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"I don’t kno can a guy say no to that?" She grinned at me impishly and then handed me back my phone
"Only a fool would say no!" I slipped the phone back into my pocket "And I dare say I ae their ways" She hesitated before continuing "I hope you don’t think I’ too forward I just feel really bad about how I acted in the restaurant I’eles and I’m the cliché dra and, well, I’ to h it see to go on the casting couch" She paused and slapped her hand to her hed "Sorry again I’eles already" I gave her a reassuring smile as I studied her face I liked her like this, not so confident and slightly out of her ele in common "We all over-share here It’s a problem we have It’s like we all think our lives are a le part of it Cue angsty hed and she joined h her hair
"You haven’t really shared h" She pursed her lips "I barely know your name"
"That’s because I don’t live round for aa flicker of reive you a call soreat" She nodded at me, and looked away "I’ll catch you later, Noah"
"Yeah"
I ran away froot to the corner, I looked back quickly to get onein the sa blankly at the space in front of her My heart panged for her as I wondered what she was thinking about Part ofon in her life I wanted to knohere she grew up, where she had gone to college, why she wanted to be an actress, what sort of actress she wanted to be I wanted to tell her that she was so much more than just the cliché dra She had chariset easily She was soh I barely knew her
But instead I continued running away from her I couldn’t help her or save her It wasn’t fair to bring her into the confusion in my life Not when I still had so much unresolved Not when my heart still had a hole in it the size of the Mississippi I thought back to what Sidney had said abouta fresh start But a part of et A part ofcould still work out And while I still had hope, it wasn’t fair to bring someone else into my life Noabout her
Chapter 6
"I just want it to be us, Noah I know you love Zane and heto me But I just want it to be us You can move here, to France, and we can make up for all the years we’ve lost" She stroked the side of my face as she looked at me ide eyes
"I can’t do that" I shook ood boy for your ht to that title the day you walked away from me and Zane"
"I already explained that to you, Noah Your papa alht "I’ve thought about you every day since I’ve been gone"
"How can you have stopped loving him?" I studied her face bitterly "What sort of person are you?"
"The connection just wasn’t--"
"You used to take hily "You even asked hi-willed and protective boy I knew that he would grow up to be an assertive man I wanted to make sure that you were taken care of"
"Most people are taken care of by their parents"
"Your dad never lovedeyes "I couldn’t take it I wanted to take you with me, but I kneouldn’t let me"
"But what about Zane? Didn’t you love him as well?"
"Inme to understand
"I can’t believe that you don’t love your own son"
"He was neveraround, Lucky" Zane’s voice was loud as I slipped in the front door I could hear his voice boo to interrupt what sounded like a tense moment
"Patience is a virtue" Lucky’s voice was softer but I could tell that she felt for him "Give him time"
"It’s hard I just want to know Why wouldn’t he tellto be an asshole I want to understand Ion She’s my mom as well He can’t just keep this shit to himself"
"It’s obviously important to him" Lucky paused "I’m worried about him, Zane Last e were at the Johnsons’, he seemed really sad and alone I know you don’t think we should try and introduce hiet out there I know he’s your brother and you love him, and I know you’re frustrated and you want answers, but maybe you should think about how this has affected him It’s been hard for you, yes, very hard But you have me now But what does Noah have? Who does Noah have? He’s carrying all these burdens all by himself It can’t be easy for him" Lucky’s voice cracked "I’m actually really worried about him" Her voice went low, and I couldn’t hear what she was saying
I leaned against the front door and frowned toirritable, which I had expected He had never been especially patient ere growing up and frankly, I was surprised that he hadn’t threatened me for more information already But it was Lucky who had brokenthe worry and despair in her voice as she spoke aboutsorry forabouther pregnancy I knew I hadn’t been doing a great job of hiding my emotions oras shitty a job as I had been I knew that I had to do sorabbed my phone and slowly exited the house to
"Hey, it’s Noah"
"Hey"
"The guy youthe other--"
"I knoho you are" She laughed "What’s up?"
"You didn’t hang up" I grinned into the phone
"Were you expecting hed "I knoas a bit of a bitch the first day we ive you… would you like to coht?" The words ran out of my mouth before I could stop them
"Is that code for ‘come over and have sex’?"
"No, no Sorry, I meant come over and have dinner with reet on the first date"
"Well, it’s not a date I roaned into the phone "Sorry, I kind of suck at this"
"You do suck a lot ht you would"
"I hope that’s not bad"
"Were you in a long relationship or so?"