“It’s true, man,” Anthony said. “I love Noel, but she doesn’t get attached. Men are just convenient until they aren’t. She keeps us around because she doesn’t have to worry we’ll step over the line, but since you’ve been back, she’s twitchy. Every time the two of you are together either she is watching you when you aren’t looking or you’re eyeballing her. Not exactly the thing you do if you don’t want something to happen.”
Nick grabbed a dishrag from the drawer and cleaned up his mess. “Well, I got it straight from the horse’s mouth. She doesn’t want me.”
“I think the horse be spitting some horseshit,” Pike said.
“It doesn’t matter if she’s lying or not. I’m not chasing her if she doesn’t want to be caught.” Nick washed his hands and wiped them on his jeans, wincing as the rough fabric rubbed the burn on his palm. “I’m going to get started on the room. I’ll see you in there.”
“Want me to make some more coffee?” Anthony asked.
“Not right now.”
Nick walked into his former bedroom and stood there staring at the boxes stacked along the left side of the room. He’d spent the week going through, getting rid of crap and deciding what he’d need once he got into his new home. He’d thrown out the box of Amber’s stuff, since she’d told him to go ahead and do it. It was amazing how much of someone’s life could be narrowed down and compacted.
He picked up the photo on his nightstand of him and Noel, dressed in their graduation caps and gowns, hugging each other. He grabbed his throw off the bed and wrapped the frame inside to keep it from getting broken. He slipped it into a half-filled box and closed it up.
Was he frustrated with the way things had gone today? Absolutely. But no matter what the future held, Nick couldn’t be himself without Noel in his life.
Chapter 19
NOEL
Lips. Nick’s lips on hers. His arms around her. Holding her. Her heart pounding. God, it felt so good. His mouth moving…
Trip’s mouth was moving.
Noel jerked out of her fantasy when she realized that Trip was asking her a question, waving his hand in front of her face.
“Sorry, what?”
Trip sighed. “I asked if you wanted a margarita. I know how much you love them here.”
“Oh, um, no thanks. I’m driving.” And she was afraid alcohol on an empty stomach might make her do something crazy. Like stop by Nick’s place. He moved in today and having him so close could be dangerous for her resolve.
“Come on, you can get a small one,” Trip cajoled.
“I said no thanks.” God, had Trip always been this pushy? Or was she only just noticing because she was already in a foul mood?
With only myself to blame.
The last thing she’d wanted to do this morning was hurt Nick. When she’d bailed on his birthday, she’d just needed time to sort through her feelings. Amber showing up was like a sock in the gut and Noel could admit it. She’d wanted to lunge across the table and tackle her to the ground. Noel would never show up at her ex-boyfriend’s birthday at his parents’ house, unannounced and think that was okay.
But the entire Winters clan sat in silence, letting Nick handle it, and so had Noel, but she’d been seething. Even if Nick really was done with Amber, it seemed Amber couldn’t let go of Nick. Noel could handle Amber’s little digs while planning Gabby’s wedding, but having her popping up during her personal time with Nick?
Noel knew better than to get involved with a guy getting out of a long-term relationship, but with Nick, it seemed impossible to be near him and not want to touch him. When she did need someone to talk to or make her feel better, he was the first one she wanted to call. That had to mean something and maybe if they waited a bit, gave Amber a little time to really get out of their lives, they could be something more.
God, who was she kidding? Anytime they were around each other, she ended up in his arms. There was too much between them. History. Chemistry. All the subjects she’d hated in high school were coming back to haunt her now.
If Amber hadn’t shown up last night, if Nick had dragged her into a back bedroom and kissed her, she’d have given in. Thrown herself at the train wreck getting involved with him would become. Amber had done her a favor, arriving right before Nick met her in his bedroom. And today…
Well, having him bump into her hadn’t given Noel a lot of time to prepare. Winging it may not have been the best solution, but it got her point across. He’d backed off and she’d gone back inside for two eclairs, which she’d devoured before Gabby showed up.