AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I stay with her until my eyes grow blurry from staring at my computer screen.
I close it and drop it on the bedside table, telling myself I’ll only stay for another few minutes.Chapter FourteenNatalieConnor’s not around the townhouse at all on Sunday. After my run, I expected to come home and find him there, but the door was locked. There was no note or anything left behind. A confusing combination of sadness, annoyance, and anger swirled in my gut. I suppose our fight from last night wasn’t quite over.
Noah called a few times over the course of the morning and I ignored every single one. My brain was scrambled, and I didn’t think I could manage a conversation with Noah that didn’t result in me putting my foot in my mouth somehow, or worse, crying.
I did laundry in the afternoon and found Connor’s clothes still in the dryer. I would have been annoyed to have to fold them for him, but I secretly loved the idea of touching his clothing. I hung up his pants and folded T-shirts and only took one for myself. I have plausible deniability if he ever finds it in my possession. Oh, it must have slipped in with my laundry on accident. I’m definitely not planning on sleeping in it for the next decade or anything.
I thought he would have come home eventually, but by early evening, he still hadn’t showed his face. It annoyed me more. Sure, last night was bad, but we’re both mature adults. We don’t have to avoid each other.
As another distraction for my brain, I cleaned the kitchen and lingered in the main house, jumping any time I heard a noise out on the street.
When Lindsey invited me out to dinner, I said yes, just to have something to do. Now, Noah calls again right when I return home and find Connor still absent from the townhouse. This time, I answer.
“Hey Noah.”
“There you are. Jeez. I’ve been calling you all day.”
“Sorry. Been busy. You know.”
“Connor said you had that fundraiser last night.”
My heart stops on a dime. “Oh? You talked to him today?”
“Yeah, before he went into the hospital.”
I sag with relief. “He’s working?”
“Yeah. Covering for Brent.”
I flip on the kitchen light and head straight for the pantry, looking for chocolate. Noah has a notorious sweet tooth, and I know he hides candy in here.
“Was it a good turnout last night?”
“Yeah. Massive.”
“Did they raise a lot of money?”
Oh, I’m not sure—I was too busy having sex with your best friend.
I swallow the truth. “A lot. Yeah. I think.”
He laughs. “Did you not stay until the end?”
“No. I was tired.” I search around the top shelves, shoving boxes aside. “Hey, where’s your candy stash anyway?”
“Did you look behind the pasta?”
“Yeah, nothing.”
“Check behind the cereal.”
I do as he says and my hand comes in contact with a full-size Hershey’s bar. Bingo.
“Why do you hide it in the first place?”
“Because if I don’t, you steal it all.”
Fair enough.
“What’s wrong with you? You seem off.”
“I’m not off. Just…I miss you. The townhouse doesn’t feel the same without you here.”
He sighs. “I warned Connor to be nice to you when I talked to him earlier.”
I nearly choke on my first bite of chocolate. “You did what?”
“Yeah. I know how he treats you. You’ve told me.”
“Connor…” I prop my elbows on the kitchen island and drop my head into my hands. “You didn’t have to do that. He’s been perfectly fine.”
“Perfectly fine? That doesn’t sound all that promising. I don’t get it—you two could be friends. Have you tried to get to know him? Maybe he thinks you don’t like him.”
A laugh nearly bubbles out of me before I squelch it with superhuman resolve. This conversation is totally absurd. It can’t go on.
“Yes. All right. I’ll try to get to know him better. I really have to go now, Noah. Need to get ready for work in the morning and hit the hay.”
“Fine, yeah—but don’t eat all my chocolate while I’m gone!”I feel better going into the hospital the next day knowing Connor didn’t purposefully avoid me all day Sunday. He had to work. That means maybe we can still patch things up…somehow, though I’m not sure how we’ll do that, exactly. In fact, I’m not sure what I’d hope to gain out of a peace offering with him. Another night like we had at the fundraiser? Absolutely not. That ended in shambles. A surface-level friendship? Not possible. Maybe just a simple handshake so I don’t have to walk around the BICU on tenterhooks waiting to have a chance encounter with him wherein I make a complete fool of myself. That would be nice.
I set out for the hospital extra early so I can put my best foot forward, both with work and with Connor. I stop in at Boston Beans to pick up my new favorite tea then head straight for the BICU. It’s quiet. The residents are doing their pre-rounds. A few nurses are wrapping up their overnight shifts when I greet them.
