“Well,” I say to Rivers and Tully who are in a messy heap on the floor as Tully tries to get a look at his jaw. “That went well.”
Chapter 16
I stand by the fire with the blanket over my shoulders, pulling it tighter around me as I look out towards the dark woods for the hundredth time. Noah’s been gone for over an hour and I’m starting to worry.
Nothing has really happened here apart from Tully drinking straight from the bottle of Vodka. Neither one of them have spoken a word. Each of them completely lost in their own mind, their feelings trampled and hearts hurting.
Rivers hand continues rubbing over his jaw but when he finally allowed us to get close enough, it was clear it wasn’t broken. Though come tomorrow, there will be one hell of a nasty bruise.
“Noah just needs some time to cool down,” I tell them. “He clearly suspected something had happened between the two of you, so he’s probably more hurt that I kept it from him.”
Tully gives me a grateful look, knowing I’m talking shit. We all know that while Noah is indeed pissed at me, that’s not what’s got him walking through the woods in the dark of night.
I give her a tight smile. “You ok?” I question, making Rivers glance up for the first time in over an hour.
Tully shrugs a shoulder and presses her lips in a tight line before holding up the bottle of Vodka. “Will be when I finish this,” she tells me.
Rivers lets out a breath and reaches across until his fingers curl around Tully’s, silently letting her know she’s going to be ok in a rare display of affection. I gape at their hands for a moment. Hearing them talk about it and seeing it up close and personal are two very different things. These two really are in love with each other. It’s a damn shame they can’t make it work.
Tully watches their hands too, but it’s not with the same gaping that comes from me, it’s a desperate longing for something more. He tugs on her hand and she instantly gets up, takes the step towards him, and drops down into his lap, burying her face into his neck as the tears start to fall.
Rivers’ hand rubs up and down her back and I feel like I need to disappear inside my tent and give them a little privacy. I turn around and just as I start to head towards the tent, I see the light from Noah’s flashlight app on his phone up in the distance.
I start walking towards him, hoping to God that it’s actually him, otherwise this could go south very quickly. It’s not long before we meet in the middle and his arms instantly wrap around me with his lips pressing against my forehead.
I close my eyes, soaking in the feel of his arms wrapped around me. “I’m sorry,” I murmur into his chest, my words muffled by his shirt. “I wanted to tell you, but it wasn’t my secret to tell. I’ve felt awful all this time.”
“Shit,” he says with a teasing tone. “All this time? How long ago did it happen?”
I pout up at him. “Don’t ask me questions about it. Go and talk to them if you want details.”
“I know, I will,” he tells me before holding me a little tighter. “I just need to make sure you’re alright first.”
“I’m fine,” I tell him, raising my chin to press my lips to his. “But it’s been one hell of an awkward hour since you stormed away.”
“I bet,” he smirks. “I probably shouldn’t have punched him.”
“Are you kidding?” I scoff. “He’s your best friend and he slept with your sister then failed to tell you about it. He deserved it. Why do you think he didn’t get up and fight? He took it. I bet he’s been waiting for that punch since the moment he fell in love with her.”
“You think?”
“Yeah,” I sigh. “I do.”
Noah looks up over my head before I feel his body go rigid. “It’s like they’re rubbing it in my face.”
I look back over my shoulder to take in Tully still sitting on Rivers’ lap with his arms wrapped securely around her. “No, they’re not,” I tell him. “She was hurting. She hates that you’re upset with her and probably has a million awful things going through her mind. He’s comforting her in the best way he knows how. Probably in the only way that could make her feel ok. It’s what you’d do for me.”
“They really do love each other, huh?”
“Yeah,” I breathe, “more than I think they know.”
“I should probably go talk to them.”
“Yeah, I think Tully would like that,” I tell him. “Just remember that despite you yelling at her and punching Rivers, she’s still hurting from his rejection. It’s fresh and that’s why all this fighting is happening. She’s an emotional mess so just…don’t be too harsh on them, ok?”