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“There she is.” I hear a familiar shrill voice.
I turn with a fake smile that doesn’t come close to what Pepper can pull off. “Beth.”
She races over and hugs me. “Oh, thanks so much for inviting me. What a turn out, huh?”
“I guess.” I glance around trying to remember whose idea it was to keep the party going through the night with people we don’t particularly care for.
“My date is around here somewhere. Well, we’re just friends really. Is Noah here?”
“No. I’m sorry, Beth, Aiden isn’t here yet either so I need to make sure things are on schedule with the caterers.”
“Right. Well, you know, I used to work here—until I was fired—maybe I can help.”
“Please don’t—I mean, you should enjoy yourself.”
I sneak off to the restroom to freshen up. My cheeks still flushed from this afternoon when Noah flipped me over, splaying my arms across the kitchen island and fucking me to my senses.
I kind of love how much he wants me with him tonight. How much he gravitates toward me in the middle of every night we’re together. We’ve been at it like rabbits the last week, and I’m already missing him, knowing I won’t be under the same roof tonight, much less the same bed.
But alone time is necessary. I haven’t been able to think straight, spending every night with the man I never got over. Especially now that he’s making me feel beautiful, worshiped, special. It’s messing with my head. It’s making me forget our rules.
I suck in a sharp breath, pulling myself together and releasing before stepping out of the bathroom.
I bump into a man stepping out of the adjacent men’s room. “Oh, I’m so sorry,” we mumble simultaneously.
I look up and nearly lose my balance, but he steadies me.
“Charlie.”
“Carter?” I stare dumbstruck at the man I hadn’t seen in three years. Since the night I kissed him in this very lobby.
He wraps his arms around me and I tighten everywhere. “Oh my god, it’s so great to see you. I had no idea you’d be here.”
I pull away. “Great to see you too. Where’ve you been?”
“Oh, I moved to Cederville, a few towns west. I work for a shipment company.”
“That…sounds lovely.”
“How about you? I heard your mom passed away. I’m so sorry.”
“I’m good, thanks—wait, how did you hear that?”
“From Beth, I’m her date,” he says with an innocent smile.
“Her date? You guys have a long-distance thing going?”
“Nope. She dug me out of her phone book a few days ago and insisted I come with her. She specifically said you’d be happy to see me.”
“Did she?”
“And hey, I’m really sorry for screwin’ things up for you and Noah.”
“It wasn’t your fault. We both weren’t…thinking straight.”
He scratches his head. “Are you single now?”
I feel awkward standing barely a foot from him in this little vestibule, away from the rest of the crowd. It feels too intimate but I don’t want to be rude. This guy never did anything wrong. He acted on his feelings and made me feel good when I felt so down.
