Once the cute bartender walked away, I turned back to Noah.“Honestly, I’m kinda surprised you didn’t pull the whole ‘don’t you know who I am’ routine with him.”
“That’s a douche move.Besides, if I were going to get thrown out, I’d rather not have everyone know who I was.It’s the easiest way to end up onthe Babblerfor all the wrong reasons.What a dumbass.”
“You say that like no one would recognize you.”
Noah laughed.“He didn’t.”He tipped his head in the direction the bartender had disappeared.“And you’ll know soon enough, only front guys get all the glory.Although, that might be different in your case.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”Was that an insult?This night had gotten so weird, I couldn’t tell at this point.
“Just that you’re pretty special, Alice.Which is why I wanted to talk to you.If you have a minute, that is.”
“I have to play another set, and I don’t have the bandwidth for more drama.”
“This isn’t that.It’s actually the opposite of that.”
Heaving a sigh, I grabbed my water and settled in for whatever Noah had to get off his chest.I gestured.“You have one minute.”
I planned to mentally count it down.
“Right.I realized I’ve been an ass since Dublin.I don’t even think it was really about you telling Harper about the drugs.Because let’s be honest, I deserved that.But I think it was because every time I saw you, I could see that because of my actions, I’d lost your trust—your respect.And I was embarrassed, so I lashed out at you.Repeatedly.That’s not on you.I did stupid shit.I put you at risk because of my actions, and I’m sorry.And I’m really sorry I’ve been such an ass this past year.It was immature and stupid.”
I don’t think I even got to two in my countdown.I stared openmouthed at Noah.
He tipped his head.“I hope we can have an amiable working relationship going forward.But I’m fine with whatever you’re comfortable with.”
“I—”
“Oh my god!”Bailey shrieked behind Noah as she raced over.“Was that Parker I just saw getting kicked out of here?Are you okay?”
“I’m fine,” I muttered even as Bailey swept me into a huge hug.“He was being a tool bag, so I had security escort him out.”
Over Bailey’s shoulder, I saw Noah’s eyes dart down to my left arm where Parker had grabbed it.My eyes followed, but there was no visible bruise.Yet.
“That was unhinged.Security was literally carrying him out the door,” Lark said with wide eyes.“Are you going to be okay to play the second set?”
Noah gave me a little smile.“Alice is a tough chick.She’s not going to let an asshole like him dull her shine.”
“Noah?”Lark blinked up at him, only now noticing him standing with me.“What are you doing here?”She turned back and gave me a what-the-fuck look.
“I hustled over here to save her, but she’d already saved herself.”Then he tipped his head at me.“Can’t wait to hear your second set.You guys are killing it.”
And then with one more enigmatic smile, he turned and walked away.
“Okay, what the fuck is going on?”Lark shook her head.“This night is so fucking crazy.Are you really okay?”
“I’m fine.Really.Parker is gone, and Noah…” I watched him walk back to his table in the corner and realized he was sitting with the rest of the Tin Gods.They had all come out with their spouses to support us.Wow.They’d chosen a table in the back corner and kept their heads down, and unlike Chase with his indoor sunglasses, the rest had gone for the hat version of incognito.Aside from Noah who apparently didn’t even need that much of a disguise.
Noah slid into the end of the booth and the unfamiliar blonde next to him immediately cuddled into his side, her hand coming up to caress his chest.He shook his head, and she turned away with an exaggerated pout and crossed her arms over her chest.
I didn’t really want to examine how that whole scene made me feel.From Parker popping up, to Noah apologizing, to me feeling some kind of way about him cuddling with a mystery blonde…I half wondered if this was all a weird twilight zone fever dream.
“Earth to Alice.”
I snapped back as Bailey’s hand waved in front of my face.“Did you know they were all coming?”
They turned to follow my eyeline.Bailey and Lark both waved.
“I invited them,” Lark said with a grin.
