It was the last solid shred of proof that the boy I’d once been no longer existed.
I opened my mouth with no idea what to say when Noel saved me by appearing at my side. “Hey, this is Felicity. She’s a waitress here, so no charge. ’Kay?”
“Noel.” The relief in her voice as she whirled to him made me clench my teeth and restrain myself from flinching. But damn, it singed the old heart muscle to watch her turn away from me so readily in favor of another man. “What...who...?” Her gaze darted back to me briefly before she eyed him expectantly.
“Oh. This is the new guy,” he explained. “Apparently, he doesn’t have a name yet.”
“Uh...” Felicity’s eyebrows crinkled with confusion. Again, she spared me the barest curious glance before turning her attention right back to Noel. “O...kay. Since when do we have a new bartender?”
“Since tonight. What’re you doing here, anyway? Where’s Aspen?”
“Your wife decided I needed to drink my troubles away.” Felicity rolled her eyes but chased it with a smile. “She came in with me, except Mason waylaid her with some school questions so—oh! Here she is.”
When a small dark-headed woman appeared at her side, Felicity tugged her close and pressed their cheeks together as she grinned at Noel.
“Hey, you,” Noel greeted, reaching for the new woman as he leaned over the bar to pull her in for a greeting kiss.
As their mouths meshed, my gaze strayed back to Felicity. It was incredible how little she’d changed in six years. There was a bit more maturity to her face, and yeah, her body was no longer sixteen, but other than that, even her hair was the same.
My mouth watered and body tightened with a need I hadn’t felt in quite a while. I wanted to follow Noel’s lead and reach for my girl, tug her over the bar to me and devour her mouth. My fingers flexed, tingling with the need.
I still couldn’t believe she was right fucking there.
And I wasn’t touching her, wasn’t even talking to her.
As if sensing my intent gaze, she glanced at me. She began to look away, just as quickly, but then darted back with one more quick frown my way, as if letting me know she thought I was a creeper for staring the way I was. When she moved fractionally closer to Noel’s woman, where she was still locking lips with Noel, the two pulled away.
Glancing at me, Noel hitched his chin to the other end of the bar. “I got these two. You can get that group down there.”
For a heartbeat, I couldn’t move away from City. She was right there, the one person who owned my soul.
But then reality crashed around me. She didn’t know me; I was a complete stranger to her. And I’d promised myself I’d stay away. Forcing my ass into gear, I gave Noel a single nod and turned away from her to take the order of the three guys at the other end of the bar.
I hummed Colbie Caillat’s “Falling for You” under my breath as I skipped through the trees and dodged mushy, marshy-looking spots. I knew the path well by now. I’d traveled it every day for the past two weeks.
Knox and I no longer met by “our” tree. Now we went to “our” dock at the strip pit. Sometimes we swam, sometimes we didn’t, but every time we ended up kissing. I’d become well and truly addicted to kissing. I swear, my mouth could just live against Knox’s. I hated it every time we had to pull apart and go home. But he had an evening job at a local dog food factory, and always had to leave to get ready for that, and I...well, I didn’t want to risk causing any suspicion from my family by staying away too long, even though no one had noticed my lengthy afternoon walks in the woods yet.
Today, I dared more than usual. After sneaking a basket into the kitchen, I’d packed us an afternoon snack. From all our conversations, I knew Knox loved peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, nacho chips, and apples the best, so I crammed them inside along with two bottles of water and plates and napkins.
When I heard my mother’s voice nearing the kitchen, I dashed out the back door and streaked across the yard to the trees, panting by the time I reached the first one. After ducking behind it, I waited thirty seconds before peeking around the trunk to make sure no one had come outside to look for me. The coast looked clear, but I was still wary, so I dodged from here to there for a while until I felt secure enough to realize no one was following me. Once I relaxed, the excitement of getting to see Knox again rose.
I was unable to stop grinning and actually murmur some of the lyrics aloud by the time I reached the pit.
“I’ve been spending all my time just thinking about you,” I crooned, only to give a happy squeal when I realized I was the first to arrive. “Yes!” I had some time to set up my surprise for him.