Chasing Heartbreak (Dark Love #6) - Kat T. Masen Page 0,41
to miss this place.”
Charlie slaps a decent serving of French jam onto her pastry, moaning as she takes a bite. If I didn’t know better, she’s eating for two, though the copious amounts of alcohol consumed over the weekend would eliminate that idea.
“The place or the food?” I question her while drinking coffee, enjoying the warm liquid to pass through my mouth and ignite all my senses. “Are you sure you’re not pregnant?”
Charlie stops mid-bite, turning toward me with her mouth wide open. “Don’t you dare jinx me. Three girls are enough. Some women are built for large families, I’m barely able to use the toilet without being interrupted.”
Lex nods his head with a knowing smirk. “I’m going to agree with Charlotte on this, three is enough.”
Noah appears uncomfortable, and I’m gathering the subject of children being a sore spot for him. We’ve only talked briefly about it over the weekend since every time the topic was raised, he asked to discuss something else. Last night, we spent hours talking about absolute nonsense until he left just after midnight. I didn’t expect the idle chit-chat to be entertaining, but I haven’t laughed so hard in a while without an alcoholic drink in hand.
“Sorry, Noah,” Charlie murmurs, placing her food down. “Do you want to talk?”
“What’s there to say?”
My gaze shifts between the two of them. Gathering by his withdrawn mood, I sense something has happened in the last few hours. I hold back on asking. If Noah wants to share, then he’ll share, and I don’t want to be the one to push him, especially in front of the present company.
We eat in silence until it becomes time for the three of them to leave. Outside on the street with their suitcases inside the car, I say goodbye to Lex but not before running over a few work matters. Charlie is standing beside him, dabbing the corner of her eye with a tissue.
“Come here, you big softy.” I pull her into an embrace as she clutches onto me tightly.
“I know it’s beautiful here,” she whispers against my shoulder. “But it’s not the same without you. We all miss you so much. Think about coming home, one day, please, when it’s right.”
And that’s the thing about being home, I’ve always pictured it as a place where hopes and dreams come alive. Charlie’s definition of home is where the heart lies, where the laughter carries, where friends belong, and where memories are made.
“But if I’m not here, you won’t be able to set me up on awful blind dates with arrogant French men,” I tease, lighting the mood.
Charlie’s lips break out into a smile, a small laugh escaping her. “I promise to do better. Well, actually, this time I did good, didn’t I?”
She eyes Noah beside her, my head nodding in agreement. “I’ll visit soon, promise.”
“I’m going to hold you to that. Amelia’s birthday is coming up, and it’s not an alien party without you.”
I cringe, jokingly. “Okay, I’m sure the boss will grant me some vacation time.”
Charlie kisses my cheek before climbing into the car with Lex.
Noah is leaning with his back against the car, arms crossed, but his earlier worry disappears as his eyes light up while gazing at me. “You want to hug it out or something?”
I already miss him, trying to ignore the slight pang inside my heart from his departure. “You’re a dork.”
Stepping closer, he wraps his arms around me. Inside his embrace, my body warms at his touch, a familiar contentment I’ve missed in his absence. The mixed emotions of him leaving is swirling around in the pit of my stomach. It’s silly to think I wish he could stay and selfish of me to beg him. Releasing me, he kisses my forehead the way he’s done many times before.
“Noah, it’ll work out,” I say softly, doing my best to destroy the fear consuming him. “No matter what, you’ll do the right thing.”
“What if I don’t?”
I pull away but still hold onto him. Behind the eyes of this beautiful man lays a battle only he can conquer. This weekend reminds me of the bond we once shared. We’ve both made mistakes in the past, and who am I to hold a grudge? I’m far from perfect.
“You’ve got me to set you straight,” I remind him while staring into his eyes with a soft smile. “Now, go on that plane and spend time with your kids. I’ll expect a photo of Jessa in the beret you bought.