The Cherished Wife



"That's something to be happy about, isn't it? It shows how much your grandfathers really care about you!" Charles could tell Noelle was getting hung up on the negative, so he gave her hand a reassuring pat. "Noelle, trust me on this. Let's just act like this whole thing never happened, okay?"

"Why should I?" Noelle looked up, her eyes searching Charles's face for answers. "I'm not really a Shaw, am I? They took me in for whatever reason, but who are my real parents? Why did they leave me? I don't know anything about it. If I hadn't found out, maybe I could've lived my whole life without knowing, and maybe that would've been okay. But how can you expect me to just pretend I don't know now that I do? I can't do that!"

Noelle's stubborn streak was showing. Once she got an idea in her head, it was nearly impossible to stop her. She was the type to keep going until she hit a dead end. "Charles, I can't live my life not knowing the truth. You understand that, right?"

Charles's expression grew somber. "You won't get Grandpa to spill the beans."

"I'll just ask Granddad, then. He's got to know. He wouldn't have been so nice to me all these years for no reason. Plus, I overheard Mom saying she had to adopt me before Granddad would give her something. That means I'm definitely his granddaughter, right?"

Noelle blurted the words out, her voice tinged with hope. Charles brought the car to a halt and fixed her with a serious look. Noelle felt a wave of fear under his intense gaze. "Charles, you..."

"Do you really think Granddad will talk if Grandpa won't?" Charles shook his head. "You won't get a peep about it from them. Trust me. Let it go for now. You don't need to stress over this. You're so set on finding out, I'll look into it for you. Just give me some time, okay?"

"Really?" Noelle eyed him warily. "You'd do that for me?"

"Silly girl. Of course I would. You're my wife, and your concerns are mine too. But you've got to promise me you'll put this out of your mind for a while."

Noelle bit her lip, considering it, then nodded. "Fine, I'll drop it for now. I won't ask Granddad. But you have to promise to look into this. I have to know, no matter what."

"Even if you might not like what you find?"

V

Noelle paused, her clear eyes clouded with a touch of naivety, locking onto Charles's. She nodded resolutely. "Even then!" She needed to know the truth.

Charles's lips curled into a reassuring smile as he gently

stroked Noelle's cheek, coaxing the corners of her mouth upward.

"Come on, no more frowns. Let's see that smile!"

Noelle gave him a strained smile, the corners of her mouth twitching slightly.

Charles shook his head, pulling back his hand. "It's still early. I've got a special place in mind to take you."

"A special place?" Noelle's brows furrowed in puzzlement. "What kind of place could we possibly go to when everything's closed for the holidays?"

A genuine smile played across Charles's lips, his eyes crinkling with delight. Seeing his mood, Noelle pushed her worries aside. "Come on, tell me!"

"It's a secret." Charles chuckled,

playfully tapping Noelle's nose. "Just sit back and enjoy the ride." He hit the accelerator, and they zoomed away.

BAUMS

On the way, Charles made a quick call. "Are you at the shop?"

The woman on the line paused, recognizing Charles's voice. "Yes, but I might close early today. Are you coming by?"

"Yeah, I've got someone with me. Has everything been set up?"novelbin