I had an afternoon on the porch almost identical to the one my mother and I had so many years before. He might not be my grandfather by blood, but in every way, he’s family. He knows all my secrets. Knows my heart and how much I love his home. He never mentioned that he wanted to move. And that hurts. Not that I’m surprised, because it’s a huge house. Big enough for a family of five or six. It’s not a typical house for a single guy and Richard isn’t necessarily young. It’s too much of a house for him to take care of on his own.
Chris knew of him, and had met him a few times. But our relationship? The friendship that Mr. Richard Noosma and I shared? It was ours. He didn’t have much in the way of family and neither did I. His wife has been gone for over thirty years and from what I understand, his house has been in his family for generations.
I swallow hard. “Yeah, I know it. I’m just a bit surprised he’s getting rid of it. I thought the house had been in his family for a while.”
He looks at me closely as if trying to figure out a puzzle. “He only had one son and he doesn’t want to live there. Noosma still owns some of the land that he’ll rent for someone else to farm so it’s not like he’s getting rid of everything, but he’s ready to be in a smaller home.” Why wouldn’t his son want to live there? And he’d just up and sell it to some random person who doesn’t already love the home?
“Do you really want that big of a house?” I clip, not meaning to be short with him but not being able to stop myself.
He shrugs and I want to shove his shoulder out of frustration. I don’t know why, other than for some reason, I feel this sudden betrayal by a man who I felt was family. And since he’s not here, that frustration and anger is directed at Beau. But Beau knows me better than anyone else and I’m sure he can tell there’s a reason to my shortness.
We’re both silent, his gaze curious and trained on me as he tries to figure me out. Annoying.
I shake my head slowly and say, “I don’t think I’d ever leave if I lived there.”
Beau’s stare slowly begins to heat and I squirm under the intensity of it. “You like the house?”
“Let’s just say it has sentimental value to me,” I explain softly.
That seems to surprise him. “Really?”
I nod to confirm. “It does.”
His voice is scratchy and eyebrows furrowed when he responds, “I never realized.”
“Well, now you know that if you buy it, plan on me stopping over plenty to sit on that front porch,” I say, smiling and hoping to lighten the mood a bit.
“That’s a burden I might be willing to take.” He smirks and I roll my eyes.
I open my car door and he steps back. “All right. I’ll meet you at my house. I’ll call a pizza order in along the way.”
“Meat,” he says simply as he points at me and I laugh.
“Like I don’t know what you like on your pizza.”
“Hey, you’re always trying to sneak veggies into Zoey’s food and I have no doubt you’d do the same to me.”
“You said so yourself, you’re a growing boy.”
He lifts his arm and does a goofy flex to show off his ridiculously huge bicep.
I scoff and climb into my car. “Let’s go, showoff.”
I hear him shout, “You love it!” right before I shut my door and dammit, he’s right. I do.
Chapter Nine
Beau
I’m playing a dangerous game. One that I know will turn out one of two ways. Either really good. Or really, really, freaking badly.
One thing I’m not, is a liar. Not even lying by omission. Especially when it comes to Addy.
As I make the final turn to go down the street that leads to Addy’s house, I try to decide whether I need to psych myself up and admit why I’m looking at Richard Noosma’s house, or if I should just let it ride for a little while.
I pull into her driveway behind her tiny SUV that she just parked in her garage and park my pickup. As soon as I see her smile at me before walking into the house, I know I’m going to be holding my secret safe for a little while longer. Today was