Page 37 of The Catcher
She nodded thoughtfully before rising. “Did you want to sit out back? It’s enclosed and just offers a nicer view.”
“Sure, though I didn’t mind the view in here,” he said flirtatiously now that the alcohol was flowing through him and liquid courage was taking over. Almost as quickly as it came out, he scolded himself.I didn’t mind the view in here? What the hell are you talking about, Noah?She smiled but said nothing as she went out. He followed, squeezing his eyes shut and shaking his head.
“So, how are things with you now since Alicia's death? If… you don’t mind me asking?”
He shrugged. “Not at all. Uh. As well as can be, I guess.”
“She was living with you, right?”
He nodded, gulping down more beer. “She was.”
“I met her a few times. Nice woman. A real shame.”
“Yeah. Yeah, it is,” he said, his mind returning to memories of better times. He still hadn’t figured out how she’d gotten tied up with her father and Luther Ashford, but it was clear that her warnings to him before he returned to High Peaks came with some weight. Her suggestion for them to move to Florida hadn’t been said on a whim. Now, he understood it for what it was: a quiet plea, a hope of being drawn away from whatever quicksand she’d found herself in.
10
As Noah slowly regained consciousness on Saturday morning, the soft rays of the morning sun filtered through the curtains, casting a relaxing glow in his bedroom. The gentle light illuminated the room with a golden hue, highlighting the cabin’s rustic charm.
“Mia, Ethan, get that!” he mumbled to a phone ringing.
He couldn’t tell at that moment that it was beside him.
Through slitted eyes, his bedroom came into focus. Adorned in shades of earthy greens and warm browns, it exuded a sense of tranquility that belied the chaos of his current state. With its plush comforter and assortment of throw pillows, the king-sized bed beckoned him back to sleep, offering a brief respite from the throbbing ache in his head.
Through half-closed eyelids, Noah caught glimpses of the early morning light dancing on the surface of High Peaks Lake just beyond his window. The tranquil watersshimmered in the sunlight, mirroring the serene blue sky above.
It was supposed to be his day off.
Despite the peaceful surroundings, Noah couldn’t shake the pounding headache that plagued him. He groaned, reaching out blindly for his phone as it rang incessantly on the bedside table. In his half-asleep stupor, he fumbled, knocking it to the floor with a loud clatter.
Cursing under his breath, Noah rolled out of bed, his movements sluggish and uncoordinated. He stumbled across the room, the hardwood floor cool beneath his bare feet, and retrieved his phone before answering it with a groggy, “Ugh, yeah?”
“It’s Declan. We hit gold,” came the excited voice on the other end of the line.
Noah blinked, trying to clear the fog from his mind. “Come again?” he asked, struggling to focus.
“The geocache that was thrown out. They found it early this morning. I’m down at the landfill,” Porter explained eagerly. Noah’s mind slowly began to clear, the urgency of the situation cutting through the fog of his hangover.
“All right. Um. I’ll be there in twenty,” Noah replied before hanging up. He stumbled out of his bedroom, wishing the world would swallow him whole to end his misery.
“You know your phone was ringing multiple times,” Ethan remarked as Noah passed him on the way to the bathroom.
“I’m well aware, son,” Noah grumbled, too focused on his pounding headache to muster any patience.
After relieving himself and showering, Noah slipped into some fresh clothes and headed downstairs to the kitchen, where Ethan was waiting.
“How did it go last night? No parties, I hope, or are you just good at cleaning up?” Noah asked, trying to sound casual despite the pain pulsing through his head. He got a bottle of water from the fridge to take with him. He unscrewed the top and tossed back two Tylenol to ease the pain.
“It was quiet. Hey, Dad, I’ve been thinking that maybe I could visit grandfather next weekend,” Ethan said tentatively.
“We talked about that,” Noah reminded him, his mind preoccupied with the search for his keys.
“I know. But it’s been several months. I want to see him,” Ethan insisted.
“And you will, once he’s honest about his dealings with the Ashfords,” Noah replied, frustration creeping into his voice as he continued to search for his keys. “Where the hell did I put my keys?” he muttered, increasingly agitated by his inability to find them.
“So he’s being punished for his relationship with them, but you get to spend the evening with one?”
