Second Chance Romance (3 page)

“Adam
, I can’t. I know one of the guests. Please don’t make me. Have Willow go out instead. Please… I’m begging you.” Tears had already started falling. Adam didn’t do tears. Frankly, I think they scared the shit out of him.

“Jailbait.” He yelled
, making me flinch. Willow came running out from the bar.

“Bossman.”

“I need you to go out there and fill in for Jules.”

“
Are you alright? Did you hurt yourself?” She asked, noticing the tears.

She got the
nickname Jailbait because she was just eighteen. She danced from time to time when someone would call in sick, but Ellie and I were the high rollers at the club. Most people asked for us by name, much like tonight.

“I’m fine.” I lied. She shimmied out of her shorts and tossed her tank in Adam’s face before heading onto the stage.
I swear he sniffed it.
Gross.

A couple minutes passed
, I was sitting in my chair taking my make-up off when I looked up and saw Noah in the mirror.

“Jules.” He whispered.

“No, I think you’re mistaking me for someone else.” I said nervously.

“Nice try
, but I already talked to your friend Ellie and she confirmed it was you. Besides, I’d know you anywhere, Jujube.”
Dammit Ellie.
I was going to kill her in her sleep.

“Do you need something
? ‘Cause I’m kinda busy right now.” I snapped.
“Busy removing make-up?” He crossed his arms while leaning in the doorway.
“Very.” I said acidly.

“Jules
, please talk to me.” He pleaded. I refused to turn around and make eye contact.

“Oh
, just like you talked to me after I left? You promised me Noah! You were my lifeline!”

“What are you talking about?”
He looked genuinely confused but I wasn’t backing down.

“After I left you never called.
You couldn’t even send me a fucking text message!” I felt my tears coming back but my anger helped me suppress them.

“
I texted you almost every day and I did call, but every time I called I got your voicemail. Which was always full by the way. I assumed you didn’t want to talk to me anymore. I even flew up during spring break, but your mom said you were away. She told me you moved on.” He paused as if he were remembering. “She said she’d tell you I came. I was heartbroken.”

I wondered if he was telling the truth or if he just liked my ‘million-dollar body’.

“I never got any messages from you, so don’t lie. I carried my phone with me everywhere just in case. I needed you Noah.”

“Why didn’t you just call me?”
He asked with a bitter edge in his voice.

“If you didn’t want me anymore I didn’t want to seem desperate.”

“I’d never think you were desperate.” I turned my attention back to the mirror. “Please talk to me.” He pleaded, which didn’t help my resolve.

I was biting my lip trying not to cry
, again. I saw the blonde guy that tried to tackle the Johnny Depp look-alike come up behind Noah and put his arm around his shoulder.

“Come on bro
, the parties a waitin’. I paid good money for you to have a memorable night.” My heart sank even more.

Noah was the bachelor.

“Not now
Jackson. Can’t you see I’m in the middle of something? Go back out there. I’ll see you in a bit.” Noah barked clearly annoyed.

“Aren’t you going to introduce us?” He asked.

“No.” Noah said flatly.

“Come on man
, don’t be like that. Hoes before bros and all that.” Noah slapped him in the chest with the back of his hand.

“Jules
, this is Jackson Richardson. Jackson, this is Jules.”

“Jules? Like
the
Jules?” He looked incredulously at Noah.

“The one and only.” Noah said
embarrassed.

“Holy shit. I mean, excuse me, it’s nice to meet you Jules.” He came int
o the room and offered his hand. We shook. “Wow. I can’t believe I finally get to meet you. I’ve heard
a lot
about you. Everything was always like Jules used to do that, or Jules liked that, and now you’re here. Wow.” Jackson reminded me of Kellan Lutz and I noticed how he said “used to”.

“Jackson
, I love you man, but please go. I need a few minutes with Jules.” He pleaded.
“Oh, I get it. One last time for old time’s sake. Your secret’s safe with me.” He winked before walking out of the room. Noah was blushing.

“You’re an ass.” Noah yelled after
him. He started walking further into the dressing room and I put my hand up.

“Don’t even think about it.” I warned.

“I wouldn’t do that to you Jules.”

“You’re damn right you wouldn’t
, because I wouldn’t let you. I’m not yours Noah, not anymore.” He winced like I’d slapped him. “So who’s the lucky gal?” I sneered.

“Her name
is Carrie Collins.” His tone was glum. He didn’t look like a happy bachelor.

“Well
, congratulations. I really need to get going, but it was nice seeing you. Take care of yourself Noah.” I felt like I was going to have a breakdown at any second. I grabbed my bag and pushed past him to get to the exit.

“Jules.” He yelled. “Jujube. Please talk to me.”
I flinched when he called me Jujube but I couldn’t turn around, knowing that if I did I’d never want to walk away. He looked the same, but better. He’d grown into a man, a very good-looking man. Luckily, Dan was standing by the door and there was no way Noah was pushing past him, not unless he wanted a concussion.

I started my car
a pulled into the crisp New York City night before I let the tears fall. I hadn’t cried like that in years. By the time I arrived home I was a freaking mess. I showered and put on my sick jammies with sheep on them and climbed into bed hoping that sleep would come quickly. It wasn’t even ten o’clock yet.

CHAPTER THREE

Your Love Is My Drug

I felt someone climb into bed with me and started screaming at the top of my lungs. It brought me back to
that
night.

“
It’s just me, relax.” Ellie said. “I heard what happened. I thought you’d want to see him. Why didn’t you come get me?”

I
sat up and looked at my alarm, it was after two in the morning.

“I just wanted to leav
e. Why did you tell him it was me?”

“Jules
, he knew it was you without me saying anything. I just confirmed what he already knew. Don’t be mad at me.” She pleaded.

“I’m not mad.”
I lied.
“Yes, you are. So that’s Noah, huh?” She raised her eyebrow.

“Yep.” I said flatly
, sitting up and rubbing my eyes.

“He’s good look
ing, I mean
really
good looking.” Even I could admit that he looked amazing. “I thought you would want to know he left right after you did.”

“T
oo bad for him, his friend obviously shelled out a pretty penny.” I said acidly.

“S
top acting like a bitch, you’re obviously upset about this. Talk to me.” She pouted.

“I just want to go back to sleep. Can’t we talk in the morning
?” I whined.
“Fine, but we are talking about this. It’s like in our unwritten roommate agreement or something like that.” I waited until she shut my door before I laid back down.

I put my head back on my pillow and closed my eyes
. Unfortunately, I spent the rest of the night tossing and turning.

Sunday morning came
with my alarm clock blasting Ke$ha’s ‘Your Love Is My Drug’.

Oh joy…

I hit t
he snooze button, but it kept blaring through the lousy speaker. I tossed the clock across the room to make it stop. I sat up and dragged myself out of bed. I went to sit at my desk so I could work on my thesis some more. I opened my laptop but my mind wasn’t in it today.

It was in
one place, Noah Sinclair…
my drug.

Frustrated
, I slammed the lid down.
I need coffee.

I h
uffed my way to the kitchen to make a cup, only to discover we were out. Today was not going to be my day, I could just tell. I went back into my bedroom to get dressed for a Starbucks run. I put on the first clothes I could find, a pair of yoga capris and a zip up hoodie. I slipped on my flip-flops and grabbed my phone off the charger. I backed out of the driveway and headed the three blocks to Starbucks. I stood on line for a good ten minutes before I ordered my ventì Bold. I headed back to the house in a slightly better mood.

Thankfully,
Ellie was still sleeping and would probably sleep until the late afternoon.
At least I could avoid her inquisition for a couple more hours.
I drank my coffee and finally made some headway on my thesis. I heard my phone ping so I picked it up and looked at the screen. It was from a 212 number I didn’t recognize.

Jules. Can we do lunch today? Pls. I need to talk to you.

I texted back.

Who is this?

There was a response almost immediately.

It’s Noah. Pls Jules I know you don’t want to talk to me but I NEED to talk to you.

Ugh. Why can’t he just leave me be.

You’re engaged. How would your fiancé feel about you texting me? How’d you get this # anyway?

I paid Ellie to give it to me. So much has happened and I really need to talk to you. Please, it’s just lunch.

Damn Ellie.
As much as it felt wrong, the thought of seeing him again made me feel both hurt and happy. The fact that I wanted to see him scared me.

Fine. When. Where. What time?

I waited for a reply, but it never came. I went back to working on my thesis and my frustration was really taking me off my game, again.

I heard a knocking sound and since Ellie was sleeping I tore myself away from my computer and went to answer the door. There stood Noah
holding a bag of take out in a pair of overly washed denim jeans, a tight fitted gray sweater, and black sneakers.

“Hi Jules.” I was furious with him showing up here uninvited and unannounced. I wante
d to meet him somewhere neutral. “Can I come in?”

“No.” I started closing
the door in his face. He put his hand out to stop me.  “Since when did you resort to stalking, Noah?” I said annoyed.

“Since it involved you.”
He was being serious. I knew when he was being serious because his brows always furrowed.

“Ha
-ha, you’re funny. Seriously, I have a lot of work that I need to do and you’re distracting me.” I said acidly.

“Who lit the fuse on your tampon?”

“Listen Noah, I’ve had two helpings of flaming bitch this morning. Satan himself wouldn’t fuck with me right now. Now, why are you here?”

“I told you
. I need to talk to you.”
“So talk.”

“
If you won’t let me come in can we at least go sit in my car or something?” I clenched my fists and grudgingly opened the door allowing him to pass. He smirked, showing off his dimple.
Asshole.

I gestured him to sit on the loveseat
while I took a seat across from him on the sofa. He placed the bag of take out on the coffee table and ran his fingers through his hair.

“Alright
, you got what you wanted. Now start talking, I really do have a lot of work to do today.”

“What are you working on
that’s so important?”

“My thesis.”

“What’s it on?”

“Noah.” I said sternly
.

“Alright, s
orry. Um.” He was absently playing with a string on his sweater. “I just want to know what happened after you left. I swear I tried to get in touch with you. Just ask your mom.” I winced.

“I can’t.” I said agitated.

“It was a misunderstanding. She was obviously trying to keep you away from me. I knew she didn’t exactly like me, but I didn’t think she liked anyone.” He was glum.

“Well now that we’ve cleared that up you can be on your way
. It doesn’t change anything. Besides, you’re getting married now.” I watched as his face fell.

“It was supposed to be us.”
He didn’t even try and disguise his hurt. It just brought me back to almost ten years ago and pissed me off even more.

“Y
ou obviously loved her enough to put a ring on her finger. Sound familiar?” I was reminding him of the ring that he’d given to me full of empty promises.