“How is it possible that you look this good after working all day?”
“Probably because I went home after lunch, took a nap, changed my clothes, and came back,” she explains, taking the coffee from my hand and smirking at me. “Thanks for the evening pick–me–up.”
“I told you I’d bring it over. How’s it been?” I walk towards the desk with her and slip my coat off.
“Slow. A lot of our guests have already checked in for the weekend. I’m just waiting on the Johnsons to get in later this evening. They’ve rented out the entire top floor and two rooms on the second floor.”
“Woah, big party.”
“It’s what you can do when you have pro football money and you’re looking to escape from the world for the holidays,” she answers easily.
“Wait, Johnson, as in?—”
“Yeah, the same Johnson who used to play in the NFL in North Carolina. He and his wife plus their families are coming in for the week before Christmas. But don’t tell anyone that, I don’t need the town bombarding him. He’s trying to keep a low profile.”
I move my fingers in front of my lips as if I’m zipping them shut. “My lips aresealed.”
She finally takes a sip of the coffee I brought for her and shimmies her shoulders. “God this coffee is good. I don’t know what they put in it but it’s alwaysperfect.”
“I’m glad I brought it to you then. I’m always happy to bring you some, you just have to ask.”
She stares at me for a beat, the corner of her lips tipping up.
“I know you would. You’ve always gone out of your way to make me happy…” Her voice trails off and I wonder if she’s thinking about the same thing I am. The one time I made the selfish decision to ‘try new things, new people’ instead of choosing her. I still want to clock myself to this day for the reason I gave her when I ended things.
‘I don’t want to wake up one day and regret not having seen what’s out there. Don’t you want to try new things when you’re at school? See new people, have new experiences?’
What a boyish thing to say. But Iwasonly a boy. One who knew he had found his forever but was too afraid to admit it. Fear got the best of me and the only thing I’ve regretted in my life is when I ended things between us.
My mouth opens and I’m about to say something when someone rounds the corner from the hallway.
“Hey, Noey, I’m about to head out. Do you—what the hell are you doing here?” Eve scowls when she sees me leaning on the desk talking to her best friend.
“Eve,” Noelle cuts in, her tone defensive and on edge.
“I’m here checking in on my wife. Is that okay with you?” I reply, standing tall so she knows I’m serious.
“No, it’s not okay with me. You might have the town fooled but you haven’t fooled me.”
“There’s no fooling here. I haven’t said anything I haven’t completely meant.”
“Really?” Noelle’s voice is small and her eyes are wide and innocent looking as she glances at me.
“Absolutely.” I smile at her before turning towards Eve again. She seems to study me for several long seconds before huffing out a breath and looking at Noelle.
“I’m heading out for the night. I would offer to stay with you but it looks like you already have company.” Her eyes flit to me. “I’ll see you at home once the Johnsons get here?”
“Yep. Hoping to be home before midnight.”
Eve waves at her friend and does a stellar performance of ignoring me completely as she walks out the front door. Once she’s gone, Noelle scoffs out a laugh and shakes her head.
“That girl is something else.”
“She only cares about you. She’s a good friend.”
“She worries too much.”
“About what?”
