The date had been going so well, and then all of a sudden, the air between them shifted. It was the notion that he was leaving, that what they had was on a timeline.
They drove back to the apartment in silence. It was awkward and left Tate unsure where they stood for the next week or so while Noah was still in Carson. And that was the crux of the problem. Noah was going to leave. There was nothing to hold him here. Tate knew that, and she wished that she had more to give him, something to offer.
As they approached the garage apartment, Tate’s heart sped up. In the back of her mind, she wondered if this was going to be the end of it all. Make a clean break and all of that. It would hurt to do, but extending whatever they had out another week seemed silly. Noah was leaving and that was the truth.
“Noah, I think-”
“Someone has been in the apartment.”
“What?” she asked as she looked up at the building as they pulled into the parking lot. The garage was closed for business, but clearly, someone had been upstairs. The door stood open, damage clearly occurring around the knob, something she could see even from their distance.
“Stay here,” Noah demanded and Tate rolled her eyes.
“No. That’s my space. If anyone is going to check it out, it’s going to be me.”
“Can you please, just for a moment, let someone take care of you? I don’t want something to happen if whoever broke in is still inside.”
Tate felt herself bristle with his tone, but she also felt his protectiveness with each punctuated word. She wasn’t afraid to admit that she was a bit scared to find that the apartment seemed to have broken into. And what was even more heart-wrenching was thinking that someone may have broken into the shop. There were thousands of dollars work of equipment or damage to the cars that people trusted in her care.
“Noah. I need to-”
“Can you stop being so stubborn for just one second? Just think for a minute. This is probably someone that is after me. I get threats all of the time, Tate. And, honestly, this would not be the first time someone has broken into a place that I was staying. It’s happened in hotel rooms, rentals; you name it. Usually, the person is gone by the time I arrive, but if it’s a crazed fan, there is a good chance they won’t be too happy to find a woman with me. Understand?”
Damn, he made a good point. It didn’t even cross her mind that it could be some sort of stalker after Noah. She had just assumed that it was a random break-in.
“I get what you’re saying. I really do. But that’s my building.”
“Okay, how about we compromise?” he asked.
Tate watched as he rolled his bottom lip between his fingers. Considering the situation, it shouldn’t have turned her on, but everything Noah seemed to do turned her on.
“What do you have in mind?”
“Why don’t you go ahead and call the authorities while I check out the space? If it’s all clear, you can join me while we wait for the police. What do you think?”
She knew what he suggested was the logical explanation, but it still irritated her that he thought she was some sort of weak woman, but she also knew that he was right in this situation.
“Fine. You have five minutes.”
Tate called the local police department and was relieved that both the sheriff of Carson, Preston, and his deputy, Alexis, would come and investigate. She secretly hoped that Noah would say something to piss Alexis off; men often underestimated her due to her demure stature.
Though she felt like doing anything but sitting in her car, Tate locked herself inside, bouncing her leg anxiously. Just when she thought that she couldn’t wait any longer, Noah moved to the landing at the top of the stairs and waved her on.
Tate rushed from the car and pounded up the steps as the first police car pulled into the lot.
Noah placed his hands on her shoulders before she could rush into the apartment. “I just want to warn you that it isn’t pretty.”
Tate braced herself as she stepped over the threshold. Her heart dropped. There were pillows slashed open, the stuffing spread across the floor like snow. All of the furniture was flipped over or broken. Everything Tate had placed in the apartment when it had been her home was now destroyed.
“Who would do this?” she whispered as Preston walked into the entryway and whistled in surprise.
She suddenly felt cold, as if she had been submerged in an ice bath. Tate wrapped her arms around herself, but it did little to provide her any warmth.
Alexis came barreling into the apartment after Preston and instead of looking around the space, she zeroed in on Tate.
“It’s good to see you, Tate, though I wish it were under better circumstances. Are you doing okay?”
Tate shook her head as she looked at her friend, a shiver passing down her body as she glanced around the room. “Who would do this?”
“Well, that’s what I wanted to talk to you about.” Unfortunately, Tate didn’t have anyone in town that disliked her, at least not that she was aware of. Chad and his crew had a race tonight so they would have a solid alibi, and Tate told Alexis as much.
“I should probably check on the shop and make sure nothing was taken or destroyed there,” Tate explained as Preston moved to join them, Noah following closely behind.
“We need to start writing up the report, then we can take inventory downstairs, but if you want to look it over, without touching anything, you’re welcome to.” Preston made sure to emphasize not touching anything.
Alexis moved next to Noah and asked him the same question she had asked Tate. He hesitated, looking at Tate before nodding and explaining the blackmail call from Jessica, a woman he had dated and was now going through a divorce with another racer.
The deputy reached for a small notepad and furiously started writing down everything Noah claimed. Fifteen minutes went by as he detailed the call and ended up having to disclose the medical issues he was dealing with. His cheeks reddened in embarrassment and Tate wanted to walk over to him and wrap him in her arms.
Once Alexis had gathered her information, Noah and Tate moved out of the apartment and sat on the worn metal staircase.
“I’m sorry I ruined our night.” Noah sighed as he rested his elbows onto his knees.
“You didn’t ruin anything. Whoever broke in is at fault.”
“I didn’t mean with the apartment. I meant before this, during our date.” Tate knew he was referring to the service auction and how he would be gone. She also realized that even though he thought that he could return, it was very unlikely.
“Nothing to be sorry about there either. It’s a reality.”
“I wish that it wasn’t,” he said with a heavy breath. Tate stayed quiet as she rested her head on his shoulder.
“What are you going to do now?” Tate was referring to the situation with Jessica and his medical diagnosis.
Silence passed between them and Tate reveled in the comfort she gained from sitting next to Noah.
Beside her, Noah took a deep breath. The kind that felt like the weight of the world was resting on your shoulders. And to him, he probably felt that way.
“I’m going to have to tell my father.”
***
Noah waited patiently for Tate to reply. He knew she was smart enough to realize that he wasn’t referring to making a phone call. His two-week hiatus was going to be cut short because he owed his father enough respect to explain what a rheumatoid arthritis diagnosis meant for his racing career.
“I think that’s a good decision and it will pretty much null Jessica’s threats.”
“Yeah, it’s going to kill me to see the disappointment.”
“Disappointment? Noah, you’re his son and you got a diagnosis on something when you noticed that your health had changed. None of it is your fault.”
There was truth in what she spoke, but he still felt that his father would have a hard time coping, maybe even blame himself for not noticing.
“I can take you to the airport since your car parts won’t be in for another few days. I can probably coordinate a delivery service to bring it back to you in Nashville.”
“I’m coming back for it, Tate, back to you.”
The smirk on her lips as she puffed out a breath of air told him that she knew better.
“It’s okay, Noah. I know that you have a life and being here in Carson was just a way to pass the time. You don’t have to explain it to me or make any promises.”
Noah didn’t know why it hurt him so much to know that she wasn’t throwing a fit about this. Granted, they’d already ruined their date discussing him leaving, but now that it was going to happen even sooner, he was surprised that she wasn’t begging for more time. The fear that he hadn’t come to mean as much to her as she was to him settled in his chest, causing an ache in his heart.
She stood and suggested that they go look over the garage and make sure that there wasn’t more damage. He was surprised to find the space a tidy as an auto shop could be. Tate reiterated that nothing seemed to be out of place.
Together they waited for Preston and Alexis to finish their work upstairs. It took just another minute before the duo jogged down the steps.
“We took a couple of items for evidence, but unfortunately, it looks like a standard break-in. I’d suggest locking it up and finding somewhere to sleep tonight.”
Tate nodded beside him as she answered a few more questions for Alexis. He hated that she looked so hurt that someone would destroy her place, especially when it was because of him.
The officers left with a promise to call when they knew more and also suggested that he remain out of contact with Jessica, not that Noah had any desire to reach out to the woman except to give her a piece of his mind. He also began to suspect that she may be the cause of the missing seal on his car. He wasn’t sure how, but it seemed to add up.
“I need to go lock up. You can stay with me tonight if you want. Or I can call Brooks to come to get you.” Noah hated how nervous Tate seemed. She was wringing her hands together as she bounced a little on her feet back and forth.
“I’d like to stay with you, Tate. I’d like nothing more than to spend my last night with you.”
Her smile was wide and gracious but sad at the same time. The corners didn’t wrinkle the edges of her eyes and her irises didn’t sparkle the way that they had earlier on their date.
After going upstairs and gathering his few belongings, glad they hadn’t been destroyed, Tate locked the apartment.
He wasn’t sure if it was the excitement of the day or that his heart felt heavy, but Noah was exhausted. Beside him, in the car, Tate yawned just as they pulled into the path that would lead to her small cabin.
“I need to see if I can get a flight and let my father know that I’m coming home.”
“Okay,” she said solemnly. “I’ll probably go take a shower and get ready for bed.” Noah nodded as he slipped his phone free of his pants pocket just as Tate stepped closer. She pressed a gentle kiss on his cheek before turning and making her way down the hall. He wanted nothing more than to follow her and ask her to come with him, to beg her to give up her life here for a chance at the unknown with him.
But Noah wasn’t foolish and he was confident that the woman who had lost everyone she loved wouldn’t want to leave a place that felt like home. And the funny thing was that Carson felt more like home to him than Nashville, where he had grown up.
The clattering of old pipes sounded in the cabin and Noah knew that she had started her shower. Using his phone, he booked the first flight out of Asheville that would take off around 10 a.m. Staring at the now blank screen, Noah opened his contacts and located his father’s name. He hesitated to click on the number, but he knew he needed to get the call over with. Closing his eyes, he pressed the button and brought the phone to his ear.
“Hi, Noah! I wasn’t expecting your call.”
“Yeah, I know. I wanted to talk to you about something in person. So I’m headed back to Nashville tomorrow.”
“Oh. Is everything alright? Are you in some kind of trouble?”
“No, no. Not at all. I just wanted to speak with you about the concussion and other things.”
“Okay, well your mother and I can pick you up at the airport. What time will you be in?”
Noah told him of the expected landing time and gave his father the flight number before ending the call.
Glancing at the clock, he noticed that it was still early on a Saturday and Noah wondered if Tate wanted to stay up and watch a movie, but he secretly hoped that she just wanted some quiet time with him. But he knew he’d do whatever she wanted at that moment.
“Hey,” she said as she came down the hall in a pair of small loose-fitted shorts and an oversized T-shirt. She was completely comfortable and he thought it was sexier than any lingerie she could have worn. So many of the women he had previously been with tried to impress him with fine silks and lace, and while he appreciated the effort, those items held nothing to Tate in her natural state. “How did it go?”
“Good, I guess. My flight leaves at ten and my dad will pick me up at the airport.”
“Oh, okay.” She seemed uneasy as she rested her hip against the wall and wrapped her arms against her chest.
“I’m sorry we don’t have more time, Tate.”
“I know. I’m sorry too.”
“Did you want to watch a movie or something?” he asked, trying to lighten the mood.
“Would you hate me if I said I just wanted to lay in bed with you?”
“Tate, I could never hate you.” I could love you, he thought to himself. And the notion didn’t scare him at all. “I think that sounds perfect.”
They spent the night just as she requested, laying in bed until the sun rose in the sky the next day. They shared their dreams, wants, fears, and made love as much as they could while the minutes and hours ticked by.
It was the most perfect night he had ever had with a woman and he loathed that it would be the last.