My Grumpy Old Bear - Jayda Marx Page 0,19
make her life easier. I never knew my dad because he didn’t want a son; you wanted a relationship with yours but you weren’t allowed to have one and I’m just so sorry!” He wept harder, soaking my shirt through to my skin. “I wish I could take this away for you. I wish I could make it better.”
“Oh, Sunshine,” I whispered, rubbing my hand in circles over his back, “You’re helping me more than you know.” Though it was something I hadn’t done in years, I lost the war I was having with my own tears, and a few slid down my cheeks into Noah’s hair. He flinched when he felt them and sat up, staring at me in amazement and sorrow for a moment before wiping my face dry. “Sorry,” I muttered before clearing my throat and getting myself back under control. “I didn’t mean to ruin our date.”
“No, no, no,” Sunshine said quickly, wiping his own face. “I want this, Brooks. I told you I wanted to know everything about you and I meant it. I don’t want you to keep secrets from me; I want the good and the bad. I won’t keep secrets from you either. We’re a team. That means we’re here for each other; you can lean on me and I can lean on you, okay?”
“Okay,” I whispered, and thumbed away one last tear that escaped the corner of Noah’s eye. “Thank you.” I kissed him softly and he gave me a sad smile before laying his head on my shoulder, not caring it was soaked with his own tears. I circled my arm around his waist and we sat in silence. I don’t know how long we stayed like that; each of us wrapped up in our own thoughts. I reflected on Beth and Jonathan, what I could have done differently, and how much I cared for the sweet man by my side.
Finally, Noah raised his head and put his hand on my knee. “Do you have a picture of Jonathan?”
My heart swelled. Not only did my wonderful man hold no animosity towards me for my past or dropping this bomb on him during the date he’d planned for us, he was accepting and even supportive of my having a son and my wish to have a relationship with him.
I pulled my phone from my pocket. “I have a few. Before he blocked me from Facebook, I took some screenshots of his page. Is that creepy?” Noah huffed a laugh and shook his head no. I tapped my gallery and pulled up my favorite picture of Jonathan; he had his arms crossed and was giving an ornery lopsided grin at whoever was taking the photo. I passed my phone to Noah, who beamed when he saw my son.
“He has your eyes.” Jonathan had my same gray eyes, but his hair was black where mine had turned gray. He even had a scruffy beard like mine and was tall and thick like me. Sunshine bumped his shoulder into mine. “And your smirk.” I huffed a laugh of my own. “It’s a good picture,” Noah said as he handed my phone back to me, and I stuck it in my pocket. “You should print it out and hang it up in your house to remind you of him. I know things are tough between you two right now, but I also know he holds a special place in your heart. I have faith that things will get better over time, and I promise to help you any way I can.”
And that was the very moment I fell in love with Noah Graham. It was like he unlocked a chain around my heart and let out all the feelings I’d held back for years. Maybe forever. Sure, it was our first date (second by Noah’s count), but I knew the man and the goodness within him. I wouldn’t tell him my revelation yet; it was fast and I didn’t want him to think I was fucking crazy or that I was only saying it because of the high emotions of the moment. But I knew it. I felt it.
I didn’t know what I should say, so I leaned in and took Noah’s lips with mine again, kissing him deeply and slowly. I poured my gratitude, appreciation and affection out to him and hoped he could taste it. When I pulled away, Noah cupped my cheek and gave me an easy smile.
“Are you hungry?”
“Starving. I was