Page 18 of Until Then

What was I doing? Why couldn’t I just fade into the background, pretend—like him—that we didn’t know each other?

Is my ego so fragile, or . . . does some part of me want to be pulled back into Noah Hayden’s orbit?

I’m ridiculous and looking for heartache.

Noah comes to a stop, both drinks in hand, and scans the tattoos on his arms like he’s never noticed them before.

“Uh, I’m not sure I ever said that. Sorry, have we met?”

Have we . . . have wemet?

All embarrassment fades to red-hot anger. What. A. Jerk.

My lips part. “Wow. You know, all this time I kept giving you the benefit of the doubt in my head that maybe you just didn’t want to give up the famous side of your life, so I let that little omission slide. I even felt terrible, thinking I walked out on a good thing. I never wanted to believe you’re the worst of them. Looks like I was wrong.”

He looks stunned. “Uh, I?—”

“Darcy!” The same blonde woman who was on the phone earlier cuts through the crowds. “Oh, babe. You’re a lifesaver.” She takes one of the drinks and practically moans when she sips the top. “Mom said my dad just taught Jude to cuss, so there’s that when we get home.”

Noah’s face lights up. But . . . not the same as before. In truth, the colors of his eyes are opposite. The blue should be on the other side.

The woman pauses her second sip and eyes me. “Oh, hi. I’m Vienna. Are you one of Briar’s family and friends, or Tyrell’s?”

“Uh . . .” My mouth parts and closes like a gasping fish. “I’m, uh, I’m Briar’s friend.”

“She doesn’t like my tats,” the imposter Noah whispers loud enough to hear.

The woman looks scandalized, tracing one of the vines running down his forearm. “Good thing they’re mine then, Rees.”

I thought she called him Darcy, not Rees.

All at once realization hits. Twins. Noah had a twin brother.

“I’m so sorry,” I mumble. “I thought you . . . I thought you were someone else.”

“I have a guess who.” He holds out his free hand. “Rees Hayden. I take it you’ve met my brother. Maybe it wasn’t good. He’s an idiot. Tell him I said that.”

I start to back up. “Again, I’m so sorry. I haven’t seen him in a few months and?—”

“Hayley, there you are.” Briar and Greer shove through. “Oh, good. You’ve met Vi and Rees. You know, I met these two when they first started dating. Vienna was actually the one who encouraged me to start the makeup line.” Briar beams at the woman and hugs her shoulders.

“I think you did a lot yourself, Bry.”

“How’s my little Jude man?”

Little. Okay. They have a kid, clearly. Not Jude Law.

“Learning to be a deviant from his grandpa.”

“Grandpas are the best.” Briar laughs.

It’s in the middle of their conversation I take note that Noah’s brother is studying me, like he’s trying to puzzle something out.

“Your name is Hayley?”

I swallow and nod.

“You don’t happen to do equine therapy, do you?”

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