Page 19
“Well, isn’t this adorable,” a voice says from behind me and I roll my eyes as I spin to face Hannah, my best friend.
“Listen, woman, I don’t need your sass today.”
She laughs as she pulls a chair out and sits down. “You’d be lost without my sass and you know it, babe.”
“I plead the fifth.”
“Typical,” she fires back with a laugh before turning serious. “By the way, did you get my voice mail? About you know who being back in town?”
“Yeah,” I sigh, setting the kitten back in its cage. “I got it. And you don’t have to avoid using his name like he’s Voldemort or something.”
She shrugs as I close the cage and walk across the room before sinking into the chair next to her. “I don’t know the protocol for when your best friend’s soul mate suddenly shows up out of the blue after seven years.”
“He didn’t show up out of the blue; he was released from jail and don’t call him that.”
“What?” she asks, arching a brow. “Your soul mate? What the hell else would I call him?”
I shake my head. “How about nothing at all?”
“Oh, come on, Kady.”
Pushing out of my seat, I walk back to the kennels and pet one of the dogs through the bars. “You know he and I can never go back to the way things were.”
“If you say so but that doesn’t mean…”
“Yes, it does, Han. Noah and I are ancient history and that’s the way it’s going to stay.”
She sighs. “Are you sure? I mean, I saw him the other day and boy is still stupid hot. Like even better than he was seven years ago. Plus, he’s still got it bad for you.”
“I know,” I mutter, dying to ask her how she knows that. “He showed up at the cabin.”
“What?” she screeches, lurching out of her chair as her eyes widen. “And you’re just telling me now? What the hell?”
“It doesn’t matter, Han. Nothing has changed, no matter how good he looks.” I glance over my shoulder and meet her gaze. She studies me for a moment before sighing and sinking back into her chair.
“I get it, Kady, I really do but what you and Noah had… It was epic, the kind of love we always dreamed of. I really hate to see you throw that away.”
“I’m not throwing it away, Hannah. It was taken.”
She opens her mouth but before she can say anything else, my phone starts ringing and she sighs as I pull it out of my pocket. Mason’s name flashes on the screen and I show her.
“I need to get this.”
“Are you really going to keep seeing this guy now that Noah’s back in town?”
Ignoring her, I turn away and press the phone to my ear. “Hey, Mason.”
“Hey, gorgeous. We still on for dinner tonight?”
“Absolutely. I just need an hour to finish up here at work and get changed. Do you want to meet up at the restaurant?”
“Not a chance, babe. I’ll pick you up at the cabin.”
I shake my head. “You really don’t have to do that. It’s a long drive.”
“My mother would skin me alive if she ever got word that I didn’t pick a lady up like a proper gentleman so I’ll see you in an hour.”
I laugh before agreeing and saying good-bye. As I hang up the phone, another sigh catches my attention from behind me.
