She grabs him and pulls him into a crushing hug.
I watch them for a moment.
Something about the way she holds him twists in my chest.
Izzy looks up at me over his shoulder.
Her lips move silently.
Thank you.
I shake my head once.
There are no thanks between us for this.
Not when it comes to him.
Leone walks in behind me, his shoulder wrapped in a rough bandage. “Ambush was clean,” he starts. “Two shooters minimum?—”
He stops when he notices Noah staring at him.
Izzy sighs. “He likes action movies,” she says.
I look at her. “You let him watch those?”
She shrugs. “Gabby got him into them.”
My jaw tightens. “That explains it.”
Izzy frowns. “What does that mean?”
“I fired her.”
Her eyes flash.
“You what?—”
“I’m glad,” Noah cuts in suddenly.
We both look at him.
“She always had stupid friends over,” he continues. “And they smelled weird. They kept puffing smoke and drinking from the stinky dark bottles. I hated her.”
Izzy blinks.
Her face slowly crumples with guilt. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
“Gabby made me promise,” Noah mumbles.
“And youkeptit?”
He shrugs. “You said we needed her so you could work.”
Izzy pulls him into another hug. “I’m so sorry, baby. You have to know you’re more important to me than work, right?”She looks him straight in the eye. “You’re more important than anything.”
“I know,” he says meekly. “I’m sorry I lied.”
“No more secrets,” Izzy murmurs. “Okay? Promise me that. No more.”
