4. Noah
Chapter 4
Noah
I stare at the rows of canned vegetables, praying the one Mom asked for will jump out at me. I read every label for the millionth time. It’s not here, which is a problem because I have no idea if I should pick a different brand or skip it altogether.
“Well, hey, kiddo.”
I look up with a smile. “Hey, Aunt Quinn.”
She walks around her grocery cart to hug me. The brown hair in her messy bun tickles my nose. “How are you? Cooper told me you had a tough call yesterday.”
By now, the whole town knows about the Gallaghers’ accident, but since Quinn is married to our police chief, she likely knew the day it happened.
“I’m fine. It was a shock for sure, but it’s part of the job.”
Quinn rubs my arm, her blue eyes conveying every ounce of understanding. “The worst part.”
I need a subject change immediately. “No kidding. How’s Lottie? What’s she up to this summer?” Their daughter, Charlotte, just graduated high school with my little brother, Carson.
“She’s working at the diner, of course. You should go see her. She’d love a visit from her favorite cousin.”
I smile. “I’m far from the favorite, but I’ll stop by this week and say hi.”
“Good.” Quinn reaches out to grab a can off the shelf, and I curse.
“Do you know how long I’ve been looking for that?”
She grins. “I’m betting about as long as Cooper has been searching for the ketchup that’s been in the same spot in the fridge for the past twenty years.”
I bark out a laugh. “We come by it honestly.”
Quinn puts the can in her cart. “We miss seeing you at the family barbecues. Do your best to be at the next one.” She pats my arm as she walks by me. The demand in her voice is hard to miss.
“I will,” I promise. Long before I was adopted, my parents and their friends have been hosting monthly dinners. Usually, they grill, and everyone pitches in for sides. If there’s a reason to celebrate, then they’ll make something fancy to eat. I used to go religiously, but I haven’t had it in me these past few months. I can’t quite pinpoint the reason, either. I’ve used every excuse I can, but it sounds like I’m not getting away with it for much longer.
I finish grabbing the groceries Mom needs and stop by the beer cooler to pick up a six-pack for me and Dad. I’m sure he’s already got some at home, but it always makes him smile when I bring him something new to try.
I’m walking toward the doors, double-checking I got everything on the list, when someone walks right into me.
All it takes is one ooof and I know who it is without needing to look up.
Lilly stands before me, her shiny brown hair hanging around her shoulders in gorgeous waves. Her brown eyes widen in shock as she stares back at me.
Fuck, she looks just as beautiful as she did when she was sixteen.
“Hi,” I croak.
“Noah. What are you doing here?” She shakes her head. “That was a dumb question. This is the only grocery store in town. Of course, you’d be here.”
I breathe out a laugh. “Yeah, I was picking up groceries for Mom. She’s making some kind of casserole, I guess. She wasn’t exactly clear. Or if she was, I wasn’t paying enough attention.” I clench my jaw to stop the spew of words flowing out of my mouth.
Her lips tilt up at the sides before her smile drops. “Right. Well, I need to go.”
She starts to walk away, but I’m reaching out for her before she goes too far. “Wait. How long are you here? Can we… maybe… get dinner or something? I’d like to catch up, if you’d be interested.”
Anger flashes in her eyes. “Catch up? You want to—after all this time…” She blows out a breath and shakes her head as if she’s trying to get rid of a thought. “I don’t think that’s a good idea. Goodbye, Noah.”
I open my mouth to say something in return, but she darts across the store before I can even utter a sound. I stand there in shock, trying to figure out what just happened. She was angry that I wanted to catch up with her. Why? Of the two of us, I should be the one who is pissed. She left me . Heartbroken. Without a single word as to why.
Fine. If that’s the way she wants to play this, then that’s what I’ll do. I can pretend like she wasn’t the love of my life. I’ve been doing it for the past eight years. I should be good at it by now.
“Noah?”
“Dude!” Something hits me in the face, and I look down to find a balled-up napkin in front of me.
“What was that for?” I ask my brother, Carson. He’s the only one who would throw something at me. Well… Mom probably would, too, now that I think about it.
He runs his fingers through his dark hair, messing it up even more than it was before. He looks just like Dad, except for his green eyes. “Mom’s been calling your name for like an hour.”
I roll my eyes. “I’ve only been at the house for an hour.” I catch Mom’s gaze on the other side of the peninsula in their kitchen. “Did you ask me something?”
She smirks, pulling the bubbling casserole from the oven. A small part of me wants to text Lilly and tell her I was right about what Mom had planned for dinner. I shut that part down immediately. “I was just wondering where your head was. You’ve been daydreaming since you got here.”
A flash of Lilly’s angry eyes pops into my head. The whole interaction has been playing on repeat since I got to my parents’ house. Despite the shit I’m going to get from my brother, I tell them both about what happened.
“What does she have to be pissed about? You’re the one who was left moping.”
My lips turn down at Carson. “Thanks for that.”
He throws his hands out to the side. “What? It’s true.”
“There are always two sides to every story, Carson. She must think she has a good reason to be angry,” Mom says magnanimously. “We’ve always wondered why she left without a word. Maybe something happened.”
I shake my head. “Either way, I’ll be keeping my distance.”
“Probably for the best.” Mom pats my hand, a sympathetic smile on her face. She pulls the clip from her hair, letting her red waves fall around her shoulders. She still looks the same at fifty-three as she did twenty years ago when they first adopted me. There are a few more laugh lines on her face now than there used to be, but I’ve always thought they made her look happier.
Dad walks in from the garage. He’s been at his aunt and uncle’s place, installing a new vanity in their bathroom. “Smells good in here.” He kisses Mom on the cheek while picking a bite from the casserole.
He curses when it burns his mouth, and Mom laughs. “Serves you right for being impatient.”
Dad slaps her on the ass, making me and Carter groan.
“Will it ever be possible to go one night without watching the two of you be gross?” Carter complains.
He’s always thought Mom and Dad’s PDA was disgusting. I don’t necessarily like seeing it either, but their relationship has set the standard for what I want in my life. I want to worship the ground my woman walks on and know she returns my love just as full-heartedly.
Lilly’s face comes to mind yet again, and it’s starting to piss me off. She isn’t the one for me. Not anymore. She’s made it abundantly clear that anything I thought we had before has been lost to time and anger.
I just wish my heart could get with the program.