Page 31 of The Fate Factor

I blow a breath through my teeth. “I’m not sure what’s worse, the pain or the boredom. I actually googled if I could still play hockey with broken ribs but it was a pretty clear no.”

She snorts. “That’s ridiculous.”

“Thank you for your sympathy. It feels really genuine.” My mouth is curved into a teasing smile, but Noel’s cheeks still turn the most adorable shade of pink.

“Sorry,” she says. “I just meant… nevermind.”

I didn’t mean to embarrass her, but I don’t hate getting a reaction out of her either. It’s better than the fear or the general distaste from before. Besides, if she knew how long it had been since someone was concerned about my pain, she wouldn’t be embarrassed. I would.

“Anyway,” I say, nudging her knee under the table. “How areyoufeeling?”

“I’m not the one with the fractured sixth and seventh ribs and sprained knee.”

“Fair.” I chuckle again. “But I meant, ah, about this whole… thing. You scared the hell out of me at the bar when you fainted.”

She winces. “Right. I’m sorry about that.”

“Don’t be! That’s not what I meant. It’s just… is it always like that? Were you dizzy, or…?”

“I think I was just shocked. It’s not always like anything. It was only my second time, remember?”

“Right.” That Christmas tree in my brain lights up again. Only twice. Both with me. “You know, I never properly thanked you for taking me to the hospital. And staying.”

She waves this off. “I’m sure you did.”

“I didn’t,” I say, dipping my chin to catch her eye. “It was really kind of you. So is this.”

Noel tilts her head, and in the most subtle of shifts, she’s holdingmygaze now. Studying me in a way that makes me feel a little uncomfortable and excited at the same time.

Then she abruptly looks away. “So what’s the deal with the woman who left you hanging that night?”

The smile tumbles from my face and I groan. “I was pretending you didn’t hear that conversation.”

“We were in a space the size of a postage stamp. Everyone heard that conversation.”

“Right.” I clear my throat. “Well, don’t worry. It was only my ego that got bruised.”

“She’s not your girlfriend, then?” she asks, picking at the corner of her napkin with her thumbnail. Shredding it, actually.

“Definitely not. What about you?”

“What about me?”

“Your boyfriend must have been jealous that you spent the whole night standing vigil by my bedside.”

She rolls her eyes and sweeps her hair away from her face, cheeks pink again. I’m developing an addiction to that color. “I don’t have a boyfriend,” she says, and Fran, bless her, appears before I can reply with anything stupid.

“Specials are on the board,” she says, slapping menus on the table. “Coffee?”

Noel orders something French vanilla flavored, and I ask for a can of Java Jolt. Hopefully Fran heard me since she was already turning away.

Noel pretends to gag. “Java energy drink? Why not just drink coffee?”

“It’s locally made. My friend Em used to work for them, and I got hooked on it.”

“The bartender from last night.”

I nod. “We went to college together. When I opened Fortune, I poached her from them. Besides, I don’t like hot beverages.”

---