and stared at her. “What in the world did I do to make you think that? You know, sometimes I’m afraid to move because you’ll use it to figure out what I’m thinking.”
Kaely sat down on one of the stools next to her breakfast bar. “I told you, I’ll try not to read you. We’re friends. You’re hardly a suspect, but I’m not blind. You’re tense. You keep swallowing. What’s the problem?”
Noah pushed Kaely’s food toward her, along with the root beer she’d wanted. After getting forks and napkins, he came around and sat down next to her.
“I guess the more I think about what you’re being asked to do, the angrier I get.” He opened his container of food and grabbed his fork. “Let them figure this out on their own.” He lowered his fork and gazed into her eyes. “I’m attempting to be objective. I’m just here so you can talk it out and make your own decision. But . . . well, you’ve been through so much over the past several years. Asking you to do this just doesn’t seem right.”
Kaely smiled. “Thanks. If the situation were reversed, I’d feel the same way.” She hesitated a moment. “Look,” she said, “I need you to do what you just said. Just listen to me. Let me figure this out myself. Please don’t guide me toward the choice you want me to make.”
“I know. I won’t. I promise.” He sighed. “But it’s hard. I remember Tracy asking me to listen to her when she was upset, to not offer my opinion. Wish I’d tried harder to do that, but I was raised to believe men are supposed to protect women. My first reaction is to help. Fix things. You’ve taught me that’s not always the right reaction.”
“I’m sure Tracy understood. She was a smart woman.”
Noah stared at his food, turning his fork around and around as if his chow mein needed to be stirred. “She was,” he said softly. “Except for you, she’s the smartest woman I ever met.” He looked up and smiled sadly. “You would have liked her. Have I ever told you that?”
Kaely shook her head. “I don’t think so, but I’ve thought the same thing. I think we would have been friends, and as you know, I don’t make them easily.”
The expression on Noah’s face pulled at Kaely’s heart. What would it be like to be loved the way he loved Tracy? She couldn’t imagine. She’d wondered once if someday Noah might feel that way about her, but not anymore. He’d closed that door. As she watched him eat his food, a wave of deep-seated emotion washed through her. It startled her enough that she let out a small cry.
“Are you okay?” Noah asked, his eyebrows arched in concern.
Kaely felt heat rise in her cheeks. “Yeah. Sorry. Knocked my foot against the bottom of my stool.” She immediately felt guilty about lying, but no other excuse had come to mind.
“Sure you’re all right?”
“Yeah, I’m positive.” Kaely picked up her root beer and took a drink. She needed a moment to collect herself. When she finally put down her cup, she realized Noah was studying her.
“You must be really thirsty,” he said.
“Who’s reading who now?” Kaely asked, unable to keep a note of irritation from her voice.
Noah didn’t say anything, just stuck another forkful of chicken in his mouth.
Maybe inviting him over tonight had been a mistake. She was still feeling the shock of being asked to confront her father. Although she’d tried to push away the fear that threatened to overtake her, it was sliding through her mind and body like a snake looking for a place to strike. She and Noah were both upset about this turn of events, but she needed him to be calm. Analytical. Usually she was the logical one, but tonight she wanted him to take that role.
She put her fork down. “Thank you,” she said softly.
“For what? Making things worse?” He shook his head. “I came to help, and now I’ve upset you. We’ve been snapping at each other ever since I got here.”
“You’re concerned about me,” Kaely said, mustering a small smile. “That doesn’t upset me at all. But I need you to push that aside and be the rational one tonight. Can you do that?”
The muscles in his face seemed to tighten. “I can be whatever you need me to be. We’re friends.”
“I know.”
He frowned at her as Mr. Hoover curled up at the bottom of his