After years of thinking about that night, of making sure no one else would ever know, telling Noah felt unnatural. But once she had, she knew it was something she’d needed off her chest.
‘Do you want me to be mad about that?’ Noah asked, sizing her up. ‘Do you think you deserve it?’
‘Yes.’
‘Well, I’m not going to be,’ Noah said. ‘It was forever ago. I’m getting married to the woman I love. And my best friend in the whole world is going to be standing up there with me.’
‘Okay,’ Briar said, amazed that he could just brush it off. Like that one moment hadn’t completely changed her life, like she hadn’t held onto it for years and years. He made forgiveness seem so simple.
‘Now,’ Noah said, grabbing the pack of beer, ‘let’s get back to the party, birthday girl.’
Briar followed him up the stairs, nearly running into him when he paused just before the basement door. He turned to look at her over his shoulder.
‘Does she know?’ he asked.
‘Know what?’
‘That you love her?’
‘Oh,’ Briar said, looking down. ‘No.’
‘Maybe you should tell her,’ he said.
‘It won’t change anything.’
‘It might.’
Briar didn’t have the heart to tell him he was wrong.
Chapter 28
Alice
In her search for Freddie, Alice ran into Harper in the living room.
‘Have you seen Noah?’ Harper asked.
‘Have you seen Freddie?’ Alice deflected.
‘He was here a moment ago,’ Harper said, glancing around. ‘He and Sierra disappeared somewhere.’
Alice collapsed onto the couch. ‘Noah’s downstairs. He and Briar are having a heart-to-heart.’
Harper nodded, sitting next to her. ‘Yeah, they do that.’ Neither of them said anything for a moment. ‘Are you going to tell me what this heart-to-heart is about?’ Harper asked finally.
Alice looked sideways at her. ‘Why do I feel like you already know?’
The corner of Harper’s mouth quirked. ‘Maybe because you and Briar are terrible actors? I mean the amount of blushing alone… It’s sickening. Honeymoon phase type stuff.’
‘Can you have a honeymoon phase if you’re friends with benefits?’ Alice asked, genuinely curious.
Harper scoffed. ‘You’re notfriends. Briar and I are friends, and I don’t look at her the way you do.’
‘How do I look at her?’ Alice asked. It was relieving, to finally be able to talk about it with someone. With Harper of all people, who suddenly seemed to have the information Alice desperately needed.
Harper considered the question for a moment. ‘Like she’s going to make everything better again.’
Alice blew out a breath. ‘Like I forgot what life was meant to feel like until she was in front of me.’
