Chapter 13
Noah stepped out of Savannah’s shower and dried off with the towel she’d left on the counter. Her bathroom smelled like her – jasmine and gardenia.
And, he supposed, he smelled like her, too, now, since he’d just used her soap.
He smiled at the thought of smelling like a girl.
His daughter would give him a really hard time if she knew.
He went to the sink, dug around in his man bag and pulled out his toothbrush and toothpaste. While brushing his teeth, he noticed that the sink had a drip.
He would have to fix that.
He pulled on a fresh pair of jeans and a sweatshirt before wiping up after himself and, walking through her bedroom, went to find Savannah.
Walking around in her house was a little presumptuous, he would be the first to admit.
However, they had spent a great deal of time together lately and it felt, well, normal.
At least to him.
Perhaps he should ask her if she was ok with him being there.
Was it a bit too late?
He found her in her laundry room, sorting clothes and putting a load in the washer.
“Did you know you have a leak in your bathroom?”
She looked over her shoulder. “Oh yeah. I’ve kind of gotten used to it. I’ll try to remember to call a plumber Monday. I don’t really want to pay the weekend rate.”
“You shouldn’t have to pay a plumber for that at all.”
She turned and looked at him.
“Where are your tools?” he asked.
“What kind of tools?”
“An adjustable wrench,” he said, a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach.
“I don’t think I have one of those. I only have a few tools.”
She pulled a basket from a shelf next to her dryer.
She had a couple of screwdrivers, a hammer, and tape measure. No wrench.
“Is this it?” he asked.
“I have some scissors and some glue in the kitchen.”
“All right,” he said. “I think I saw a hardware store on the way in. I’ll run get what I need.”
“There’s no need to do that,” she insisted. “I have a plumbing company that will come out and take care of it.”
“You’re cute,” he said. “But don’t you dare pay a plumber to come out and fix that faucet.”
“All right,” she said, pressing buttons on the washer.
He liked her calmness. Her ability to not worry about things.
He also found it charming that there were basic things she didn’t know how to fix and really didn’t want to know how to fix.
He always figured that if a woman could fix everything, she would have no use for a man around the house.
“I’ll be back in a few minutes.”
“Okay,” she agreed, shooting him a quick smile before going back to sorting clothes.
He locked the front door behind him. She’d just have to let him back in. And drove the couple of miles to the local hardware store.
He purchased a wrench, some replacement washers, just in case, and some O-rings.
Back in the car, his phone beeped indicating a text message. Thinking it was Savannah adding something to his list, he picked up his phone with a smile on his face.
His smile quickly faded into a frown. It was a text from his daughter.
Daddy, can we talk?
Noah groaned and ran a hand through his hair. Conversations with his daughter were never short and simple. She took after her mother in that way
“Is it urgent?” he dictated to Siri.
Not an emergency.
He’d taught both his wife and daughter a long time ago not to contact him while he was at work unless it was an emergency.
Ever since that time he’d been taxing out on a runway at DIA and got a message from his daughter urging him to come home. She needed help.
It had taken some work, but he’d managed to turn the plane around, get off the plane, and make it home.
The emergency was a lost teddy bear.
The passengers had been told there was a problem with the engine.
Danielle had been five, but that hadn’t happened again. Her mother had taken the blame for that one.
But he wasn’t working today. This was a Savannah day. As he waged an emotional war with himself, he dictated to Siri.
“Can it wait until Monday?”
No response.
Noah closed his eyes and knocked his head against the back of his seat.
“I’ll be home Monday. Let’s talk then.”
Silence on the other end.
Ok. The text came in finally.
Noah groaned and dialed his daughter’s number.
“Hey Baby,” he said when she answered.
“Hi Daddy.”
“What’s wrong honey?”
“Nothing. I just wanted to hear your voice.”
“Are you ok? Any trouble with boys?”
Was that a laugh or a snort? “I’m taking a break from boys.”
“Seriously? Hold on. I think I dialed the wrong number.”
It was a laugh this time. “Maybe not completely, but I’m trying to get ready for graduation.”
“I know, Baby, you have lots to do.”
“It’s a lot.”
“Do you need me to help you with anything?”
“Not really.”
“Ok, honey, I’ll see you next week, ok?”
“Ok, Daddy.”
“Think about where you want to go eat.”
“I will.”
“I love you sweetheart.”
“I love you, too, Daddy.”
Noah breathed a sigh of relief. He put the car in gear and started back toward Savannah’s house.
He did not need to be worried about his family when he was with Savannah. She deserved more than that.
His mood a little heavier, he drove back to Savannah’s and stood on the front porch ringing the doorbell like any Joe Blow.
That, too, added to his foul mood.
She opened the door.
“I’ll just be a minute,” he said.
He went up to the bathroom and after turning off the water supply, tightened the screws and, true to his word, no more leaky faucet.
Savannah came into the bathroom, admired his work, and putting a hand on his shoulder, pressed her lips against his.
Almost like a magic spell, his black mood dissipated and he even forgot why he’d been in a bad mood to start with.
“I suppose I should have asked,” he said, “if you minded if I came to visit.
“It might be a little late for that, don’t you think? I mean, you’ve done it now. You’ve cleaned the yard and fixed a leaky faucet and you’ve been here, what, less than two hours. I think I might have to keep you.”
“Is that so?” he said, nuzzling her neck.
“It is so,” she said, her eyes drifting closed.
“We may have to see about that.”
“Right,” she said, as his lips claimed hers again.
Without taking his lips off hers, he put one arm beneath her shoulders and one beneath her knees and lifted her into his arms.
He took her to the little settee he’d scoped out earlier, purposely avoiding her bed, and sat down with her in his lap Their lips merged, hungrily. She laced her fingers through his hair and he put one hand behind her neck, his fingers splayed on her cheek, holding her close.
She moaned softly, fueling his desire.
And reminded him of his promise to himself. Not to push her.
Not to rush things.
He pulled his lips away and held her tight against him, feeling her heartbeat pounding against his chest.
“You probably had lots to do today,” he murmured against her ear.
“I did have lots to do today,” she said.
His fingertips made gentle circles on her back.
“You have something planned, don’t you?” she asked, her voice muffled against his chest.
He nudged her back, smiled into her eyes. Tucked her still damp hair behind her ear. “Nothing gets by you, does it?”
“What is it?” she asked.
His expression turned sheepish. “I thought we could go to the game tonight.”
Her eyes widened. “Football?”
“Auburn,” he said. “We always went to the Auburn games.”
“We were college students.” She looked askance at him. “You still go to college football games?”
“No,” he said. “I haven’t been to a college football game since I left here. I usually go to see the Cowboys.”
“Oh wow,” he felt her pull back imperceptibly.
“It’s ok,” he said, “I won’t make you go.”
She laughed and relief shot through him. “It’s ok. It might be fun. I haven’t been in… a really long time.”
He smiled broadly. “The game starts at 3:00.”
She sat up. “I really needed to do some things today.”
“Ok. I’ll help you. What do we have to do?”
“I have to buy groceries. And pick up my meds from the pharmacy. And dry cleaning. Saturdays and Sundays are catch up days.”
“We already cleaned the yard and fixed the faucet leak. I think we’re on a roll.”
“Ok, then,” she said. “Let me get myself ready and we’ll get started. I think we can make the game.”
She disappeared into the bathroom and he breathed a sigh of relief.
She hadn’t rejected him.
He knew he had a bad habit of just imposing himself. Somehow it seemed so much easier to get forgiveness than permission. He’d started to call a hundred times. Hey, how’s it going? Want to spend the weekend together?
Besides, he hadn’t been a hundred percent sure he could get away until yesterday.
Savannah straightened her hair and pulled it back into a ponytail, tying a navy-blue bow to hold it in place. The bow was something she’d picked up to give her niece for her birthday, but she could easily pick up another one later. She put on an oversized gray sweater with her jeans and mid-thigh boots.
Studied her appearance in the mirror. The glow on her face could not be manufactured. Her heart was beating a little faster than normal.
She realized she was the most genuinely happy that she had been in a very long time. But she quickly decided that it was unwise to contemplate just how very long that had been.
She went downstairs to find Noah stretched out on her couch, his feet on the coffee table – no shoes. His attention focused on his iPad.
He still set her heart aflutter.
She was still amazed that he was there. In her home.
It was almost like they’d never been apart.
Almost.
“Ready?” she asked.
He put his iPad aside and, standing up, held out his arms.
She went into them.
“Thanks for letting me just barge in like this.”
“Did I have a choice?” she asked teasingly.
“Always,” he said, seriously.
She pulled back. “I’m happy you’re here.”
“Are you sure?” he asked.
“Absolutely,” she said, smiling.
“Ok, then.”
“Let’s take my car.”
She drove to the pharmacy drive-in first, pointing out things along the way that had changed since he’d been there. Things like the shopping center and the new stadium seating movie theatre.
“Are you hungry?” he asked. “We should eat lunch.”
They went to a sandwich shop next. The crowd was boisterous, filled with college students and alumni getting ready for the game.
“They look so young,” he commented.
“You really haven’t been back since graduation.”
“Not once.”
The server brought their burgers and fries.
“And you never left,” he said.
“I lived in Birmingham for a few years – first with my mom, then in an apartment.”
“What brought you back to Auburn?”
“I always thought the lake was where I wanted to live,” she said, setting down the ketchup bottle after an unsuccessful battle.
He took the ketchup bottle, got it started, handed it back.
“When I was ready to build, I just knew.”
“I love your house.”
“Thank you,” she said. “I designed it myself.”
“No. Now you’re kidding me.”
She laughed. “I’m not kidding. I took a basic blueprint and changed some things around.”
“Now I’m seriously impressed.”
“Really?”
“Absolutely. It’s one more thing about you that impresses me. You’re very impressive.”
“I’m just ordinary.”
Noah laughed. “I don’t think you have an ordinary bone in your body.”
She smiled. Took a bite of her burger.
What was he up to? There were so many things she wanted to ask him. So many things he would tell her when he was ready. However… if he didn’t start talking soon, she would have to start asking. Perhaps there was no time like the present to start the conversation.
“Tell me about your daughter.”
His eyes widened with that deer in the headlights expression that came with unexpected questions. It only fueled her determination to start asking for the information she wanted to know. Nonetheless, she took pity on him. “Does she have a boyfriend?”
“Danielle has had a string of boyfriends since she was fifteen.”
Savannah laughed.
“You just think it’s funny.”
“Well, she is pretty.”
“Having a pretty daughter is sometimes actually a curse.”
“What about you? Does she have you wrapped around her little finger?”
“Of course,” he said. “Though the divorce has put some strain on our relationship.”
Now we’re getting somewhere.
“Where did you say she was planning to go to college?”
“There are a couple of universities in Dallas that she’s looking at.”
“Not following daddy’s footsteps?”
He scoffed. “Not at all. She’s planning to major in nursing.”
“That is a bit different from aviation. Does she take after her mother?”
“No,” he said, keeping his eyes focused on his plate.
Ok, so obviously this was not a conversation he was ready for.
“Do you know who Auburn is playing?” she asked. Switching a conversation that wasn’t going well was one of the things she was good at.
“Ole Miss,” he said.
“Uh oh,” she said.
“Yeah, we lost last year, but we won the previous two years.”
“You have kept up.”
He shrugged. Smiled. “I googled it.”
She shook her head. “And here I thought you were one of those men who keeps up with his alma mater.”
“A lot of people do.”
“I know. Especially in a college town.”
At least he was distracted now from the mention of his soon to be ex-wife.
A few minutes later, the server brought the ticket. “Who gets the honor?”
Noah took the ticket. “It seems dating has changed over the years.”
“Maybe she didn’t think we were dating.”
“Really?” He leaned across table, put his hand over hers. “Then we need to do more things to let people know that we’re a couple.”
“You want people to think we’re a couple?”
He smiled wickedly. “I think we make a cute couple.”
Unsure what to say, she allowed him to lace their fingers together.
She most definitely had questions to be answered.
Their next stop was the grocery store. Savannah had a habit of bringing a list with her, but she’d forgot and left it on the counter. So, as Noah pushed the cart, she picked up the necessary things she could remember that she needed. She didn’t have to travel next week, so she bought vegetables for salads, yogurt, and multi-grains.
“Do you need anything?” she asked as they approached the checkout counter.
“Do you have eggs?”
“I think so.”
“I’ll grab a carton, just in case,” Noah said, and headed back to the dairy section.
“I’ll wait here,” Savannah said as Noah headed back to get the eggs.
The line was unusually long, but then it was game day.
As she waited, a man in his mid-forties wearing navy scrubs walked up to her.
“Savannah?” he asked.
She turned. It took a moment, but she recognized him from one of her early clinic assignments. What was his name? He was a nurse practitioner. “Yes,” she said, putting on her professional smile. “Hi, how are you?”
“I’m good.”
“It’s been awhile. Are you still at the family clinic?”
“Unfortunately, yes,” he said with a laugh. “So… you stopped coming around.”
“Yeah,” Savannah said. “I got reassigned.”
“Oh. That’s too bad. I was hoping we could do lunch or even coffee.”
Savannah saw Noah coming toward her out of the corner of her eye. “Oh, well, that would have been nice. But I’ve got to run for now. It was good to see you.”
Noah came up next to her. “I got some cheese, too,” he said.
The line moved and Savannah began putting things on the counter.
“I’ll see you around, Savannah,” the nurse practitioner said.
“Sure,” she said, turning with a quick smile in his direction. “Later.”
He went to the next checkout line and out of earshot.
Noah helped her put the groceries on the counter and waited while she checked out.
Together they carried the bags to the car. Savannah didn’t see the nurse practitioner again. Relieved to have gotten out of that situation, she took her place behind the wheel.
Noah had been quiet since they’d checked out.
“Who was that guy?”
Savannah didn’t even try to play dumb. She knew exactly who he was talking about. “I don’t even remember his name. I think he’s a nurse practitioner at one of the clinics I used to go to in Birmingham.”
“And he recognized you.”
She backed out and pulled out of the parking lot. “I guess it’s a hazard of the job.”
“I have that, too, sometimes.”
“Job hazards?”
“Yeah. Flight attendants. Sometimes they take advantage of access to pilots. I guess doctors do that with drug reps, too.”
“Way more often than I would like.”
“Do you enjoy your job?”
“I do,” she said. “In spite of the job hazards.”
“That’s important.”
He was being far too quiet. “Should we go ahead to the stadium?” she asked, checking the time.
“Sure.
“Do you?” She turned on her blinker and got on the highway. “Do you enjoy your job?”
“I like flying.”
“I don’t think that’s exactly the question.”
“No, you’re right. It’s not. I was waiting for the right time to tell you.”
“What is it, Noah?”
“I turned in my resignation this week.”
“What? Why?”
“I got a better offer,” he said, with a tentative smile on his face.
“This is kind of a big deal.”
“I suppose it is.”
“Are you going to tell me about this better offer?”
“I’m going to be doing contract work.”
She wracked her memory. “I don’t remember you wanting to do contract work. I mean, you mentioned it last week, but I didn’t think you were serious. All I remember is you wanting to fly for the airlines.”
“It seems like it’s time for a change.”
“Do you have clients set up? Or connections?”
He went over the highlights of his deal with Sam.
“Noah, that sounds awesome. It’ll give you more flexibility, right?”
“That’s the plan.”
“Are you excited about it?”
“I’m a little apprehensive about leaving behind the security, but yeah, I’m looking forward to it.”
It seemed like there was something he wasn’t telling her, but she would have to ask him later. They pulled up to the stadium and she focused on finding a place to park.
Tailgaters were everywhere. The smell of different foods reminded Savannah of a county fair. The smells combined with the noise. People yelling. Cheering. The band was warming up somewhere in the distance.
As they made their way through the crowd to the gate, Savannah heard the cheerleaders already getting into high gear.
As they waited in line, a man about Noah’s age called out to him.
Noah looked at Savannah. Shrugged.
The man, nonetheless, made his way through the crowds and stood in front of them. “Noah Worthington, right?”
“Yeah, I’m Noah. Do I know you?”
“It’s me. Mike.”
“Mike?”
“Yeah, Mike from flight class. We flew together.”
Savannah actually recognized Mike. Sort of. He was balding now. And much heavier. But she recognized his voice and the way he stood.
She saw the moment Noah’s memory clicked and he remembered him. “Mike. Yeah. It’s been so long. Hey, this is.”
“Savannah,” Mike said, pulling her into a hug. “It’s good to see both of you guys. How have you been?”
“Good,” Noah said. Savannah nodded. “Good. And you?”
“I’m good. I gave up flying.”
“Why?” Savannah asked. If her memory served, Mike was one of the better students in Noah’s class.
“I went into the Air Force. Did two tours in Iraq and three in Afghanistan.”
“Oh wow. That’s a lot.”
“Yeah, I just retired.”
“The crowds don’t bother you?” Savannah asked, remembering that most guys coming back from active service avoided crowds at all costs.
“Don’t make me go to Wal-Mart,” he said with a chuckle. “But I cut my teeth at this stadium. This is comforting to me.”
Savannah found that fascinating. She would mention this to one of the psychiatrists she was seeing next week who specialized in PTSD. Of course, Mike may not have PTSD, but with five tours, how could he not have at least residual symptoms? Enough anyway, it seemed, to make him stop flying.
They were inside the gate now. Mike gave Noah a quick hug. A pat on the back. “I got to run now, but I hope I see you around,” he said.
“You too, buddy,” Noah said. “Hey, thank you for your service.”
Mike saluted him. “The pleasure was all mine.” He took a step, stopped, and turned back around. “You know. I always knew you two were going to make it as a couple.”
Then Mike disappeared in the crowd.
Savannah looked at Noah, but his face was expressionless. This must be their day to be recognized by people from their past.
Savannah was beginning to see the benefits of her typical quiet evenings at home. “That was kind of odd, seeing him here,” she said as they walked toward their seats.
“Yeah,” Noah said, still distracted. “I had no idea he’d joined the Air Force.”
“He looked like he was handling it well though.”
“Mike was always a good guy.”
They took their seats. It was nearly time for the game to start.
“I guess you got your wish,” she said.
“What wish is that?” Noah asked, looking at her now.
“You wanted people to think we’re a couple.”