Chapter 5 Noah #2
Paul looks up from the drink menu with a disinterested expression. “Maybe you should call her in the mornings, she’s often watching one of those lame Hallmark movies in the evening.”
It’s my turn to clench my jaw at his tone of voice. Connor ignores Paul's comment and instead looks at Audrey with a wide smile. “Told Skippy that I’d jump out of the plane if they didn’t let me have one night seeing you.” I roll my eyes at Connor’s nickname for our field manager.
Ignoring Connor’s theatrics, I ask, “Did you watch Dear John before they took it off Netflix too?”
“You’re such a drama king.” Audrey looks at her brother before her eyes flick towards me for the first time since we sat down, and she readjusts her shoulders. “I did, but I also have it on DVD.”
“I know.” I try to fight back my smile knowing that after all these years she still has the movies. That she kept a piece of me.
For as long as I can remember, Audrey and her mom would have Friday movie nights, usually focusing on romance movies that were geared towards making you cry.
One time, when I was fifteen, I was there for a sleepover and Connor fell off the trampoline; he busted his head and needed to go get stitches.
Since Mr. Mendez was out of town for work, their mom asked me to stay back with Audrey in case the hospital wait was long.
Audrey put a movie on and I sat on the chair across the room, watching it with her. Before I knew it she started to well up, so I moved to sit beside her, handing her a tissue. I was grateful for the excuse, but I just wanted to be closer to her.
When the credits rolled, I asked, “This movie’s so sad, why would you want to watch it?”
Her response was quick, “Because look at that … he’s fulfilling her bucket list and making her feel beautiful and loved. That’s every girl's dream!”
I should’ve given that to her.
We ended up spending the rest of the night watching chick flicks while I fought the urge to hold her hand and kiss her.
I bought her every available Nicholas Sparks movie for her birthday before I left for college.
Connor digs his elbow into my side, pulling me out of my memories long enough to realize that Audrey's asking me a question, “And what brings you here? Isn’t Austin your home?”
The way she says home causes me to look down at the table for a moment before I compose myself and answer her, “Your brother’s relentless begging for me to join his team finally worked.” I slap him on the back. “I’m officially a Kansas City Royal now.”
Audrey’s face flushes slightly before she says, “Wow, congrats, Noah. That’s so exciting. You better piss him off as much as possible, fill the void for me.”
I chuckle, nodding at her as Connor laughs from beside me. “Oh yeah, we’ll be bunk buddies every step of the way. I’m not against playing a prank or two.”
The waitress comes to take our orders and I try to ignore the fact that Paul openly checks her out, or the way Audrey’s eyes close, the slight quiver in her lip obvious.
What an asshole.
Instead, I ask Audrey about her friends, watching the light come back into her eyes little by little as I try to fill in the parts of her life I don’t know anymore.
Dinner passes in a walk down memory lane of all the times Connor and I played pranks on Audrey, and all the times she tried to get revenge—and failed. We try to engage Paul constantly but he meets all of us with curt or disinterested responses, as if this is the last place he wants to be.
Connor and I bite our tongues, but there are many moments throughout dinner where he gives me a look as if to say “What the fuck?” Now I get why Connor was on edge, because frankly, by the end of the night I’m feeling pissed at Paul too.
I wish I knew what Audrey was thinking.
I want to know if she’s happy.
After Connor pays the bill for all of us—without thanks from Paul—we move to stand from the table, Audrey and I end up knocking arms as we put our jackets on.
“Oops, sorry,” she says quietly, before I help her into her coat. My eyes flicker towards Paul, feeling like me touching her is wrong. He should be the one eagerly helping her, not me. His eyes are glued to his phone so he doesn’t even notice.
“Thank you,” Audrey whispers once her jacket’s in place. She shifts, giving me space to move past her. As I go to step around her, a waiter passes us with a tray full of food, forcing Audrey to press her back against my body.
My hand absentmindedly grabs her waist to keep her in place.
The electric shock that passes through me makes my heart jump out of my chest. The feeling intensifies when she takes a sharp breath and looks up at me, her wide eyes locked on mine.
Does she feel it too?
It takes everything I have to not kiss her right here and now. Dropping my hand from her waist is harder to do than I ever could’ve imagined. “Sorry, Auddie,” I whisper, but my tone holds no remorse.
Paul finally looks up from his phone, and reality comes crashing back when he speaks, “Come on, Audrey, let’s go.”
She gives Connor a tight hug while I shake Paul’s hand.
Audrey doesn’t hug me goodbye, but as she and Paul walk out the door, she looks back over her shoulder and gives me a drop-dead gorgeous smile.
Shit.