down.
“What’s going on with you?” I asked. Getting drunk and showing up at my house was something he had never done before. In fact, he’d never been here at all. Aside from the fact that he walked in on something freaky including me, an ice cream shop and a demon and got no explanation, things seemed a little… different… with him anyway.
He sighed and sat the water aside. “I don’t know.”
“How are things with you and Kimber?” Given the phone call I got from Kimber and all the jealousy she carried with her, I knew they couldn’t be great.
“I don’t love her anymore.” Cole said matter of fact. It startled me and I looked up sharply.
“You don’t?”
He shook his head. “Haven’t since we broke up that last time when she used Sam to get back at me for kissing Jenna.”
I swallowed down the guilt I felt for that situation because Sam had used Kimber too, which only made her relationship with Cole worse. “But you forgave her.”
He nodded. “I always do.”
My heart sank. He had always forgiven her and I never once wondered what all those times cost him. Until now. “I’m so sorry.” I went over and placed a hand on his shoulder. Being friends with Kimber was difficult so I couldn’t imagine what it was like to date her.
“Hell, I’m the one who kissed Jenna in the first place. It had been just a stupid bet, but…” His words trailed away.
“But?” I squeezed his shoulder.
“Part of me wondered what it would be like to be with someone else. Someone less difficult.”
“Jenna is not less difficult,” I muttered.
He laughed, then looked up at me. “I’m not into Jenna.”
My heart began pounding. “That’s good,” I whispered.
“But I’m not into Kimber anymore, either.”
I let out the breath I didn’t know I was holding. I wanted to tell him to be honest with her, but Kimber was my best friend. How could I tell her boyfriend to break up with her?
“Things are changing,” Cole went on. “And not just between me and Kimber.”
“I don’t know what you mean,” I said, backing away from him. I prayed he didn’t hear the lie in my voice. I busied myself by refolding the dish towels by the sink.
“Even my mom is acting weird.”
“Like how?” I lied again, even though I knew exactly what he was talking about.
“I don’t know.” He shook his head. “It’s almost like she’s hiding something.” I looked over at whatever I heard in his voice. His blue eyes speared me with a look so clear I would have sworn he was sober. “Just like you.”
I sucked in a breath, wondering what to do. Did I have it in me to make up another lie? To laugh off his words and pretend that it was all in his head? Wasn’t he my friend? He was hurting and confused, and I identified with those feelings way more than I wished I did. Yet, if I said anything, I would be betraying Sam. He’s given up so much for me and never once asked for anything in return.
I opened my mouth, unsure what was going to come out when suddenly the overhead light came on, startling in its brightness. Cole moved fast, almost like on instinct, coming to block me from whatever entered the room. I blinked in shock before stepping around him. “Gran.”
“I heard voices,” Gran said, her aura and body relaxing as she realized it was only me.
“I didn’t mean to wake you.”
“I thought Sam had gone home hours ago,” Gran said, looking at Cole. Her eyes rounded as she saw that it wasn’t Sam.
“This is Cole, Gran. You’ve heard me talk about him before.” I grabbed his arm and pulled him forward, praying he wouldn’t act drunk.
“Of course!” Gran said, staring at him.
We both waited for her to continue with how late it was and that friends shouldn’t be visiting at this time of night. She didn’t say anything. She just stared at him, her eyes skimming his face over and over again.
Cole cleared his throat. “I’m sorry to have come by so late, Mrs. Uhhh…”
“Just call me
“What’s going on with you?” I asked. Getting drunk and showing up at my house was something he had never done before. In fact, he’d never been here at all. Aside from the fact that he walked in on something freaky including me, an ice cream shop and a demon and got no explanation, things seemed a little… different… with him anyway.
He sighed and sat the water aside. “I don’t know.”
“How are things with you and Kimber?” Given the phone call I got from Kimber and all the jealousy she carried with her, I knew they couldn’t be great.
“I don’t love her anymore.” Cole said matter of fact. It startled me and I looked up sharply.
“You don’t?”
He shook his head. “Haven’t since we broke up that last time when she used Sam to get back at me for kissing Jenna.”
I swallowed down the guilt I felt for that situation because Sam had used Kimber too, which only made her relationship with Cole worse. “But you forgave her.”
He nodded. “I always do.”
My heart sank. He had always forgiven her and I never once wondered what all those times cost him. Until now. “I’m so sorry.” I went over and placed a hand on his shoulder. Being friends with Kimber was difficult so I couldn’t imagine what it was like to date her.
“Hell, I’m the one who kissed Jenna in the first place. It had been just a stupid bet, but…” His words trailed away.
“But?” I squeezed his shoulder.
“Part of me wondered what it would be like to be with someone else. Someone less difficult.”
“Jenna is not less difficult,” I muttered.
He laughed, then looked up at me. “I’m not into Jenna.”
My heart began pounding. “That’s good,” I whispered.
“But I’m not into Kimber anymore, either.”
I let out the breath I didn’t know I was holding. I wanted to tell him to be honest with her, but Kimber was my best friend. How could I tell her boyfriend to break up with her?
“Things are changing,” Cole went on. “And not just between me and Kimber.”
“I don’t know what you mean,” I said, backing away from him. I prayed he didn’t hear the lie in my voice. I busied myself by refolding the dish towels by the sink.
“Even my mom is acting weird.”
“Like how?” I lied again, even though I knew exactly what he was talking about.
“I don’t know.” He shook his head. “It’s almost like she’s hiding something.” I looked over at whatever I heard in his voice. His blue eyes speared me with a look so clear I would have sworn he was sober. “Just like you.”
I sucked in a breath, wondering what to do. Did I have it in me to make up another lie? To laugh off his words and pretend that it was all in his head? Wasn’t he my friend? He was hurting and confused, and I identified with those feelings way more than I wished I did. Yet, if I said anything, I would be betraying Sam. He’s given up so much for me and never once asked for anything in return.
I opened my mouth, unsure what was going to come out when suddenly the overhead light came on, startling in its brightness. Cole moved fast, almost like on instinct, coming to block me from whatever entered the room. I blinked in shock before stepping around him. “Gran.”
“I heard voices,” Gran said, her aura and body relaxing as she realized it was only me.
“I didn’t mean to wake you.”
“I thought Sam had gone home hours ago,” Gran said, looking at Cole. Her eyes rounded as she saw that it wasn’t Sam.
“This is Cole, Gran. You’ve heard me talk about him before.” I grabbed his arm and pulled him forward, praying he wouldn’t act drunk.
“Of course!” Gran said, staring at him.
We both waited for her to continue with how late it was and that friends shouldn’t be visiting at this time of night. She didn’t say anything. She just stared at him, her eyes skimming his face over and over again.
Cole cleared his throat. “I’m sorry to have come by so late, Mrs. Uhhh…”
“Just call me
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