Chapter Thirty-Three
Evangeline
My stomach turnswhen I see the banner for the event saying it’s hosted by none other than Cole’s law firm.
I look around and see Cole on one side of the event and Carter on the other. Seemingly they look to be in their own separate worlds, but I can tell their tension is so thick you could cut it with a knife.
Carter and I never discussed the club or Cole while in Minnesota. I still don’t know their story or how close they are, but something tells me that since he’s involved in this event, there’s more than just the club friendship there.
Well, at least there was more than the club.
They both look up and see me standing there, not sure which direction to move. After glancing at each other, then back to me, they both start in my direction.
Questions run through my mind. I did start to like Cole, and it was nice seeing Carter again, but are we still the same people? Have we grown so much that we won’t like each other when real life kicks in? I know that Cole’s personality fit pretty well with mine, but Carter and I fell right back into our friendship like no time had passed at all.
When Cole reaches me first, my head is spinning, and I hold up my hands. “Stop,” I say, making sure he keeps his distance in front of Carter. I don’t want to cause a scene at something that should be a promising event.
“I just want to make sure you’re okay?” Cole asks, standing a few feet from me.
I take a weary breath. “I’m sorry I haven’t returned any of your calls. I’m fine. You were right. I had to deal with my issues.”
“Where were you?”
“She went home, with me,” Carter says, stepping up right then, wrapping his arm around my shoulders and pumping out his chest like a lion staking his claim.
I look at him, not hiding my irritation and stepping out of his grip. “I didn’t gowithyou. But yes, I went back to our hometown.”
“Can we talk?” Cole asks, holding out his hand to me, and I look at it, then at Carter.
“Not here. This is all too much right now. I’m here to get tested for the little boy.”
“It’s this way,” Carter says, placing his hand behind my back again to lead me away.
I catch him glaring at Cole, and I respond with pushing his arms off me. I may not know what’s going on with either of them, but I won’t have one staking claim on me like I’m a prize to be won. Even if it is Carter.
The test is a simple mouth swab, so it doesn’t take long until I’m ready to leave and get away from the watchful eyes of two guys who I know are staring at my every move.
If only it were that easy.
I look over at Cole, who’s waiting for me from where he was signing people into the drive. After taking a deep breath, I walk toward him. I can’t be a bitch and ignore him just because it makes my life easier.
He walks away from the table and meets me halfway. “Did you really see him back home?”
I nod. “You have to understand. We have a lot of history together. History that was left unresolved.”
“So where does that leave us?”
I look up at him, biting the inside of my cheek. His eyes are sad behind his glasses, and I can tell he’s been running his hands through his hair by the extra messy look he’s sporting now. “I honestly don’t know.”
“Do you still love him?”
“Cole, you can’t ask me that. It’s been years. But yes, at one point in my past I did. Very much.”
He takes a deep breath, looking around the event while he tries to figure out what to say next.
“Do I even have a chance against him?” he asks flat-out.
“Yes. No. God. A girl needs to think, okay? Everything has happened so fast. Can we all pause so I can take in the fact that someone I haven’t seen in ten years appeared out of the blue? I know this may suck for you, but please try to remember how I feel.”
