The next couple of hours fly by, and eventually, I have to leave to pick up Milly and the others from the formal.
I still haven’t heard from Noah or Hannah, and I still can’t shake my unease, but I refuse to come across as needy, so I push the feelings down and climb into my car. The engine roars to life, and I let the vibrations soothe me as I pull out of Noah’s street and turn towards Beckford High.
The school is only a ten-minute drive away, and I’m just around the corner when my lights land on an oncoming car tearing towards me with no lights on.
“What the?—?”
I flick my high beams, a quick flash to let them know their headlights are off.
The car swerves. Not away—towardsme.
“Shit.”
I slam on the brakes. The tyres screech, the steering wheel judders in my hands, and the car locks up as I wrench it to the left.
Time slows.
My pulse races, and I brace myself.
The impact isn’t head-on. It clips me hard on the front corner, a brutal jolt that spins the car sideways. My head snaps forward, then sideways, slamming into the window with a sickening crack.
Pain flares white and sharp?—
Then everything goes black.
Chapter 32
Noah
I’ve perfected the art of feigning interest in conversations that bore me.
The man in front of me has been talking for a solid fifteen minutes about offshore drilling regulations. I smile and nod at all the right moments, hum my agreement, and keep my grip light on the champagne glass I’m not actually drinking from, all while trying to make sure my eyes aren’t glazed over in boredom.
Hannah’s hand is firmly gripped in mine, her fingers giving a gentle squeeze every now and then to keep me focused. Her steady presence keeps my anxiety at bay. My phone sits heavy in my jacket pocket, switched to silent with no vibration so I don’t get distracted, but I know Zac’s only a phone call away if I need him.
Grandad’s birthday feels like a corporate networking event, with Dad introducing me to important businessmen I couldn’t care less about, but I’m forced to make small talk and be on my best behaviour. I haven’t even seen Grandad since we arrived three hours ago.
We had an early dinner with him and Nan before everyone arrived, and Nan had taken Hannah’s handsacross the table, gushing about how lovely it was to meet someone who has stolen my heart. Grandad engaged her in conversation about her studies and her interests, and it was obvious he approves of the ambitious, strong-willed woman his grandson brought home.
Meanwhile, I sat there, smiling on cue and playing the part of a boyfriend madly in love, all the while weighed down by the guilt of lying to them and knowing we’ll be blowing everything up tomorrow when I come clean to Dad.
“Sorry, excuse us,” Hannah says when the man finally takes a breath. “Noah’s aunt is trying to get our attention.”
The lie is smooth, and he waves us off as his eyes scan the party for his next captive.
“You okay?” she murmurs as we move away.
“Yeah,” I say, leaning in to brush my lips over her temple. “Thanks.”
We stop beneath a tree in the shadowy outskirts of the yard, well away from the crowd. Fairy lights twinkle above us, but we’re essentially hidden here. I loosen my tie a fraction and close my eyes as I lean against the thick trunk.
“We’re almost there,” she says encouragingly.
“Almost.” I smile at her positivity despite the twisting in my gut.
She seems to read my mind. “Have you thought about how you’ll tell your dad?”
We spent the day exploring my hometown to avoid him, only returning home in time to get ready for the party.
