My new desk was delivered today, and I just finished putting it together. Since I don’t need a living room and a den, I’m using the living room space for it. So, I have an office, or at least a temporary one. Someday, after the renovations to the second floor are done, I plan to renovate the third floor and make it into an office.

It’s one giant space with five cool dormer windows. I’ll wall off the second half of it for an attic of sorts and the rest of it will be a kick ass office. That’s a long ways off though.

I’m going to celebrate this desk since it’s the first piece of actual furniture I’ve bought for my house that’s been delivered.

My new sofa should be coming later this week and I can’t wait. It was a splurge but since my parents are funding my new kitchen appliances as a Christmas/birthday present, one I could afford. It’s a plush, soft, gray sectional, the seats on either end can recline. I ordered it online so I haven’t actually sat on it yet but I’m hoping it will be comfortable enough to sleep on. I’m sick of my air mattresses.

Noah told me to just buy an actual mattress already. I will, hopefully after two more paychecks. With his help, this renovation has been going faster than what I budgeted for. When I thought I’d be doing all of this work on my own, I had planned for it to take longer.

Now that Noah is helping me, we’re working faster than my paychecks are coming. Also, I had originally planned for a more modest master bathroom. After using Noah’s that first time, and at least once a week since, I changed my mind.

The new tub I ordered costs three times as much as the one I was going to get. Don’t even get me started on what the multiple showerheads cost. It’ll be worth it in the long run.

For now it means that I need to be smarter about my budget going forward. Sure, I bought this house outright so I don’t have a mortgage. I have money in the bank but it would be foolish to not leave some of it aside for emergencies.

My major expenses for the remodel are paid for. Furniture, other than what I’ve already bought, not so much.

“Good looking desk,” Noah says from behind me.

I yelp, jumping at least a foot in the air. “Holy crap Noah. You scared me.”

He grins mischievously. “The kitchen door was unlocked.”

I smack his arm, still trying to catch my breath. “You didn’t have to sneak up on me.”

His expression softens. “You shouldn’t leave your doors unlocked.”

“Noted,” I grumble, then look back at my new desk. “You like it?”

He comes to stand next to me, folding his arms over his broad chest. “It’s a great desk.”

I nod, then turn to grin at him. “I love it.”

“So, where are we putting it?”

I turn again, spinning to look at the available walls. “What do you think of here?”

His gaze moves to where I point. “It’ll work.” He moves to one side of my new desk. “Come on. Let’s move it.”

Apart from the obvious, Noah’s reactions to my ideas are night and day different from what I experienced with Allen. No matter what I said, Allen’s way was always better. Part of the reason I took this project on was to rebuild my self-confidence. Noah’s support has done wonders for more than just this house.

Together, we move my desk to the center of the sidewall, right below a window.

As soon as it’s in place we both step back. “Looks good.”

I nod in agreement. It does.

“Are you sure you don’t want to set it up in the den?” He asks, and then explains, “Your TV is in there.”

“I’ve gotten in a bad habit of having the TV on while I work. This will be better for me.”

He does this half smile thing. God, he’s so handsome he should come with a warning label. One that says: Will catch you off guard and turn you into a stammering fool if you look directly at him.

There’s this boyish quality to him, even though he’s all man. It would be a lie to say I’m not attracted to him. I am. Unfortunately, he’s done nothing to show me he sees me as anything other than a friend.

He’s become so much more than only a friend to me. Since I’d never do anything to risk our friendship, I’m going to need to deal with the fact that’s all he’ll ever be.

“Let’s grab your stuff from the den.”

“Okay,” I reply, grinning.

The folding table that was serving as my desk is in my den, my TV set up at the end of it. I unplug my laptop and scoop it up, piling its cords, the mouse, and my headphones on top. Noah grabs my notebooks, pens, and a decorative box.

Smiling to myself at what that box contains, I make my way back into my new office. My new desk has a built-in shelf along the back of it, three wide drawers going down each side and one thin drawer across the middle.

I set my laptop down first. My mouse goes to the right of it and my headphones to the left. Then, I feed the cords under the gap below the back shelf.

“Where do you want these?” Noah asks, standing behind me.

“Put them on the shelf for now,” I reply, crawling under my desk.

After plugging my laptop in, I back myself out from under my desk on my hands and knees and then sit, my ass to my heels to look at it. He set the box on the center of the shelf. Every time we eat Chinese I swipe his fortune and I’ve been storing them all in that box.

“You’ll need an office chair,” Noah suggests.

“I can use the folding chair for now,” I shrug.

“Promise to put something under it so you don’t scratch up your floors.

I want to grin but I don’t, instead I give him a brusque nod.

He does grin. “Want to go get a rug to put under it?”

He wants to go shopping with me? I know my budget is tight but there’s still room in it for things like lamps, rugs, towels and other odds and ends.

“But I thought we were starting the kitchen cabinets today?”

“It’s going to take a night, maybe two to assemble them,” he replies. “Come on. You know you want to.”

Darn the man for being right.

“There was this great rug I saw online. Let me check and see if they have one in stock before we go.”

Staying on my knees, I shuffle forward and open my laptop. I’m bad about closing browser windows so it doesn’t take long to pull up the one with the rug on it. After a couple clicks, I confirm they have it in stock.

Looking over my right shoulder I point to the screen. “What do you think?”

He closes the distance between us, coming to stand off to my side and leans over me. “I like it.”

He steps back, offering me his hand to help me stand. I take it, his long fingers wrapping around mine. His other hand goes to my waist as I stand.

Wetting my lips I whisper, “thanks.”

His hand tightens on my waist before he releases me, dropping my hand. “Let’s go.”

We go out the back way. When I grab my keys and purse, my eyes linger on the boxes that hold my new kitchen cabinets. As if reading my mind, Noah says, “We’ll be back in no time.”

“Get out of my head,” I joke, locking up behind us.

“No trailer?” I ask when I see his truck.

He shrugs. “Didn’t need it today. Don’t worry, the rug and anything else you pick up will fit in the bed.”

When we get to the store, he refuses to let me push the cart.

I stare at him. Every time we’ve gone somewhere together, he’s driven. “Are you one of those guys who always has to drive?”

He frowns but does not deny it.

“What if we’re taking my car?” I press.

His brows come together. “Why would we take your car?”

“There’s nothing wrong with my car anymore,” I argue.

His expression looks like he smelled something bad, making me laugh.

“Well, what if your truck broke down and I came to pick you up?” I ask, not ready to let it go.

“My Chevy would never break down,” he scoffs.

I shake my head and tell him to turn left down the next aisle. I’ll figure out a way to get him to let me drive. Until then, I’ll just appreciate his help. Specifically, the way he hefts the rug and loads it onto the cart.

“Want anything else while we’re here?”

I twist my mouth to the side while I think about it. Then I remember all my kitchen cabinets waiting for us.

“Nope, let’s go!”

He coughs but it sort of sounds like a chuckle. “I’ve never met someone so excited to assemble cabinets.”

“I’m not weird,” I snap. “I’m just so ready to have an actual kitchen again.”

“Want me to see if Abby can come over and help?”

Does that mean he doesn’t want to be alone with me?

I pause. “Ah, sure.”

“She loves assembling stuff,” he explains.

“She does? Man, I should have asked her to help me with my desk. That was a bitch to put together,” I grumble.

“I’m taking that as a yes,” he says, pulling out his phone.

I reach for the handle of the cart but he blocks it stepping in front of me.

“Come on,” I cry, and then motion to his phone. “You can’t text and push.”

Ignoring me, his thumb continues to move over his phone before he hits send and slips it back into his pocket. “All done.”

Looking far too pleased with himself, he puts his hands on the handle and starts to push the cart.

“You are such a pain.”

He looks over his shoulder at me and winks. My mouth falls open and it takes me a few seconds to move. I meet him at the register. While I pay he pulls his phone back out.

“Abby is in, and she’s picking up food,” he says as soon as we’re out the door.

I grin at him, my earlier annoyance gone. “Let’s go.”

When we get back to my house he carries my new rug in. Together we unroll it and shift it under my desk. I grab my folding chair from the den to finish the set up.

“You still need a new chair.”

I tilt my head to the side and agree, “I still need a new chair.”

“Knock, knock!” Abby calls from the kitchen.

“We’re in here!” I shout my answer.

When she walks into the room I blink.

Noah on the other hand speaks. “What did you do to your hair?”

She frowns, lifting her hand towards her head. “I got bangs.”

“Why?” Noah asks.

I smack his stomach and snap, “Noah.”

Abby’s face falls. “Do they look that bad?”

I cross the room to her, and take the bag of food from her. “No one said they look bad.”

Her fingers start to tug at them. “I thought they looked cute.”

Noah makes a noise in his throat and I look over my shoulder to glare at him and mouth be nice. Then I turn Abby and usher her back toward the kitchen.

“I like them.”

“You do?” Noah asks making Abby groan.

I ignore his terrible question and focus on Abby. “Don’t listen to him. What does he know about hair?”

She looks up at me, a hopeful expression on her face. “You really like them?”

I personally have never been a fan of bangs on myself. On her, they are cute. I think they’d look better swept to one side but there’s no way I’m telling her that now.

“Yes, I do.”

“I don’t,” Noah unhelpfully adds from behind us.

“Shut up!” I snap again.

“No, he’s right. I shouldn’t have gotten them,” Abby moans before running to the bathroom.

I set the bag of food on the nearest pile of boxes before turning on Noah to smack his arm. “Why would you say that?”

He grabs my wrist when I go to smack him again, and then my other wrist when I try with that hand.

Holding my hands between us he says, “I don’t lie to my sister.”

I tug at my hands but he doesn’t let me go. “You could have been nicer about it.”

“Why sugarcoat the truth?”

My eyes widen. “What if I got bangs, would you tell me to my face that you didn’t like them?”

His gaze stays locked on mine, studying my expression. “No.”

“Because you know it would hurt my feelings?” I press.

He nods, letting go of my hands. “And because anything would look good on you.”

It would?

His unexpected compliment releases a swarm of butterflies in my middle.

“You need to go talk to her,” I stammer and then add, “be nice and tell her you’re sorry.”

He pulls in a breath before nodding. Moving past me he goes to knock on the bathroom door. While he talks Abby into opening the door, I grab some paper plates and serve up the food Abby brought.

Noah is good, he’s got her out of the bathroom and smiling by the time I’m finished. It’s fun having Abby join us for dinner. Watching how Noah interacts with her, even after the bangs debacle is sweet.

I didn’t have any siblings growing up and envied the kids I knew who did. My cousin Heather and I were close, but it’s not the same.

“When are you bringing her to mom and dad’s for dinner?” Abby surprises me by asking Noah. “Everyone wants to meet you,” she adds to me.

“What? Why?” I sputter, putting down my plate.

We moved a couple of the boxes to form a makeshift table we’re sitting around. The bistro table only has two chairs and is so small it wouldn’t work for the three of us.

Abby blinks, and then blinks again. “Of course they want to meet you. They’re curious about who’s taking up all of his time.”

“Don’t freak her out Abs,” Noah says before turning his gaze to me. “You don’t have to be nervous about meeting them.”

My eyes bug and I look from Noah to Abby and then back to Noah. “Am I meeting them?”

He reaches across the table to cover my hand with his. “If you want to. My mom wants to meet you but I didn’t want to put you on the spot.”

“I—I,” I stammer.

“You don’t have to,” he says, his hand still on mine.

I look over at Abby and she tries to assure me. “But you should. They’ll love you.”

I gulp. “They’ll love me? Why will they love me? They don’t even know me.”

“How about we talk about it more later. Look at all of these cabinets we need to assemble tonight.”

My eyes move to the boxes Noah pointed at. There are a lot of them. Yes, I would prefer to focus on putting my kitchen together. Meeting Noah’s parents is freaking me out for some reason.

“Yeah,” Abby adds. “We should probably get started on them.”

“Okay,” I agree, pulling my hand out from under Noah’s, I stand.

“I’ll clean up here,” Abby says. “Start opening those boxes.”

“My box cutter is over there.”

I see it and get to work.

When the boxes were delivered, Noah and I grouped them by uppers, lowers and corners.

“We should do the base cabinets first,” Noah says, coming to stand next to me.

“Why?” I ask, not caring but preferring this subject.

My gaze stays on the box I’m opening but I feel his eyes on me. “We measure the height of where the uppers go off the base cabinets.”

“Why not from the ceiling?” I ask as he helps me lift the pieces from the box.

The upper cabinets I ordered go all the way up to the ceiling.

He shrugs, “Since ceilings aren’t always level we do it this way.”

That has me straightening to look at his face. “Is my ceiling level?”

His ocean blue eyes warm. “Yes, it is.”

I quickly look back down at the box. “Just checking.”

He softly chuckles beside me but I ignore it. With Abby’s help, we unpack each of the base cabinet boxes, careful not to mix them up. Abby starts working on one, not waiting for help from Noah and me.

“Let’s work on this one together,” Noah suggests, directing me toward the pile closest to us.

I read the first instruction aloud while Noah sifts through the pile to get the pieces we need. Noah wasn’t joking when he said Abby likes to assemble things. Even though she’s working alone, she starts putting together her second cabinet before we even finish our first.

When we finish ours, I motion around the room. “Can we set them along the wall so I can see what they’ll look like?”

“Of course,” Noah replies.

I help him carry both cabinets over to the back wall while Abby keeps working. There’s a window overlooking the backyard where my sink will be centered beneath.

I only plan to have cabinets along the back wall and the wall where the oven is to give my kitchen an open feel. The back wall is long enough that I’ll have plenty of storage.

I’m not going to put in an island but I might get an old farm table to put in the center of the room for an extra prep area.

“I have cabinets,” I grin, looking up at Noah.

“You sure do.” He smiles down at me.

For some reason, his smile reminds me that his mother wants to meet me. Has he told her about me? If she wants to meet me that must mean he has. I wonder what he’s said. I hope she doesn’t think I’m taking advantage of him. Maybe that’s why she wants to meet me, to yell at me for using Noah. But, Abby said they’d love me and I’m not using Noah.

“Why are you frowning?” Noah asks, a crease forming between his brows.

I turn away, hoping he doesn’t notice my nervousness. By the bunch in his eyebrows, my guess is he knows.