Chapter 139: Stop thinking about him!
IN PRESENT –
Ash was bubbling with excitement, bouncing around Noah’s apartment as he rambled on about his upcoming wedding plans. "Oh, and we should totally buy those gold-edged invitation cards! And I want the flowers to be in those cute vases we saw last week!" His words were racing, but Noah barely registered them, his gaze fixed on a spot on the wall, his mind elsewhere.
It wasn’t until Ash waved a hand in front of his face that Noah blinked back to reality. "Hey, earth to Noah. Are you okay?" Ash’s big, worried eyes stared at him, bringing Noah back from his twisted thoughts.
Noah quickly ruffled Ash’s hair with a soft smile. "I’m fine, silly. Stop looking at me like that."
Ash grumbled as he smoothed his hair back down. "You always mess it up when I finally get it looking good!" He extended his arms, showing off his outfit—a stylish jacket over a crisp shirt. "You think Elijah will like this for our date tonight?"
Noah rolled his eyes, leaning back on the sofa. "He better, or I’ll have to break his legs. Elijah needs to like everything about you. He’s not allowed not to."
Ash giggled, his face glowing with happiness, and for a brief moment, Noah’s heart warmed. It had been so long since he’d seen his friend this happy. Ash’s whole face lit up whenever Elijah was around, and Noah couldn’t help but feel a pang of joy for him. It was infectious.
But the lightness of the moment didn’t last long. Out of the blue, Ash’s expression turned serious as he asked, "So...why did you run off from the mall earlier? Right after Ryder showed up?"
Noah’s brow furrowed, the mention of Ryder immediately souring his mood. "I didn’t run away," he muttered, trying to sound indifferent. "I just remembered something I had to handle at the office."
Ash raised an eyebrow, crossing his arms in disbelief. "Oh, really? Right after Ryder arrived? Come on, Noah, I’m not an idiot. Something’s going on between you two."
Noah’s jaw tightened, but he quickly turned away, trying to shake off the question. He didn’t even want to think about Ryder, let alone talk about him. Every time Ryder crossed his mind, Noah felt a wave of exhaustion hit him. He was too drained to even begin explaining the mess that was Ryder Lawson.