“Girl,” Carly says slowly, “You sure you don’t want some of what’s in this flask?”
He turns, and our eyes meet across the drive.
CHAPTER FOUR
Stone
“Noa? What are you doing here?”
Not the most appropriate words to say to her after all this time, but it’s all I could think of once I lock eyes with her, and the years that separated us shrink into minutes.
She’s in scrubs, is my first thought.
She’s still so beautiful,is my second.
Noa’s thrown her waist-length, dark brown curls into a pile on top of her head. Even from a distance, her moss-green eyes are vibrant and pure. A natural red flushes her cheeks. Same with her lips, which she used to chew on constantly and probably still does. While the scrubs are boxy, her breasts round out the fabric, and if she turns around, I’m positive her lower half would do the same.
It's a thought I keep to myself, watching her with a mix of curiosity and caution as she
rises from the rocking chair, her hands coming together in front of her and picking at her cuticles.
“You’re a nurse.”
I say it as a statement. I’m not one to form questions when I’ve entered an unfamiliar environment, preferring to study the situation first.
Noa responds with a jerky nod.
“You wanted to be a chef,” I correct.
I distinctly remember her choosing a culinary school in Paris over moving to the west coast with me.
Carly responds to my question with an unnecessarily phlegmy scoff. I scowl at her. “Nice to see you, too, Carly.”
“Oh, the pleasure’s all mine, dick.”
I give a mute shake of my head and open the door behind the driver’s seat, collecting my luggage.
“What has made you deign to come back here?” Carly asks, sauntering down the porch steps and heading to a cherry-red Mercedes I assume is hers. It’s not Noa’s taste, but the scrubs have thrown me off. Did I get it wrong? Is Noa a doctor now?
I refuse to look like an idiot, so I say to Carly, “You must not keep up with the news.”
“Gimme a minute.” Carly holds up a finger and stares at her phone. “I need Google you and all the corporations you’ve stripped down to its bones to see which disgruntled employee has sent you enough death threats to put you into hiding.”
“Funnyandoriginal. I can see why you’re a lawyer now.” I lift both duffels and move to get past her. “Your rise in vocabulary gave you away.”
Carly’s brows twitch, unimpressed with my ability to assess her in a mere glance. “This town hasn’t missed you one bit, William Stalinski.”
It’s my second grimace since pulling in, and I’m almost successful at hiding it again. Noa’s lashes flutter down like she knows I’m ashamed, andshe’sashamed.
“I don’t go by that name anymore, as you’re aware.”
“Oh,apologies.” Carly flutters a hand against her chest before rounding to her side of the car. “I’d hate for anyone to know the truth of Stone Williams.”
I respond with my trademark tight-lipped, fully dimpled smile. “Drive home safe, Carly.”
Carly makes a face at me. “Not until Noa gives me the go-ahead to leave.” She folds her arms against her car’s roof and calls, “You okay, No?”
“Fine.” Noa’s pained expression looks anything but. “I’ve gotta head home soon, anyway, to feed Moo.”
