Noah (28 page)

They
bought
their coffee and walked half a block down to the gallery. “You really look good, Roni. I’m really glad to see it. I was worried about you.”

Veronica smiled
,
for some reason unnerved at his use of her nickname. He only ever called her that before when
he was
being cute. Here it was the first time she’d seen him in almost a year and he felt he could call her that? Deep inside she knew the real reason it bothered her but she shook it off.

“So are you still seeing the woman you met?” Not that she cared but she was curious. She really didn’t think he would’ve been texting her so much if he was.

His expression
fell and he cleared his throat as they entered the gallery. “No, I haven’t.
Things didn’t work out
.”

“Oh,” she said,
glad
she walked in
ahead
him so he wouldn’t see the smirk. “I’m sorry to hear that.” Of course she wasn’t but she really didn’t care either way.
S
he
just
had to admit it was a bit satisfying
.
“Has it been long?” She turned when he didn’t respond.

“
Veronica
,
I’m sorry.
I made a mistake. A huge mistake. Probably the
biggest
mistake of my life.” They stepped aside out of the walkway where people could pass through. “I didn’t know how else to deal with it. It seemed everything I did or said was the wrong thing. It got to the point where I was afraid to talk to you. At the time it felt like the best thing to do was step back and out of the picture.”

Veronica stared at him for a moment trying to make sense of how anyone could think that the best thing to do when someone you cared about was going through the hardest times in the
ir
life was to walk away—
step out of the picture
?
She could think of a million things to tell him right now. How much she had hated him then. How she would’
ve
never walked away had the tables been turned but she didn’t. That ship had sailed. Instead, she smiled. “It’s okay. I made it.”

His expression remained strained. “I never doubted you would. Listen.” He jammed his hands into his pockets and glanced around nervously. “I know this probably doesn’t matter anymore but I want you to know. Angela… the woman I started seeing during that time. It didn’t even last a month. I just couldn’t stop thinking about you.” He glance
d
at her but couldn’t make eye contact for very long. Veronica had never seen him so nervous. “I can’t tell you how many times I wanted to stop by and say hello, see how you were doing. And then I’d lose my nerve. I was so relieved when you text
ed
me back today. I thought for sure you hated me.”

“I don’t hate you, Derek.” Not that she didn’t think she did for a long time. But she knew now that in order for her to hate him she would’ve had to love him first. She wasn’t sure why or how but she was certain now that she never had. “And you can stop beating yourself up about it. I’m fine now. More than fine.”

No longer wanting to stand there and have this
uncomfortable
conversation Veronica started walking. Derek walked along side her.

The sign outside the gallery boasted the names of the
new
artist
s
being featured this week. Veronica had never heard of any of them. She used to keep up
with all the new talent in the photography world. It was high time she got back to the things she loved.

Derek seemed to pick up on the fact that she didn’t really want to talk about anything heavy so they kept the conversation light. They strolled along the gallery commenting on the different photographs and he asked her about her photography.  

They walked around for almost an hour and then the conversation took a turn.
“How are things now that… you’re alone?”

Veronica stopped and stared at the black and white photograph of an old woman smoking on a park bench wearing stilettos. “I have a roommate now.”

“You do?”

She studied the picture wondering what
to make of it
.
Did the
stilettos
represent
this woman’s past?

“Roni?”

Her thoughts interrupted she turned back to Derek. “New roommate?”

“Oh, yeah. He’s
a kid
from the neighborhood. My trainer actually.” She
smiled
at him. “He’s the one that helped
me
drop all the weight.” She
started walking again. “He had some issues with his place so he’s renting one of the rooms at my house temporarily.”

“Temporarily.”

It wasn’t a question
, more like a statement. Veronica could tell he was speculating but she didn’t care.
Just the
thought of Noah had her looking at her watch. “I better get going.”

Without another
word,
he nodded and they headed to his car. The ride home was somewhat quiet until they got to her house. Just as she began to get
out,
she felt his hand on her arm. “Roni.” She stopped and turned back to face him. “It was really good to see you again. You look amazing.”

She smiled and nodded feeling a little uncomfortable. “Thank you. It was good seeing you, too.”

“Maybe I can call you again? We can do dinner or something?”

With a weak smile she nodded not sure how else to respond.
Before he could say anything
else,
she
rushed
out, thanked him for the coffee
and waved
goodbye hurrying up her walkway.
The pounding in her chest was testimony to how much she’d allowed Noah to get in her head because all she could think of was how he’d react when she told him she’d spent the morning with Derek.  
           

This was the first time since Roni had started working out here that she hadn’t made it in. Her text simply said she wouldn’t make it in and she’d see him tonight.
Anxi
ety
crept into him as he shoved his things into his locker.

Noah heard the guys walk noisily
into
to the locker room.

“It’s not his place, Hector
,
” Abel said.

“Yeah it is. He’s paying rent right?”

Noah looked up at them as he slipped his arm into his jacket. Hector and Abel walked side by side toward him, Gio was just behind them.   

“Hey, Noah.
” Hector grinned.
“What do you say we
have
New Year
’
s
Eve
at your place?”

Noah chuckled. “It’s not my place.”

“I told you,” Abel said shaking his head. 

“You pay rent don’t you?” Hector insisted.

“Yeah, for one bedroom.”

The idea wasn’t half bad. Noah had a feeling Roni would once again be flying solo
on New Years Eve
. At least he hoped she was and
once
again,
he had every intention of
be
ing
there to keep her company.
Hell he couldn’t think of anywhere else he’d rather be.
But having the guys over to celebrate sounded like fun. Roni
had
enjoyed Christmas Eve
with them
, she might agree to something like this but he wasn’t about to volunteer her place before making sure with her.

“Well can’t you ask, Roni?”
Hector asked.

Noah
refrained from frowning
. Hearing Hector refer her to her as that rubbed him the wrong way. “We’ll see.” He grabbed his helmet and his keys. “I’m out
.
I’ll see you guys tomorrow.”

“
L
et us know ASAP. We need to plan something
.
I
t’s just days away.”

Noah turned around and walked backwards. “I’ll ask, but you better not be an idiot about it. If she does agree it’s not gonna be some big shit with all your stupid high school friends.”

Hector’s face screwed up. “I
hardly
even hang out with anyone from school.”

Noah turned around. “I’ll let you know.”

A
ll the way home
Noah pushed the speed limit anxious to see Roni
.
He could only dream of the day he’d walk in and take her
in his arms
. His entire body ached with the desire to do it already but he had to be patient. It was torture but the more he
w
as around her the more he was certain it would be worth the wait.

Spending Christmas day with her had been more than he could ever dream of. At one point, she’d leaned her head against his shoulder as they watched
A Christmas Story
. Nothing had ever felt so perfect as being there with her all day.

He drove into the back
,
opening the garage door with the extra garage door opener Roni had given him. He felt an instant let down as the door slid open and he saw her car wasn’t there yet.

In no rush now, he
slowly
took off his motorcycle
gear
and hung them on hooks in the garage. The backdoor of the house opened and out came Roni.

“Hey.” She smiled. “You hungry
?
I made dinner.”

Just seeing her brightened his mood and he smiled
goofil
y. “Yeah, I’m starved.” He turned back to where her car should’ve been parked. “Where’s your car?”

She frowned
hugging herself and rubbed her arms as
walk
ed
toward him. He pointed to the house. “
Let’s
get inside its freezing out here.”

“I had to get it towed,” she said as they walked back to the house together. “It wouldn’t start.”

“What? You should’ve called me.”

They walked in the house
and
the smell of something delicious hit him instantly.

“No, you were working.”

“Babe—” he caught himself quickly
as he followed her into the kitchen
. “Roni, next time call
me
. They’re gonna charge you an arm and a leg and I’m sure it’s not
hing
I can’t fix
. Even
if I can’t
,
Abel can.”

If she caught the
babe
thing
she didn’t say anything. Noah could hardly believe how that
h
ad just slipped. He had her explain to him exactly what the car did or hadn’t d
ome
. He couldn’t help laughing at her attempt to mimic the sound the car had made. She laughed with him.
“That’s what it sounded like!”

Damn
,
he wanted to kiss her.
“So you were stuck home all day
?
”   

If his eyes hadn’t been glued to her smiling face he might’ve missed the way her expression slowly
turned uneasy
.
She turned her back to him and stirred the saucepan on the stove.

“What’s wrong?”

He walked up behind her. She wore her hair up in a clip
.
A
few soft ringlets of hair fell around her neck but for the most part it was exposed. It took everything in him to not
slide
his arms around her waist and kiss her neck.
Instead,
he
forced himself to
t
a
k
e
a
the few steps
away
and
lean against the counter
to
face her.   

She stared into the small saucepan as she
slowly
stirred. Noah leaned in to peek
at what looked
and smelled
like clam chowder
.
T
hen
he
brought his attention back to
her again. “What’s the matter?”