Shrugging, I smile and scoff, “Uber?”
She clicks her tongue. “Don’t be silly. I will let you borrow my car. On the condition that you come back for Christmas. You should be with loved ones on Christmas. Don’t spend it alone.”
Pulling my hands away, I wipe the tears flooding my cheeks. “Deal.”
She gestures to my hot cocoa before asking, “Can I tell you a secret?”
“Of course.” I take a sip.
“When you first arrived here, I was shocked by your appearance. Not because there is anything wrong with it. But because Noelle must have forgotten how tech-savvy her mother is. When Noelle first told me about Katy, through mutual friends, I found her on Facebook. So, I was expecting a freckled redhead to walk through the door. Much to my surprise, either you had somehow removed your freckles and dyed your hair or you weren’t Katy.” She laughs. “Either way, I’m glad you’re here.”
My jaw must be on the floor from her confession. “You knew? This whole time?”
She looks at me with such pride in her eyes. “Yes.” She laughs. “I did quite well, keeping your secret safe. Aside from telling Scott, of course. He felt the same way. We didn’t care if you weren’t Katy. We just care how you treat Noelle.”
Gulping, I push back more tears from falling. No time for crying right now. I need to get this taken care of as soon as I can so that I can get back here.
“Thank you.” My voice cracks.
She nods and walks around the island and pulls me into a hug. The dams on my tear ducts crumble, and I gasp at her warmth.
I wanted their approval so badly, even when I didn’t realize it. To know they knew our secret this whole time and still accepted me means everything.
“All right, what else do you need? Have you told Noelle?” she asks as she pulls away.
“Not yet. I’m not sure exactly what to say.”
She contemplates and checks the time again. “You have a two-hour drive ahead of you. You get ready and go. With Scott with them, they won’t be back for a few hours anyway. I’ll try to fill her in, and that will give you some time to get your thoughts together.” She rubs my shoulders up and down. “My keys to the BMW Alpine are on a fuzzy blue key chain on the rack. Drive safe. And don’t forget to come back tomorrow.”
“I wouldn’t miss it for the world,” I reassure her. “Do you have a slip of paper? I want to leave her a note.”
She turns and rifles in a drawer before pulling out a sticky notepad and a pen.
“Thanks,” I say, clicking the pen.
Hi, babe.
I’m sorry to do this at the last minute before Christmas. I am going home to meet Nic and take care of everything. To make it up to you, I’ll give you your present early. Under your side of the bed is a wrapped present. It is the most beautiful piece I have ever created.
Merry Christmas, Noelle.
Xoxo,
Kat
Folding the note, I rush upstairs and lay it on her pillow before slipping the portrait I did of that night when I saw her. The night everything changed.
Hustling, I make it out to Nancy’s car as fast as I can and pull out of the driveway. A swirl of emotions beats through my heart at once.
As I follow my phone’s instructions back to the house, I can’t get her out of my head. Her mesmerizing blue eyes, her honey-blonde hair, her silky skin. Her laugh, her energy, everything about her.
Flashes of our moments together mix with flashbacks of Nic and me as I close the distance between Saranac Lake and the house. Bittersweet is the only way to describe what I’m feeling.
As I pull into the driveway, putting the car in park feels sadder than usual. I think people would judge me for being sad for divorcing Nic which seeing someone else. Because I wasn’t happy, not truly. I just convinced myself that it was enough. But it still closing a door on a major part of my life, and that alone is emotional in itself.
The front door opens as I open the car door. Nic is his usual stoic self, but there’s something else, a lightness to how he’s standing. This is as much of a good thing for me as it is for him.
Once I pass through the threshold, he follows behind me. Approaching the dining room table, I see the papers sitting on the stained oak.
