Page 64 of Because You Loved Me

“You mean you love her?” He wanted to pull the question back in the moment it slipped from his lips. Especially when Ryan answered without hesitation.

“Sure.” He shrugged. “I mean, I love her the way I can love no other. She’s my best friend.” A smile crept across his lips. “She just has to sow some wild oats or whatever.”

Asher sipped at his beer, unable to quite believe what he was hearing. “And you’re okay with that?”

“The thing is,” Ryan continued, “Noa and I aren’t like that. We’ll end up with some sort of arrangement.”

“Arrangement?”

Ryan shrugged. “It’s complicated.”

Where had he heard that before?

“Like I said, we’re meant to be together, and we’ve already discussed sealing the deal by New Year’s.”

New Year’s?

The half pint of beer in his stomach soured at the idea of Noa saying yes to this man, or any man who wasn’t him. Asher pushed the rest of the glass away and stood abruptly. “That’s quite a story.” He forced the words out. “I wish you the best of luck, man. But I really need to go.”

“Thanks.” Ryan extended his hand. “I have no doubt things will…”

Asher didn’t wait for him to finish the statement before he turned and walked out of the bar, and the lodge.

* * *

“Do you think they’ll ever forgive me, Grandma?”

Noa and her grandmother shared a pot of tea and a plate of scones while they waited for her parents to return. She’d expected them to be upset with her. They had every right to be. But Noa hadn’t expected them not to return at all. After all, it was Christmas.

“Of course they’ll forgive you,” Grandma Rose said without hesitation. “They’re upset right now, sweetheart. And you know this time of year is difficult for them as it is.”

The familiar sensation of guilt clutched her heart and squeezed, increasing the ache in her chest she’d developed the moment she’d set foot through the main doors of the lodge.

“They just need a little time,” Grandma continued. “I’m sure they’ll be down for dinner.”

“Dinner?” Noa glanced around, expecting to see Asher, but not surprised that she didn’t. He’d made himself scarce the moment they’d arrived, which at the time was something she’d been grateful for. After all, the thought of explaining to her parents who he was, and what he meant to her when she didn’t even know how to put it into words herself, was way more than she could think about.

But now that he’d been away from her for a time, Noa found herself missing him. There was something reassuring about his presence. Almost protective. Not that she needed protecting. She never had. Still, it felt good to know that he had her back even after only knowing each other for such a short time.

“Who are you looking for, my dear?”

Noa turned to see Grandma Rose’s eyes glittering with mischief. “No one.” Her finger went to the rose still at her throat.

“You’ve never lied to me before, Noa.” Grandma Rose held up her hand. “And before you try to tell me again that you’re not looking for that handsome young man who you walked in here with, you should know that I may be old, but I’m not stupid. And I see a whole lot more than you all give me credit for.”

Noa opened her mouth, but Grandma Rose continued to speak.

“Like, for example, I also happened to notice that the young man from earlier today looked a whole lot like that handsome hotelier you ran into in the hallway the other day while you were escaping your cousin. Who, by the way, has returned home, along with most of the guests.”

Another wave of guilt washed through her as Noa realized she hadn’t even considered Sarah or any of their other family members who’d expected to participate in a wedding. She’d been so selfish. “I forgot about Sarah.” She looked down at her feet. “I forgot about?—”

“Hush.” Grandma Rose put a surprisingly strong hand on her leg. “Of course you forgot about everyone else. You weren’t thinking about anyone but yourself.”

Noa opened her mouth to defend herself, but Grandma Rose continued before she could.

“And that’s okay, Noa.” Her voice softened. “You had and still have every right to put yourself first.”

“But Mom and Dad. They?—”

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