Page 7 of Noelle's Secret Admirer

“Come on, if I don’t head back down to help mom in the kitchen, she will make all her lovingly passive aggressive comments about how much she had to do on her own.”

“Yeah, I walked right past Dad, Jacob, and Andre outside chopping firewood. I’m sure I’ll hear shit about not helping, but I wanted to check on you first.”

I stood there for longer than I should have and smiled at the man who was now sitting on the edge of my childhood bed. He was too freaking hot to be this nice, and I was having a harder time than ever, not thinking about all the fantasies I had over the years. He stood and pulled me into one last hug before we made our way back downstairs. I walked toward the kitchen and he went straight to the backdoor and outside to help everyone.

Christmas was a huge production around here and throughout the entire holiday, most of our extended family, foster siblings, friends of the family and coworkers would stop by the Saint household to wish everyone the best and celebrate. I normally loved everything about it, but this year my heart was struggling as badly as my mind was. Out of all our family members, it was clear from the beginning that I would be the one to maintain most of the family traditions. My brothers couldn’t be bothered, and Eve and Holly weren’t as into it all as I was. My mom shared recipes and menus with me. We would talk extensively about all the preparations, and it brought us closer year after year. However, as I stood at the counter rolling out a pie crust and watching Max out the window with my dad, I couldn’t help but wonder what would happen if I never found my person. The sun rose and set in my father’s eyes for my mother. That was precisely the reason he was sixty-two years old and outside, slinging an ax and cutting wood for her fireplaces. She loved them and he loved her. Something that special was scarce, but growing up in this house, I knew it was possible.

Max stopped to take his coat off and looked up at me in the window. His smile grew wide when I gave him a little wave. He winked at me as he picked his ax back up and I nearly melted. Fantasizing about my foster brother while standing in the kitchen with my mother and sisters was a recipe for disaster.

“Mom, I think I’m going to head out after making this last pie.”

“Are you sure you don’t wait to stay for dinner, honey?”

I looked back out the window at the one man who I couldn’t have even if he wanted me and nodded. “Yeah, it’s getting late and I have to finish up some shopping in the morning.”

“Max said he hasn’t even started shopping yet,” Holly said as she put another batch of cookies in the oven. “I swear, I wonder sometimes how men make it through life at all.”

“Noelle, why don’t you take him with you? I’m sure he could use the help, and don’t forget you all are only buying for the kids this year.”

My heart skipped a beat at the idea of spending the day with Max. Every year my mom said the same thing and every year we didn’t listen. We bought for the kids, sure, but we also tried to find something special for her.

“Sure, I’ll see if he wants to come with me.”

I filled the pie with apples and sealed it with a top crust before placing it on the counter, lining it up for when the oven was free. After I washed up and said my goodbyes, I climbed into my car only to be startled by a knock on my driver’s side window. I rolled it down and smiled.

“Can I help you?”

“Mom says I’m supposed to go shopping with you tomorrow. What time do you want me to come get you?”

“I can just pick up whatever you need and you can pay me back.”

“I want to come.”

“You do?”

“Yeah, it’s been a while since we’ve hung out and I missed you too, Elfie.”

I smiled up at him like the fool that I was. “How about ten?”

“So late?”

“I happen to know you are a complete grouch in the morning and never wake up early, so yeah, I’d rather wait until ten than deal with your sleepy ass.”

“Fair enough. Ten it is.”

He stepped back from the car and I rolled up my window and pulled out while he stood in our parents’ driveway watching me go.

Chapter Four

Maxwell

Ipulledupoutsideof Noelle’s townhouse in my truck nearly at eleven. I didn’t mean to be late, but I also couldn’t pull myself away from her window last night. Holding her in my arms the day before was a dream come true, but there was a reason I tried not to physically console her anymore. My body and my mind were on two different paths. My mind knew how fucked up it was to be obsessed with my little sister, but my body didn’t care. I never really looked at Noelle as my sister. Not in the same way I looked at Eve or Holly. From the day I walked into my parents’ house, I knew she would one day be mine. I’d never admitted to anyone, but she was the reason I denied my parents as long as I did about moving in and making them my family. I didn’t regret my decision, hell, if I stayed on the path I was on at eighteen, I would probably be dead right now, but it certainly complicated things for me.

Noelle came out of her front door in a tight red dress with black knee-high boots and a black leather bomber jacket. I bit my lip as I watched her make her way to me, trying to fend off the thoughts I was having about peeling those boots off her body and worshiping her. I leaned over and opened the passenger door from where I was sitting as she approached. She caught it and smiled that damn smile that made me melt before climbing up into my truck and leaning over to kiss my cheek.

“You made it.”

“Did you doubt me?”