Page 101 of Chasing Infinity

“Shh,” I soothe her, rubbing my thumb along her jaw again. “It’s okay. We’ll be okay.”

“I don’t want things to change between us. I like how we are,” her voice shakes with uncertainty, and I can’t fight it anymore. I wrap her up in my arms and hold her to me. I tuck her head under my chin. Addison hugs me back, her cheek resting against my chest, her one free hand gripping my shirt. I hold her for just a minute too long, not wanting to let her go.

“Nothing will change. I promise.”

Her eyes trace my face, searching for something. When she finds it, she nods her head. “I trust you.”

Those three words make my heart soar. Her trust in me means more than I ever thought it would. More than her letting me kiss her or anything like that. Just knowing she trusts me is enough. I want to be everything she needs, and if this is how she needs me right now, I’ll do precisely that.

I smile at her and then get up, offering a hand out to her to help her stand. We gather our blankets and thermos and then return to the truck. The drive back to her house is quiet but comfortable. I know she’s mulling over the events of the morning as she stares out the window, and I let her. I’m perfectly content to sit in silence as long as I’m with her.

When we get to her house, she finally turns toward me. She purses her lips to the side and then gives me a shy smile. “Happy birthday again, Noah. Thanks for letting me spend the first few hours with you.”

“Wouldn’t want it with anyone else,” I tell her, knowing she senses the double meaning in my words.

Her eyes soften, and she leans forward, pressing her lips to my cheek before pulling back. My cheek tingles with the contact, and my stomach tightens. “I’ll see you later,” she says before opening the door and hopping out. I watch her walk to her front door, loving how her hips sway with every step.

As soon as she’s inside, I lean back against my seat, taking a few deep breaths through my nose. After this morning, I know there’s no use in fighting it. I’ll back off just like I promised her I would, but as for me? I’m pretty confident I’m doomed, either way, it’s probably written in the stars or some shit like that—I’m going to fall for Addison Parks. It’s not a matter ofifat this point. It’s a matter ofwhen. I just hope she’ll come to feel the same way about me.

And she will. Some day. Just not yet.

With that revelation, I shift my truck into gear and drive away. Memories of Addison gazing at the sunrise replay in my head as I drive away from her house.

“Noah, is that you?” I hear my mother’s voice call from the dining room when I finally make it home. I see her and my father sitting at the grand table. My father at the head and my mother to his right. There’s an extra plate for me on my father’s other side. A small box with a bow sits on top of the plate. “Sit down, have breakfast with us,” Mother says, smiling at me.

I hesitantly walk towards my assigned seat and settle in.

“Happy birthday, son,” my father says to me with the fakest smile I’ve ever seen. He nudges the plate with the velvet box closer towards me, and I watch it as if it’s a ticking time bomb about to go off at any second. “This is for you.”

“What is it?” I ask him, my voice hesitant.

The smile on his face cracks for a second, and I know I’m testing his patience already. “Why don’t you open it and find out?”

Reluctantly I reach for the box and flip open the lid. Inside is a gaudy ring bearing the McCoy family crest.

“My father gave me my own when I was turning eighteen,” he tells me, puffing his chest proudly. “I thought I would carry on the tradition and get you your own.”

I look over at my mother, and she’s wearing a tight smile that doesn’t meet her eyes. She watches me warily as I pull the ring out and slide it onto my pinky. “Thanks, Dad,” I tell my father, pretending to sound enthused about it. “It’s—”awful, gaudy, ugly, “nice.”

“You come from a long line of strong McCoys, Noah,” he says, his voice taking on a reverent tone. “I hope this allows you to embrace your family name. Wear it proudly.”

Bile rises in the back of my throat, and I swallow thickly to keep myself from throwing up across the table. “Thank you. May I be excused?”

My father’s proud expression wanes to one of confusion as he looks at me. “You don’t want breakfast?”

“Uh, no. I’m supposed to meet Jordan and Caleb this morning to go over a school assignment,” I lie through my teeth. Anything to get me out of this room right now. I glance over at my mother, and we share a long look. I know she sees through my façade and nods her head at me.

“Of course, have a good morning. We’ll see you for dinner tonight, though, right?” she asks hopefully.

I nod my head as I scoot the chair back. “Dinner, yeah. I’ll be there.”

My father looks like he’s about to say something else, but I don’t give him a chance before hustling out of the dining room, grabbing a sweatshirt, and leaving the house.

As soon as I step outside, I hold out my hand to observe the ugly family ring sitting on my finger. I curl up my nose at the sight of it. Family pride. Right.

I slam the door to my truck and peel out of the driveway, heading straight towards Main Street again. When I make it, I wander into one of the coffee shops and order myself more coffee and a bagel. I sit for an hour or so, people-watching and mulling over the ledger situation some more. When ten o’clock hits, I toss my trash away and decide to go for a walk around the park.

The November air is still frigid, but I’ve got my coat and a beanie hat, so I’m warm enough. After walking a bit, I go to my favorite spot on the bridge and lean against the railing. Not long later, I hear someone calling my name.

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