Noah sat in the armchair of his hotel suite, his legs stretched out in front of him, a pillow propped behind his back. The soft glow of the city lights outside filtered through the curtains, casting a warm, golden hue over the room. He sighed, pulling his phone from his pocket, and dialed Emma's number—just as he'd promised.

The phone rang a few times before Emma picked up. Her voice was warm, soothing. "Hey, Noah. How's everything going?"

Noah leaned back, trying to shake off the quiet unease that had settled in his chest since his conversation with Liam earlier. "Oh, you know," he began, trying to sound casual, "another day, another set of meetings. The usual grind. How's everything on your end?"

"Busy as always," Emma replied. "But I'm glad we're finally catching up. I miss you."

Noah felt a small knot in his stomach but quickly dismissed it with a forced smile. "I miss you too. It's been a bit crazy here, but you know me—I'm good at juggling everything."

The words felt hollow, and he internally cursed himself for not being able to offer more than the usual performance. He caught himself, though, and quickly shifted gears. "So, tell me about your day. Anything exciting?" he asked, hoping to steer the conversation into safer waters.

Emma chatted about her work, her friends, the little things she had done that day, and Noah responded with short comments and occasional jokes. He found himself relying on humor more than he'd like to admit—saying things he didn't really mean, just to keep things light. He made fun of her new "hippie" yoga class, joked about the weather being "too hot" for her taste, and laughed when she mentioned getting into a "petty argument" with a co-worker over lunch.

The whole time, though, something felt off. Noah couldn't pinpoint what exactly, but he felt like he was missing something. With every laugh he forced, with every comment he made to keep things easy, he was aware of the walls he had put up. He wasn't really here with Emma, not in the way he needed to be. The conversation was surface-level, and that gnawed at him in ways he wasn't ready to admit.

As she spoke about her day, Noah's mind began to wander, his thoughts shifting back to the conversation he had with Liam earlier. The way Liam had looked at him, the way their words had flowed easily, the connection they shared—it felt different from anything he'd experienced with Emma. No matter how many times he tried to redirect the conversation or keep things light with Emma, he couldn't shake the thought of how naturally he'd connected with Liam.

Emma laughed at something he had said, breaking him from his reverie. "You're always so full of energy, Noah. I miss that about you."

He forced another smile, but it felt too forced this time. "Yeah, I'm a real ball of sunshine," he joked, but his voice lacked the usual enthusiasm. "Listen, I've got a few things to wrap up tonight, so I should probably let you go."

Emma didn't seem to notice the change in tone. "Okay, no problem. Just don't forget about me, alright? You're always so busy."

"I won't," he said automatically, but the words didn't feel true. He realized with a jolt that he hadn't meant it. He didn't want to forget about Emma, but the truth was, he was already mentally somewhere else. Somewhere with Liam.

"Alright, take care of yourself," Emma said softly.

"You too," Noah replied, but as he hung up the phone, he felt a strange emptiness that lingered in the pit of his stomach.

He stared at the phone for a moment, still hearing Emma's voice in his head. But it wasn't her words that lingered; it was the way he felt. Detached. Almost like a stranger in his own relationship.

As he leaned back in his chair, Noah couldn't help but replay the last few days in his mind. The way Liam had looked at him with genuine curiosity, how their conversations had gone deeper without either of them trying to force it. Liam was easy to talk to, a perfect balance of humor and sincerity. There were moments when Noah let his guard down around him, even without realizing it.

And that realization hit him like a wave.

Noah had been so used to wearing a mask around everyone—including Emma—but with Liam, he didn't need one. He didn't have to joke or dodge the hard questions. They could just talk, and it didn't feel like work.

Noah let out a breath, staring out the window at the cityscape. He tried to shake off the uncomfortable feelings, but they clung to him like a second skin. He wasn't sure what it meant, or where it was leading. But he knew one thing for sure: with Emma, he was playing a role. With Liam, he was starting to let himself be real.

A soft knock at the door snapped him out of his thoughts. He quickly wiped his face, trying to push away the quiet confusion and tension that had built up. When he opened the door, Liam stood there, looking like he'd just stepped out of the shower. His hair was damp, his shirt casually untucked, and the weariness from the day was apparent in his eyes.

"Everything alright?" Liam asked, his voice laced with concern.

Noah hesitated for a moment, then nodded. "Yeah, just...got off the phone with Emma. Everything's fine."

Liam didn't push further, but there was something in his gaze that felt different. Noah wasn't sure if it was the way Liam was looking at him or just the quiet understanding between them, but it felt... easier. Like they didn't need to speak everything out loud to understand each other.

Noah gave him a half-smile. "Long day, huh?"

Liam chuckled, dropping his bag onto the couch. "You could say that. But, I think we're through the worst of it."

Noah's smile softened, the tension from the call with Emma easing slightly. "Yeah, me too."

As they stood there, the air between them quiet and comfortable, Noah couldn't shake the thought that perhaps, with Liam, things didn't need to be so complicated. Maybe it was time to stop pretending—both with Emma and with himself.

But that was a thought for another time.

For now, he'd let the silence linger. It was enough.