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to test me. The line between our new business relationship and our old love life isn t clearly defined.
It s not entirely his fault, either. I find myself looking forward to his calls and texts. Shouldn t I be
dreading them?
He sighs into the phone. Have you packed?
I glance at my bedroom and think about the half full suitcase on my bed. Nearly finished.
Lane, he says, hesitation in his voice. I know you re having second thoughts about this, but I
told you, you won t be my direct employee. You work for a real marketing firm a huge one. This
looks great on your resume. Let me help you put that hard earned marketing degree to use. Everyone
who gets these kinds of jobs knows someone to get their foot in the door.
Deep down, I know Noel is right. Center Stage Marketing is one of the largest firms in New York.
His offer, to be in charge of promoting his children s literacy charity is amazing. The only problem is
the tour. I m stuck with him everyday. But, honestly can t think of a way around it. He made it clear if
I want this job, this is the stipulation. I ll be ready.
Yeah? I don t even need to see his face to know he s smiling. That didn t take as much
convincing as I thought it would.
Well, you know, I would still be an intern if it weren t for you. I would like to be able to pay my
own rent for a change. Begging my mom to cover it while I intern majorly sucks. But, if it weren t for
her, Aubrey would ve kicked me out of this place two years ago.
Having money is nice, he agrees. I remember all too well what being a starving artist is like.
Please, your parents would never let you starve.
He s quiet. I expect at any moment he ll crack some joke like he always does, but it doesn t
happen. Did I step on a touchy subject? Noel?
He sighs into the phone. Yeah, I m here.
He s frowning. I can tell by the tone in his voice. I panic. I m sorry if I
Don t worry about it, Lane. I guess I should have told you that Dad and I really don t talk any
more. For some reason, I figured you already knew that, seeing as how our families are still
neighbors and all.
I hadn t had the nerve to face his parents since our break-up. They still live beside my Mom on
Cedar Creek Lake in Texas. The only time I ve had any contact with them is at my father s funeral
three years ago, but I wasn t up for much talking having just lost my father to cancer. There s so much
that has changed in our lives.
I didn t know, Noel. I m sorry if I upset you. You want to talk about it?
The line is silent for a long time, but I can hear slow and steady breaths on the other end. I don t
understand it. What could be so bad that Noel wouldn t speak to his father? Doesn t he know that
family can be stripped away at any moment? I know his father. He s stern. The kind of man who
always gets his way and people don t cross. Those two always butted heads when we were kids,
especially, when it came to Noel s grades. His father couldn t grasp why school was such a struggle
for his dyslexic son.
Noel s mother, on the other hand, is a lovely woman, and she s always considerate of Noel s
learning disability. I can t even count the number of different tutors she hired to help him.
Noel is a mixture of both of them, I guess. His sweetness comes from his mom, while his need for
complete control comes from his father. But, since I ve reconnected with him, seems like his father s
genes are winning out. He s pushy, just like him.
The relationship with his father was always strained when we were young. The constant need for
perfection and success wore on Noel a lot. He always tried to please his father, but something in the
last four years has changed, and I m dying to find out what.
Noel, I mean it, we ve been friends a long time. You can tell me.
He lets loose a loud, shaky sigh. It s nothing. Forget I even brought it up.
I press the pillow tighter against my chest and for some reason I wish it s Noel. The need to wrap
my arms around him and tell him things will work out grips my heart. I know better than to believe
that this isn t a big deal. Not being able to see his family, when they meant so much to him, must be
crushing.
He should talk about this with someone. If he won t tell me willingly, I m going to have to force it
out of him.
Bullshit, I say.
Excuse me? He questions with a sharp tone.
You heard me, Noel. Bull& shit. This isn t nothing. Tell me. I m your oldest friend, and I want
to know what happened that s so terrible you don t see your parents anymore.
Another heavy breath on the line he s wavering. Noel knows how relentless I can be. He gave
me an ultimatum. Go to college or get cut off.
My eyes widened. He threw you out? Your mom let that happen?
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