[This chapter is dedicated to Eric_C0te. Your support is what makes me continue to persevere to finish this story and give Jess and Noah a good ending.]
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Jess marched out of the coffee shop and her annoyance doubled because not only did Luke refuse to tell her anything, he also just laughed at her.
"You're unbelievable!" She sneered and got another laugh as a reply. "Maybe I should just ask Oliver."
She stopped walking and turned around to see Luke who intentionally walked behind her to avoid any physical attack from her. Because in her annoyance, her hand would slap his arm or even punch him. And Jess does it with force. Not the usual girls' way of slapping or punching a guy's arm.
"Yeah, you could ask Oliver but I think he would be as confused as I am."
"Aren't you scared?"
"Of what?" Luke put his arm over her shoulder and urged her to move forward. People were swarming around them since it was already past noon.
"Of not knowing where you two stand."
"You went into a relationship with Noah not knowing why he didn't remember your first night together. You simply jumped into the relationship with what you feel and what he makes you feel."
Jess went quiet for it was the truth. She clamped down the doubts she had and focused on what's in front of her. And what's in front of her made her breath stuck painfully at the back of her throat.
"Where are we going next?" Luke asked, his gaze was all over the place. Scanning the crowd for someone good to look at. He didn't notice how Jess's face paled. "Should we go shopping?" He looked over her shoulder when he could no longer drag Jess away from the spot they were standing, as if she got rooted in the ground.
He finally noticed Jess's strange expression and followed her gaze. At first, he could see why she looked like she saw a ghost staring at the restaurant in front of them until he saw the couple dining inside the restaurant.
It wasn't easy to spot them because they weren't right next to the huge glass window but Jess spotted them as if they were.
"Sorry," Luke mumbled when someone had to stop because they could not pass through since they were blocking the way. He pulled Jess away from the crowd and brought her to the curb where they could still see Noah and a girl that seemed to be oddly familiar.
He elbowed Jess and that's the only time she moved. "I have to buy some pet supplies for Lucille's dog," she muttered under her breath but her gaze was still at Noah and his companion. There wasn't anything worth noting to it. He was simply having a meal with a girl around early twenties and they seemed to be in deep conversation.
"The pet store is on the next street. Should we go there?" Luke asked, watching Jess' reaction. "Do you know the girl Noah is with?"
"No. I don't. He told me this morning, he's going to be busy at work."
Luke returned his gaze on Noah and his dining companion and creased his brows. It doesn't seem like a business lunch but he didn't have to tell that to Jess. Suspicion was on her face.
"That looks like a business meeting. Let's go now and let's not disturb Noah with his work."
"Don't take me for a fool. The way that girl looks and smiles at Noah doesn't seem very businesslike."
"Well," he shrugged his shoulders and that's when it hit him why the girl was familiar. He saw her shopping with Noah when he accompanied Jess's sisters when they went shopping. But that time, Noah wasn't alone with the girl he's having a meal with right now. They were with another girl. A teenager. "You can always ask Noah." He said instead of telling Jess what he knew.
Jess didn't say anything but pulled her phone from her purse. Her eyes didn't leave Noah and the other girl, and her grip on her phone tightened when Noah laughed at what the girl he was with said.
She gritted her teeth when Noah let his phone ring and didn't even bother to check his phone. Jess re-dialed his number again.
Luke, who was watching Jess, was worried about how dark her expression was. He was thinking if he should join Jess inside the restaurant if ever she decided to storm in or if he would just cheer her on from the outside. But his dilemma didn't have to happen for Noah finally answered Jess's call.
"Hello, Noah. Uhmm, I was just wondering if you are busy?" She asked after listening to Noah greet her curtly.
"Sorry, baby, I'm still busy at work."
She bit her lower lip and Luke had to hold her elbow for she staggered when she heard what Noah said. She pulled her phone away from her ear for she doesn't want Noah to hear the trembling of her voice.
"Sorry too...for disturbing you."
"Is everything okay?"
"Yeah. All good. I was just at the pet shop. Lucille asked me to get some dog treats for Macao."
Noah went quiet and she watched him stand up from the table. It seemed like he was walking away to get some privacy.
"Uhm, I got to go." She said hurriedly before Noah could take a step away from the table. From where they were standing, she saw Noah, creasing his brows. "Bye," she said, then dropped the call. She grabbed Luke's elbow and dragged him away as if they were being chased by some demons.
They walked for about twenty minutes without direction and none of them say anything. Luke let her drag him around. When she bumped a stranger on the street, she stopped and looked up at Luke. "Sorry about that. Should we go to the pet shop now?"
"Yeah, I think we should. We have to go back in that direction because the pet shop was over there." He pointed the street across from them.
Jess nodded absentmindedly and it was Luke's turn to drag her to where they have to be.. And Jess simply followed without saying anything.