Chapter 31 Willing Hearts

Noah and Sami met 36 days ago.

ENDING OF PREVIOUS POST:

Noah studied her eyes. "Sunshine, you're worried. Talk to me."

Sami avoided eye contact before she focused on Noah. "I'm scared when you go back tomorrow, you'll be so busy we won't see each other, and you'll forget about me. What we have will dissipate."

He pulled her into a hug and kissed her. "Sunshine, there's no way I could ever forget you. You're embedded in my heart, forever." He swallowed. "I'm seriously working on my hours getting closer to regular work hours. I don't know how long it'll take, but I promise I'm working
on it."

They kissed, and then she said, "Thank you."

"I won't let anything come between us."

TODAY'S POST

Chapter 31

Monday morning, Sami left the P.E. department's team leader's office with her schedule for supervising the summer weight program and was on her way to have lunch with her mom. She answered her wrist communicator, "Noah, I'm happy, but surprised to hear from you. Is something wrong?"

"Sunshine, I need to talk with you. Can you meet me at your place? I'll bring lunch."

"Sure, I was going to have lunch with Mom. I'll tell her I'll be there later. This sounds important."

"It is. Can we meet in about thirty minutes?"

"Of course."

*****
It was only minutes after Sami arrived home that Jasper opened the door for Noah. He petted the large dog's head. "I knew you'd figure out how to unlock this door."

Sami called, "I'm in the kitchen. He hasn't figured it out, yet, but I knew you were on your way, so didn't lock it." She carried plates to the table.

Noah's eyebrows rose. "Your door should always be locked."

"Usually it is, but you said you'd be here in thirty minutes. I just got home."

He studied her eyes.

"Yes, Boss. I'll keep the door locked."

"Sunshine?"

"Yes?"

"You're incorrigible."

"You've mentioned that before."

"Ya think?" he teased.

"What's for lunch?"

He raised the bag. "Different kinds of burritos and nachos with queso."

"Sounds good. I'm always happy to see you, but are you going to tell me why you called?"

"Let's eat, then talk."

"Did you miss breakfast?"

"It was cut short."

Sami took a bite of a nacho dipped in queso. "The queso's good."

Once they'd eaten and cleaned up, Noah took Sami's hand and led her to the couch. "I have something to tell you."

Her eyes met his. "You're scaring me."

"It's good news." Noah continued, "A few things have changed at work."

Sami's eyes widened as she held her breath.

"Sunshine, breathe. I think you'll like the changes. First, Galvin was relieved of duty."

"Were you offered his job?" asked Sami, almost in a whisper.

"I was but turned it down. I'm not interested. A few weeks ago, I pitched an idea for a teaching position. It was accepted."

"What? I don't understand."

"We get new agents who don't understand the job. They get injured or die because of it. I proposed to have an equivalent of a semester of training, so they know what to expect and are prepared."

"Sounds like a good idea."

"I think so. I'll be teaching that course. It'll start next month." When Sami started to speak, Noah held up his hand. "Wait. Let me finish. From seven-thirty to eight-thirty, I'll be available for Jose and Bob to ask questions. Eighty-thirty until eleven, I'll be in class. Eleven until one, at lunch and available for Bob and Jose. My students will be working-out and then at lunch. One to four, I'll be in class. Until five, available to Jose and Bob. After that, I'm all yours." He paused. "Once a semester, I'll teach night surveillance for a week. I'll be gone during that time. Otherwise, I'm all yours."

Tears enter Sami's eyes.

"Sunshine, I hope those are happy tears."

"You did this for me, didn't you?"

"I did it for us."

"But," she dried her cheeks, "You enjoy being an active agent. You'll get bored and grow to resent me."

He held her hand, raised it to his lips, and kissed it. "I realize there's something more important than being a work alcoholic. Love and a family are more important. You've taught me that. I'm ready to settle down with the white picket fence, a wife and children." He petted Jasper. "Of course, a dog."

Noah knelt on one knee and took a ring from his pocket. "Sunshine, I wasn't searching for love, but I found someone who became the love of my life. I promise to love you for the rest of our lives. I'll make mistakes, but I promise to always protect and care for you. I want you to be my wife and the mother of our children. Will you marry me?"

"Noah, are you positive this is what you want?"

"I've made up my mind and I rarely change it."

She exhaled a few times.

"I know we've only known each other about a month. Is it too soon? Do you need more time? I'll give you as much time as you need." Noah closed his eyes. "Are you unsure how you feel about me?"

"No!" Sami swallowed. "I'm positive I love you. I'm worried about you. I want you to be happy. Will you be happy teaching?"

"Yes, I spend a lot of time teaching now. It's one of my favorite parts of the job. I'm tired of inexperienced agents getting hurt or dying because they lack proper training. I can stop or at least make an impact on the frequency."

Sami hugged Noah and kissed him. "Yes, I'll marry you."

Noah slipped the ring, a one-carat diamond surrounded by smaller sapphire stones, onto her finger. "Great!"

Numerous kisses followed, before Sami's phone rang.

With raised eyebrows, Noah asked, "You're not answering that, are you?"

"It's Mom."

He sighed.

Once the call ended, Sami said, "Mom has a doctor's appointment in two hours."

"She needs a ride."

"She does."

"I probably should get back to work, anyway." Noah hesitated. "Before you see your mom can we discuss the wedding?"

"Of course, why?"

"I have a couple requests before you, your mom, and sisters start planning."

"My socially awkward gorilla is coming out, isn't he?"

"I'm afraid so. First, we need to keep our engagement and wedding out of the newspapers. It's for security issues. I don't want to risk people figuring out Trey Morgan and Noah Taylor are the same person."

"Of course. I'm sure mom will understand. Anything else?"

"I really don't want a long-drawn-out engagement. I want to make you my wife, now."

"How about three months?"

"Three months is perfect. I know you'll want a church wedding. That's fine. You have a gigantic family, I understand, but I don't want to invite the entire city. Can we keep it small?"

"How about immediate family and friends, like maybe Mateo?"

"Mateo's fine, but not Marc or your college softball team."

"Agreed." Sami scanned the room. "I have a favor to ask."

"Sure, what?"

"I want Sarah and Myra to stand up with me. Can you pull some strings so Myra can do that?"

Noah leaned over and kissed her. "Of course. I'll pull every possible string to get Myra there." He hesitated. "Can the reception be no larger than what fits into the restaurant."

Sami giggled. "Of course. You don't have to wear a tux, unless you want too."

"I can do the tux. Be thinking about the honeymoon."

"All I want for the honeymoon is you and me alone for a long time with no telephones."

"You and those deep brown ornery eyes. You can't do that the entire time."

"We could try."

Noah grinned. "You're right. We could try." He scanned the apartment. "Is it okay if after we're married, I move in here until we can find an acreage outside of town. Jasper needs room to play."

"I'd love that. Thank you for thinking about Jasper."

"I know you come as a packaged deal, along with Myra. We'll get in that paperwork as soon as we set a date."

Sami kissed him. "I don't know how I ever got so lucky."

Noah returned the kiss. "I'm the lucky one."

THE END

*****
I would really appreciate any ideas for a title. Finding a title, for me, is harder than writing the novel.
*****

CHARACTERS:

Sami Martinez - Twenty-five-year-old high school teacher, who's working to find a kidnapped teenage girl.

Noah Taylor. - Homeland Security team leader, who works in the Human Trafficking department. Alias - Trey Morgan

Jose, Bob, & Sarah - Agents who work under Noah. Bob and Sarah are married.

Laura Martinez - Sami's mom.

Jasper - Sami's Great Dane, a large breed dog.

Myra Rodriguez - Kidnapped teenage girl whom Sami was close to.

Big T - Neighborhood pimp; not a friendly person

Numerous Team Members - They will show up periodically but not really important to the story, except they're there.

Chief Galvin Baldwin - Noah's supervisor.

Marc - Sami's old boyfriend.

Mateo Enrique Aguilar de Pereira - a very close friend of Sami's; a rich playboy