Page 96 of Stolen Kisses
“So why do you look like you’re carrying the weight of the world right now?” someone else asked.
Krista shook her head. “Well, it’s nothing really. I guess it’s because my boyfriend and I just broke up.” Tears threatened behind her eyes. She hadn’t spoken to anyone about the breakup yet. It was too fresh, and crap. She didn’t want to cry in front of a circle of strangers. “But I’m not here to talk about me. I’m here to listen to you guys.”
Cathy pointed a knitting needle. “We all share in this group, including you, missy. Tell us what happened.”
Krista swallowed, then spilled the details. All except one—that she might be pregnant. She didn’t think she was. She hadn’t been sick since Sunday morning, but there was a small question in her mind, worrying and exciting and confusing her beyond belief. She hadn’t gotten her period yet, but it wasn’t due for another week still.
The person sitting next to her passed a box of Kleenex. “Here.”
“Thanks.” Krista pulled one free and wiped at a tear that had slipped from her eye. “Wow. I didn’t realize how great it felt to unload.” Krista was normally the one listening to other people’s problems. “I feel better.”
“Good. That’s what this group is for,” Cathy said.
Then it was someone else’s turn to talk. By the time Krista arrived home, she was depleted. She crawled under her covers and was just about to doze off when her phone buzzed beside her with an incoming text. She’d forgotten to mute it so that she could sleep.
She blinked herself awake, fumbled for her phone on the nightstand, and pulled it to her.
SOS.
The text was from Joey. She hadn’t noticed that he wasn’t home when she’d arrived. But now that she thought of it, the house had been quiet. He was usually snacking in the kitchen or snoring on the couch in front of the TV.
What’s wrong?she texted back.
I’m stranded on the docks. Thought the cab was ready, but she’s not.
Krista forced herself upright. Joey had saved her butt a million times, so she owed him.
Be right there,she typed. Then she dressed and left to go get him.
—
Noah wasn’t staying at Jack’s house tonight as planned. He didn’t care if he had to take a cold shower. A cold shower was welcome if it numbed his body and his shattered emotions.
Insomnia pried him out of bed for the second night in a row. Even Beauty was sleeping down on the floor. He thought about waking her to take her for a walk, but decided to go it alone this time. The wind off the ocean pressed against his fall jacket as he walked the boardwalk, the temperature matching the one of his heart. Frigid. He felt cold and void without Krista’s warmth. Well, he better get used to it because she was out of his life. He hadn’t texted her, but he’d hoped like hell every time he checked his phone that she’d texted or called him. He guessed it was pride keeping him from contacting her, but it was also out of respect for what she’d told him she wanted. She wanted their relationship to be over because she didn’t believe he could be what she needed. She believed dating him was a waste of her time. That realization hurt like a bullet tearing through his flesh.
He picked up his pace as he walked, trying to keep warm because he wasn’t ready to head home just yet. His phone buzzed in his pocket. Hope sprang like an angel’s light over his dark mood as he pulled it out.
Gina Mandeen’s name flashed onscreen.
His dark mood returned with thunder and lightning this time, but he answered anyway. “Hey, Gina.”
“Hi, there. I hope it’s not too late to call,” his real-estate agent said.
Noah checked his watch. It was almost ten. “Not at all. What’s up?”
“The O’Hares accepted your offer on the house!” she squealed.
Noah stopped walking and turned to face the water. “They did?”
“Don’t sound so surprised.” She laughed. “That place has been for sale for months. We knew you’d get it. Just didn’t know you’d get it at such a steal.”
“Wow.”
His tone of voice must not have matched his exclamation because Gina laughed again. “This is good news, Noah. Go out and celebrate! You own a house now!”
“Yeah. Thanks,” he said, his tone still flat.
He and Gina made plans to talk the next day and then hung up. He was happy about the house. Buying it wasn’t dependent on being together with Krista. It just would’ve been sweeter if he were. He walked a few more blocks and was just about to turn back when he saw her from the corner of his eye. Over the last several days he’d thought he’d seen Krista more than once. It was a symptom of his broken heart, he guessed. This time, as he did a double take, he realized it really was her. She was standing on the other side of the street between her car and Joey’s cab. Joey closed his hood and shook his head, then walked around to get in the passenger side of Krista’s car.
