Page 134 of Make Me Dream of You

I nod and Noah smiles. “Yeah,” he says.

Wood looks back and forth between us and down to where our hands are clasped. His grin widens. “So…does this mean you’ll be staying with us again? For good?”

Noah’s gaze hasn’t left my face. “If she wants to. I want her to.”

My throat constricts and my chest tightens at the same time tears threaten to well up again. I’m afraid I won’t be able to speak. So I just nod. I nod and smile so wide my cheeks hurt and finally squeak out, “Yes. Yes, I would like that.”

“Good,” Noah says.

I glance back at Wood. He’s sitting with his elbows on the table, resting his chin in his hands, dopey smile on his face. “Don’t mind me,” he says, wiping his eyes. “I knew you two would work things out.” He looks down and slices his steak, sneakily wiping away another tear. “I’m getting a little tired of it, honestly.”

“Of what?”

“The whole serial dating, one-night stands, booty-call thing.” He takes a big bite off his fork but continues talking anyway. “It’s not very fulfilling. I think I’d like something more, you know?”

Noah squeezes my hand and just as I’m about to tell Wood how great I think that is, Wood’s phone buzzes, rattling against the table.

He looks at his phone, his face lighting up. “Ooh, Audrey. Change of plans.” He shovels another piece of steak into his mouth and starts texting. “I have a date.”

“So, the whole wanting something more you were just talking about…”

Wood grins at us. “Bruh, Audrey is, like, really fucking hot, though. I’ll start looking for something more next weekend.”

“Should we tell them you need another meal boxed up?” I ask.

“What? No way. This is my warm-up meal.” Wood beams.

“All right, see you back home,” Noah says, barely hiding the chuckle in his voice.

Wood points at me as we step away. “Hey, waffles in the morning?”

I nod excitedly.

“Knew it!” And with a couple of shots fired from his finger guns, we wave and walk out of the restaurant.

Outside, the sun has gone down behind the surrounding buildings, throwing everything in a hazy blue shadow. The orange glow of the sun in the distance means the streetlights haven’t come on yet, hovering somewhere between day and night.

The rest of our group is under the covered roundabout. Spencer is hastily exchanging his keys for a twenty-dollar tip with the valet. He gets in the driver’s side while Jake holds the passenger door open for Macy. As soon as she gets in, he peels away. No time for her to even get her seatbelt on or wave goodbye.

Noah squeezes my hand as we approach Bex and Jake. Jake gives us a little nod and unwraps his arm from around my sister. “I’ll, uh, give you guys a minute to talk.” He kisses Bex on the cheek and tells her he’s going to pull the car around.

He leaves and we all stand there for a minute, quiet. The air is heavier as dark clouds roll in on a warm breeze. She looks back and forth between us and down to where I have a death grip on his hand.

“I fucked up,” she says, exhaling.

“Yeah, you did,” Noah cuts, barely restrained fury rippling off him like thick swirls of black smoke.

“Don’t be a dick. I’m apologizing!”

“You told my girlfriend I was hooking up with her sister,” he spits, his grip on my hand becoming tighter.

I should say something. But my heart is racing, and I don’t like fighting. Bex was always the fighter, not me.

Bex’s eyes widen. “Girlfriend?” She turns to me.

I nod, still trying to find words.

“Shit, Livvy. I should have realized.” She comes to me with arms open. Noah reluctantly lets go of my hand so I can hug her back. “I was so caught up in my new relationship, I wasn’t even paying attention to you. I’m sorry.”

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