Chapter Thirty-Two

NOAH

It’s my final destination before life as I know it will change forever.

New York City.

The last time I was here, it was a boys’ weekend, which almost resulted in Tom being mugged for his shoes. One wrong turn, the three of us drunk, and our carefree attitude of thinking we owned the streets while running our mouths at random strangers.

We were lucky to come out alive.

Lex notified the receptionist of my attendance, keeping my visit between us for now.

With a friendly welcome, she offers me a refreshment before guiding me to Kate’s office. I kindly decline, waiting for her to open the door.

After a polite knock, the door opens into a large office. The room is almost three times the size of Haden’s office back in LA with sweeping views of the city and a large table positioned in the middle toward the back of the room.

The walls are bland, lacking a personal touch. Behind the table, Kate raises her eyes with an incredulous stare.

“Noah,” she mouths, clearing her throat of a rasp. “Why are you here?”

“Can we talk, please?” I eye the receptionist, wondering how long she’ll fucking stand beside me. “In private, perhaps?”

Finally, she gets the hint, but not before Kate nods for her to leave us alone. Kate motions for me to sit down across from her. The setting is rather formal, and although Kate looks incredibly sexy in her gray skirt and white blouse, there’s a certain distance she keeps from me. No kiss hello or friendly hug to welcome me here. I narrowed down her stand-off behavior to being in work mode. She’s told me several times that who she is in the office isn’t the same person I know.

“How have you been?”

“Good,” I lie, keeping my gaze fixated in her. “And you?”

“Busy.”

The silence falls between us again, speaking a thousand words neither one of us can say.

This is it!

I have no other choice.

I’ve fallen in love with Morgan. For us to make it work, I need to let go of my past and admit that certain things will need to change.

“I came here because…” I search for the right words to verbalize how I feel without hurting her feelings. “I think I’m in love with Morgan.”

Kate’s expression remains fixed, her slow and steady gait gives nothing away. With her fingertips running against the edge of the table, her mouth curves upward into a small smile.

“Of course, you are,” she tells me, “It was bound to happen.”

“But I—” I stop mid-sentence, confused by her response. “How did you know?”

She purses her lips, tilting her head to the side. “Sometimes, you just know.”

With a breath escaping my lips, I bow my head, ignoring the more pressing problem. We can carry on as friends, but we’d be burying the truth that our friendship will never be the same. Gone are the nights of texting with an occasional request for a nude picture just to drive each other crazy. Our impromptu visits to our laying in each other’s arms to comfort our own heartbreak will all be a thing of the past.

This relationship stuff is hard, but I know Morgan has an issue with Kate, and there’s no way I can balance the two women in my life.

And suddenly, I’m torn.

I don’t want to say goodbye to Kate, but I can’t ignore how I feel about Morgan any longer. Decisions need to be made, and for once, I have to make them responsible.

“Noah, it’s time for you and Morgan. I’ll always be here as your friend.”

She says the words I need her to say. Almost as if she reads my mind and knows exactly what thoughts are jumbled inside of me, piecing it together to make some sort of sense.

“You’ll be okay,” I tell her, my voice low, unable to look her in the eye. “You always were going to be okay.”

Rising from the chair, I stop myself from reaching out as I’ve always done, embracing her, smelling the scent of her strawberry shampoo while burying my face into her hair. Deep inside, I’m scared if I touch her, I won’t be able to let her go. Desperately holding onto what we have because navigating through life without her by my side is a life not worth living.

She brings out the best in me.

I’m going to fucking miss her, but just like Charlie suggests, I follow my gut.

I say goodbye to Kate.

To us.

And to our friendship as we know it.