I scoff and shift sideways so my body faces him as I wrap my arms around his waist.
“Oh, ye of little faith,” I tease up to his profile. “This could be the meet-cute to their happily ever after. And twenty years from now, we’ll all sit around at dinner, laughing about how I set-not-set them up.”
Oh no ... words go back in my mouth.
My eyes bug out for a second, thankful he’s not looking at me. Until he does, so I whip my face sideways, staring at nothing, my lips folded under my teeth.
Holy shit.Did I just forecast us into our future life together?I long-hauled us all the way to fifty.
I’m chewing the inside of my cheek when his voice hits my ears, and I feel the tickle of his five o’clock shadow.
“I bet you’re fucking hot at fifty. You think I have a beard?”
Fuck it. I let the smile on my face bloom as my eyes meet his, and I shrug coyly before I lift the tips of my fingers to his chin.
“I hope so. They do it for me, ya know.”
Noah immediately laughs, deep and rich.Yeah, I’m not falling. I’ve fallen.
“Oh yeah,” he sexily rumbles down. I can hear the grin all over it. “Maybe I’ll grow one out now? But whaddya gonna give me if I do?”
Before I say anything else, my phone dings, and I begrudgingly extricate myself from him again.
Evie:All black. Really? So slutty. Tell him put that bde away when he’s around me.
It’s kind of disrespectful.
Me:No but how did I get so lucky? He’s like a Golden Retriever in a Doberman disguise.
Evie:I mean, not to be incestuous but your boyfriend’s hot.
“Tell Evie I said thanks.”
My face swings to his, my eyes bugging out because we’ve been caught, but he’s smiling at a sweet teenage girl behind a table lined with orange balls. Apparently in the midst of my texting, we’ve made it to the front of the line.
He hands her a hundred-dollar bill before grinning back at me.
I chuckle. “So rude. Didn’t your mother ever teach you not to read other people’s texts.”
He winks. “Luckily I have a girlfriend who doesn’t keep any secrets.”
“Or do I?” I tease, only for him to let out a little growl as he reaches to tickle me.
I’m giggling just as I hear my sister’s voice behind me.
“Dunk the chef? Really?” she laughs. “And with balls that look like tomatoes. That’s next level. Who’s the unlucky victim?”
Oh shit.
I spin around, realizing she hasn’t put it together yet.
“Where have you been?” I rush out, immediately hugging her like she’s been away at war.
“Hey,” she greets Noah, who just says “Spartacus” under his breath before she pushes me off her.
But not before I strategically turn her away from seeing my secret. Now Noah and I can see Chase, but her back is to him. This suddenly feels like a bad idea.
Evie scrunches her nose before her lips purse, sarcasm readied. “Golds, why does your face look like that? Did you eat spicy food again?”
