Page 5 of Prove Me Wrong (The Sunburnt Hearts #5)

Chapter Two

NOAH

“ B eer?” Nathan asks, his wavy raven head stuck inside my refrigerator.

Eyes meeting Tatum’s green ones from across my kitchen, she simply smirks and sips on her wine.

“I’m driving tonight, Nate,” I remind him, tone flat.

Nathan slams the fridge door and pops off the lid of his amber glass bottle before ingesting a huge gulp of brew. “You can drink one and drive, Noah. It’s not against the law.” Dark eyes round, trying to seem convincing.

My throat burns at that. Memories try clawing their way back into my mind, but I shake them away. “I’m not drinking if I have Jade in the car with me.”

“Leave him alone, Nathan,” Tatum says from her spot on a stool at my island bench. “Noah is a dad. He has to be responsible.”

Nathan grimaces and downs half his bottle in one go.

“At least one of us is responsible,” he murmurs before turning his attention to my daughter sitting in her highchair, mashed potatoes covering her tiny fingers.

Smiling, he wriggles his hands as he approaches her.

Jade giggles so loudly it makes me chuckle.

I just want to catch that sound and keep it forever .

Jade adores my best friends, Tatum and Nathan, even though they are still growing up—Nathan definitely has more maturing to do than Tatum.

I know I’m the unofficial father figure of this group, but I am happy with that responsibility.

I’ll do all that I can to keep my daughter safe, and my friends as well.

Jade is my everything, and I’m all that she has now.

Nathan tickles her sides as Jade screams with delight. Tatum can’t hide her grin anymore, watching the two of them with amusement. Her strawberry blonde hair falls loosely over one shoulder as she casually leans on the benchtop.

My shoulders sink, remembering why we’re here tonight. Elbowing her in the side, I ask Tatum in a low tone, “Do you really have to leave?”

Tatum’s emerald irises meet mine, and they round a little at my question.

Pink lips pursing, she nods slowly, lowering her glass to the bench.

“It’s my only option. Believe me, if I didn’t have to go to Sydney, I’d stay right here.

I never planned on leaving Barrenridge, and I don’t want to leave you or Jade, but with the clinic closing… ”

Swallowing, I sigh and rub at my stubbled jaw. “I know. It’s selfish of me to want you to stay here. You need to follow your dreams, T.”

“My dream isn’t to move to Sydney, Noah.” Her head tilts in my direction, the ghost of a smirk curling on her mouth.

“But it is to work with athletes,” I gently counter.

Chin dipping to lower her gaze, Tatum rakes her fingers through her shiny hair. “It is, which is why I can’t pass up this opportunity.” Her tone softens, like she’s unsure if she’s making the right decision. “I know you like having the help, but I need to do this.”

Stuffing my hands in the pockets of my pants, I exhale grimly, my heart dropping slightly.

I know I’ll miss having Tatum around. I could rely on her if I needed someone to watch Jade, especially when I’m out of town for a race.

Admittedly, I’m not quite sure what I’ll do now with her leaving.

Nathan is good with Jade, and so is June next door, so I’ll probably need to juggle her between the two of them.

“I wouldn’t want you to decline the offer. You deserve this opportunity, T.”

“Would it help if I tie her down?” Nathan questions without looking away from a babbling Jade, who is smearing potato all over her mouth.

Tatum chokes on her drink. “No! That sounds disgusting, Nate.”

Nathan scoffs and glares at her over his shoulder. “I didn’t mean it in that way. I just don’t want you to go. You’re breaking up the group here. We’ve been inseparable since preschool.” His tone shifts into something whiny.

Her eyebrows arch, and I roll my eyes. “She won’t forget about us, Nate.”

“But she will be three hours away!” he groans, but smiles when Jade pokes his cheek with her grubby finger. “How will I update you about the girls I meet?”

“Ever heard of a phone?” I grumble, folding my arms across my chest.

Tatum snickers. “Or just don’t sleep around anymore.”

Nathan glares at her, and I can’t help but chuckle. “Like that’ll happen. Be serious, Tate.”

She runs her tongue across her lips before adding, “I’ll answer all your calls, Nate. And I’ll be back to visit soon enough. It’ll be like I was never gone.”

“I knew you’d miss me.” He winks his dark lashes at Tatum.

Tatum shakes her head and walks over to them, making faces at Jade. “I’ll miss you the most, gorgeous girl.”

“Hey!” Nathan snaps.

Tatum grunts before muttering, “And you, Nate. ”

Nathan grins at me as Tatum slides Jade out of the chair and into her arms. Jade giggles as mashed potatoes smear on Tate’s neck. I grab some paper towel to wipe it off.

“Thanks,” she mumbles before kissing Jade’s pink cheek. “I am going to miss you, sweetie. I hope you’ll remember how close we were before I left town.”

Her sentiment stabs at my chest, and I have to turn away before either of them catches my eyes prickling with tears. It pains me that one of my best friends is leaving, and Jade has grown so attached to Tatum since she was born. I don’t know how she’s going to deal with Tatum leaving.

I don’t even know how I’ll deal. Or Nathan.

“Noah?”

I look back at glassy green eyes and inhale deeply, knowing I need to stay strong for Tatum right now. But if she breaks, then I’m going to break apart with her. Call me empathetic, but I hate seeing others hurt or upset, especially when they’re close to me.

“We should go soon before the pub gets too rowdy,” Nathan reminds us, placing his empty beer bottle on the bench and swiping his wallet and phone from beside it.

Nodding, I grab some wipes and clean Jade’s hands and face before kissing her forehead. “Ready to go out, princess?”

Jade’s shimmering green eyes look up into mine, and I smile widely.

I will never tire of looking at my baby girl.

She reminds me so much of Emerald that it hurts.

Down to her smile, freckles and fairer skin, I see her mum in her, reminding me of that wretched night.

But I still have Jade, and I am forever grateful for that. One is better than none.

“Do you want me to change her quickly while you clean up?” Tatum offers as I throw the wipe away and go to clean up Jade’s chair.

“Would you mind?” I ask without looking at my friend .

“We’ll be back down in a few.”

Tatum’s footsteps sound down the hallway and up the staircase before Nathan looks at me. I know exactly what he’s about to suggest. “Do you think we can convince her to stay here?”

Regretfully, I shake my head, shoulders dropping once more.

Tatum is going tomorrow, so we have tonight to spend together.

“I don’t think so, Nate. She needs to do this.

Physiotherapy work is scarce around here, and if she has the chance to work for a sports team, then we can’t hold her back in this little town. ”

Nathan’s tongue pokes the inside of his cheek before letting out a loud groan. “This sucks. I’ve known you both since I was three. I don’t know my life without Tate being here. We need her.”

“She’s only going to Sydney, Nate. Not overseas.”

“Sydney is far away!”

My head tilts as I wash my hands in the kitchen sink. “She’ll still be our friend, and we’ll be hers. Tatum won’t forget about us, especially you .”

Nathan freezes for a moment before grabbing Tatum's phone, where she left it on the island next to her handbag. I frown as I watch him unlock her phone, press the camera button, and swing around to face it at us.

“Smile,” he chimes.

I do, and Nathan takes a selfie of us before changing the wallpaper of Tatum’s phone to our faces. I chuckle as he closes it and sets it back down. “See, now she won’t forget about us.”

My head shakes as I let out, “Nathan, I think you need a girlfriend.”

He scoffs lightly, but as I ready myself for the usual clap back about how great single life is, I’m surprised when Nathan puts his bottle in the bin and silently grabs our things.

He’s always had a bachelor's life, never wanting to settle down, but something in his expression makes me wonder if he's changing his mind. If he’s now considering settling down to not be as scary as he thinks.

Frowning in his direction, I open my mouth to say something when Tatum and Jade come back down the stairs, smelling as fresh as a daisy. I grab Jade’s bag off the bench, filled with the usual toddler necessities, before leading Nathan to the front door.

“I’ll meet you two there. You're all right to drive, T?”

“Sure.” Tatum nods and fiddles with her keys before opening my front door.

Jade’s arms reach towards me, and I scoop her up and carry her out of the house, locking up behind me. Unlocking my beloved ute, I clip Jade into the backseat as Nathan and Tatum drive off together in her Jeep.

Walking around to the driver’s seat, I slip inside and rest my hands on the steering wheel, my gaze flicking onto June’s house.

My mind won’t stop thinking about the dark-haired girl who arrived yesterday afternoon. June told me about her granddaughter moving in this weekend, but I never imagined her being so pretty—grey-blue eyes, long brunette hair and lightly freckled skin.

I know a lot of athletes like to use their fame to sleep around and flaunt themselves, but I am quite the opposite. I have barely looked at anyone since the incident, and I much prefer to slip out of the spotlight, especially since I have Jade to consider now.

But my heart did beat a little louder when I noticed her grinning at Jade from across the lawn.

The way her cloudy eyes lit up made me smile. It’s been a long time since someone has made me grin like that, and I enjoyed the fuzzy feeling I got in the pit of my stomach, wanting to feel it again.

My gut tightens as I give my head a small shake and start the ute. It’s been almost two years since that night, and yet I can’t shake the feeling that I’m doing something wrong. Em’s not here anymore, so why do I feel guilty for thinking about another girl?

Blowing out a steady breath, I look over my shoulder at Jade happily playing in her car seat, hands touching her socks like how toddlers can, since they’re so flexible. All I need is Jade in my life.

She’s all that will ever matter to me.