Chapter 148
“Are you alright?” he murmured.
I swallowed hard, forcing a tight smile as I nodded. “I’m fine,” I lied. In truth, I felt anything but. Every step along the boardwalk was agony, Zoe’s incessant chatter grating on my ears as she recounted Noah’s kindness and care following her surgery.
“It’s just so nice to get out of the house, you know?” she said. “Don’t get me wrong, I love Adam. But I’m more than just a ‘mom.’ I like to have fun, too.”
I wanted to vomit. Clearly, Noah was treating Zoe like a princess—giving her a break from motherhood, taking her out, cooking her meals… sleeping in her bed.
“Where is Adam, by the way?” Drake asked, though he already knew the answer.
Zoe shot him a look, her gaze darkening slightly as she glanced at him. “He’s with my parents.”
“You didn’t think to ask if I might want to take him for a while? He’s my son.”
Zoe narrowed her eyes, and for a moment, the silence was so heavy I thought it might crush us. Finally, with a shrug, she said, “I figured you’d be busy. You’re always busy.”
She continued walking down the boardwalk with Noah beside her. Beside me, Drake’s jaw tightened, his free hand clenched into a fist. I could only imagine his discomfort, watching his wife discuss needing a break from their son after failing to ask him to care for Adam during her recovery.
I exchanged a silent, vengeful glance with Drake, who gave me a knowing look. His fingers tightened around my waist, his jaw setting hard, and I subtly nodded, signifying our shared understanding. Make them jealous.
I knew it was hypocritical; I had led Noah to believe Drake and I might be interested in each other, while simultaneously becoming enraged by Noah and Zoe's behavior. But Drake and I had no such intentions, despite his playful reputation. Noah and Zoe, however, had already shared a bed. And it was all the more obvious tonight.
Suddenly, Zoe stopped. “Oh, look!” she said, pointing to a stuffed animal above a game booth—one of those shooting games with moving cardboard ducks and foam bullets. “That’s adorable.” She glanced at Noah. “Do you think you could win it?”
I followed her gaze to an oversized plush dolphin, its glassy eyes seeming to mock me. Of course Zoe wanted Noah to win her something.
Noah didn’t respond at first, his expression unreadable. For a fleeting moment, I hoped he might refuse, ending the charade and leaving Zoe to her own devices. I instinctively took a step forward, my fingers itching to take his hand. But then, without a word, he strode toward the game attendant and slapped down some bills. Drake pulled me back against his side, subtly shaking his head as Noah picked up the toy gun.
“How much to win that stuffed dolphin?”