Chapter 61
Noella clammed up, looking a tad awkward! She had been up to her eyeballs these days with the whole former Polaris Star mission and whipping up remedies for Grandpa Sexton. She really hadn’t had a sec to think about Palmer,
Plus, he was a grown man for crying out loud. Did he really need her fussing over him?
Palmer caught the vibe from her face and knew what was up. He let out a chuckle, low and husky from his chest, that kind of laugh that tickles your ears and you just can’t help but itch. “Ah, forget it, you heartless little thing. Just don’t forget to miss me, okay?”
“Got it.”
Palmer grinned, satisfied, swaying with her in the dance hall. The cruise ship’s party was lit up like a Christmas tree, swarming with who’s who from all over, yet they all stepped aside to give Palmer and Noella the center stage to dance!
Off to the side of the cruise, a young woman in a sharp suit was helping an old man with snow–white hair to his seat, super careful–like.
“Take it easy. Mr. Horwich, I’ll go grab you some grub.”
“No need, I’m good just sitting here.”
This old–timer was none other than Merrick Horwich, a literary legend with a rep that crossed borders, bagging every top lit award you could think of. His name weighed a ton in the literary world.
“Who’s that dancing? Looks familiar, doesn’t she?”
“No clue, but if you’re keen. I’ll go snoop around.”
Merrick shook his head, but his eyes were glued to Noella who was dancing, her green dress fluttering like a sprite, every move a piece of art, a downright masterpiece!
The more Merrick watched, the more pumped he got. He ordered his Secretary, “Invite her here. would you? I wanna know if this young lady would be up for being the muse for my new book!”
“You got it. Mr. Horwich.”
Merrick couldn’t get enough. Seeing Noella seemed to pump him full of life and youth, like a blast from the past, breaking through his writer’s block in a snap!
“Miss, Mr. Horwich would like a word. Got a moment?”
Noella, a bit taken aback, looked over at Merrick bathing in the moonlight by the window.
Merrick Horwich, headliner of Harmonia Country Literature Newspaper every week? That’s her grandad! Sienna’s folks had bolted abroad for some health R&R, so they missed her birthday bash!
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Palmer spotted Merrick too and, hand in hand with Noella, made his way over.
“Grandpa Merrick, it’s been a while.”
“The Pollack kid? Hold up, ain’t you engaged to my granddaughter? What’s this, dragging another girl around? Listen here, don’t think you can push my granddaughter around just ‘cause you’ve got the big bucks! I’ll take you down a peg or two! Out with it, what’s your deal. with this pretty young lady? I saw you, hand in hand, even had your arms around her!”
Back in the day. Merrick did a stint as a war correspondent, so you bet he’s got a bit of a short fuse. The fact that he’s even talking is him holding back.
Noella sweetly said, “Grandpa, how are you?”
Merrick was shocked.
Hold the phone! What did this little rascal just call him? Grandpa?
“You’re Noella? You looked just like your mom back in the day! Good thing you didn’t take after your dad, or it’d be game over. Your brothers, especially Stirling, are as unfortunate–looking as your father.
Noella was like, even though Stirling’s got the spitting image of Tristan, his face is the talk of Tinseltown for all the right reasons!
“Come, sit with Grandpa. Oran, grab Noella something to munch on. The Pollack kid can stand; he’s probably no good, just like his granddad!”
The secretary Oran tried to keep a straight face, apologizing to Palmer, signaling him not to get. worked up over Merrick’s temper.
“What would you like, miss? I’ll get it right away.”
“Anything’s fine. I already ate.”
Merrick, holding onto Noella’s hand, was all smiles, his wrinkles nearly vanishing.
“Noella, who picked such a nice name for you? Just by hearing it, I know you’re a Schnabel kid!” “It was my step–grandma.”
Merrick, looking at Palmer standing by the table, frowned and waved him over. “Sit down, why don’t you? Standing there like a sore thumb. Is that how Sexton teaches his grandkid?”
“Sure, thank you, Grandpa Merrick.”
Palmer knew Merrick’s temper was a match for his own grandpa’s, and with his engagement to Noella, Merrick’s cold shoulder was no surprise.
Calling him Grandpa smoothed things over a bit; Merrick’s face unwrinkled, clearly pleased.
This kid’s got smarts, and if Merrick ever found out Palmer was messing around and doing Noella dirty, he’d break his legs without a second thought!
“Noella, what brings you here?”
“He did.”
Palmer chimed in, “Grandpa Merrick, the view’s not half bad on the high seas. Thought I’d take Noella out for some fresh air, plus let the world get a glimpse of the future Mrs. Pollack.”
Merrick gave Palmer an approving nod with a hmph through his nose.
“Smart move, kid! Noella, I just got back. I’m sorry that I missed your birthday party. Don’t be mad, okay?”
“I’m not. You’re looking well, Grandpa. Still getting headaches?”
Merrick’s gaze softened even more as he looked at Noella, chuckling, “Your mom told you? I’m much better. Your grandma’s been buried in some big experiment lately, total lockdown, I can’t even see her! She doesn’t know you’re back; she’d be thrilled to hear it!”
Merrick was itching to tell his wife about bumping into Noella.
“You wouldn’t believe it. Last time I saw your grandma, it was Elara who dragged me in there! What’s it gonna be, spending a lifetime with me or with her lab?”
Though Merrick grumbled, his eyes couldn’t hide his longing.
Palmer whipped out his phone and shot off a few texts, and in no time, got a thumbs–up response. He looked up, his face breaking into a gentle smile.
“Grandpa Merrick, it’s all set! Granny will be heading home this weekend.”
“Really? Oh man, you Pollack family kiddo, you finally did something right! Noella, sweetie. make sure you head back with Elara this weekend. Your granny’s been missing you like crazy! I just hope it doesn’t throw a wrench in the old lady’s experiments!”
Noella nodded obediently. “Elara actually headed back to Emerald County yesterday. She’s got some presents for you and Granny. I’ll bring them over this weekend.”
“That’s great, you guys are such thoughtful kids.”
Elara grew up under the care of the Merrick couple, so they had a particularly deep affection for her. Seeing how well Elara and Noella got along put their minds at ease!
“Although I gotta say, it makes me feel a bit red–faced, Noella, but Elara’s innocent in all this. We once thought she wasn’t your biological parents‘ child, so we took her for a paternity test. And would you believe it, the results back then confirmed they were related! It’s been a confusing mess for years, and that’s why it took so long for you to come back.”
Merrick was somewhat wistful as he recounted the past.
“Why was there a doubt? And why did the results show a biological relationship?”
Merrick matter–of–factly replied, “Well, she was just too darn smart. They say daughters take after their dads, and I just couldn’t see your dad’s IQ producing such a bright spark, so we went
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for the test! No offense, Noella, you take after your mom, so your smarts are a given!”
Noella just sat there, speechless.
“Not to throw shade on you, Noella–you’re smart as a whip. Just like your mom! As for why the test showed a biological relationship back then…”
