Noah
Chapter forty-two
"Oh good; you're still here," Camila says as she rushes into my office and quickly closes the door behind her. I arch an eyebrow.
"Good morning to you too, Camila," I answer, standing. "I was actually just about to head to set."
"Well, keep your seat," she insists, waving me down.
I sigh, my smile indulgent, and retake my seat. It's hard, considering the chance to see Awa—and hopefully some good news about those annoying "loose ends" she mentioned—is waiting for me on the other side of that door.
"OK. What's up?"
"I just overheard Clarissa in Theater say your not-so-secret crush is now a free agent."
My back goes rigid, and Camila actually laughs.
"See? I knew you'd want to know."
"When did this happen?" I ask, confused. I just saw her yesterday. She didn't mention anything about quitting. If those assholes fired her…
"I can see from the flare of your nostrils that you're worried something bad happened, but no.
Clarissa is friends with Elle, Awa's assistant, and she said Awa walked into the partners' office and quit.
Said there was no future there anymore, which," Camila looks pensive, "is probably correct.
She was the editor-in-chief of the Columbia Law Review.
She reps some of the biggest names in the business. Why the hell wasn't she a partner?"
I don't know, but I plan to ask her. Right now. When I stand up this time, Camila must realize there's no stopping me, because she stands as well.
"Any idea where she is now?" I press.
If she's still at her office, I can walk over, but if she's at home, I'll need to catch a cab. A look at my watch has me cursing under my breath. There's no way I'll get a cab in the middle of the lunch rush.
"No idea," Camila replies on her way out. "Want me to text her?"
I shake my head.
"Nah, I'll surprise her."
I leave Camila grinning in my doorway and take off toward the elevator, ignoring the curious looks of my coworkers. On the way to the ground floor, my phone vibrates in my pocket.
Henry
Henry: I don't know what's going on, but I just got the weirdest feeling.
Henry: If you're going after Awa, it's about fuckin' time.
Running to her office was a lot more romantic in my head.
Now, standing in front of the unassuming entrance of Gehrig & Associates, just blocks from bustling Union Square, I'm painfully aware that I've sweat through my dress shirt and I'm here empty-handed.
You should've stopped for flowers! I berate myself. Richard Gere had flowers when he came back for Julia Roberts.
He also had about a billion dollars, I grumble.
I'm pacing on the sidewalk in front of an office building, effectively arguing with myself. I must've snapped somewhere around 20th Street.
"Noah?" Awa utters from behind me. When our eyes meet, I lose my breath for a second because…
She's beautiful. There's no other way to say it.
Her suit jacket is unbuttoned, revealing a titillating amount of cleavage.
Her hair is loose, the thick twists falling around her face like the women in one of Henry's Renaissance paintings.
And her eyes. In her eyes, I see not just joy at me being here, but the same love that's pounding in my chest like a war drum.
I rush to grab the box in her hands, and her smile shines even brighter.
"Why—?" She stops, swallows back what I hope are happy tears, and starts again. "What are you doing here?"
I move closer to her because I can't help it.
"Camila heard through the rumor mill that you quit today." I hoist the box onto one hip and cup her cheek. She leans into the contact.
"Is everything OK?"
"It's fine." She gives a small shrug. "Great, actually.
"I woke up, went straight to Jill's office, and when she told me the case was closed and I signed the paperwork officially dropping Yong-rae as a client, two thoughts popped into my head."
I kiss her then—a quick caress of lips to tide me over—then move away to let her continue. We're both breathing hard.
"One, I couldn't wait to finally be with you for real, out in the open. And two, I was done working for those jerks upstairs." She glares at the building behind us. "I gave them loyalty, years of my best work, and still they did everything they could to undermine me."
"No," I insist. "They didn't get your best work. Not if they were putting you through that every day." I kiss her again, and this time, when I pull away, her eyes are watery.
"Thank you, Noah." She swipes her knuckles at the corners of her eyes, then takes in my disheveled appearance. "Did you…run here?"
I wince.
"Maybe?" I reply sheepishly. The tears in her eyes break free.
"Like in 'When Harry Met Sally'?" she asks, voice quavering.
I put down the stupid fucking box that's keeping me from holding her and brush away the moisture on her cheeks with the pad of my thumb.
"I was thinking 'Pretty Woman', but yeah. I guess I did."
We don't speak then, crushing our lips together, pouring out everything in our hearts. When a passerby whistles, we break apart, chests heaving and a little embarrassed.
"I love you," I blurt. "I'll embarrass myself a hundred times over for you. I'm so sorry I didn't realize sooner."
The words are frank and not enough, but I couldn't hold them in any longer. Still, she clings to me, her body trembling.
"I love you too," she whispers against my neck. "And feel free to embarrass yourself whenever you want."
I huff out a laugh against her hair and squeeze her tighter, too overwhelmed to speak. That this amazing woman saw past my bonehead mistakes and gave me not just another chance, but her heart, is a miracle. I'm taking my miracle, and I'm never letting her go again.