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“You’re plenty pretty,” I murmured, and he dipped his head. “So, was Daniel hurt as well?”
He frowned. “Daniel?”
“Micah pulled you out, but you mentioned it was Daniel’s car.”
“Oh no, Daniel wasn’t in the car.” He paused. “Micah borrowed it and was the one driving; I was in the passenger seat.” He stopped again, and I could see the pain in his expression. “Isaac was the third person in the car—the three of us were best friends and completely inseparable. Isaac was in the back, and we were flying… god, the times I say that, but wewereflying, and high on life.” He pinched two fingers together. “I was this close to getting a baseball call to try out in Chicago, and the game was everything to me. Micah had the ranch he was going to inherit, and Isaac, well, he was going to go places one day, president maybe. Only he didn’t make it out of the car, died on impact. Forever seventeen.”
“Oh, fuck.” My free hand closed into a loose fist over my heart. “Chris, shit, I’m sorry.”
His shoulders shifted in a small shrug, as if it didn’t matter, but I could see the pain in his eyes. “It feels like yesterday, but it’s been seventeen years. It chased Micah away from town, broke him and Daniel up, even though they were freaking soulmates.”
“But they’re together now.” I tried to reconcile grown-up Micah with a teenager who’d crashed a car, and the weight of what he must have to carry. Then, my thoughts slipped to Fox, unbidden, and I imagined him dying young, and compassion welled inside me for Isaac’s family.
“Micah had to come back to town, but he was broken with it all. Daniel finally came to terms with it and found it in himself to forgive and love. We reconnected as well. I never blamed Micah, not for one minute, but I wasn’t thinking straight when I first woke up.” He stopped, exhaled a puff of air, giving himself a moment to breathe. “I’d lost everything I was supposed to have—I had mad pitching skills, a chance at a bright future as a pro ballplayer, and suddenly, I was left with nothing but visible scars and half a leg.”
“I can’t imagine how you felt.”
“Like I didn’t want to be here,” he said and stared at me.
“Chris?”
So much emotion passed between us as I made sense of what he was implying.
“It was Daniel who found me next to pills, got me to the hospital, saved me, let me live for another day so I could become the awesome teacher and man you see before you.” He finished with a smile, but I was still processing. Then he squeezed my hand. “Noah? Does that change things? I understand if it does, but I wanted you to know what I did.”
“It changes nothing,” I said with defiance. “But you should know that my real name is Callum after my dad,” I said, softly, the words coming from somewhere deep inside. “Callum Noah Lewiston-Bennett. My ex used to call me Cal, but I’ve always been called Noah. It’s what my aunt used to call me, and it’s my chosen name, and I swear I’m not hiding my real name, but I feel better using Noah Bennett. I don’t ever want to be the Cal who let Briggs hurt him again.” Everything spilled out in an instant, but he leaned over to kiss me.
“You’remyNoah,” Chris whispered.
And that was the point when my universe shifted and the protective walls around me began to crumble.
It was the moment I started to fall in love.
* * *
I woke earlythe next day—way too early—the butterflies in my stomach doing somersaults, and so tense I didn’t recall having a shower even though my hair was wet. Today was the unofficial opening of my diner, a moment I had been dreaming of and dreading in equal measure, mostly because this was make or break for us in Whisper Ridge, and I wasn’t sure what else we’d do if the diner didn’t work. Maybe we’d live upstairs until Fox went to college, or maybe I’d give in and sell the property, but either option was shit. Over the last week, Fox and I had spent hours putting up flyers in local businesses, and Fox had done some social media work, including a video of me creating cupcakes, all sped up, with music. He told me people liked to see chefs piping things, told me I’d had a ton of hits, and even though it might not be from local people, it was a future income stream if the diner failed.
It won’t fail.
Fox had also updated the town’s small website, which he muttered over, saying it was older than me, which, hell I wasn’t sure how to take, as he snorted with laughter. I think there may have been an insult in there, but who knew with Fox. I’d even placed two large posters in the diner’s window, right next to the flags. The posters were as bright and colorful as the rainbow and advertised free coffee with food, and god, I hoped that worked.
“Daaaad,” Fox wheedled, “how about I stay, then go in later to school, so I can help with the diner.”
I turned to him, a smile tugging at my lips despite the seriousness of his request. “How about no? As much as I’d like the help, you have school, and that’s way more important.” I passed him his lunchbox, probably the healthiest one at school, but in my opinion, the most exciting, with a broccoli salad I’d serve the president. Not that Fox was keen on all the green stuff, or that was what he told me in no uncertain terms. We’d yet to come to a consensus on his demand for pizza and Sunny D. “You need to go to school,” I repeated.
“But I can help! I can clear tables or hand out menus,” he insisted, his eagerness almost contagious.
I went to ruffle his hair, feeling a pang of affection, but his ducking game was on point, and he avoided my hand. “I know you’d be a great help, but education is important, too.”
He huffed, and it was obvious he wasn’t impressed with the options, although I noted he’d said he’d go in late, not that he wanted the entire day off, which I called a win. He appeared happy at school, much happier than he’d been at the academy back in Columbus.
After walking Fox as near to the bus stop as I was allowed—I’m fourteen, Dad, not four, you’re so embarrassing—I headed back to the diner. My heart raced as I unlocked the door, the silence of the empty space greeting me, and I could almost taste the potential. I switched on the lights and the coffee machine, the familiar sounds and smells bringing a sense of calm. This was it. The moment of truth.
The first person through the door was Chris, right on cue for a morning coffee. “Morning, Noah. Good luck today.” He gave me a grin that could light up the room, sneaked in a kiss, then had to leave fast to pass the school bus and get to school first. Just him coming in, all smiles and snow, and kissing me, made me feel loved. A new feeling I filed away to think about later.
As Chris left, Neil arrived in his uniform. “Morning, Noah. Thought I’d come by and see the new place.” He took a seat at the counter, sipping coffee as I prepared his order. The smell of bacon and pancakes filled the air, and I felt the first threads of hope weave through my nerves.
Then, Levi came in, and I greeted him with a nod, my hands busy at the grill. “Morning. I’ll be right with you.” I left the bacon for a second, poured coffee for Levi, juggled Neil’s breakfast, took Levi’s order, calculated what would be best to go first, saw the door open with more people coming in, and none of it fazed me at all. I was in my element.
