Chapter Twenty-Six

Chapter Twenty-Six

NOAH

I should’ve known better than to invite Charlie and Kate to the red-carpet event. Lex warned me it would create this bizarre frenzy within them. I laughed it off, being the naïve dickhead who underestimated the power of a woman possessed by Hollywood.

With Mom in town and willing to babysit the girls, Charlie jumped at the chance to go out for the evening. Both Charlie and Kate went into ‘wardrobe meltdown’ as they called it, spending a good hour in Charlie’s closet trying to figure out what to wear.

Morgan left with her dad, apologizing to everyone that she had to be at an event. Max was kind enough to say goodbye. Morgan chose to ignore me, without a goodbye, taking her stubborn and childish ass along with her.

We arrive at the party in separate cars, Charlie taking it upon herself to invite Haden and Presley. I don’t mind so much. It just put Kate and me in an awkward position being surrounded by married couples.

The room’s large, an ample event space that’s decked out like a nightclub, dimly lit with a stream of neon lights. The bar area takes the whole back wall, each barstool occupied with guests. The music is playing loudly in the background, making it difficult to hear each other.

“I think I just saw Zac Efron,” Kate squeals into my ear, squeezing my arm tight.

I roll my eyes, then lean in. “Isn’t he young enough to be your son?”

She slaps my chest instantly, knocking me back slightly. “You had no problem with my age before our beach incident.”

“That’s before I knew you were a grandma,” I joke lightly.

Kate’s only a year older than me but has a youthful glow, quickly mistaking her for being younger. I just like to poke fun to rile her up.

“By the way…” I add, eyeing her up and down, admiring her sexy body in front of me. I’ll admit it again, she has great tits having already seen her completely naked. “You look hot tonight.”

She’s wearing one of Charlie’s dresses, a sheer black dress that sits short with tall black pumps, making the top of her head sit just below my eyes.

“Why, thank you.” Kate grins happily. “You scrub up surprisingly good yourself. Nine out of ten.”

“Nine out of ten? Where did I lose the point?”

“I’m not sure,” she says playfully. “But if I rated you ten, then I’d have to take you home and shag ya. So, you can see the bind I’m in.”

I keep my opinion to myself, distracted by chaos at the door. Scarlett has walked in, wearing a long silver gown that sparkles, almost blinding me. With her signature red lips, she’s tied her hair into a sleek ponytail, posing with guests who are taking selfies.

She’s gorgeous, no doubt, but my entire body comes to a complete still the moment my eyes land on Morgan. She’s standing a few steps behind Scarlett, carefully camouflaging herself. The second Scarlett steps away, she’s in full view.

Everything in the room slows down, and the music sounds distant. My eyes are fixated on her, and only her. She looks angelic, the white dress only accentuating her natural beauty. She’s wearing her hair out, pushed to one side, flowing down the side of her body and stopping just above her hips.

My body gravitates toward her, long steps in sync with the loud thump banging in my chest. With just the tilt of her beautiful face, her eyes meet mine.

“Noah,” she mouths, smiling.

“I’m glad you’re happy to see me. After this afternoon’s little tantrum, I thought you might banish me to the corner of this room.”

She moves closer, careful to keep a reasonable distance between us. “I couldn’t banish someone so hot to the corner. Unless, of course, I’m there riding you.”

I can only respond with a wide smirk, keeping my head down as I try to compose myself. God, I fucking love her. The way she makes me laugh even when we’re in the middle of a petty argument.

“Noah!” Scarlett calls, leaning in and kissing me hello. The cameras flash everywhere around us, and I’m not sure what to do. I follow her lead, posing along with her while scanning the area looking for Morgan.

“So, who did you come here with?” she asks, pulling me aside.

“My cousin, her husband, and a friend. Oh, and Haden and Presley.”

“Great,” she says with enthusiasm. “I’d love to say hello.”

“Kate’s here?” Morgan’s mood shifts, watching her from across the room. “Why did you come with her?”

“I didn’t come with her.” I smile through my teeth as Scarlett watches us. “She tagged along with Charlie and Lex.”

“I need to go… a work thing has come up.” Morgan storms off before I have the chance to question her behavior.

Scarlett takes the opportunity to introduce me to some friends. They are actors, and I recognize them from some action films.

I look around again and can’t find Morgan, so I begin to move through the crowd to where everyone’s sitting. Charlie’s the first to react, her eyes spinning with stars. Kate’s no different, squealing like an overly hormonal teenager. Lex is more reserved, keeping his expression to nothing more than a polite smile. I know him well enough to know he wouldn’t react with enthusiasm in front of Charlie, or she’ll drag him by the balls back home.

Scarlett says hello to everyone, keeping her conversation friendly and laid back. Haden and Presley can’t help themselves, talking about work and the progress of the book. I haven’t found Morgan again, pulling Scarlett to the side.

“Where’s Morgan?”

“Probably doing business somewhere,” she brushes me off.

She continues to chat with Charlie and Kate for a few more minutes before she has to leave to do some press interviews.

“Can you believe that,” Kate exclaims with such awe. “She’s so beautiful. Flawless even.”

“I know,” Charlie follows. “I wouldn’t kick her out of bed.”

Lex hides his smirk behind his drink.

Haden’s quick to comment, “I believe you’ve just been invited to a threesome.”

Both Lex and I laugh, annoying the girls.

“You know what, Haden?” Presley says, annoyed. “You’re such a jerk.”

“Perhaps,” he says through a satisfied grin. “A jealous jerk.”

“Oh, sure,” she teases sarcastically. “You guys are all talk. I’d love to have a threesome… blah, blah, blah… but I bet if it came down to it, you’d freak out.”

I don’t involve myself in this conversation. I’ve had threesomes and never freaked out. Quite the opposite, actually. Lex remains tight-lipped, but Haden has to weigh in, of course, because the two of them continuously argue.

“Really? You think I’d freak out?” he challenges Presley.

She nods her head. “Uh-huh.”

“Well, then… bring it on.”

“So, you don’t mind another guy being in bed with us?” she asks with a sarcastic smirk lingering on her face.

Haden doesn’t take the joke lightly, his nostrils flaring like a wild beast. “You’re such a pain in the ass.”

We laugh as they continue to goad each other, and I only break away when Morgan’s by my side. She appears worried but quickly puts on a smile, saying hello to everyone, including Kate. I ask her for a moment in private, taking her outside and around the corner, ready to question the goddamn mood swings giving me whiplash.

There’s no one here except for a few passing by. The urge—unable to withhold—consumes me while I pull her into me and kiss her soft lips. She parts them evenly, allowing my tongue to meet with hers while they battle in a frenzy. My hands move of their own accord, sliding around to her back, which is exposed. Her skin is warm with tiny goosebumps forming the deeper I kiss her.

Out of breath and panting heavily, she whispers, “Noah, I think we need to talk.”

I place my lips on hers again, not wanting to talk but instead taste her.

She pulls back, this time with a slight force. “Noah, please listen to me.”

“I’m listening,” I half say, buried in the crook of her neck. “You’re so beautiful.”

She places her hands firmly on my chest. Her expression remains fixed, then pleads with me to stop.

I don’t know why I listen. Maybe because that’s what you’re supposed to do in a relationship. Or at least that’s what I think you should do. I know I’m not thinking straight. I’ve missed her, yet I’m angry about the way she stormed out earlier this afternoon.

“Can we talk tonight? After the party?”

I run my finger along her cheek, watching her eyes close for a brief moment only to flicker wide open seconds later.

“Noah, please stop touching me and listen to what I’m saying,” she demands, distancing herself from me.

My bruised ego has had enough.

This is fucking bullshit.

“I’m listening, Morgan, because it’s the only thing I can do,” I bellow in frustration. “I can’t fucking see you whenever I want. You won’t let me see your place. You don’t want Scarlett to know about us. For some reason, you can’t get it through your head that Kate is a good friend. What else are you going to request? That I place a fucking paper bag over my head while I’m in the same room as you?”

The hurt and pain mixed with anger reflect back at me. Perhaps I’ve gone too far, but I never claimed to be a saint or a patient one at that.

“You see, this here is why you’ll never understand,” she says with a sick laugh.

I don’t even comment. Walking away, I leave her behind. This whole thing has become drama after drama, and I don’t do drama.

Back inside, the party’s only just starting. A famous band is playing on stage. Everywhere you look, celebrities are surrounding us—some with their significant others, and the rest mingling in the crowd.

Charlie and Lex are on the dance floor along with Haden and Presley. Kate is standing at the bar, conversing with some old dude. She looks over to me, pleading with her eyes to rescue her from the situation she’s found herself in. I casually walk over and rest my arm over her shoulder in desperate need of a drink.

“Oh, would you look at who’s arrived?” she says with a fake smile. “It’s my boyfriend. Going on five years tonight. Definitely going to be celebrating all night long if you know what I mean?”

Winking at the old man, he seems to back off, excusing himself rather quickly. “He knew what you meant,” I tell her. “The whole room knew what you meant.”

“Why the foul mood, Mason? You’re such a Debbie Downer tonight.”

I’m about to open my mouth when I notice Morgan standing behind me. Kate is quick to say hello, and in typical Morgan style she acts like a fucking bitch, returning a forced smile.

“I should probably go,” Kate says cautiously. “Over there.” She points randomly into the crowd, but Morgan stops her.

“Why don’t you stay for this? Apparently, Noah has all the time in the world for you but doesn’t have a few minutes to listen to me,” she notes with dark amusement.

Kate purses her lips, unsure of what to say or do.

I don’t understand what the fuck Morgan’s problem is, quick to defend Kate’s and my relationship again. “Ignore her, Kate. Wicked bitch from the West is back,” I say out loud, never breaking her gaze.

Morgan looks stunned, her mouth slightly open with her eyes narrowing. If the music quieted down, I am sure you’d be able to hear her teeth grinding. She looks livid. And I know I’m in for the biggest fight of my life. The storm is looming, and it’s about to strike.

“We’re so done, Noah.”

I no longer care, fed up with the ridiculous games she plays.

“Great girlfriend material,” I mention sarcastically. “At least I can say I tried a relationship. Definitely not for me.”

Folding her arms with her chest rising and falling rapidly, she says, “You assumed I’m your girlfriend. As you assumed we’re in a relationship.”

That fucking hurt.

Bitch.

She moves toward me, closing the distance between us. I stare into her eyes, hoping that for just a moment, this is a petty fight. But her eyes are cold, so cold that the woman behind them isn’t the Morgan I’ve grown to love. Her lips brush against my ear, and in the sweetest of voices, she whispers, “I was only looking for a rebound, Noah.”

Like ice hitting my skin, I freeze. Paralyzed by the malicious intent of her words, she pulls away from me and begins walking in the opposite direction. I stare into the crowd, vacant and without any emotion. The fire inside my belly is stirring, building into a fit of rage as her words sink in.

The fucking bitch!

Kate warns me to calm down, witnessing the whole encounter. I push her out of the way, scanning the room in an attempt to hunt down Morgan. She’s gone.

The crowd has grown, and willingly, I turn around and motion for the bartender to serve me.

“Noah,” Kate warns me again.

I don’t listen.

I’m done with women.

Slamming the shot down, I demand another. After four in a row, my nerves seem calmer. I head back to our table. Charlie and Lex are too touchy-feely for my liking.

“Fucking get a room already,” I yell at them, mid-shot.

Haden’s no better. For someone I work with, he has no problem practically groping Presley under the table. I’ve been with enough women to know that he’s either brushing his fingers against her clit or fingering her under the table. Either way, I need to leave.

My only problem—I shouldn’t have drunk so much because I’m too intoxicated to drive.

When Kate strolls over, I wrap my arms around her and tell her how beautiful she is. I can always rely on Kate. I should never have allowed Morgan to make me believe otherwise.

“Okay,” she says plainly. “What do you want?”

“I need a ride,” I tell her, kissing the top of her hand.

She pulls it away. “Do I have ‘Uber’ written on my forehead?”

“No. You have ‘horny woman who needs to get laid by Zac Efron’ written on your forehead.”

She nods her head, agreeing. I manage to convince her. She’s also eager to leave the couples to get on with their business.

“Take me to Scarlett’s place,” I demand, slurring.

“Why?”

“I need to talk to her.”

Lies. I want to fuck her to forget. That would be the final nail in this fucked-up coffin called our relationship. Morgan would be hurt, and payback would sure be sweet right about now.

“But you’re drunk, Noah, and upset,” she reminds me, starting the engine. “What do you need to talk about?”

“Just do it. Okay?”

Kate lets out an annoyed huff before taking off.

It’s late, and the traffic is moving nicely down the freeway. Kate turns up the radio, playing some Katy Perry song. She hums along, distracted by her own thoughts until I startle her.

“Fuck!” I shout.

“What?” she responds, panicked, trying to look over.

“My cell died.”

She rolls her eyes, ignoring my first-world problem and driving up the windy street until we reach Scarlett’s home. For most of the ride, she tries to convince me not to go, but also knows me well enough to drop the subject after I basically tell her to fuck off.

The security guard calls through and opens the gates, allowing me in. When we reach the top of the drive, Scarlett comes out with a concerned look on her face, eyeing our surroundings.

“Hey,” I smirk, stumbling out of the car.

“Didn’t you get my text? I also tried to call you,” she says in a high-pitched voice.

“My phone died at…”

In the corner of my eye, behind the large tree, I see Morgan’s Mercedes. “Morgan’s here?”

I walk toward the house, ignoring Scarlett’s plea to stop. I don’t want Scarlett. And maybe this is a blessing in disguise. I have to apologize in person to Morgan and tell her I fucking love her.

Because I do.

She’s nowhere to be seen, so I move toward the patio where I see an outdoor fire pit and guests sitting on chairs. Scarlett calls my name in a panic, demanding to know what I’m doing. Then, I see her. She’s sitting on a chair, laughing with a glass of wine in her hand.

I step outside, and the second she sees me, her face drops. Pained and pleading for me to understand, she remains silent, not saying my name. I’m confused, and I look behind me where Kate stands and Scarlett’s biting her nails.

“Noah,” Scarlett says, pulling my arm back.

There’s a man, roughly my height, wearing a knitted sweater and dark blue jeans. He has a bottle of beer in his hand, and next to him sits a boy about Amelia’s age with Max.

He stands, extending his hand. “You must be Noah. Scarlett and Morgan have spoken quite fondly of your work.”

I should be flattered, but my confusion only stems further. “Thank you. And you are?”

“I’m Wyatt, Morgan’s husband, and this is our son, Michael.”

The core of my insides stiffens, and the echo I hear is only that of my heart being torn into shreds. The muscles inside my neck strain to remain composed, my posture demanding I fall over at any moment. But throughout the pain that’s currently crippling my every move, I twist my head to meet Morgan’s eyes.

“Noah,” she pleads.

I rip my arm away from Scarlett’s grip, trying not to lash out in front of the kid, but my tongue is tied, no words or sounds can be spoken. I want to die. Throw me into the pool and let me sink to the bottom. And then I remember her words. The ones that tore me apart more than I could ever have possibly imagined.

I was her rebound.

And standing in front of me is the person she was running from—her husband.

I latch onto Kate’s arm and pull her through the house, ignoring my name being called. Pushing through the glass door, I stomp toward the car, getting in the driver’s seat and roaring the engine to life.

“Noah, calm down,” Kate begs, motioning for me to get out of the driver’s seat. “You can’t drive. The last thing you need is a DUI on record.”

I tell her to get in and shut the fuck up, my anger fueling me to leave this place and everyone behind. There’s banging on the window, Morgan desperate for me to open, but I refuse. Placing the car into gear and slamming my foot on the accelerator, I kick up stones as I drive down the hill, almost taking out a few statues.

“Where are you going?” Kate cries, holding onto the handle while I skid out of the property.

“Anywhere but here.”