Page 43 of Outside The Wire

I frowned. He knew her name. “Noelle.”

“Huh?”

“Noelle. You said Naomi.”

“I did?” He scratched the back of his neck, sighing as he shook his head. “Sorry. It’s just…”

“Hey, it’s no big deal,” I chuckled, playfully elbowing him. I thought he was going to fall over from the gentle nudge.

“Aw, shit. I forgot the hot cocoa.”

“Again, not a problem.”

He sighed like he had the weight of the world on his shoulders. I had no idea what was wrong, but whatever it was, he was really screwed up over it. I kept my mouth shut the whole drive to Noelle’s. I had the feeling that even if I talked to him, he wouldn’t hear me. He was so lost in thought that I wasn’t even sure he should be driving. At least the roads were clear this morning.

When we pulled into Noelle’s drive, I knew she would be just as desperate for her cocoa fix as me, so I was gonna have to get ahead of this.

“I’ll just go get her.”

I hopped out before he could protest and hurried to her door. When she opened it, I shoved her inside, even though she was ready to leave.

“What’s going on? Let’s go,” she said, looking at me like I was a psycho.

“He forgot the cocoa.”

“That monster!”

“I’m serious, Noelle. Something’s off. Like seriously off with him. He’s zoning out and…it’s just weird. So, don’t try to talk to him or anything. He’ll take us to the shop and we’ll say our goodbyes. End of story.”

“Are you sure?” she asked, glancing out the door. “Should we do something?”

“Like what?” I had no idea what to do for him.

“I don’t know. Get him to talk?”

I raised an eyebrow at her. “Do you know many men who talk about their problems?”

“Good point.”

“Just…don’t ask about the cocoa.”

She sighed dramatically. “Fine, but if we don’t get some this morning, I’m gonna be a bear.”

“Maybe we can have some delivered.”

“Is there a hot cocoa delivery service?” she asked hopefully.

“I don’t know, but there should be.”

She could be so dramatic when she didn’t get her way, but I was counting on her to not show that side of herself. Just as I turned to leave, she snatched me by the arm, her eyes wide as saucers. “Um…I have something to confess to you.”

“Okay.”

“Um…I may have done something yesterday.” She turned away from me, flapping her hands as she started hyperventilating. “Oh, God. I think I broke your boyfriend.”

“I seriously doubt that.”

“You didn’t hear me! I told him I was going to feed him to a bear after stabbing him with a sewing needle repeatedly! And then I told him I was going to bring my travel kit with me,” she said, digging through her purse and pulling it out to show me. “What if I did this to him? He’s terrified I’m going to follow through on my threat and now he’s contemplating running!”

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