“What’s there to say?”
My gaze shifts between the two of them. Gathering by his withdrawn mood, I sense something has happened in the last few hours. I hold back on asking. If Noah wants to share, then he’ll share, and I don’t want to be the one to push him, especially in front of the present company.
We eat in silence until it becomes time for the three of them to leave. Outside on the street with their suitcases inside the car, I say goodbye to Lex but not before running over a few work matters. Charlie is standing beside him, dabbing the corner of her eye with a tissue.
“Come here, you big softy.” I pull her into an embrace as she clutches onto me tightly.
“I know it’s beautiful here,” she whispers against my shoulder. “But it’s not the same without you. We all miss you so much. Think about coming home, one day, please, when it’s right.”
And that’s the thing about being home, I’ve always pictured it as a place where hopes and dreams come alive. Charlie’s definition of home is where the heart lies, where the laughter carries, where friends belong, and where memories are made.
“But if I’m not here, you won’t be able to set me up on awful blind dates with arrogant French men,” I tease, lighting the mood.
Charlie’s lips break out into a smile, a small laugh escaping her. “I promise to do better. Well, actually, this time I did good, didn’t I?”
She eyes Noah beside her, my head nodding in agreement. “I’ll visit soon, promise.”
“I’m going to hold you to that. Amelia’s birthday is coming up, and it’s not an alien party without you.”
I cringe, jokingly. “Okay, I’m sure the boss will grant me some vacation time.”
Charlie kisses my cheek before climbing into the car with Lex.
Noah is leaning with his back against the car, arms crossed, but his earlier worry disappears as his eyes light up while gazing at me. “You want to hug it out or something?”
I already miss him, trying to ignore the slight pang inside my heart from his departure. “You’re a dork.”
Stepping closer, he wraps his arms around me. Inside his embrace, my body warms at his touch, a familiar contentment I’ve missed in his absence. The mixed emotions of him leaving is swirling around in the pit of my stomach. It’s silly to think I wish he could stay and selfish of me to beg him. Releasing me, he kisses my forehead the way he’s done many times before.
“Noah, it’ll work out,” I say softly, doing my best to destroy the fear consuming him. “No matter what, you’ll do the right thing.”
“What if I don’t?”
I pull away but still hold onto him. Behind the eyes of this beautiful man lays a battle only he can conquer. This weekend reminds me of the bond we once shared. We’ve both made mistakes in the past, and who am I to hold a grudge? I’m far from perfect.
“You’ve got me to set you straight,” I remind him while staring into his eyes with a soft smile. “Now, go on that plane and spen
d time with your kids. I’ll expect a photo of Jessa in the beret you bought. And don’t forget to tell her Aunty Kate is so much more fun than Uncle Eric.”
Noah shakes his head while laughing, touching my hand softly. This feeling is so strange yet alarmingly familiar at the same time. A simple gesture—a touch of the hand— stretches throughout my entire body, but rather than bring with it a sense of panic, it works the opposite and makes me feel complete.
And, in this moment, where I lose myself in my thoughts trying to decipher what this all means, he withdraws his hand, and I’m at an instant loss. Noah enters the car with a final wave until the black Mercedes drives off down the street, disappearing from my sight.
For years, I’ve mastered being alone, focusing on myself and making life into lemonade from the lemons I was handed. But saying goodbye to the three of them is harder than I ever thought it would be. I’m not sure exactly why as I’ve seen Lex numerous times over the years, though Charlie not as often unless we meet abroad. The two of them have become my family and welcomed me with open arms and always support my decisions. Their children feel like my own, their home is always open to me, and not once have I felt otherwise. Yet throwing Noah into the mix changes the dynamic. Charlie and Noah are family, by blood. They have a history and childhood none of us can match. When Noah came to LA, his bond with Lex tightened to brotherhood. I’ve known Lex long enough to know he respects and admires Noah’s tenacity, believing he has what it takes to challenge himself with something bigger. Lex has become this family man, changing his values along the way.
And together, with the love which conquers all of us, our bonds have been tightened in more ways than one.
Over the next few days, I throw myself into work, trying to get back into a routine. Noah texts me daily, random trivia just like back in the day. Because of our time zones, we don’t chat at night like we used to, but his texts make up for the nightly chat. It’s fair to say I miss him despite his inappropriate advances and constant bringing up my breasts in conversation.
By Friday afternoon, I’m ready to call it a week. It must have been a full moon or something like it to warrant such idiotic behavior from my staff. Even clients are more demanding, less patient, and everyone seems on edge, especially me. It’s almost like a storm is brewing on the horizon ready to hit landfall soon.
Taking a few days off caused more headaches than I realized. Just as I’m about to leave the office, Emile calls through, informing me of a visitor. I step outside my office to meet the eyes of Allegra.
Her style is sophisticated—an ivory pencil dress with a thick black belt above her waist. The pumps she wears are Louboutin, of course, and in her hand, she clutches tightly her prize possession—her Birken bag.
“Kate, can we speak somewhere private?”
“Of course.”