‘Thank your buddy. He’s a real stand-up guy.’
I nod, glancing over at Henry with a shy smile. ‘Yeah. Turns out he is.’
‘See you guys.’ He waves, stopping midway through the room and turning back towards me with a grin, a finger pointed my direction. ‘Totally a normal guy.’ He winks.
The giggle surfaces again. Not the kind of giggle you can hide but the kind that makes the room look your direction. Henry laughs, draping his arm over my shoulders.
‘I can’t even believe you’rethatin love with the guy, still. It’s been years.’
‘I’mnotin love with him.’ I laugh, jabbing him in the side with my finger. ‘You could have at least warned me.’
‘I actually thought I’d beat you both here. I got held up.’
‘You’re such a liar.’ I roll my eyes, glancing over at him. ‘Do you have any idea how much my life has sucked without you?’
He shakes his head with a grin. ‘Probably not as much as mine has without you.’
‘We’d probably need a photo finish to call it.’
‘How about we promise never to let it happen again?’
‘It?’To tell you the truth, I’ve kind of been thinking way too much aboutitand everything that goes with it.
‘You have a filthy mind.’ He laughs. ‘Actually… I really enjoyed the it.’ He nudges me, a shy grin on his face, my cheeks immediately turning pink. ‘I meant how about next time theithappens,ifit ever does, neither of us gets lost after?’
I only nod. He’s thought about that? Last night when he asked if I could ever feel that way about him, my answer was so much more than possibly, but, luckily, my head stepped in to protect my heart.
We both sit back at the table we were at when my conversation with Claire comes back to me. ‘I have to tell Noah,’ I say after putting my notepad back in my bag.
His face drops at the mention of his name. ‘You should. I’m sure he’ll be thrilled for you.’
‘Not about Brad, Henry. About this.Us.’ I motion between us. ‘About all the things I’m feeling again every time I see you. I can’t stay with him. It’s not fair.’
Henry reaches up, resting his hand on the back of his neck, probably trying to figure out how to hide the smile he’s got lingering. ‘OK.’
‘That doesn’t mean I’m ready for this.’ I motion between us. ‘Or theitwe just spoke of to happen yet. I need to be able to hear myself think and I can’t do that while I’m lying to him about what I’m feeling.’
‘I understand more than you could know. I’m only a phone call away whenever you want to talk to me.’
‘I know.’
He leans back in his chair with the smile he can no longer contain.