As Noah headed for a seat at an empty table, he was stopped in his tracks.
Tyrone Bellamy, Christopher McDowell and Sean Parrish greeted him with brash handshakes and gregarious hugs.
“Noah Stallion!”
“Yo, dude! Is that you?”
“Noah!”
“It’s good to see you guys,” Noah chimed. “So what have y’all been up to?”
“I’m still working at my dad’s hardware store,” Sean said.
“I’m teaching here at the high school and coaching the boy’s baseball team,” Tyrone said.
Christopher nodded. “I left Salt Lake City. I’m in New York now working on Wall Street. What about you?”
“I’m working with the local police department,” Noah answered.
“Any kids?” Christopher asked.
He shook his head. “No. No wife, no kids. You?”
“I’ve got two.”
“I’ve got one on the way,” Tyrone said, a wide grin across his face.
“Well, I’ve got six kids.” Sean laughed.
“Six?” they all said in unison and turned to stare at the man.
He nodded. “Six kids, four baby mamas and three failed marriages, so no more wives or kids for me ever again.”
Noah laughed as they all nodded their understanding.
A loud scream echoed from behind them. As Noah turned, a petite woman with a blonde bob and bright blue eyes flung herself against him. The trio he’d been chatting with waved goodbye and headed for the bar, leaving him to fend for himself.
“Noah Stallion! I’d know you anywhere!” she said excitedly. “How are you?”
“Marilyn Hodges. I’m good. How are you?”
“It’s Marilyn Beeker now. I married Charlie Beeker.”
“Charlie, who almost burned down the science lab senior year, Charlie?”
“That’s the one.” She giggled. “And he’s still a pyro. He burned down my screened porch last year.” She laughed as if there were something actually funny about that.
But Noah laughed with her. “Well, it’s good to see you,” he said as he thought back to Mr. Milner’s math class when she’d regularly cheat off his paper and he let her.
From the corner of his eye he spied Catherine sitting in conversation with two men. He recognized them but couldn’t put a name to either face. He turned to stare blatantly. Marilyn seemed to read his mind.
“You remember Catherine Moore, don’t you? She’s CEO of some big business. I hear she’s engaged to be married to some European art dealer. And that’s Bo Wells and Mark Spencer. Bo’s a photographer now, and I don’t know what Mark is doing.”
Noah nodded. “So she’s engaged?”
“Yeah, but I told her marriage isn’t all it’s cracked up to be,” she said with a deep chortle. “Not at all!”
Noah smiled as she gave him a quick hug and skipped off to catch up with someone else. He moved toward the bar, walking away with a bottle of chilled beer. Moving off to a corner, he sat alone, still watching everyone around him. Occasionally, a familiar face would stop to chat, catching him up on what they’d done with their lives since graduation. Many had married and had kids. A few were living very exotic lives, and then there had been the select few who still had no clue what they wanted to do with their lives. After a while the stories all began to sound alike.
Noah had come to the reunion hoping to see Catherine and maybe talk with her more. Hearing she was planning to be someone’s wife had burst his bubble, and he was suddenly feeling deflated. He tipped the bottle of brew to his mouth and took a big sip.
He glanced down at his watch. It had been a good time and although it was still fairly early, he saw no reason to stay any longer. Moving back to his feet, he headed into the men’s room before making his exit. Inside, two more acquaintances were telling the same lie, both trying to make what little they’d accomplished seem like so much more. Washing his hands with soap and water, Noah wished both men well.
He swiped his hands across a paper towel and headed for the door. Outside the men’s room, he paused, staring down the school’s hallway at the long line of lockers that ran the length of the wall. He could almost hear the youthful laughter that used to ring in the air back in the day and it made him smile.
Standing in the hallway, he moved to the glass case that housed the sports awards, admiring the many trophies and mementos the athletic department had amassed over the years. He stopped to reflect on an image of him and the team taken at their senior class sport’s dinner. That time felt like an eternity ago.
With a deep sigh, he turned abruptly, heading in the direction of the door. As he did, he just missed slamming into Catherine Moore, once again avoiding a potential catastrophe.
She laughed warmly, her voice low and seductive. “You saved me again, Noah Stallion!”
Noah’s smile widened. “It does look that way, Catherine.”
“Please, call me Cat. Only strangers call me Catherine.”
“You look beautiful tonight, Cat,” he said as his gaze skated the length of her body.
She wore a knee-length skirt with a yoked waist with tightly pulled gathered material and a full ruffled petticoat beneath it. The color was dark granite partnered with a tailored white blouse and platform pumps in a bright floral pattern on a black background. Her look was stylish and sexy.
She smiled. “Thank you.” She narrowed her gaze on his face. “You’re not leaving, are you?”
He nodded. “I think I’ve had my fill of memory lane trips for tonight.”
She nodded but said nothing as she stood staring at him. There was a heated wave of energy that surged between them. Her gaze was intoxicating, and Noah felt his body reacting. He took a deep breath and held it for a brief moment before letting it out slowly.
“I’m actually headed back to the hotel myself,” she said. “Why don’t you join me? We can grab a drink in the hotel’s bar and catch up without all the noise.”
Noah’s gaze was still connected with hers. He suddenly felt like a snake being charmed. He nodded, completely possessed. “I’d like that. I’d like that a lot.”
Catherine smiled. “The girls are riding home in the limo. I’ll grab my purse. We can take your car, if you don’t mind.” Her tone was commanding as she turned on her high heels and disappeared back into the gym.
* * *
Camille and Crystal tossed each other a look as Catherine rushed back toward the table.
“Where are you going?” Camille questioned as Catherine grabbed her leather handbag and guzzled down the last of her drink.
“Back to the hotel.”
Crystal looked toward the entrance where Noah Stallion stood staring in their direction. “Are you going alone?” she asked, her expression all knowing.
Catherine grinned. “Not that it’s any of your business, but no, I’m not.”
Her two friends both shook their heads, amusement painting their expressions.
“It’s about time,” Crystal said. “I was starting to think that all you two were going to do was stare at each other all night long.”
Camille nodded in agreement. “I can’t believe he’s still that shy. Are you sure something’s not wrong with him? I mean, you have been known to date really good-looking men that