Girl Online

Chapter Twenty-Six

When I get back to the wedding suite, I find Mum and Dad and Elliot sitting at a table in the corner of the reception room.

“Darling!” Mum says.

Dad gapes at me. “You look . . .”

“Flapper-tastic!” Elliot exclaims.

“Thank you!” I do a twirl and the beaded fringe at the bottom of the dress fans out around me. Then I sit down with them. “Thanks so much, Mum.”

“My little girl’s growing up,” Dad says wistfully.

“Dad!” I say, blushing with embarrassment.

“OK, I need to try calling my parents again,” Elliot says. “Keep everything crossed that they say I can stay for Christmas.”

Mum and I immediately cross our fingers. Dad crosses his eyes.

“So, Sadie Lee tells me that Noah’s coming by to see you later,” Mum says as soon as Elliot’s left.

I nod.

“Hmm, I think I’d better meet this Noah,” Dad says.

“You will,” Mum replies. “We’re going to be spending Christmas with him.”

Just hearing her say this makes a heavenly chorus ring out in my head. Then I realize it’s the text notification on my phone. The text is from Noah.

So, any chance you can escape from the party early? I don’t normally like long goodbyes but this time I’ll make an exception. (I told you you’re making me act all weird!) N

How early?

Now early?

Are you here?!!

Yes—in the service car park. Just say the word and I’ll come meet you in the kitchen . . .

Mum and Dad are getting up to dance.

“That was Noah,” I say. “He’s here already. Would it be OK if I go and see him in the kitchen?”

“Of course,” Mum says.

“Bring him through here,” Dad says over his shoulder as he leads Mum to the dance floor. “I’m sure Cindy and Jim won’t mind.”

I slip off into the kitchen and find Sadie Lee wiping down one of the huge stainless-steel counters. I’ve barely seen her all day as she’s been holed up out here overseeing all of the meals.

“Hello,” I say.

“Hello, sweet girl.” Sadie Lee turns to me with a beaming smile. Her face is slightly flushed and a few strands of grey hair have made their way out of her bun but apart from that she still looks effortlessly chic. She looks me up and down. “Why, don’t you just look adorable!”

“Thank you, it’s my evening attire.”

“It’s beautiful, that’s what it is. Let me get a look.” Sadie comes over to take a closer look at the beading on my dress. “You look just like a picture I have at home of my grandmother. She was one of the original flapper girls. Oh my! Noah’s eyes are going to pop right on out of his head when he sees you.”

At the mention of his name, I instantly blush and feel super-self-conscious. “He just texted me to say he was here—in the car park.”

Sadie Lee nods and gives a knowing grin. “I know. He’s on his way up.”

“Thank you for inviting us to spend Christmas with you.”

“Oh, honey, you are so welcome. I love having a full house at Christmas. It will be just like—” She breaks off and I guess she must be thinking about Noah’s parents.

“I was so sorry to hear about—about the accident,” I say quietly, hoping that it isn’t too forward of me.

She gives me a sad smile. “Noah told you?”

I nod.

“He’s very taken with you, you know.”

I smile back at her. “I—I really like him too.”

Sadie Lee comes closer, and her voice takes on a more urgent tone. “I’m so glad he’s met someone he can talk to. He’s under—”

“Hey, what’s up? Oh my!” I turn to see Noah staring at me, his eyes wide.

“What did I tell you!” Sadie Lee nudges me. “Popping right out of his head.”

“You look—majestic!” Noah says, still standing rooted to the spot over by the door.

“Thank you,” I say shyly. “So do you.”

Noah’s wearing black skinny jeans and a scuffed leather biker jacket, over a pale grey hoodie. His hair looks shinier and softer than yesterday, like it’s freshly washed, and his eyes look even chocolatier than I remember them. As he starts to smile, the dimples return on either side of his mouth. He looks so cute I can’t decide whether I want to hug him or take a picture of him.

“Do you have it?” he says, glancing quickly at Sadie Lee before returning his gaze to me.

“Sure do,” she says, bringing a wicker picnic hamper out from under the counter.

“I was wondering,” Noah says to me in a fake posh voice, “if you would like to accompany me on a picnic.”

“A picnic?”

“Uh-huh—but not just any old picnic,” he says with a twinkle in his eye.

“Oh no?” I say, playing along.

“No. I’m talking about a moonlit picnic.”

Instantly my heart sinks—there’s no way Mum and Dad will let me leave the hotel.

“On a secret roof terrace,” Noah continues. “Right behind this very kitchen.”

“Really?”

“Really.”

Sadie Lee starts to chuckle.

“I would be honored,” I say. I look at Sadie Lee. “Please could you tell my parents where I’ve gone? They’re through in the reception, probably embarrassing themselves on the dance floor.”

“Sure thing, honey.” She looks at Noah, concerned. “But isn’t she going to freeze out there, in that dress?”

He shakes his head. “Don’t worry, G-ma, I’ve got it covered.”

“Now why doesn’t that surprise me?” Sadie Lee says with a chuckle. “OK, y’all have fun—and don’t go keeping her out there too long. We don’t want her folks thinking she’s been abducted.”

Sadie Lee heads off into the reception room, leaving Noah and me alone.

“So,” he says, bringing the hamper over to me.

“So.” I feel so self-conscious I have to look at the floor.

“If you could invite any fictional character to a picnic, who would it be?”

I instantly smile. Noah’s random questions are definitely great icebreakers. “Augustus Waters from The Fault in Our Stars,” I say. “So I could bring him back to life.”

“Great answer,” Noah says. “I’d bring that sappy guy from Twilight—so I could kill him.”

I laugh and look up at Noah, and the second our eyes meet I feel a kind of jolt inside. It’s so powerful it almost takes my breath away.

He smiles and looks away. “It’s good to see you again.”

“You’re welcome,” I say. I don’t know why I say it—well, I do: it’s because I’m an International Embarrassment Waiting to Happen, cursed by the God of Awkward Moments.

“I’m welcome?”

“No.”

“I’m not welcome?” Noah tilts his head to one side and grins at me.

“Yes, you are—it’s just—I—I didn’t mean to say that. I don’t know what . . .” I turn away slightly, so he doesn’t get third-degree burns from the heat coming from my face. “I meant to say, thank you.”

“You’re welcome! ” Noah says loudly, and we both crack up laughing. “Come on,” he says, guiding me toward a door that I’d assumed was to a cupboard. The door actually leads to a narrow passageway, which leads to a fire exit. “Sadie Lee told me about this place,” he explains. “It’s where the kitchen staff come for a smoke.” He gives me a bashful grin. “Which makes it sound like the least glamorous picnic venue ever but don’t worry—we’ll make it cool. And, much as I hate to see you covering up that dress, I’d hate for you to get pneumonia out there.” He pulls a fleecy hoodie from his bag.

It’s so huge on me it almost comes down to my knees.

“Hmm.” Noah frowns. “How come it looks a whole lot better on you than it does on me?”

And, just like that, he ignites my confidence and it starts to grow.

Noah opens the fire exit and we step outside onto an expanse of flat concrete rooftop surrounded by high metal railings. He takes me over to an alcove in the wall, where he lays out the tartan blanket from his truck.

“After you, ma’am,” he says, gesturing to me to sit down.

Noah sits down across from me and opens the hamper. He takes out a flask and a couple of cups. Then two plates and some really fancy cutlery and various parcels wrapped in tinfoil. I watch, my mouth watering, as he unwraps the parcels to reveal a selection of beautiful handmade canapés and chocolate-covered strawberries and fairy cakes. Then finally he pulls out two candles and a book of matches. “This must be Sadie Lee’s idea,” he says with a grin. “That woman’s such a romantic.”

He lights the candles and we sit there for a moment, grinning at each other, then looking away.

“I was hoping it would be a clear night,” Noah says, staring up at the dark sky. “I was hoping we’d be able to see the moon again.”

“It doesn’t matter. This is perfect.”

Way down below us I can hear the noise of New York but we’re so far up that the sirens and horns could almost be as soft as birdsong.

“I was thinking,” Noah says, unscrewing the flask. Steam spirals up from it into the cold air. “Maybe we could write each other once you get back home—and Skype—and instant message?” He looks at me and sighs. “Look, Penny, I wish you weren’t going tomorrow.”

I instantly grin. Sadie Lee obviously hasn’t told him that we’re staying. I wonder if she deliberately left it for me to tell him.

“There’s no need to look so happy about it,” Noah says, shaking his head.

“I’m not,” I say, my grin getting even wider.

“Really? You could have fooled me!”

“I’m not happy because I’m leaving—I’m happy because I’m not leaving. Not tomorrow, anyway. My mum’s been asked to organize a party, here in New York, the day before New Year’s Eve. We’re staying here till the new year!”

Noah’s mouth drops open. “You’re kidding?”

“Nope.”

He beckons to me across the picnic blanket. “Come here.”

I get onto my knees and shuffle toward him. As soon as I’m close enough, he grabs one of my hands. I feel giddy with anticipation.

“And do you want to know the best bit?” I say.

“That isn’t the best bit?”

I shake my head. “No, the best bit is Sadie Lee’s invited us to spend Christmas with you!”

Noah starts to laugh. “Yep, that’s definitely the best bit.” Then his expression goes all serious. He looks at me and I feel a weird tugging in the pit of my stomach. “So . . .” he says.

“So . . .” I echo back, my heart pounding.

He’s so close I can see a tiny fleck of ink on the side of his face. His hand closes tighter around mine and this automatically pulls me even closer, until our faces are just centimeters apart. He’s going to kiss me! Is he going to kiss me? What should I do? I close my eyes to try to block out any panicky thoughts. And then I feel his lips on mine—as light as a feather—and I feel myself kissing him back. Somehow, miraculously, I seem to know what to do. And then he lets go of my hand and I feel his strong arms wrapping around me, pulling me even closer. As the kiss gets more intense, I feel as if I’m melting into him.

And then my phone starts to ring. I let it go to voicemail while Noah hugs me tight.

“See, I told you—you are my inciting incident,” he says softly.

I nod and we break apart, although I notice we’re still sitting with our legs touching. “I’d better just check my phone,” I say, worried that Dad might be having a freak-out that I’ve gone off with Noah.

But the missed call is from Elliot. I go to my voicemail to retrieve his message.

“Penny! Where are you? Your mum says you’ve sneaked off somewhere with Prince Charming. Can you please, please come back ASAP? Bring him too; I’m sure the Bradys won’t mind. There’s been a catastrophe. My stupid parents won’t let me stay on—they’re making me fly home for Christmas—alone—can you believe it?!” There’s a short silence, during which my heart starts to sink. “Unless of course . . . Penny, would you come home with me?”