“I don’t know,” he tells me with a shrug. “They must have been catching up on a missed game or something. The season ended in January.”
Well, shit. You learn something new every day. I wonder if Noah knew he was watching an old game. I can just imagine his reaction finding out that he put the effort in and sat through the game thinking it was live. Hell, he even shouted at the TV as though he was actually into it.
Tully and Spencer get chatting and while he’s not someone that I’d consider a close friend, he’s certainly come a long way over the past few weeks and that has a lot to do with the fact that he’s able to make Tully smile.
She’s still been hurting a lot since Rivers went away but since Spencer has been hanging out, she hasn’t seemed so upset and that’s always going to be a bonus in my eyes, despite my feelings towards the guy.
If he can somehow heal her heart, then I can learn to put up with him, though, I think it might take a little more than a smile for a handsome boy to heal a heart like Tully’s.
I don’t think it’s anything romantic between them, but I think she simply just enjoys his company as a friend and that’s all I can ask for.
My phone rings and I look down at the screen to see Noah’s name flashing up at me. A smile instantly rips across my face and suddenly, Tully and Spencer no longer exist. Hell, I have to remind myself that Aria is playing in the water and not get distracted from watching her.
“Hey,” I say, the smile still pulling at my lips while those familiar butterflies begin taking flight in my stomach. “Are you finished with Maxen?”
“Yeah,” he tells me in that fond tone that tells me he’s pretty damn happy to be hearing my voice right now. “He was a little too hungover to put in a decent day’s work.”
“Really?” I laugh. “I didn’t realize those rich kids knew what a decent day’s work was. Don’t they usually hire someone to do that shit for them?”
“Now, now, Kitty. Retract those claws,” he tells me. “What’s up? Are you not feeling it today?”
“I’m fine,” I say with a laugh, thinking how the Ryder boys and all their friends would have reacted to that comment. It might have been a little much. After all, each and every one of those guys are pretty damn awesome, despite having money. Growing up, I never expected to like guys like them, but they proved me wrong and I’m so pleased that they did. “I’m just teasing. Don’t tell them I said that. They’ll kick my ass with their piles of cash.”
“You realize they don’t walk around with stacks of money falling out of their pockets, right?”
“I know,” I laugh. “What’s going on? Are you heading back to my place?”
“Nope, already there, and to my surprise, you’re not where I left you. Don’t tell me you’re at my place. It’s not like I can go there right now.”
“Chill out, Dude. Tully and I took Ari to the beach.”
“Are you planning on hanging out there for a bit or should I wait for you here?”
I glance across at Tully and from the way she’s laid back on the sand, soaking up the sun as she busily chats away to Spencer; I’d dare say we’ll be here or another few hours. Maybe I should apply a little more sunscreen to Aria. “Yeah, we’re sticking around for a bit.”
“Alright, I’ll head down now. See you in a bit.”
Noah ends the call and I drop the phone into my lap with a satisfied sigh before re-entering the world and joining Tully and Spencer’s conversation.
My patience is stretched thin while my excitement knows no bounds. I want Noah here already and I don’t want to wait. It’s only a few minutes. Can’t I have a little class about myself?
The time ticks by slowly and then finally, a tall, ripped body steps in beside me, hovering over me as he peers down at me. Noah’s shirt instantly comes tearing off before he drops down onto the sand beside me, grabbing me and pulling me into him.
“Stop,” I laugh as I tumble down into him.
Noah’s not having it and doesn’t stop until I’ve completely fallen into his chest and his lips are pressed against mine. “Are you having a good day?” he murmurs when he finally releases me.
“Great day,” I tell him. “but apparently, I have a big butt.”
Noah’s hand instantly comes down on my ass. “I’d say it’s pretty damn perfect to me.” I roll my eyes as he watches me. “What do you say? After this, we take Ari down to the fire station and she can talk to the firemen and check out the trucks while I talk to the chief and see if I can convince him to let me volunteer for a while.”