Chasing Heartbreak (Dark Love 6)

Past tense.

Life has changed.

“And you? Lex tells me you’ve done amazing things in Europe, plus Charlie says you’ve had the opportunity to travel a fair bit. Sounds like quite some life.”

My eyes widen with surprise. I had no idea Charlie or Lex spoke about me to Noah. Did he ask about me? Or was it said in passing? Calm the fuck down, Kate. You’re overanalyzing this.

“It has been,” is all I say.

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Noah diverts his eyes away from me, letting out a breath. “Kate, I’m still the same guy. Maybe a bit broken but still the same guy.”

“It’s been a while,” I remind him, desperate not to get into the semantics of our friendship. “Let’s get something to eat.”

We make our way to the buffet, which is surprisingly not overly crowded. There’s so much food, and yet suddenly, my appetite dwindles. Reminding myself that alcohol and an empty stomach don’t mix, I make the conscious decision to eat at least something.

My food pallet has adjusted with all the business meetings and dinners I’ve attended over the years. My trick is to drink as much as I can without coming across as a drunk, then eat the food served and never ask what’s on the plate. The less known, the better. It turns out snails aren’t that terrible and tasty if prepared correctly.

“So, tell me… snails. Yay or nay?” Noah purses his lips, questioning the dishes sitting on the silver platters.

“Considering you eat peppermint ice cream, which is still widely disgusting, maybe a yay for you. It’s rather enjoyable.”

“Rather enjoyable?” He raises his eyebrows with a sneer. “The slug which swooshes his mushy body against the ground?”

I motion for the waiter to place two on my plate. Scraping the escargot with my fork, I raise it toward his mouth.

“Do I have to?”

“It’s rude not to,” I state, keeping my expression straight. “The French are renowned for their excellent cooking skills.”

He takes a bite, and while his face is somewhat confused, he manages to chew without spitting it out into a napkin.

“It’s not bad.”

“Trying something new is a way to explore the world,” I offer, taking in all the food before us.

“I wouldn’t know.” Noah dips his head, staring at his empty plate. “I’ve been stuck in hell.”

And the giant elephant inside the room makes its long-awaited appearance, wearing a pink tutu and performing Swan Lake, desperate for our attention. I don’t want to invite questions because as long as I don’t know about his personal life, then he shouldn’t ask questions about mine. But then Charlie’s words about him needing friends and her worry over him comes back tenfold.

“Charlie is worried about you.”

“The whole world is worried about me,” he deadpans, filling his plate quickly, looking desperate to escape the conversation just as much as me.

We sit down with our food, but both of us are barely eating. I’ve taken a few bites, noticing Noah picking aimlessly. While sitting at the table, my purse vibrates. Sliding my phone out, a text message from Bouvier Fontaine, a client of ours, is unopened on my screen. My eyes scan quickly over the text. Bouvier apologizing for having to postpone our discussion tonight. His father has fallen ill and has been taken to the hospital. I type a response, sending him prayers, then a quick text to my assistant, Emile, to remind me to check-in tomorrow with Bouvier to ensure his father is stable.

“Shit,” I mouth loudly.

“What’s wrong?”

“Client had something come up. He won’t be here, and I’m eager to finalize a deal we’ve been working on for quite some time.”

Noah shakes his head with a smug expression. “All work, no play. Who have you become?”

“I have fun,” I answer defensively. “There’s nothing wrong with attending to business during an event like this. The European market is different from the States. It’s about cultivating relationships and investing time into making it a strong union for both sides to come out winning.”

“Wise words said,” Noah chides. “Although I think it’s unfair to judge Americans for not cultivating relationships. Sometimes, you give it your all, your best. You work damn hard, but the other person doesn’t share the same vision as you. In the end, it all just falls apart, and you question the decisions you made, which led you to this outcome.”