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Wait…what?
He turned and immediately joined them out in the kitchen and knew he had to look a little wild-eyed. “Are you leaving?” he asked, his voice sounding more high-pitched and frantic than he intended.
“I’m afraid so. I had a little something to eat when I got home and now I’m not very hungry. The two of you enjoy the pizzas, and I’ll see you both tomorrow.”
“Wait!” they both said at the same time, exchanging glances.
William chuckled. “Is everything okay?”
“Just…thought you’d want to stay and hang out,” Lily said casually. “Come on and sit with us. I hate to think about you all alone up there.”
But her grandfather wasn’t having any of it. “Lily, sweetheart, I’m genuinely tired and have to return a call to your Uncle Robert, so…you two enjoy yourselves.” He kissed her on the cheek before turning and shaking Noah’s hand. “Thanks again for helping Lily out today. I’ll see you tomorrow in the office.”
“Have a good night, sir,” he said and had no choice but to watch him leave. Once the door was shut, you could have heard a pin drop in the room.
“So, um…pizza,” Lily said after a moment.
Noah turned and saw two boxes on the table and there was only one logical thing to do. “I think I’m going to go too,” he said before walking to the bathroom and grabbing his stuff. When he came back to the kitchen, Lily was standing where he’d left her. “Thanks for the clothes…” He looked down at his bare feet and realized how ridiculous he was going to look in sweatpants and loafers, but what choice did he have?
“You’re seriously leaving?” she asked, confusion written all over her face.
He took a tentative step toward her before stopping. “I think it’s for the best.”
“But…why?”
“Lily, it’s been over three years since the whole New Year’s Eve incident, and your father still gives me the stink eye almost daily. I’m serious about my career with Montgomerys and…and I just think this isn’t a good idea. I’m sorry.”
To her credit, she didn’t argue with him. “I think you’re right.” Then, she opened the pizza boxes to see which was which before handing one to him. “Thank you for all your help today and…I’m sorry that you feel you have to run out of here.”
“I wouldn’t say run…”
She laughed softly. “Well, not in those shoes,” she joked, nodding at his loafers.
He laughed with her and then it got quiet again all too soon. “I really should go.”
“I know.”
“I…I guess I’ll see you around.”
“I guess so.”
And then there was nothing left to say, but man did he want to lean in and kiss her just one more time. The kiss they’d shared three years ago had been damn near perfect and he was dying to know if it was a fluke or if there was genuine chemistry there. Had he imagined how great it was? Had his imagination been playing tricks on him all these years?
Sadly, he was never going to find out.
Taking one step backwards and then another, he said, “Have a good night, Lily.”
“You too, Noah.”
And yeah, he heard regret there too.
Dammit.
This was for the best.
At least, that’s what he was going to keep telling himself.
FOUR
