smiles warmly when he
sees me. “Hey.”
I smile back
as if yesterday's outburst in my bedroom never happened. “Hey back.”
He walks
over and unzips his backpack before pulling out a Styrofoam take-out container.
“I wouldn't want you to starve while I work tonight.”
Whatever it
is, it smells wonderful. I lift the lid and take in the big fat juicy burger
with a side order of fries that he'd obviously picked up from Soloman's on his
way home. I look up at him with a huge grin. “What did I do to deserve this?”
“I'm doing a
bit of groveling.”
“Groveling?”
“Yeah,” he
says as his eyes meet mine. “Last night I was pushing what I want for
you and it wasn't right.”
“Thanks,” I
say softly.
“I need to
hit the shower before work. Text me tonight if you need anything, okay?” He
hesitates as if he has something else on his mind he wants to say.
“Just say
it,” I say as I steal a fry and pop it in my mouth.
“If you find
yourself thinking about Cole, text me instead. He's bad news, Blayre.”
“Will do,” I
say lightly.
Relief
flickers in his gaze before he turns and heads for the hallway.
A couple of
hours later my cell phone chimes on the table next to my arm, startling me. A
smile curves my lips as I pick it up. Noah's checking up on me already.
I scan the
new message and freeze. COLE: Meet me tonight?
My teeth
sink into my lower lip as I stare at the little screen. Someone is obviously
done being mad. I miss Cole but I'm also realizing I've managed to get through
the past few days without him because I knew Noah would be here.
Noah.
With the
press of a button, I shut my phone off and calmly set it on the table. It's
time to start making the right choices and Cole's definitely not a part of that
category. I turn back to my homework but my concentration is shot.
I sigh
loudly in the empty kitchen and my eyes fall on the pool outside the patio
doors. Soon the temperatures would be dropping and it'd be too chilly out to
swim since the pool wasn't heated. An evening swim sounded absolutely wonderful
and I had a brand new bikini waiting for me upstairs.
Shame
Dishonor fills those who
leave themselves in
situations they should
not
Cole corners
me at my locker the next morning and I'm hit with a barrage of emotions.
There's still a part of me that wants to move right into his arms where I feel
like I belong.
No. That's
not right.
I don't belong there. It's where I'm most comfortable because it's my excuse to hide.
“You didn't
answer my text last night,” Cole says as he frowns at me as if nothing had
happened earlier this week.
I avoid
looking at him as I open my locker and unzip my backpack, shoving my books
inside that I wouldn't need until later in the day. “I was busy.”
“Busy doing
what?”
“Homework
for one. I've skipped too much.”
“You're
still mad,” he says.
Now I turn
and give him a cool look. “Did you think I wouldn't be?”
His green
eyes search mine. “C'mon, Blayre. It's in the past, time to move on.”
“That's it?”
I ask with amazement. “We had a few days of space and that fixed it?”
“What is up
with you?”
My mouth
opens and I am ready to unleash my desire to break up when it dawns on me that
school is probably the worst place for this to go down at. We need to talk in
private, especially since we have the robbery secret hanging over our heads.
“Can you stop by later? I think we have some things to sort out.”
“Let's hit
my place. It's Friday so Ethan will be gone until late.”
I don't want him getting any ideas and going to his place would for sure give
him the wrong impression of the discussion I have planned. “I'd rather mine.
Noah works tonight, so maybe you could drop by around eight or nine?”
“Fine.”
“Okay. See
you then.” I shut my locker and rush off down the hall, not wanting to drag the
conversation out any longer than it needs to be.
***
That evening
I pace the living room as I wait
sees me. “Hey.”
I smile back
as if yesterday's outburst in my bedroom never happened. “Hey back.”
He walks
over and unzips his backpack before pulling out a Styrofoam take-out container.
“I wouldn't want you to starve while I work tonight.”
Whatever it
is, it smells wonderful. I lift the lid and take in the big fat juicy burger
with a side order of fries that he'd obviously picked up from Soloman's on his
way home. I look up at him with a huge grin. “What did I do to deserve this?”
“I'm doing a
bit of groveling.”
“Groveling?”
“Yeah,” he
says as his eyes meet mine. “Last night I was pushing what I want for
you and it wasn't right.”
“Thanks,” I
say softly.
“I need to
hit the shower before work. Text me tonight if you need anything, okay?” He
hesitates as if he has something else on his mind he wants to say.
“Just say
it,” I say as I steal a fry and pop it in my mouth.
“If you find
yourself thinking about Cole, text me instead. He's bad news, Blayre.”
“Will do,” I
say lightly.
Relief
flickers in his gaze before he turns and heads for the hallway.
A couple of
hours later my cell phone chimes on the table next to my arm, startling me. A
smile curves my lips as I pick it up. Noah's checking up on me already.
I scan the
new message and freeze. COLE: Meet me tonight?
My teeth
sink into my lower lip as I stare at the little screen. Someone is obviously
done being mad. I miss Cole but I'm also realizing I've managed to get through
the past few days without him because I knew Noah would be here.
Noah.
With the
press of a button, I shut my phone off and calmly set it on the table. It's
time to start making the right choices and Cole's definitely not a part of that
category. I turn back to my homework but my concentration is shot.
I sigh
loudly in the empty kitchen and my eyes fall on the pool outside the patio
doors. Soon the temperatures would be dropping and it'd be too chilly out to
swim since the pool wasn't heated. An evening swim sounded absolutely wonderful
and I had a brand new bikini waiting for me upstairs.
Shame
Dishonor fills those who
leave themselves in
situations they should
not
Cole corners
me at my locker the next morning and I'm hit with a barrage of emotions.
There's still a part of me that wants to move right into his arms where I feel
like I belong.
No. That's
not right.
I don't belong there. It's where I'm most comfortable because it's my excuse to hide.
“You didn't
answer my text last night,” Cole says as he frowns at me as if nothing had
happened earlier this week.
I avoid
looking at him as I open my locker and unzip my backpack, shoving my books
inside that I wouldn't need until later in the day. “I was busy.”
“Busy doing
what?”
“Homework
for one. I've skipped too much.”
“You're
still mad,” he says.
Now I turn
and give him a cool look. “Did you think I wouldn't be?”
His green
eyes search mine. “C'mon, Blayre. It's in the past, time to move on.”
“That's it?”
I ask with amazement. “We had a few days of space and that fixed it?”
“What is up
with you?”
My mouth
opens and I am ready to unleash my desire to break up when it dawns on me that
school is probably the worst place for this to go down at. We need to talk in
private, especially since we have the robbery secret hanging over our heads.
“Can you stop by later? I think we have some things to sort out.”
“Let's hit
my place. It's Friday so Ethan will be gone until late.”
I don't want him getting any ideas and going to his place would for sure give
him the wrong impression of the discussion I have planned. “I'd rather mine.
Noah works tonight, so maybe you could drop by around eight or nine?”
“Fine.”
“Okay. See
you then.” I shut my locker and rush off down the hall, not wanting to drag the
conversation out any longer than it needs to be.
***
That evening
I pace the living room as I wait
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