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Even Noah knew Grace wasn’t one who wanted coddling, though she had accepted his first aid willingly enough.
Maybe she has a concussion after all! Maybe she held her breath because she was feeling light-headed. What if she had a serious injury that I didn’t catch?
Noah fought the urge to smack the Mom part of himself. Grace would be fine. She had no serious injury. But if she did, Alec would take care of her.
She had shuddered because she found Noah revolting, just as she had on their first date.
Must. Move. On.
Chapter 65
The Best-Laid Plans
Ivy:Well???
I set Trusty in the passenger seat of my car and double-check that I have everything for my drive east. It’s Mom’s birthday on Sunday, and I’m expected for the weekend, along with Claire and family, but I’d better update Ivy before I leave, or I’ll never hear the end of it.
Me:Well. If nothing else, I’ll soon be in the best cardio condition of my life.
She sends me a gigantic face-palm. If I had a dollar for every one of those she’s sent me lately, I could probably afford a new car.
Ivy:Enough with the sneaky plan! You. Have. His. NUMBER!!
The liberation I felt after confessing to Ivy has been obliterated by her constant nagging since.
It’s been nearly two weeks since Moab, and I have yet to catch the slightest glimpse of Noah. He wasn’t at church last week, and we haven’t had any YCS meetings because Tony is out of town again. I’ve been exercising religiously, trying and failing to run into him like before—I even biked the trail once, thinking I could cover more ground that way. Ivy insists I need to take a more direct approach.
Like texting him.
Considering what happened the last time Ivy convinced me to take a direct approach with Noah, I’m not optimistic about my chances. Besides, I want it to feel natural when we see each other again, not forced.
I mean, semistalking him by spending hours on the trail he runs isn’t exactly organic, but I could stillpretendwe just happened to be exercising at the same time. If I straight-up text him, that’s no happy accident.
I text Ivy instead.No phone. I told you I need to see him in person.
Ivy:Thank him for all the Band-Aids. Easy opening. See where it goes.
Me:Too late for that. It’s been two weeks! There’s no easy opening now.
Ivy:Isn’t there a pickup line about needing help with your chemistry?
Now it’s me sending the face-palms. She sends hysterical laughter back.
I wish there were a way, but nothing’s coming to me. It’s like he’s disappeared, although Jamie mentioned she saw him Saturday when a bunch of people got together at the park.
That’s the other thing.
I’m not ready to risk the wrath of a good roommate for another rejection. I’m trying not to be annoyed that Jamie is decidedly more disappointed about my breakup than I am. The contemptible part of me wonders how much of that is because of my friendship with Noah.
Not that we’re friends lately. I’m beginning to think he’s intentionally avoiding me, and that makes anything overt even riskier.
Me:I have to hit the road. I promise I’ll let you know if there are any developments.
Ivy:Right. Like there’s any chance of you seeing him at your parents’ house. Ugh. Drive safe.
Buckling in for the longish haul, I hit play on an audiobook, and the drive passes without incident. Soon enough, I’m happily distracted by the cutest niece and nephew ever born. So distracted that when Claire asks me about the angry new scar on my calf, I let it slip how much worse it would have been if Noah hadn’t been there with his first-aid kit.
“Noah?” she says. “As in Noah Jennings?”
