Page 18 of A Montana Childhood Promise (Sagebrush Ranch Sweethearts #3)

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

Jane entered the kitchen, following her mother, only for her mother to spin around and face her with a hand on her hip and narrowed eyes. “Okay, something’s changed. What is it?”

Freezing in her place, Jane gaped at her. “What?”

“Spill, Jane. I know something is going on between Noah and you. Are you two in a bad place? Did something happen?”

“What? No! Why are you even asking that?” Already, Jane could feel the heat searing her cheeks as the urge to defend herself rose to insurmountable levels. “Everything is great.”

Based on the way her mother chewed on the corner of her lip, it was clear she didn’t believe a single word that had come from Jane’s lips. Her eyes remained narrowed slits as she prowled closer to Jane. Then she placed both hands on Jane’s shoulders.

“You can tell me.”

“Mom,” Jane groaned, ducking out from her mother’s grasp. “Everything is fine. We’re doing great. Better than great.” A smile tugged at her lips, unbidden. “Everything is perfect.”

This time, her mother stilled as her eyes widened. “Really?”

Jane let out a quiet laugh and nodded. “Yeah. Really.”

Her mother let out a relieved sigh and pulled both of Jane’s hands into her own.

“I’m so happy—for you both. Because last time you were here with him, you really didn’t act like you were dating.

Not really. But then I chalked it up to him just being…

” She shrugged as if that was enough to explain her thought process on the matter.

“Just being… what?”

Her mother released her with an embarrassed laugh. “Sometimes men don’t like to show their affection in public. But then he came today, and you two were… different .” She leaned closer, and her voice lowered to an amusing level. “It’s like he couldn’t keep his hands off you.”

Jane stifled a groan.

So, she’d noticed.

Of course she had. Jane’s mother was the sort of person who wouldn’t miss a single thing when it came to her daughters’ relationships. It was a miracle she hadn’t woven herself into their lives so tightly that something ended up breaking.

Jane glanced toward the door where Noah waited and prayed he’d be as patient and forgiving of her mother’s overbearing nature just like Jane’s brothers-in-law were.

Her mother squeezed her hand. “Tell me more.”

“There isn’t much to tell, Mom. You heard it all last time. We were just… still… new, you know? We’ve been spending a lot more time together. I think we’re starting to find out who we are when we’re together.”

The smile her mother wore on her face was something Jane had only ever seen given to her sisters. There was pride and joy and everything in between. Jane smiled back, even though it felt strange to do so after feeling so outside of her own family all these years.

They in no way had a perfect relationship, but this could be the start of some mending that had been seriously needed.

Her mother placed a hand to Jane’s cheek. Her voice softened, and her eyes brimmed with moisture. “I can tell he makes you happy.”

Jane couldn’t deny it. After Noah had kissed her a few days ago, she’d been on cloud nine for a straight forty-eight hours.

He always had a knack for saying the right things.

He could make her laugh when she wanted to cry.

He could make her feel cherished with a single look.

He was so much more than she would ever deserve, and she knew she couldn’t take it for granted—ever.

So of course his kiss made her giddy for two days.

She nodded, placing her hand over her mother’s. “Yeah, he does.”

A whimper of relief spilled from her mother’s lips. “Does this mean there will be wedding bells in the future?”

And just like that, the closeness was lost.

Jane rolled her eyes with a groan. “ Mom .”

“What? I’m allowed to ask these things. You’re my only daughter who hasn’t found someone to spend the rest of her life with. I just want to know if that is the path you might be taking with him.”

The ironic thing was that Noah had all but proposed to her several times. Whenever he’d reminded her about that pact, he’d hinted that he’d be open to the idea of settling down with her. The thought sent fresh waves of butterflies whirling around in her stomach.

Marry Noah?

She could see herself living on that ranch with his family. And kids? She could see them, too. Did that mean she was ready for a change in her life like that?

Hardly. There was a lot to consider when it came to making such a life altering choice. But her mother wouldn’t take that as a good enough answer.

So Jane just shrugged. “I don’t know, Mom. Right now, we’re happy to explore the relationship we have.”

For once, her mother didn’t balk at her answer.

She simply nodded then moved to the island where several Tupperware containers had slices of cake nestled within them.

“Here, take one for you and one for Noah. Or two for him if you think he’d like it.

” Her mother placed the stack of containers into Jane’s arms and smiled tearfully again. “I’m so happy for you.”

Jane’s gut reaction was to roll her eyes again, but for some reason, she couldn’t bring herself to do it. This was a turning point in her life—one for her relationship with her mother, too. She nodded. “Thanks, Mom.”

Together they exited the kitchen and headed for the front door. Noah’s attention had been focused on Jane’s father as he moved across the room, but the second he caught sight of her, he grinned.

Man, that guy had a smile that could make the earth melt.

Jane moved toward him, having eyes only for this handsome cowboy.

“You ready?” he purred, eliciting a shiver down her spine.

“Ready.”

They stepped toward the now open door but were stopped by her mother’s shrill voice. “Stop.”

Startled, Jane swung her attention to her mother. “What?” she demanded.

Her mother smiled gleefully and pointed upward.

Jane closed her eyes and stifled an objection.

The mistletoe.

Without giving her a second to think twice, Noah snaked his arm around her waist. He nearly crushed the containers that were between them as he dipped his head, and his lips brushed against hers.

The kiss was gentle and sweet. It held so many unspoken promises that Jane couldn’t help but become breathless. Was this what it felt like to be in love with someone?

She’d never experienced this feeling before. It was new, exciting, and a little bit terrifying. To give someone so much of herself—trust him with her heart—the thought frightened her beyond all reason.

And yet she couldn’t think of anything she wanted more.

When Noah righted them both, his eyes were laced with a special kind of clouded desire—a promise of more to come.

She curled her toes in her shoes and risked a glance in her mother’s direction, noting the way she brushed at a tear that had escaped down her cheek. She shooed them away with the flick of her fingers, and Jane gave her one final smile before she was hidden behind the closed front door.

Noah guided her to the truck with a hand to the small of her back. Without prompting, he opened the door for her, but he didn’t let her climb inside. His hand wrapped around her elbow, and he turned her to face him.

She lifted wary eyes to meet his.

He wouldn’t dare tell her that he’d been pretending this whole time, would he? Or that he changed his mind after spending another afternoon with her crazy mother. He couldn’t. This spark between them was more than anything she’d ever experienced. He had to feel the same.

Her thoughts were on the verge of really spiraling when Noah put them all to rest.

“You want to know what I looked forward to the most when you invited me to come this afternoon?”

She dropped her eyes to the containers in her arms and lifted them slightly. “Cake?”

He laughed, lifting his other hand to her face.

He brushed her lips with his thumb, releasing the lower one she’d managed to snag between her teeth.

Then his eyes turned serious as he stared at her lips, and he shook his head.

“What I was looking forward to the most was standing beneath the mistletoe with you again.”

One side of her mouth tugged upward. “Really?”

He nodded. “Really.” His voice held that husky quality that could send her heart into overdrive. “You don’t know how much I crave you, Jane.” He leaned in closer and brushed his nose along the side of her neck. “You were made for me. You just haven’t figured that out yet.”

She sucked in a shuddering breath, her eyes fluttering closed. “Maybe I’m beginning to.”

Noah withdrew, his eyes sparkling with mischief. He didn’t say anything more, he simply brushed a kiss to her forehead and helped her into her seat.

Jane watched him charge around the front of the truck and allowed herself to drink in the oxygen he’d stolen from her lungs before he climbed behind the wheel himself.

He flashed her his usual charming grin. “Let’s head home.”