Ok one more chapter so you are not mad at Noah. His heart was in the right place. Thats it today.
“Sometimes the damage isn’t done when they leave. It’s when they come back and expect nothing’s changed.” By Unknown.Dinner was quiet, but not uncomfortable. They ate on the couch with the news muted in the background, both of them poking at their stir-fry that had gone a little soft from the delay. April didn’t seem to care. She’d curled one leg under herself, hair falling out of the tie she’d thrown in, chopsticks in one hand, the bowl in the other.Noah watched her as he chewed, setting his bowl down after a few bites. His appetite had disappeared somewhere between the first bite and the weight of what was still unresolved.She glanced at him. “You’re not eating.”“I’m trying,” he said.She didn’t push.Another few minutes passed before April set her bowl on the coffee table and leaned back, rubbing her hand over her stomach absently, her thoughts clearly elsewhere.“So…” she said eventually, her voice tentative. “What do we do now?”Noah looked at her, unsure. “About Max?”“About
“Sometimes the past knocks on your door when you least expect it—and this time, it wants answers.” By Unknown.The doorbell rang.Poppy froze mid-step, holding Jade’s pink jumper in one hand and a storybook in the other. She had only just put Jade to bed. The house had been calm for all of two minutes.Another chime echoed through the townhouse.She hissed under her breath, tossing the jumper and book over the arm of the couch. “For the love of God…”Her bare feet padded quickly across the floor. She didn’t look through the peephole, something she never forgot to do. Except tonight. Her only focus was on making sure the doorbell didn’t ring a third time and wake her daughter.She unlatched the door and pulled it open in one swift motion.And then she couldn’t breathe.Max stood on her front step.All six feet and stupid-handsome inches of him. Broad shoulders under a charcoal coat, dark jeans hugging long legs. His hair was tousled like he’d run his fingers through it too many times. H
Chapter TBA“Sometimes it’s not the truth that hurts—it’s how long it was hidden.” By UnknownPoppy took a few extra minutes upstairs. She peeked in on Jade, who was curled up in her bed with one leg flung out from under the covers, her mouth slightly open in the way only small children could manage. The soft lullaby from her nightlight played quietly in the background.She didn’t stir.Poppy stood in the doorway and exhaled, trying to slow her heartbeat. Her fingers were trembling, so she gripped the doorframe and took a breath. The sight of Jade’s tiny body, peaceful and unbothered by what was happening downstairs, helped ground her. But only just.She moved back downstairs only when she thought she was ready to face him again. Just as her phone buzzed on the coffee table. She picked it up. April.She answered quickly, her voice a little breathless. “Hey.” Max was standing where she had left him.April’s voice was immediate, worried. “Hey, are you okay?”Poppy hesitated. “Yeah. I mea
“Touch is the first language we learn. It speaks even when words don’t.” — UnknownThey didn’t speak much as they cleared the lounge room. The dishes clinked softly as Noah gathered their bowls, and April followed him into the kitchen. The stir-fry had gone untouched for the most part—lukewarm and congealed in the pan. Noah scraped the contents into the bin while April loaded the dishwasher.“I feel this is so wasteful. We should have just had a sandwich. I know it didn’t take a lot of effort, but still.”“I chopped,” he corrected.She gave a soft snort and leaned over to rinse the pan. Noah watched her for a moment, his eyes tracing the curve of her spine under the fabric, the way her neck moved when she tilted her head, loose strands of hair falling forward.He stepped up behind her, resting one hand lightly on her hip.She didn’t stop. She just kept washing. The sooner this was done, the better.“You good?” he murmured into the space between her ear and her shoulder.April rinsed th
April woke up still in Noah’s arms.It was early. The kind of still that made the air feel suspended. The light spilling through the bedroom curtains was faint and silver. April turned her head slightly, careful not to disturb the man sleeping beside her. His arm was draped over her middle, hand resting instinctively over her stomach.She watched him for a moment. His lashes fanned out over his cheek, his mouth relaxed in a way it never seemed to be during the day. Even in sleep, he looked like Noah. Unapologetic. Unflinching. But here, wrapped around her like a vine, he looked different. Younger. Softer.They still had a way to go. She still hadn’t told him she loved him. April did, but she wasn’t ready to say it out loud. She didn’t know what she was waiting for.She shifted slightly and pressed a kiss to his shoulder.He stirred, his arm tightening. “What time is it?”“Too early,” she whispered.He hummed in response, his voice still deep and sleep-rough. “Come back to sleep.”She d
“In golf, as in life, it is the follow through that makes the difference.” By Unknown.The sun was finally beginning to do its job by the time Noah pulled into the long, winding driveway of the country golf club. The parking lot held a lot of luxury cars. But on the course, none of that mattered. Just because you had money didn’t mean you could play.He spotted Max before he even got out of the car.The actor stood just beyond the clubhouse patio, dressed down in a navy quarter-zip and golf pants, his dark sunglasses perched on his head as he watched a group of older men chatting nearby. He looked more tense than relaxed. And very out of place.Noah walked up to him, golf bag slung over one shoulder. “You look like you want to bolt.”Max turned, managing a tired smile. “I didn’t sleep. Didn’t feel right after seeing Poppy and Jade. My mind was on a loop all night.”“She let you see Jade. That’s something.”Max nodded slowly. “She’s beautiful. And small. I didn’t think I’d get emotional
“To love someone is to risk not knowing if they’ll ever say it back.” By UnknownApril was already back home by the time Noah returned from golf. She’d changed into leggings and a tank top, her feet tucked under her on the couch, a mug of tea cooling beside her.Her hair was piled on top of her head in a messy bun. She had Noah’s iPad in her hands, looking at baby names. Being with Poppy and Jade today had got her thinking about it. What was a good name for a baby?Because they wouldn’t always be a baby. Being at school with a bad name could be terrible. Kids could really be cruel. She remembered being at school with one kid named Scott… great name, but the kids had called him Scotty Snotty. It was the kids that had been little shits. How could actors or famous people call their kids’ stupid names? April often laughed at them when they got announced. Thinking poor kid.Now it was their turn to think of a name that wouldn’t put their child into therapy.She didn’t hear him walk in until
“Sometimes love isn’t about grand gestures. It’s showing up, over and over again.” By Unknown.They could smell Tally’s cooking even before they rang the doorbell.Ryan opened the door a second later, dressed casually in jeans and a soft polo shirt that looked like it had seen better days.“You’re late,” he said with a smirk, then leaned in and kissed April on the cheek before pulling Noah into a one-armed hug.“By three minutes,” April deadpanned, stepping inside. “Tally’s cooking. Must be nesting.”“You have no idea. She reorganized the spice rack alphabetically. Twice. She’s been out of control the closer this birth comes.”April already knew that. Tally had told her she was becoming obsessive compulsive about the smallest things around the house. April really hoped that was something she would miss out on during her pregnancy.Tally appeared around the corner, glowing and round-bellied, a tea towel over one shoulder. “Only because Ryan keeps putting paprika next to cinnamon like a
“Intimacy is not purely physical. It’s the act of being seen and known for who you truly are and still being loved.” By Unknown.The light seeping through the curtains was soft, filtered by clouds, giving the room a quiet, gray glow.April blinked, adjusting to the new morning. Her body felt heavy, but not in a bad way, mostly just sleepy. She liked being in the warm cocoon of Noah’s body.Noah’s arm was draped across her waist, his chest warm against her back, his breath soft against her neck.She could feel the rise of him against her hip. Morning wood. She grinned. The most innocent of problems. But it stirred something in her, a reminder that she was still here. Still whole. Still wanted. Her hips shifted slightly.Noah groaned.“You’re awake,” he murmured, voice still thick with sleep.“Maybe,” she replied.He nuzzled closer, nose brushing her shoulder. “You’re dangerous when you start shifting like that.”She did it again. “You’re the one pressing against me,” she whispered, a f
The silence between them wasn’t heavy. Noah didn’t say anything right away. He just crossed the room, taking a seat beside her on the bed and reached for her hand, his thumb brushing across her knuckles.April let him hold it. Let herself lean a little closer. Her body still felt like it didn’t belong to her. Her nerves frayed. Her head throbbed from the strain of pretending she was okay. They just looked at each other.Noah reached out and brushed a strand of hair off April’s face. His hand lingered along her cheek before he leaned in and pressed a kiss to her temple.“You scared the shit out of me,” he whispered.April smiled weakly. “I scared myself.”He leaned his forehead against hers. “Don’t do that again.”She let out a small breath, tears in her eyes. “Not really up to me.”“I know. But still. Don’t.”April turned her face slightly and kissed him. Soft. Slow. It wasn’t a kiss of desperation or apology. It was a connection. Real and quiet.He pulled her gently into his arms, an
“Sometimes the measure of love is not in words spoken, but in sacrifices made silently, in the moments when no one is watching.” By Unknown.April had no idea how she even got to the hospital.The pain hadn’t been sharp or overwhelming. That would’ve been easier. It was dull and dragging, low in her belly, and unsettling in the way it came and went. It had started right after the incident with Porsha.She couldn’t lose this baby. It would kill Noah. After what had happened to his first child. The pain was still fresh, even though it had happened years ago. For Noah, though, it had only just happened.If something happened to their baby and she found out it was Porsha’s fault, she would destroy her and her family. April was no longer the pushover she had been four years ago.After Porsha had pushed her, she had first thought it was the adrenaline fading. The shock of being shoved and screamed at by her cousin had already rattled her. But then the cramping came. Not strong, not regular,
“Some people don’t want peace. They want attention and they’ll burn the room to get it.” By Unknown.It started like any other morning.April sat at her desk, scrolling through reports while sipping lukewarm tea. Neil had just stepped out to prep for the upcoming meeting with finance, one she didn’t need to attend, thank God.She welcomed the quiet after her busy morning. Her head still throbbed from a night of little sleep, and her stomach churned with low-grade nausea. It was likely just the pregnancy. She’d felt fine earlier, but her breakfast had started to repeat on her as the morning wore on. The baby was making itself known.The buzz of the intercom startled her.“Miss Harrington, there’s someone here insisting on seeing you.”April pressed the reply button. “Who is it?” She didn’t have a planned meeting until 11 a.m. with the marketing team.A pause. Then her assistant’s voice returned, a little strained. “It’s your cousin. Porsha Harrington. She won’t take no for an answer.”A
“Sometimes love isn’t about grand gestures. It’s showing up, over and over again.” By Unknown.They could smell Tally’s cooking even before they rang the doorbell.Ryan opened the door a second later, dressed casually in jeans and a soft polo shirt that looked like it had seen better days.“You’re late,” he said with a smirk, then leaned in and kissed April on the cheek before pulling Noah into a one-armed hug.“By three minutes,” April deadpanned, stepping inside. “Tally’s cooking. Must be nesting.”“You have no idea. She reorganized the spice rack alphabetically. Twice. She’s been out of control the closer this birth comes.”April already knew that. Tally had told her she was becoming obsessive compulsive about the smallest things around the house. April really hoped that was something she would miss out on during her pregnancy.Tally appeared around the corner, glowing and round-bellied, a tea towel over one shoulder. “Only because Ryan keeps putting paprika next to cinnamon like a
“To love someone is to risk not knowing if they’ll ever say it back.” By UnknownApril was already back home by the time Noah returned from golf. She’d changed into leggings and a tank top, her feet tucked under her on the couch, a mug of tea cooling beside her.Her hair was piled on top of her head in a messy bun. She had Noah’s iPad in her hands, looking at baby names. Being with Poppy and Jade today had got her thinking about it. What was a good name for a baby?Because they wouldn’t always be a baby. Being at school with a bad name could be terrible. Kids could really be cruel. She remembered being at school with one kid named Scott… great name, but the kids had called him Scotty Snotty. It was the kids that had been little shits. How could actors or famous people call their kids’ stupid names? April often laughed at them when they got announced. Thinking poor kid.Now it was their turn to think of a name that wouldn’t put their child into therapy.She didn’t hear him walk in until
“In golf, as in life, it is the follow through that makes the difference.” By Unknown.The sun was finally beginning to do its job by the time Noah pulled into the long, winding driveway of the country golf club. The parking lot held a lot of luxury cars. But on the course, none of that mattered. Just because you had money didn’t mean you could play.He spotted Max before he even got out of the car.The actor stood just beyond the clubhouse patio, dressed down in a navy quarter-zip and golf pants, his dark sunglasses perched on his head as he watched a group of older men chatting nearby. He looked more tense than relaxed. And very out of place.Noah walked up to him, golf bag slung over one shoulder. “You look like you want to bolt.”Max turned, managing a tired smile. “I didn’t sleep. Didn’t feel right after seeing Poppy and Jade. My mind was on a loop all night.”“She let you see Jade. That’s something.”Max nodded slowly. “She’s beautiful. And small. I didn’t think I’d get emotional
April woke up still in Noah’s arms.It was early. The kind of still that made the air feel suspended. The light spilling through the bedroom curtains was faint and silver. April turned her head slightly, careful not to disturb the man sleeping beside her. His arm was draped over her middle, hand resting instinctively over her stomach.She watched him for a moment. His lashes fanned out over his cheek, his mouth relaxed in a way it never seemed to be during the day. Even in sleep, he looked like Noah. Unapologetic. Unflinching. But here, wrapped around her like a vine, he looked different. Younger. Softer.They still had a way to go. She still hadn’t told him she loved him. April did, but she wasn’t ready to say it out loud. She didn’t know what she was waiting for.She shifted slightly and pressed a kiss to his shoulder.He stirred, his arm tightening. “What time is it?”“Too early,” she whispered.He hummed in response, his voice still deep and sleep-rough. “Come back to sleep.”She d
“Touch is the first language we learn. It speaks even when words don’t.” — UnknownThey didn’t speak much as they cleared the lounge room. The dishes clinked softly as Noah gathered their bowls, and April followed him into the kitchen. The stir-fry had gone untouched for the most part—lukewarm and congealed in the pan. Noah scraped the contents into the bin while April loaded the dishwasher.“I feel this is so wasteful. We should have just had a sandwich. I know it didn’t take a lot of effort, but still.”“I chopped,” he corrected.She gave a soft snort and leaned over to rinse the pan. Noah watched her for a moment, his eyes tracing the curve of her spine under the fabric, the way her neck moved when she tilted her head, loose strands of hair falling forward.He stepped up behind her, resting one hand lightly on her hip.She didn’t stop. She just kept washing. The sooner this was done, the better.“You good?” he murmured into the space between her ear and her shoulder.April rinsed th