Noah (The Mitchell/Healy Family #1)(59)
Author: Jennifer Foor

I sat down at my kitchen table and took off my hat. I didn’t know how to tell her that I wasn’t interested without sounding like a complete dick. “Listen, I know this is hard, but maybe it’s just for the best.”

“How can you say that?” I could hear her beginning to sob. “You’re the one for me, Noah. I get that you don’t like talking about your feelings, but it’s the truth. I love you, and I know that somewhere deep inside, you love me too.”

I closed my eyes, as if it would make the words come out easier. “Per, I’m sorry. It’s not goin’ to happen.”

“Why? Besides cheating, tell me one reason why we can’t be together?”

“I don’t love you.” It was stern and to the point. I wasn’t saying it to hurt her more. It was the damn truth, and she needed to know it so she could move on.

“I don’t believe you.”

What was there not to believe? I didn’t love her, and even if I thought that’s what it was before, I knew it wasn’t now. She couldn’t begin to compare to the way I connected with Shalan. It wasn’t her fault. Perry was such a nice girl, but she wasn’t the one for me. “What do you want me to say? You want me to lie to you? Do you really think that I’ll just wake up and change my mind one day? It don’t work that way, woman. You and I both know that. Now, I said I was sorry. There ain’t nothin’ else to be discussed.”

“What happened to you?” She was crying so hard it was difficult to understand her. “You used to be so sweet. I admired the man you were. Now you’re just cold and heartless. Did you want my sister, Noah? Is that the truth?”

“Seriously? Now you’re makin’ up fake ass reasons to make yourself feel worse?” I shook my head, unable to believe that she just wouldn’t take no for an answer. “I’m done talkin’.”

I hung up the phone and sat there staring at it. She was going to call back, I just knew it.

When it rang again, I picked up the call before the information even registered on my screen. “I said I was done talkin’ to you. Get it through your head.”

“It’s me, Noah.”

Shalan’s voice shocked me.

“Who’s me?” I played like I didn’t know her, because obviously I didn’t want her to know I was arguing with my ex.

“Noah, come on. It’s Shalan.”

“Shalan who?”

The line got quiet. Maybe I’d taken the joke too far. I opened my mouth to speak, but she started talking.

“I’m sorry I haven’t called. Things got crazy and then I dropped my phone in the airplane toilet, as it was flushing. That blue dye got inside of every crack, and it wasn’t salvageable. I had to wait to get a new phone, and then look at my last bill to get your number. I thought you’d check your email, but obviously you never did.”

I closed my eyes and thought about the last time I’d checked my email. It had probably been two weeks. I knew I needed to link it to my phone, but all that was on there was bills and advertisements. “Sorry.”

“No, I’m sorry,” she murmured. I could tell she seemed sad. “I told you I’d call you back and you didn’t hear from me for days.”

“Darlin’, I missed hearin’ your voice.” After my discussion with Perry, I figured I’d be in a bad mood all day, but the truth was that this one phone call had calmed my nerves.

“Me too. So guess what I’m doing?”

I shrugged, even though she couldn’t see me. “What?”

“I’m booking my flight for Friday. I got the go-ahead from Shelly that I can have the next whole week off. What time did you want to pick me up, morning or afternoon?”

I had to admit that hearing she was coming, after I thought she’d written me off had me speechless. All I wanted to do was tell her to hop on the next flight and forget about waiting. “Mornin’ is fine. I’ll have someone cover for me so we can spend the day doin’ whatever you want.”

“There’s one thing in particular that I really want.”

I laughed. “My huge cock?”

She giggled. “I should have known you’d say that.”

“It’s been a shitty day, up until now.”

She ignored the question. “Are you excited to see me? Do I need to bring anything special? Should I wear a cowboy hat and boots?”

I sighed and let out an air-filled laugh. “No. You can dress normal. I wear a baseball cap just about every day. The last time I saw a cowboy hat, it was on some schmuck at the airport in New York.”

“I got you something while I was away.”

“You did?” I wondered if I should run out and get her a gift. “What?”

“It’s a surprise.” She paused. “Okay, I’m booked for Friday. I can’t wait to see you, and meet your family. Did you tell them about me?”

I felt bad. Bells knew about Shalan, but I hadn’t told my family. Now I knew I had to prepare them. “Yeah, they all know you’re comin’,” I lied.

“I miss you, Noah. I mean, I was really busy this week, but once I lost my phone, I felt lost not being able to talk to you.”

“Me too. I honestly thought you wrote me off. I thought you found some rich old man with wrinkling balls to bide your time.”

“Eww. You’re sick.”

“And you’re beautiful.”

“I get that a lot,” she teased.

“I sure hope you don’t. This cowboy might have to start kickin’ asses.”

“I can’t wait to see you. Promise me that we can spend the first night alone.”

“Definitely.”

“Okay. I need to go. I’ve got an appointment in a half hour. Call me tonight, alright?”

“Sure thing.”

When we hung up it felt like all of my problems had gone away.

I think that’s when I finally came to grips with what was happening.

Shalan wasn’t just some chick I’d met and started sleeping with. She’d become a whole lot more. In fact, I was pretty sure that I was falling for her, and I didn’t know what I was going to do about it.

Shalan

Being on the road with a real band was like a dream come true. I kept busy, working on their songs and even writing some of my own. Noah was never far from my thoughts. In fact, every single song that I’d been working on had something to do with either him, or the way he made me feel.