21
An uneasy feeling runs through me as I get out of an Uber after Emily that evening and we walk towards the bar we went to last time. It”s not a good idea to spend the evening with Emily and her friends. Noah still doesn”t know I”m in Nashville. I hope I don”t run into him. But Emily wouldn”t do that to me.
As I enter the bar, a wave of memories washes over me. Noah singing, holding my hand, and me falling a little more in love with him.
“Are you coming?” Emily asks when I don”t move forward. “The others are waiting for us.”
“I don”t know,” I say, looking at her. “It”s not a good idea to face Noah like this for the first time.”
“Cara!” Emily rolls her eyes. “It”s not a solution for you to mope around while Noah continues to ignore you. That idiot should pull the stick out of his ass and forgive you.”
To avoid looking like a complete idiot, I told Emily that I had written to him again and that he was still ignoring me. But the truth is, I don”t dare write him any more messages.
“Come on!” She grabs my hand and pulls me behind her.
We walk through the crowded bar until I spot Jamie, Noah”s best friend, at one of the tables.
“Emily.” I stop and she turns to me. “What”s Jamie doing here and - fuck!”
Noah is sitting in the chair next to him. He is laughing, in a good mood, greeting everyone.
“And Noah? You said we were meeting your friends.”
“Actually, I said we would meet with the others. With Anna, among others.”
“Among others?” I snort. “Clearly.”
I look at her defiantly and wonder how this is going to look. Noah must think I”m using Emily to get to him.
“Come with me now,” she says. “You”re really unbearable.”
Emily grabs my hand again and pulls me behind her.
Annoyed, I groan and follow her. After all, I can”t remember where Emily lives and I can”t get back to my stuff.
“Hey,” Emily says to the group. “I brought someone.”
She points at me with a smile, but I barely notice. All my attention is on Noah. He has his cell phone in his hand and is looking at the screen.
“Cara,” Jamie moans and Noah”s head jerks up. “How nice to see you.”
“What are you doing here?” Noah interrupts his best friend before he can ask more questions. I say nothing and look at Emily. She has to help me. After all, she dragged me here.
“She”s visiting me,” Emily says with a shrug and Noah raises his eyebrows. “A little country air never hurt anybody, did it?”
Noah snorts and shakes his head dismissively.
“I should go,” I whisper, biting my lip.
“You should,” he adds. “Right now!”
“Nonsense,” Emily says, pulling out a chair and pushing me into it. “What would you like to drink?”
I”m not sure how to react, but I”m not going to let Noah put me off so easily. If he gets away with this now and can continue to ignore me, he might do it forever.
“A caipirinha, please,” I murmur and she nods with a smile. “I”ll be right back.”
Emily turns on her heel, leaving me alone at the table with the others. I know them all, that”s not the problem. The problem is sitting across from me and he”s fucking angry.
“And you”re visiting Emily?” Jamie asks without smiling at me. I look at him unsure. I”m sure he”s not asking out of pure interest, but rather as a provocation.
“Yeah,” I answer, looking at Noah. He avoids my gaze and instead starts talking to the blonde next to him. My attention is on her now. She has shoulder-length hair, a slim figure and looks very nice.
“Here you go,” Harry says with a grin.
He kisses the blonde next to Noah, and a wave of relief runs through my body. It”s not his new girl.
“Here!” Emily puts our drinks on the table and sits down beside me. “Cheers!”
“I”m late!” Daisy calls, waving excitedly to the group. “Hey, guys! Move over, Jamie.”
Jamie gives her an irritated look and Anna rolls her eyes. But then he does what she wants.
“Hey,” she purrs, stroking Noah”s arm. “Sorry I’m late.”
He gives her a quick look and nods.
“No problem,” he replies. “Do you want something to drink?”
“Some water would be great. After all, I have to drive.”
Daisy winks at him and my jaw drops. She”s screwing Alex, even though a blind man can see that her little sister is in love with him, and now that Alex is in Boston, she”s hitting on Noah. Unbelievable.
And he seems to jump on it. He immediately gets up and gets her a drink of water.
“What was that?” asks Emily. “And where do you have to go?”
“Home,” Daisy replies. “Hi, Cara. I didn”t know you were here, too. Things have been a little crazy the last few weeks.”
I gasp and start to say something, but Emily cuts me off.
“Don”t do that, Days,” she snaps at her big sister. “Cara didn”t do anything to you.”
“Can”t she speak for herself?”
“Can”t you leave her alone?” I put a hand on Emily”s forearm and look at her.
“It”s okay,” I say. “And you: how many do you need it? Last week Alex, today Noah?”
Now Daisy is the one of us who takes a deep breath. I”m ready for her next low blow, but to my surprise she remains silent.
“What are you talking about?” she turns to Jamie, who unfortunately answers immediately.
Noah comes back and sets a glass of water down for Daisy. He got himself a beer, which probably means that they are actually going home together.
“Thank you,” Daisy says, stroking his forearm.
I purse my lips and look at Noah. He looks back at me and sips his beer.
“Hey, Cara!” Harry smiles at me. “You said you know your way around fast cars, right?”
“Yes,” I reply. “I do.”
“Cool,” he replies. “Have you ever driven a Bugatti Chiron?”
I shake my head and smile at him.
“Unfortunately not,” I say. “I”d love to. It”s definitely on my list.”
Noah”s eyes flicker to me for a split second and I give him a smile, but he immediately looks away.
“Where do you usually drive the cars?” asks Harry.
“On the road?” I answer questioningly. “They”re mine.”
“Sure,” he counters. “They”re yours. It was funny about the Ferrari, but...”
“My God, you”re so stupid,” Daisy groans. “Her father is Michael Corse, NFL legend of the Boston Foxes. She’s going to inherit Corse Sports Management and her parents” personal fortune of at least fifty million dollars. Of course she can afford a Ferrari.”
My head spins around and I stare at her angrily. Daisy gets on my nerves so much. She should mind her own business and not get confused about which of the McCarter twins is screwing her.
“What”s your problem?” I hiss.
“My problem?” she repeats. “That you act like you”re this sweet, sweet girl who wants to experience life in the country, when in fact you”re as far removed from life here as Harry is from those cars he keeps talking about.”
Daisy and I have an eye duel that neither of us wants to lose.
“Stop it, Daisy!” hisses Emily. “You don”t even know her.”
“And you know her?” she shoots back. “You”ve always been naive, Em.” She points at me. “Her T-shirt alone costs more than we made in a month as teenagers, and the bag - Chanel - more than double our monthly salaries, and...”
“Enough!” Noah spins around and looks at Daisy angrily. “Shut up, Daisy. Why do you think Cara never told you who her parents were and where she got the money? Because she hates that kind of prejudice. Leave her alone.”
I am more than surprised by his outburst and my heart starts beating faster when I realize that he defended me. Is that a step in the right direction?
“That her clothes cost so much is a fact!” Daisy looks at him challengingly. “And you said yourself she”s a spoiled brat who gets everything handed to her on a silver platter.”
Jamie spits out his beer and the others gasp. I stare at Noah with big eyes. Why does he talk about me like that? Especially in front of Daisy, who obviously thinks I”m pretty shitty.
“You said that about me?” I ask sadly, trying to pull myself together. “To her?” I nod and point at Daisy.
“No!” Noah shakes his head. “Yes... I don”t know. Not exactly ... not in those words.”
“In what words then?” I want to know.
“Do we have to settle this now?” he asks.
“I don”t know,” I answer. “At least you”re talking to me again. But I don”t know if I want to. I have to get out of here.”
I jump up from my chair and reach for my purse. I pull out a ten-dollar bill and slam it down on the table. It”s way too much for a drink, but I don”t feel like waiting any longer.
“Cara,” Emily says, trying to stop me, but I slap her hand away.
“I need my stuff,” I say.
“What?” she asks.
“I need my things,” I repeat. “I want to go home. Where everyone is as spoiled as I am.”
Emily bites her lip, but finally stands. She seems uncomfortable with the whole thing, as does everyone else at the table - except Daisy. She grins at me smugly, as if she has finally achieved her goal.
“I didn”t call you a spoiled brat,” Noah says, standing up. “But showing up here, with my friends, after everything that”s happened... don”t you think it”s a little presumptuous?”
“I talked her into it,” Emily says, and Noah gives her a dirty look.
“Stay out of it,” he tells her.
“Leave her alone,” I defend my new friend, “What are you doing, Noah?”
“What, Cara?” he hisses, pointing at the people at the table. “These are my friends; this is my home and you come here and...”
“What am I supposed to do?” I yell, unable to believe we”re discussing this right now. “You”ve been ignoring me for weeks, even canceling our professional appointments. I didn”t see any other way out but to come here. I just want us to talk again and sort this out.”
“It”s all settled for me,” he says. I throw my hands up in the air in disbelief and can”t help but laugh. Is it all settled for Noah? Is he making it so easy for himself because he”s offended?
“I”m leaving,” I say, looking at Emily. “Are you coming or not?”
She looks around apologetically and follows me out of the bar. I just want to get out of here.
“Cara!” she calls after me as I step out of the bar, completely dazed. “I”m sorry.”
“You?” I stop and turn around.
“Yes, of course,” she replies, embarrassed. “I didn”t know that he... and... and my sister. I really didn”t. I only meant well because I want things to work out with you.”
“I know that,” I say, running my fingers through my hair, “but it”s completely fucked and Daisy”s and Noah”s words and ... I don”t know what else to do.”
Emily comes over and takes me in her arms. I cuddle up to her and sob.
“He ignores me and doesn”t give me a chance to explain or apologize. Alex says he”s here, but only because I ran into him at a Starbucks. I”ve done things wrong in the past, yes. But Noah hasn”t done everything right either.”
“I know,” Emily sighs. “I”ll take you home for now, okay? Then you can always fly to Boston in the morning.”
“Okay,” I say quietly and look back at the bar, hoping desperately that Noah will come out and talk to me, but the door doesn”t move.
“Come on,” she says, pushing me in front of her. “Tomorrow is another day.”