He smelled like soap and coffee, the faint trace of his cologne clinging to the cotton of his shirt. My cheek pressed against the center of his chest, the steady rhythm of his heartbeat thudding through the layers between us. He was so much bigger than me that I had to stand on my toes just to loop my arms fully around him, and for a second, it felt like the world stopped spinning.
Noah’s arms came around me carefully, as if he was afraid he might crush me. The weight of his hand settled between my shoulder blades, his thumb drawing a small, slow circle there. He let out a long breath, the kind that sounded like surrender.
“Okay,” he whispered, almost to himself. “Okay.”
I didn’t move. I held on until the shake in his shoulders eased, and the tightness in my chest finally loosened too.
When he stepped back, his voice was low and rough. “You sure you’ll be okay?”
“I’m sure,” I said, even though part of me wanted him to stay right where he was.
He nodded once, then reached up, brushing his thumb over a strand of hair that had fallen across my face. “You always know what to say,” he murmured, the corner of his mouth tipping up before he turned toward the door. He paused but didn’t look at me again before he walked out the door.
The condo feltdifferent without him in it. Too quiet, too still, like the air itself was waiting for something to happen. Miles was at school, Sassy snored softly, and I buried myself in my work to keep from noticing how empty the space it was.
By the time three rolled around, I packed up my tablet and grabbed Sassy’s leash. She wagged her tail the second I said, “Go get Miles?” and bolted for the door.
The school’s pickup line was chaos, but Miles spotted us instantly. “Sassy!” he yelled, running toward her, his backpack bouncing behind him. “She’s here!”
“She’s always here,” I said, laughing. “You think I could leave her home alone?”
Miles hugged her around the neck, and Sassy responded with a sloppy kiss across his cheek. He didn’t even wipe it off—just laughed, loud and bright.
That night, we kept things simple. Mac and cheese, chicken nuggets, a movie that made him laugh so hard he snorted soda out of his nose. The whole evening was totally chaos, but it was happy chaos. He changed, brushed his teeth, and called Noah before he passed out in bed. My brother Daniel had been like that when he was a kid. He’d go, go, go, then boom, lights out. I chuckled and sent him a text. He was in college now, freshman year, living his best life. Maybe I’d go back for family weekend to see Central State again.
I changed into an old Central State tee and boxer shorts as my phone rang. Noah’s name popped up with FaceTime. I answered, first ring. “Hi! I’m sorry, he’s already passed out!”
Noah’s face filled the screen, dimly lit by the bedside lamp. He was propped against a headboard in a gray team-issued tee, his hair still damp from a shower. The corners of his eyes looked tired, but when he saw me, his mouth curved up anyway.
“Hey,” he said, his voice low and rough. “You look energized.”
“Barely,” I said, tucking one leg under the other as I sat on the couch. “Miles passed out about ten minutes ago. Full speed to dead stop. I think your guy’s going to be a sprinter one day.”
That earned a laugh from him—a quiet one, but real. “Yeah,he gets that from his mom. She was like that too. Couldn’t sit still for five minutes.” His gaze flicked down like the words cost him a little, then came back up, softer. “I’m not even sure why I called.”
“I told you, you don’t need a reason.” I smiled at him, my heart clenching. “You’re worried. It’s cute.”
“It’s not cute, Emily.”
“Oh, full naming me. Awesome. That means I’m in trouble.” I rolled my eyes, adjusting my glasses. They kept sliding down my nose.
Noah chuckled, the sound deep and raspy. “God, do you remember that one semester you refused to go by Em anymore? Said you were maturing?”
“Ugh!” I threw my head back, groaning. “Don’t remind me. That was a strange semester. I was heartbroken and weird and a mess.”
“’It’s Emily, not Em. Don’t make the mistake again.’ You said that to one of our professors.”
“Shut up!” My face burned red. “If we’re doing this, then I’m bringing up the time you threw up behind the church!”
Noah cackled, his eyes crinkling on the sides in a way I loved. He adjusted the phone, moving it closer. “Damn, you’re cute when you blush. Missed this.”
“Stop.” My stomach swooped from the compliment.
For a second, neither of us said anything. He leaned back on the pillow, the hotel lamp throwing gold across his shoulders. I could hear the faint hum of the air conditioner through the phone, the steady rhythm of his breathing. He looked handsome, strong, funny, caring. He was the kind of guy I wished all my dates were like, yet none of them added up.
“What about you?” he asked finally, his lips curving up. “You doing okay there? Any update from your apartment?”
“I’m good,” I said. “They’re starting repairs next week. It’llstill be months. But the desk setup at your place works great, and Sassy’s living her best life. Gosh, Miles ran toward her today when I picked him up.”
