Adam reappeared, handing beers to Drew and Noah. Noah took it with a thanks, then looked to Drew.
“Well, actually, I came down hoping to find Ivy.” He glanced my way. “I texted you a few times tonight, but hadn’t heard back.”
I sat up, grabbing my purse from the floor and digging through the giant bag for my phone. Coming up with it, I saw the series of missed texts. “I’m sorry! I turned it to silent when we got here. You know I hate when other people’s phones are blaring for everyone else to hear.”
He shook his head at me with a look that spoke to all the conversations we’d had about technology and my strong belief that people were missing out on life if they didn’t look up from their phones. “I figured as much. You’d mentioned this place, so I thought I’d get a bite to eat before trying to get ahold of you again.”
“You mentioned the brewery?” Jake looked surprised.
Noah looked from me to Jake. “Well, sure. Ivy and I don’t talk weekly, but we’ve talked since she’s moved here. We haven’t spoken for a few weeks, but she’s told me about you before and how comfortable she’s been in this town since arriving. That you and your friends were so welcoming.”
I could tell Noah knew something was off with the vibe in our group, and he was trying to set Jake at ease. I wanted to tell him not to waste the effort. We’d done nothing wrong. I wasn’t sure what was going on with Jake, but I wasn’t sparing it another thought. I was more interested in finding out why Noah was here.
“So,” I began, “it’s a surprise to see you here. Mom mentioned the other day that she heard you were heading back, but I didn’t think that meant you were coming to visit us. Or did I forget that we had something planned?”
Noah put his beer on the low table in front of him, running his hands down his thighs like he was nervous. He cleared his throat. “I hadn’t wanted to say anything unless it came through. You know I love the work we’ve done in Africa getting water to populations that haven’t had regular access. There was a chance for me to move back and work out of the office here, doing fundraising and planning. I’d still head over to do work on the ground, but it would be less regularly, maybe once every year.”
My eyes widened. Noah would be in the states? “Where’s the office here?”
Noah gave me a shy smile. “Well, it’s located in the state capitol, but I can work from home a lot too.”
“Springfield? That’s only an hour away from here. Where were you thinking of stationing yourself?”
He looked around to Drew and Jake like he was a bit uncomfortable. “Well, I thought if it was okay with you and Addie, I’d move to Highland.”
“To Ivy’s?” Jake practically growled.
Noah put his hands up, laughing. “Oh no. I’ll get my own place.”
I needed a minute. Possibly more than one. But I soldiered on. “Noah, when did you decide to come back? I had no idea you didn’t want to stay in Africa. I thought you loved it there.”
Noah grabbed his beer and settled back in the armchair, seeming to relax a bit with the familiar topic of his work. “I do love it; the work is important, and the people are wonderful. But recently I got my quarterly statement for Addie’s college fund—”
I put my hand up. “I’m sorry, what?”
He tilted his head, looking at me. “You know, when you didn’t want money to support Ads, I began that college fund for her.”
“You started… but all this time… a college fund?” My brain was reeling.
“You haven’t been getting child support all this time?” Jake looked at me, horrified.
I swore we already went over this, but now was not the time.
I looked to Noah who was watching me with a crease between his brows. “I told you this when you had Addie.”
I glanced at our beautiful girl. Another kid around her age had joined her dance party at some point, and they were spinning each other, lost in the music. Had Noah mentioned a college fund? Heck, I could barely remember to shower when I had Addie. He could have told me he’d signed up to travel to the moon, and I wouldn’t have remembered.
I looked back to him. “I’m sorry. I don’t remember you ever telling me that. So you’ve been putting money into a fund for her ever since she was born?”
Noah looked affronted. “Of course I have. I wanted to give you something, but since you wouldn’t take it, I figured this would work.”
Jake’s voice was rather gruff. “Just saying, if you’d taken his offer to help, those early days wouldn’t have been so lean.”
Noah’s expression darkened. “Times were lean? What is he talking about?”
I sighed, wanting to get the heck out of here and avoid all conversations. “Jake is being dramatic. I told him how I struggled a bit to make ends meet when Addie was a baby, but it was fine.”
“If it was so fine, why are you thinking of selling your bookstore so you don’t experience those times again?” My former friend asked.
