Page 117 of More Than Just Friends

I swallowed the lump in my throat and my eyes began to water. There were less than twenty words in that message, but there was so much love, so much meaning in them.

Seeing that he’d used my childhood nickname for him, No-No instantly made my heart squeeze.

Mum said I’d called him that when I was four because I’d said it was easier than saying ‘Nowah’, which was apparently how I used to pronounce his name.

And he’d remembered.

He’d written this before everything kicked off with Adonis, but even then he was subtly telling me not to settle. Reminding me that I deserved more than the guys I’d wasted so many years dating.

Noah was trying to tell me that I deserved him.

But did I?

If I really deserved a man like Noah, I would’ve fought for him.

I would’ve done everything I could to keep him.

If I was really worried about missing him, never hugging, speaking or kissing him again, I wouldn’t give up.

I’d show him just how much he meant to me.

And the truth was, he meant everything.

Noah was my world. My universe.

And I couldn’t imagine one without him in it.

I knew that Trish was upset, but she was wrong to project her negative experience with Brian onto me.

Noah and I were different.

We were strong.

We were perfect for each other.

We were in love.

Shit.

I loved him.

I really, really loved Noah. Like crazy.

Not platonic love.

This was never-want-to-live-without-him romantic love topped with a million Ali-and-Noah-forever doodles and a gazillion love hearts.

I jumped off the sofa.

‘So has the penny finally dropped?’ Sammie smiled. ‘Have you finally realised what I and everyone around you have seen for donkey’s years? That you love Noah, Noah loves you and you should be together?’

‘Yes!’ I squealed.

‘Thank fuck for that!’ Sammie chuckled. ‘You may have been a bit slow on the uptake. Actually, that’s the understatement of the century. You were slower than an incapacitated snail, denser than a lump of rock…’

‘Okay, okay!’ I laughed. ‘I get it. I was an idiot.’

‘Yep. Prize plonker.’