Forever Summer - Melody Grace Page 0,81

said like she didn’t have a care in the world.

He hadn’t seen her in almost a year. Not since their last, terrible fight.

Not since he’d decided he would never move on if he was stuck in the same city as her, walking the same streets, trying not to wince when he saw her out at the bars on a Saturday night.

Suddenly, Noah realized just how screwed he was with Evie. He was just starting to settle into life in Sweetbriar Cove, and now she was going to be downright unavoidable in the small town. What was he going to do? Pack up and move on all over again?

No way, not this time.

Because even though he knew how hard it was going to be to run into Evie around town and not be able to hold her, kiss her—love her—a twisted part of him was glad. He’d still get to see her, even if he couldn’t be with her the way he wanted. And maybe it would hurt like hell, knowing that all that was left of their bond was the occasional casual catch-up in the square, but he would find a way to accept being just friends, even if it killed him.

He would get to be a part of her life, somehow.

Noah was so lost in thoughts of Evie that he didn’t realize he was still staring. Then Caitlin glanced over and saw him. Her smile froze.

Damn it.

Noah didn’t know what to do, but Caitlin got to her feet and made her way over to his barstool. “Noah,” she said, with a hesitant smile. “Hi.”

“Hi,” he echoed, feeling like he was face to face with a ghost. She’d removed herself from his life so thoroughly, it was weird to be reminded that she still existed at all. “What are you doing here?” Noah realized that the question sounded like an accusation. “Sorry. I just meant—”

“No, I get it. I’m a long way from home,” Caitlin replied. “I’m in town for my friend Melinda’s wedding,” she explained, nodding back at the table. “I actually wondered if I’d see you around. I thought about calling, but …” She paused. “I didn’t know if you’d want to hear from me.”

Noah nodded slowly.

“You look well,” he offered.

“You too,” Caitlin replied. Then she paused. “Actually, that’s a lie. You look like hell,” she said, with a wry smile. “Everything OK?”

“Just peachy,” Noah said, but the note of bitterness in his voice must have shown, because Caitlin’s forehead crinkled with concern.

“I meant to reach out, to see how you were doing. My therapist said it was important, but … every time, I chickened out. But maybe I should have. Because if you’re still dealing with—”

Still?

“This isn’t about you—about us,” Noah interrupted her quickly.

“It’s not?” Caitlin looked relieved.

“Nope.” Noah gave a rueful smile. “I managed to get my heart broken by somebody all over again.”

“I’m sorry.” Caitlin exhaled. She was about to say something else when a waiter arrived with his food.

“Thanks.” Noah took the plate, expecting Caitlin to say her goodbyes and rejoin her friends, but instead, she took a seat at the barstool beside him, reached over, and stole a french fry.

“Hey,” he frowned.

“Look, I know I’m probably not your favorite person right now,” Caitlin said. “But you look like you could use someone to talk to.”

“And that’s you?” Noah tensed. Making polite conversation was one thing, but there was way too much painful history between them to go any deeper.

“I may have been a crappy fiancée,” Caitlin admitted, “but I know you. I care about you. That won’t ever change.”

“Really?” Noah asked, with a shot of bitterness. “Because I seem pretty easy to forget.”

Caitlin paused. “It wasn’t you,” she said quietly. “You know that, right? I … I didn’t know how to deal with it. Losing our baby. I thought that if I just moved on from everything that reminded me … well, that didn’t work for long, as you can probably imagine. But I don’t want you thinking for a second it was because of you.”

Noah exhaled a long breath. He’d told himself the same thing, time and time again, but knowing something in his head and in his heart were two entirely different things. But looking at Caitlin now, seeing the regret in her eyes, those old ghosts seemed to release their grip on him. Just a little.

He nodded. “I know.”

“Good.” She took another fry. “I mean, let’s face it, we weren’t cut out for the long haul,” she added in a