Page 15 of Chasing Infinity

“Time’s ticking, babe. I have jet lag. I want to go home to my own bed, but I can’t when you’re withholding the deets from me!”

I look over at my best friend with a smirk. Grace is one of the kindest, pushiest, most gorgeous people I have the pleasure of knowing. And since she’s been in my life for nearly sixteen years, I’m fully aware that she will not back down until I give her what she wants.

“Fine. Well, for starters, Hailey has decided to put her two weeks in, so we’ll have to start the hiring process again,” I say.

Grace waves it off. “I’ll put an ad up tomorrow. Now give me the good stuff! I know something crazy has to have happened in this town since I’ve been gone.”

I take in a deep breath and decide to dive right in. “Mrs. McCoy passed away this past week, which means Noah’s back in town, and I don’t know, it’s weird.”

Grace is staring at me wide-eyed, her entire face the picture of shock. She definitely was not expecting that. “Excuse me?”

“What?”

“Noah’s back in town, and that wasn’t the first thing that came out of your mouth? You’re wasting time telling me about Hailey, who we’veknownhas had one foot out the door since the day she started?”

I laugh, trying to play it off. “It’s not like Noah and I are...together or anything, Grace. Those days are long gone.”

“Right, and that’s why you still get a lady boner anytime anyone brings him up!”

My mouth drops open, and I shove her shoulder. “I do NOT!”

“You do too, babe, and it’s fine. I mean, he was hella handsome in high school, and based on how the mayor is aging like a fine wine, I can imagine he’s pretty easy on the eyes these days. Just don’t pretend to kid yourself. Noah’s always taken priority in your mind, and that’s okay. You two are,” she shakes her head and shrugs at me, “like written in the stars or some shit like that.”

I frown down at my wine glass. Grace has a point about Noah being easy on the eyes, though he could use a haircut. I’m still trying to decide if I like his long-haired look on him. “Well, he missed that memo. In fact, he missed it almost ten years ago.”

“Honey, when it comes to true love, there really is no timeline.”

“Maybe. Or maybe we just aren’t meant to be,” I say, sloshing the wine around in my glass. I change the subject to something other than Noah and me, “Oh, also, I agreed to host Mrs. McCoy’s repast tomorrow after the funeral. The Mayor kind of bullied me into it without actually bullying me.”

Grace presses her lips together, pondering my statement. “Yeah, he does have a way of doing that. What do you need me to do?”

I shrug and take a sip of wine. “I’m not sure yet. I think I’m going to play it safe with the menu, but I’ll have to be up early tomorrow to make sure everything is in order. The service is at eleven, and I’d like to go to that to support Noah, so if you could take the helm while I’m there, that would be incredible.”

“Of course, I’ll do whatever you need me to do. Put me to work, oh, fearless leader!”

Her words make me laugh, and I steer the conversation toward her trip. Grace tells me about her time in Maine, visiting her extended family. Her grandmother has been ill for the last few months, so it was an important trip. She would be kicking herself if she couldn’t get there before it was too late. Her tone takes on a hint of dolefulness as she fills me in about everything, but I can tell her heart is at peace as she explains how she spent this last visit with her grandma.

After she’s done sharing her experience, she flips the switch and bounces on the couch cushions, her curly hair springing up and down with her. “Okay, now tell me everything about Noah. What is he looking like these days? Was I right in that he’s pretty handsome? I’m not into white guys like that but girl, I can still appreciate good genes when I see them.”

I roll my eyes and take a sip, trying to be coy about the whole Noah topic. “I mean… he’s notbadlooking.”

Grace makes a noise that I can only attribute to a scoff. “Sure. Does he still have those striking blue eyes like his mother?”

“I mean, he can’t exactly change his eye color, Grace.” My friend shrugs as if it could be a possibility. “Yes, his eyes are still just as breathtaking,” I admit, remembering how his silver-blue gaze froze me in my place the first time I ran into him this week. “His hair is absolutely out of control, though. It’s down to his shoulders.”

“Mmm, okay, go on. He’s rocking the nomad-y type hipster look, got it.”

“And he’s sleeping in hiscar, Grace.”

Grace pauses with this new information. “Okay, so maybe not nomad but more…homeless?”

“No, I’m sure he could afford something if he had to. I just don’t think he wants to. I kind of get the feeling that he’s hoping to bail as soon as possible.”

“That can’t be right. You’re here,” my friend says as if it’s the most clear-cut explanation in the world. “He can’t leave again ’cause you’re here.”

I look down, my lips pulling into a frown. The familiar swell of abandonment settles in my stomach, and I take another gulp of wine in an attempt to numb it. “Well, that didn’t stop Noah before, did it?”

Grace sighs empathetically and reaches over to take my hand. “I’m sorry, Addie. I just have to hope that things will work out for you two one way or the other. I can’t believe he’s sleeping in his car, though. What happened to that stuck-up kid he used to be. That version of Noah wouldn’tdreamof sleeping in a car.”

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