Page 19 of Until Then

Now, the others stop.

“Haze is an occupational therapist,” Briar says, a furrow to her brow. “Good guess, Rees. How’d you . . .” Briar’s words trail off and her eyes widen when she snaps her gaze back to mine. “Oh, my gosh. Are you the horse girl?”

“What?”

“You’re Noah’s unicorn. Aren’t you?”

“Wait.” Greer cuts in. “He called her his unicorn. Okay, I’m sorry Haze, I’m back to Team Noah.”

“Hold on,” says Rees. “She didn’t seem happy to see me. But the story I got wasyouleft him. What’d he do? If he was an idiot, that’s just him. He’ll apologize?—”

“Don’t speak for me, Reesie Cup.”

My blood goes cold. Slowly, the voices quiet, and like a unified dance we all turn around as one.

There, Noah—the true Noah—stands in a black suit, fitted too perfectly, glaring at me over the rim of his glass.

“The way I remember things, I’ve got no reason to apologize.”

SEVEN

Noah

She’s standing right in front of me, the woman who got away. A connection I craved the moment she left my condo almost a year ago. There she is, right next to my brother, my friends, looking at me like I’m some sort of ghost.

I’ll be glad to haunt you every day, Wildfire.

If I can shake this strange, jagged sort of hurt that’s taken up home under my ribs. Why do I care? So she didn’t feel the same. It happens. I’ve no reason to be annoyed or hurt or whatever turmoil is going on inside my chest.

Almost as though I can soothe the chaos, I press my palm over my heart and tighten my gaze again.

It’s even more aggravating that she’s stupidly gorgeous. All curves and freckled skin in that little, tight dress.

I’m lost in my glare and longing until a petite hand smacks my shoulder.

Briar seethes at me. “It was Hayley!”

“Don’t get mad at me,” I say with a forced bit of indifference. Rees is the only one who rolls his eyes. Doubtless my brother knows exactly how unsettled I am with all the scrutiny pointed my way. I gesture at Hayley with my glass. “She ghosted me.”

“For good reason.” The woman standing next to Hayley snaps. She has tight curls and brown skin and a touch of fire in her gaze like she might strike at any second. “You didn’t exactly say who you were, right?”

“I mean, I am famous, so.” I tilt my drink back, all to still my stupid tongue before I dig any deeper into immaturity.

Hayley snorts. “Clearly notthatfamous.”

My mouth parts to shoot back something pathetic, no doubt, but I stop when Briar steps forward.

“Wait.” Briar waves her hands, a furrow to her brow. “Did you know I knew her? Is that why you never told us Miss Unicorn’s name?”

“I still love that he called you a unicorn,” whispers Hayley’s friend.

My face burns like it’s been buried in hot coals. That was definitely a name she was never supposed to hear. But it’s true—it was a meeting that felt more like catching a unicorn only to have it disappear before you could prove it ever happened.

“I didn’t know you knew her,” I tell Briar. “I just didn’t want anyone Googling her.” I look at my sister-in-law. “As you do.”

Vienna holds up her palms. “Forgive me for caring about who actually gets you, sir. I’ll stop loving you tonight.”

“No, don’t do that, Vi,” I say, a little lighter. “Then I’ll never be able to rub it in Regina’s face that his wife loves me more.”

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