But Colton’s reaction is what nearly does me in.
He lets out a guttural sound, almost like a groan.
I sit up straight and avert my gaze.NowI’m embarrassed. I don’t know what just came over me. Being around Colton makes me lose my inhibitions in a way that scares me. And it should scare me, because right now, more than ever, I need to keep my distance from everyone but my mom and brothers. Now is definitely not the time to explore whatever attraction I may or may not have for somebody.
“You two make a cute couple,” an older lady says as she passes by our table with a man her age.
“Oh, we’re not,” I say quickly. “A couple. We just met.”
The man who’s with her chuckles. “She sounds like you on our first date, honey.” He turns to Colton. “I had to ask this one out for six months before she said yes. And even then, she swore up and down we weren’t on ‘a real date.’ That took another two weeks. Sometimes I still can’t believe she married me.”
His wife smacks him in the arm playfully. “You got lucky, that’s for sure.” She smiles at me. “I like to tell him that. Really, we both got lucky. We celebrated our fortieth anniversary yesterday.”
“Wow,” Colton says. “That’s amazing. Congratulations.”
“Thank you.” The woman kisses her husband’s cheek as he beams. “We come here every year to celebrate. This is where we met.”
Her husband points between Colton and me. “Kind of like you two, maybe, huh?”
I give a shaky laugh. “Doubtful.”
Colton grins at the man. “She doesn’t realize it yet, but we’re meant to be.”
“Good luck to you two.” The couple waves and head over to the ice cream counter.
Once we’re alone again, Colton reaches for my ice cream cone. “You want to trade?”
“Why would we do that?”
“Yours tasted so good that I want another lick.”
I give him a look. “You’re flirting again.”
“Nope.” He grabs my cone and then hands me his. “You just have a dirty mind.”
I laugh. “Right. And the sky is pink.”
And now I’m eating his ice cream cone. I try not to read into it as I ask him, “Do you like being an only child?”
“Sometimes.” He finishes off my ice cream cone and balls up the napkin. “Honestly, lately I’ve kind of wished I had a sibling. The idea of sharing family stuff with someone is appealing.”
I think of my brothers and of what the three of us have been through together. “I don’t know what I’d do without Ben and Nick.” I take the last bite of my cone and stand up. “Speaking of, I’d better go get them. They lose all track of time when they’re playing football.”
We walk back to the field together, and I’m relieved to see the game breaking up. I didn’t want to have to figure out a way to get my brothers’ attentions.
Colton catches my arm as I’m hustling toward Nick and Ben.
“Hey,” he says, and if I didn’t know better, he almost seems nervous. “Will you be going to the bonfire tonight? Your brothers always go.”
“I don’t usually go to the nightly parties,” I say, twirling my ponytail with my finger.
“I know. I haven’t seen you there before. Because I sure as hell would have remembered you.”
I suck in a breath. “Colton, I’m not sure if I can go. But it was nice meeting you. Sort of.”
“Sort of?” He chuckles.
“Well, you picked me up and carried me down the field upside-down. You’re mischievous and irritating.”
