Loving Noel (Wildcat Graduates Book 1) Read online

  He and Cade have a ball game next week, but they have to leave before school is out so Stacy and I won’t be able to watch them play. I’m a little disappointed, but I know there will be others. I never dreamed I would be one of those sports girlfriends that follow their boyfriend to every game and practice. That always seemed kind of silly to me, but the more I watch him play, the more I love it. He really is good at baseball.

  I know he hopes to play ball in college and has attended clinics and played on competitive teams during the summer months since he was old enough to play. That’s one reason he decided he wants to go into sports medicine when he graduates. Having played baseball for so long, he’s learned a lot about injuries and he said it really interests him.

  The other thing that helped make up his mind is the work he has done helping coach a few little league teams. They’re mostly made up of his parents’ friends and co-workers’ kids, but he enjoys it very much. Hopefully I’ll get to see him coaching them this summer when he isn’t traveling with his competitive team. He’s a really good baritone player and an amazing baseball player as well. Is there anything he isn’t good at?

  Spring break is next week and everyone at school is more than ready for it. Students, teachers, Principals, heck even the custodians are ready for school to be out. Cade, Xana and I are going with my parents to my grandparents’ house in Colorado. Xan’s parents have to work and couldn’t take time off until this summer, so they agreed she could go with us. My parents are happy she can come along, and my grandparents are ecstatic to finally get to meet her. I hope they don’t overwhelm her.

  It’s Wednesday and we’ve just sat down in the band room for lunch when Mercedes walks in with Jessica. Everyone stops talking when she heads straight to my side and pulls up an extra chair, Jessica following behind her. I thought she had finally gotten a clue that it was no use trying to break us up. I guess I was wrong.

  “Hey, Noel. That was an awesome game you played yesterday,” Mercedes croons, as she gives me her biggest smile. Jessica sits beside her, right in front of Cade, blocking his view of the rest of the group.

  “Thanks,” I reply and finish unwrapping my sandwich. She is not deterred and continues to speak only to me.

  “You’re a great player and I love watching you play. If it weren’t for you, the team would have lost to Pine Bluff.” Mercedes leans in closer to me and the smell of her perfume makes me lose my appetite. Cade’s face is turning red and Stacy is whispering into his ear in hopes of calming him down. Does she think I’m the only person on the team?

  “It was a team effort. I did my part, just like Cade and every other player on the field. I’m no hero,” I say rather harshly to her, praying she will let the conversation drop. Thank goodness Erika intervenes before she can say anything else.

  “Why are you in here for lunch, Lexus?” Erika crosses her arms in front of her and stares at Mercedes who stares right back at her.

  “My name is Mercedes, and I came by here so I could talk to Noel, as if it’s any of your business,” she retorts, daring Erika to say anything else.

  “Mercedes, Lexus, they’re both cars so what’s the difference? Can’t you see he doesn’t want to talk to you because he’s too busy talking to his girlfriend.” I hadn’t noticed before, but Xana has moved closer to me and has placed her hand on my leg, slightly higher than normal. Interesting.

  “Whatever. He doesn’t mind if I stay, do you, Noel?” Mercedes turns to face me, her smile larger than before and just as unbelievable.

  “Actually Lexus, we have to go to our lockers before our next class, so we’re leaving now. We’ll just have to finish your conversation...some other time.” Xana is standing up gathering our trash before my brain kicks into gear, and I grab our backpacks to follow her out of the room, leaving Mercedes and Jessica staring after us.

  “I’m sorry, Noe, but I just couldn’t be in the room with her any longer. She knows just which buttons of mine to push and does it, repeatedly. It was all I could do to keep from telling her exactly where she could go,” she tells me, her eyes looking at the ground as we walk to our lockers.

  “You know there’s nothing going on, right?” I stop and tilt her face to look at mine.

  “I know, I really do, but I just can’t help but react when she does those things like I’m not even there. She acts like I stole you from her, and has half the campus believing it, too,” she whispers, her eyes full of tears.

  “What are you talking about?” I brush a tear that begins to fall from the corner of her sad, beautiful eyes.

  “It’s gotten really bad since Christmas. I’m not sure what she says, but everyone believes you two were a couple and that I stole you away from her. It’s all I hear people whispering about when I walk by, and even in class I can hear people talking about me. I try to ignore it, but it’s awful.”

  I pull her into a hug and run my hand over her hair trying to soothe her. “Sssh, baby. I didn’t know about all of that, but I promise you it will stop. I’ll make sure this doesn’t happen anymore, okay?” I pull her face away from my chest and look into her teary eyes. Rubbing my thumbs under her eyes I wipe away all of her tears.

  “Okay,” she whispers and I take her mouth in mine. We walk the rest of the way to our lockers and sit on the concrete benches in the courtyard. We sit there together until the bell rings, summoning us back to class.

  I made it perfectly clear to Mercedes and Jessica that whatever they were telling people about me and Xana was not going to be tolerated anymore. Just because our parents were friends and worked together didn’t mean we were best friends. I’ll do whatever it takes to make the rumors and accusations stop hurting Xana. I think Mercedes and Jessica finally understand that I mean business.

  Dad and I just finished putting our bags in his Tahoe, and we are now ready to pick up Cade and Xana and leave for Colorado. It’s only four in the morning, but Mom and Dad are as wide awake as if it were noon. I know Xan isn’t going to be that awake, so I expect we’ll be sleeping in the car for a few more hours. I can’t think of a better way to spend several hours in the car than holding her in my arms.

  Mom made Dad stop at the gas station and get Xana a Pepsi before we left town. Cade looked at me like my mom had sprouted another head, but Xan just giggled and smiled at him. Yeah, we’re lower on the totem pole now. I’m fine with that.

  Like I predicted, Xana and I slept all morning and didn’t wake up until Dad stopped for lunch around one o’clock. We didn’t stop long to eat, but took time to top off the gas tank while we were stopped. I traded places with Dad and drove for the next leg of the trip, while Mom sat in the back with Cade and Xana. Everyone had a great time talking about school and baseball and what we were going to do when we got to Durango. I drove until dinner and traded places with my Dad for the last part of the trip. It was very late when we arrived at my grandparents and we all went straight to bed.

  Grandma knocks on my door at ten o’clock this morning to wake us up. “Time to wake up Noel, brunch is ready,” she calls out to me as she opens my door. “You need to wake up that beautiful girl of yours so I can feed her properly, alright?”

  Sitting up in my bed, I run my hands over my face and nod my head. “Okay, Grams, I will. We’ll be downstairs in ten minutes.” Grandma smiles and leaves my room, shutting the door behind her. I pick up a shoe off the floor and throw it over at Cade on the other twin bed.

  “You heard Grams, get up. I know you’re awake.” Cade rolls over and throws the shoe back at me, missing me completely.

  “And they let you on the baseball team with that aim?” I ask as I pull on a shirt and walk over to Xana’s room across the hall. I knock on her door before opening it slowly and walking inside.

  I cross the room and sit down on the bed beside her. Leaning over to kiss her lips I whisper, “Wake up, Princess. Grams wants to feed you properly, as she put it.” Xana raises her hands above her head as she stretches and rolls toward me. She smiles that big, bright
smile of hers and runs her hand along my cheek.

  “Mmm, good morning, Handsome. I think I could get used to waking up like this.”

  “I think I could, too,” I tell her and lean down to kiss her again. “Let’s go downstairs and eat. Grams is waiting for you.” I stand and reach for her hands to help her out of bed. Xana tries to put her hair in a messy bun, but I don’t let her. She’s gorgeous just the way she is.

  We walk hand in hand down the stairs to the kitchen where Grandma and Mom have a feast laid out across the table. “How many people are you expecting to show up, Grams?”

  Grams turns away from the stove and sees us standing in the kitchen doorway. “Get in here my sweet girl and hug Grams,” she says as she opens her arms for Xana to hug her. I give her a smile and motion for her to go see Grandma.

  Grams hugs Xana like she does me and walks her over to the table and gets her seated in front of a plate that she begins filling with food. Lots of food. The only chair left for me is across the table from her by my dad. Xana seems a little nervous with how out spoken and affectionate Grams is, but it doesn’t take very long for her to get past it. By the time the meal is over, Xana acts like she’s always been in our family. I kind of like that feeling.

  Spring break with Xana is a lot of fun, and we all had a great time taking her to all of the must-see places and little known local hot spots. I’m not sure who had more fun with Xana, my mom or my grandma. Thank goodness Cade came along with us or I would have been left to my own devices while they monopolized my girlfriend’s time.

  Before I know it, it’s time to head back home and get back to our normal routines. Xana had a wonderful time with us in Colorado, and I’m not sure when I’ve seen her smile more. Grandpa took me with him to the store the day before we left and had a talk with me about her. He said he saw the way we were looking at each other, and knew what that meant because it was the same way he and Grams used to look at each other when they were courting. I’ll never forget what advice he gave me. In fact, I think about all the way home.

  He said, “Noel, if you find a girl that makes you feel ten feet tall, that no matter who you’re with all you can think about is her, then you’d better grab onto her and never let her go. She’s the one that will make you a better man.”

  Grandpa is wise man.

  Today is our last concert band contest of the season and we are traveling to Arkadelphia for the contest. It’s another rainy Saturday in April and I’ve never been so thankful that Mr. Scott is allowing the girls to wear dress slacks instead of dresses. Trying to get to our location in a dress while it’s raining is bad enough, but add in carrying an instrument on top of that and it spells nothing but disaster for me.

  We’re in the warm up room going over a few parts that Mr. Scott wants to check before we go on stage to play for the judges. They have given us about twenty minutes to get ready before it is our turn to play. Every part he has us going over seems to be better than it was yesterday, so I think we will do well. Playing through four songs in front of judges that you can see has everyone all excited and ready to celebrate. We played well and have a real shot at getting all high scores. That would certainly be a great way to end the year.

  After we play for the judges, we make our way back to the buses to put our instruments away. We are one of the last bands performing so we don’t have that long to wait before scores are announced and we can leave. It’s been a long day of driving and bad weather and by the time we receive our scores, more than half of us are just ready to leave, the adrenaline having worn off.

  We stopped after leaving the competition and had dinner before we started our trip home. The rain never let up while we ate, so we all loaded the buses and settled in for the long, rainy drive home. It was dark and stormy, so a lot of people just wanted to go to sleep.

  Noel and I slide into our seat at the very back of the bus and cuddle up in the blanket I brought. I think he’s kind of fond of the purple and cream plaid blanket I always bring. He always gets this little devilish grin when he sees it. I’m sitting sideways in his lap with his arms around my waist and my back against the window when the chaperone calls roll to make sure everyone is loaded before we can leave. Everyone answers when their name is called and the driver leads the other buses out of the parking lot.

  As soon as the lights are out and we clear the parking lot, Noel’s hands are all over me as he kisses his way down my neck. There is nothing like the feeling I get when he touches my body. I move my hands out from under the blanket and hold onto the back of his head, pushing his mouth harder into my neck. He squeezes my breasts, moving from one to the other, and I can feel my nipples harden under his touch.

  He moves his mouth to mine and we slide our tongues together, savoring how connected we are. “I love kissing you,” he whispers into my mouth as his hand slides under my shirt. “You always taste like peppermint.”

  “I love you kissing me, too.” I move one hand from his head down along his throat, over the top of his shirt and grab hold of his pec.

  Breaking the kiss, I move my head to suck his earlobe into my mouth and circle my tongue around it. Noel likes that and he lets a soft moan before he pushes my bra up over my breasts and pulls on my nipple.

  “I love the way you feel in my hands, Sweetness. So soft and silky. I could touch you all night.” Noel whispers in my ear then kisses his way down my throat to the top of my shirt. I lean my head back to give him better access, and slide my free arm back under the blanket. He continues to move his lips against my throat while his thumb rubs my nipples back and forth.

  I pull his head back and crush my lips against his, my other hand sliding up the hand under my shirt. I clasp his hand firmly, causing him to squeeze my breast harder like I need him to.

  “Noel,” I say softly, moving away from his kiss. “We need to slow down before everyone gets a surprise performance.” I run my hand along the arm under my t-shirt.

  “I know, but I’ve waited to kiss you all day,” he sighs and pulls my bra back over my breast, my hand helping him.

  “There’s no reason you can’t kiss me until we get home. In fact, I’d like that very much.” I move his hand from my breast and place it on my bare stomach.

  “I’d like that, too.” He presses his lips to mine and holds me closely. We continue to talk with our lips and tongues and our voices for the rest of the trip home. We share our thoughts and feelings, and our hopes and dreams. I’ve never felt so connected to anyone more than I am to him at this moment.

  This is Xana’s senior year of High School. We’ve gotten so close over the summer, always spending as much time together as possible when I’m not traveling for baseball or coaching the little kids. We got our new class schedules yesterday, only to find out we have different lunch shifts this year. We’ve eaten together for the past two years, and had most of our classes close to one another. Unfortunately for me, the choir teacher, Mrs. Allen, heard Xana practicing with her friend, Andi, after school one day last year, and wanted her in choir this year. Since she had room for another elective, she thought she would give it a shot.

  Choir has a different lunch schedule than what the rest of us have, so we’ll miss that time together. I’m not sure how to feel about that. I mean, it’s a great honor to be chosen for that particular choral group, but I’ll miss not seeing her as much during the day. I’m just glad her parents have given her a later curfew for this year. They finally figured out she wasn’t going to do anything to get into trouble.

  School starts in one more week, but we have already had band practice for the past two weeks. At least I’m getting to see her a lot before school starts. We’ll just have to make more of when we do see each other, riding to and from school together. I love picking her up. I’ve given her no say in the matter, and she’s given up trying to fight me on it. It doesn’t hurt my case when she has a slight fear of driving. She was involved in a really bad accident as a child and still has some bad memories from it.

/>   I am gathering up my wallet and keys from my dresser when my cell phone rings.

  “Hey, Cade, what’s up,” I say as I put my wallet in my back pocket and head downstairs. I’m supposed to pick Xana up in fifteen minutes for our date.

  “You guys wanna go play mini golf with us tonight,” he asks as I make my way through the kitchen to grab the picnic basket I had packed. I wave to my mother before leaving the house.

  “Uh, yeah, thanks for the offer, but no. We have other plans,” I reply as I load the picnic basket into the backseat, setting it on top of a blanket. I laugh at his irritation as I get into the car and leave.

  “Other plans? Stacy said Xana told her you guys were just watching some movie. What’s going on?” I can only laugh at the confusion in his voice. I love irritating him.

  “I have a special date planned. She doesn’t know about it. Well, not all of it and you’re NOT going to tell her,” I warn him. “I’m serious. Keep your mouth shut and don’t say anything to Stace. I’ll be at Xana’s house in like, ten minutes.”

  “Special date, huh? Why haven’t you mentioned anything to me? Why are you so secretive,” Cade demands as he shuffles the phone.

  “I’m not being secretive, I just want to surprise her, and you know you’d say something to Stacy and she’d go straight to Xana. Besides, I didn’t think you wanted to know everything I do, Dad,” I laugh as I turn into Xana’s neighborhood. Cade grows quiet, his frustration seeming to have disappeared.

  “You more than just like her, don’t you,” he asks in a serious voice. Man, he goes straight for the gold, doesn’t he?

  “What’s with the twenty questions tonight, Cade? Why are you even asking me that?” I ask, with more emotion than I wanted to show him.

  “Look, Noel, you and I have known each other since we were babies, and I may not have known Xana for as long, but you can’t mess around with her,” Cade sighs. “She’s different, Noel.” There is a definite silence between us, the mood turning serious.