Free Built to Last by Jean Page Page B

about us a lot lately.”
    “When you kissed me the other night...Griffin I should have said something then, but you caught me off guard. I’m not into you that way. Don’t get me wrong, I think you are handsome and I love you, but like family, Griffin. I don’t want to hurt you. I’m sorry if I ever gave you the impression that my feelings were anything else. Even if my feelings were to change toward you, I’m just not in a place where I want to be in a relationship right now. I took care of my Mom for six years and completely lost myself in the process. I need to rediscover who I am and where I want to be before I get involved again. You can understand that, right?”
    The stricken look on Griffin’s face was heart rending. She had really hoped that he’d laugh at her for being melodramatic and tell her she was wrong. Seeing his face, she knew that she could very possibly lose him as a friend too and that hurt. They stood in silence for several moments. Noelle was hoping he would say something, anything to reassure her that he would still be her friend. She had so few of them and didn’t want to lose the ones she had.
    “I should go.” She said finally, when he hadn’t replied to her.
    “No, it’s okay Noelle. I understand. I mean I hoped but...well you can’t win them all, right?”
    His bravado made her smile a little. “I would like to still be your friend, but I understand if that’s not easy right now, Griffin. You have always been such a good friend to me.”
    He looked at her long and hard. “I’d like that too.”
    “I’ll give you a call okay? But I’m going to go Griffin. Take care of yourself.”
     
    ***
     
    Cade checked the clock again. It had been an hour and a half since he’d talked to Noelle and the anticipation of their evening together had him jumping every time he heard a car pass on the street. He didn’t want to seem too eager. Dinner was finished and sitting in the kitchen staying warm. He had lit the candles around the room and made sure everything was picked up throughout the house. He’d even come home early from work to take care of everything. Another car passed and he walked to the window to look out feeling anxious and disappointed that it wasn’t her car. It was starting to snow. He decided to flip on the TV to occupy his mind while he waited. The news was on, broadcasting a winter storm watch for the entire valley. Blizzard like conditions was the forecast for the next couple of days. Well, that certainly took his mind off things. His crew wouldn’t be able to get to work in weather of this magnitude. He swore under his breath and watched the seven day forecast.
    His cell phone rang and he jumped for it. “Noelle?”
    “It’s Rick Caster, Boss. Have you seen the forecast?”
    “Yeah I was just watching it. Maybe it won’t be as bad as it sounds.”
    “I got Steven here with me, and couple of the other guys. Poker night. We just thought we should check in with you.”
    “Well, you know the drill Rick. Tell Steven to start calling people off in the morning if we can’t get to the site, otherwise I want everyone there and remind them that we are indoors with heaters.”
    “I don’t think that’s going to make a helluva difference to any of them if the plows haven’t gotten through.”
    Cade closed his phone and checked the time again. He decided to give her a call. He listened to her voice on her voicemail. “Just me, hope to see you soon.”
    He jumped when the doorbell sounded and felt his heart drag up into his throat. He took a deep breath and answered it.
    “Hi,” she said simply and leaned up to kiss him on the cheek.
    “I just tried calling you.”
    “I shut my phone off when I got into the car. I didn’t want any more interruptions tonight. Something smells wonderful,” she commented as he took her coat and gloves. She had her hair tied up on the back of her head and he longed to pull it loose and delve into the tresses. He’d smelled her