Page 158 of I Shouldn't Feel This Way

You will not look at him, no matter how freaking sexy he looks!I instructed myself.

“Hey, beautiful.”

“Hi.” I made myself sound flat and unenthusiastic.

“You’re looking extra pretty today.” Noah walked over to me and placed his hands on my shoulders. “What’s the occasion?”

“I’m going to the mall with Jess. She’s picking me up soon.”

“Oh.” He looked a little disappointed. As angry as I was at him, I couldn’t bear to see that frown on his face.

Don’t look at him! Eyes on the makeup!I dipped my mascara brush back inside the waterproof liquid and started applying it on my other lashes. In the midst of curling them, something caught my attention: Noah had thrown down a shiny black credit card next to me.

“Take that with you—buy whatever you want.”

“I don’t need it.”

Oh, hell no!He wasn’t going to bribe my love.

“Aren’t you girls going on a shopping spree?”

“No, we’re just hanging out at the mall and meeting up with some friends for lunch.”

“IsRyangoing to be there?” He said the name with contempt.

“Not that I know of … he might show up.”

Yeah, let him worry and drown in paranoia!

“What time should I expect you home?”

I wanted to scream,never!But fortunately, I was able to control myself.

“Probably around four, the latest.”

“Are you all right?” he asked.

I set my mascara down and looked at him through the mirror. “Yeah, I’m fine.”

If looks could kill.

“Are you sure? Because normally when a woman says she’s fine, that’s code for ‘No, I’m not fine, and you most certainly should worry about it.’ ”

Damn you and all your thirty-three years of wisdom.

“I have no reason not to be fine.” I shrugged, forging a smile.

“Please, Aria, I can tell when you’re getting passive-aggressive on me. Your mother was the same.”

“I’m not my mother,” I vehemently stated. It wasn’t like I hated my mom. We were just two very different people, and I wanted him to acknowledge my individuality.

Without thinking twice, I gathered my hair in a ponytail so that Noah would stop playing with it.

“Did I do something to upset you last night?”

“No.” I pulled my chair back to stand up. I was wearing a short red flower-printed sundress, with the hem resting above my knees. The featherweight fabric hugged my body tightly around the waist.

“Then why are you being so …” He paused when I met his eyes.

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