Page 65 of Resisting You
Rosa
With Birdie beside me, I walked down to the lakefront. Yes, I was avoiding Noah and all his famous friends, but I just couldn’t sit there for another second watching him be someone I didn’t even recognize.
I mean, who evenwasthat guy sitting there? That wasn’t the Noah I’d gotten to know over the last few days.
Then again, maybeIwas mistaken. Maybe thatwasthe real Noah and the guy I got to see here was just a big act? The act of a desperate man looking to not be made a fool of.
As we got closer to the lake, the sounds of ducks grew louder and louder and next thing I knew, Birdie and I were surrounded by his duck friends. They waddled around us and he bounced around, playing with them despite his bandaged, broken leg protected by the gauze.
I plopped down to sit on the dock and let him play with his friends.
“Your dog likes ducks?”
I turned around to find Callie standing behind me, watching Birdie play with his duck brothers and sisters.
I shrugged. “When we found Birdie, he was with a bunch of ducks. I guess they kind of raised him.”
“Huh,” Callie says, dropping to sit beside me. “Gives the name Birdie more context at least.”
We stayed sitting in silence for a few beats, watching Birdie tire himself out. “I feel kind of bad taking him away from them. They’re the only family he’s known. And look at them… they seem so happy together. It’s like he’s a totally different little guy around them.”
I can feel Callie studying me. “Yeah, but they’rebirds. I mean, he might like them, but at the end of the day, they’re not his family. And he may not get it, butyousaved his life. You’re his family now.”
“Sure.” Emotion knotted at the base of my throat. “But what if he didn’t want to be saved? Who am I to tell him who he should be with?”
I watched as Birdie playfully nipped at one of the ducks, who honked in protest. He seemed so carefree and happy here.
Callie was quiet for a moment, then said, "I guess I kind of know what you mean. It's hard when someone seems happy in a situation, even if it might not actually be the best thing for him."
“Who’s to say it’s not the best thing for him?” Tears filled my eyes. I’d been so happy when it was just Noah and me. When the lines between what was fake and real were delightfully blurry. But that was when we were in our little bubble. When our choices didn’t affect anyone other than the two of us. Now? Now my parents were here. And all of Noah’s actor friends. And the real world was encroaching on us.
Callie’s warm arms wrapped around me and even though I’d only known her a few days, I found comfort in her tight embrace. “My brother’s a real idiot, isn’t he?”
I snorted and swiped at the tears damp on my cheek. “I thought we were talking about Birdie?” I half-sobbed, half-laughed.
“I think we both know we’re not,” Callie said. She paused, gathering her thoughts. "With Noah, even when he seems happy with his friends, they don't actually bring out the best in him. When he's with them, it's like he puts on this mask and acts like this arrogant version of himself that he thinks they all want. He makes rude jokes he would never make around us, and brags about things that he used to be so humble about.”
I nodded in agreement. “All these years that I’ve known Noah and I’ve never seen this side of him, I guess.” We really only hung out when Hazel or Reid was around or sometimes West. And none of them brought out this side of him.
“You can blame the men in my family for this. Cam and Steve… they were so hard on Noah. And we lost my dad when both Noah and I were so young. Our older brothers were the only male figures in his life. And they gave him such a hard time. I think he’s just spent the rest of his life trying to find a crowd to fit into since he never did with Cam and Steve.”
“I guess I just wasn’t ready for it. I thought I knew him and now… around them he’s just this totally different Noah than the man I married. It’s unnerving.”
Callie’s blue eyes slid to mine as she pulled back from her comforting hold on me. “But it’s a fake marriage, right?” she whispered. “What does it matter if he’s not quite who you thought you married?”
Nervously, I licked my lips. “No,” I answered quickly.
“No?” Her brows lift.
“I mean, yes. Right. Fake marriage. Definitely not real.”I definitely did not bone your brother last night.
Realization lifted Callie’s features and a smile spread across her face. “Why you tricky little minx!” She grabbed my hand and spun to face me head on. “It’snotfake anymore, is it?”
I winced. “Your brother is annoyingly charming. He talked his way right into my?—”
“Pants?”
“I was going to say heart!” I sputtered. Then with a blush, I added, “But yeah, he got into my pants, too.”
