21. Cat

Noah textsme right before I leave to tell me it's safe to meet him at his house. I'm relieved he's figured out I don't want anything to do with Olive. She must have left for a while.

Or for good? Please let her leave Sunset Harbor for good.

I'm still trying to wrap my head around the fact that Noah had no idea his sister was a monster. Shouldn't it have been obvious when she was born with horns?

After getting to know him this summer, I can believe his ignorance. If he'd known back when the bullying was happening, he probably would have tried to put an end to it. He is nothing if not courteous, so it all tracks. For as long as I've held animosity toward this family, it's weird that I didn't even question Noah's revelation. If anything, it calmed me, which makes me feel like I can trust him to tell me the truth. It resonated, which is refreshing.

He'srefreshing. Is that annoying? Probably. I shouldn't think about him like that because it's dangerous. But Noah can be a friend, even if kissing him sends me into a lightheaded mind-spin. That's normal when a guy knows how to kiss, right? Well, Noah knows how to kiss.

I let myself into the house and come to an abrupt stop when I find Bree standing in the entryway, frowning, her dog in her arms.

"Hey," I say, closing the door behind me. If she's here, is Olive nearby? Maybe they came back because Olive forgot her broom and cauldron.

Bree can pretty much read my frantic searching because she says, "Olive's not here. She went to the beach a while ago with Celine."

I notice the designer luggage piled against the wall. "Are you leaving?"

"I'm going home." She strokes Peanut between the ears, and the dog nuzzles into the touch. "Hey, listen, Cat. I'm sorry about bailing during the photoshoot. Alonzo told me they asked you to step in."

"It all worked out."

She gives me a sad smile, brushing her dark hair over her shoulder. "It did for the ad campaign, at least. I'm grateful you stepped in and saved it. I wasn't thinking straight."

"Noah said you got some disappointing news."

She scoffs. "That's putting it lightly. My dreams were crushed."

I can tell. She still carries an aura of sadness, which makes me want to hug her. We aren't really at that level, so I hang back. I'm surprised at myself for wanting to hug a Belacourt who isn't Noah.

"I don't know the situation," I say, "but it sounds like a job thing and not a relationship rejection. Is there no other way to accomplish your dream? When Taylor Swift couldn't get her own masters, she produced them again herself, right? Made it work despite a rejection." What goes without saying is that Taylor had the connections and finances to make that work. But Bree isn't lacking in either regard.

Bree narrows her eyes slightly. "Noah didn't tell you what I was trying to do?"

"No." I mean, I was the one who sent her flowers in Nashville, and now she's suspicious after my Taylor Swift example. I'm starting to think it might have something to do with the music industry, but I'm not going to say as much.

She sighs. "It's not the kind of thing where I can just put out a Bree's Version and stick it to the man. I need the man for this."

Taylor has a song for that, too.

"Do you, though?" I ask. "I guess I figured there's always a way to accomplish your dreams when you have enough motivation."

Bree looks down at her dog, her dark eyebrows pulling together. Her long hair is flawlessly curled and cascading over her shoulders. She looks like she's dressed for lunch in Manhattan with her ribbed high-neck tank and designer jeans, which is maybe where she's headed now.

"I hope you find a way," I tell her as footsteps tap down the staircase.

Alonzo and Noah appear with more bags and pass us to take them outside. I feel Noah's arm brush mine as he passes. My eyes linger on his retreating back, watching the muscles shift beneath his T-shirt as he effortlessly carries a bulky suitcase in each hand.

"Thanks, Cat." Bree slides her sunglasses on. "Try not to break my brother's heart, okay? He seems tough on the outside, but he's a softie."

That comes out of left field. Does she know her brother? He doesn't seem tough on the outside. He's kind to the bones—it shows in his smile and the way he listens to people. Yes, he's a bigwig businessman billionaire, but he's not scary.

I totally misjudged him. He's not really a buttmunch at all. Maybe his new nickname will be Bleeding Heart Belacourt.

Brawny Belacourt

Broad-shouldered Babe Belacourt.

Makes Me Want to Brush My Lips All Over His Belacourt.

I'm getting away from myself. Otto has ruined me for normal names. This is entirely his fault.

Also, me break Noah's heart? Is she for real?

I look through the open door where Noah is walking away, but he doesn't look like he heard her. "We aren't dating," I say quietly.

"I know." She doesn't say anything else, just gives me a little smile and goes out to the golf cart where Alonzo is loading up all the bags. It takes a few more trips to empty the foyer. By the time they drive away, I've made my way into the kitchen and gotten a LaCroix from the fridge. I pop it open and let the bubbly water run down my throat. I need to cool off. Get myself under control. Why would Bree warn me like that unless she noticed the way I looked at Noah when he came downstairs?

He comes back inside after seeing his sister off and shuts the door. "You ready to go?"

I glance down at the old Pink Floyd tee and cut-off shorts I'm wearing. "I better look this terrible for good reason, Belacourt."

"You look perfect." He passes me to pick up a few empty gallon ice cream buckets and leads the way to the back door. When he reaches it, he turns to look at me, his brown eyes deep. Their focused attention makes me breathless. "You coming?"

You look perfect.

I take another drink and put the can on the counter. "Coming."

Noah leadsme down the coastal path past his house, heading away from the resort. He's swinging the empty buckets in his hand. I have to slide on my sunglasses because the early afternoon sun is glaring down at us.

"Are we about to enter your secret lair, Lex?"

"No, that's back at my apartment." He glances at me. "You really don't know where we're going? Jake never brought you here?"

"I try not to think about him. But no, he never brought me here."

"Bad breakup?"

"He cheated." I tilt my head side to side. "If you can call it that. He ghosted me, so we never actually had a breakup. Technically we could still be together."

Noah stops walking. "Seriously?"

"He quit talking to me after he left for Yale. Stopped answering the phone or texting me back. When I started seeing pictures of him with other girls, I realized what had happened."

"Brutal. It's definitely cheating."

"It felt that way at the time."

"I know how it feels to be cheated on, but I haven't been ghosted. There must be a lot of unresolved feelings there."

The warm breeze runs through my hair while waves crash down on the shore below our path. Clear water spreads out below, the waves small and harmless from up here, the light blue water a perfect foil for the lush greenery. "Not anymore. I decided to resolve them myself a few years ago so it wouldn't hang over me forever. I don't like the guy, but I'm over it." Otto was dying, so other things mattered a lot less at the time.

"And if you ever see Jake again?"

"I don't know. I'll probably have to force myself not to punch him in the throat, but mostly just so I don't hurt my hand."

"I'll punch him for you," he mutters.

I laugh, but when I catch his steely gaze, it looks like he isn't joking. A wave of chills rushes down my arms.

"Okay," he says, pulling his gaze away from me. He stops at a break in the shrubs, where the dirt path shifts down toward the ocean. "We're here."

I look from the path to Noah, then my eyes snag on the tall brambles lining the walkway and curving down the side of the hill. Blackberries. A whole entire cache of plump, juicy blackberries. Enough for another vat of jam and a couple of crumbles, at least.

"How did I not know this existed?" I ask, very much in awe.

"It's not accessible unless you live in one of these houses or stay at the resort."

Okay, now it makes sense. I dated Jake back in high school for nearly a year, but we never came down this way. If we went to the beach, it was one of the public ones.

Noah holds out an empty ice cream bucket to me that looks at least a decade old.

I take it, feeling like I'm seven again. "My mom and I would use these to gather blackberries, too."

He sends me a half-smile before reaching high and plucking a berry. He pops it in his mouth and closes his eyes. "There it is."

"What?"

His smile twinkles in the sunlight. "The taste of summer."

I can't take this anymore. He's so sweet. I want to jump the guy and kiss him senseless. So I do the smart thing and walk down a bit to start picking blackberries, leaving a healthy distance between us. Enough space that I can't lose my resolve and maul him.

For the next thirty minutes, every time Noah finishes his section and takes a step closer to me, I take another step further away. His focus is on the high berries and mine is on the low ones. It's like a snail-paced game of cat and mouse, only I want him to catch up to me as much as I know it would be a bad idea.

"How are things going with Otto?" he asks. "Have you made enough to help out with his bills?"

I let out a slow breath and pluck another berry, dropping it in my bucket. "Not enough, but I'm almost halfway. I can't wait to approach him with this huge sum of money and wipe away all his stress."

"He doesn't know you're doing it?"

"No. He still won't tell me about the debt."

Noah turns to face me. "Have you considered that he might have already taken care of it?"

"Yeah, but he mentioned selling his VW Bug, which was a dead giveaway. I straight up asked him if we had any bills from the cancer institute, and he told me they were taken care of a year ago. The bills I found spanned the last six months, at least. He's trying to hide it."

"Poor Otto." Noah resumes picking.

"Poor me. Otto's never lied to me before. It kind of rocked me."

"He must feel like he has a good reason."

"I'm sure he does, but it's not good enough." I reach for a berry and prick my finger on a thorn, hissing through my teeth while I pull my hand away.

"You okay?"

"Yeah. It's nothing. Hazard of the task." I shake my hand out. "I talked to Bree for a minute. She seems pretty sad."

"She got her hopes up. I wish I could tell you more, but she asked me not to tell anyone."

"Don't worry about it. I don't want to pry." Though, in all honesty, I was hoping he'd divulge a little more. A girl can't help but be curious. "I'm guessing your family is careful about the things they share with people, anyway."

"Generally speaking, yeah. I don't worry with you."

My stomach hums with butterflies.

"It's just not my secret to share," he says.

"Understandable."

I turn to ask if his bucket is nearly full like mine is, and he's standing right next to me. How'd he close the gap so seamlessly? I reach for a berry from his basket and chew on it, letting the sweet tartness burst in my mouth.

I'm nodding like this was the confirmation I expected. "Okay, these are going to make the best crumble."

"Do I get to make it with you?"

"Absolutely."

I reach for another berry, but he grabs my wrist lightly, his teeth gleaming down at me. "Eat your own hard-earned berries, Cat."

"Fine." I reach up and pop the berry in his mouth. He grows still. My finger brushes his lip, immediately throwing me back to the ad shoot and how velvety and pliable his lips are when they're crushing mine. "There you go." My voice is scratchy, my mouth dry.

I don't want anything in the world right now as much as I want to kiss him.

But he is my boss, and not interested, and Olive's brother, and disgustingly rich, and so so so hot.

I lean closer, picking another berry from his bucket. My self-control is a thing of the past. The sea air and berry sweetness and earthy brambles are going to my head. I hover with this berry for a minute. He opens his mouth for it, but I pop it into mine, chewing around my smile.

Noah puts his basket on the ground, then takes my full basket and sets it next to his. He grips the hem of my T-shirt and pulls me closer until my chest presses against his, his eyes on mine the entire time. "You're trouble."

I should be stopping this, but I want it. "Only if you want to save any berries for crumble."

"Like I said, trouble." He slides a hand to the back of my neck, making my skin prickle.

"What do you have going on tonight?" I ask. Energy buzzes between us. I want to touch him, but I'm afraid of being zapped. "Dessert first? We can make the crumble right now."

Noah freezes before his mouth gets any closer. He closes his eyes and lets out a breath. "A date with Jane."

Seriously?I can't even be mad because I set them up?.?.?. and for good reason, right? At the time I had reasons. Now I can't remember what they were.

Noah steps back, putting distance between us. "I better get going."

"Yeah, of course. Jane." I pick up the bucket of berries and fall into step beside Noah, feeling like I walked out of the house without my keys. I'm missing something.

Someone. Noah. I let that sink in. When I'd suggested the date with Jane, I was trying to protect myself by erecting a barrier between us. I've never been so annoyed with my past self and her sense of self-preservation. Barriers are stupid.

We make it back to his house after an uncomfortable walk along the sea path, and the whole time I'm cursing myself for setting Noah up with Jane in the first place. The girl is hot. I love her to death. She's funny, smart, gets stuff done. She's threat level one, and I just set up a date between her and the guy I'm falling for.

Noah gives me the second bucket when we reach the house. "Sorry I can't be your sous chef. I'll help you eat the crumble, though, if you want."

"Sure."

Olive is leaning against a stool at the kitchen counter beside another girl. They both look up when we walk in. "Hey, Noah. Want to go grab dinner?.?.?."

She trails off when she notices me behind her brother.

"I have plans," Noah says.

"See you," I say to Noah, walking past Olive without a word.

She stands up. "Hey, Cat."

My heart is hammering. It's an entire construction site in my chest, and it's wicked uncomfortable.

"Cat?" she calls again.

I ignore her, because I'm not in a place where I can face this right now.

"Wow," the other girl says. "She's kinda rude."

My blood simmers when I reach the door. I don't even bother turning back to address how insanely imbalanced her perception is. I just let myself out and slam the door behind me.