I should go over there. I should say hello. I should act like a functional adult instead of a teenager caught in the headlights of his first heartbreak.
But my feet remain rooted to the ground.
My mother hugs Maria, then immediately fusses over Cassidy’s dress, going on about the fabric as if it’s made of spungold. Rick greets my parents, then stands slightly apart, his eyes scanning the property until they lock onto mine.
For a split second, something flashes across his face—raw and unguarded, too quick for me to read. Is he surprised to see me? Before I can make sense of it, his expression shifts, and the next second, he’s smiling that perfect white smile, already walking toward me.
“Noah!” he calls, like we’re old friends who haven’t seen each other in years. Like he didn’t end three years of whatever we were with a text. Like he didn’t break my heart so badly that for weeks afterward I could barely function.
I force my body into motion, stepping forward on legs that feel numb and disconnected. Rick reaches me and pulls me into a hug before I can decide how to react. His arms wrap around me, and the familiar scent of his cologne—the same one he’s worn since college—makes me dizzy. My body missed this. Missed him.
“Hey, man,” he says, pulling back to look at me. “It’s been forever. How’ve you been?”
Man. Buddy. Friend. That’s what we are now, apparently.
I stare at him, mind blank. How have I been? Gutted. Destroyed. Trying to rebuild a life from the ashes of the one you burned down.
“Good,” I say instead, the word scraping my throat. “Really good.”
Rick smiles, his eyes crinkling at the corners exactly the way they used to when he’d look at me across a crowded room. That smile used to be mine. Now he gives it away freely, and the thought makes something cold settle in my chest.
“Great to hear it,” he says, squeezing my shoulder. “I’ve been following your rescue work on Instagram. That fundraiser you did for the hurricane pets was amazing.”
He’s been watching my Instagram. The thought makes me dizzy. Has he been checking up on me all this time, scrolling through my life from a safe distance while I’ve been trying so hard not to look for him in every crowd?
“Thanks,” I say, the word catching in my throat.
“Noah,” Cassidy steps forward, her smile bright but not quite reaching her eyes. “It’s so good to see you again.”
She leans in for a quick hug, and I get enveloped in the vanilla scent of her perfume. Cassidy and I have met at various events over the years—charity galas, birthday parties—but our interactions have always been brief. Now there’s something strained between us, though I can’t tell whether the awkwardness is real or entirely in my head.
Does she know about us?
The question hits me with a sudden wave of panic. Did Rick tell her? Is that why she’s looking at me like that—with pity barely hidden behind her polished smile?
“You too,” I manage, stepping back. My skin feels too tight, as though it might split open at any moment and reveal all the hurt and rage I’ve been holding in these past months.
Rick smiles beside her, his hand finding the small of her back in a gesture so casually possessive it makes my stomach turn.
“We’re really excited for the weekend,” Cassidy continues, her voice smooth as honey. “Your mom said there are horses?”
“Yeah—” I start to answer, but the words stick in my throat. Seeing them together, having to pretend we’re all just old friends, makes my chest tighten until it’s hard to breathe.
That’s when I feel an arm slide around my waist, pulling me against a solid side. Connor.
Water from his still-damp body seeps into my hoodie, but I barely notice. All I can feel is the pressure of his arm, holding me together when I feel like I might shatter.
“Sorry, I’m cold now,” he murmurs close to my ear, and when I look at him, his eyes are full of private amusement. He smiles at me and I smile back, feeling my pulse quicken, because I know Rick and Cassidy are watching us.
“Hello there,” Rick says, clearing his throat, bringing the attention back to him. “Have we met before?”
He looks at Connor, his eyes widening slightly, then back at me, clearly trying to process what he’s seeing. His expression changes so subtly that someone who hasn’t spent years memorizing every microexpression on that face might miss it—a tightening around the eyes, a barely perceptible stiffening of his shoulders.
“Rick, Cassidy,” I say, finding my voice again. “This is Connor.”
Connor extends his hand to Cassidy first, then to Rick, his expression neutral. “Nice to meet you, guys,” he says, his Irish accent sounding stronger than usual.
Rick recovers quickly, shaking his hand. “Yeah, you too.” His brow furrows slightly. “Wait, I think I remember you from his building. You’re Noah’s neighbor, right?”
