Page 19 of Reconnected Hearts
I scoff.
No way
He’s not my type, he’s jockish
I feel like I’m in eighth grade again, denying to my friends that I think Mikey from science class is cute, only to be rewarded by a chorus of “Lucy and Mikey, sitting in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G.”
Oh yeah?
What are you doing right now little miss sleeps with people she’s not into
I bet you’re still spooning with tall dark and handsome
Worse. I’m hiding from him.
I’m eating breakfast Nora
And I was just getting ready to go break the news to Noah that we’re stranded in North Carolina for another day
Which is what you do when you’re sharing a room with a PLATONIC temporary companion
I stand up and throw my trash away. I’m about to tuck my phone into my pocket when I receive two more messages from Nora.
You better take him some food too
Making sweet sweet love will sure make you hungry
I bite back a grin shoving my phone into my pocket, starting toward the elevators with every intention of going straight back to the room. But then Nora’s stupid words replay in my head, and I begin to think that the decent thing to dowouldbe to take Noah a coffee, or maybe a bagel or something. He’s probably as hungover as I am, and it would just be cruel to make him come all the way downstairs when I’m already right here.
I decide to grab a few things to take back to the room before heading up.Not because of any plans to make any sweet sweet love to Noah. Anymoresweet sweet love, my brain auto-corrects me.
CHAPTER10
NOAH
Iwake up alone. Immediately fearing that Lucy has left before we get the chance to talk. The bed is cold and the room is empty, and I justknowthat she regrets everything that happened.
Maybe I should too, but I don’t. I don’t regret it one bit.
It was always so easy to hate her back in college, because I saw what I wanted to see. Before yesterday, I would never let myself see her for who she really is—a stubborn girl with wild brown curls and a silly laugh. Someone who challenges me,who sees me. This whole time, it should’ve been sosimple,and now that it is, it feels more difficult than ever.
Maybe I’m not a smart guy, but I know that things like last night don’t just...happen. It was rare and it was beautiful.She isbeautiful.
I can’t let her go without saying something—anything—to her.
I jump out of bed and pull on my jeans that were discarded to the floor last night. I ignore the soreness of my body and the throbbing of my head as I rush into the lounge to look for my shoes. I find one of them, slide it on, and I’m in the process of checking under the couch for the other when I hear the door open.
I sit up so fast that I slam my head on the base of the couch and groan in pain, my hand moving to ease the new injury. With my vision slightly swimming, I look up to find Lucy.She’s still here. And… she’s standing over me with an amused smile and quirked eyebrows. Large glasses perch high up on the bridge of her nose, her hair is wild yet striking. Purple marks stick out on her neck, filling me with a strange sense of pride.
“Going somewhere?” she asks with a slight rasp to her voice. I don’t have to guess what from.
I stumble to my feet, probably looking like a complete mess. I’ve got one shoe on, jeans halfway buttoned, no shirt, and I can feel the knots of my hair rubbing against my neck. She looks perfect, and I look like a goddamn buffoon.
“Oh, n-no, no. No, I was just—” I scratch my head, scrambling to think of a good excuse. “I was just gonna go grab some coffee or something. The stuff they keep in the room is never any good.”
Lucy holds out a coffee cup and nods toward it. “Already got you one.” She shakes a bag in her other hand. “And some food as well. They were about to close the buffet, and I didn’t know how long you’d be, so I thought I’d just go ahead and grab you something. Just in case.”
I blink at her in surprise. “Oh.” I reach out and take the food and coffee from her, unable to do much of anything but stare. “Thanks—thank you. I mean, you didn’t have to do that…” I trail off, deciding I’ve made a big enough fool of myself.
