Chapter Seventeen Noah
Chapter Seventeen
Noah
Odie: garlic? not nuff
Me: I’m assuming that’s you asking me to bring some garlic with me because you don’t have enough?
Odie: LOL yessss
Odie: srry used to shorthand texts with Iz
Odie: forgot u were an old man
Me: I know shorthand text. I just don’t understand fragmented sentences.
Me: And how many times do I have to tell you I’m not old? Do you need more convincing?
Odie: that a promise??
Me: It can be.
Odie: k you’re done i’m trying to cook Dale from the hardware store, who is on his phone; and a couple sitting in the corner, busy picking up their kid’s Cheerios off the floor. Nobody is paying us any attention.
“I’m not going to break anyone’s heart.”
“Right.” He snorts. “The guy who doesn’t believe in marriage and the girl who plans them aren’t headed for a brutal demise.”
“It’s not like that. We’re kee—”
“I swear to fuck, if you finish that sentence with keeping things casual, I will jump over this counter and beat the shit out of you. Fucked-up hip and all.”
I flatten my lips. “Why? What’s so wrong with that?”
“For starters, it’s a line. Total fucking bullshit. There’s no such thing as ‘keeping things casual,’ and the people who say that are usually the most delusional of the bunch. Someone always gets hurt in those situations, and I have a feeling it’ll be Odette.”
I gnash my teeth together. “I’m not going to hurt her.”
“Do you believe in marriage?”
“No.”
“And is Odette still a wedding planner?”
“Yes, but she doesn’t plan to get married either.”
He laughs—like full-on laughs, which is a very rare feat with him—and shakes his head. “You’re an even bigger dumbass than I thought if you’re buying that shit.”
“No, I’m serious. She has this whole thing with her family. A curse is what they call it. Odette believes it’s going to be her downfall. She doesn’t want to get married because of it.”
“I’ve heard about that. I’ve also heard that all the women in her family don’t care and keep getting married anyway.”
“Not all of them. Not her.”
I’m not sure why I’m defending this so much, especially since I don’t fully believe in the curse either. Nobody’s life is dictated by something like that unless they let it be, and that’s what I think the Chambers women are doing. They’re letting the curse run their lives instead of living.
But here I am anyway, using the curse as an excuse so I don’t have to admit that the thing I’m doing with Odette is likely going to end badly if we keep going the way we are.
I shouldn’t be hanging out with her like I am. This was supposed to be just sex. Something fun. Casual. It wasn’t supposed to be late nights on the couch, cupcakes just because, or her cooking dinner for me.
We’re going way beyond what we agreed to, and it’s all because I can’t get enough of her.
“That may be the case,” Ezra says, pulling me back to our conversation, “but it doesn’t mean it’s a good idea. What happens if Izzy finds out?”
“She won’t.”
“But what if she does? You’re going to explain to her that you’re sleeping with her best friend, but it’s not serious?
And that it’s not going to affect their friendship at all when you stop bumping uglies with each other?
That it won’t make those combined family dinners weird?
Is that really the kind of stress you want to put on her before her wedding?
The wedding said best friend is planning? ”
“No, which is exactly why Izzy isn’t going to find out.”
He holds his hands up at my not-so-subtle threat. “I’m not saying shit to her. But I am saying that you should, especially if you’re going to be hanging out with Odette every night and letting this ‘casual’ thing turn serious.”
“It’s not turning serious.”
He chuckles again, shaking his head. “Whatever you say, man. I think you’re in over your head with no way out, but whatever. This is your shit show. I’m just here to watch.”
He packs up his laptop and the stack of papers he always seems to be carrying around, then heads toward the back office.
Ezra is wrong. This isn’t getting serious with Odette.
Yeah, I’m spending a lot of time with her lately, but so what?
It’s still casual. We’ve just become friends, is all.
This is a good thing, even. We’re both stressed about the wedding.
I want to get it right for my sister, and Odette wants to get it right to save her business.
Us sleeping together is just a good way to blow off steam. It’s no big deal.
I keep telling myself that as I gather my things and head out to my truck. I repeat it as I stop by my house for a quick shower and to grab Pork, who is finally getting to meet Beans tonight.
I keep it right at the forefront of my mind as I stop off at the grocery store, grabbing some fresh garlic, a bottle of the wine I know Odette likes, and a dozen cookies with peanut butter M&M’s.
Just before I reach the counter, I grab a six-pack of Stick Taps cider just so it doesn’t look like I’m only showing up with stuff for her.
I park my truck in the back of her apartment complex just in case, then climb the two floors to her door.
When it swings open and she smiles at me, I’m not thinking about Ezra’s words or how guilty I feel for hiding this from my sister.
All I’m thinking about is her.
“Noah.” She reaches out, grabs me by my shirt, and tugs me into her apartment. She presses to her tiptoes, then plants her lips against mine. “Hi.”
“Hi yourself.” I kiss her again. “It smells good in here.”
“I hope so. I spent an hour making the sauce for it.” She holds her hands out for Pork, who happily goes to her. “And how’s my sweet little baby?”
“Sweet?” I snort. “That thing’s a demon. He woke me up eight minutes before my alarm went off this morning. He’s as bad as Tootsie is when it comes to wanting breakfast by six.”
“Aww. He’s just a hungry, growing boy. Right, baby?” She rubs her nose against his. “You’re just like Beans, whom I know you’re going to love. If I can find her, that is.”
“She’s missing?”
“No.” Odette shakes her head. “She just loves to hide, is all. She’s probably under the couch. That’s her favorite spot. She waits for me to walk by, then scratches at my ankles.”
“I was wondering what those marks were from.”
“And you never thought to ask?” She laughs. “Well, come in. You don’t have to stand in the door all night.”
In the time I’ve known Odette, I’ve been to her apartment once before and never made it farther than I have now.
So when I take a step, then another, they’re heavy, and it feels like it has everything to do with my conversation with Ezra.
I push it out of my mind as I follow Odette into her apartment, closer to the heavenly smell wafting from her kitchen. She stops at the large pot, then stirs whatever’s inside before nodding toward the bag I’ve set on the counter.
“Whatcha got there?”
“Stuff,” I tease, opening the paper bag, loving the excitement that sparks in her eyes. She’s like a little kid at their birthday party, one eye on the presents table at all times.
I pull out the garlic, and she grins.
“You’re a lifesaver. I need that for the bread.”
“You’re making garlic bread?” My mouth waters at that thought. “I fucking love garlic bread.”
“Then you’re in luck, because I make the best around. Learned the recipe from my nonna.”
“With all due respect, I’m a little hard, and it only sort of has to do with your nonna, but it’s completely because of her cooking. I swear.”
“Well, that’s a relief.” She rolls her eyes with a laugh. “What else is in there?”
I fish my hand back into the bag, then pull out the wine.
“Ugh. I could kiss you.”
I close my eyes and pucker my lips, but instead of Odette, I feel Pork pressed against them, and he proceeds to lick me.
“What the . . .” I wipe my mouth. “Not cool.”
“What?” She shrugs. “I said I could kiss you, not that I was going to. Anything else?” She pushes to the balls of her feet, trying to peer into the bag.
I pull out the cider next, and she boos.
“Watch it. I worked hard to brew that cider.”
“Yeah, yeah, and we’re all so impressed, which is why nearly every business in Port Harbor and within a fifty-mile radius sells it, including the coffee shops. Weird you bought it and didn’t just grab it from the cidery, by the way.”
“What can I say? I’m our biggest cheerleader.”
She ignores that. “What else, what else?”
She’s practically bouncing now. Ever since I left that cupcake on her car, it’s sort of become our thing for me to bring her treats, so I know she’s expecting one now.
Finally, I reveal the peanut butter M&M’s cookies, and she squeals. She thrusts Pork into the air, running around the kitchen island like she’s doing a victory lap. It’s so damn ridiculous and adorable, and I can’t seem to wipe the silly grin off my face as I watch her.
I catch her on the next lap, tugging her against me and kissing her long and hard until Pork is wiggling between us, trying to get free.