“I am,” I tell him with a smile on my face. “Very much so.”
“That’s great. I’m going to put you on with my secretary to help make the arrangements.” Ten minutes later I’m speeding home to tell Noah. When I get back to the Westbury’s, I run into the house, yelling his name.
Noah comes running around the corner and reaches for my arms. “What’s wrong? Are you hurt?”
I shake my head and smile. “I was offered a job.” I hold up my phone as if he can hear the conversation I had earlier.
“Like three of them,” he points out, but I’m shaking my head so fast it’s starting to hurt.
“No,” I wheeze, almost out of breath. “The Rams just called and offered me a job in player development, doing game and player breakdowns.”
Noah’s eyes go wide. He picks me up and spins me around. Just like he did with the other job offers. Once I’m back on my feet, he kisses me deeply. “I’m so proud of you.”
“I haven’t done anything yet,” I remind him. “They want me to come to LA.”
“Go!”
I laugh. “I am, tomorrow.”
His face falls, but the smile remains. I’m interrupting the rest of our week together and next week he’ll be with my dad and brother, which means I won’t see him for days. “I can reschedule.”
“Absolutely not. You’ll go and knock their socks off. Wow, babe. I’m so happy for you.” We kiss until we hear his dad clearing his throat. I retell my story and Liam suggests we go out to dinner to celebrate.
At the restaurant, we’re out in the open. This doesn’t happen for us in Portland or even Los Angeles, but here in Beaumont, no one cares that Liam Page is stuffing his face with a giant burger or that Noah Westbury can’t take his eyes off me.
Betty Paige recounts her day in school, telling us that there’s a new girl in town and she already has eyes for Mack.
“You should let him date her,” Liam says, which causes Paige to cry. Her and Mack are star-crossed lovers, the Romeo and Juliet of town. Their fathers’ history plays a huge role in their love life, not that they should have one at this age, but it does. Liam refuses to let her date at all, let alone date Nick’s son.
“Daddy, how can you say such a thing?”
“You’re not old enough to date, Paige. That’s how.”
“But I love him.” She throws her hands up in the air and collapses into her mother, who tries to console her. At this age, I kept my crush a secret. Probably for the same reasons. No one would ever let Noah and I date, not with five years between us.
“Paige,” I say her name to get her attention. “Trust me when I say this, love will wait.” Noah squeezes my hand under the table.
“How can you be so sure?”
“Because it waited for me.”
Noah leans over and whispers, “I’d wait forever if you needed me to.”
I duck my head and smile. I won’t need him to wait. Once this job interview is done, I’m going to pick a date and marry the man of my dreams. I look back at Paige. “And I wanted to ask if you’d do me the honor of being one of my bridesmaids?”
She stands and comes rushing over, wrapping her arms around me. “Yes, yes, yes! Thank you so much, Peyton.”
“You’re welcome, sweetie, and thank you.”
One decision down, many to go. I’m not sure if I can plan a wedding in six months, but I’m going to try.
6
Noah
Camping deep in the woods of Mt. Hood, was my dad’s idea. He set this trip up months ago, and the timing of it couldn’t be more perfect. With Peyton in Los Angeles, I’m a nervous wreck. If this trip hadn’t been planned, I would be there with her right now.
After stepping into the clearing, I pause and take a deep breath. The crisp mountain air of Oregon is one of my favorite things about living here. Within an hour I can be at the beach. Head the other direction and I’m in the mountains.