“You mean with my cousin on top of you in bed?”
This time it was Noah who looked away. When he looked back, a small smile was playing with the corners of his lips. “Heather told me you were in a rather feisty mood tonight.”
“She used the word ‘feisty,’ did she?”
His smile spread to his eyes. “I miss that feistiness,” he said. Then, “I missyou.”
Paige felt her body sway toward him. She fought to hold her position. “Maybe you should have thought of that before you started fucking my cousin.”
Noah released a slow, deep breath. “So…back to that.”
“Back to that.”
“Look. I understand you’re angry…”
“How generous of you.”
“Give me a break, Paige. I’m trying to apologize here.”
“I’m not interested in your apology. I thought I made that pretty clear when I moved out.”
“That’s just it. Everything happened so fast. You ran off, you wouldn’t answer my calls, you carted your stuff out the next day—”
“And Heather carted her stuff right in.”
“It’s more complicated than that.”
“Heather is many things,” Paige shot back. “Complicated is not one of them.” She noticed a friend of Bev’s watching them from the valet stand. The woman put her hand in front of her mouth to whisper something to her companion. “We should go in. People are starting to talk…”
“Walk with me,” Noah said.
“I don’t think that’s a good idea.”
“Walk with me,” he said again, taking her by the elbow and leading her down Avery Street toward Washington.
“What’s happening?” Paige asked him when they reached the corner. “What are we doing?”
“I don’t know, damn it.” Noah threw his hands up in the air. “Believe me, this is not the way I envisioned this evening going.”
“And how did you envision it going?”
“Not like this.” He stared in the direction of the old Paramount Theatre. “Look. I’ll be honest. I was kind of hoping you wouldn’t show…”
“Heather didn’t tell you I was coming?”
“Oh, no. She told me. She even said you were bringing a date. I tried to tell myself it didn’t matter, and then in you walked…”
“And?”
“It matters,” he said.
Paige found herself holding her breath. Wasn’t this exactly what she’d been wanting to hear?
“So, what’s the story with this guy?” Noah asked.
“I don’t think that’s any of your business.”
“I’m asking anyway.”