“Yeah, and now she’s paying for it.”
Cole leans against the wall, arms crossed. “She’sprotecting you. You’re protecting her. Sounds about right.”
“That’s not funny.”
“I’m not joking.” His tone softens, which is rare for him. “Look, this fake dating thing isn’t a punishment. It buys you both time. Time for Coop to calm down and the media to move on. Time for you to figure out if what you’re feeling is worth burning it all down for.”
“I already know it is.” My jaw tightens as I stare at the floor.
He huffs a quiet laugh. “Yeah, I figured.”
He goes quiet for a moment, the air between us heavy with understanding that doesn’t need words. When he finally speaks again, his voice is softer. “You know, when I met Michele, it wasn’t that different.”
“What do you mean?”
“She worked for the team,” he says simply. “And she hated that she felt anything for me. Thought it’d ruin her career, make her look weak or desperate. I spent months proving her wrong. Not with grand gestures or promises, but by showing up. Being the same guy when the lights were off as I was when the cameras were on. Earning her trust.”
“Yeah, because nothing says ‘trust me’ like getting caught making out in the equipment room.” I snort before I can stop myself.
“Wasn’t caught. Just… overheard.”
“Jesus Christ, stop talking.” I drag a hand down my face, shaking my head. “I do not need mental images of my best friend and my brother defiling each other.”
“You asked.” He laughs, the sound low and rough.
“I really didn’t.”
The humor breaks the tension, just for a breath. Then, Beau’s voice rumbles quietly from behind us. “You two done traumatizing each other, or should I come back in five?”
We both turn and find him leaning in the doorway, arms crossed.
“Jesus, when did you even get here?” I mutter.
“Right around the time Cole started giving life advice,” Beau says, one brow raised. “Had to stick around. It’s not every day I get to hear that kind of hypocrisy in action.”
“Hey, at least I learned something.” Cole barks out a laugh before turning back to me. “My point is that Michele didn’t trust me right away. I had to earn that every damn day. You want Alycia that bad, you fight for her. Not with words or stupid, reckless shit. You fight by showing her you’re steady. That she can trust you not to make her pay for wanting you.”
Something tightens in my chest, part admiration, part envy. “And that worked?”
“Eventually. But don’t get it twisted. It damn near broke me before it got better. Love doesn’t fix the fallout; it just makes it worth surviving.”
Beau tilts his head, voice low and even. “And that’s your subtle way of saying ‘don’t screw it up,’ right?”
“What can I say? I’m evolving.” Cole shrugs.
“Into what, exactly?” Beau asks.
“A cautionary tale.”
That actually makes me laugh, a short, broken sound I didn’t know I needed. For a few seconds, the air feels lighter, like maybe everything isn’t about to collapse.
“I don’t know if she’ll ever let me close enough to prove it.” I let out a shaky breath, the weight of his words settling somewhere deep.
“Then you find another way. If this fake dating crap is the only play you’ve got, make it count. Play the long game.”
Beau nods. “Long game’s all we’ve ever had, kid.”
The words hit harder than I want to admit, landing somewhere between advice and absolution. Cole isn’t just talking about Michele anymore. He’s talking about me. The part of me that still feels like the kid desperate to be seen. Not as Cooper’s little brother, not as the next Hendrix to live up to the name, but as someone who is finally good enough to stay.
