“Yeah, I didn’t think so, either.”
I opt for a flowy patterned maxi skirt paired with sandals and an oversized T-shirt from my favorite coffee shop back in New York—Athena’s—which I knot behind my back into a crop top.
Staring into the mirror, I finger-comb through the loose waves of my bob until I deem them presentable and swipe on quick eyeliner wings over my brown eyes—it took me years to master that quick arch and pointed cat-eye style. My glasses with the gold frames make me feel the witchiest, so I keep them on.
Liam’s on his way out when I get downstairs. We blow each other a kiss, hop into our cars, and drive away in opposite directions.
I pull up to a duplex right on time. Well, right on time after I circled the block because I arrived ten minutes early—it’s a lot closer to Liam’s than I thought. I shoot Noah a quick text and wait, glancing at the charming blue camper van parked in the driveway. It looks old as hell, but also like it belongs in some artsy Wes Anderson movie. Eventually the door to the left side of the duplex opens to reveal Noah and a cute girl with long dark hair silhouetted inthe doorway. He wraps her in a warm hug before waving goodbye and jogging out to my Civic.
I don’t like the way my stomach twists, the way the tips of my fingers prickle with anxious and annoyed energy. She’s got to be his roommate, right? Is this even his house—is it hers? Did he linger in the doorway for a moment, stressing to her that I was just a friend from his D&D game?
I squeeze my thigh in an effort to ground myself, fingernails digging into the fabric of my skirt.
Iamjust a friend from his D&D game.
I jump a little when he opens the door and flash a quick, somewhat forced smile. “Hey!” Fuck. Too loud.
“Hey, Sadie.” The way he says my name calms me a little, and the sharp edges of my smile soften. The smell of his sandalwood cologne or soap or whatever the fuck it is fills my nostrils as he slides into the passenger seat. He’s wearing a pair of black pants and a dark red button-up shirt—not flannel!—and his hair is smoothed down into that same half-up, half-down look.
Pretty nice for the diner.
“Thanks for coming out tonight,” he says.
“Thanks for inviting me.” I hope the tension in my voice isn’t obvious, and I try to relax as I pull out into the street. “From what I hear, these pancakes are worth putting on real clothes for.” I tilt my head back toward the duplex. “Your roommate?”
“Sorta.”
My stomach churns again.
Noah bends to retie the laces of his boots as he continues. “Roommate’s girlfriend, Maura. She’s been staying here on and off for the last few months. My actual roommate is Dan, the owner of Alchemist. Always feels weird calling him my boss, though he’s that, too.” He straightens, his smile wistful. “We were actually roommates back in college.”
Just like me and Liam. I’m a little ashamed by how quickly I relax, my posture easing as I lean back into the driver’s seat. “Which college did you go to?”
“University of Colorado Boulder. Maura was visiting us for the week, but she’s heading back home to Boulder tomorrow. Not sure I’ll see her again before then, so I said goodbye just in case.”
“Oh! Are you sure you don’t want to spend the evening with them?”
Noah turns a long-suffering blue stare toward me. His eyes are wide and pleading underneath his thick brows. “Please, no. It’s their last night together before she leaves, and they’re doing all sorts of romantic shit—cooking dinner together, lighting candles,crying.” He winces. “They were sweet to invite me to eat with them, but they need some time alone. And some, ah,privacy.”
I let out a low laugh and nod. We roll up to a stoplight, and I take a moment to glance around the Main Street area of Heller. It’s old and charming in the way of all small towns. Most of the stores and little boutiques look closed already, but a few bars and ice-cream shops are still brightly lit from the inside. Couples and young families walk hand in hand down the sidewalks, illuminated by glowing yellow streetlamps. I look sidelong to Noah. His features are especially soft in this lighting—warm, inviting. Golden.
“Colorado’s a long way from Texas,” I say. “How did you and your roommate end up here?”
“Dan’s from Texas, actually. Even in college he always talked about moving back one day. His parents are getting old, y’know, so I guess it seemed like the right time for him.” Noah leans toward me conspiratorially even though we are the only two people in the car, his shoulder pressing up against mine. “Maura hates it here. This is probably the last time I’ll ever see her.”
“You think they’ll break up?”
“I’m certain of it. Dan’s not going anywhere anytime soon, notwhen he’s just launched Alchemist. It’s a bummer, and I’m sure it’s all they’ll be talking about tonight.” He turns his smile back on me, looking guiltily relieved. “You see why I’d rather hang with you instead?”
“It’s not just my winning personality and engrossing conversational skills?”
“Well, those, too.”
I wonder if I was the first person he texted when he decided to escape for the night—or just the first to respond.
It doesn’t matter, I decide. I’m here now.
Leaving the downtown area behind us, we set out on a long stretch of beautiful country roads. The landscape starts to blend together, and I’m far more interested in sneaking peeks of Noah’s profile anyway, but it’s obvious when we approach the diner. It’s right off the highway and shines like a beacon from half a mile away, a blip of brilliant fluorescent light against the otherwise unbroken line of the horizon.
