Noah rolled his eyes. “Charlie, I sent you Hailey’s number the other day but forgot to put it in my own phone.”
“Yep, with you in a sec.” Without breaking eye contact with the woman who’d soon be horizontal under him, Charlie slid his own phone from a back pocket and handed it off.
Noah entered his brother’s password, texted himself the number, and handed it back. A moment later, he strode to his office and tapped out a text:Hey, didn’t know you were planning to go or I would’ve driven you myself.
Long minutes passed before her answer appeared:Seemed like a good time for me to leave. You had plenty of help.
If a text could convey the cold shoulder, this one did, and all of him wanted to ask if she was mad. But he hadn’t known her long enough for them to qualify as a “they,” and the question seemed out of place under the circumstances. Then again, while he wasn’t in a relationship with her, he wasn’t averse to exploring the possibility of one blooming. They’d already knocked the kissing question out of the way, coming through with flying colors. So where, exactly, did that leave him?
Right where he should be: absolutely nowhere.
Regardless, he wanted to see her again, so he thumbed,Can I stop over and say good-bye?More backspacing, and he replaced the last word with “good night,” which seemed more open-ended and much less … permanent. Preserving pride wasn’t his top priority.
Hailey:Now?
But maybe he needed to switch those priorities.
Noah:Yeah, or thirty minutes from now.
He could probably convince Charlie to stick around longer, especially since the girl plastered to him didn’t seem to want to go anywhere but between the sheets.
Hailey:I’m tired, Noah, and I have a big day tomorrow. Some other time. Thanks again for everything.
The finality in her answer hit him like a brick square in the chest. A “some other time” wasn’t in his future. Mentally, he scrambled, looking for something, anything to bridge the distance.
Noah:Roads probably aren’t safe.
Hailey:Shane said I can get to Montrose. So did Aidan. That’s the way they came.
Noah:How about breakfast in the morning before you go?
Hailey:Appreciate the offer, but no time. My day is jam-packed.
Noah:Do you want me to send you updates on Chance?
He backspaced and typed “Rover” in place of Chance,adding:Like learning what his name is?
Hailey:Dixie promised to let me know. I’m glad he’s got his forever home. Thanks for everything.
Rereading his words made him cringe. He sounded so fucking desperate! Just like he’d once been with Ursula. Dejection morphed into irritation, and he told himself to man up.
“Message received, loud and clear,” he muttered aloud. “Next time you get stuck in a snowstorm, call someone else, babe. I’m done prostrating myself so women can walk all over me with their pointy-heeled boots.”
Charlie surprised him when he stuck his head in his office. “Who are you talking to?”
“Nobody,” Noah snarled. “And stop sneaking up on people.”
“Lighten up, man. I didn’tsneak. And I might be working for nothing, but I still get bathroom breaks.”
“Doesn’t look like you’re working atall, bro,” Noah bit. “And I wouldn’t call it nothing when you’ve got your hands full of hookup.”
Charlie held up his hands in a surrendering gesture. “I see how it is, asshole.”
Noah glared at him.
Charlie struck a look of fake apology. “Oh. Did I say ‘asshole’? I meant to say, ‘youbigasshole.’”
“Shut the fuck up.”
