Holding On To Heaven (Allendale Four 2)

The fact that every girl in the room looked like a Noah-specified clone, there was no way I fit any sort of physical standard. I gave him something no other girl could: leverage.

I scooped a mound of mac ‘n cheese on my plate. “His mother said he’s shy, but he doesn’t seem that way to me.”

Another girl stood across from me, adding salad to her plate. She snorted. “Noah’s not shy. And no matter what he says, don’t let him talk you into going to his room. He’s not the gentleman he claims.”

“Did you date him?” I asked.

Julie’s cheeks reddened and she glanced toward the door where Noah and the other guy entered carrying a stack of metal folding chairs. “I wouldn’t call it dating.” Her nose wrinkled. “Just be careful.”

I nodded. “Don’t worry. I’m not as naïve as I look.”

“Hey, babe,” Noah said, cutting in line to stand next to me. “Didn’t you get me a plate of food?”

I blinked. “Oh, sorry. I didn’t think.”

“No, you didn’t, but it’s no big deal. I’ll just go to the back of the line.”

He stared at me and I felt everyone watching. Julie had already walked away, casting an empathetic glance in my direction.

“Here, you take my plate. I’ll go to the back of the line.”

He smiled condescendingly. “Thanks, babe.” He kissed me on my nose and squeezed my hip.

I walked past the rest of the line and stood in the back. The whole scene was weird and demeaning. Noah was the exact opposite of my boys. They’d move mountains for me.

To my astonishment, he did save me a seat, and when Julie asked me about my name, he spoke over me. “Her father is a minister.”

“Actually,” I said, “my mother named me. After her favorite character in a book.”

The girl next to Julie who had short brown hair and big blue eyes said, “Wait. You mean V. C. Andrews? She named you after those books?”

I nodded, eating a carrot off my plate. “She was obsessed with those characters.”

“Oh my god, me too. I read them all in seventh grade.”

I laughed. Those books were insane but completely addictive. “Heaven was my mom’s favorite.”

Noah gave me a weird look. “Why didn’t you ever tell me that?”

“You never asked.”

Later, once the meal was over and the table cleared, Noah took me to the side and brushed my hair over my shoulder. “I forgot to tell you that you look nice tonight.” His eyes skimmed down my legs, landing at my feet. “Those shoes are a little…risqué for the church group, but you feel free to wear them the next time we’re alone.”

“Noah, I have no plans on being alone with you. That’s not part of the deal.”

“How about you and your roommate?”

“What?”

“She’s into chicks, right? I’ve always wanted to be with two girls. She looks like she’s probably a howler.”

“Noah, you need to shut the fuck up, right now.”

He took out his phone and scrolled through. My stomach twisted into a familiar knot. He held up the screen. It was a photo of me and Hayden from two weeks ago, leaving the laundry room holding hands. A bizarre sense of déjà vu rolled over me.

“Where did you get that?”

“Heaven, I told you. God is always watching. I’d hate for this photo to get sent to the wrong person.”