Nick didn’t seem to have a worried bone in his body, which should have made her feel better. An eternal optimist, he’d wrapped her up in his arms and kissed her, quieting her concerns with playful abandon until she was too caught up returning his kisses to think. He’d left her at the front door of the hospital, smiling like a lunatic, and humming the rest of her shift.
That’s what Nick did to her. He made her forget reality.
Still sporting the eye patch, Noel parked the car in the driveway of the house, taking a deep, nervous breath. Drew’s parents were real estate agents and owned quite a few properties throughout the area. They’d let Drew and Gabby rent the house on the cheap, as long as they continued to make repairs and upgrades.
Noel slipped the bag handles over one arm, as many as she could and then the rest over the other. Noel’s arms ached as she headed up the walkway and stopped in front of the blue door. Her heart hammered as she pressed the doorbell, murmuring a silent prayer that Gabby would answer, ready to forgive and forget.
Instead, Drew pulled the door open, looking rumpled, with a coffee mug in one hand. Drew resembled a young Jason Statham, down to the shaved head and muscles. Only his eyes were a brilliant cobalt blue and he wasn’t big on fighting or racing cars. He was bookish, quiet, and had a dry wit Noel adored. The polar opposite of Gabby, but Noel suspected their differences benefited their relationship.
“Hey, Noel. What you got there? And so early?”
“Sorry if I woke you. I just got off work. Last week on the graveyard shift.” She lifted her arms like she was about to take flight. “And these are your favors.”
“Wow, all of them? Gabby said you guys didn’t finish because of the…” Drew tapped the bridge of his nose, lowering his voice. “Nose thing.”
Noel’s face flushed at the reminder of her terrible behavior. “No, we didn’t, but I wanted to make it up to Gabby, so I worked on them yesterday. With the help of the Winterses.” Noel cleared her throat. “Could I set these down? They’re heavy.”
“Oh yeah, sorry, my manners are nonexistent before my first cup of coffee.” Drew took some off her hands, leading her into the house and through the dining room. “We can put them on the kitchen counter.” Drew dropped them on the white tile surface and tapped under his eye. “How’s your wound, by the way? Digging the eye patch.”
“Still hurts, but the doctor said it should heal in a week. Just need to keep using my drops and changing the bandage.”
“That’s good. Glad it wasn’t worse.”
Noel set the bags down where he said, trying to massage feeling back into her hands. “So, is Gabby still asleep?”
“Let me go see. Just hang tight.”
“Drew…”
“Yeah?”
“Her nose. Was it broken?”
“Yeah, but it was a clean break, so the doctor was able to set it. Said it should heal really fast.” Drew walked over and squeezed her shoulder. “I know Amber started it and that you didn’t mean for her to get hurt. Believe me, I wonder what in the heck Gabby sees in that girl, but you are her best friend. She’ll forgive you.”
“Thanks, Drew. Gabby really got lucky in the fiancé department.”
Drew grinned. “I think so too, but if I’m being honest, I’m pretty lucky myself.” He set his coffee down next to the sink. “I’ll be right back.”
Noel paced the kitchen, waiting for Gabby to come through the doorway with her arms open. Ready to forgive her.
A few moments later, Drew came back, looking grim. “She’s still sleeping, Noel. Can she text you later?”
Noel bit her lip, knowing Drew was lying. Her bestie refused to see her. She’d messed up big time.
Noel coughed, trying to remove the emotional lump in her throat. “Sure, she can text me whenever. Could you…could you please tell her I’m sorry and I love her.”
“I will. I wouldn’t worry too much, okay? In a few days, you two will be laughing about this.”
“Sure,” Noel mumbled. “I’ll show myself out.”
She climbed into her car, tears rolling down one side while the other eye’s gauze covering caught the liquid from her tears. She’d have to change it when she got home.
This wasn’t the first fight she’d experienced with Gabby, but it was the biggest. She knew a lot of childhood friendships didn’t survive adulthood, but she couldn’t lose Gabby. She needed her.