Pushing You Away - Noah & Katie (Ex-Con Duet 3)

“Can I help with anything?” Noah asks as he watches.

“You can grab the roll of paper towels from under the sink,” I say.

Once we all sit, we dig in. Owen asks Noah a million questions, and I let him because it fills the silence.

“So, what’s your last name?” Owen asks.

Noah looks at me as if he’s asking permission, and I nod.

“It’s Reid, like yours.”

Owens scrunches his nose in confusion, then glances at me. I confirm with a nod. “We have the same last name? Does that mean we're related?”

I clear my throat. “Yes, he’s your daddy's cousin, which makes him your second cousin. Jerry is his dad, and my friend Gemma is his sister.”

Owen looks immediately confused, then frowns before looking at Noah. “I never met my dad. I've only seen him in pictures, but I wonder what he was like. If he played basketball like me or if he was good at video games.” Owen’s eyes lower to his lap, and I reach over and squeeze his hand. Before I can say anything, Noah clears his throat and grabs my attention. He gives me a look as if he’s asking for permission to talk about him. I offer a quick nod and pray it won’t make Owen feel worse.

“Your dad loved basketball,” he says, and it immediately grabs Owen’s attention back to him. “And you look so much like him when he was your age. I’m certain he’d be incredibly proud of you.”

Seeing Owen’s mouth tilt up into a sad smile breaks my heart. “He's right. I know Daddy would be amazed by your good grades and by how nice you are to everyone and how you always help me. He’d be so proud because I know I am.”

Owen’s smile grows bigger, but I notice how hard Noah swallows. I’ve talked about Gabe around Owen since he was a baby, so this is nothing new, but it’s a first for Noah. I know how much it hurts Owen that his friends have a dad, and he doesn’t.

We finish eating as Owen talks about his day and tells Noah about his school and friends. It’s sweet how open he’s being, but it also reminds me how desperate he is for male companionship. Though he has his grandfathers, Tyler, and even Jerry in his life, it’s not the same as having a father.

Once everything is cleaned up and packed to leave, I tell Owen to wait for me in the car.

“We’re gonna go. Do you need anything?” I ask Noah as he stands against the wall with his arms crossed.

He looks up at me with sad eyes. “I'm good, Katie. You've done enough.” I can hear the pain in his voice, but I don't ask him what’s wrong because I know it has something to do with the conversation he had with Owen about Gabe.

I nod and start to walk away when he stops me. “Wait, there is one thing.”

Turning around, I meet his gaze.

“Can I get your number just in case?”

“Yeah, sure,” I say. After we exchange them, I realize how chilly it’s gotten. Since half the house still needs new insulation, the cool night air sneaks in. “One more thing. There’s an extra space heater in the hall closet if you need it.”

“Thanks. Good night.”

Meeting his dark brown eyes once again, I think of all the things I want to say but don’t. “Good night, Noah.”

I turn off the living room lights before I lock the front door. As I drive home, I feel guilty for leaving Noah in my big, empty house. Though I wasn’t happy about him coming in the first place, it’s the best I can do for him, yet I hate that he’s alone. I also hate to think how prison has probably made him used to it.

After I get Owen in bed for the night, I close my eyes and fall asleep with Noah on my mind.

Chapter Twelve

NOAH

The sun rises, but I don’t want to climb out from under the covers that kept me warm all night. Luckily, Katie had a space heater, so that helped. I stretch and stare at the high ceiling as I think about yesterday.

It was surreal talking to Owen about his dad and seeing how much he looks like Gabe.

Owen’s facial expressions are just like Gabe’s, especially the way his lips curl up when he smiles. He even has his eyes. It looked like Gabe’s ghost was sitting at the table with us.

I get out of bed and go to the bathroom, then get dressed. Wanting to feel useful in some way, I walk through each room and take note of what Katie still needs to do. Once I’m in the living room, the front door swings open.

I’m shocked to see a smiling Katie carrying a brown bag and two cups.