knows what to do about you though.”
I
hear him make a sound in his throat, and then there's the sound of a chair
scrapping against the floor. I tense as I wait, but no one comes out of the
kitchen.
“She
doesn't want a thing to do with me romantically. She's made that much clear.”
Claire
chuckles. “Then she's lying to you and to herself. She watches you. She relaxes
more when you’re in the room. You just have to give her some room, Cole, she'll
come around. No one can resist you for long.”
“I
think you're a little biased. But I appreciate the vote of confidence.”
Quietly
I turn and head back up the stairs. Looks like I will spend a little time
staring at the ceiling this morning after all.
**************
“Okay, so the point of the game,”
Grace
drops a bowl of Chex mix next to my elbow. “Seriously, Dad, there is no point
to this game.”
“That
is simply not true,” Tom Marsh says while shuffling the deck of cards. “The
point is to win, baby girl. Always.”
Cole,
sitting to my right, snorts. “Watch out for him, Del, he cheats.”
“Don’t
listen to them, darling.” Tom pats my arm; he sits to my left, stretched out in
a pair of obviously old jeans that sport a couple of holes, and a dark green
t-shirt. He doesn't look a thing like any lawyer I have ever seen.
“They're
just jealous ’cause I always beat them.”
“Yeah,
because you cheat.” Holden says as he settles down at the table. Tom just
smiles at his children and says, “Prove it.”
He
deftly starts passing out cards. “Now, the game is called Phase 10, because
there are 10 phases that you have to get through in order to win, which are
listed out for you on the card I gave you earlier.”
He
goes on to explain the rules of the game, and I listen intently. As I do,
Claire comes in and sets a glass of lemonade next to me. I murmur a thank you
and she smiles at me before sliding into a chair between Cole and Holden.
I've
spent the majority of the day thinking about what I had overheard her say this
morning. I knew I was comfortable around Cole, I had told him as much last
week, but did I really become noticeably more comfortable when he came in the
room?
“So,
are you ready to get your ass kicked?”
The
good natured ribbing had started during dinner when it was decided that we
would stay in and play cards tonight.
“Bring
it on, old man.”
I
pick up the small pile of cards in front of me, watching as everyone else does
the same and starts deftly rearranging the cards they hold. I fan the cards I
hold in front of me, trying to remember all the rules I'd just heard.
Sliding
his chair a little closer to me, Cole says. “Want some help?”
“Is
that allowed?”
He's
smiling at me, and I want nothing more than to sit there all night and watch
him.
“Sure
it is. Until you get the hang of it.”
He
reaches out for the cards in my hands, his fingers gliding over mine, and I
feel the heat of his touch slide through me. He's explaining the best way to
situate my cards in my hands, talking about the first phase and what my options
are.
Honestly,
all I can do is stare at his mouth and think about what I overhead that
morning.
He
can't shake what he feels for me.
I'm
desperate to know how he feels, though I think I have a pretty good idea. And
there is a very large part of me, and it only seems to be growing larger, that
wants to explore those feelings.
Even though it makes me nauseous to think about.
“Think
you've got it?”
He's
watching me so intently, with that easy smile on his face that just barely
brings out the dimples.
“Seriously,
Del, let’s get the show on the road.” Grace’s words brings me out of my fog and
I know I'm now blushing three different shades of pink as I take my cards back
from Cole, careful not to touch him. I had forgotten that we were sitting at
the table with the rest of his family.
“Grace
that is no way to treat your guest.” Claire scolds her daughter. I look at
I
hear him make a sound in his throat, and then there's the sound of a chair
scrapping against the floor. I tense as I wait, but no one comes out of the
kitchen.
“She
doesn't want a thing to do with me romantically. She's made that much clear.”
Claire
chuckles. “Then she's lying to you and to herself. She watches you. She relaxes
more when you’re in the room. You just have to give her some room, Cole, she'll
come around. No one can resist you for long.”
“I
think you're a little biased. But I appreciate the vote of confidence.”
Quietly
I turn and head back up the stairs. Looks like I will spend a little time
staring at the ceiling this morning after all.
**************
“Okay, so the point of the game,”
Grace
drops a bowl of Chex mix next to my elbow. “Seriously, Dad, there is no point
to this game.”
“That
is simply not true,” Tom Marsh says while shuffling the deck of cards. “The
point is to win, baby girl. Always.”
Cole,
sitting to my right, snorts. “Watch out for him, Del, he cheats.”
“Don’t
listen to them, darling.” Tom pats my arm; he sits to my left, stretched out in
a pair of obviously old jeans that sport a couple of holes, and a dark green
t-shirt. He doesn't look a thing like any lawyer I have ever seen.
“They're
just jealous ’cause I always beat them.”
“Yeah,
because you cheat.” Holden says as he settles down at the table. Tom just
smiles at his children and says, “Prove it.”
He
deftly starts passing out cards. “Now, the game is called Phase 10, because
there are 10 phases that you have to get through in order to win, which are
listed out for you on the card I gave you earlier.”
He
goes on to explain the rules of the game, and I listen intently. As I do,
Claire comes in and sets a glass of lemonade next to me. I murmur a thank you
and she smiles at me before sliding into a chair between Cole and Holden.
I've
spent the majority of the day thinking about what I had overheard her say this
morning. I knew I was comfortable around Cole, I had told him as much last
week, but did I really become noticeably more comfortable when he came in the
room?
“So,
are you ready to get your ass kicked?”
The
good natured ribbing had started during dinner when it was decided that we
would stay in and play cards tonight.
“Bring
it on, old man.”
I
pick up the small pile of cards in front of me, watching as everyone else does
the same and starts deftly rearranging the cards they hold. I fan the cards I
hold in front of me, trying to remember all the rules I'd just heard.
Sliding
his chair a little closer to me, Cole says. “Want some help?”
“Is
that allowed?”
He's
smiling at me, and I want nothing more than to sit there all night and watch
him.
“Sure
it is. Until you get the hang of it.”
He
reaches out for the cards in my hands, his fingers gliding over mine, and I
feel the heat of his touch slide through me. He's explaining the best way to
situate my cards in my hands, talking about the first phase and what my options
are.
Honestly,
all I can do is stare at his mouth and think about what I overhead that
morning.
He
can't shake what he feels for me.
I'm
desperate to know how he feels, though I think I have a pretty good idea. And
there is a very large part of me, and it only seems to be growing larger, that
wants to explore those feelings.
Even though it makes me nauseous to think about.
“Think
you've got it?”
He's
watching me so intently, with that easy smile on his face that just barely
brings out the dimples.
“Seriously,
Del, let’s get the show on the road.” Grace’s words brings me out of my fog and
I know I'm now blushing three different shades of pink as I take my cards back
from Cole, careful not to touch him. I had forgotten that we were sitting at
the table with the rest of his family.
“Grace
that is no way to treat your guest.” Claire scolds her daughter. I look at
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