Chasing My Forever (Beaumont: Next Generation 3) - Page 18

“Are you serious?” Noah asks. He’s looking straight at my dad.

Dad doubles over, laughing uncontrollably. Liam and I start as well, but Noah is sitting there, stone-faced. When my dad finally calms down, he shakes his head. “I’m just kidding. Don’t you think it’d be a bit odd if I made you call me Mr. James?”

“Yes,” Noah says.

“And the dad part,” Dad shrugs. “If it’s fitting, I don’t care really.”

The rest of the evening is nothing more than sitting around, roasting our own dinner, and talking about life. Between my dad and Liam, they’ve seen a lot, experienced even more, and somehow managed to make a good life for themselves and their families.

By the time the sun is up again, the air in the tent is stifling. I’m the first one up and use this time to relieve myself in the bushes. It’s not exactly as private as I’d like given there are people on both sides of us, but it’s all I have.

Back at the site, Noah’s awake and pulling his fishing gear together. “Morning,” he says, chipper and ready for the day, when all I want to do is find a nice shady spot to relax in and maybe have some coffee. “Thought we could go try and catch lunch.”

I point to my chest. “You want me to go with you?”

He looks around. “Pretty sure it’s just you and me out here.”

“What about your dad?”

Noah shakes his head. “There’s something I want to talk to you about.” He nods toward the trail.

I change quickly and grab the extra set of gear, which I’m pretty certain was brought for me.

Noah leads the way, following a small trail through the trees and low-lying brush. “Do you come out here often?”

“I found this place one day after a fight with Dessie.”

Just him saying her name makes my blood boil.

“You’re the only one I’ve brought out here though.”

“What, none of your teammates fish?”

“No, they do. We go on the Columbia when I’m in town, but this place…” we step into a clearing and it’s like something I’ve never seen before. The sun is lined perfectly with the river, shining light through the valley. We’re perched on a massive rock formation, giving us the perfect view. “Yeah,” Noah says as he catches me looking in awe.

“Wow.”

“I come here to think. I came here the day before I asked your sister to marry me.”

“I don’t blame you, I’d need guidance too when it comes to Peyton.”

Noah slaps me in the arm and laughs. “It’s not that. I love her. I always have.”

“So, what then?” I start setting up my gear, shocked to find out that I remember most of what Liam taught me when it comes to getting my pole ready.

“My biggest hang up, ruining our relationship. We were perfect, at least in my eyes, until I started dating Dessie. Growing up, I always figured Peyton and I would end up with each other, I just didn’t know when. Dessie comes along, right at the start of my NFL career and she’s the glitz and glam of the sports life. It wasn’t hard to get swept up in it all. What I didn’t realize was my relationship with Dessie was pushing Peyton away. Dessie was threatened by Peyton, and with good reason.”

“And then the accident,” I add.

Noah nods and looks down river. “The accident that changed everything.” He shakes his head. “I made a lot of mistakes that winter. I almost lost my job and Peyton. I didn’t care about football anymore. The first time I had to leave Chicago, I stood on the field and nothing made sense because the one person who had been by my side through it all, was laid up in a hospital room, fighting for her life. That’s when I knew, something had to change.”

I drop my line into the river and take a seat on the small portable chair Noah had packed for me. “Change happened.”

“Almost killed me.”

“True colors, man,” I say. “You couldn’t have known.”

He grimaces. No need to bring up all the gory details of what Dessie did to Noah and how she wanted to sleep with Liam. Her betrayal ran deep and almost ruined his chance with my sister. Thankfully, they both came to their senses.

Tags: Heidi McLaughlin Beaumont: Next Generation Romance
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