Before You Go

THIRTY-SIX

The New Year comes in with a blizzard while I’m at Dad and Amy’s. Two feet of snow pours down over three days—which creates quite the extended holiday vacation. We are totally homebound and there is a whole lot of togetherness going on. Dad spends the day helping neighbors by using his snowblower to clear driveways and sidewalks, while Amy and I cook up recipes a la Cuba.

“We need some spice up in here,” she tells me. I help her make her grandmother’s tamales and some corn stew thingy. It’s to die for.

We play Scrabble and read books during the times our cable is out, watch bad TV when the cable is working, and eat like it’s our job. By the third day, we all have cabin fever and when school finally resumes, it’s a welcome change to get out of the house and back to normal activity.

The first day back, I’m bursting at the seams to see Noah. He got home yesterday, but is on deadline with a huge story for the newspaper—one he said could put him on the map—so we didn’t have the romantic welcome back night I was hoping for. My body is literally in pain, aching for him.

When I get to the commons, Noah is waiting for me. His lip twitches, but he tries to cover it with a smile. He doesn’t have gloves on and is rubbing his hands together so fierce I think he’s going to start a fire. I watch him and melt. I cover his hands with my gloves. “You are not dressed appropriately for this weather, Mr. Adler,” I scold.

“I know,” he says as he moves in, resting his head on my shoulders. He whispers in



my ear, “I was running late and didn’t want to miss you. I barely remembered my shoes.” He



smiles his Noah smile, a dimple sinking deep in his cheek. “Shit, you are even more beautiful



than I remembered.”



I plant a loud kiss on his lips because I can’t help myself.

He, in turn, takes the glove off my hand and kisses each finger. His thoughtful motion stirs something deep inside, something in me that I thought was lost for good. Something I wasn’t sure I had the right to claim. Then the devil slides one of my fingers into his mouth and my stomach turns ten somersaults.

“How was your vacation?” I ask, trying to pull myself together.

“Terrible,” he answers. “I missed you.”



“I missed you, too,” I admit.



We huddle together and walk to class. Actually, Noah walks me to each and every class.



I’m sure he’s late all day. And when he walks me to poly sci, the look Jenna gives both of us is deadly. And when she hovers over my desk inside the classroom, it’s downright frightening.

“You know, I don’t care one iota about you and Noah,” she says when I get to my desk. Her voice is sweet and scathing all at the same time.

“You shouldn’t,” I interrupt. “It’s none of your business.”

“Oh really?” she asks. “Then why was Noah forced to tell you all about me, our past, and the fact that we’re no longer involved?”

She answers her own question, “To keep you from getting psycho jealous, that’s why. But let me tell you something, Tabby. If you think your little f*ck fest is going to change how he feels about me, you’re even more stupid than you look.” She leans in close but keeps the smile on her face. “It’s not like he hasn’t tried before. It’s funny though, the girls never seem to stick.”

“Jenna,” I say, knowing I have to do something to calm her to prevent a scene. “I don’t expect Noah to change his relationship with you.”

Okay, so I lie to do it.

“I’m not the enemy,” I tell her.

But Jenna is, and I know it’s best to keep your friends close and your enemies closer.

“Right, you’re just another charity case Noah’s trying to save,” she snaps. “It’s pathetic.”

“It seems to me that you’re the charity case, Jenna,” I blurt. So much for preventing a scene. I get in her face and don’t back down. “Why can’t you just let Noah go?”

“We have a history that you’ll never understand,” she stutters, lacing her fingers in an effort to steady her shaking hands. “You can’t change that. He would never let that happen.” She seems unconvinced by her own words.

“You mean you would never let that happen,” I say.

“I don’t really care who he f*cks, Tabby. It will be over soon enough. In the meantime, just stay out of my way.”

“Done.” I nod at the request, hoping she isn’t right.