Noah grinned at her. “Same.”
“Favorite store for furniture?”
“Pottery Barn,” Noah said without hesitation.
Grace actually gasped. “What? Have you ever even beenina Pottery Barn?”
“Of course. Briefly. I like their stuff. You don’t?”
“Sure. But it isn’t my favorite.” Why would a place that sold mass-market anything to anyone be his favorite when he could affordanything?
“What is?” Noah asked.
“There’s a store in Venice Beach called Mi Casa. We’ll go. You’ll love it.”
“I’ve been there. Love it. You have excellent taste,” Emily said.
“What’s more important, cost or aesthetic?”
Noah said aesthetic while Grace answered the opposite.
Lifting her shoulders, she changed her answer. “Actually, since it’s not my money, I’ll go with aesthetic too.”
Both of them laughed. The rest of the interview was painless and, according to Emily, a great launching point for their impending success. When she left, Noah stood by the door while Grace gathered her things.
Memories of the night before brought back tingles with a side of renewed embarrassment. She had to go. Her ideas were swirling and Noah tended to muddle her brain. The less time alone they spent together until she could stop thinking about the way he made her skin tingle with just a look, the better.
“You look ready to bolt,” Noah said, leaning his shoulder against the wall.
Was it okay that he could read her so easily?He considers you a friend. Think of him that way.“Sort of. It was great but overwhelming.”
“I might not have planned to ask but I’m really glad it’s you.”
The muscles surrounding her heart spasmed. “Me too.”
He hesitated a second, then asked, “You ever feel like life leads you where you’re supposed to be, even if you don’t know why?”
Grace looked at the floor a moment, catching her breath. When she looked back up, he was still staring. “Not really. I guess I’ve worked too hard to get where I am, and it’s felt like a grind every step of the way. Either way, I’m glad we landed next door to each other.”
He chuckled. “Something I never thought I’d hear you say.”
“Trust me,” she said, opening the door, “I’m every bit as surprised as you are.”
22
Noah pressed Decline when his father’s number popped up on his phone. He didn’t need to speak to him, since he knew exactly how the conversation would go. He did, however, pick up when Wes’s number flashed on the screen.
“Hey, man. How’s it going?”
“It’d be better if my two idiot brothers weren’t screening Dad’s calls. Or if I hadn’t come in to the office today so he couldn’t keep storming in every time one of you ignores him.”
Despite the frustration evident in his brother’s tone, Noah grinned. “Whose fault is that? We both told you to come out here.” Noah poured another cup of coffee. Grace would be there shortly.
“I’m in the middle of three projects right now, all of which Dad lost interest in but I want to see through. Maybe cut me some slack for not having time to come surf or whatever the hell it is you do with all your time.”
Noah’s fingers clenched around the cup. “Actually, asshat, I’m pretty busy myself with this remodel and renovation. This place is going to be featured inHome and Heartmagazine.” Tellinghis brother about the three-on-three event was on the tip of his tongue.
“Shit. That’s huge, man. No wonder you’re dodging Dad’s calls. Congrats. I’m proud of you.”
