Inside, Ian paced in front of the window. “That’s unfuckingbelievable,” Ian said. “How often does he do that sort of thing? Why didn’t you tell me? He could be dangerous. He is clearly completely unstable. I should beat his fucking ass next time he comes around.”
“I think it’ll help that he saw us together,” I said. “I’ve been trying to tell him that there’s nothing going on between us and he just doesn’t seem to be able to get the idea through his head.”
Now, Ian turned. “Is there? Or was there?”
“What? Something going on between us? No! We got a smoothie together at the gym once. And it was awkward and weird, and I figured that we were both relieved when it was over and we could go our separate ways and not have to speak to each other again.”
I could tell he was trying to restrain himself. “How was it awkward and weird?”
“I don’t know, it just . . . was. Our conversation wasn’t in sync at all. There’d be these long silences, and then I’d start to say something right when he would, and then both of us would stop, waiting for the other to continue, and then there’d be another awkward silence, and then it would basically just continue like that, on this horrible cycle, until finally it was over. And that was it.”
“Really?” he asked. “That sounds terrible.”
“It was. I didn’t . . . I didn’t feel this connection with him the way I do with you. It’s one of those things that hard to describe, I guess, and maybe doesn’t even make sense if you’ve never felt it before. But beyond thinking you’re the most handsome guy that I’ve ever seen, I really feel like there is this connection there.”
My words seemed to have a calming effect on him, and he walked away from the window and came over, putting his arms around me. “I don’t want some creep out there, stalking you,” he said. “That’s not okay.”
“I know.”
“I’m going to get a couple of the guys from work out here.”
“You don’t need to do that.” I started to say that Jonathan had already offered, but I stopped.
“I know I don’t need to, but I want to. At least until he gets the idea.”
He had a look on his face that told me no matter how much I argued it, his mind was made up. And there was a part of me that thought maybe it’d be a good thing, that maybe Noah would finally get the hint.
It felt like it’d been a little while since the last time I saw Caroline, so I texted her and asked if she wanted to meet up for a drink.
“I feel like I haven’t seen you in forever!” she said. “Even though I know it hasn’t been that long. How are you? How’s everything?”
“Things are good,” I said. “Really good, actually.”
She grinned. “I figured.”
“You did?”
“Yeah, well, I saw Billy here the other night. I’m so happy for you! He seems like such a great guy.”
I stared at her. “Huh? Billy? What are you talking about?”
She clapped her hand over her mouth. “Shit. Was I not supposed to say anything? He said that you guys had hung out the other night and that . . . well, obviously he hasn’t told you yet, so I don’t want to ruin the surprise. Let’s just say I’
m really happy that you’re hanging out with him and not Ian!”
“What surprise?”
“I’m not going to tell you! He’ll be mad at me. He really is a riot.”
“No, Caro, you don’t understand—there’s nothing going on between me and Billy. What surprise are you talking about? What did he say he was going to do?”
“Is this just your sneaky way of getting me to tell you what it is? By playing dumb?”
“No—I really have no idea what you’re talking about.”
“You haven’t been hanging out with Billy? I figured that’s why I haven’t seen you around as much.”
“Um . . . There was this one time we hung out because Ian was late meeting me. The time he told me about the other secretaries and stuff. That was it. And the time before with you.” I paused. “Oh wait. And another time, right after Ian told me about his previous secretary. I was a little upset.”