Norah and The Nerd: Best Friends Romance (Love in Ocean Grove Book 4)

by Anna Catherine Field

  “Why do you say that?” Delaney’s smile vanishes.

  I look at them both and my ears burn, because I know I should tell them the truth about what happened next, but Norah will kill me. I swallow and say, “Because it’s two weeks later, a Saturday night, and I’m here with you and she’s out with Trevor Salvatore.”

  My stomach hurts, saying that out loud.

  Their expressions turn from surprise and curiosity, to something worse. Pity. The truth is, I feel too bad to dispute it. For everything that went right this week, personally a bunch went wrong. Stuff I don’t think I can fix.

  “So you really like her.” Olivia says, this time it’s not a question.

  “She’s my—” I start to say best friend but I change it at the last minute, “everything.”

  Delaney reaches across the table and takes my hand. “What are you going to do?”

  I shrug. “There’s nothing I can do. It’s complicated.”

  “How?” Olivia crosses her arms over her chest. “Shifting from friend to something more doesn’t seem so complicated to me.”

  “A lot of things. Our parents, for one. They’d freak out if we started dating. They’d start monitoring when we hang out. There’d be no more—”

  “Sneaking in her room?” Olivia asks, eyebrow raised.

  “Hanging out alone. They’d have so many questions.” I run my hands through my hair, stressed just thinking about it.

  “They’d get over it,” Olivia replies confidently. “My mom would probably be happy about it.”

  “That’s just one complication. We’re both worried Ben will totally freak out.”

  Delaney considers this. “You really think so? He seems pretty cool about stuff.”

  Olivia rolls her eyes and nods at me. “I can see this being a problem. He’d probably freak out at first but you know how he is, sometimes he has to be pushed into accepting stuff.”

  “True.” I feel queasy even talking about this. It’s not like Norah hasn’t made herself clear. She doesn’t want this—me—not this way.

  “Are you really letting other people dictate what you do?” Delaney asks. “Because that’s all I’m hearing, is that you’re worried about your parents and Ben, and I’m not sure it’s justified.”

  “It’s not just that,” I say. “It’s other stuff like changing our relationship—what if it falls apart? What if we lose what we have?”

  There’s something else I’m not telling them—something that transpired just between me and Norah. It’s not only about those things, it’s about the panicked look in her eye that night on the playground. She was scared, of what I’m not exactly sure.

  “Look,” I say, pushing away my plate. “She doesn’t want anything more. We’ll just stay best friends. Work together on the project and move on with our lives. Just like we’ve always planned. She made it pretty clear last week that she didn’t want anything more.”

  Olivia stares at the tabletop, short-clipped nails tapping on the surface. Delaney and I share a look, neither of us sure what’s going on until Norah’s sister suddenly says, “I think you’re making a mistake.”

  I frown. “What?”

  “Letting my sister go.” She gives me a soft look, something I’ve never seen on her face before. “I think she’s just scared.”

  Man, this kid is smart.

  “Don’t let her fear ruin this for you. Give it another shot—but handle the complications.” She smiles. “You told us and nothing bad happened, right?”

  “I agree,” Delaney says. “Things have been pretty crazy for you two lately. It’s senior year, you’ve got this amazing opportunity for your work, maybe she just needs a little assurance things won’t really change for you guys. You need to do something, Gabe, before you regret it.”

  In L.A. I’d been willing to play this her way, but seeing Norah walk out of the house tonight with Trevor has shifted the urgency in how I feel. I can’t wait and see anymore, because what if I lose her for real?

  And what’s the point of everything great happening in my life if I lose Norah to another guy?

  I look across the table and ask, “What do you think I should do?”

  The slow smile that spreads across Olivia’s face makes me break out into a sweat. “I think you need to show her what she’s missing.”

  23

  Norah

  Trevor Salvatore has done his homework.

  First, he takes me, not just to a movie, but to the drive-in, which is one of my all-time favorite places. And not just to see any movie, but to retro night, where they’re showing a classic: Goonies.

  “So,” he says, pulling a bag out of the back seat, “I’ve got chocolate, gummies, chewy stuff, licorice, and just about any other kind of candy you’d want. We can hit the concession stand for popcorn and drinks.”

  I look in the bag, already salivating over the sugar. He has all my favorites in there. “What? No nachos with radioactive cheese?”

  “Hmmm…” He rubs his chin. “If you’re lucky, they’ll have that at the concession stand, too.”

  It’s dusk and we have about twenty minutes before full dark. We walk over to the concession stand and get in line. “Tell me, Trevor Salvatore, who told you to bring me here and to ply me with candy and sugar?”

  He raises his eyebrows. “Why do you think someone told me what to do?”

  “Because these are all my favorite things. This theater. The movie we’re seeing, the candy and that giant Slushee I’m about to order in a second.”

  We step up and place our order. I get a cherry Slushee. He gets a large soda and a bucket of popcorn.

  “Was it Delaney?” I ask. “Gabe?”

  He shrugs. “Maybe I’m just observant.”

  The guy behind the counter pushes our drinks toward us and the popcorn. We thank him and walk back across the paved area, weaving through the cars.

  We get back to his car and I start to get in the Land Rover but he says, “Hold on.”

  He opens the door, grabs the bag of candy, two pillows, and hands me a blanket. I watch him as he arranges the hood of the car carefully, propping the pillows on the windshield and spreading out the blanket. He climbs up and holds out his hand, offering to help me up.

  I look at his large, tan hand and wonder what in the world I’ve gotten myself into. How did I end up on this date and who in the world is this boy that I’ve argued with every day for the past three years?

  “Norah,” he says with a small sigh, “I won’t bite. Promise.”

  I’m not worried about him biting…I’m worried about the fact there’s nothing to keep us apart on the hood of the car. No gear shift or center console. No space.

  I’m worried about something else. Someone else. Someone that isn’t here.

  Gabe.

  The boy who isn’t my boyfriend. The boy that didn’t invite me on a date. The boy that made me feel terrifying, scary, uncontrollable things.

  With that final thought, I swallow back my hesitation and take his hand. It’s strong, warm, and unwavering. Trevor, surprisingly, isn’t scary at all. It’s something I didn’t realize I needed until this very moment.

  Goonies, as always, is amazing.

  And Trevor, true to his word, doesn’t bite. Although, when the sun goes down and the movie starts, I find myself moving a little closer to him for warmth.

  When the movie ends and the cars around us start their engines, he turns to look at me and says, “That was really good.”

  “You mean you’ve never seen it?”

  “Nope, but obviously I was missing out.”

  “Any other suggestions?”

  “For classic '80s movies?” I ask, sitting up and crossing my legs. “There’s obviously John Hughes, and the Karate Kid, Footloose, Dirty Dancing, Top Gun…” I’ve got my fingers out, counting, but I’m going to run out soon. “You should make a list.”

  The wind picks up and strands of hair blow across my face. Trevor reaches out and pushes them back over m
y ear, his fingers grazing my cheek. Our eyes meet and I feel all kinds of conflicting emotions. His fingers are warm. Gentle. His eyes dark and intense. His gaze shifting from my eyes to my lips.

  Oh boy.

  I pull my legs to my chest, making a physical barricade. “Thanks for bringing me here, it really is one of my favorite places.”

  “You’re welcome.”

  “Are you going to tell me how you knew this is where I’d like to go?”

  “Maybe.” His eyes flick down to my feet and a line mars his forehead. A moment later I feel his fingers graze my ankle. “New tattoo?”

  I look down and see the drawing Gabe put there earlier that day. I’d forgotten. “Oh, no, nothing permanent. My mother has made it clear that if I come home with a tattoo before I’m eighteen and graduated, she’ll take me directly to the laser removal place—and make me pay for it.”

  “Ouch.” He laughs. “That’s harsh.”

  “There are some things my mother doesn’t play around with.”

  “Then I’m assuming Gabe drew this.” He’s still touching my ankle, fingers loose. “Since it’s basically a picture of the two of you.”

  “He did. We were sorting old comics. I guess he was inspired.”

  He swallows and I see his Adam’s apple bob. His blond hair moves with the breeze. He really is handsome and as much as I hate to admit it, a fun date.

  “I don’t know what’s going on with you and Gabe—” he starts.

  I cut him off. “Nothing. Nothing is going on between us.”

  He gives me a look, one that says he doesn’t exactly believe that. It’s fair. I kissed him a week ago and although there is nothing going on between us, it’s not because I don’t want it to.

  Or didn’t.

  Looking into Trevor’s very blue eyes makes it hard to think.

  “What I want to say is that I don’t know what’s going on with you and Gabe, but if there’s a chance for me and you to pursue this, I’d like to give it a shot. I’d like for you to let me give it a shot.”

  I exhale, because seriously, that was a pretty smooth thing to say and I don’t feel like I can react rationally.

  I answer the only way I can. “Maybe.”

  His eyebrow arches and the ghost of a smile lingers on his lips. “Maybe I have a shot?”

  I grab the pillow and slide off the hood, putting a little—okay, a lot—of distance between us.

  “Yeah,” I say, even though it goes against every instinct. “Maybe you do.”

  24

  Gabe

  “This is a terrible idea.”

  “Is it?” Delaney says from the driver’s seat. We’re outside a strip of beachfront houses. I’d texted Reese from Davie's and asked if she had time to meet to talk something over. She’d suggested I come here. “Your other option is finding my sister and declaring your feelings for her.”

  An image of breaking up Norah and Trevor’s date flashes in my head. Another image of Trevor punching me with his massive hands and huge biceps follows. Nope. That is not an option.

  “Wait here,” I say to the two girls while opening the car door. “I won’t be long.”

  She leans to look at me through the window. “You’re leaving me here?”

  I roll my eyes. There’s no way I’m letting Olivia near Reese. “Yep,” I reply, slamming the door and walking down the stone path.

  I ring the doorbell and wonder for a moment if a butler or some other staff person will answer. I’ve never been to the home of a famous actor before. I’m relieved, sort of, when the door opens and Reese stands in the entryway. She’s wearing a tank that says Avondale across the chest and a pair of cotton short-shorts. Her hair is in two braids and once again I’m struck by how this is a terrible, stupid idea.

  “You found it,” she says, giving me a wide smile. “Come in and see my amazing rental that came fully furnished.”

  “You rent this place?”

  “Yeah,” she says, pushing her bangs out of her eyes and leading me down a hallway. “It’s kind of a jinx to buy a home where you’re filming something. It’s pretty much the best way to find yourself written off the show, you know?”

  I nod. “Make sense. Except you’re one of the two main characters.”

  She shrugs. “No one is safe. I mean, have you seen the body count on our show?”

  My ears turn red. “Uh…”

  She stops and rests her fists on her hips. “You’ve never seen my show, have you?”

  “Maybe once?” I confess. “I think Norah’s sister watches it.”

  The sister that’s outside, waiting in the car.

  She shakes her head. “I’m not surprised. It doesn’t really seem like your kind of thing. Or Norah’s, actually.”

  I follow her into the kitchen that’s nicer than any kitchen I’ve ever been in. She offers me a drink or some cheesecake that was delivered to her from New York or something. I decline, shaking my head, trying to figure out how to get out of here.

  She sits on a bar stool and I sit next to her.

  “So what brought you out here like this on a Saturday night? Something wrong with the deal?” She looks momentarily panicked. “Second thoughts?”

  “No, nothing like that.” I grimace. “It’s actually a really stupid, dumb idea and I should leave now before I embarrass myself.”

  She frowns. “Well, now you have to tell me.”

  My palms get damp. “First of all, feel free to kick me out at any time, okay? This wasn’t totally my idea but I’m kind of out of options.”

  She leans forward. “I’m listening.”

  “Norah’s on a date tonight with this guy from school. An athlete. Basically, like one of the guys on your show with the abs and swagger and popularity.”

  “Interesting. I don’t know Norah very well, but I guess I’m surprised that’s her type.”

  “Yeah, me too.”

  “What’s going on?”

  “I came here to ask for a favor, but seriously, you can say no at any point. Like you can just kick me out or get some burly bodyguard to come down and throw me in the street. I won’t get mad.”

  “Gabe, what are you talking about?”

  I swallow and try to steady my voice, but it doesn’t work. What I’m about to ask is beyond ridiculous. “I wanted to know if you’d consider being my fake girlfriend?”

  The answer…is no. But it’s a soft no. Not a hard one. Reese isn’t offended. She’s actually kind of flattered, and she has a better idea than fake girlfriend.

  “As much as I’d love to go all in with you on this idea, I’m already in a relationship and keeping that from the press is hard enough. I can’t juggle something else.”

  My face is on fire. Around a million degrees. I’ve never been so embarrassed. “I know. It’s a stupid idea. I never should have asked you.”

  She reaches out and takes my hand, squeezing it. “Gabe, you’re a great guy and to be honest, I already thought maybe you and Norah were a thing. You guys text all the time. You work in perfect sync. She’s completely loyal to you and I’ve seen the way your face lights up when you talk about her.”

  “She doesn’t like me like that,” I mumble, feeling incredibly awkward.

  “How do you know?”

  “Because I had her. For a minute. And then it was over and now she’s on a date with Trevor Salvatore.”

  “The jock with the abs?”

  “Yep.”

  “Ouch.”

  I sigh. “Right?”

  She studies me. “If you had her for a minute, then what did you do to lose her?”

  “I don’t know,” I say, tired all of a sudden. “Things were going good—great, but then she just stopped it cold. Something spooked her.”

  “Love and all the emotions that come along with it can be scary, Gabe. Especially when it comes to trying it out with your best friend. There’s a lot of risk involved there and, frankly, a lot of familiarity that confuses things.”

  I frown. “I
understand the risk, but how does the familiarity cause a problem?”

  She leans her elbow on the counter. “When you date a friend—a good friend—you skip a lot of the early stuff. The 'getting to know you' phase that is kind of the most awesome part of most relationships. That’s when you learn all these tiny things about one another. What you each like, or don’t like, what’s your favorite food or thing to do.”

  “Huh.” I’d never thought of it that way, although Norah did mention us never having been on a real date.

  Reese continues, “There’s something magical about all of that—and usually you really have to work at proving yourself to that new person. Gaining trust. Establishing boundaries.” She holds my eye. “I suspect you and Norah skipped over all that.”

  “Yeah, we kind of did,” I admit. “Actually, it just got kind of heated right away.”

  Her eyebrows raise. “Oh boy, yeah I can see why that would maybe scare her off.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “Those are the boundaries I’m talking about, Gabe. There’s no parameters like a kiss on the cheek after the first date, or holding hands in the movies. You guys went full secret-romance right off and that’s dangerous and probably terrifying for a girl like Norah. No wonder she panicked.”

  It all slowly clicks into place. “I had no idea.”

  She smiles. “Of course you didn’t. You’re a guy. You jumped right in to what you all think is the best part.”

  I lean back in my seat. “Any suggestions on how to fix this?”

  She considers my question for a moment. “It sounds like you’ve got a lot of damage to repair and now you have competition.”

  “Thanks for reminding me,” I mumble.

  “I think you’re going to have to up your game, Gabe Foster, show this girl she’s worth it.”

  “I have no idea how to do that.”

  “She’s your best friend—you know better than anyone else how to win Norah over.”

  She’s right, I consider, my mind starting to clear. I’d been treating Norah like my best friend that I started kissing. I need to treat her like the girl that I want to date.