Thirty-Eight Days (6 page)

No.

The absurd feeling of wanting to know Clara was nothing but a reaction to the fact that she stood before him, stunning. Noel couldn't want to stare into her eyes forever. He already had his perception of Clara set; he didn't need those golden-brown eyes trying to change that.

But Noel knew that no matter how much he still disliked her, he couldn't forget the fact that she was the first woman to ever make him struggle to breathe with just her presence alone. However, he couldn't forget the look of her brown eyes that flickered with specks of amber. He knew that he couldn't deny himself the pleasure of her beauty because Noel knew only one thing… he was in trouble.

I
t isn’t real. He can’t be standing in front of me right now! It can’t be real!

Clara’s heart sank and her brain started to malfunction. She was in shock. The one person standing in front of her was the last person she ever expected. It was her past. Specifically, her childhood looked back at her. Nothing in the world could have prepared her for him to be standing there. When she heard that knock, she believed it would be Liam.

When she opened the door she could register his name in her thoughts, but words failed her when it came to speaking. Her hands had started to sweat as the memories of her childhood flooded through her thoughts. The universe was throwing her another curve ball. The one person she was so sure hated her more than anything stood centimetres from her. Growing up she was sure that his “hate” for her was his way of treating her like a sister, but she suspected he never truly liked her. Only having to tolerate her for Alex’s sake.

Nolan Parker.

Clara looked at her white-painted door. Her breathing faltered as she tried to process it all. But no matter how much she tried, the fear in her grew. Her brother’s best friend was here. It was a concept she couldn’t understand.

Turning, she leant her back against the door, hands covering her face. She would rather go back to the night she found out about Darren cheating than face Noel. She couldn’t ignore the fact that he surprisingly appeared on her doorstep with luggage in hand.

Of all the people in this world!

He didn't even remember who she was. Noel would have rather frolicked with hungry sharks than babysit her.

Babysit?

His sudden appearance baffled Clara. He was here the day before Alex, with luggage in hand, and he was on the other side of her door. He said he needed to babysit her. Factors kept running through her mind. Clara put more pressure on her back and started to slide down the door until she felt the floor beneath her. With her back firmly placed on the hard door, her hands still covered her face.

Why would she need babysitting? She would be nineteen on Friday, and that was six days away. She didn't need an arrogant asshole like Nolan Parker to look after her. She was more than capable of looking after herself; she had done so for over a year.

As Clara withdrew her hands from her face, it started to make sense, all of it. She got up from the floor and patted her dress to remove any creases before taking in a few short breaths. She adjusted her hair, and as calmly as her body would let her, she placed a hand on the handle and opened the door.

Noel stood where she left him after she had slammed the door in his face. It was the first time she could actually take him in. She wasn’t surprised by what stood in front of her. Even at eighteen he was unbelievably good looking; fast forward five years, and he had the power to make her melt.

Noel’s physical appearance could make her breathless. His shoulders were broader, his muscles more defined, his face chiselled, his brown hair was cut short, and those green eyes… mesmerising.

His good looks let down by his arrogance. Clara couldn’t help her wondering eyes as she observed him.

I wonder what he would look like with his shirt off.

She mentally cursed his attractiveness. Why was she thinking about him in such a sexual way? She couldn’t think about her brother’s best friend in
that
way. He was Nolan Parker, the boy who never thought of her.

Pull yourself together! Focus, Clara!

"Is Alex… okay?" she asked softly as she stared at the floorboards. Sneaking glances at him, she noticed he wore skinny jeans and a pair of Converse. She imagined him in suits rather than his casual attire. Clara stood there, hand on her front door and eyes focused on the natural patterns of the wooden floorboards. Noel cleared his throat and she lifted her head so her eyes met his.

"Uhh, listen, Clara, that's why I'm here. You may want to sit down," he instructed as he pointed to the couch behind her. His tone alone made Clara nervous as she chewed her bottom lip.

Her heart started to race and her breathing came out in gasps. She felt like she was having a panic attack.

Alex is hurt. He can’t be hurt, can he?

Countless theories on Alex's safety and livelihood ran through her thoughts. He had to be okay; she had spoken to him not too long ago. Noel continued to stare at her. His gaze made her uncomfortable and he gave nothing away.

She spun on the balls of her feet and made her way to the couch. She steadied a hand on the arm of the sofa and sat down. Noel shut the door, calmly placed his luggage next to it, and made his way to the old French armchair. She waited impatiently as he settled in before she would question him.

"Well?" she asked. The worry was clear in her voice.

"Listen, kiddo, your brother..." Noel paused, causing Clara's fear to increase. Her head felt light and her stomach formed tight knots.

"Noel, please tell me. You have me worried as hell," she begged as she twiddled her fingers. The sweat on her hands made it easy for them to glide past each other.

He closed his eyes and took in a deep breath. Noel looked pained as if it was slow torture for him. He kept her waiting for far too long. She was impatient and determined. Clara would go over there, grab a fist full of his shirt, and demand answers.

"Alex is in trouble."

I knew it!

"How bad is it? He isn't ill or anything?" Clara asked as she leapt from her seat and stood in front of him.

“Depends." Noel shrugged. He was making it so hard for her not to lose control.

"What the hell does ‘
depends’
mean, Noel?" she shouted in fury.

He inhaled another breath of air. He’d need another one soon because she was going to punch him in the gut if he didn’t start talking, but that would only slow him down.

"An account he’s been working on has the IRS digging through his files. He isn't able to come for your birthday because he has to sort out the accounts and have them ready for—"

"Jesus, Noel!” she yelled out, her arms in the air. His eyes lit up and his eyebrows bunched together in confusion.

"What?"

"What do you mean, ‘what?
’
" she began, the irritation evident in her voice.

"Here you are, coming into my apartment, telling me to sit down because you have news about Alex and—"

"And?" he interrupted, raising a brow.

She would punch him in his pretty face if she didn't already know that it would hurt her more than him. "God, Noel! You made it out as if Alex
died
," Clara explained, ensuring the word “died” came out without confusion.

"Died? You thought Alex… died?" He laughed. Clara tensed at his laughter. She didn't see the humour in it, so why did he?

"Clara, if you think Alex really died, would I really be the one comforting you? Wouldn't it be… I don't know, either one of your parents telling you? Not me," he said, too proud of himself.

"Oh," was all that came from her mouth. "Well, thank you for coming to tell me. I guess I'll see you around when Ale—" she began to say.

Noel rose from his seat and stood in front of her. Those green eyes of his darkened and she swallowed hard. "I'm not going anywhere, Clara."

What?

"I… uh, don't understand," she said, confused. Noel wasn't looking at her eyes and that made her tremble. She blushed under his inspection. He turned and looked towards to door.

"You see that?" he said, pointing to his bag.

"Uh, yeah?" Clara replied, more confused than before.

"I didn't lug that thing around for twenty minutes in the heat for nothing, Clara. I am here to stay."

To stay… Oh God, no!

"What?" she blurted. It was like she had been hit on the head with a bag of sand; dazed and confused, she knew this wasn't good.

"Your brother, who is my best friend, thinks I need to be here with you," he said as he took a step closer to her, and his warm breath hit her cheek.

"Uhh, why?" She trembled. Noel was making her more nervous than Liam had. He would be living with her. Clara let those words sink in, but they were hazy; they weren't cementing themselves in her brain.

"Because, kiddo, your brother thinks with what's happened to you as of lately, the news of his not being here would cause you to fall into a pit of depression and then well… kill yourself, pretty much." Noel shrugged as if what he said didn't mean anything. If she weren’t in such a haze she would have kicked him right in his manhood.

Arrogant asshole!

"Alex thought I'd commit… suicide?" She needed to hear the words for herself.

"Not exactly. He didn't say those
exact
words. More like he hinted them, somewhere deep, deep inside." Noel’s lips curled up into a smug smile. She came to the conclusion that she hated that look.

"So. You. Are. Staying." A statement Clara was not comfortable saying for ears to hear.

"Yeah.” He paused.

Okay, he just said “yeah” like it’ll be fine between the two of us. Maybe this won’t be so—

"Unfortunately," Noel exasperated.

Such an asshole!

"Well roomie, show me where I’m sleeping," Noel said searching the apartment for the bedrooms.

"Well, if you would so
kindly look to your left, there’s the door. Use it. Goodbye, Noel," she said as she moved past him.

“Don't be so stupid, Clara. You can't get rid of me that easily. I'm here. There is no way I'm letting Alex down. Whether you
like it or not." Steel laced his voice, hardening his words.

Clara was dumbfounded. She was shocked at Noel’s loyalty to her brother.

Alex should be worried now! I’ll really kill myself now that Noel is here.

"What's that burning? It's smoking up the joint," Noel said, breaking her train of thought. Clara shook her head and focused on the smoke that filled her apartment. He sniffed the air and waved his arms about to rid the smoke.

Shit, the pasta!

T
he hot sun filtering through the window and soft footsteps woke Noel. He groaned when he saw that he woke up just after seven a.m. He placed a hand over his face, not allowing the morning light to hit his sleepy eyes. Untangling the blanket from him, Noel sat up and scratched his head. Deciding against going back to sleep, he got out of bed.