I laughed. “That’s what’s perfect about Noah. She doesn’t play mind games and she doesn’t fight with me just for the hell of it. She calms me in a way I didn’t know I needed to be calmed. I’ve never met anyone like her and I never want to. She’s my one.”
“I should have brought a bucket,” Bailey teased. “All that sweet talkin’ may as well be honey drippin’ from your lips.”
I rolled my eyes. “I don’t even know why I’m lettin’ ye come along.”
“Ye had no choice,” Bailey answered as she tapped away on her phone. “Ye need someone to record her face when ye surprise her, and since AJ is on watch at the station today, I’m all ye’ve got, loser.”
“Stop callin’ me that.”
She snorted, then she shamelessly took about twenty-seven selfies before she smiled and bobbed her head happily, obviously liking one out of the whole fucking film reel.
“This one is Instagram-worthy.”
I stopped at a red light and glanced at her as she chuckled.
“Oh my God, I posted twenty seconds ago and he’s already liked the picture.”
My big-brother senses began to tingle as my hands tightened around the steering wheel.
“He?” I repeated. “Who is he?”
“A lad from school.” She shrugged. “Pretty sure he likes me. He double-taps every picture on me Instagram and always comments . . . Ha! Look, he commented too.”
She showed me her phone, and I read the words the little creep wrote.
So sxy.
“He forgot the E, the dumbarse. Stay away from boys who can’t spell easy words.”
“He’s only lookin’ at the menu, Elliot, not orderin’ from it.”
I felt my jaw drop. “Little boys like that can’t afford to order what you’re sellin’ on your menu. Which, let me be very fuckin’ clear, is absolutely nothing.”
My sister giggled, rolled her eyes, then flipped her hair over her shoulder, dismissing me.
“I will not be ignored,” I protested. “You’re fourteen. Ye don’t get a menu yet. Your restaurant isn’t openin’ for years.”
My sister burst out laughing as a car beeped its horn behind us. I realised the light was green, held my hand up in apology to the car behind, shifted into gear and drove.
“I’m serious, Bailey. Stay away from boys, we’re no good at that age . . . at any age, really.”
My sister chuckled. “I’ll be frigid until I’m eighty if ye get your way.”
“Eighty is still too young in my humble opinion.”
“You’re full of it.”
I grinned.
Ten minutes later we parked in town and I rang Noah.
“Hey,” she answered on the third ring. “Where are you?”
“Hey, gorgeous, just got into town.”
“I’m in the town centre where you told me to meet you. I got off work a bit earlier.”
“I’ll be right there, don’t move.”
I hung up as Bailey spotted her.
“She’s there,” she squealed. “Right there.”
I looked to where Bailey was pointing. Noah was standing outside H&M, looking at the outfits on display in the window.
“Sit here on this bench,” I said to my sister as we got out of the car. “I’ll bring her across usin’ the pedestrian crossin’, so point your phone that way. Make sure ye start recordin’, okay?”
She saluted me. “On it, boss!”
I nodded, turned and jogged across the road, after checking for cars.
“Noah,” I called.
She heard me and turned around. When she spotted me, she smiled, and for a moment my breath caught in my throat. She was beautiful with her long, wavy blonde hair, her huge green eyes and her thin but delicate pink lips.
“How did I get to be so lucky to have a girlfriend like you?” I asked her when she reached me and slid her arms around my waist.
“You’re Irish.” She grinned up at me. “That’s all the luck you need.”
Amused, I kissed her forehead. “How was work?”
“Not so good.” Her smile faltered. “I thought Helen was gonna discuss the manager position with me, but she gave Lesley the promotion instead.”
I blinked. “But ye’ve been workin’ at her shop for two years; you’re her best worker.”
Noah shrugged. “Lesley’s older than me by ten years and has more experience.”
“That’s bollocks,” I stated. “Ye came up with fifteen new arrangements for Helen since ye started workin’ there. The pieces ye did at that funeral last month were gorgeous, and ye did them by yourself because Lesley was off sick.”
Noah smiled up at me. “You’re my champion.”
“I’m pissed off is what I am.” I tucked her hair behind her ear. “Stick it out at the place for a few more years. I’ve saved up a few grand and I’ll save up some more. I’m gonna buy ye your own flower shop one day, one that you’ll run and call the shots in.”
Noah leaned up on her tiptoes and puckered her lips, so I lowered my head the rest of the way and kissed her. She relaxed against me as I deepened our kiss ever so slightly. When I pulled back, I grinned down at her. Her eyes were closed, and she looked happy. That was my Noah – even if she’d had a shitty day, she didn’t dwell on it.