by J. P. Grider
“What?” Dean asked.
Noah felt stupid, but explained. “I mean with their matching black eyes. Not that Rain’s are black and blue anymore.” Geez. What the hell was he doing? He couldn’t pretend he was comfortable trying to be funny any more than he could pretend to be unruffled by Dean and Lorraine’s recent makeout session. He stood from the table frowning. “Never mind. Where’s Norah?”
“She went to McDonald’s?”
“With whom?” he asked in a less than pleasant tone.
Dean chuckled.
“What’s so funny?” Noah stepped forward, glowering at the guy who just had his lips on Lorraine.
“Nothing. I find it funny you actually use the word ‘whom.’”
“What?”
“I mean, I know it’s correct grammar and all, but I don’t know anyone who actually uses it when speaking.”
As Lorraine started to defend Noah with, “Noah’s ranked number one at Duke. He’s—,” Noah blurted, “What a dumb fuck you are.”
Lorraine’s eyes went wide and she tucked in her lips. Dean pushed out from the table and stood. “What the fuck you just say?”
“I said you’re a dumb fuck.” Noah stepped closer to an approaching Dean.
Lorraine stood and got between them. “Stop. This is stupid. Just stop.” She looked up at Dean and then at Noah.
Noah wanted so badly to kiss the hell out of her right now. More so than he wanted to kick the shit out of her boyfriend. The tiny little thing looked up at him with pleading eyes, and Noah couldn’t help but smile slightly. He ran the back of his fingers along her jaw and whispered, “Anything for my friend.”
The slapped-in-the-face expression she wore told Noah everything he needed to know—she did not want to be his friend any more than he wanted to be hers. With that, Noah’s chest grew hot. He just wished he could do something about changing that friend label they gave themselves. Or the step label society gave them.
Lorraine turned her back to Noah and used both hands to push Dean back in his seat. “Just sit, Dean.”
Dean’s face was red with anger, and his jaw was clenched. This made Noah, immaturely, happy.
“So, back to your question, Noah,” Lorraine began. “Norah went with Ashley and Kyle.”
He took a while to answer, being that he was too busy scowling at Dean, but when he managed to return his attention to his friend, he said, “And have we met Ashley and Kyle?”
Lorraine shook her head. “No.”
“Great. Looks like I’ll be taking a ride over to Mickey D’s. Want anything?”
“Asshole,” Dean muttered.
Lorraine whacked him on top of his head.
“I’ll take an Egg McMuffin,” Lorraine said seriously.
“I was being facetious.”
“What?” Lorraine asked, confused.
“I was being sarcastic.” Noah felt bad, because at his admission, Lorraine’s cheeks turned pink and she dropped her head. “I’ll get you an Egg McMuffin,” he said before he walked out the door.
***
The tables at McDonald’s were void of people. Norah and her friends were nowhere to be found. Noah bought the Egg McMuffin for Lorraine and brought it back, where he plopped it on the kitchen table. Lorraine was now sitting across from Dean instead of next to him. “She wasn’t there.”
“Norah wasn’t at McDonald’s?”
“Nope.”
“Did you call her?”
“No.” He took out his phone and called her. “Norah,” he said when she answered. “Where are you?”
“McDonald’s. I told Lorraine.”
“You’re at McDonald’s?”
“Yeah, No. I’m with my friends.”
Noah sat on the chair next to Lorraine and continued his conversation with Norah. “Right now?”
“Yeah,” Norah said impatiently. “Whattya want?”
He dropped his head into his hand. “I want you not to lie to me, because I was just there and no one was fucking there.”
He was met with silence.
“Where the hell are you, Norah?”
“Um, I’m at Kyle’s house. He wanted me and Ashley to come over.”
“Where does this Kyle live?”
“Geez, Noah, you’re not my father.”
“Really, Norah? Are you really going to play that card with me? Where does Kyle live? I want to meet him.”
“What’s gotten into you, Noah? Since when do you care?”
“Since we don’t need another kid getting caught with drugs, now where the fuck does Kyle live?”
Norah ended the call. “She hung up on me. Goddammit.”
Lorraine’s hand reached out to cover Noah’s. “She’s been lying to us?”
“Looks that way.”
“Hey, Rainy. I’m gonna go run a few errands. Should I come back for pizza later? I can help you with that physiology assignment.”
Noah caught Lorraine giving him a quick glance before she answered Dean. “Uh, well, um.” Again, she stole a glance at Noah.
“Didn’t you say you didn’t understand it.”
“Yes, I did. I just, well, maybe I should deal with Norah right now.”
“Okay.” Dean looked annoyed. “It’s due Tuesday, so that only leaves tomorrow night. I can come then, but I don’t know if that’s enough time.”
Lorraine looked very uncomfortable, so Noah decided to make things easier on her. “Lorraine, we can deal with Norah before or after you do your assignment. Do your schoolwork.”
Noah nearly melted at the smile she gave him. “Thank you,” she mouthed.
He winked.
“Okay, Dean. Why don’t I meet you at the library though. I think that’ll be better.”
Dean stood from the table. “Sure.”
When Lorraine walked Dean out, Noah dropped his head in his hands again. Maybe he should see about applying to colleges up here. It wasn’t like he needed to get a job to support the family. Brick took care of that for them. Maybe he’d go back to college and live in the apartment and hope that Lorraine got custody of Norah. Then maybe everything would just go back to normal. Or new normal.
But when Noah decided to take his bike out to go find Norah, he had no idea he’d end up in jail.
CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE
In the empty gray room, Noah sat waiting for an officer to question him.
So Noah sat questioning himself—Why the hell couldn’t he leave well-enough alone? Where the hell was his head when he decided to stop at the courts and find out who was selling heroin to his little brother? Yes, he said it—little brother. But that’s not what he’d meant. It was just easier to say little brother than it was to explain his relationship with Carter. Especially when he was grabbing collars and gritting his teeth. These were drug dealers he was dealing with. Little high school drug dealers. Kids selling to kids. And when he saw the big one standing there smirking, asking Noah, “What are ya gonna do about it?” when Noah asked him if he was the one that sold the heroin to a twelve year old, he didn’t think twice before he punched him square in the face. When the one they’d called Jake tried to reciprocate the punch, Noah squatted, wrapped his arm around his opponent’s legs, and took him down. Where he proceeded to pin him down until the cops came.
“Well, Mr. Mack,” the officer said after he’d entered the room and took the metal seat across from Noah. “You’re lucky.”
“How so?”
“Well, besides finding a good amount of H on him, Jake Hynes just turned eighteen, so you didn’t punch a minor. He could still file assault charges against you, but he’d be stupid if he did. He’s going to jail. I don’t think you have anything to worry about.”
“Do I have a record now?”
“No. Not unless he files charges against you. I suppose his parents could talk him into it, but you threw one punch. He’s done a helluva lot worse. I wouldn’t worry about it.”
“Right.” Noah wasn’t convinced he shouldn’t worry. He just made
getting custody of Norah that much harder for himself.
“Hey. Don’t worry about it. You stopped him from selling anymore heroin and weed to high school kids.”
“My brother’s only in seventh grade.”
The officer tapped the table with his palm and stood up. “Get him help now. Before it gets worse. Once he’s addicted, he’ll go to any extreme to find someone else who’ll sell it to him.”
“Right,” Noah stood and shook the officer’s hand. “Thanks.”
The officer patted Noah on the arm. “I’da done the same thing in your situation. You need a ride home?”
“Back to my bike if you don’t mind.”
“Not at all.”
***
Noah pulled into the driveway about eight that night. He wasn’t expecting to be held up at the police station for six hours. They were hardly busy. So much for talking to Norah about lying. He didn’t have the energy for anything but going to bed. Sitting handcuffed in custody sure was draining.
But just as he sunk into his sheets, there was a loud knock on his door. Maybe if he pretended he wasn’t home, they’d go away. It was probably Sofia anyway; Lorraine had a key, and Carter and Norah never visited.
The knocking stopped, but when he rolled onto his side, little Lorraine was standing in his bedroom doorway. Slowly coming to a sit, he joked, “Come for a conjugal visit?”
“Jerk. No. Where were you today?” She sat at the lower end of his bed.
“Tied up. Did Norah come home?”
“She did. Before seven.”
“Good.”
They stared at each other, and it was making Noah hot. Going to bed naked tonight wasn’t the best idea. If he’d known his friend was going to be visiting, he’d have dressed for the occasion. He shifted beneath the sheets.
“So, I looked up some drug treatment centers and I found one in Parsippany. They have an outpatient program and group sessions for kids Carter’s age.”
“That’s good. You think we’re going to be able to get him to go?”
Lorraine nodded while her fingers scrunched up the comforter. “I made a deal with him. He goes to the sessions, I won’t call the school.”
“You were going to call the school?”
Her fingers continued playing with the bed covers, probably because she was nervous, but the more her fingers danced over his bed, the more he was growing beneath his sheets. In a desperate attempt to stop Lorraine’s inadvertent seduction, Noah leaned forward and stopped her hand with his.
Her head snapped up, her eyes found his, and to Noah’s surprise, she covered his mouth with her lips and started kissing him. With his clothes already off and his erection already begun, there was no way he’d find the strength or the will to pull away. He let her lead, but there was no way he wouldn’t be an active participant. Their tongues twirled, their teeth nipped, and their hands savaged each other with a fierceness Noah was unfamiliar with. He needed her. It was a physical need for sure, but it went beyond that. He needed her. Because he was different since meeting her. Because he was finally alive since meeting her. Because the feelings he had for her scared him as equally as they thrilled him.
Because he loved her.
And he was sure by the intensity in which she attacked him that her feelings went beyond a physical need as well.
Noah freed his hand to shove down the sheets, then lifted Lorraine onto his naked lap.
“Oh,” she gasped looking down, surprised he was completely undressed.
“I was waiting for you,” he breathed in response.
She pulled back and widened her eyes in question.
“Kidding. Sometimes I sleep naked. It was a fortunate coincidence.”
Noah’s elated mood quickly vanished when she backed off his lap and shook her head. “This was wrong. I’m so sorry. I, I shouldn’t have kissed you. Really, I just made it weird again, and I really don’t know why I keep doing that. I only came here to tell you about Carter and the drug treatments and that Norah was home and wondering where you were and—”
“Rain. You’re rambling.” He was disappointed in their abrupt parting, but he had to admit, she was cute when she was nervous and long-winded. “It’s fine.” Noah ran his hand over her stocking feet. Unfortunately, with Lorraine still seated on his bed, his erection was going nowhere. Recognizing that he’d have to deal with his problem on his own, after Lorraine was gone, he pulled up the bed covers and kept his indiscretions to himself. “Tell me about this deal you made with Carter.”
She shifted back on the bed and slowly swept her fingers across her mouth. Was she wiping away their kiss? He sure hoped not. “Well, I wanted to call the school guidance counselor to see if she could help me find a group for him or something.” Her fingers went back to twirling the comforter, but she continued to explain the deal she’d made with Carter. “My grandmother suggested it. Anyway, when I mentioned it to Carter, he begged me not to tell the school. I took that to mean he cared in some way what his teachers thought of him. That's good, right? That he cares what his teachers think?”
“Or he just didn't want to get in trouble again.” Noah regretted his words as they were spilling from his mouth; the hope in Lorraine’s eyes faded immediately. “But I think it's what you said—he cares what his teachers think about him.” Noah backpedaled quickly, though her smile hadn't returned.
“Anyway, I told him I would look online for places he could go, but he had to promise to go with me. And if he did, I wouldn't call the school. Even though, I think they should know.”
“Why? It’d be on his academic record for good. I don't think that's a good idea.”
Lorraine bit her lip and shrugged. “I just thought they should know. Another advocate, I think that's the right word. You know, another group of people looking out for him?”
Noah shook his head and reached for her hand. “Only, that could end up backfiring and actually work against him. He’d be labeled or stereotyped for the rest of his middle school and high school years.” He squeezed her hand and ignored his relentless erection. “Let's try to do this on our own. Without the school’s help.”
She nodded. “I’m sorry I made things weird again.”
He winked. “Don’t sweat it.”
Lorraine left, and Noah took care of business. It paled in comparison to the real thing, but considering their family’s situation, he was pretty much forbidden, anymore, to act on his hunger for Lorraine.
But was it really wrong?
He kept running that question through his mind and couldn’t come up with a definitive answer. So, if the answer wasn’t clear, then maybe it wasn’t totally wrong. And if it wasn’t totally wrong, then why couldn’t he fall in love and be intimate with Lorraine? And if it was okay to fall in love and be intimate with Lorraine, then why shouldn’t he?
He just had to convince Lorraine of his new reasoning. And if her voracious hands on him earlier were any indication of her feelings, Noah didn’t think he’d have a problem persuading her.
The next morning, ready to take on his brand-new positivity where Lorraine was concerned, he walked into the main kitchen, his single-serve coffee machine in hand, and found Dean sitting at the kitchen table sans shirt. What the fuck?
CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO
Noah practically slammed the machine down on the counter and glared at Dean. “What’re you doing here?”
Dean smirked. “Lorraine invited me.” His grin widened and his eyebrows rose before he said, “Last night.”
Bastard. Noah wasn’t about to take his machine and leave, so he plugged it in and turned it on, all the while silently fuming over Lorraine’s promiscuity. How could she go from devouring Noah with her lips and hands one minute to inviting another guy into her bed the next? On the same exact night. What the hell, Rain? Why wasn’t one guy enough?
Things went right back to being weird when Lorraine emerged in her workout clothes, Sunny at her feet, as usual. “Noah,” she exclaimed, surprised that he was s
tanding in their kitchen.
“I live here, Rain. Remember?” He proceeded to make himself a cup of coffee with one of the K-cups he had in the plastic bag hanging from his wrist.
“Did you have a good class?” Dean arrogantly asked her.
“Yeah.”
While the fire burning inside Noah developed into smoldering flames in his brain, he tried very hard to hide his rage. With an outwardly calm appearance, he waited for his mug to fill.
“You weren’t too tired in class this morning, were you, Rain?” Dean was deliberately trying to goad Noah.
“What?” Lorraine asked confused.
“Just wondering about your energy levels.”
“Uh, okay, they’re fiiiine?” Lorraine brushed by Noah to grab the tea kettle, and when she did, tiny chills travelled up his arm, cooling the bad mood caused by a shirtless Dean in their house at six-fifteen in the morning.
“Did you wake up the kids?” Lorraine asked as she filled the kettle with fresh water.
“No. Got sidetracked.”
“That’s fine. I’ll do it.” She turned on the stove and left the room.
When Noah was finished preparing his coffee, he took his mug and sat directly across from Dean. “So, Dean, what the fuck are you really doing here this early in the morning, since by the confusion on Lorraine’s face, you weren’t actually draining her of any energy.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about. She invited me to stay last night. I’m sure you can use your imagination.”
Noah wanted to wipe the smug right from Dean’s prissy Tiger Beat looking face. “I’m sure you’re using yours to fabricate this story.”
“Go to hell.”
“Right behind ya, buddy.”
Dean had no witty retort and, instead, went back to perusing whatever shit he had on his phone.
“Surprisingly, I got both of them up without a problem,” Lorraine said walking back into the kitchen, her hair freshly brushed, her sweaty workout clothes replaced with flannel pants and a t-shirt.
