The Unexpected Series (Unexpected #1-3) (42 page)

“Too bad. We’ve talked about this. We’ll get married in October. That’s that. You always push to get your way. This time it’s my choice.” She crosses her arms in a sign to end the conversation.

“Fine, but we’re practicing until then.”

“Practicing what, Walker?” She asks the sulking man baby.

“Making babies.”

At that moment, Hadley spits out her coffee all over her desk and Walker starts laughing all over again.

“Seriously?” he starts. “Do you have to be a spitter to work here?”

Walker was reluctant to hire me as their wedding coordinator. He thought I would drive Erin crazy. Turns out he is the one driving everyone else nuts. If he wanted to get married tomorrow then trying to book the Chicago Botanical Gardens would be difficult to do in a day. Not to mention it costs more than one hundred fifty dollars per person there.

I’m taking this on with no commission and he is spending money like it is going out of style. If he weren’t marrying my best friend I might make him my sugar daddy.

Not that I need a third man in the mix.

Ugh.

Erin only has a few stipulations. She wants Savannah to be pulled in a wagon as a flower girl by her older cousins and for Trent to walk her down the aisle.

The thought makes me smile. I can see Papa Decker looking down at his children and beaming with pride. Nicole, Erin’s older sister, had been going through some tough times. After separating from her husband and getting a full time job where daycare is a major perk, she is now thriving. Trent’s construction business has been taking off, and Erin has got more than she ever dreamed of.

I wish I could say the same for me. Until recently I wasn’t looking for anything permanent. Just the usual booty calls. Never has any one of them wanted more than that. Well, if you count Chase hanging around a lot during the holidays but even then we both knew nothing more would come out of it.

Now, I want more. The turmoil with Trent and Jace sucks but it’s showing me that maybe I can eventually have what Erin has. I just don’t know with whom or if either one will accept me after the way this has all gone down.

At five o’clock I collect my things and mutter a goodbye to a still annoyed Hadley.

“Noelle,” she calls my name just before I hit the door.

I stop pivoting my feet around to face her. “Yea, Hadley.”

“What does your heart say?” She shrugs like the answer is easy and right there in front of me. Like I should know.

Well, I don’t. I have no fucking clue.

Completely drained I drag myself back to my chair and sit.

“I don’t know what it says. I’ve never had to talk to it. I feel like a cold hearted bitch. How can I not know what I want?”

“Okay,” she says planting her hands down on the desk and stands up. “Close your eyes.”

“Hadley, I don’t think that is going to help.”

“Just shut the hell up and do it. I did this when I was going through something with Braden.”

I comply only because at this moment, I want nothing more than to shut my lids and relax.

“I just want you to talk. Talk it through. Tell me anything that comes to mind.” She orders her voice closer than before.

“The first thing that comes to mind is that I hate hurting people. I don’t know what I want and it’s affecting everyone’s lives. Sure, everyone is thinking the obvious choice. Trent. But they don’t see it the way I do. He makes me feel amazing but what happens when it goes to shit. When the walls come tumbling down like they always do and I’m left standing in the rubble with no Trent, no Erin, no extended family. Plus, he has a baby with a woman who took off. That’s enough baggage to push any woman away but I love Jason so much that it wouldn’t matter. And Jace.” I take a deep breath. “Oh God Jace is so fantastic. I’ve never felt a connection with someone so fast that it made my head spin. He’s sexy, smart and successful. But so is Trent.”

My eyes flicker open finding Hadley standing in front of me, and I can feel my blood coursing through my veins.

“This is getting me nowhere,” I say looking up at her. “Even when I just blurt all my crazy shit out I’m still left going back and forth between the two of them.”

“Didn’t Trent say he was done, Noelle?” Her foot taps and the sound echoes off the wall.

My head falls back in defeat. He did say that. He’s done. I’ve hurt him too much.

“Yes, and he told me he loves me.”

Fatigue over the whole thing takes over, and I can feel my body giving into how exhausted I am.

“He WHAT?” She screams causing me to jolt my head upright. “He said he loves you?”

“Yes. No.” I shake my head with uncertainty. “Maybe he said it like an ‘I’ve known you forever and I love you kind of thing.’”

“Tell me everything that happened. I’ll go grab the bottle of wine hidden in the employee fridge.” She scurries off into the kitchen and I risk a glance at my phone.

No messages.

Not from Jace.

Not from Trent.

Maybe all my problems are solved. Maybe both of them have given up and I can go about my normal life of booty calls and the other nights filled with the vibrating persuasion.

But do I want a life like that?

I have to figure this out. I keep saying that like the answer will just magically appear. Three choices are laid out in front of me and it’s up to me to take action. Do I go for Trent and all the baggage he comes with? Our connection is both physically and mentally way beyond what I’ve ever felt before.

Or do I go for Jace? A fresh start. Someone who doesn’t know me and we can share in the newness that is a starting relationship. One where I already see we mesh so well and I can see us finishing each other’s sentence.

Or do I go with option three. Neither and continue on my journey to become a cat lady.

A few minutes later she enters the office with two solo cups and the bottle of wine.

Raising the red plastic she laughs. “Not classy, but effective.”

When they are filled almost to the brim she leans back in her chair ready for my tale of two men. “Spill it!”

~~

D
espite my embarrassment over the way the previous weeks have gone, I still need to talk to Trent and Jace. Just to know that we are okay. I don’t want to lose Trent as a friend or either of them a potential boyfriend.

So, after a few hours of reliving the entire few days over and over again to Hadley, I knew I needed to make things right with Trent and apologize to Jace for not going back into the restaurant.

The drive to Trent’s house is long and quiet with the exception of the rain. No radio. Just my thoughts and me. I race to the door sans umbrella, my nerves are shot when I knock, not wanting to ring the bell in case Jason is already asleep. Muffled sounds come from inside but he doesn’t answer.

He probably looked outside and saw my car and doesn’t want to deal with me. I don’t blame him.

I turn to walk away but hesitate and decide to ring the bell anyways.

More sounds and then footsteps. As they become louder, I can feel my heart beating out of my chest. My breath is short, and my knees feel like Jell-O. I don’t know what to say but there’s no turning back now. The door swings open and I am faced with someone who looks like he is grieving.

He appears drunk and sad. Black bags under his eyes as well as some unshed tears.

I did this to him.

“Trent. Can we talk?” I ask hoping he isn’t too far gone to get this conversation going.

“Who is it?” A hushed female voice comes from behind him.

Who the hell is that?

“Not right now, Noelle.” He looks down, defeated.

I guess I shouldn’t be surprised that he is drowning his sorrows inside another woman but this wounds me. The sting of hurt deepens when he closes the door.

I feel like an asshole standing on the stoop with a wood door to my nose.

I pound on the door with my fists as hard as I can and ring the bell a few times. I have no right to be pissed. I don’t own him but don’t tell me you love me and then fuck someone else.

The door flies open again and in grieving Trent’s place is furious Trent. I step back intimidated.

“Noelle. I told you I can’t do this right now. We’ll talk later.” His hand rests high up on the door exposing the skin between his belt and bottom of his shirt. I can almost feel his abs underneath my touch again.

I shake my head getting the thoughts out since his next abs feeler is in his house.

“I just wanted to say fuck you, Trent. Enjoy your night with whatever hooker you have in there.” I stand up taller so I am closer to him and whisper, “But just remember whose pussy tastes better on your tongue.”

“It’s not like that, Noelle, and I don’t have to explain it to you anyways!” He yells at my retreating back.

I stalk away as I hear the door slam behind me and finally notice the car parked on the curb in front of his house. Looking across the way I find Jace’s light on and sprint across the street trying to keep from getting too wet.

He answers the door with a grin brighter than the sun and brings me in for a hug. His embrace instantly comforts me. His smell is invigorating.

“Hey, baby. Do you want to come in?” He asks kissing the top of my head.

“Yea,” I mumble into his chest not wanting to let him go. “We should talk.”

Releasing me, he holds me away from his body looking into my eyes and then at Trent’s house. His smile disappears. He must see my car in Trent’s driveway.

“Okay, come on in.” He steps aside allowing me to pass by and closes the door behind him.

Tears start to fall as I realize that maybe I’ve lost Trent.

“Don’t cry. You’re way too beautiful to cry.”

“I’m sorry.” I sniffle.

“Don’t apologize.” He brings me in for another comforting hug. “You came to tell me you chose him, didn’t you?”

His hold on me stiffens a bit changing the feel of the room.

“No,” I say pulling away. “I didn’t. I came to apologize for earlier today.”

“Well, good. That means I still have a chance.” He smiles again and leans down, his lips meeting mine.

They’re soft and aggressive at the same time. My emotions take over, and I throw my hands around his neck and deepen the kiss, letting all the anger, hurt and stress out.

Never disconnecting he pushes me back until my knees hit the couch, and I stumble backwards. He falls to his knees in front of me, gripping behind my legs and pulling me to him.

“I’ve decided I’m not going to pressure you anymore, Noelle. We can be and do whatever you choose. Just let me try to win you over.”

The pupils of his eyes dilate and he leans in again just barely a centimeter from my parted mouth. Trent made my decision easy for me. Confusion is replaced by clarity. My hot breath hits his as I whisper, “Okay.”

“H
ey, baby. Can you grab my phone off the counter?” Jace asks as we are scrambling to get out the door and head to Walker and Erin’s engagement party.

Yes, they waited a whole seven months to have an engagement party. With the proposal right before the baby shower, they wanted to wait until the summertime to celebrate it with friends and family so they could have it at an outdoor venue.

So, today, two weeks after Trent basically slammed the door in my face, will be the first time I’ll see him since then. And, most likely, Alex.

Alex.

I was shocked when I found out the girl inside the house was her. Trent has been really secretive on why he is allowing her to move in with him. Even Erin has no clue why he would let that abandoning whore back into their lives, but he has.

After all she did to him; I just can’t see why he would take her back.

I would say I am heartbroken, but I’m not. He’s a grown man making the choice to get his heart shattered again. I just don’t want to watch it happen, but today it seems I have no choice. We’re both in the wedding party, and we’re both required to attend.

“Sure.” I call back to Jace stopping mid-stride as he comes into view.

He looks delectable. From head to toe.

Damn.

As his body shifts towards mine, I watch the fabric of his khaki pants rub across is toned thighs and with just enough tightness to them that I can just make out the outline of his dick. His pecs are screaming against the material of his green polo shirt that makes his eyes the shade of the most beautiful of emeralds. He’s smiling at me with a smirk that says ‘I’ve been caught’.

“Keep looking at me like that, Noelle, and we won’t leave,” he declares and wraps his gentle hands around my waist, backing me up to the counter.

His nose dips down to just below my ear and trails an invisible line down to the crease of my neck. He knows it drives me crazy. I lean my head back to give him more access.

“Tell me, Noelle.” Jace halts all physical contact and bores his eyes into mine, the dark green shade showing me he’s determined. “Tell me you want me.”

“Jace.” I sigh. “I want you, but I don’t want our first time to be a quickie.”

“There are other things we could do, baby,” he says nipping at my ear lobe.

A spark shoots through my body. I push his hands away and unzip his pants. I reach down and grab his girth, and I’m taken back at just how big he is.