When August Ends(15)

And that wasn’t part of the freaking plan.





CHAPTER FIVE




* * *



HEATHER




“How could you do that to me?” I scolded.

“I’m just trying to protect you,” my mother said.

“By embarrassing the living hell out of me? That man has been nothing but respectful. First, you bail on dinner. Then you scare him away with bullshit.”

“Every word that came out of my mouth is the truth. What does he want with you if he’s leaving at the end of the summer?”

Now I was screaming. “He wants nothing! I already told you he isn’t interested in me that way. Why can’t you understand that? He hasn’t tried a damn thing, and you just made a fool of yourself and me. You’re acting as though I’m a child. I am almost twenty-one years old—an adult. I don’t understand what part of that you don’t get.” I took my plate. “I can’t do this. I need to go to my room.”

“Heather…I’m sorry. I was just—”

“I can’t!” I yelled as I walked away.

My mother was a lot to handle, but I loved her and knew she meant well. She truly believed she was somehow protecting me. But I still couldn’t stand to look at her for the rest of the night.

After I took a shower to calm down, I texted Noah.



Heather: I’m sorry. I’m totally mortified.



A few seconds later, he responded.



Noah: Don’t be.



Heather: I’m embarrassed about how she treated you.



Noah: You have nothing to be embarrassed about. You didn’t do anything.



There was something I really wanted to get off my chest.



Heather: You don’t have to feel sorry for me…for my situation. I can tell you do. I have a choice, you know. I could’ve left home. I made the choice to stay.



I could see he was typing a response.



Noah: I know that.



Heather: So…34, huh?



Noah: Yes.



Heather: That’s not that old.



Noah: Still old enough to be your father.



Heather: Yeah, if you were 14 when you had me!



Noah: Technically possible.



Heather: You had me thinking you were in your forties, though I never thought you looked it. This makes more sense.



Noah: There’s a world of difference between 34 and 20.



The only thing standing between thirty-four and twenty right now was the short walk to the boathouse. I couldn’t contain what I was feeling. We’d been connecting out there tonight. I could feel it. I wanted to see him again.



Heather: Can I come over?



After a minute, he finally texted back.



Noah: I don’t think that’s a good idea.



I’d been bracing for that response, but it was still a bummer.



Heather: Ok.



I felt so defeated. Even if he wasn’t interested in me romantically, I wasn’t ready to say goodnight to him. Okay…maybe part of me still hoped he would change his mind about me.

Several minutes later, the last thing I expected was for my phone to chime again.



Noah: Unless…



My heart skipped a beat as I typed.



Heather: Unless what?



Noah: Unless there’s leftover bread. We never touched it. Did you throw it out? I’ve been jonesing for it.



Heather: No! I forgot about it. It’s still sitting on the counter.



Noah: Well, it would be a shame to let it go stale. You should bring it over and I’ll throw it in the toaster oven.



Bread—and a side of you—would be great.



I couldn’t stop smiling as I responded.



Heather: Be there in five.

***

I should’ve known he had no plans to invite me inside.

Noah was out smoking a cigar on the porch when I arrived. I guess I couldn’t blame him. Aside from a small table, the entire boathouse was pretty much a bedroom. There wasn’t even a couch, just the bed and a kitchenette. We would have had to sit on the bed, and I knew he wasn’t having that.

“So…” I said. “Teddy brought me this as I was walking out the door.” Noah’s big shoe landed with a thud after I tossed it to the ground.

“Is that his name? I call him Fathead in my mind.” He chuckled.

“He does have a really big head.”

“Biggest one I’ve ever seen on a dog.”

“I’d have to agree with you on that.”

“Yeah, he had my shoe in his mouth when I was leaving, then took off with it. I didn’t feel like chasing him upstairs, so I let him have it.”

“I think taking your shoe was him trying to get you to stay. Why didn’t you come get me instead of walking home with one shoe?”

“Sometimes you have to know when to walk away, even if it’s without your shoe. You know what I’m saying?”