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“No! What do you want me to do?”
“You’re going to help Megan move into her new apartment, and you’re going to be nice.”
“When?”
“Saturday morning. JC, Hunter, and Lucian are also helping. Those are my terms. You will have to figure out another time to meet Rory here in Manhattan without Vivian.”
“I need to explain it to Vivian.”
“Why? Does she deserve an explanation after what she did?”
“She doesn’t know you saw us.”
My mouth must have dropped open without me realizing it because I can feel my tongue getting dry. Did I hear what I thought I just heard?
“You didn’t tell her? When were you planning on revealing this little tidbit?”
“I was going to call her today. I don’t want to be a dick about it.”
“Excuse me?” I say, raising my voice.
“I know she’s expecting more. She wants us to be together.”
“You’re making a good argument for why I should dump you. You seem to give a shit more about her feelings than mine.”
“I don’t, but I left her once before. I owe her.”
“I’m hanging up now. Don’t send me any more flowers and don’t buy me anything. Trinkets are not going to fix this.”
“Lexi, I’m sorry. Please come home tonight.”
“I’ll take it under advisement.”
I hang up and can’t believe the exchange I just had with Noah. Is he fucking kidding? I need to pinch myself to see if this was a dream. Unfortunately, it’s not. I float through the rest of the day, not particularly concentrating on my work. At five, I gather my things and get ready to leave. JC’s door is closed, and I don’t want to bother him, so I text him goodbye instead. He must be busy because I receive no reply.
Arriving home, our apartment smells wonderful. Noah’s made homemade chicken soup which I figure is because I’m sick. He’s also baked fresh sourdough bread which is surprising since it’s summertime. He rarely bakes in the warmer weather. I find him in the kitchen wearing his “Kiss the Cook” apron which I won’t do.
“Hungry?”
“Starving.”
I barely consumed anything today except three cups of tea and a small container of tomato soup for lunch. My stomach growls at the aroma of the bread he just took out of the oven. The loaf smells heavenly, and he slices a piece off with a crunch as the knife goes through the crust.
He places a bowl of soup he just ladled in front of me, and it too smells delicious. I begin to eat, not looking at him but concentrating on the small cubed carrots and diced celery floating in the broth. At least he can cook, but the way back to my heart is not through my stomach.
“Lexi, what time do you need me on Saturday?”
“Eight. Megan is having the moving truck come from Jersey by nine, so we need to move whatever is in her car upstairs before then.”
I know he’s upset that he can’t spend Rory’s seventeenth birthday with her, but it’s his fault and I’m not giving in.
“Did you talk to Rory?”
“Yes. She’s not happy she won’t see me, but I told her to come down this week. She can stay with us, and I’ll make it up to her.”
“And what about Vivian.”
“She’s aware of why I can’t come.”
