Chapter 327
“Finally,” Lilly says, peeking out from the kitchen.
I slip off my shoes and walk in barefoot.
“Before anything, let me take a quick shower,” I murmur as I pause near the counter.
She nods, and I head to my room.
My shower doesn’t take long, and within minutes I’m back in the kitchen feeling a little better.
I drop onto one of the bar stools.
“I made lunch,” Lilly says as she hands me a bowl of chicken noodle stir-fry.
“Thank you,” I murmur, breathing in the scent. “You’re a lifesaver p>
She grabs her own bowl and sits next to me.
“That’s just disgusting,” Lilly says the moment she sees me add a huge spoonful of peanut butter to the noodles.
“Hey,” I protest, “don’t knock it until you try it p>
“I’m never trying that shit,” she says, staring at my food in horror. “How can you even eat that p>
“Like this,” I smirk before taking a bite and swallowing. “It’s absolutely great p>
Before she can say anything else, my phone vibrates on the counter.
“Oh yeah,” Lilly says casually, “I forgot to tell you. Noah called while you were in the shower p>
I just shrug and keep eating.
“He’s been calling since I was in yoga class p>
“I didn’t hear everything he said yesterday,” Lilly says, “but it sounded like he found out something p>
“Yeah,” I reply before telling her everything Noah revealed to me yesterday.
“Unbelievable,” she mutters, shaking her head. “I can’t believe Noah actually believed that shit p>
I swallow. “That’s exactly what I said too… It was so stupid and cliché, but he still believed her p>
Just thinking about it still makes me angry and a little hurt that he could believe something like that about me.
“I know he didn’t like me much when we were kids,” I continue, “probably because I was annoying as fuck… but he knew me longer than he knew Chloe. So how could he believe her that easily p>
“You have no idea how badly I want to bring her ass back to life just so I can beat the shit out of her,” Lilly grumbles.
I chuckle softly because, honestly, I had the exact same thought yesterday when Noah told me everything.
“So what are you going to do now?” she asks after a moment. “What’s going to happen between you two p>
I finish the last of my noodles and push the bowl away.
“I’m not going to do anything,” I say simply. “There’s nothing between us anymore, and I don’t want anything to do with him p>
“There’s really no hope for you two p>
I hear the small thread of hope in her voice.
Lilly will always support whatever decision I make, but I know a part of her has always wanted Noah and me to end up together.
“I don’t think so,” I reply gently. “I’m in a relationship with Adrian, and I don’t think I could give that up for Noah p>
“So it’s that serious p>
“I think I’m falling in love with him,” I whisper. “Does that answer your question p>
Her eyes widen, and for a moment she just stares at me. Then her shoulders sag as a breath escapes her.
“It does,” she says quietly. “I was just hoping p>
“I know,” I reply softly. “But there’s too much pain and heartache between Noah and me for anything good to ever grow from it p>
She nods, but I can tell it still hits her harder than she lets on.
I reach for her shoulders and pull her into a hug.
“Besides,” I whisper, “we don’t need marriage to make us family because we already are p>
I know she’s always secretly wanted Noah and me to end up together so we could officially become family.
Her breath hitches before she answers quietly, “You’re right p>
We stay like that for a moment longer and just as we pull apart, the doorbell rings.
“Were you expecting someone?” she asks, staring at the door.
“No p>