I sighed, looking up at the ceiling like it’d hold some sort of answer for me. None came, of course.
So help me....
“Give me your phone.”
Noah didn’t ask why, simply handed it over. No password or anything. I briefly wondered if he was mentally challenged, but dismissed it. Not everyone saw the world the same way I did.
“My number.” I sent a text to my phone, feeling it vibrate in my back pocket.
“Friends give phone numbers.”
I lifted a brow, handing back his phone.
I wasn’t going to call us friends, but whatever. It put a slight smile on his face. One that tugged my heart to fill with something I wasn’t sure to name.
I was doomed.
Chapter 14
One week turned into a month. Then three.
Before I knew it, Noah had declared he was my best friend.
I wasn’t sure if that was a good thing or bad. No amount of time would help me there, either. He was like a pest that was determined to be stuck to me every chance he got.
I gave up pretending that he was annoying. If anything, Noah was as much of a lifesaver as Scarlett, and even maybe Carson. That man wasn’t a person I thought about all that often anymore. But Scarlett was pleased I at least made a friend that wasn’t a part of the family, or Dakota. Someone who was my age.
“Whatcha doing?” Noah asked, walking in through the back door as he lived here. Well, he did live here more than his own place these days. With his parents arguing a lot over money and who knows what else, the kid showed up here at least once a day, and didn’t leave until like three days later.
“Making cookies. Zee asked for some for when he got back home.”
Today, Zee was going to a play date with another friend from school. Which was great for him. Truly, it was. That shy little boy was slowly coming out of his comfort zone, bit by bit. He had a long way to go, but he was finding his voice.
“Cool.” Noah slipped his butt on the stool at the counter, then proceeded to rest his chin on the palms of his hands, elbows on the counter.
It was moments like that, where his blue eyes were bright and looking at me like I was his entire world that made my heart pound too quickly because there could never be more than what we were. I couldn’t allow myself to want more from him, because my body was ruined.
Noah couldn’t be a broken mess like me. I refused to let that happen to him.
“Mom says I have to go to grandmas with her this weekend.” He huffed, giving me a puppy dog look when I glanced up.
“You know I can’t do anything about that.” I would in a heartbeat if I could.
“I know. But I don’t want to.”
“It’s only for the weekend. You’ll survive.” I would, at least. A few days of not finding Noah just barging into the house when I was in the middle of something would be nice. Strange, but nice.
Although, I’m sure someone around here would make up for Noah’s absence.
Noah, thankfully, changed topics about some new show he was interested in. One that I wasn’t a fan of, so it was easy to let him chatter away as I finished the cookies up, slipping the pan into the preheated oven.
There were moments when I thought Noah was a bit odd, though. Like when he obsessed over silly things a kid would. Which made him and Zee get along great. Legos were their go-to thing at the moment. Both loved to build and it got Zee to talk a bit more.
Noah was great with him, which made my heart flutter once again.
“What?” Noah paused whatever he was saying. “You’re starring. Again.”
Oops.
