“Yeah. We’d better go in.”
She walked next to him, her knuckles brushing against his, and she ignored the zip of electricity inside her. She became very aware that people were looking at them. If people knew who they were, then they knew that she and Sam were friends. Or maybe they didn’t. People who knew her from the art center and as Ben Clarke’s wife might not know Sam was her best friend and that by being with him in a public space like this—at a place where many people would probably bring a date—well, maybe it seemed like an announcement.
She swallowed hard, suddenly uncertain of what to do. Whether to lean in or lean away. Maybe somebody would text Ben. Maybe somebody would start a rumor about it. Maybe that would be her karma.
It felt strange and sat uncomfortably in her stomach, but she couldn’t say she was repulsed by the thought. There was something invigorating about the idea of being a surprise. Of being a rebel again. She had been squished into this box she had made for herself for so many years now. She had wanted that. She would never have pushed out of it on purpose, but now ...
Ben had broken something in her. He had broken them.
She wanted to get back at him.
She and Sam walked into the theater, and she saw the back of Soraya’s head, her blond bun unmistakable.
“Over there.” Nora grabbed his hand, not in an intimate way, but a familiar one, and dragged him toward the seats. She ignored the way the contact with his skin made her feel. It was just this moment. This moment that felt wild and reckless and like anything was possible.
The feeling of imminent magic in the midst of triumph that had been lingering around them all for days.
This strange excitement that had covered what had been the worst couple of months for the three of them and had turned it all into something brilliant.
Nora met Soraya’s gaze and saw a question in her eyes she ignored.
Soraya looked back down quickly, and Nora noticed there were messages flashing on her phone in rapid succession.
“What’s that?”
Soraya made an exasperated sound. “It’s getting kind of insane. Pastor John got my number, probably from Kristi. He’s been calling me since Sunday. And now he’s texting. Nonstop. He’s supposed to be here tonight. His and Stephanie’s kids are in the play. Of course, they’re not together right now.”
“Why is he trying to get in touch with you?”
“I don’t know. I haven’t wanted to talk to them. It’s all ... I don’t have anything to do with it.”
“Except I heard your magic created the situation.” Sam didn’t sound skeptical, exactly, but he also didn’t sound fully sincere.
Nora elbowed him, and he made a gruff sound. “Don’t make fun of it. I’ll hex you.”
“I wasn’t making fun,” he said.
Soraya looked uncomfortable. “You told him?”
“She tells me everything.”
Nora’s stomach did another uncomfortable flip. “He doesn’t believe us anyway.”
“It’s pretty undeniable.” Soraya looked more woeful than excited about that. “I mean, it would be awfully coincidental for that particular video to play at that time without something behind it.”
“Agreed.” Sam clearly saw no point in arguing.
Soraya looked up, and Nora followed her gaze. She vaguely recognized Pastor John Pruitt standing in the aisles, scanning the crowd.
“I’ll go talk to him,” Soraya muttered, and got up out of her seat and scooted past Sam and Nora.
“I think we’re making waves,” Nora said, looking around.
Sam frowned. “Really?”
“Hey.” She took her phone out, holding it in front of them, and flipped the camera around to face them. “Smile.”
He looked handsome and uncomfortable in the photo, giving her side-eye that could never have been called affectionate. She rolled her eyes. And then, without overthinking it, she opened her text chain with Ben.Going to Daisy’s play tonight.Then she popped the photo in the text and sent it.
