Chapter 33
Chapter Thirty-Three
Eva
The soft chime of the salon door barely cuts through the low hum of blow dryers and quiet conversations. I glance up from the register as I finish ringing up a customer, smiling politely as I hand over her receipt. But my smile falters the second I see who just walked in.
Noah.
His face is thunderous, jaw clenched, brows drawn tight, eyes burning. His whole body moves with rigid fury, like he's holding himself together with fraying thread. The customer says something, but I barely register it. I finish the transaction with a mechanical smile and hand her the bag.
Noah’s already at the counter.
“What’s wrong?” I ask cautiously, trying to keep my voice light.
He doesn’t answer right away. Just leans in slightly, his voice low and sharp. “When were you going to tell me that you were sleeping with my best friend?”
The world narrows around us. The soft hum of dryers fades into the background. I glance around, Ashton’s focused on his client, and the other stylists are working, blissfully unaware of the bomb about to go off in the front of the salon.
“Can you not do this here?” I whisper.
“I have to do it now, Eva,” he says, his voice tight with emotion. “We just lost the deal with McNeal.”
“What?”
He laughs bitterly, eyes wide with disbelief. “Yeah. Your ex showed up at the meeting. He saw me, saw Esteban, and decided to stir shit up. Told McNeal he used to date you. And when McNeal asked Esteban if it was true, he admitted it. Said it started as fake, but that now he has feelings for you.”
My heart skips a beat.
Noah’s eyes shine with betrayal. “McNeal was furious. Said he doesn’t like being lied to. Lied to his face,” he growls. “And you know what? I get it. Because that’s exactly what you and Esteban did to me.”
“Noah—”
“How could you do that to me?” he snaps, stepping back like I’ve physically struck him. “You knew how important this was. You promised me nothing was going on. And Esteban swore, Eva. He gave me his word that he wouldn’t touch you. And I trusted you both.”
“I’m sorry,” I whisper, throat tight.
“I don’t want you to see him.”
His words knock the breath from me.
“I love him,” he continues. “Don’t get me wrong. He’s been like a brother to me for years. But he is not the right man for you. You don’t know him like I do. He’s reckless. He jumps in, makes a mess, then walks away. That’s what he does. And I’m not going to stand here and let him do that to you.”
Tears sting my eyes. “You don’t know what we have—”
“I know you think it’s something special right now.
” He cuts me off, voice shaking with intensity.
“But when it falls apart—and it will—I’ll be the one picking up the pieces.
So no, Eva. I’m not okay with this. I told him to stay away from you.
Now I’m telling you.” Stepping closer, his voice dropping to something darker, more dangerous.
“If I find out you’re still seeing him, I swear to God, Eva, I will fucking kill him. Do you understand me?”
I nod.
Because there’s nothing else I can do. Not right now. Not with him this angry. I just need to talk to Esteban. We’ll figure this out.
Noah exhales sharply, then turns and walks out without another word, leaving behind a silence that feels like the beginning of a storm.
As soon as Noah storms out of the salon, I grab my phone, hands still trembling.
Me: Noah came to the salon. He is really mad.
It takes less than a minute for Esteban to reply.
Esteban: I know, mi amor. I’ll fix this.
Another message buzzes in.
Esteban: Don’t worry.
I stare at the screen for a second before typing again.
Me: I need to see you.
Esteban: I’ll come over in a few minutes.
I set the phone down on the counter and just… breathe. Or try to.
How did this all spiral so fast? Everything was perfect just this morning. We were in bed. We were happy. And now, I feel like I’ve been yanked out of a dream and dropped into a nightmare.
Noah looked at me like I was a stranger.
Pressing my hands to my eyes, I exhale slowly. I need to fix this, for him, for Esteban. For me.
A familiar voice interrupts my spiral. “As much as I love a good broody queen moment,” Ashton says, sliding up beside me, “you look like someone just canceled your birthday and took your dog.”
I blink, trying to hold back the tears. “It’s Noah.”
Ashton’s face softens. “I knew something was up. He walked in here like a hurricane. What happened?”
I lean against the counter and tell him everything, from how I had sex with Esteban, to the real feelings, to Noah's explosion ten minutes ago.
When I’m done, Ashton’s eyebrows are halfway to his hairline. “Wait. Are you telling me that you and hottie contractor Esteban are actually a thing?”
Despite everything, I let out a tiny laugh. “Yeah. It happened. But I have to confess, he tried really hard not to let it.”
Ashton gasps. “What a saint. Resisting this?” He gestures dramatically at me. “Poor man didn’t stand a chance.”
My laugh is louder this time. “I mean, I do have deadly seduction skills.”
“Obviously. One flick of that hair and he was doomed.”
We both giggle for a moment, and I feel some of the pressure in my chest loosen.
“But for real,” I say, quieter now. “He wants something serious. He told me that he wanted to talk to Noah, but I said no. I wasn’t ready. I just wanted to be happy for a while. Just us. No drama.”
Ashton nods, his voice softer now. “That’s valid, babe. But… you had to know your brother was gonna flip.”
“I know,” I sigh. “I’m mad at myself. I should’ve told him. But I didn’t want Noah’s attitude to mess everything up. And now everything is messed up. And all because of Brandon, that slimy little—”
Ashton holds up a finger. “No need to finish. I know exactly what you were about to say, and yes, accurate.”
“I just feel like I’m stuck. Like no matter what I do, I hurt someone.”
“Listen,” Ashton says, nudging my arm. “You fell in love. That’s not a crime. And from what you’ve told me, Esteban sounds like the real deal. Maybe Noah just needs time to stop seeing red.”
I nod, wiping at my eyes. “I hope so.”
“Hey,” he says, tilting his head. “You’ve always been the smart one. You’ll figure out how to fix this.”
“Wow, so now I’m the smart one?”
“Well, today you are,” he smirks. “Until you do something dumb again.”
I laugh again, and this time it sticks around a little longer. My phone buzzes on the counter as Esteban’s name lights up the screen.
“He’s here,” I say, heart picking up.
Ashton gives me a wink and a little shoulder bump. “Go get your man, babe. But if he breaks your heart, I will slash his tires.”
“I’ll keep that in mind.”
I pack my things in a daze, mumble a goodbye to Ashton, who blows me a kiss and mouths, “Go get him, lover girl” and walk out of the salon, my heart pounding in my chest.
Esteban’s truck is parked at the curb, engine humming softly like it’s waiting for me too. I open the passenger door and climb in, already bracing for the wave of emotions building behind my ribs.
The moment I turn to look at him, my breath catches.
“Please tell me it wasn’t Noah who punched you?”
Esteban glances over at me. His bottom lip is split and swollen, a faint bruise already starting to color his jaw. He lets out a low chuckle as he pulls away from the curb. “It was him. But it’s okay. I deserved it.”
My heart clenches. I lean toward him and gently brush my fingers along his cheek, inspecting the damage. “I’m so sorry. We should’ve talked to Noah… but I just wanted more time. Just the two of us.”
He doesn’t say anything at first, just drives in silence.
I notice that the hand resting on the gearshift has knuckles that are red and raw, and I wonder who he punched.
When he finally pulls into the small park near town hall and kills the engine, he turns to me.
Then he leans in and kisses me softly, gentle, and careful, like he knows I’m one breath away from falling apart.
When he pulls back, his voice is steady. Certain. “I’d take all the punches in the world if it means I get to be with you. You know that, right? I won’t let anyone keep me away from you.”
His words hit something deep inside me, melting the guilt and fear clinging to my chest. “Really?” I whisper.
He nods, eyes on mine. “Yes. I tried to stay away from you. God knows I tried. But once I got a taste of what this could be… I couldn’t walk away. And now that I have you, I’m not going to lose you. I feel so much for you, Eva. This is the first time in my life I’ve ever felt like this.”
I stop breathing for a second. “Me too,” I whisper.
He smiles soft, real, heartbreakingly open.
“I never meant for this to happen. I didn’t plan it.
But you… God, you’re beautiful. And your mind?
The way you talk about the science behind all the products you sell, the way your eyes light up when you explain something only a few people on Earth understand? That amazes me.”
He reaches up and tucks a piece of hair behind my ear, his fingers lingering at my cheek. “You laugh at my dumb jokes. You moan over my cooking like it’s the best thing you’ve ever tasted. You see me, Eva. And you get me. I tried to fight it, but I fell in love with you before I even realized it.”
My throat tightens as the tears slip down my cheeks.
“I don’t regret any of it,” he adds. “Because all this pretending? It gave me the best thing I’ve ever had. It gave me you.”
I reach for his hand and hold it tightly, grounding myself in the warmth of him.
“I love you too,” I whisper, voice breaking.
“And I have to confess… I did everything I could to seduce you.” A teary laugh escapes me.
“I wanted you so bad. At first it was fun, just a game, but then I got to know you. The real you.”
He grins, squeezing my hand. “So you admit it. You were running a full-blown seduction campaign.”
I roll my eyes. “I wasn’t faking anything.”
We both laugh softly, and I keep going, my voice thick with everything I feel. “You make me laugh. You listen when I start ranting about science and you never make me feel like I’m too much. You make me feel seen. Valued. And also… your body is ridiculously beautiful.”
He smirks. “Ah, yes. It’s the tattoos. Gets them every time.”
I laugh again, tears and joy tangled in my chest, then he leans in and kisses me, deeper this time, slower.
This kiss is different. It isn’t rushed or needy.
It’s full of love. Full of everything we’ve been holding back.
I feel it in every brush of his lips, every slow press of his hand at the back of my neck.
This kiss says, I choose you. I’m yours.
And for the first time all day, I feel whole again.