Noah's Quest - 5. The Talk

After Little B’s bombshell, Uncle Matt abruptly decided it was time to leave.

He assured me in the parking lot that he would talk to Grandma and that they would handle it. “I know you’ll want to text them, just don’t. Obviously, something is going on.”

“They don’t answer me anyhow,” I muttered. “But I’d really like to give them a piece of my mind.”

“I need you to act calm and rational. We can’t both lose our shit,” he said, giving me a smirk.

I looked down at my shoes. “Can I talk to Chase about it?”

“Noah, look at me,” he said, his tone softening. “You can talk to Chase about it. Knowing him, he’s going to want to burn their world down, but I guarantee you he won’t push you back with Shiloh.”

“I know,” I said softly. “I’ve never felt anything like this before. Not even with Shiloh.”

“Love takes time. Don’t rush it,” he said with a smile.

“Thanks, Uncle Matt.” I stepped forward and hugged him.

“Anytime, bud.”

I got into my truck and watched Uncle Matt pull away, already animatedly talking to someone on the phone. I shot Chase a quick text to let him know I was on my way home.

When I pulled into the driveway, I spotted my Great Uncle Ted’s truck. (Gosh, calling him 'Great Uncle' makes him sound so old.) I parked in the garage and entered the house to find Asher and Chase deep in discussion. Outside on the patio, Uncle Ted was pacing back and forth.

“Hey, Noah,” Asher said, noticing me first.

“Hey, babe,” Chase said, before immediately turning bright red.

Asher rolled his eyes. “I told you, Chase, it’s fine.”

I leaned in and gave Chase a kiss. Every single time our lips met, I felt sparks—a stark contrast to how things had been with Shiloh. I keep comparing everything to Shiloh, dammit.

“Your grandmother called, and Ted went outside. He’s been on the phone for quite a while,” Asher explained.

“There was a development while I had lunch with Uncle Matt,” I said, my voice trailing off. “No doubt that’s the conversation they’re having right now.”

“What happened?” Asher asked. “I’ve never seen Ted so animated.”

Just then, Ted noticed me through the glass. He ended his call and walked back into the house.

“Hey, nephew,” he said, pulling me into a hug. “Your grandmother told me about Little B’s comment. How are you holding up?”

“I feel numb, honestly. But I also just want to know why they did what they did.”

“Understandable. We will figure this out.”

Asher looked between us, while Chase nodded in agreement. “Would you care to share what this revelation actually was?”

“During lunch, Little B casually blurted out that he can read minds. He proved it by telling us what some of the people around us were thinking. Then, he dropped a bomb: Tristan had nothing to do with Shiloh. It was Dame and Dom behind it all.”

The silence in the room instantly grew thick. I watched Asher and Chase process the information. Ted’s expression remained perfectly neutral, but I could see a dangerous rage burning behind his eyes.

Asher finally broke the silence. “Why?”

“That is the million-dollar question,” I said, finally sitting down next to Chase.

He pulled me into his side, and a wave of calm washed over me. His scent was intoxicating, and before I knew it, I was harder than a rock.

“My sister is going to get to the bottom of this,” Ted continued, “but she said we need to sit with this for now and not rush into anything.”

“I’m perfectly fine with how things are currently,” I said, shifting slightly in my seat to discreetly adjust myself.

The movement didn't go unnoticed. It earned me knowing smirks from both Asher and Uncle Ted.

Trying to redirect the attention, I added, “She is persistent in everything she does.”

That at least got a laugh out of everyone.

“So, the real reason we came here to talk to you both...” Uncle Ted began, glancing briefly at Asher. “We wanted you both to know that we’re here to answer any questions about your relationship, and to remind you that age is nothing but a number.”

I had momentarily forgotten that Uncle Ted was older than Asher. Even though he was my grandma’s brother, he was born just a few years before my dad. Grandma always said they were more like brothers than uncle and nephew. Uncle Ted had also served in the Army and now worked as a civilian at the Pentagon. Honestly, I suspected he was the secret liaison between Black Hawk and the DOD.

“Thanks, Uncle Ted,” I said, walking over to hug him and Asher.

“Your grandmother isn’t entirely happy, though,” Ted added, his tone shifting to something more stern. “She’s worried that with college starting, you might get distracted. Your attendance at work has also been subpar, from what I understand.”

I sighed. “Yeah. I’ve had a lot to deal with this summer.”

“That’s not an excuse, Noah. I need your word that you will work on being responsible.”

“Yes, Uncle Ted,” I mumbled.

“What was that?”

“Yes, Sir!” I said loudly, snapping a mock salute.

That brought the lighthearted mood back, and the room laughed. Asher, however, was still staring intently at Uncle Ted.

“Ah yes, the other piece of business,” Uncle Ted said. He walked over to the kitchen, retrieved a thick envelope, and handed it to me. “Grace said everything is finally squared away.”

“The trust,” I whispered.

“Yes, the trust. That’s a copy of all the official documents. The originals are secured in a bank vault, and several family members have copies.”

I pulled out the top document, which was a letter from Grace outlining her work. My maternal grandmother and her late second husband’s property had officially been transferred into an irrevocable trust.

Reading further, I noted: Properties have been rented out as requested, with the revenue deposited directly into your account. Grace has vetted all tenants and will continue to monitor the properties.

“What about the investments?” I asked.

“Those are updated as well. Also per your request, an additional financial advisor will review the assets annually to ensure your money is being managed properly. The NNJJ Foundation has been formally established to manage the scholarships you wanted to set up.”

Asher smiled warmly at me. “That is a very honorable thing you’re doing, Noah.”

“I don’t need all this money,” I replied, keeping my eyes on the papers. “I’d like to help someone if I can. I wanted to help Shiloh... but we saw how that worked out.”

“The foundation website is already live and has received several applications,” Ted said. “Grace will grant you access today so you can start reading through them. She also has a few recommendations for people you can appoint to the review board.”

“Grace is really something else,” I said, in awe of how fast she worked.

“She definitely is,” Uncle Ted agreed.

After Uncle Ted and Asher left, I sat on the couch with Chase, pulling up the foundation dashboard on my laptop. I was scrolling through the incoming scholarship applications when my finger froze over the trackpad.

Detecting the sudden shift in my energy, Chase leaned closer. “What’s wrong, babe?”

Without speaking, I turned the laptop screen toward him. Staring back at us was Shiloh’s application.