How do you forget about the other half of you? Your person?
Nick couldn’t, so instead of sleeping, he’d drunk one too many glasses of whiskey and turned on a movie. Something violent and gory.
No romance whatsoever.
Insistent knocking interrupted his sulking and he climbed to his feet, glaring at the wooden door. He squinted into the peep hole and stilled.
Noel’s anxious face stared back at him.
She was standing outside his door at two in the morning in the freezing cold.
His heart thundered as he unlocked it and dragged the door open, staring at her in drunken befuddlement. “You’re here.”
“Yeah. Can I come in?”
“Sure. Not doing anything.”
“Except drinking, I see.”
“What? Now a man can’t have a spot of whiskey in his own home?” Nick picked up his half-drunk glass from the coffee table and knocked the rest of it down the hatch.
“Oh God, you’re drinking whiskey? You always get this weird mix of Scottish and French when you drink whiskey.”
“I don’t know whatch’ talking ’bout.” He cleared his throat. “Why you here?”
“I couldn’t sleep without talking to you. About earlier. You and Amber. I…I was an ass.”
“Aye.”
Noel covered her mouth, but he could tell by the crinkling in the corner of her eyes she was smiling. “Maybe I should go and we can have this conversation when you’re sober.”
Nick sprang for the door, holding it shut with the palm of his hand before she could escape. “I’m sober ’nough to hear whatchu have to say.”
“Right.” She took a deep breath, fidgeting with her hands. “So, I may have behaved terribly to you earlier and I’m sorry.”
“For which part? Calling me stupid or suggesting I wanted to fuck Amber?”
Noel swallowed. “Both. Being a good person, who takes care of others, it’s just who you are.”
“Yeah, I know. I said this. You’ve told me this.”
“But I am not that way,” Noel admitted. “I wouldn’t piss on Amber if she was on fire.”
“Your aim would be terrible and ineffective. You don’t have the right equipment.”
Noel laughed, covering her face with one hand. “Oh, God.”
“What? Tis true. Girls can’t aim for shit, unless they have one of those funnel things.”
“What are you even…never mind.” She sighed. “I just mean that, you are better than me in so many ways. You can put your animosity aside when others are in need. I have always admired that about you, despite recent events that may seem to counter that statement.”
Nick raked his hands down his face, wishing he was slightly less drunk so he could follow what she was trying to say easily. All he’d absorbed so far was he was good and she was sorry.
“Noel, as you guessed it, I’m pretty fucked up. You’re doing too much talking for me drunk arse to understand, so in the simplest terms, why don’t you just be clear about what you’re trying to say?”
Noel’s hand reached up, cupping his cheek and he leaned into her warmth, thinking how he’d never thought he’d feel her touch again. He lost his balance and nearly toppled over. She grabbed onto his arms to steady him, staring up into his eyes.
“You have been chasing me for weeks, but in all honesty, I should have been the one chasing you. I’m still scared though, so I needed to collect my thoughts and well…I made you a playlist tonight.”
She released him and shoved a hand into her pocket, removing an object. She held out a slim, black flash drive and Nick took it from her, their fingers grazing.
“’Sthank you.”
“Figured it was about time, since you’re always making me mixed CDs. I hope it can give you some insight into what’s going on inside my head, because half the time, I’m not sure what I’m trying to do myself.”
“Let’s give it a listen, shall we?” Nick sat down on the couch, trying to insert the drive into his laptop, but the world tilted on its axis. “Whew, boat ride.” He flopped back onto the couch, sliding the flash drive into his pocket. “I’ll listen to it later.”
“Uh, maybe wait until you’ve had a cup of coffee or two?”
“Sure. You sure?” The effort to stay awake drained all his strength.
“Yes, I’m sure. Thank you, for hearing me out. I guess we’ll talk tomorrow at practice.”