Chapter Twenty-six
“Give me a sec,” I say to Thea, glancing quickly to where Noah is with some older guy, “I just need to use the bathroom.”
“Sure!” Thea puts her glass down. “Want me to come?”
I laugh, “No, I just gotta pee really quick. I’ll be back.”
I hop down off my stool and weave through the crowd, slipping into the ladies’ room and embrace the quiet inside.
These things are always loud and crowded, but it’s for Noah, so we endure.
Making quick work of my business, I get my dress back in place and step out of the cubicle, stopping abruptly when I see Lauren is standing at the sink, her arms crossed over her chest, clearly waiting for me.
“And to think it could have been different for you,” she cocks her head to the side, a stray tendril of hair slipping out from behind her ear.
“What are you talking about?”
“It took me a minute to figure it out,” she continues, like I have any idea what she’s talking about. There’s no warmth in her face, no kindness. It’s all calculation, a cold determination to harm. “But talking to Isaac made me piece it together.”
Moving to the sink beside her, I turn on the faucet and begin to wash my hands, pretending I’m not even remotely interested in what she has to say. I am so over her bitchiness. There’s just no need for it.
“I see it now, though. Noah’s been in love with you for a long time.” She says, her eyes burning into the side of my face, “And here you are, flaunting your dates and the revolving door of men in your life in his face. He deserves better, you know.”
Her words are barbs that stab into my flesh.
“I have a question.” She goes on.
Pulling a towel from the folded pile, I dry my hands and turn to her, hoping to end this once and for all. “What?”
“If Noah hadn’t fucked with Isaac’s number, would you have dated him?”
My brain stutters as her words register. “What did you say?”
“I asked if you would have dated him.”
“No, before that.”
Her brows twitch in confusion, but then lift, “Noah fucked with his number in your phone.”
“You’re lying.”
A smirk lifts her painted lips. “Am I?”
I remember that night. It was one of these things, and I’d met Isaac at the bar. I didn’t know he was Noah’s direct competitor, and he was charming and had seemed interested in me, so when he asked if he could give me his number, I didn’t hesitate.
Noah had found us while Isaac was inputting his number and while he had seemed pissed, I didn’t think it was because of this.
“I watched him do it, I just didn’t know it at the time.”
“How do you know?”
“You came to the office the next day,” She says, matter of fact, “Was in his office.”
I nod.
“You stepped out to go to the bathroom, but Noah got a call so I headed inside his office to let him know. He was on your cell, Sidney.”
“How do you know it was mine?” I press.
“You’ve had it at least since that night, right? Got that little pink and black case. Now I could be wrong, right? Does he go on your phone often?”
I feel the blood drain from my face and that must be enough of an answer for her.
“So let me ask you again,” She continues, that smug look on her face making me feel sick. She knows exactly what she’s just done. “Who would you have picked? Noah or Isaac?”
“I need to go,” I can hear how weak and quiet my voice is, how hurt it is. It can’t be true. It has to be some kind of coincidence. She’s just making assumptions to try and cause harm.
“Ah, well,” Lauren plucks up her purse, “Have a good night, I guess.”
Her heels clip against the tiled floor as she exits, leaving me alone for a moment. I meet my eyes in the mirror, seeing the hollow look that’s replaced the excitement that was there only sixty minutes ago.
Sickness rolls through my gut and I’m not sure what’s worse. The invasion of my privacy or the fact that he lied. He’s lied for months. To my face.
When I complained about the fact that Isaac ghosted me, he comforted me, we got beer and pizza and pretended it didn’t happen.
Honestly, I don’t give a single fuck about Isaac.
I don’t care that it never worked out. I was never interested in him, not really.
It had always been Noah, but I had gone through the motions of trying to find someone when I didn’t think he felt the same way I did.
I tried to find that spark with someone else and he knew this.
And instead of admitting to what he did, he sabotaged it.
For the longest time, I’ve wondered what was wrong with me.
Why hasn’t it worked out?
Why don’t people like me?
And he knew this!
He added to it. On purpose.
This has to be a mistake. Maybe he was just sending himself a picture from my phone. Granted, that man has never once been on my phone without my permission but that doesn’t mean anything, right? This isn’t true. It can’t be.
Pressing my hand to my stomach, I try to ease the nausea rolling through it. I try to plaster a smile on my face, but it falls completely flat, my eyes dull… hurt.
Noah lied to me.
He lied to me.
I need to get out of here.
I’m not ignoring the fact that Lauren did this on purpose. She wanted this outcome, but I can’t blame her. It was done in malice, but that doesn’t excuse the betrayal.
Gripping my purse, I push out of the bathroom, entering the crowd. The noise hits me first but then I feel eyes on me. His eyes.
I find him immediately, meeting the stormy gray and I am not able to mask the pain. Even from across the room, I see his face crumble.
He starts toward me, but I’m rooted to the spot, watching him advance until he stops in front of me. He reaches for me, but I flinch away, my heart breaking as I watch his hand drop and his throat work on a thick swallow.
“What is it?” He asks.
“Did you do it?” I whisper but he hears me.
“Did I do what?”
Flicking my eyes between his, “Did you go on my phone and change his number?”
For several long seconds, he says nothing. But then his shoulders lower and a heavy breath leaves his lips, “Yes.”