

He’d had time to read her letter if he’d wanted to. Then again, he hadn’t thrown it away, either. The rest of the house was immaculate. No old papers or mail waiting to be tossed. Everything neatly filed and in order. So perhaps this situation wasn’t as bad as it first appeared. “Well, maybe you can read it later. After the election.”

He nodded.

“You should read the paper, too. The online edition.”

His brow furrowed. “Aren’t they the same?”

“Usually.” Sabrina paused, but Noah didn’t ask for an explanation. Neither of them said anything for a moment. Why didn’t he say something? Recognize the significance of Chester, who would not be easy to take to the city? Ask how her career at the paper was coming along? Mention her red cowboy boots? Instead, he just watched her, those blue eyes as silent as his lips. “Well, I should get going. You’ve got a busy day and I need to vote.”

Noah nodded and gave Chester one final pat. Chester, who’d rolled onto his back, stopped wagging, looked up and yipped.

“Come on, buddy.” Sabrina patted her thigh to call Chester. She scooped up the bundle of energy and prepared to leave. Perhaps this would be their future. Casual conversation that never delved beneath the surface, a good rub for her dog and then they’d go off on their separate ways.

“Sabrina?”

His voice pulled her back. She held her breath and squeezed her dog until he yelped. She loosened her grip from death to chokehold and tried to look like nothing had happened. Nope. No dog barking here.

“You look good.”

Thank God for red cowboy boots.

* * *

N
OAH
SAT
IN
HIS
OFFICE
while his supporters mingled outside on the floor of the dealership. They’d closed down sales and turned the floor into the campaign war room for the day. No one was going to buy a used truck or a new car with all the election excitement anyway. Large-screen televisions were set up around the floor space, tables loaded with campaign paraphernalia. Nets holding streamers and balloons were hung overhead ready to be opened when, or if, Noah was announced as the winner. Supporters mingled around, nibbling from the plates of food set up, proudly sporting their “Vote for Barnes” buttons.

It had a different feel than the previous elections when Noah had run unopposed. Those years, they’d thrown the same party but there had been no sense of urgency. He would be the mayor, and that was that. They’d spent more time debating the merits of the other mayoral races happening across the province, since by law every city and town held elections on the same day.

This year the mood was high. Noah was the only one not enjoying the buzz, which was why he’d excused himself and taken up residence in his office. Why had Sabrina decided to invite herself into his apartment on this morning of all mornings? And what was with the dog? Noah wondered who’d care for the dog when Sabrina inevitably left. Perhaps he should offer. He could use a companion.

He fiddled with her letter, which for some reason he’d grabbed before exiting his apartment. He’d gotten as far as opening it, but hadn’t yet pulled out the pages. Did he really want to do this? Especially today, when he had other things on his mind?

“You need to see this.” Noah looked up to see his brother walking through his office door, waving an iPad at him. Kyle had downloaded an app that kept track of the votes as they were reported and was proudly showing it off to everyone at the dealership.

“Is the vote close?” Noah put the envelope down, glad to push it aside for the moment, and focused on his brother. Although no one said it, this was no ordinary Election Day. It was the first time Noah had faced competition and though early polls suggested an easy victory, Noah had learned not to take anything for granted. His muscles tensed.

“It’s not about the vote.” Kyle placed the tablet on Noah’s desk and angled the screen to face him.

Noah glanced at the screen, which displayed an article about the election. Why did Kyle want him to read this now? The election was under way. Half the votes were probably already cast. He frowned and looked back at his brother. “Can this wait? I’m a little busy.”

“No, you’re not. Read.” Kyle maintained his position. “Marissa sent me in here. And Mom. You know I can’t leave without making an effort.”

“Wimp,” Noah said. As though he’d have done anything different. But he picked up the tablet. “Happy?”

“I’ll wait.” Kyle crossed his arms over his chest.

Noah huffed out a breath. His brother knew him too well. He’d planned give a cursory examination to the article, then return the tablet to his brother and do his best to forget all about it. Apparently that would not be permitted. Slowly, he scanned the paper and found Sabrina’s byline. His lungs seized. He didn’t know what she’d written, but he was sure he’d prefer to read it later. In the privacy of his own home.

When people talk about a home, they usually mean a building. A place to lay your head. A place to eat. A place to raise your family. For me, home is something different.

It’s a person.

And his home is here in Wheaton.

Noah inhaled slowly.

He gives this
town all of himself. He protects the residents. He makes the hard decisions. He asks for nothing in return. In short, he’s the heart of this town.

I could go on extolling all his virtues, of which there are many, but that would probably embarrass him. He likes to pretend that he doesn’t deserve any special treatment or accolades, that he’s just a regular resident. But he’s so much more. His opponent? Well, my mother always said that if I had nothing nice to say I shouldn’t say anything.

Trish wanted this to be a balanced article, highlighting both candidates. She’s not going to be too pleased when she sees this. But if this means that just one of you, one single person who didn’t plan to vote, will now head to your polling station and vote for Noah, then I’m satisfied. Even if it means I’ll never work in this town again. (Well, except for the coffee shop. Love you, Mom and Dad.)

There’s only one candidate who’s right for this town. And one candidate who’s right for me.

Noah Barnes. Go vote for him.

Noah blinked, read the article again, his breath caught in his chest. Sabrina had written this. For him. Potentially putting her job at the paper at risk. She loved that job. He looked up at his brother.

“Well?” Kyle asked.

But Noah didn’t respond. Thoughts churned through his mind. Would she stay? Really? Could he trust her not to leave this time? “She’s just trying to help me win.”

Kyle shook his head. “No, that’s not the only reason. You know she bought a dog.”

“Chester.”

Kyle nodded. “She bought the apartment, too. I think she’s serious when she says she isn’t leaving.”

“She bought the apartment?”

“That’s what she told Marissa.” He smiled. “You should talk to her.”

He wanted to. Badly. His eyes strayed to the envelope. But what would he find inside? Another viewpoint? One where she told him that she had to go? And which one was real? Noah rubbed the back of his neck. “I’ll come join you in a minute,” he told his brother.

He handed back the tablet, but remained seated at his desk, waiting until the door clicked shut before picking up the envelope again. The paper smelled like her. Did he really want to know what she’d written? He tapped the corner against the desk.

“Hell with it.” He slipped the pages out and flattened them. Whatever she’d written couldn’t be as bad as not knowing.

Noah,

I don’t know what to write.

I want you to know this was a difficult decision for me. I’m used to being on my own. Not that my parents aren’t fully loving and supportive, but I haven’t had to answer to them or anyone in years. It’s always just been me. What do I want? What works best for me? (Only-child syndrome. Me, me, me.)

But I thought about you when I made this decision. Your kindness. Your smile. The way you look at me. The way my chest squeezes when you walk into my apartment. The way you make me feel like I belong. The way I’m not sure I’ll be able to let you go.

Because I know that if I stayed, it would be forever. That scares me. I’m not ready to give up my career dreams yet. I feel like I’ve still got something to prove. And I want to know that when and if I come back, it was my choice.

I thought about rewriting this, cleaning up the bits I crossed out and polishing it until it was worthy of publication. As you can see, I decided against it. This is me. Mistakes, crossed-out sentences, poor word choices. Poor life choices? Probably.

I’ll probably regret this decision one day. I’m sorry. I wish you could come with me, but your life is in Wheaton. I couldn’t ask you to leave the town you love so much. That wouldn’t be fair to you. I love you too much to ask that of you.

No, scratch that. I love you.

Sabrina

Noah’s lungs contracted. This wasn’t what he’d expected. Sabrina had wanted him to come with her? He reread that line to make sure he hadn’t seen what he wanted to rather than what was there. But no, that was what she’d written. A flush of heat stole through him. And now she was back, according to her letter because she’d chosen to return.