The Kissing Booth 2.0

Sign the Contract

Life was beginning to get back to normal. Lee was spending less and less time in his room, a feat that only Rachel could take credit for. She came over early each day and convinced Lee to get up and do something with her and Oscar. Some days they went out somewhere and other days they would stay in the house and cook. It was like watching their little family finally getting to bond. The fact they were doing it in my house was a bonus, it was a pure distraction from Noah's absence.

A couple of nights ago I totally broke down on FaceTime with him, brought on by him mentioning that his management was waiting for him to make a decision on signing a contract for next season. I wanted Noah to be happy more than anything, I just didn't want him to leave to travel the country again. My upset resulted in a message from him the next morning telling me he had organised for me to fly out to San Francisco for his last game of the season. We decided to leave Maddie at home with our parents. We didn't want her to miss anymore preschool this year. I was bringing Aria, who has been saying dada repeatedly for the last few weeks.

' And how will you feel if Noah signs up for another year, sweetie? ' June took a sip of her tea, as we waited for my taxi to the airport to arrive.

' I'll be devastated, but happy that he's happy. I just miss having him around all the time. The girls miss him a lot too. '

' We all miss him sweetie, honestly I'm hoping he doesn't sign up either, not that I get a say.. How is Lee today? I haven't called him yet. ' June exhaled after that sentence. As she spoke I was looking at her face, exhaustion and worry etched into the new and only wrinkles she had under her eyes.

' He was good today, he's at home with Rachel now. They were gonna decorate Christmas cookies with Oscar later. He's a lot better, it's like him and Rachel have hit a reset button. She's good for him. '

' I just worry about them Elle, they so desperately wanted the life that you and Noah have, but you guys were soul mates. Everything was always going to work out for you. '

' June, were you ever mad how things worked out? With your kids? '

' Oh honey, I was never mad with you and Noah.Of course, I always wished that you both could have gone to college and settled down before you became parents. Don't forget, I have watched you and Noah grow up together. It was exciting to watch you two fall in love, and you coped with your pregnancy so maturely. It was hard not to be happy.

I've always been harder on Lee. I knew when he announced Rachel was pregnant that it wasn't what he wanted. Rachel didn't want it either. They thought that having a baby would cast a magic spell and make them just like you and Noah. That was never going to happen. '

' I often wonder what my mom would make of all this.. '

' She would be so happy, she would have been disappointed that you didn't get your twenties to yourself, but she would have been delighted. Joni and I always knew that Noah and you would end up together. '

' She did? '

' Of course honey, since you were about four. ' Our conversation was interrupted by the taxi honking outside the house. I threw my bag in the boot and strapped Aria into her car seat before hugging June and heading to the airport.

The flight was just under two hours and Aria slept through the whole thing, which gave me a chance to read a cheesy romance novel I picked up in the airport.

I walked into arrivals and scanned the room for Noah, but he was nowhere to be seen. I was walking down the line of taxi drivers with signs until I saw one that read ' Elle & Aria Flynn.' Weird, Noah said he would be here to pick us up. I sighed and gladly took the drivers offer to carry my case as Aria was just waking up and getting fussy.