Noelle wanted to remain distant and upset with Cole. She wanted to ignore his presence and his attempt at conversation. She wanted to, but she just couldn't. At first she felt guilty for acting like a large child, pouting when she didn't get all his attention because he was famous in the area. She felt silly after thinking about how she must have come off. She wanted to hide from embarrassment, but then Cole decided they needed lunch instead. She wanted to politely decline and say they had plans for the afternoon, but Jacob was there with his puppy dog eyes and she didn't have the heart to lie.

Now, they sat in a quiet, practically hidden corner of a steakhouse where Jacob and Cole were joking with one another like best friends. How could anyone stay mad around that? The way Cole was so attentive to Jacob and the way Jacob hung onto everything Cole said. It was endearing and frightening at the Colee time. Only because she knew at times, there was probably a matching look in her eyes when watching Cole. He was so easygoing and approachable. Almost the opposite of what his physical stature portrayed. Who would have known this mountain of a man was a big softie on the inside? Noelle was stuck in that thought and must have been smiling to herself when Cole interrupted.

"You doing alright over there, NoNo?" Cole was overly amused to find out hers and Jacob's nicknames and called both of them by them nonstop since finding out. Jacob giggled each time and Noelles suspected that was why he kept it going. Another thing to make her heart race when it came to him.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Just spacing out, sorry." She made sure to keep her responses short and polite. If she tried to talk more she felt like she'd either word vomit or say something incredibly awkward. She didn't know why she was feeling so shy around him. Perhaps it was because this felt so...familial. It was too easy to settle into conversation and food and Jacob seemed so alive and happy. Jacob needed this. He needed a family and all the love. She could give him everything she had and he could still use more. He shined brighter with more love and who wouldn't want their child to have all the love they could get. She had a lot to reflect on when they got home. She was hoping that would be soon.

The table settled into a silence while they finished their meals. Noelle was eating thoughtlessly when Jacob spoke up and asked her something that had her eyes practically bulge out of her head.

"Can I show Cole my cars and my room, mama?"

She had heard a glimpse of them talking about toy cars and of course Jacob, like most little boys, was obsessed with any and every car he could get his hands on. Her brother indulged him and even gifted him a race car bed on his las birthday. Between sports, cars, bugs, and dirt, Jacob was easy to persuade his uncle into getting him new things. And now it looked like he had another fish on the hook; Cole.

"Oh sweetheart I don't know. Our home is far away from where Cole lives and I'm sure he has other things to do." Noelle was too flustered to think of a stronger lie. Something that was a more finite no. She just had to hope that Cole understood what she was trying to do and played along. Unfortunately, he didn't.

"I planned on spending my whole day with you guys. I'm free," he said so nonchalantly and then turned back to his extra large plate of food like he didn't just play into Jacob's hands over hers. She wanted to huff and pout, but there was only one child on a booster seat at their table and she wasn't it.

"See! He wants to see it, right Cole?" Jacob asked him and Cole could only look at him with a smile and nod while chewing a large mouthful. Noelle did everything in her power to not scoff and roll her eyes. Yeah she was feeling petty. Petty and nervous. With that a small part of her was excited to be around Cole more. Especially with no one else around. Maybe it would be easier like their walk at the park the other day. Now she only had to worry if she picked up the mess they had left from the night before. Did she start the dishwasher? She'd have to race home and make sure she didn't have anything Cole could judge her for. Why was she now so invested in him being there?

"If you really don't mind, I suppose," she surrendered. "It's not much, but it's our home."

"I think it will be wonderful," he said to her with an earnest look. And like he hadn't just rattled her world again, he went back to his food without a care in the world.

Noelle didn't know what else to do other than focus on her meal again, however difficult it was to take another bite. How could he not notice the affect he had on her? On anyone he was around for that matter. The waiter kept to his word because no one came around, but him, although he was very frequently checking in and overly attentive. She couldn't blame him though. She probably would have done the same. Cole was a light and it seemed everyone around him was a moth.

It didn't take long for Jacob to finish nibbling at his food and start getting antsy. He had a big morning and now it seemed like this might be the rush before he crashes for an afternoon nap. Maybe Cole visiting would have to wait. Even though she was against the idea at first, she didn't like the idea of not seeing him any more today.

Cole must have noticed the change in Jacob's energy because he quickly told the waiter to pay the tab and handed a card to him. When Noelle tried to pull her wallet out to leave a tip, Cole shot her a look that said she better not. Then Cole said something that threw her for another whirl.

"You can get the tab next time," he said with a handsome smirk followed by a wink.