It took a few seconds for those words to settle into Mia’s brain, but when they did, she stumbled a little.
Reagan steadied her. “You okay?”
“Yeah,” Mia said distractedly.
Leaving you alone.
Noah’s brother had died the same weekend Mia was diagnosed...but no. Surely that—surelyshehad nothing to do with his change in his lifestyle.
She shook off the thought as they entered the kitchen.
Claire stood near the counter, her hand deep in a bag of chips. “Ready?” she asked, mouth full.
“I think so.”
Claire brushed her hands off and grabbed the KitchenAid box from the counter. “Damn, this is heavy.”
Mia had set two suitcases by the door, and she rolled one behind her while Reagan took the other. Her friends helped load the items into the car, which was already packed with hanging clothes.
“See ya later,” Reagan said, giving her a quick hug and heading back inside.
Mia turned to Claire, who leaned against the Subaru with a satisfied grin on her face.
“Are you not even a little sad to see me go?” Mia asked.
“Of course I am.”
“Your creepy, clown-sized smile says otherwise.”
“Okay fine, I’m not.” Claire laughed and stepped forward to hug her. “But only because I know I’ll still see you all the time, and because Noah’s house is where you should be.”
Mia chose not to respond to that. “Dinner at least once a week?”
“Probably more.”
“Deal. At least until the fall semester starts. After that I might be studying a lot.”
“Studying, having wild sex with Noah...po-tay-to, po-tah-to.”
Mia pulled back with a sharp inhale. “Claire! It’s not going to be like that.”
“Okay.”
“I’m serious.”
“Sure.”
Mia closed her eyes and inhaled deeply. “I’m leaving now.”
“’Kay. Love you.”
“Love you, too.”
When they first visited CU’s campus as high-school seniors, Mia had been uncommonly nervous. It hadn’t made any sense, because she’d been so excited for college. Soready. Still, the sweeping campus, with all the buildings separated by lush lawns and mazes of walkways, had felt overwhelming. After the formal tour, Mia’s and Noah’s parents had left, but Mia wasn’t ready. Noah had walked with her around every inch of that place, ever patient as she explored and found her bearings.
That same feeling of uncertainty filled her just twenty minutes later, as Mia stood frozen in Noah’s entryway.
“Why are you looking around like it’s your first time here?”