“Yes, we, Ollie,” Noah says as he walks through the front door into the living room.
And I melt.
Chapter 27
Noah
“Jesus,Olivia,what'swiththe butcher knife?” Cole shouts as she drops her arms at her side in shock after I walk into her house. Surprising, Olivia in Milwaukee has gone about as I expected. She's both surprised in the best way and angry that we didn’t warn her so she could clean the entire house in preparation.
“Well, I wasn’t expecting anyone and I wasn’t about to get murdered in my own house,” she says as she recuperates and places the knife flat on the counter.
I can’t help but laugh, because imagining the tiny five-foot-five Ollie stabbing someone is just so far out of her character.
Cole plops onto the couch like he owns the place, and Ollie returns to the kitchen where she left her cup of coffee on the white granite countertop. Pulling two other coffee mugs out of the dark gray cabinets above the three different types of coffee makers. Who needs that many different coffee makers? Are there even that many different types of coffee?
“Do you guys want coffee? Caroline made a pot this morning, it's still hot,” Ollie offers. “Noah, you can sit down, you don’t have to stand by the door,” she adds, looking up from her mug.
Cole chuckles to himself at my awkwardness of just standing here and motions for me to come over and sit down.
I have never been this awkward with Ollie before, we’ve always been so comfortable with each other. So why am I being weird now? Because Cole is here? That was never the issue in high school. Plus, after Christmas, when Ollie returned to Milwaukee, I went on a bit of a bender, spending most of my free time at Fishy’s or killing myself at the station gym.
Cole found me one night after a few too many beers, trying to run off the drunk on the treadmill at the station. He asked me if I was trying to kill myself, and then made me stop, sit down, and tell him what was going on.
So I did. I told him exactly what happened in Oklahoma, and why I did what I did. I told him about Jarred and showed him the letter. I told him about the first night with Ollie, the Christmas Eve party, imagining a future with Ollie, and the paint party.
But most importantly that I'm still in love withOllie and I haven’t been able to get her out of my mind since she left.
After telling him everything, I expected Cole to punch me in the face. Ollie’s his little sister, and that was the deal. If I ever hurt Ollie, I was getting punched. Instead, he climbed out of his chair and fully embraced me. Cole is one of the best guys I know, he is supportive, protective, and understanding.
He told me that if I truly loved Ollie then I shouldn’t let her get away.
That was the first night Cole had truly spoken to me in years and he continues to show that kindness and support he always had, and for that, I’m eternally grateful. Heck, it was his idea to come to Milwaukee in the first place, and also his idea not to tell Ollie we were coming. Seeing the happy shock on her face was so worth it. It’s like a little light turned on inside of her.
After talking to Cole that night we started training together, running a few miles in the morning, lifting during our shift at the station, and since it’s slow at the farm, he comes over most nights with some beer to help with the renovations.
I didn’t realize that Cole made a point to visit Ollie a few times a year, so when Caroline texted to say she's in a slump and wasn’t even attempting to pull herself out of it, he knew he had to go sooner rather than later.
“How are the renovations?” Ollie asks as she hands Cole his coffee and settles in a cozy Sherpa chair, wrapping a knit blanket around her legs.
“Great, Cole has been helping out a few nights a week. We’re working on the kitchen now,” I say, wishing I had taken some photos to show her.
“Liv, Noah wants you to show him around the city today. Where areCaroline and Mason?” Cole interrupts the conversation. As much as he’s trying to hide it, he’s definitely pushing for us to have some alone time to talk through our past and rekindle this friendship further. He wants to spend some uninterrupted time with Caroline too.
“Caroline got called into the studio to cover a story this morning but should be home around three. Mason and Savy are coming home today. We are all supposed to get drinks down at the pub a couple blocks over around six. So we have most of the day to explore. Cole, anywhere in particular you want to go?” Ollie asks, with a plethora of emotions disappointment that Caroline is working, and excitement to explore the city. They hit like a wave rushing through her all at once.
“No, I had a late night at the station last night. I’m going to stay in and take a nap so we can rave at the bar tonight,” he responds, kicking his feet up on the couch and pulling a blanket over himself.
“Are you sure? You love the waterfront with all the food stands.”
Cole doesn’t even bother to respond but instead closes his eyes and pretends to snore loudly.
I can’t help but roll my eyes at him and chuckle before turning to Ollie.
“Let’s start at the bookstore,” I say with a slight smirk on my face. I know that Ollie has at least three bookstores she frequents, and it's probably her favorite place to be outside of her reading nook. “I need a new book or two,” I finish, almost forgetting that Ollie is the only one who knows I love a good book.
The look on Cole’s face is full of confusion when he finally opens his eyes.
Chapter 28
