Page 65 of The Ghost of You

“What is wrong with you? Mason is fine as hell.”

“Because my heart is set on Noah.” I can’t believe I admitted it but it is the truth.

She crosses her arms and stares at me intently. “Are you finally letting go of Kyle?”

I groan. “I don’t know what to think but seeing Darnell and playing music has almost lifted the blame of his death off my chest.” I realize after I say it that I said Darnell’s name and hope she missed it.

“You were never to blame.”

“He never would have gotten in that car if we didn’t fight that night,” I protest.

“But you are seeing the other side of things now?” she asks.

I shrug. “I guess.”

She pulls her sweatshirt over her head. “So what about Noah?”

“He told me he can’t.”

“What the hell does that mean?”

I take a deep breath before I tell her what really happened at Thanksgiving. “At Thanksgiving, we kissed. Sort of. It was a whisper of a kiss, but there was electricity behind it. I know he felt it too, but he pulled away and said he can’t.”

“First, I can’t believe you didn’t tell me that on Saturday and second maybe he is just giving you a taste of your own medicine from when this almost happened before.”

“It felt different.” At least I thought it did.

“Well then what about Mason?”

“It would be weird.” I can’t date his brother. Not with all the mixed signals Noah is sending me.

“Well only one way to find out,” she says with a smirk.

“Gee thanks for the sound advice.”

Her smirk turns into a grin. “Anytime. Now, what was this you were saying about, Darnell?”

Shit.

“If you mean to tell me that man is back in this town and hasn’t said a word to me I am going to punch him in the face!”

“Wouldn’t you either way?” I know her, and she was not happy with the way he left her in college.

“Yes.” Something must click in her head because she slams her feet into her boots and heads out the door. “That damn studio. He is friends with Mason, isn’t he?”

I chase after her. She doesn’t need to hear my answer. “Sera don’t.”

“That asshole walked away from me. Me! I am not letting him get the final word.” Her face turns red from anger. “I loved him. He loved me. But he chose his damn rock band over me.”

“He asked you to go with him,” I say because it is what happened.

“I couldn’t live that life.”

I shrug.

“No. No, you can’t take his side, Anna May. This is my battle to win.”

“By all means, go. Let me just grab the popcorn first.” I laugh as I say it and it calms her down a bit.

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