Falling For Him Page 7

  The guilt over the way I felt about my best friend’s little sister had been eating me up for weeks. It actually felt kind of good having him punch me for it, if for no other reason than it meant he knew now and I could stop trying to hide it.

  After he’d helped me back to my feet and I got cleaned up, Ryan and I had sat down and talked it out in a much more mature way than most seventeen-year-old boys might have done. But that was just who and how Ryan had been. He had the biggest heart of them all, and all he really wanted was for the people he cared about to be happy.

  Fuck, thinking about him made my throat feel like it was drying up even now, so many years after his death. Jordan saved me from my melancholy. “How’s Maggie doing anyway? You mentioned she’s working for Addie now, but what else is she up to? Where has she been? I want details. I loved that girl for keeping you on your toes so well.”

  “She’s...” I trailed off. “I don’t know. All I know about her now is that she recently started working for Addie and that she ruined my suit.”

  “You literally just told me you’d taken her out for coffee. The only way you couldn’t know what’s going on in her life and all that is if you went full Conference Noah and—” He groaned when my face fell. “Oh my God. Please tell me you didn’t go full Conference Noah and only talked about yourself?”

  “Fuuuuuuck.” I buried my face in my hands as realization dawned on me, shaking my head at how fucking stupid I’d been. “I did. I totally did.”

  Unsurprisingly, Jordan burst out laughing until there were tears rolling down his cheeks and he was hugging his sides. Even once he’d stopped laughing, there was still laughter in his eyes.

  “Karma got you good with this one, buddy,” he said. “Here’s the thing about Maggie, though. It sounds like you treated her like any one of your other girls. But she’s not. She’s always been anything but every other girl. Luckily for you, treating her like a random conference hookup is by far not the worst thing you’ve ever done to her and she still went to have coffee with you. You might just still have a shot, but you’re going to have to aim it well. I’m not sure how many more you’re going to get.”

  Yeah. Neither did I.

  Chapter 10

  Maggie

  “Maggie Hampton, as I live and breathe, is that really you?” Another voice from my past dripped with disbelief. “Oh my God, it really is you. Come here!”

  Angela opened her arms and completely ignored the policy about no customers being allowed behind the counter. It was stuck up on the drywall behind me, but it seemed she’d forgotten how to read. Although since this was Angela Bennett we were talking about, it was more like she just didn’t give a damn about the rule.

  My former best friend looked exactly the same as she always had, even if her face and figure were a little fuller, a little more mature. Flaming-red hair tumbled to her shoulders, framing a pale, porcelain-skinned face. Chocolate-brown eyes flared with surprise, the smattering of freckles on her nose still as prominent and beautiful as ever.

  “Angie!” I allowed myself to be pulled into her bone-crushing hug and squeezed her back just as tightly. “I’ve been meaning to call since I got back. It’s so good to see you.”

  We clung to each other for a few long minutes before finally letting go. Her hands came down on my shoulders. “It’s good to see you too, but I can’t believe you’re really here. When did you get back? Where are you staying? Why haven’t you called me?”

  Her rapid-fire questions were as comforting as they were familiar, even so many years later. Angie was to me what Noah had been to Ryan, my very first, very best friend since elementary school.

  When I’d first moved to New York, we’d made all those promises people always did. We pinkie swore that we’d video chat every day, that we’d visit all the time, and that we’d always keep the other in the loop about our lives.

  Needless to say, that didn’t happen. Our pact lasted for the first couple of years, but then I’d fallen pregnant and Lydia was born and life just got too hectic. At around the same time, Angie had gone to work overseas and almost never had time to talk anyway. Since we were in different time zones, on different continents, and going through totally different things, we’d drifted apart.

  It didn’t mean I didn’t still love her, and it looked like she felt the same about me. I took a deep breath, unable to contain my smile as I gave her another hug and answered her questions.

  “I’ve only been back a little over a week. Lydia and I are staying with my mother, and I was going to call you once things settled down a little.”

  “How is that gorgeous little girl of yours?” She brought a hand to her heart. “Does this mean that I’m finally going to get to meet her?”

  “Of course.” I smiled. “When are you free? We could catch up then.”

  “How about dinner tonight?” she asked, tilting her head as her eyes lit up with excitement. “I’d love for you to bring Lydia. There’s a cute little diner over on Elm Street that has tons of arts and crafts stuff to keep the kids busy. Are you two free?”

  I laughed. “We’re free. Our social lives aren’t all that packed at the moment. I get off work at five, so how about we meet you there at six?”

  She nodded, then waved her hand in wild motions. “You’re working here now, I take it?”

  “Yes. Addie is great. She needed help, and I just couldn’t resist her. Besides, I was in desperate need of a job.”

  “Addie’s the best.” She turned from side to side as she looked around the shop. “Is she here?”

  Picking up the garment bag I hadn’t noticed her carrying in that she must have dropped to hug me, she laid it out over the counter. “There’s a terrible stain on this dress and I’m hoping like hell she can remove it for me.”

  “As long as it’s not bleach, I’m pretty confident she’ll be able to help you out.”

  Her brows knit together. “Bleach?”

  “Long story.” I sighed. “I’ll tell you about it over dinner tonight. Addie’s having a cup of tea in the back, but let me give you a receipt for the dress, and I’ll ask her to take a look and give you a call as soon as her break is done.”

  “I’m so glad she’s getting to take breaks now.” She took the pen and booklet I handed over to her and scribbled in her details while she was talking. “She used to work too damn hard, that woman. Everyone was worried about her, but she refused to think about getting help. Thankfully, you’re here now.”

  When she had completed the form, she placed the pen down on top of the booklet and slid it back across the counter to me. I glanced down to make sure she had given us all the details we needed, then scooped her dress up. “I’m just grateful that she’s giving me a chance, but I’m happy to be helping her out. I’d better get back to it, though, but I’ll see you tonight.”

  She lifted her fingers in a wave and beamed a radiant grin at me, shaking her head lightly. “I still can’t believe you’re really back. I can’t wait to hear about everything you’ve been up to. See you at six.” Angie walked backward toward the door, keeping her eyes on mine. “You better not go disappearing on me again before tonight. I’ve missed you, girl.”

  “Same.” I waved back, and once she turned around to leave, I took her dress and carried it to the rail outside Addie’s office.

  She was coming out as I approached, her eyes immediately going to the garment bag in my hand. “I recognize the initials on that bag. What did dear Angela spill on herself this time?”

  “No idea, but she said she was hoping like hell you could get it out.” I laughed. “I told her you’d give her a call once you got the chance to have a look at it.”

  Addie tutted and sighed but took the dress from me and carried it to her station. Before she got started, she called for me to join her and then proceeded to explain to me what she was doing as she was doing it.

  The afternoon passed quickly, and before I knew it, Lydia and I were joining Angie at a table near the center of the diner.
She had already collected a load of arts and crafts supplies for Lydia, and after fussing about her for five minutes straight, we got settled.

  Lydia dug into the pile of supplies immediately, and Angela pushed the cocktail she had already ordered for me across the table. “I hope you still like Tequila Sunrise. It’s been that kind of day for me.”

  “What happened?” I asked as I lifted my glass and took my first sip. The orange juice was sweet and tangy, the taste of tequila not too overwhelming. I smiled a happy little smile. “I do still love these, but I better stick to soda after this one. I have a feeling it’s one of those drinks that’s going to sneak up on me.”

  Angie winked. “That’s why I love ‘em. I’ll tell you about my day later. Right now, I’m dying to hear the story of Maggie and Lydia Hampton. What brought you guys back here? I want all the dirty details.”

  “Sorry to disappoint you, but there aren’t really any dirty details. Just a series of events that made staying in New York impossible.” I proceeded to explain our last few years to her, answering questions and asking some of my own about her life. Unlike Noah, I actually cared about what was happening in other people’s lives.

  Angie didn’t ask about Lydia’s father, thankfully. That was one topic I didn’t want to get into with my daughter at the table—or any other time really. We ordered burgers and fries, only pausing our great catch-up session for a minute to order before we dove right back in.

  Once our meals were done, Angie convinced me to have another cocktail for dessert. I nearly choked on my first sip at her next question. “Have you seen Noah since you’ve been back? I bet he’d love to know that little Maggie Hampton is back in town.”

  “Oh, I’ve seen him.” I rolled my eyes as a frown tugged at my brow. “You might think that he’d love to know I was back, but I’m pretty sure the only thing he loves is himself.”

  A giggle fell from her red-painted lips. “True that. Noah Sims has become a big deal, and he knows it. I’d have thought that if anyone could bring him back to earth though, it would be you.”

  “Why’s that?”

  She waved a hand. “Oh, you know. You guys were always just—I don’t even know what the right words are—on the same page, I guess?”

  A very unladylike snort escaped me. Thanks to the tequila, I didn’t even care. Besides, this was Angie sitting in front of me. It was nothing she hadn’t heard from me before.

  “I don’t know if I agree about that, but even if we used to be, we’re not in the same book now. Hell, I don’t even think we’re in the same library. He took me out for coffee and spent the entire time talking about himself. I kid you not. He didn’t ask a single thing about me or give me a chance to get a word in edgewise.”

  “Like I said,” she shrugged and took a sip of her drink, “he’s a big deal now and he knows it. I haven’t seen him much over the last couple of years, but I’ve heard things.”

  “Yeah, well, I’m not interested in anyone like that. He’s not even worth wasting our breath on. Trust me. He’s wasted enough of his own talking about himself. We don’t need to do it for him.”

  She let her head fall back as she laughed. “Dear Lord, I’ve missed you. Only you would refuse to even talk about your super-hot childhood-crush-turned-billionaire because he talks about himself enough.”

  I lifted my shoulders and let them fall as I took another pull at my curly straw. “Super-hot billionaire or not, I couldn’t even bear to be around him long enough to finish my coffee. That guy is not the boy who used to be my childhood crush. He’s a self-involved, insert bad word of your choosing here.”

  Turning her palms out, she lifted her hands. “Okay, okay, I surrender. Consider Noah crossed off our list of topics to cover. Moving along swiftly, do you guys have any plans for Halloween?”

  Lydia perked up at the mention of Halloween, her eyes rounding as she glanced at me. “Trick or treating?”

  “Of course, baby.” I grinned and reached out to squeeze her shoulder. “It’s our tradition. We wouldn’t miss it for the world.”

  “I’d love to come with you if you’ll have me,” Angela said. She bounced a little in her seat, her blue eyes almost as round as Lydia’s. “Please let me come with you. I haven’t gone trick or treating since I was a kid. Going alone as an adult is just too weird, but I really want to go.”

  “Of course you can come.” I flashed her my biggest smile, my heart warming with the familiarity of having Angie back in my life. I’d missed her way more than I’d realized. “It’ll be great to have you with us.”

  Life back home was turning out to be much better than I’d expected. I honestly couldn’t even remember why I’d been in such a rush to leave this place. I must’ve been drunk or crazy or something. Maybe all of the above.

  In the back of my mind, vague reasons from way back when swirled around. But I didn’t want to think about them. I was just glad to be back, sitting at the red-clothed table with my daughter and my best friend.

  Life here was so much simpler than it had been in New York, but I liked it. I didn’t need fame or success or to be making the big bucks in the big leagues. All that I needed was right here, and that was more than enough for me.

  Chapter 11

  Noah

  The smell of chemicals burned my nostrils when I stepped into the dry cleaners. Maggie was standing at the counter, laughing at something Addie was yelling from the back.

  Her long hair almost reached her beautiful butt with her head tipped back the way it was as she laughed. The sound of her laughter was like music to my ears, a favorite old song that I hadn’t heard in too long.

  My heart gave that same happy skip that it did when one of those songs came on, and goosebumps raised the hair on my arms. Thankfully, nobody would be able to see my physical reaction to her under the wool coat I wore. I didn’t need people gossiping about me and Mags, especially not if I had any damn hope of getting a second chance at her second impression of me.

  She was so absorbed in her conversation with Addie that she didn’t notice me at first, which gave me the opportunity to get a good look at her as I walked to the counter. I stopped short when I saw the sketchbook lying open on it.

  Another flood of memories suddenly flowed through me like my mind was a dam with a burst wall. Maggie lying on her stomach on the grass, her legs kicking around in the air as she made elegant lines with her pencil in her sketchbook. Maggie sticking her tongue out at Ryan when he teased her about how the pencil was going to fuse to her hand. Maggie emphatically explaining to me why it didn’t matter how many times she had to start over, she’d keep doing it until it was perfect.

  Maggie. Maggie. Maggie.

  Curious to know what she was drawing these days, I leaned over to catch a glimpse just before the sketchbook was slammed shut. Maggie’s eyes were narrowed when I lifted mine from her book to her. “That’s private, Noah.”

  “Designs of clothes are private?” I asked, then realized that was the kind of question I used to be able to ask her without any negative repercussions. I doubted that was still the case.

  Maggie’s curt response confirmed my suspicions. “Yes.”

  She crossed her arms, her gaze on the window behind me. “What can I do for you, Noah? You didn’t bring in anything to be dry cleaned. If this is about your suit, just tell me what we can do to make it up to you.”

  Clearly, her interest in actually talking to me or spending any more time with me than absolutely necessary wasn’t too high. Damn it, I really screwed up.

  “What are you working on?” I tipped my head at the sketchbook. “It looked really good.”

  “I told you it’s private.” She turned around and busied herself with straightening signs on the wall that were already straight.

  Internally sighing, I tried again. “Did you eventually end up going to school for design? It used to be all you could talk about.”

  “It was important to me back then.” I didn’t miss that she hadn’t answered my qu
estion. “What are you doing here, Noah?”

  I want to know more about you. I want to apologize for being a dick the other day. I want to ask you how you’re coping with life after Ryan. “I was in the neighborhood. Thought I’d say hi.”

  God, sixteen-year-old me would have slapped me upside the head for not just being honest with her. Then he’d have kicked me in the shin and made some snarky remark about how this was Maggie we were talking to.

  Maggie, who didn’t even turn around to face me. That Maggie. She was the same girl I’d once been able to talk to about anything, yet now I couldn’t think of a single thing to talk to her about that might explain or excuse my behavior the other day.

  “Okay,” she said. “Thanks for stopping by.”

  How was it that the only girl I’d ever really been able to open up to was the only girl who’d ever made me feel tongue-tied? This wasn’t like me at all.

  “Are you enjoying working here?” Well, there’s a ripper of a question. You knocked that one out of the park, Noah. Well done.

  At least it finally got Maggie to turn around. There was a deep frown on her face, and her mouth was set in an unhappy line. “What are you trying to do, Noah? I don’t really know why you wanted to pop in, and I don’t really care, but you’ve done it now. You can leave.”

  “I’m trying to start over.” Finally, words that actually meant something. “I know that I can come off as a bit pretentious sometimes. I wanted to apologize.”

  “A bit?” She arched a dark eyebrow. “That’s a bit of an understatement.” She made air quotes with her fingers on the words a bit, her lips pulling into a smirk. “Also, I’m a bit too busy at the moment to be starting over with you right now.”

  There wasn’t a single other person in the shop, and she’d been laughing and drawing when I’d come in. Yet she was too busy to talk to me. Take the hint, Noah.