Beyond the Point(59)
“I don’t hate you. I’m just annoyed.”
“You’ll understand when you see him.”
“Isn’t it weird that the very first question he asked was whether or not you were married?”
“So the guy doesn’t want to get involved with someone else’s wife,” Avery scoffed, then stood and walked to her dresser. “I thought you’d like that.”
“Just don’t disappear, okay?”
“What, like he’s going to kidnap me?”
“No,” Hannah chuckled.
Avery began letting down her hair from the hot rollers at her dresser and turned to look at Hannah, who shrugged.
“I leave in March,” Hannah said.
“That’s still like, a year away.”
“Eight months,” Hannah said, correcting her. “It’ll go faster than you think.”
She sighed and placed her phone down on the bedside table.
“Just don’t go fall in love with this guy and then vanish from my life.”
In the silence that followed, anger and shame welled in Avery’s chest in equal measure. The two emotions always seemed to travel as a pair. How could Hannah say something like that? It was Hannah who had gone off and gotten married. She was the one who had gone to Sapper School. She was the one who’d barely kept in touch. Avery didn’t want to be ugly, but for some reason, she wanted to scream at her friend for not being more supportive. Couldn’t Hannah just be happy for her, for once? Instead, she had to infuse the entire conversation with worry and judgment, like Avery was about to do something unethical. But there wasn’t anything wrong with going on a date! And what would Hannah know about dating in the real world, anyway? She and Tim had coupled off so fast, she never had a chance to experience single life. She would never understand.
“There’s plenty of time,” Avery said finally. “Don’t worry so much.”
Hannah sighed. “You’re right. I’m sorry. It’s just starting to feel real.”
Now it was Avery who exhaled. “I really do feel bad about bailing tonight.”
“Don’t,” Hannah said, heading back toward Avery’s closet to peruse her clothes. “What are you going to wear?”
At that moment, they both heard the low grumbling sound of an engine coming to a stop right outside Avery’s window.
Hannah peeked out the curtain. “I think it’s him,” she said.
“Oh shit!” Avery went into hyperdrive.
“He’s on a motorcycle,” Hannah narrated. “He’s taking off his helmet. Oh my gosh. You weren’t kidding. He’s . . .”
A black silk camisole with lace trim slipped over Avery’s shoulders. She wore black jeans, and for a layer of warmth, she chose a gray cashmere sweater that hung open in the front and draped toward her knees. Her blond hair curled in big, loose waves to her collarbones, offset by a rose shade of lipstick. As Avery slipped on a pair of black high heels, Hannah shook her head.
“Wear the sneakers,” she instructed. Avery quickly switched to a black pair of high-tops.
“Oh my god, I’m so nervous.” She stood, opened her arms. “How do I look?”
“Amazing,” Hannah affirmed. “Text me if he’s a psycho and you need me to come get you.”
Smiling, Avery gave her friend a hug and grabbed her purse.
“Just lock the door behind you when you go,” Avery said. “See you later?”
Hannah nodded.
“Thank you, Hannah. And I promise I’ll make it up to you.”
Avery stepped outside and closed the door behind her.
“YOU READY?”
Noah stood on the sidewalk, dressed in dark blue jeans, a gray T-shirt, and a black leather jacket. If it was humanly possible, Noah looked even better fully clothed than he had shirtless. As Avery approached him, he held out a shiny black helmet for her to put on.
“Where are we going?” she asked, taking the helmet in two hands.
“You’re going to have to trust me.”
“I just met you,” she replied. “Of course I don’t trust you.”
He reached over and helped secure the helmet, and the warmth of his fingers under her chin sent shivers down Avery’s spine.
“And how do you know where I live anyway?” she asked.
“I’d be a pretty bad Special Forces officer if I couldn’t figure out where someone lives,” he answered. “Ever ridden on one of these?”
“Yes,” she lied.
“Good,” he said, and then placed two hands on either side of Avery’s helmet. With a smile that broke Avery’s resolve, Noah winked.
He got on the bike, looked at her, and shrugged. “So are you coming or what?”
From: Hannah Nesmith <[email protected]>
Subject: urrg.
Date: April 12, 2005 17:29:15 PM EST +01:00
To: Dani McNalley <[email protected]>
She did it again. We’d planned to do dinner and a movie for weeks, but when I showed up she said she’d forgotten. And had some date with a dude she met on her assignment.
At what point do I just give up trying?
From: Dani McNalley <[email protected]>
Subject: Re: re: urrg.