How Many Chances by Beverley Hollowed

You can’t keep treating me like one. If you love me then you have to trust me. Trust I love you enough to take whatever happens. Having GI Joe checking on me and you hiding things from me is… well it’s suffocating.”
    I suffocate you?” Cole said looking shocked and a little but hurt.
    “No,” Ally half laughed and half sighed. “But you need to stop trying to fix things. Not everything is your problem to fix.”
    “I just want us to be okay,” Cole said as Ally softly brushed his face with her fingertips.
    “We are okay,” she whispered and smiled warmly at him. “We are together, nothing else matters. Cole you have to believe I love you. Please learn to trust me. I promise, I am going nowhere.”
    “You are amazing, Ally Brody,” Cole said, now taking her face in his hands. “God I love you so much.” He whispered before his brought his lips softly to her mouth.
    For the first time, Ally felt an internal strength rise inside her and she knew she could do this.
    She knew no matter what happened from now on, she and Cole could face it together.

Chapter 10
    Cole took Ally out for lunch to an intimate little Italian a short walk from where he lived. Nick was not happy about Cole choosing to walk instead of taking the car. But Cole insisted that the paps were nothing to worry about. That he had taken care of them.
    When Cole brought up the subject of going to visit Ben, Ally instant ly became uncomfortable. She knew it was something she would have to do eventually, but she also knew it was something she still wasn’t ready for.
    Cole couldn’t hide his disappointment when Ally suggested that , as it had been over a week since he had been to visit Ben, that maybe it would be the best thing for him to go on his own and clear the air with his mother. Especially after the stories that had run in the paper that morning.
    The truth was she couldn’t have cared less about that tart. As far as she was concerned , she knew exactly what she was doing when she climbed into bed with Cole. And nothing would ever make her feel any different. But she wasn’t ready to be dragged into a situation she really wanted no part of.
    Cole reluctantly agreed she was right but the disappointment on his face was very clear. After lunch he dropped Ally back to his apartment.
    Then, w hen it was time for him to go see Ben. Cole kissed Ally and hugged her tightly . He seemed almost reluctant to let her go.
    “You know I have to do this?” Cole sighed against Ally forehead. “He is my son. I need to be there for him.”
    “You don’t need to explain to me, Cole,” Ally said as she closed her eyes and allo wed him to pull her to him tighter. She breathed in his scent and she felt safe and comfortable in his arms. She wanted to beg him not to go. The thoughts of him there with the woman that had just given him a son made her feel sick to the pit of her stomach.
    But he was the child ’s father and needed to do the right thing. “You need to do this. I really do understand that.”
    “I won’t be long,” Cole assured her as he kissed her forehead once again . “And Annette will be here soon, so if you need anything you just let her know.”
    “I think I will just go and d o some reading,” Ally smiled at Cole. “I will be okay, I promise.”
    “Good,” Cole replied as he kissed softly on the lips. He looked into her eyes and smiled. “I love you.”
    “Love you too,” she said with a smile before she kissed him back.
    S he stood and watched as he walked to the front door, followed closely by Nick. She frown as the door closed and she was left standing in Cole’s luxury penthouse alone. Everything seemed so different here. For starters they never seemed to be alone anymore. Nick was always lurking somewhere around and Ally really didn’t like him. Ally had tried to ignore the sideways glances of disapproval she got from time to time from him but she knew he didn’t think much of her either.
    She wished they could