Pushing the Limits (Pushing the Limits #1)(57)

My heart hurt to see her in pain and, for one second, I shut down all emotion. One day, she’d figure out she was too good for a loser like me and when she left, I didn’t know how I’d deal with the pain. Echo tapped the paintbrush against her face. Hell, she was worth it. I enfolded her into my body once more, kissing the side of her neck. “Then let’s get serious. Tuesday, we’re getting into your file.”

Echo

“They’re brooding.” I snuck a peek out my bedroom window, searching for any sign of Noah while holding the cordless phone tight to my ear. No cell phone service for twenty-four hours. Living prior to the nineties must have stunk.

“Because Noah is every father’s dream come true,” Lila said, her disdain clear. “And I’ve asked around. There’s no party. I’ll bet you his party consists of drugs, a parked car and him showing you the backseat.”

“You said you were going to support me.”

“I said that you will always be my best friend. Anyhow, I kind of thought you’d make out with the guy and move on. Not get all serious about him.” Lila sighed. “Come with me and Stephen to the movies. Bring Noah if you must.”

Images of Noah standing stoic next to a ticked-off Stephen filled my mind. Noah had agreed to be with me, not become BFFs with the popular crowd. “Maybe next weekend.” Or never. A rumbling engine grew louder as it approached the house. “Gotta go. Noah’s here.”

I bounded down the stairs, hoping to answer the door before Ashley or my father.

“Echo.” Too late. Brainless swept into the foyer. “You know your father’s rules. He answers the door while you wait in the living room. It’s only proper that we meet your date.”

“We,” meaning Ashley, created this rule when she found out I dumped Luke.

My father’s recliner snapped shut in the family room and he entered the foyer. His typical worry lines were carved deeper than normal and dark circles of exhaustion hung under his eyes. The annoyed set of his jaw said he was just as excited as me about “his” rule.

Ashley primped in the hall mirror. I probably should keep an eye out since she did have a thing for other women’s men. So far, I’d been able to keep her away from Noah since we studied during the time she watched her favorite talk show.

My father leaned against the corner of the wall, waiting for the doorbell to ring. He closed his eyes and let his head fall back. My father always wore worry and stress like a St. Bernard carried medicine, but today he appeared worse than normal. It reminded me of the days before he and mom divorced or when I’d returned to school after the incident. “You okay, Daddy?”

His eyes popped open. “Yes. Work has been demanding.”

We stared at each other for a second, both searching for a topic of conversation or, heck, a coherent sentence. What was Noah doing out there? Did the engine rust and fall out so he had to push his car up the drive?

My father cleared his throat. “Some odd things happened with your cell phone account and you’ll be getting a new number on Monday. Do me a favor and try to hand it out only to people who really need it.” Because my popularity equated to large phone bills.

“And my car?” It should look like a Porsche after all that detailing.

The doorbell rang, saving my father from answering. He placed his hand on the doorknob and sent me his you-can-change-your-mind look. “I really liked Luke. You should give him another chance.”

I shoved my hands in my pockets, making a mental note to grab my gloves before I left. “I like Noah, Daddy. So can you try not to be—” overbearing, controlling, mean “—you.”

My father actually smiled and it touched his eyes. As quickly as it appeared, it disappeared and he opened the door. My father and Noah exchanged a muffled greeting. Seconds later, Noah stinking Hutchins stood in my foyer looking hot as ever and unrepentant for being so sexy. When my father turned his back to close the door, Noah flashed a pirate grin and winked.

His face fell solemn as my father entered the living room, beckoning both of us to accompany him. Noah walked beside me and whispered, “He’s kidding.”

“Wish he was.” In eighteen years, I’d only had two boyfriends, Luke and now Noah. Although the term boyfriend didn’t seem to fit Noah. I liked to consider us … together. When I was a freshman, my first date had consisted of Luke’s mom driving him to my house so we could watch a DVD. My father had no such silly dating rules then. Luke’s driver’s license opened up a whole new world for the two of us, but my father had had close to a year to warm up to him by then. Noah came out of nowhere.

I sat on the couch and squeaked in shock when Noah took a seat right beside me, resting his hand on my knee—a motion noticed by my father’s overly observant eyes.

My obviously pregnant stepmother eased into the new three-hundred-dollar glider she’d bought for the baby and my father sat in his recliner. “So, Noah, how did you meet Echo?”

Wow, had it gotten really hot in here? My eyes shifted to Noah, expecting to see panic. Instead, a relaxed smile settled on his face. “Echo and I have class together.”

Ashley brightened and pressed a hand to her belly. “Really? Which one?”

“Calculus.”

“Physics,” I added. “And business technology.”