Page 132 of Chasing Infinity

“So what do you say? Addie?”

My attention is brought back to Eli, who is hopefully looking at me with those big wide eyes across the table. I flounder for a second, willing my brain to recall what he was asking me, but I eventually give up. “I’m sorry. What was the question?”

Eli’s face falls only slightly before he regains his momentum. “I was wondering if you’d want to come see the live band playing here this weekend with me.”

I try my hardest not to grimace. “Like a date?” I ask him warily. “An actual date?”

“Uh yeah,” he replies sheepishly, his cheeks turning a light pink color. “A date.”

I press my lips together and try not to look over at Charlie, who’s raising his voice in his conversation. “Look, Eli, I know we’ve been…seeing each other a little more, but I’m not sure if I’m ready for real dating. I like things how they are right now, and I don’t want to commit to something I’m not ready for.”

Since the mistletoe situation, Eli and I have had more than a few moments where things have gotten a little morefriendlythan before. He managed to wear me down to going out with him a few times here and there, though my heart wasn’t totally in it. If he had his way, he would probably already have a ring on my finger, and that would be that, but I’m nowhere near ready for anything of that measure.

“It’s still abouthim, isn’t it?” Eli accuses, hurt now taking over his expression. “Addie, he’s gone. It’s been years now, he’s probably not coming back, and we’re all better off for it. Our town has enough crooked McCoys to deal with. We don’t need him. Youdefinitelydon’t need him.”

I feel myself bristling as Eli gives his speech. I stare blankly at him for a moment, letting his words wash over me. Part of me is unsurprised at the outburst, and another part registers that he might be right, but I’m honestly not ready to hear it. I push my chair back away from the table. “I just remembered I have other people I need to thank for coming tonight. I’ll talk to you later.”

I walk away from him, ignoring the sound of his pleading for me to listen and that he’s sorry. He’salwayssorry. Instead, I walk over to Charlie, who is just hanging up from his call and is running his hand across his face in frustration. I stride right over to him and plant my hands on my waist, fixing him with a stern look.

“Who was that?”

Charlie spares me a glance and then exhales. “No one, just someone from the station.”

“Don’t lie to me, Charlie. I saw the way you looked over at me when you picked up. Where is he?”

Charlie looks at me with frustrated desperation and lets out a long exhale, dropping his chin to his chest. “I can’t tell you.”

“But you do know.” I don’t phrase it as a question. The guilty look on my best friend’s face is all I need to know the truth.

His expression contorts into one that illustrates discomfort. “I may or may not know where Noah is.”

“So help me, Charlie Sullivan, if you don’t tell me where Noah is right now, it will be one of your biggest regrets.” I recognize the desperation seeping through my tone, but I don’t care. I feel like I’m fraying apart at the edges, and the fact that Noah might be within reach is the only thing keeping me together right now.

“Fine! Fine,” he shouts back at me, throwing his hands in the air. “I’ll tell you, but you have to promise me you’ll start applying at all those schools you’ve been talking about. You deserve more than this town can offer you, and you know Noah would want you to too.”

I cross my arms over my chest as I glare at him. “Did Noah put you up to this? Is that what he called about?”

Charlie grimaces again. “No. Well… not all of it.”

I roll my eyes. “Fine, whatever. Just tell me where he is.”

“I’m not sure this is a good idea.”

“The hell it isn’t! Please, Charlie.”

“He’s going to kill me,” Charlie mutters to himself, running a hand over his face. “Fine. He’s in New York, but Iswear, Addie, I wasn’t supposed to tell you that, so don’t go and do something dumb.”

New York. Four hours away. He’s only four hours from where I am right now. Before my mind can fully process this new information, my heart sets out with a plan. It’s my birthday, after all, and I’ve finally figured out what I want this year.

Chapter 33

Noah

Noah - Age 21

“C’mon, man, it’s your turn,” I nudge the guy to my left, already tired of his bullshit for the night. I hate this little bar, but there’s nothing else in this podunk town to do at night. I’m set to go down to Washington, D.C., tomorrow for my first official interview. I’m just killing time until checkout tomorrow morning.

“After you answer my question,” the sleazy guy says. “It shouldn’t be too hard. I just asked if you got a girl at home.”

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