“I can crash on the couch,” Cole offers.
“Oh no. No, no, no. There is no way on this earth I am allowing you to sleep on a couch. Your body is far too important for that. Freya has a king-sized bed in her room. You’ll be okaysharing for a night, won’t you?” Dad asks, turning his eyes on me.
My mouth opens and closes like a fish.
Is this really happening?
My father is suggesting that a fully grown man sleep with me in my bed under his roof?
The same father who refused point-blank to ever have Rowan back in this house after their first meeting, let alone in my bedroom?
“Brian?” Mom questions, clearly as confused as I am.
“What? You’re both adults. It’s not a big deal, is it?”
Cole and I look at each other, the air between us turning thick.
I really don’t want to drive home now. Maybe Mom and I could upgrade our next drinks to full margaritas so we could continue our evening a little longer.
Dad would love it, and it’s his night, after all.
“I mean, if it’s okay with you…” I say, my voice barely a whisper.
Cole rips his eyes from mine and looks at both of my parents. “It would be an honor to spend the night. Thank you.”
“Fantastic. Now, I know you have work tomorrow, but I have a bottle of whiskey in the living room that I’ve been saving for a special occasion. Will you join me?” Dad asks Cole.
“Just a small one, seeing as it’s your birthday.”
“You two go; we’ll tidy up here,” Mom says.
Cole wants to argue. He wants to help, I can see it in his eyes, but when Dad rushes out of the room, still talking a mile a minute, Cole has little choice but to follow.
“Well then,” Mom muses once we’re alone. “That took an unexpected turn.”
“Yeah,” I agree, still staring down the hallway they disappeared through.
“Honey,” Mom says, dragging my attention to her. “You need to be careful.”
“W-why?” I stutter, confused.
“Your dad is putting things in motion that I fear you’re not going to be able to control.”
“What do you mean?”
“Oh, my sweet girl. You can’t see it, can you?”
“See what?”
“That man in there,” she says, pointing toward the living room, “is crazy about you. And I think the feeling might just be mutual. Would I be right?”
“He’s my boss, Mom.”
“Uh-huh, just as I feared. Hold tight, Freya. Things are about to get complicated.”
38
COLE
