Nolan Trilogy
“Nolan's Bed) (Temptation, Confession, Grace) Chapter Fifteen He cornered her, finally, on the upper deck of the Boblo boat on the trip home. She’d managed to avoid him the whole day, sticking like Silly Putty to Erica’s side on the cruise to the island. Once they got to the amusement park, they rode all of the rides together with Bobby and Buddy. Leah thought she was going to die. She might as well be dead, watching Mr. Nolan’s bewildered face as he followed them around the park, Leah goi...ng out of her way to evade him.
She knew, after the first hour or so, she wasn’t going to be able to keep it up. She was too weak and backsliding. Leah was going to give in to her baser desires, betray her best friend, and end up kissing her best friend’s father behind some midway game, breaking the promise she’d made. It was Sister Frances who saved her, like a sign from God, recruiting Mr. Nolan to babysit a group of first graders whose chaperone had gotten sick, leaving the four of them to their own devices, while he took the little ones on the teacups and flying scooters and through the petting zoo. Leah put on the brightest face she could muster, but she couldn’t eat anything at all, in spite of the availability of all the good-smelling carnival food—she felt too sick inside to even consider it. When Erica and Bobby started making out on the upper deck on the boat ride home—Buddy had hooked up with some girl from another school and they were below decks—Leah excused herself to use the bathroom. But instead, she walked the edges of the deck, hand trailing on the railing of the boat as it took them down the Detroit River, back toward home, finding herself at the stern, where the sun was setting, a fiery bloom over the Canadian side. That’s where Rob found her, leaning on the railing, letting the wind dry her tears. He leaned there too, his arm brushing hers. They didn’t speak, but when she shivered, he took off his jacket and put it around her shoulders. “I’m sorry.” She sniffed, not looking at him. “For what?” Leah blinked back tears. “Avoiding you.” “I hadn’t noticed.” She looked over at him, seeing his teasing smile, and she smiled back, unable to help herself. “I was working up to… to ending things… with you...” she confessed, her voice cracking, betraying the pain she felt at the thought. “But I can’t. I just can’t.” “Oh, Leah.” He sighed. “I don’t want to go home.” She turned to look at him, seeing only his profile, the set of his jaw, his hair blowing back in the wind. When he faced her, standing and holding his arms out, she went to him without a second thought to who might be watching, letting him enfold her as he whispered against her cheek, “I know.” Of course, he had no idea that she meant forever. She didn’t want to lose him. She didn’t want to choose.MoreLess
She knew, after the first hour or so, she wasn’t going to be able to keep it up. She was too weak and backsliding. Leah was going to give in to her baser desires, betray her best friend, and end up kissing her best friend’s father behind some midway game, breaking the promise she’d made. It was Sister Frances who saved her, like a sign from God, recruiting Mr. Nolan to babysit a group of first graders whose chaperone had gotten sick, leaving the four of them to their own devices, while he took the little ones on the teacups and flying scooters and through the petting zoo. Leah put on the brightest face she could muster, but she couldn’t eat anything at all, in spite of the availability of all the good-smelling carnival food—she felt too sick inside to even consider it. When Erica and Bobby started making out on the upper deck on the boat ride home—Buddy had hooked up with some girl from another school and they were below decks—Leah excused herself to use the bathroom. But instead, she walked the edges of the deck, hand trailing on the railing of the boat as it took them down the Detroit River, back toward home, finding herself at the stern, where the sun was setting, a fiery bloom over the Canadian side. That’s where Rob found her, leaning on the railing, letting the wind dry her tears. He leaned there too, his arm brushing hers. They didn’t speak, but when she shivered, he took off his jacket and put it around her shoulders. “I’m sorry.” She sniffed, not looking at him. “For what?” Leah blinked back tears. “Avoiding you.” “I hadn’t noticed.” She looked over at him, seeing his teasing smile, and she smiled back, unable to help herself. “I was working up to… to ending things… with you...” she confessed, her voice cracking, betraying the pain she felt at the thought. “But I can’t. I just can’t.” “Oh, Leah.” He sighed. “I don’t want to go home.” She turned to look at him, seeing only his profile, the set of his jaw, his hair blowing back in the wind. When he faced her, standing and holding his arms out, she went to him without a second thought to who might be watching, letting him enfold her as he whispered against her cheek, “I know.” Of course, he had no idea that she meant forever. She didn’t want to lose him. She didn’t want to choose.MoreLess
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