He must’ve reverted back to the courtship phase, the poor bastard.
After knocking on the doorjamb to their room with my foot to get Aspen’s attention, I strolled in, only to pause when I saw all the little folded notes, similar to the one on her tray, littering her nightstand. And suddenly my chest went tight.
I had no idea how many quotes he’d collected for her, but it looked like dozens, maybe hundreds.
My brother was trying to win his wife back, and he thought he was failing.
What was worse, when Aspen looked up and saw me—not him—I swear she was a split second from bursting into tears.
“Hey, um…where’s…” She glanced behind me, looking for him before shaking her head and forcing a pathetic smile to me. “I mean, good morning. You didn’t have to bring me anything, Colton. That’s so sweet.”
“It’s my pleasure.” I carried the tray to her, but when she looked past me toward the doorway again, I decided to be frank as I settled everything over her lap. “I hope you don’t mind that I’m being your delivery boy this morning. I mean, I know I’m the best-looking Gamble and all, but I’m more of a little brother-slash-son to you, so yeah…this handsome mug probably doesn’t carry the same impact for you as, say, another Gamble.”
“What?” She transferred her gaze to my face before shaking her head. “No. Oh…no, of course I don’t mind you being here, Colton. Don’t be silly. But, uh, is everything okay…with…?”
She couldn’t even say his name, poor woman. When worry and fear crossed her features, I smiled and nodded. “Yep, Noel’s just fine. He’s getting the kiddos ready for the babysitter.”
“Oh.” Relief crossed her face before her features fell. “They shouldn’t need a babysitter. I should be watching them.”
For a split second, I panicked, hoping I hadn’t started another episode. So I straightened the tray more squarely over her lap and said, “He got you a little something to eat if you’re hungry.”
Perking to attention, she sat up and eyed her breakfast with new interest. “Noel made this?”
I snorted. “Of course. You think I could create this kind of fancy setup?” I flicked my finger against the flower. “And look, he left you another note.”
“Did he?” Her relief was palpable. After she snagged it and opened it to read, her shoulders fell and face relaxed.
“Need anything else?” I asked.
She looked up, happy tears sparkling in her eyes. At first, she shook her head no. But a second later, she said, “Oh! Wait, could you take this to him?” She snagged a pen and piece of notebook paper from her nightstand and scribbled something down before folding it a few times and extending it to me.
I almost cracked a joke about this being like grade school, and I was the messenger delivering notes back and forth between two people with crushes on each other. Was there a check yes or no box on her note?
But yeah…with the sensitive state Aspen was in these days, I wasn’t sure if she’d take it as a joke. So I took the paper without cracking a Colton, and hell yes, I opened it as soon as I hit the hallway.
Hers said:
Seriously, these two were so weird. And yet, kind of sweet.
Noel was in the living room, changed into his “Economics Teacher” clothes as he settled Lucy Olivia into a car seat carrier and instructed Beau to put his shoes on.
When he looked up and saw me, anxiety crossed his face. But he quickly cleared it and asked, “Everything go okay?’
“Yep.” I waited until he was finished with strapping in Lucy O and was sliding the diaper bag over his shoulder before I held out his note between two fingers. “For you.”
He paused when he saw it. Then his gaze sought mine. “She sent it back?” The dude seriously thought she’d rejected his love note.
I rolled my eyes. “She sent a response.”
That surprised him. He tore the paper from my fingers and whipped it open. The relief that swept off him mirrored the same relief I’d seen on his wife moments earlier. When he looked up, the grin on his face was the biggest I’d seen in months. “Thanks.” He tucked the note into his front jeans pocket and called to Beau, telling the runt it was time to head out.
When the door shut behind them, I blew out a breath and waited a beat, letting the entire morning soak in. Waking up to Julianna and experiencing a whole load of I-don’t-knows concerning her, then coming home to this had left me strangely morose.
But life was going to carry on without me if I just kept standing there like a contemplative dumbass, so I turned away and headed down the hall toward my room so I could get ready for classes, which started in under an hour.
Once I was under the full spray of the shower, I finally allowed my mind to return to Julianna again. I knew I was sending her mixed signals. But then, I was experiencing mixed emotions. Half of me still wanted to flirt with her. Half of me wanted to argue with her, half wanted me to stay bitter and rude, and half…shit. Four halves didn’t make a whole.