It was late on a Tuesday night when Noah left the office. He needed to release some tension and he knew that none of his girls would be working at The Simtra Playhouse so he decided to head out to a bar and pick up.
Within minutes he eyed his target at the bar, her face was planted in her book but Noah knew from the confidence and grace she displayed that she was pretty.
He sat down beside her, “Fifty Shades of Grey,” he said peeking at the cover of the book she was reading. “Baby that book is a cup of tea compared to what I could do to you.”
The woman glanced up annoyed and by the look in her eyes was about to say a witty come back but instead she squealed in surprise. “Noah? Oh my god I can’t believe that it’s you.”
“Sherrie! When did you get back in town?” He hadn’t seen Sherrie since they were teenagers but he heard from his mum that Sherrie got scooped up by some gaming company in Bridgeport.
“I got in yesterday, just been lying low. You really need to come up with some new pick up lines by the way, that was terrible and gross.
Noah ordered them some drinks and the two caught up on everything that had happened to them over the years.
“So is there anyone special in your life?”
“Nah, I’m a lone wolf. Don’t need any woman tying me down,” Noah laughed. “Are you seeing anyone?”
“No.”
“I’m sure you will find the right person soon.”
“I’m sure I will because I don’t run around town bedding every man I meet,” Sherrie stated with a preaching look in her eyes.
“Very funny but I’m just having fun.”
“You do know that woohoo is not everything; You can have a girlfriend and have fun without it. You don’t want to go through life alone without a soul mate.
“What about you? Do you have a soul mate,” Noah smiled changing the subject.
“No, but I want one to start a family with someday,” Sherrie sighed as she began chalking her cue.
******
The following week Noah thought he would try his luck at another bar.
He was in luck, he met a woman who was even willing to cheat on her husband right in front of his face.
“So your husband won’t get mad?” Noah asked as she drove him to her house.
“Nah, he has to go to my sisters and check up on the kids anyway,” She smugly replied.
Noah was gaining a reputation in the Shore and every woman knew that he always left women satisfied. That is why they didn’t care if they cheated on their husbands; it was worth it in their eyes.
As he was leaving her house the following morning (she told her husband to stay at her sisters), Noah noticed the girl from the spring carnival lying on a sun chair.
“Fancy meeting you here?” Noah startled the girl.
As she stood up she recognised Noah “Hey it’s you,” she said with a worried look on her face.
“This must be a sign, like us meeting again is our destiny how about we listen to our fate and go and grab a cup of coffee?” Noah said smoothly.
“No thank you, I know all about you Noah Ashfield and I want no part in your quest for conquering the Shore,” She firmly stated glancing at her watch.
“I have to go, I’m late for work.” Then she dashed off leaving Noah to wonder what she was talking about. First Sherrie, then the woman at the bar didn’t need much coaxing and now the kissing booth girl, what was going on?
To get the bottom of things, Noah raced home to the one person whom he could trust to tell him the truth.
“Noah Darling, unfortunately one of the women you have slept with was hurt when you never called her and you made the mistake of breaking the heart of a journalist. She has written an article about your exploits after digging up a lot of dirt,” Angeletta regrettably informed her son.
“That’s bull, I don’t call back lots girls and they know I won’t mum but they sleep with me anyway. Now thanks to one naive girl the whole town thinks I’m a sleaze.”
“Calm down darling, the article wasn’t all negative. She told woman you were the best she has ever had and that it was worth every tear she cried.”
“What can I do mum? Every woman in town either hates me or is just using me for woohoo.”
“Take some time to cool down for a while. Maybe it’s about time you stop having meaningless escapades and time to find the right girl.”
“Maybe I’ve already found her,” Noah exclaimed, running out the door.
Noah did a little background work of his own. Two days later he found out all about the kissing booth girl; her name was Candi Kinney and she worked two part time jobs, her second was at the day spa. Looking at her picture on the screen Noah knew that she was special, he had never felt this way about a girl since Claire left. He needed to see her so he headed down to the day spa to catch her before her shift.
“Are you stalking me Noah?”
“Please let me take you out to dinner and explain everything. I’m not denying what the article claims but I want to show you the real me underneath all my womanizing ways.”
“Why should I believe you?”
“It’s different with you, I really like you. Please just give me one chance to prove to you that I can be different,” Noah begged.
Candi agreed and Noah waited for her shift to end before taking her to the beach for dinner.
Noah was a true gentleman throughout their date, Candi asked him questions about who he’d been with and if he was safe and he answered honestly. Noah could tell that she liked him but she was cautious not to get herself hurt.
When dinner was finished Noah pulled Candi’s chair out for her and then they went for a walk.
Candi walked along beside him silently, their hands brushing as they moved. Noah closed his eyes and inhaled feeling the spring breeze against his face. Even though they weren’t talking the mood was not awkward, it felt right. Noah walked Candi home.
“Thank you for a very lovely evening Noah,” Candi sweetly whispered.
Noah leaned in to kiss Candi goodnight but she pulled away.
“Noah I’m not that kind of girl.”
“What kind? I’m just trying to give you a kiss goodnight.”
“I barely know you and I don’t just go around kissing guys I don’t know that well, I do that for work,” Candi giggled. “I don’t think that this will work, please don’t come around here again.”
Before Noah could defend himself again she walked inside and slammed the door. Noah knew he was starting to fall for Candi and going by the sound of her giggle she was too, so he was not just about to give up.
Bright and early the following morning Noah went back to Candi’s house and waited for her to come out.
“I want to prove to you that I am different.”
“Noah…”
“Please just come with me today I have something planned and I don’t expect anything from you, I don’t even care about woohoo anymore I just want you,” Noah begged desperate to prove himself to her.
Noah took Candi to the carnival and they spent their morning skating.
Then they played a friendly game of golf before Noah’s lunch surprise for Candi. The morning was running smoothly, Candi had been giggling the whole time.
“So what is my surprise?” Candi smiled
“It won’t be a surprise if I tell you.”
“How about if I sink this ball you tell me,” she challenged
“You’re on,” Noah accepted confidently. There was no way she was going to get it in.
Noah kept his eyes on the ball as it whipped through the air.
“Woo, I got it,” Candi cheered.
Noah glanced down at his watch, “Would you look at that it’s lunch time.” He took Candi’s hand and headed to the picnic area.
Noah spotted his dad at the grill and his mother beside him, no doubt letting him know he had burnt the sausages. “I want to introduce you to some special people.”
As soon as Angeletta spotted Noah she pulled him in for a hug. Noah introduced her to Candi and Kyle shouted hello from the barbeque. Candi watched how sweet and gentle Noah was with his mother. Before her mother passed away she always taught her that the way a man treats his mother is how he will treat you.
When the hotdogs were ready they all sat down for lunch and Kyle got a chance to get to know Candi. He could tell from the smile on his sons face that this girl was the one and he could not be happier. Candi was a sweet and caring girl and they loved her already, she was just the right girl to tame their son’s wild ways.
After lunch Kyle and Noah had some father son time fishing while Angeletta and Candi watched on.
“Does Noah introduce you to a lot of the girls he sees?” Candi asked.
“No you’re the only one in his adult life, I don’t think he has had a girlfriend since he was a teenager and the girls he spends his time with are nothing serious.”
Candi let what Angeletta said sink in for a minute; she wanted to ask Angeletta about Noah’s teenage years but thought it was best left for another time.
She glanced over at Noah who was reeling in a catfish and wondered if he could be in a stable and committed relationship. As she watched him cast his reel back out into the lake his dreamy eyes glanced toward her and he smiled, the kind of smile you would see on a nervous teenager, she really hoped that he was ready for such a relationship.
“She really likes you?” Kyle playfully informed his son.
“You really think so because she slammed the door in my face last night and told me to leave her alone.”
“The ones who are worth fighting for are the ones who want you to fight.”
“Did you have to fight for mum?”
“I had to yes, I had to find her first and boy did it take me a while but I knew she was the one the moment I saw her and she was definitely worth the fight.”
Kyle caught a snag on his reel and pulled up the smallest fish either of them had seen.
“You’re catching all my big ones,” Kyle joked “So do you think Candi is the one?”
“I do. I can’t stop thinking about her, I don’t care about any other girl and I don’t care about woohoo when I’m with her and that’s a big deal for me,” Noah replied smiling at Candi.
Kyle smiled, he knew his son was finally out of his wild ways and he looked forward to him settling down and giving them lots of grandchildren.
Before they all went their separate ways Angeletta insisted on the four of them taking a photo together. “Your aunt Andrea is not going to believe you have a girlfriend,” she smiled looking at the picture.
Noah shook his dad’s hand and hugged his mum goodbye, “she’s perfect darling,” she whispered in his ear.
Angeletta turned toward Candi and gave her a hug goodbye, “It was wonderful meeting you and I’ll call you next week to organise lunch.”
“It was nice meeting you too,” Candi politely replied.
After saying their goodbyes Noah began to walk Candi home along the beach.
“So I think your mum really likes me, I don’t know whether that is a good or a bad thing yet.”
“Why would that be a bad thing?” Noah asked
“Well what if I don’t stick around for that long and I can’t talk to your mum anymore or what if I do still talk to her and I have to see you with another girl,” Candi sadly mumbled.
“I think you think too much,” Noah laughed.
He stopped to look at Candi and grabbed her hand, “There will never be any other person out there for me. You are the only woman I have ever felt this way about and if I am lucky enough to have you, I promise I will never let you go.”
Candi floated into Noah’s arms, “You already have me Noah, I have been yours since the moment I kissed you at the carnival.”
As they kissed Noah knew that he was in love and he couldn’t wait to begin the rest of his life with Candi.
The Ashfield Legacy 