This One Moment (Pushing Limits, #1)(34)

“Maybe you two would like to get together for coffee.” Grandma looked between Hailey and Craig.

Craig lifted an eyebrow. “I’d like that if you’re game.”

Hailey glanced at me for a heartbeat before looking back at him. “Uh…sure.”

What did I expect? Yes, we had kissed, but we both knew that couldn’t go anywhere right now. I should be happy that she was ready to move on after what the douchebag of an ex-boyfriend had done to her.

While I put the flat tire and jack in his grandmother’s trunk, he programmed Hailey’s number into his phone. It took everything I had and then some not to slam the trunk shut harder than necessary.

He thanked me for helping his grandmother, the entire time eyeing me the way most people did when they recognize me but can’t figure out where they knew me from. He wasn’t a fan of the band. He’d just seen my picture a few times.

Hailey and I returned to my car and climbed in. “Are you really going out with him?” I asked as we drove away.

“I wouldn’t say I’m going out with him. I’m meeting him for coffee. Big difference.”

I remained silent the rest of the way home, stewing over emotions I had no right feeling. Dying on the inside at what the woman’s flat tire had cost me.

Once home, I brooded in my room and worked on the song I’d been writing for the past few days. I knew I needed to talk to Hailey, but I just couldn’t deal with it all right now. I had to get lost in my music first. I needed to finish the current song I was working on, which was almost ready to share with Jared.

By the time I’d fiddled with the final verse to the point where I was happy with it, the sun was low in the sky. I started playing it through once again but had only made it to the second verse when the opening strains of an Aerosmith song came from my phone. Jared.

I accepted the call. “Hey, man. I’m almost finished with the song.”

“That’s great.” A pregnant pause fell between us, which was odd given that Jared had phoned me. “How’re things going?”

“Great, but I still can’t go back to L.A. yet. I have…things to deal with here first.”

Another long pause. “I’m joining you. It’s just too hard writing songs this way.”

Fuck. “Look, give me another week. If I still can’t return to L.A. next week, you can join me.”

“Fine, you’ve got a week. But then it won’t be just me joining you. The whole band will fly out. Otherwise there’s no way we’ll be ready in time.”

Double f*ck. Once they showed up, I wouldn’t have time for Hailey anymore. But maybe it wouldn’t be so bad having the band here. They’d be a distraction to keep me from remembering.

Only problem was, where the hell were we going to work?





Chapter 20


Hailey


While Nolan was in his room, talking on the phone, I started cooking dinner, even though he’d originally planned to make it. I needed to distract myself while he was busy. Something about him on the drive home had been off. It had been that way since we’d pulled over to help the woman with her flat tire…and I knew why. It wasn’t because I’d told Craig I would go out with him for coffee. Nolan was returning to L.A. soon. We both knew that. Plus Nolan didn’t feel the same way about me that I felt about him. No, Nolan was remembering. Despite his plans to do otherwise, he was beginning to remember the night his father killed Nolan’s mother and sister. Maybe not everything, but enough to leave him off balance.

And that worried me.

By the time Nolan returned from his room, the seafood fettuccine was on the table. Cue candles and music, and it would have looked like a romantic dinner.

He sat down. “Wow, this looks great. But wasn’t I going to cook?”

“You were busy and I was bored.” I popped a garlicky scallop in my mouth. It practically melted on contact with my tongue, thanks to Kayla having taught me a thing or two about cooking.

Nolan and I didn’t say anything at first, the air around us off-kilter. I couldn’t tell what Nolan was thinking, and it drove me nuts. It had never used to be like this between us. I used to always know what he was thinking. I used to know what to say to him to make him feel better.

“You’re remembering, aren’t you?” I didn’t want to cause him more pain. I wanted to help him rip off the proverbial Band-Aid, but sometimes ripping it off wasn’t the way to go. Sometimes you needed to gently peel it away to avoid leaving the individual raw and exposed. The trick was knowing which way was best at that particular moment.

He froze, his gaze fixed on his food, a slight tremble to his hand.

“It’ll be okay, Nolan.” I’ll be there for you. I’ll never let you deal with this alone again. Not as long as you let me in like you used to.

“How can you say that?” His words came out as a choked whisper, confirming my suspicions. He was remembering. As much as he didn’t want to, he couldn’t stop it, not unless he left Northbridge and returned to L.A. And maybe even then the memories would still come, unable to stop now the floodgate had been pried open. “I didn’t stop it from happening, and…and maybe I’m just like him and I don’t know it yet.” The final words were no longer a whisper. They were harsh, bitter, intended to cause pain. Not to me; the pain was all his own, and that made the hurt inside me even stronger.