on the hall table. Would Noah notice? Her lips quirked. He’d definitely notice.
They passed two smaller bedrooms before finding the master at the end of the hall
“I’ll grab his bathroom kit,” Carter said, his voice hushed. “You can find some clothes.”
The cool tones of the slate gray walls were accented by the dark area rug and black duvet on the large bed. The lack of clutter on the nightstands wasn’t a surprise, but she had to turn away to keep from tugging one of the drawers open just to see if anything was in it.
His walk-in closet was probably part of the attic at one point. Two steps up from the main room, the ceiling sloped with the roofline and was completely done in wood—floors, walls, shelves and ceiling. The scent of cedar filled the room and instantly reminded her of Noah and her grandmother’s antique hope chest. Both brought a warm sense of comfort.
She stood at the entrance, too in awe to proceed farther. Rows of neatly hung suit jackets, pressed shirts and creased pants filled the racks in color-coded perfection along both walls. Sweaters were stacked in ordered piles on shelves over the racks, and a long shoe cubby held more variations of black and brown men’s dress shoes than she’d known existed. Did he really need that many shoes?
She walked down the center of the closet, grazing her fingers over soft cotton and smooth silk. Names of top designers jumped out at her from the collars in a parade of influence and wealth she’d previously guessed at but now confirmed. The value of the items in that closet was probably more than she spent on rent for the entire year.
Did he even own any jeans?
She turned around to scan every shelf and hanger. Not a single pair of jeans, sweats or comfy pants in sight. He’d even worn slacks to the hockey game last night. If that was his concept of relaxing, then he needed more help than just a clean set of clothes.
“You ready?”
Carter’s voice filtered in through the doorway, prompting her to action. She slid a pair of black pants from a hanger, paired it with a white button-up and grabbed a gray sweater—cashmere, of course—in case he wanted layers. There was a black gym bag in the corner, so she tossed in a pair of shoes and set the folded pile of clothing on top.
“Got everything?” Carter asked as she exited the closet.
“Need socks and underwear,” she said, scanning the floor-to-ceiling set of drawers and doors. Maybe that was where he hid his casual clothes. She quickly cracked drawers open until she found what she needed. Boxers, briefs and boxer briefs were stacked in neat piles, ready for whatever Noah felt like wearing that day. And today?
“Which ones do you think?” She turned to Carter.
He frowned and moved in to glance in the drawer. “Hell if I know.” He grabbed a pair and shoved them in the bag. “Let’s go.”
Boxer briefs it was then. She found the color-coded array of socks in the next drawer and added a black pair to the bag before she followed Carter downstairs. If her hand accidently nudged one of the wooden bowls on the hall table, it was definitely because of the duffel bag.
Carter had two bottles of water and a bag of trail mix when she found him in the kitchen. She set the bag on the marble counter, and he added the items to Noah’s stuff. They’d done that for Deklan, Allie and Cali, too. Clean clothes, snacks, water, toiletries—whatever they could think of to ease their wait.
“Let me get his briefcase,” she said as she left the kitchen. The office was in a room off the front. Sedate yet refined, it matched the rest of the house. She’d thought there might be a glimpse of the real Noah here, but evidently this was the real man. Neat, tidy, closed up with everything in its place.
The soft-sided leather briefcase sat on the big wooden desk, like he’d said. She was tempted to explore further, certain there was some clue here about the man behind the controlled display, but there
They passed two smaller bedrooms before finding the master at the end of the hall
“I’ll grab his bathroom kit,” Carter said, his voice hushed. “You can find some clothes.”
The cool tones of the slate gray walls were accented by the dark area rug and black duvet on the large bed. The lack of clutter on the nightstands wasn’t a surprise, but she had to turn away to keep from tugging one of the drawers open just to see if anything was in it.
His walk-in closet was probably part of the attic at one point. Two steps up from the main room, the ceiling sloped with the roofline and was completely done in wood—floors, walls, shelves and ceiling. The scent of cedar filled the room and instantly reminded her of Noah and her grandmother’s antique hope chest. Both brought a warm sense of comfort.
She stood at the entrance, too in awe to proceed farther. Rows of neatly hung suit jackets, pressed shirts and creased pants filled the racks in color-coded perfection along both walls. Sweaters were stacked in ordered piles on shelves over the racks, and a long shoe cubby held more variations of black and brown men’s dress shoes than she’d known existed. Did he really need that many shoes?
She walked down the center of the closet, grazing her fingers over soft cotton and smooth silk. Names of top designers jumped out at her from the collars in a parade of influence and wealth she’d previously guessed at but now confirmed. The value of the items in that closet was probably more than she spent on rent for the entire year.
Did he even own any jeans?
She turned around to scan every shelf and hanger. Not a single pair of jeans, sweats or comfy pants in sight. He’d even worn slacks to the hockey game last night. If that was his concept of relaxing, then he needed more help than just a clean set of clothes.
“You ready?”
Carter’s voice filtered in through the doorway, prompting her to action. She slid a pair of black pants from a hanger, paired it with a white button-up and grabbed a gray sweater—cashmere, of course—in case he wanted layers. There was a black gym bag in the corner, so she tossed in a pair of shoes and set the folded pile of clothing on top.
“Got everything?” Carter asked as she exited the closet.
“Need socks and underwear,” she said, scanning the floor-to-ceiling set of drawers and doors. Maybe that was where he hid his casual clothes. She quickly cracked drawers open until she found what she needed. Boxers, briefs and boxer briefs were stacked in neat piles, ready for whatever Noah felt like wearing that day. And today?
“Which ones do you think?” She turned to Carter.
He frowned and moved in to glance in the drawer. “Hell if I know.” He grabbed a pair and shoved them in the bag. “Let’s go.”
Boxer briefs it was then. She found the color-coded array of socks in the next drawer and added a black pair to the bag before she followed Carter downstairs. If her hand accidently nudged one of the wooden bowls on the hall table, it was definitely because of the duffel bag.
Carter had two bottles of water and a bag of trail mix when she found him in the kitchen. She set the bag on the marble counter, and he added the items to Noah’s stuff. They’d done that for Deklan, Allie and Cali, too. Clean clothes, snacks, water, toiletries—whatever they could think of to ease their wait.
“Let me get his briefcase,” she said as she left the kitchen. The office was in a room off the front. Sedate yet refined, it matched the rest of the house. She’d thought there might be a glimpse of the real Noah here, but evidently this was the real man. Neat, tidy, closed up with everything in its place.
The soft-sided leather briefcase sat on the big wooden desk, like he’d said. She was tempted to explore further, certain there was some clue here about the man behind the controlled display, but there
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