Loving Noel (Wildcat Graduates Book 1) Read online

  ME: Of course. Hey, did you give N my phone #?

  S: Umm, no. Why? OMC DID HE CALL YOU?! HE DID DIDN’T HE?!?

  ME: YES!! OMC HOW DID HE GET MY #? You don’t think C gave it to him do you?

  S: Oh, I bet that’s it! Cade had your number from that time I used his phone when mine died during that band trip.

  ME: Aww crap. He’s texted me three times and I haven’t texted him back.

  S: Do it and then call me. Lol

  ME: Whatever. Mom’s ready to leave. Ttyl

  I stand up from the table, place my glass in the sink, and head to car. We’re driving to Hot Springs to go shopping; my Aunt Kay and Cousin Shannon are meeting us there. It’s about a two hour drive so I listen to Noel’s message, and read a little on my kindle while Mom drives. She always gets lost in her morning radio and coffee, and doesn’t talk much until she’s thoroughly caffeinated.

  I listen to his message first. It’s from early this morning.

  Hey Xan. I guess you’re probably still asleep, but I just wanted to tell you again I had a great time with you last night, and to say good morning. Good morning, Sweetness.

  I listen to his message four times. Oh coconuts, his voice sounds so sexy. Every time I listen to it I get goosebumps and shivers run down my spine. I get this tingly feeling, just like I did last night when he kissed me on the porch. Saving the message, I go on to read his texts.

  N: Goodnight.

  N: Good morning, Sweetness. Dad got me up way too early so I thought I’d say hi.

  N: Are you having fun yet?

  He called and texted me to say goodnight, and he called me Sweetness. Again. I think I might die. What do I say to him? I don’t want to say something that’s going to come across the wrong way. Interpreting text messages is not the easiest thing to do. Ever. I sit in my seat for a few minutes and think before I respond to him.

  ME: Hey you! Good morning to you, too! I think our parents were conspiring together because my mom got me up before seven!

  N: LOL My mom has added more lights that she wants us to put up, so I think we’ll be busy until dark!

  ME: Yeah, I think I see lots of gift wrapping in my immediate future. I may need a rescue. Lol

  N: Better you wrapping than me! I’ll have to remember to give you my presents to wrap so I don’t have to do it.

  ME: I’m not sure that’s funny yet.

  N: LOL I think it’s funny now. Oh, my dad’s calling for me so I guess my break is over. I’ll talk to you later, Sweetness.

  ME: ttyl. Still not funny.

  Sweetness, again. I want to hate that he calls me that, but I can’t lie, I bloody love it. More than I want to admit. It makes me feel all giddy inside. I’m not one for cutesy nicknames. They make me want to roll my eyes and gag, but for some reason, when he does it, it’s just different somehow. I’m jerked away from my daydreaming when my mom starts talking.

  “What are you thinking about over there? You’re awfully quiet and haven’t tried to change the radio station once.” Thank coconuts my hair is down today and she can’t see my face. Otherwise, she’d know I’ve been doing nothing but grinning since I listened to Noel’s message. My voice is only a little shaky when I answer her, and I hope she doesn’t notice because she’s more focused on the road than the way I’m talking.

  “Oh, nothing really, just different stuff, school, exams, band, you know, the usual stuff.”

  “Okay. You usually have already changed the channel numerous times by now. I thought something was wrong.” Mom laughs as she turns on the blinker to change lanes and pass someone who is going way too slow for her. Mom is quite the speed demon when Dad’s not around.

  “Yeah, I usually do, but I brought earbuds this time to save you from my radio torture,” I respond while holding up the earbuds for her to see. Mom glances my way and smiles before finishing her pass of the speed violator.

  The day goes by faster than I expected since we shopped all day. We stayed and had dinner with my aunt and cousin before we drove home, so we got back fairly late. Dancing all last night and shopping all day today has me more exhausted than I care to admit to my mother. It would just give her and Dad more ammo in their argument for an early curfew.

  We’re almost home when I get a text from Stace reminding me to call her. She’s really never going to let me off the hook without any details. Why do I put up with her?

  Helping Dad put up Christmas lights and decorations all day kept my mind off Xana. However, that didn’t last past lunch time. Stringing up lights across the house and in the trees is something I’ve done countless times, so I don’t have to concentrate very hard on what I’m doing. It’s not long before I find my thoughts quickly turning to the dance last night.

  Seeing Blain hugging Xana and holding her hand really threw me off. I know they claim to be only friends, but I noticed the way he was looking at her. From what I saw, there was more to it than simple friendship on his part. Xana didn’t seem to notice it, but I know I’m going to need to keep an eye out on him and his intentions from now on. Especially after Cade told me about Blain getting her to dance with him while I was getting drinks. Cade wasn’t sure what happened while they were out there, only that she had a weird expression on her face when she returned to the table. Blain never came around again for the rest of the night. I realize this was only our first date, but as far as I’m concerned Xana is MINE.

  Stacy only texted once to remind me that I’m to call her back as soon as I get home. I told her I would do that as soon as I finished my shower. Noel hasn’t called or texted since I talked to him this morning, so I suppose his dad kept him pretty busy today. From the way I’ve heard him and Cade talking, his mom can be pretty crazy about her Christmas decorations. If she ever got together with my mom there would be no stopping them until every available surface was covered in lights.

  Sitting on my bed, I pull my phone from my purse and connect it to the charger before I call Stace. It only rings twice before she answers. She must have been holding that thing in her hand all evening just waiting for me to call. Impatient much?

  “It’s about bloody time you called me back! I’ve been waiting for you to call for FOREVER! I was about to call your house phone and see if you were dead.” I roll my eyes at her dramatics. We both watch way too much BBC America. Bloody seems to be our favorite word.

  “Whatever. I told you I would call you back, and you know how long my mother takes when she goes Christmas shopping with my aunt. You’ve only known her for ten years now, and you have gone with us on more than one occasion.”

  “Yeah, and I also know you like to avoid me when I ask you about Noel. So spill it. What was going on between you two last night? Are you dating now? Even Cade didn’t know what to make of Noel’s behavior last night and they’re as close as we are.”

  “Well, if Cade doesn’t know then I don’t know what to tell you because I’m as confused by it as he is. We held hands a few times, and he kept putting me in his lap, but other than that it was just like it always is with him. We get along really well and are…just normal.” I lean back against the headboard and pull the blanket across my legs. “Everything is so easy between us, yet it’s more than complicated at the same time. I feel so off-balance.” I grab the remote and turn the television on to watch the newest episode of Dr. Who. If only I had a Tardis to time travel in.

  “I know how you feel. You know Cade and I go through breaking up and being together all the time, but you forgot to tell me about the kiss! What was it like? Was is all weird? Does he kiss good? I bet he kisses good. He always gets that little evil looking smirk that tells me he’s naughtier than he looks. Was he naughty with you, Xan?!? I bet he was!!” I can’t get a word in with all of Stacy’s questions. She’s acting like a kid opening presents at Christmas. You’d think it was her date with the way she is acting.

  “OH. GOOD. GRIEF! Calm down, hooker! I can’t answer your questions if you don’t shut the hell up! Why are you so concerned with
how Noel kisses? Do YOU want to date him?” I laugh as Stacy makes a disgusted sound over the phone.

  “I’ll forgive you for suggesting that. Noel’s like my annoying brother. Yeah, he’s hot, but I have no desire to make him mine whatsoever. Now quit avoiding the question. I can hear you biting your nails again. Spill it. I need deets!”

  “You’re awful. You know that right? Yes, we kissed while we were dancing, but it didn’t last very long because some couple making out while they were dancing bumped into us and ended that, but yeah, it was amazing!” I reach up and touch my lips, remembering just how his lips felt on mine. Closing my eyes, it’s almost like he’s still there. Stacy clears her throat and pulls my attention back to the conversation.

  “He kept pulling me into his lap and holding me. When he put his chin on my bare shoulder I almost died. Gah, Stace. He smelled so amazing I almost couldn’t think straight. I swear I could live on that smell alone. That cologne really should be illegal.” I close my eyes and try to remember just how he smelled while we were dancing.

  “Yeah, he really does smell good. Chrome is amazing. If I didn’t love what Cade wore, I’d buy that for him to wear! Now, tell me about what you two did after we all left Huddle House. Spill it.” I swear I can hear her bouncing on her bed as she speaks.

  “Nothing really. He drove me home and we didn’t really talk much. It all felt so awkward. When we got to my house we sat there for a few minutes before I told him I was sorry my curfew was so early and his wasn’t, but he said he didn’t care. His dad was making him help decorate outside, so he’d have to be up early anyway. We sat there for a few more minutes just staring at each other until he leaned over and kissed me again.”

  “HOLY CRAP, XANA! That’s twice!! I TOLD YOU HE LIKES YOU!”

  “Can you quit interrupting me so I can finish?” After Stacy agrees to be quiet I continue, “He walked me to my door before my parents could come out and embarrass me. When we got to the door, he turned me around before I could reach for the door and kissed me again. Like really kissed me. Thoroughly. He smelled so good, and he had me pulled up to his chest with one arm wrapped around me and the other holding my face. I couldn’t think, Stace. It was all so intense. His hand was wrapped up in my hair, holding me in place, and then he stopped.” I get lost in the memory, trying to hold on the feelings I had last night.

  “What do you mean he just stopped?? That’s it?” Stacy waits for me to explain myself.

  “He just stopped. Told me he has been waiting to do that, said ‘Goodnight, Sweetness’ and then he just left. I didn’t have a chance to say anything. He was walking back to his car before I knew what he was doing. Girl, I just stood there in a daze, probably with my mouth hanging open, and watched him get in his car, smile at me, and drive away! Thank coconuts, my mom didn’t see anything. She heard Noel’s car and came looking for me when I didn’t come inside. Told her I was watching something I saw run across the street.” I shake my head in lingering embarrassment.

  “Holy crap and she bought that lame excuse?! I can’t believe he said that and just left you standing there! Holy crap! Didn’t I tell you that he likes you?! He just told you he’s been waiting to kiss you! That’s huge!” Stacy covers the receiver and yells something to her grandma. No doubt it’s time for her to go. Thank goodness. I’m exhausted from shopping and just want to go to bed and not think anymore. My mind can’t handle anything else.

  “Ugh, it’s that time again. I have to go, but I’ll talk to you tomorrow. Are we still studying for exams?”

  “Yeah, I thought I heard your grandma in the background. I don’t know what to think anymore. I’m exhausted and going to crash so hard. Yeah, we’ll study tomorrow after dinner. I’m sure Mom will have me wrapping presents all day until then. You know, you could always come over and help me wrap.”

  “Me? Wrap presents to your mom’s standards?? Will there be cookies involved?” Stacy isn’t a big dessert eater, but she has a weakness for Mom’s no-bake peanut butter oatmeal cookies. I can’t argue. I usually eat far more than my fair share of them.

  Laughing at her question, I respond, “I’m sure she can be convinced she needs to make some. Come on over whenever your grandparents will let you. You can stay for dinner and we’ll study after that.”

  “Yes! I love those bloody cookies too much. I’d say she needs to cut me off, but that is never gonna happen! I’ll help wrap, but there’s no way I’m tying all those ribbon bows. You can do that part. I’ll call when I find out a time I can come over. Later.” Stacy hangs up before I can respond. Her grandma must have walked back into her room. She cracks me up with her time limits.

  Making sure my phone is still charging, I lay it on the nightstand and turn off the television. I’ll have to watch that episode again, since I can’t even remember one thing that’s happened so far. I turn off my lights and crawl back into bed. Hopefully, I will sleep so hard I won’t dream about anything. My mind could use a rest.

  Monday morning comes and I find Noel waiting for me at my locker when I get off the bus. Now that’s new. He and Cade are usually at the band hall waiting for the bell to ring when I get there in the morning.

  “Hey, Xana,” Noel greets me as he grabs for my backpack, setting my hands free to open my locker.

  “Hi, Noel,” I say as I look up at him, kind of puzzled. “What brings you here this morning? You’re usually already at the band hall when I get here.” I trade out my morning books for what I have in my backpack while he holds my bag.

  “I got here a little later this morning and thought I’d just wait for you to get here since it was almost time for your bus. Thought we could walk to class together.” Noel hands me my bag and shuts my locker door before looking back at me.

  I look into his eyes to see if I can figure out what he’s thinking. His smile distracts me from what I am doing and I reply, “Sure. I’d like that.” Noel places his arm around my waist and turns me toward our first hour class.

  “What did you do for the rest of the weekend? My dad had me decorating the whole time. I never thought we’d ever get through hanging lights. My mom has totally lost her mind this year. If I never see another string of lights again, I wouldn’t be devastated by it.” Noel laughs to himself as he shakes his head.

  “Your mom and mine must have gotten together at some point. She dragged me to Hot Springs for the whole day on Saturday so she could do some Christmas shopping. Mike came home for the weekend from college and she left him and Dad a big list of things she wanted decorated before we left. It took them two days to get it all done, and they barely got the tree done last night before Mike had to go back to Magnolia.

  She made me wrap all the presents yesterday. It’s a good thing Stacy has a weakness for my mom’s cookies or I’d probably still be wrapping them. It took the both of us until dinner last night to get them all finished. We were so tired we didn’t get much studying done last night after we ate.”

  We’ve made it to where my first hour class is and we still have five minutes before the first bell rings. Noel guides me to the concrete benches in the middle of the courtyard by my classroom. He takes my backpack from me and places it on the ground by his feet. We sit down and wait for the bell to ring, while other students make last minute dashes to their lockers.

  Noel places his arm around my back and says, “At least we only have a week and a half left of school. This week of review should be pretty easy and then we just have three days next week before break. I can’t wait to get out of town for a little while. What are you doing over break?”

  This whole morning is beyond weird. Noel waits for me at my locker, helps with my books, walks me to class with his arm around me, and is now sitting with me before class, arm around me again. Did I wake up in the Twilight Zone?

  Tucking my hair behind my ear, I tell him, “Nothing much. We’re not going anywhere that I know of, except to my grandparents’ houses for Christmas. My break is not going to be as exciting as yours and Cade’s. Sk
iing is much more fun than sitting around here doing nothing. When are you and Cade leaving?”

  It’s going to be so boring staying at home over break. Almost everyone is going somewhere else; to relatives houses or on vacation somewhere, so there won’t be many people left to hang out with. Even Stacy is going with her grandparents to her Aunt’s house in Texas. My older brother, Mike, will be home later this week when exams are done for him. I’m glad he will be working at the shop with Dad during break so he’s not around to drive me nuts twenty four hours a day.

  “We’re leaving that Thursday after exams and coming back two days after Christmas, so we’ll be there for about a week. My grandparents have everyone either driving or flying in to Durango for the holidays. It’s the first time we’ve all been together since they moved to Colorado a few years ago.” At that moment, the first bell rings, and we stand to go to class. Noel picks up my backpack and slings it over his shoulder while picking up his own books from the bench. Putting his hand on my back, Noel walks me over to Mr. Jones’ classroom and says, “Well, I guess I’ll see you at lunch, Sweetness. Try not to show those boys up too much in class.” Noel leans over and gives me a quick kiss on the forehead before turning around and walking across the courtyard to his algebra class. Mr. Jones gives me a knowing look about the PDA as I walk in and go to my drawing table. I sit down and put my things under my table so I can get out my drawing tools. He did it again. He kisses me, calls me Sweetness, and just walks away. Does he realize what effect that has on me? We haven’t really talked about what happened at the dance Friday night; the kiss, the kisses.

  I sit at my table just staring at my drawing until Mr. Jones starts taking roll. Fortunately, the guys in class are all talking about Christmas Break plans and their dance experience from formal and I am able to forget about Noel and focus on my work. Since the class lasts two hours, I am able to get a lot done and start on the project for exams. It’s a square drawing where we have to take a car picture and draw it to scale by using a grid pattern over the picture. Kind of like the drawings you would find in those activity and coloring books as a child where you have to draw the other half of the picture using the squares as a guide, only more complicated. I’m so focused on drawing the 2012 Corvette Stingray that I almost don’t hear the bell ring, and I have to rush to get my things put away before I am late getting to my next class. Band, with Noel, heaven help me.