Christ.

Noah grabbed his chest, like that would somehow take the ache away. Just what he didn’t fucking need. Pain pierced him again as Noah tried, but failed, to get up. He’d kill whoever was behind the wheel of the truck. Forget that he hadn’t been paying attention when he’d crossed the street, and that the driver obviously only rolled into him. He’d been through enough in the past few weeks, that there was no way he was taking the blame for this one.

***

“Motherfucker!” Cooper Bradshaw jumped out of his truck, panic flooding his veins. He’d fucking hit someone. Yeah, he’d been going slow—hopefully too slow to cause any real damage—but that didn’t make him feel any better. Any time a one-and-a-half ton truck ran into something else, or in this case, someone else, you could pretty much bet on who the winner would be.

As he raced to the guy on the ground, he hoped whoever he was, wasn’t hurt too badly.

“Oh shit,” he cursed, looking down. He had short, dark hair, his eyes squinted closed. He was tall and…familiar… A smile spread across Cooper’s face. “Noah?  Noah Jameson? Wow. Long time no see. How ya been?”

Noah cocked a brow at him, and Coop realized that probably wasn’t the best thing to say when you mowed down your best friend from childhood.

“Run over,” Noah replied.

Cooper jerked himself out of the past to take care of what needed to be done. “Sorry, man. Where does it hurt?” He knelt down, still in shock that he not only hit someone, but that it was his old friend.

“Still don’t know how to watch where you’re going, I see.” Noah smiled, and some of the tension eased out of Cooper’s shoulders. Holy shit. Noah Jameson was sitting in front of him.

“Still blaming other people for your crap, I see. You’re the one who walked out onto the street without looking, just like you tried to go for that ball I’d already called.” They’d been ten when Noah moved next door. Coop was outside playing football with some friends, and Noah pushed his way right into the game by going for the same catch Coop had. They’d collided in mid-air, fell on their asses, and then were best friends for the next three years.

He’d stolen his first dirty magazine with the man on the road right now. Snuck downstairs at night to watch his first porno with him. Talked about girls with him. Spied on girls with him. Yeah, they’d been young, but they’d been a team.

“You still didn’t have to run me down, ya bastard.” Noah flinched, as he tried to get up. Coop cursed.

“Maybe we should call an ambulance. What hurts?”

Noah shook his head. “Hell no. My ribs are sore. I don’t need an ambulance. I need a bed and about ten Ibuprofen.”

When Noah tried to get up again, Cooper held onto his arm to help him. Once he was on his feet, Noah leaned against the truck. “Jesus,” Coop shook his head. “I can’t believe you’re back, let alone, that I ran your ass over. I’d say let’s catch up, but I’d feel better if we got you to the hospital first.”

Noah winced again and grabbed his side. “I’m sure my ribs are just bruised, so they won’t be able to do much.”

He was probably right, but Coop wasn’t willing to take chances. “You got a car?” He asked, trying to show his friend he wasn’t taking no for an answer.

“Broken down on the side of the road.”

Coop knew it made him an asshole, but he laughed. It wasn’t every day your car broke down, and you got hit by one. “Bad day?”

Noah shook his head, but grinned, reminding Cooper exactly, of the boy he used to know. “You don’t even know the half of it.”

Cooper reached for him. “Let me help you in the truck. I’ll drive you over to get checked out, and then we’ll head out for your car.”

He watched as Noah took a deep breath and winced. He had a feeling if it hadn’t been for that wince, his old friend would try to say no about the hospital.

When he tried to help Noah, his old friend shook him off. Cooper wasn’t surprised. He’d been like that when they were young too. Hell, he was like that himself. No reason he couldn’t get to the truck by himself.

Once Noah was in, Coop did close the door for him before jogging around to the driver side. A car went around them before Cooper pulled away. Noah’s eyes were closed as he leaned against the seat. Worry lit a fire inside him. “You doing okay over there?”

“Do you always stress so much? You didn’t used to fret like a woman,” Noah didn’t look at him as he spoke. Cooper tried not to laugh. He remembered Noah used to get pissy when he was hurt.