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“It’s just weird,” she said.

“What is?”

“Hearing stories about someone I didn’t know.”

Noah reached for her hand. “Yeah?”

She nodded. “I’m fine. Just adjusting.”

Then he kissed her before she could argue, one hand settling at her waist. Claire smiled into the kiss, some of the strange tightness in her chest finally easing.

The next day, Maya was still around. She and Noah were talking again in the lobby.

Claire walked in and saw them laughing. She stopped just for half a second.

Not enough for anyone else to notice.

But Noah did.

Of course he did.

Maya touched Noah’s arm lightly while making a joke. Claire’s fingers tightened around her coffee cup. Once again, Noah noticed.

“Give me one second,” he told Maya before crossing the lobby toward Claire. Maya nodded.

“You okay?” he asked Claire.

Claire crossed her arms. “I’m fine.”

Noah waited.

Finally, she said, “I just feel weird. I don’t know where I fit here. I know she’s your friend. I know. I know you haven’t done anything. Honestly, neither has she. I actually like her.”

He nodded, waiting for her to continue.

“I’m not trying to sound like a crazy, insecure, jealous girlfriend. Really. That’s not what this is.” She looked at the floor. “I just. . .” She paused. “I don’t know that version of you. And I wish I did. It feels like I’m watching somebody else’s memories.”

Something in Noah’s expression shifted, as though he finally understood what she was trying to say.

She continued, “She has years of memories with you. Inside jokes. Stories. I wish I’d known you then.”

“Claire,” he said.

She looked up.

He continued, “The version of me you know? He’s my favorite version. Because he has you. College Noah isn’t the version of me I’d choose to go back to. The Noah who knows you is. Maybe Maya knew me then, but you know me now.”

Claire remained silent but a soft smile appeared.

Noah reached for her hand. “You don’t have to compete with someone who knew me first. You’re the person who knows me best.”

“She touches you a lot,” Claire blurted out. “I know she doesn’t mean anything by it. She literally told me how glad she was that you found me. But I still don’t like it.”

The corners of Noah’s mouth lifted before he could stop them.

Claire narrowed her eyes. “Do not look happy about this.”

“I’m not.”