Noel

Cole and I finish work on the roof by dusk. We're relieved to see dinner's ready. Gramps has made burgers, corn-on-the-cob, and fruit salad. The scent of barbecue and melted butter combined with the sweet summery breeze makes me feel content. It's almost the end of May. If we're already facing temperatures like this, I'm excited about August. With these temperatures, I'll be at the lake most of the time. I love hot weather. 

In the kitchen, I snag a halved strawberry from the fruit salad and pop it in my mouth.

"Hands away, Noel," Gramps warns. His voice is gruff. "The oranges haven't been added yet."

I swipe another strawberry.

He whacks my hand with a wooden spoon.

"Jack," Cole says. He joins my side. "There's only one way to stop Noel dead in his tracks."

I cock an eyebrow at my best friend. "Enlighten me."

Cole pats me on the back.

I flinch, swatting his hand away. "Don't do that."

A grin appears on his face. "Looks like somebody burnt themselves."

"Shut up," I mutter.

Kinsley was right. I need aloe vera. Painkillers. A bath in oatmeal. Whatever the hell can help me combat this sunburn.

Gramps cocks an eyebrow. "No sunscreen?"

I direct my gaze to the window. The sky is a deep indigo. The trees are swaying with the wind. It picked up near the end of the day, bringing rain clouds with it. With the strange weather patterns we've had, I wouldn't be surprised if a thunderstorm struck overnight. I hope one does. Sitting on the deck with a cup of tea and watching them is relaxing.

"I was busy," I murmur.

Gramps sets down the wooden spoon he's using to stir the fruit salad. He stares at me. "Kid. You're gonna overwork yourself."

Funny enough, his words remind me of Kinsley and our discussion on the roof. Her presence shocked me. To be honest, I didn't think she cared about my well-being.

Speaking of Kinsley... I glance at the clock. It's six. Lunch was fun, but I feel like I should invite her for dinner. To thank her for making me relax. Not gonna lie, it felt damn good to take a break and socialize with my friends. 

Catching up with Daisy and informing Kinsley of everything she didn't know was enjoyable. Cole and I also snagged an invitation. Tomorrow, we're going out to the pub with Kinsley and Daisy. I think it'll be fun.

"I'm gonna go see if Kinsley wants to join us."

She'll deny my invitation, but I may as well try. It'll give me something to do. Right now, she's my escape route. I know where this conversation will go if I stick around. Ruining my decent day isn't favourable.

I don't give Gramps or Cole a chance to respond. I exit the kitchen, leaving them to finish the fruit salad.

Two minutes later, I'm standing at Kinsley's door. My hand is suspended in the air. I'm rubbing my jaw. Maybe I shouldn't invite her for dinner. She might think I'm pressuring her.

I still decide to knock. There's nothing wrong with inviting someone for dinner. I would never force her to join us, either. Whatever Kinsley wants, I'm fine with.

Kinsley opens the door a few seconds later. She's dressed in a pair of ripped jeans, a cropped white tank-top, and a sand-coloured cardigan. Her hair is tied back in a messy braid.

"Noel." She sounds surprised. "Hey."

"Hey," I reply.

Over her shoulder, I see a pot on the stove. It's filled with water, which is steaming. There's an open can of pasta sauce next to it, as well as a package of uncooked spaghetti.

My confidence deflates a little. Damn. She's already cooking dinner. 

"What's happening?" she asks. Her gaze flicks over my shoulder.

I suppress a chuckle. The expression on her face makes me think she thinks the barn is on fire or something. 

"I was, uh, going to invite you over for dinner. It looks like you've got that covered. Sorry, Kinsley. I should've invited you sooner. This is last minute."

Kinsley shakes her head. "Actually, I was gathering supplies. Haven't cooked anything yet. I'll just pour the water out and put the pasta sauce in the fridge."

I rub the back of my neck. "Are you sure? Don't feel obligates to come."

Kinsley cocks an eyebrow. "Do you want me to come?"

"Yes."

My response is definite. Yes, I want Kinsley to join us for dinner. I'm just... I don't know what I'm doing. Trying to make her feel like she has a choice? There's just something magnetic about her. Every time I see her, I want to know more. Her presence comforts me. I want to spend time with her. 

"Okay," she nods. "I'll be right back."

Leaving me standing in the doorway, Kinsley rushes into the kitchen. I lean against the wall, watching as she turns off the stove and dumps out the pot of boiling water. Then she puts away the pasta sauce, tightening the lid.

While Kinsley's putting away the uncooked spaghetti noodles, I survey the area. When Kinsley moved in, I said she could rearrange the furniture or paint the walls if she wanted to. Of course, everything is the same. Aside from the vase of lilacs and the picture frames, nothing much has been done. I'm not surprised. 

Kinsley turns to face me. "I'll be right back." She gestures to her outfit. "I'm just going to change."

I don't see why she needs to change. We're not hosting a fancy dinner. But if she wants to change, she wants to change.

Kinsley leaves me alone, and my eyes are drawn to the picture frames.

Curious, I saunter into the kitchen and pick up the first picture frame. Four people are in the photo. I'm not sure where they are, as the scenery doesn't look familiar to me.

Kinsley must be with her family in this photo. It's the only plausible option.

I rub my jaw.

Kinsley doesn't look more like one of her parents. She looks like both of them. Same hair and eye colour as her mom. Same rounded chin and defined cheekbones as her father. The third person, the one that a younger Kinsley has her arms wrapped around, must be her little sister. Again, it's easy to pick out the resemblance.

"That's my family. Mom, Dad, and Jessa."

I jump, almost dropping the photo. When I turn around, I come face-to-face with Kinsley. She's now wearing a charcoal-grey sweater with our university's logo across the front. Her arms are crossed and her stance is rigid, but her expression is soft.

"S-sorry," I stutter. "I didn't mean to intrude."

Kinsley reaches out and takes the photo. She runs her fingers across the glass. "You're not. I put the picture on display. Had you rummaged through a drawer to find it, you would've been intruding. But you're not."

She hands the photo back to me.

"You're the perfect blend of your parents," I comment. "Judging by this photo, I'm guessing you and your family are close. Do you miss them?"

A soft smile encompasses her lips. Remorse fills her stunning eyes. "Every day. Leaving the nest is difficult. They've been with me since I was born."

I flash her a weak smile. Wish I could say the same about my parents. But I'm not about to ruin the moment. "At leas you see them during the summer, right?"

"That's true," Kinsley replies.

Setting the photo down, I gesture to the door. "Ready for dinner?"

Kinsley nods. Then I decide to head for the door. Just as I'm passing Kinsley, she grabs my arm. Her actions catch me by surprise. I glance down at her, a small crease between my brows. "Yeah?"

Her cheeks turn pink, but she doesn't let go.

"Thanks for inviting me. As much as I enjoy it, living here gets lonely sometimes."

I flash her a sympathetic smile, ignoring the side effects of her touch. Of the lingering memory of our kiss. I wish she'd kiss me again.

Clearing my throat, I say, "You're welcome upstairs whenever, Kinsley. Don't be a stranger."

She releases my arm and tucks a strand of hair behind her ear. "I'll remember that."

We exchange one more smile before exiting the basement suite. Kinsley doesn't bother locking the door. Neither of us looks back.

Something's shifted between us. Unless I'm looking too much into this. Kinsley's opening up. I feel more relaxed than I have in years.

Maybe there's hope after all.