Page 30 of One Little Kiss
Mara shakes her head, and I hate how her lips twitch. I’m pretty sure she’s laughing at me, but it’s the sympathy in her eyes I really can’t stand. “Last I saw she was going inside with her…date.”
The way Mara wrinkles her nose makes it clear she’s just as enamored with the frat boy as I am.
“Why’d she bring him? What was she thinking?” I don’t know why I’m grilling Mara. It’s not like she’s Noelle’s keeper, but she’s here and she’s always honest.
To a fault, sometimes, but I know she won’t evade the question or come up with a diplomatic answer to make me feel better like Celia or Addie would.
“I don’t need anyone sparing my feelings. I’m just curious, that’s all.”
Mara stares at me in surprise and it’s only then I realize I just said that out loud.
With a frown I glare at the near-empty cup in my hand and set it down. Crap.AmI drunk?
Mara’s head tilts to the side. “You okay, Eli?”
I nod. “Yeah. Just…”
Wrong. Everything feels wrong tonight. Everything’s been all wrong for a while now. But I don’t know how to explain it to myself, let alone Mara.
What exactly is wrong? I don’t know. Things are changing. Everything’s changing…
Ryan comes over, wrapping an arm around Mara and nuzzling her neck. I look away. Not that I have a big issue with PDA, but right now I’m not exactly loving the blatant show of how happy they are.
Unfortunately for me, I turn my head and see Celia and Heath by the fire pit. She’s on his lap and they’re lost in their own little world, smiling and snuggling.
I turn the other way, and…there.
Finally.
I see Noelle. And thank God she doesn’t have that intern pawing at her anymore. She’s coming out of the pool house…with Dominic.
Oh hell no.
That’s my first thought. And it makes no sense. I get that. But my brain is not making sense at the moment so I head straight toward her.
She gives Dominic a hug and then turns away from him while he walks after his sister.
Some of that tension in my muscles eases slightly. She’s okay. But her head is down and she’s making a beeline for the house.
I catch up with her in the kitchen and find her frowning down at her phone.
“Hey,” I say. I stop short when she lifts her head and meets my gaze.
For no reason I could ever explain, I feel like I’m facing a stranger.
Which is insane. This is Noelle. My Noelle. My best friend and the girl I’ve known since kindergarten.
But there’s something different about her.
Or maybe…maybe it’s me.
I give my head a little shake when she drops her gaze back to her phone and taps the screen before putting it in her back pocket.
I move toward her slowly. “You okay?”
She nods. “I’m awesome. Having a super night. You?”
But her deadpan voice doesn’t make me laugh like I know she means it to. I know her tricks. I know her defenses.
