But there’s no one I’m more pissed at than myself. I should never have allowed Jonah Berry into my life at all—should never have given him the opportunity to hurt me in the first place.
Foolishly, I believed that by not investing my heart, the risk of pain would be limited. I never considered the issue of physical pain. But then, I shouldn’t have had to.
Still, while I may not have known exactly what Jonah was capable of, I knew he wasn’t right for me. That our dating couldn’t possibly lead to any kind of meaningful relationship, and likely wouldn’t end well, despite how hard he tried to convince me otherwise.
I let my damp hair fall in its usual loose waves around my shoulders, used to the summer sun drying it for me. Of course, that would require me to actually go outside.
I’m still in just a bath towel when the doorbell rings, and I blink in confusion.
My mother is at work as always, and while it was common practice for friends to just show up unannounced at one another’s houses back when we were kids, since the time we were old enough to have cell phones, texting has been king.
Jillian is probably the only person who would just show up, and I expected she’d eventually question my “summer cold” story. Looks like the jig is up.
Another ring has me rushing down the stairs, and I brace myself to face the truth. After all, lying in a text is one thing, but to my best friend’s face? Not a chance.
“Coming!” I shout as I fling the front door open.
I stop in my tracks, having to scramble to keep my towel in place as I see that it is, in fact, not my bestie at the door.
Noah Reed stands freshly shower, his hair almost as damp as mine, in board shorts and a tank, his sculpted arms at his side as if they’re just nothing special.
I shake my head, forcing away my surprise, and subtly check my mouth for drool.
“Um...hi?” I clutch my towel tighter around me, awkwardly lifting and lowering it in an attempt to get it to adequately cover both my breasts and ass. It barely does the trick
I don’t miss his hazel eyes widen in interest for the briefest moment before he blinks, and focuses purposefully, intently on my face.
“You haven’t been around,” he says simply.
I don’t know what to say, so I simply shrug, the move forcing me to frantically adjust my towel, yet again.
“I haven’t been feeling well, I guess,” I murmur uncertainly. It isn’t untrue, but face-to-face with the one person who knows it has nothing to do with the sniffles, I feel more naked than if my towel had accidentally dropped to the ground.
Noah nods thoughtfully. “Figured.”
What does that mean?
“Not sure you should be holed up alone, though. Jill said you had a cold.”
He asked about me?
My mouth opens, then closes, not sure what to say.
Noah’s brows furrow in a contemplative, worried way that makes him look utterly adorable. Not for the first time, I wish he wasn’t so good-looking. That he didn’t affect me in this strange, unfathomable way. It’s been that way long before he showed up this summer.
“I just, uh, needed some time, I guess,” I half-explain.
“He hasn’t been around,” Noah says. “Berry.”
As if I needed him to explain who he’d meant.
“And you shouldn’t have to avoid him, anyway. He’s in the wrong, not you.” His eyes are suddenly fierce, adamant. He’s never liked Jonah, but his current expression reads more as utter hatred than dislike, and it almost frightens me. Almost.
“I’m not avoiding him, I just...” I trail off. That’s exactly what I’m doing, and Noah knows it. He’s the only one besides Jonah who knows it.
I shake my head, trying to get ahold of myself. “Look, do you want to come in? I need to get dressed real quick.”
The slightest, barely-there half-smile appears on his perfect face before he buries it back under his concern. He doesn’t answer with words, but opens the screen door wider to let himself in, and I back up into the modest entrance hall, inviting him into my space.