Page 46 of When the Stars Rise

“Yeah, we’re good,” I say sincerely.

Her sigh of relief is audible. “Thank you. Your friendship means more to me than some boy.”

“Hey, that boy is the love of my life.”

She lets out a little whoop. “Yeah, he is. So tell me everything. How’s it going with you guys?”

I sigh.

“Uh oh. That doesn’t sound good.”

I tell her how things have been going since Noah joined me two weeks ago. The ups and downs that by now have become our only constant and bring her up to date with the whole Asher thing.

“But that was business,” Everly says, sticking up for me. “You had to be there, right?”

“I mean, I could have said no. But yeah, it was strictly professional.”

“He was hurt, though,” Everly guesses.

“Yeah. I don’t know.” I let out another sigh. “It feels like we’re never going to figure this out.”

“If you want to be with Noah, then just be with Noah.”

“You make it sound so simple.”

“It kind of is. I would give anything if I could have Zeke back. Noah is still here, Hayley. And he loves you so much. You’re all he talked about in Fiji. Talk to him. Find a way to fix whatever is broken. Life is short, right? You never know when your timeis up. So if you love someone, you have to make the most of the time you have with them.”

Everything she’s saying makes sense, and I know she’s right. But it’s not always so easy to put it into practice.

It’s not only the risks Noah takes but the way he goes about it. It feels like nothing will ever be enough for him, so he’s been taking bigger and bigger risks with zero regard to how badly it could all end.

It feels as if his addiction is escalating, and that’s what scares me most. That, and the fact that Noah refuses to admit he has a problem. If it were drugs or alcohol, I could stage an intervention and get him into rehab. But how do you stop an adrenaline junkie who can’t stop chasing those highs?

“The best way to honor the dead is to live,” Everly says. “Toreallylive and not just exist. Keep aiming for the stars, Hayley. Never give up. On life, on your dreams, or on love.” She pauses to take a breath. “Okay, thanks for coming to my TED Talk.”

I smile. “You’re the best.” I look over when the door opens, and Noah steps inside. “I’ll talk to you soon, okay?”

“You’d better. I’m expecting daily progress reports on you and Noah.”

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

Hayley

I standup from the sofa as Noah closes the door.

His gaze slowly roams over me, the heat in his gaze so intense I feel like I might spontaneously combust into flames.

I want to feel his hands on me again, his mouth pressed against mine, his hard length digging into my stomach. I want him to throw me down on the sofa or bend me over the arm and bury his cock inside me until I’m so full of him that I won’t remember what emptiness feels like.

“Wow,” he says with a smile. “Look at you.”

I bite my lip and bask in his glow. “Look at me.”

He holds up his video camera. “Ready for a quick Q&A?”

I saunter to the mirrors, drop into the swivel chair, and hike up my gold-studded mini dress before spinning to face him.

“That depends on the questions.” I cross one leg over the other and note how his gaze dips. I bite back a smile as Noah groans and scrubs his hand down his face.