Noah made a swift exit before he could snort with laughter. OK, so maybe his day could be going worse. He headed to the kitchens and was relieved to find that everything was once again perfectly up to code. Not that he would have expected less from Brooke. He filled out all the paperwork and was just waiting for her to come sign off when one of her staff came over. “She’s still tied up, but she says the chef can whip you up whatever you like, and she’ll find you on the terrace?”
Noah paused. The chief was always lecturing them about being professional and not accepting gifts on the job, but given a choice between keeping things professional and heading back to the firehouse with an empty stomach and a temper to match, Noah was guessing his boss would pick the burger. “Thanks,” Noah said, placing his order. “And maybe throw in some extra fries?”
“Coming right up.”
He wandered through the hotel and out onto the terrace. The place was packed, and it looked like there were half a dozen different wedding parties checking the place out and enjoying the sun. He found a shady spot at the bar and tried to remind himself he wasn’t in a sad enough state to start day-drinking on the job.
Not yet, anyway.
But then he caught sight of a group of women having lunch across the terrace, and he almost reached across the bar to grab the bottle of bourbon for himself.
Because sitting there in a pink linen sundress, with the sun in her blond hair, was the last person he’d expected to see in Sweetbriar Cove.
It was Caitlin.
Noah had to blink, wondering if his lovesick heart was making him hallucinate—taking him on a tour through his life’s most painful moments, maybe—but no, his ex-fiancée was still there, laughing over something her friends had said like she didn’t have a care in the world.
He hadn’t seen her in almost a year. Not since their last, terrible fight.
Not since he’d decided he would never move on if he was stuck in the same city as her, walking the same streets, trying not to wince when he saw her out at the bars on a Saturday night.
Suddenly, Noah realized just how screwed he was with Evie. He was just starting to settle into life in Sweetbriar Cove, and now she was going to be downright unavoidable in the small town. What was he going to do? Pack up and move on all over again?
No way, not this time.
Because even though he knew how hard it was going to be to run into Evie around town and not be able to hold her, kiss her—love her—a twisted part of him was glad. He’d still get to see her, even if he couldn’t be with her the way he wanted. And maybe it would hurt like hell, knowing that all that was left of their bond was the occasional casual catch-up in the square, but he would find a way to accept being just friends, even if it killed him.
He would get to be a part of her life, somehow.
Noah was so lost in thoughts of Evie that he didn’t realize he was still staring. Then Caitlin glanced over and saw him. Her smile froze.
Damn it.
Noah didn’t know what to do, but Caitlin got to her feet and made her way over to his barstool. “Noah,” she said, with a hesitant smile. “Hi.”
“Hi,” he echoed, feeling like he was face to face with a ghost. She’d removed herself from his life so thoroughly, it was weird to be reminded that she still existed at all. “What are you doing here?” Noah realized that the question sounded like an accusation. “Sorry. I just meant—”
“No, I get it. I’m a long way from home,” Caitlin replied. “I’m in town for my friend Melinda’s wedding,” she explained, nodding back at the table. “I actually wondered if I’d see you around. I thought about calling, but …” She paused. “I didn’t know if you’d want to hear from me.”
Noah nodded slowly.
“You look well,” he offered.
“You too,” Caitlin replied. Then she paused. “Actually, that’s a lie. You look like hell,” she said, with a wry smile. “Everything OK?”
“Just peachy,” Noah said, but the note of bitterness in his voice must have shown, because Caitlin’s forehead crinkled with concern.
“I meant to reach out, to see how you were doing. My therapist said it was important, but … every time, I chickened out. But maybe I should have. Because if you’re still dealing with—”
Still?
“This isn’t about you—about us,” Noah interrupted her quickly.
“It’s not?” Caitlin looked relieved.
“Nope.” Noah gave a rueful smile. “I managed to get my heart broken by somebody all over again.”
“I’m sorry.” Caitlin exhaled. She was about to say something else when a waiter arrived with his food.
“Thanks.” Noah took the plate, expecting Caitlin to say her goodbyes and rejoin her friends, but instead, she took a seat at the barstool beside him, reached over, and stole a french fry.
“Hey,” he frowned.
“Look, I know I’m probably not your favorite person right now,” Caitlin said. “But you look like you could use someone to talk to.”
“And that’s you?” Noah tensed. Making polite conversation was one thing, but there was way too much painful history between them to go any deeper.
“I may have been a crappy fiancée,” Caitlin admitted, “but I know you. I care about you. That won’t ever change.”
“Really?” Noah asked, with a shot of bitterness. “Because I seem pretty easy to forget.”
Caitlin paused. “It wasn’t you,” she said quietly. “You know that, right? I … I didn’t know how to deal with it. Losing our baby. I thought that if I just moved on from everything that reminded me … well, that didn’t work for long, as you can probably imagine. But I don’t want you thinking for a second it was because of you.”
Noah exhaled a long breath. He’d told himself the same thing, time and time again, but knowing something in his head and in his heart were two entirely different things. But looking at Caitlin now, seeing the regret in her eyes, those old ghosts seemed to release their grip on him. Just a little.
He nodded. “I know.”
“Good.” She took another fry. “I mean, let’s face it, we weren’t cut out for the long haul,” she added in a wry tone. “If I hadn’t gotten pregnant, you never would have proposed.”
“I—” Noah started to disagree, then stopped himself. “Maybe not,” he said, still trying to get a handle on this new, ruthlessly honest woman.
“Are you kidding?” Caitlin gave him a smile. “We had ‘starter marriage’ written all over us. But this look on your face, right here? This seems like the real thing.”
“It was,” he replied, feeling the ache all over again. “But not for her, I guess.”
Caitlin winced. “Then it’s her loss.”
Noah gave a snort.
“Really.” She reached over and squeezed his hand. “You’re a good man, Noah Montgomery. You’ll find someone.”
Noah squeezed back. “You too,” he said honestly. All the things they’d put each other through … well, that was ancient history, now. And maybe they’d always be bound by grief, by what might have been, but he had to tell himself it had worked out this way for a reason.