Page 5 of The Holiday Ex-Files

He cringed at the mere mention of the word single. “Don’t worry, I already know who the future Mrs. Cullen will be.” He wagged his perfectly arched and trimmed brows. I had to say, I admired his grooming habits.

I stepped back, shocked. “You do?” He’d never talked about getting married. There were going to be a lot of disappointed women.

“Yes, ma’am.” He tapped my nose.

“Who is she? Do I know her?”

He nodded.

I started thinking of all the women I knew who could be possibilities. There was Deidre, another realtor from the firm. She was cute and perky, and definitely into Noah. She’d even made up repairs for the houses she’d listed just to see him. Or maybe it was Isla—she was a friend from Noah and Ben’s college days who I was sure always wanted to be more than a friend. Then there was Annika; she was in my Ex-Filers chapter, and she and Noah went to homecoming together in high school. “Don’t leave me in suspense.”

He held up his mug as if he were toasting me. “I’m afraid you’re going to need to be suspended for a while longer. She’s a work in progress.”

I did narrow my eyes at him like he accused me of doing earlier. “You make her sound like a house you’re renovating. Is she not good enough for you yet?” I snarled. He sounded just like Ben, who I was never good enough for. I could still hear him in my head: Cami, you have such a great body, but your clothes are too baggy. Cami, don’t wear heels; you look too tall next to me. Cami, maybe you could put a little more effort into your hair. We have a reputation to uphold. Shamefully, I had jumped through every hoop for him, hoping to live up to his expectations. Through it all I lost myself, and then I lost him too.

Noah inched even closer and set his mug down. He tilted his head and studied me. In his eyes I saw the same look I’d been getting for the last few years. It said, “What happened to you?”

I gripped the counter, willing myself not to tear up. I knew I wasn’t as sweet as I used to be. A few years ago, I would have never lashed out at Noah. Sure, I would have teased him for all the women he was dating. In fact, I had tried to set him up several times with Mrs. Right, because in reality, Noah was a good person. He’d even tried to help me pick up the pieces after I’d caught Ben cheating on me, but I’d pushed him away. I kept on pushing too. But for some reason, he wasn’t willing to let our friendship go. He really should. I knew I didn’t deserve him after the way I’d treated him.

“Cams,” he said my name so sweetly, “I could never aspire to be as good as her. She’s the most incredible woman I’ve ever known.”

“Oh.” I dropped my head. I felt like such a jerk. “I’m sorry, Noah.” But then I remembered his flash drive. My head snapped up with, yes, my judging eyes. “Why date these other women, then?”

“Because she intimidates me and I don’t know how to tell her how I feel,” he sounded so vulnerable as he pressed the flash drive into my hand. His warm, calloused hand engulfed my own while his intense gaze held me in place. We are talking, like, my parents had just caught me skipping school intense, which I had never been found guilty of doing. Not to say I hadn’t skipped school, but that was another story.

I swallowed hard, not sure where this was all coming from. Noah was getting weirder all the time. This woman must really have some hold on him. I didn’t think he could be intimidated. He had a reputation for being untouchable but oh so desired.

Noah leaned in with his signature I’m a demigod smile. “Besides,” he whispered, “I would have to think of another way to annoy you.”

I slid my hand out of his, curling my fingers around his flash drive—half-irritated, half-touched that he still bothered to annoy me. In the process, for a split second, I realized what a comfort it had been to hold his hand. I missed that kind of affection. Even the platonic kind Noah and I used to share. But I’d made a solemn vow to myself. We are talking unbreakable-curse-level solemn, that I would never take comfort in another man again, not even a friend. Especially not a man who was in love with an incredible woman. I would never give that woman any reason to doubt how Noah felt about her. She deserved at least that much. My only hope was that Noah didn’t break her heart. But the odds weren’t in her favor. I felt sorry for her already.