Page 25 of The Murder Between Us
“Katie’s a cheerleader. She’s the youngest cocaptain of the varsity squad.” Noah, despite himself, smiled. His paternal pride was obvious. “But she’s in summer school right now. She had a rough spring. In the morning, she has her remedial pre-calc and history classes. In the afternoon, cheerleading camp. Trevor’s in her history class, and he goes to football camp in the afternoon at the same time she does.” He blew out a ragged breath, long and slow.
“Uh-oh. Is that a dad’s disapproval of his daughter’s boyfriend I hear?”
“They are not dating.”
Cole raised a single eyebrow.
“They are not. Katie would tell me. And she knows how I feel about Trevor.”
“Mm-hmm.” For a moment, Cole wanted to laugh. Wanted to commiserate with Noah and poke fun at him over Trevor and Katie and their possible teen romance. But…
The pit that had been opening inside Cole yawned wider. He felt himself start to fall in. “Is, um. Is Katie’s mom going to get here soon?” Is that why Noah wanted him to leave? “Should I make myself scarce?”
Agony rocked Noah’s features. He rolled forward, his elbows on his knees as he clenched his hands into fists. His pulse pounded in his temples, at his jawline. “I’ve got to call Lilly,” he breathed. “But I don’t fucking want to.”
Lilly. A name. Cole felt a bullet slam into his gut. Damn it, he never wanted to be that guy. He hated screwing around with married guys, hated the thought of it—
“We’re divorced,” Noah whispered. “Four years. It’s not a good divorce. She lives in Omaha. She’s an assistant U.S. attorney out there. Works with my boss’s boss.” He snorted. Shook his head. “Katie lived with her for the past four years, but that didn’t go well. She wants to live with me full time. She moved out during spring break, and now we’re trialing me having primary custody. See if it’s a good fit for Katie.”
Oh.‘I can’t be that at home.’“This car accident is the last thing you need, huh?”
Noah laughed, high and thin. He shook his head and squeezed his eyes closed. “I’mthe last thing I need. Maybe the last thing Katie needs. The last thing anyone needs.”
Cole frowned.
“I was definitely the last thing Lilly needed. I wasn’t what she wanted. I couldn’t make her happy.”
“Noah…” Cole wanted to reach out. He wanted to touch Noah, squeeze his shoulder, grab his hand, thread their fingers together. Run his own fingers through Noah’s soft hair. A brilliant smile filled his memories. Noah, joyous.You know, I think I’m gay.“She couldn’t make you happy, either, could she? Not really.”
Noah’s fists clenched. His shoulders trembled.
Fuck it. Cole reached for him, laying his palm on Noah’s knee. He squeezed. “Your life isn’t complicated at all, is it?” He smiled, trying to lighten the moment. Trying to connect, in some way, with Noah.
Noah let out a single, strangled sob. He turned to Cole and finally looked Cole in the eyes.
Raw, naked hunger burned from Noah—and a longing that seared Cole all the way down to his bones. He couldn’t breathe, suddenly trapped in Noah’s gaze, in his anguished, desperate yearning. Noah hadn’t even looked at him like that in Vegas. Not like Cole was everything Noah had ever wanted, everything he needed. Cole fought for something, anything to say, but his mind had blanked and all he could do was stare back, frozen, his own hunger rising—
Noah jumped to his feet. His hands threaded through his hair as he paced away. He made it to the edge of the waiting room before he turned back. As if that was a safe distance, and only with a room between them could he look at Cole again.
Cole slid back in his chair. He tried to catch Noah’s gaze, see if there was anything in those honey eyes again, see whether what he’d seen was really there or it was just his imagination—
Noah turned his back on Cole.
Now Cole was going to be sick.
A moment later, Noah pulled out his cell phone and walked outside. Cole watched him take a deep breath and make a call. Noah covered his eyes with his hand as he paced the hospital’s sidewalk. In less than thirty seconds, he was shouting, trying to talk over whoever was on the other end of the line. He kept getting interrupted, and then interrupted himself.
Less than a minute in, it was over. Noah looked like he wanted to hurl his phone into the parking lot, or onto the highway overpass. He clenched his teeth and turned his face to the sky, silently screaming.
Cole watched him gather himself, physically drag his emotions back together. Watched him try to breathe in and out. Watched him fight off the sobs that were trying to break free. He watched as the sun set, silhouetting Noah against the Des Moines skyline. His breath caught, and he forced himself to look away when Noah finally walked back into the ER.
If he didn’t, Noah might see Cole’s hunger, the yearning for Noah that he couldn’t escape from.
Damn midwestern men.
* * *
Katie wasn’t releaseduntil almost eight p.m., after the radiologist had reviewed her X-ray and pronounced her good to go. No breaks, no hairline fractures. No bone bruise. The scrapes would heal, and she’d be as good as new.
