The ride back seemed endless, every street stretched longer than the last. When I finally pulled into the driveway, my shoulders throbbed from clutching the wheel too tightly. The groceries in the trunk didn’t weigh nearly as much as the phone in my pocket, the message inside it still beating against my side like an extra heart.
Don’t keep me waiting.
The porch light poured its steady glow over the steps, everything looking unchanged, though I wasn’t. My chest felt bound, every breath caught short, and I steadied myself and carried the bags inside.
Noah was in the kitchen, sleeves pushed up, drying a glass like he’d been standing there the whole time. His eyes locked on mine the instant I walked in, sharp but unreadable.
“You were gone a while,” he said, his tone easy, almost casual.
