Fresh out of a troubled marriage, Annie Nolan is faced with picking up the broken pieces her ex left behind. She moves back into her parent's pool house and reconnects with her old friend, Noah. With a Pandemic taking over the world, Noah wants to b...
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Dozens of forks and knives clink against crystal glasses. The high-pitched noise runs right through my body and straight to my temples. A slight ping of pain lingers as I watch the happy couple look deeply into each other's eyes.
Despite the personal rain cloud looming over me, I am genuinely happy for the newlyweds. My lips pull into a small smile when I notice the twinkle in their eyes before leaning in to kiss.
I can't help but look at the empty seat to my right, wishing things turned out differently.
"Can I have this dance?"
Even after all the time, Noah Buckman's blue eyes leave me speechless.
He looks down at me, and a piece of his dirty blonde hair falls to his brow. I take his outstretched hand without hesitation. "Of course."
Noah's calloused fingers wrap around my soft ones. The feeling is foreign but welcomed. He guides the two of us through the moving sea of people on the dance floor until we find an open space.
Loud music bumps its cheery beat, and everyone around us has their hands in the air dancing. The two of us follow their lead, waving our arms and swinging our hips, matching the song's pace.
My rain cloud seems to lift, with my worries vanishing as I allow myself this moment of happiness. When I look over to Noah, his youthful smile shines so brightly. I can't help but mimic him.
The song ends and is replaced by one with a much slower tempo. Thinking our time together has come to an end, I start to make my way back to the table. A gasp fills my lungs with air when Noah pulls me back into his muscular body.
He unexpectedly spins me around before fanning his fingers across my lower back. When his lips hover over my ear, tingles inch down my spine before stopping where his hand rests. "I'm happy I got to see you smile at least once tonight, Sunshine."
Memories fill my mind remembering all the times he has called me by that nickname. Never being able to lie to him, I admit, "I have a lot of shit going on right now, Noah. Just trying to stay afloat."
My heart feels like a cement brick sitting in my chest, desperate to go back to its normal rhythm. My head rests on his solid chest, and we sway gently side to side.
I don't need to be looking at him to know that his brows are pinched together, forming lines between them. His face etched with worry. It's just one of the perks of knowing him for over fifteen years.
He starts to rub up and down my back and pulls me closer. His tenderness helps to ease some of the tightness in my chest, and it almost feels like I am finally able to breathe.
"Why didn't you tell me?"
I take a moment to gather my thoughts. I know exactly why I didn't call Noah, and it has everything to do with the fact that he would be in jail. I believe his exact words to Simon were, "If you hurt her, I will destroy you in every sense of the word."
