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“Call him?” Talia asked.
Adam rolled his eyes. “Text him. Whatever. You know what I mean. Just…tell him Noah needs space, but it won’t be forever.”
“Adam,” Noah started, but his brother cut him off with a sharp shake of his head.
The door slammed after a couple of minutes, and then the buzzing stopped. The brothers let out matching sighs of relief, and Noah laid his head on the cushion. Marshmallow had abandoned him when the noise began, and he had no idea where he’d run off to, but he could use the comfort.
“What exactly did this ex say to you?”
Noah ran a hand down his face. “That…that I was a fling Adriano was using to make himself feel better. That he’s done it before, and he has. I’ve been following him on Twitter since I signed up. I’ve seen him do this.”
“That doesn’t mean he’s doing it now,” Adam pressed. “That man is in love with you.”
Noah peered one eye at him. “How the hell do you know? You’re not an expert on love just because you fucked your way through your culinary class, Adam.”
Adam gave him a flat expression. “Iknowbecause it’s the same expression on my face when I look at Talia.”
The words hung between them for a moment, then Noah shifted to look at his brother fully. “There’s no reason for him to love me, Adam. I’m a mess. I can’t even handle some bullshit confrontation with his asshole ex.Hashem yishmor, I could barely handle the market without losing my mind!”
Adam leaned forward in the chair and laid his hand on Noah’s knee. “But you did it. And you had a good time until that asshole showed up, right?”
Noah grunted his reply, but he couldn’t bring himself to deny it either. “I need…I need help. Therapy. Something.”
Adam chuckled and drew his hand away. “Yes, you should definitely see a therapist.”
Noah hated that he was right, hated that his stomach was closing in on itself. “Why am I such a mess?”
“Because our mother was terrible and threw shit on you that no child should have to bear, and Bubbe wasn’t much better at helping.” Hearing Adam admit it—hearing him not absolve their mother based on Noah’s word alone—made him feel something, though he didn’t have words for it. “But you still deserve love, to be in love, to be loved back, and that man is head over heels. I’d bet my relationship with Talia on it.”
“High stakes,” came Talia’s voice as she walked back into the room. She perched on the armrest of Adam’s chair and offered a soft look to Noah. “Adam is right, though. Adriano is head over heels in love with you. He was on the verge of tears when I told him to go.”
Noah, if possible, felt worse. “I just need to…I don’t know. Process?”
“You’re allowed that,” Adam told him. “I can’t stay here all night. I have to go pack the truck in and prep for tomorrow. And I’m guessing you’re not going to be any good for morning prep…”
“Actually,” Noah said, pushing himself to sit up straight, “that’s exactly what I need.”
Adam looked dubious, but eventually, he nodded. “Fine, but promise me you will contact him in the morning. He deserves at least that from you, and you deserve to know the truth.”
Noah nodded. He rose and followed Adam to the door, then let out a small, startled sound when his brother grabbed him close and squeezed him tight enough to rob him of breath. “Todah,” he whispered.
Adam pulled back and shook his head, giving the side of his face a pat as his mouth fell into a soft grin. “Tipesh.”
Noah tried for a scowl, but the would-be insult was spoken with such a tone of affection that he almost started to cry. They stood there another moment, then Adam turned and reached for Talia, who was reaching for him at the same time. And Noah saw it then. It was impossible to miss. The light in Adam’s eyes, the light reflecting back in Talia’s. The way they fit, their perfect orbit around each other. He hadn’t missed it before. He just hadn’t been paying close enough attention.
But it mattered now—it was important now—because Adam was right. Adriano had looked at him just like that, had reached for him just like that. And Noah could not deny he had reached back.
CHAPTER22
Adriano didn’t sleep.He tried to let Talia’s promise soothe him and his lawyer’s email settle the anxiety in his gut, but it didn’t help. Noah was still not speaking to him—had been radio silent all night—and Eric was still around town somewhere just waiting to fuck everything up.
Adriano lay on his back with Jude at his side as the sun crested over the ocean horizon. The sky was a grey blue, and there was humidity in the air with a promised storm. He missed Noah with a fierce ache he hadn’t expected, and he wanted to get out of bed and take action, but he couldn’t.
It wasn’t fair.
When his phone buzzed, Adriano nearly jumped out of his skin, and he fumbled for the device, swiping his screen with shaking hands. When he saw Noah’s name there, his eyes blurred with tears. He wasn’t sure what it would say. This was a make-or-break moment, he was pretty sure. But he couldn’t wait.
Noah: Sorry I freaked out. I want to talk later. Do you still want to spend tonight with me?
