It was a quick Uber ride to Rose Buds. Outside, Ariadne and Britney waited for us, deep in conversation.
“I hope we can find a table,” said Ariadne. She brushed a stray curl behind her ear with one hand, pushing the door open with the other. “There’s a lot more people than normal here tonight.”
Rose Buds was packed, which was unusual but not totally uncalled for. I couldn’t blame people for going out on a Saturday night. A familiar jazz album played as we took a lap around the area. Beams of colorful light from the ceiling cut through the dimness of the bar, lighting up our outfits as we walked. Someone in the corner handed out free samples of an energy drink.
We were still scanning the bar for a free table when I spotted a familiar face. And a not-so-familiar face. Noah leaned against a table, drink in hand, as he chatted with the man who must be his cousin.
“I recognize Noah, but who is the other guy?” Britney asked as we walked toward them. “He’s hot.”
“He’s Noah’s cousin,” I said offhandedly, attempting to dodge an intoxicated man trying to chicken dance his way through the floor.
Nathan lifted his glass to his lips as he listened intently to Noah speak. The glass looked like straight whiskey.
To Britney’s observation, he was attractive, all sharp lines and dark features. Soft-looking, near-black hair swept behind his ears, and he had green eyes that were a few shades darker than Noah’s. His clothes looked custom-made and expensive.
My eyes didn’t linger on him for long, catching as they always did on Noah instead. If Nathan was a lion in lion’s clothing, then Noah was a sheep in lion’s clothing. By now, I recognized that Noah only wore brand name clothing when we were out in public. At home, he lounged in clothes that could have been bought on the sale rack at a thrift store.
Tonight, he dressed like a model for a New York magazine, and he looked the part too. Wavy hair, relaxed posture, and eyes that begged for a free drink. His freckles glowed under the flashing lights.
“Scribbles.” Noah’s easy smile filled me with warmth. “I got you a lemonade. Bear’s finest.”
I took a small sip of the tart liquid. “Thank you.”
Britney coughed quietly, pulling me out of my pathetic feelings.
“Oh, right. This is Britney, Kira, and Ariadne. My three best friends. Everyone, this is Noah.”
Noah greeted them all with a wave. “Nice to meet everyone. This is my cousin, Nathan.”
In between the greetings and general get-to-know-you questions, I drifted back into my own head. I wasn’t sure how to act around Noah tonight. We were out in public, so we had to at least keep strangers thinking we were together, but friends and family who knew the details of our arrangement surrounded us.
Then Noah’s hand grazed my lower back, and my mind went blank. Who would have thought that was a good cure for my anxious thoughts?
Britney flipped her long, red ponytail over one shoulder and asked Nathan, “What are you drinking?”
He gave her a polite smile, but his eyes lifted over her head to glance at Ariadne, who was too busy complaining about her day to Kira to notice. “Macallan. What did you guys?—”
“Sorry I’m late.” A man with a dark hair and darker brown eyes pressed a kiss to Kira’s cheek. He was paler than me—which was saying something—with thick eyebrows that took up a good chunk of his forehead.
Was I off my observation game, or did that kiss make Kira a little uncomfortable?
Britney turned her cheek toward me and whispered in my ear, “What the hell?”
“You’re not late.” Despite her near flinch a moment ago, Kira carried on like everything was great. “Guys, this is Xavier, my boyfriend.”
Silence like an awkward pause settled in.
The air felt much different than when I introduced Noah earlier.
Okay, Macey, take one for the team. I was likely the only person here who knew about Xavier, which wasn’t great considering I’d only known about him for an hour.
“It’s so nice to meet you.” I shook his hand. “I’ve heard great things.”
It wasn’t technically a lie if I had heard those things on the car ride here.
Britney and Ariadne froze, their wide-eyed stares defying all biological need for blinking. I half expected one of them to keel over from oxygen deprivation. Luckily, Noah stepped in, smoothing things over with a handshake for Xavier. Britney,after what felt like an eternity, retrieved her jaw from the floor and turned away from Nathan, zeroing in on Kira’s new boyfriend like a detective on a high-profile case.
In between her aggressive questions, Noah brushed a hand against mine. “Should we hold hands?” His pinky intertwined with mine. “Just in case anyone is watching.”
