My stomach tumbled in a pleasant way.Love?God, it wassomething I’d been thinking about a lot lately.There wasn’t a part of me thatdoubted how much I cared about Colton.I was fully embracing my insta-love andhugging it close.
“Are you going to be here next weekend?”I asked as Igathered up the napkins and plastic spoons.
Calla was splitting her time between Shepherdstown andPlymouth Meeting until January, when she would move up here full time.“No, butJax is coming down next weekend.”
“That’s good.I love how you guys do the long distancething.”
“Me too.It’s working, but I can’t wait until I don’t haveto dread him going home or me leaving.”She grabbed the now loaded up tray as Ireached for the million and one bottles.Who seriously needed so many versionsof mustard?The doorbell rang, and Calla sighed as she started to put the traydown.“It’s probably Katie.”
“I’ll get it,” I offered since I didn’t have my hands full.
“Thanks.”She smiled, turning to the backdoor.“Hurry backout.Those three guys can eat about a dozen hamburgers between them.”
“Wow.”
Calla laughed.“Yep.”
My sandals smacked off the hardwood floors as I made my wayto the front of the house.Wondering what kind of outfit Katie would bewearing, I opened the door, prepared for something pink and sparkling.
The black, silk sleeved tank dress so did not belong toKatie.
Standing on the front porch was the last person I wasexpecting to see.It was Nicole, Colton’s ex-fiancée.
Chapter 16
A feather could’ve knocked my ass over.I was in suchshock, all I could do was stand there and stare.
Over the past month, I thought about her every so often,just like I thought about the man I’d seen murdered, the man who ended up inthe river, and the one who nearly killed me.How could I not?
And now she was here.
Since I’d only seen Nicole from distances, I wasn’t preparedfor just how stunning she was up close.Her blonde hair was ridiculouslystraight and shiny, her complexion absolutely flawless and without a wrinkle insight.Lips plump and full and nose pert, paired with high cheekbones, she wasthe poster child for perfection.
There was no recognition in her blue eyes.“Hi,” she said,her voice soft.“Is Colton here?”
My heart pounded in my chest and I said the first, mostobvious thing that popped into my head.“This isn’t his house.”
And I thought that was a super-valid statement.
She glanced over my shoulder.Her hands were claspedtogether in front of her.“I know that.I saw his truck outside.”
Then she knew damn well he was here.
“Can you get him please?”she prompted, giving me atight-lipped smile.“I really need to talk to him.”
Why would she show up unannounced at a friend of Colton’shouse?Who does that?I didn’t think most people did.A hundred thoughts formedat once.Maybe it wasn’t entirely unannounced.Maybe she and Colton had been incontact with one another and I simply didn’t know.Maybe he wanted—
I pulled the brakeson that train wreck of a thought process.Colton was an honest man, and thestupid as fuck, evil voice in the back of my head wasn’t going to win.
But I realized then that I had started to turn around to goretrieve Colton, and that was like a smack in the face.What in the hell was Idoing?Hisex-fiancée had come to Jax’s house looking for him—formyboyfriend, and I was just going to walk off and get him?
Oh hell to the no.
I faced her.“Why do you want to see him?”
Nicole blinked, obviously surprised by my question.“I don’tmean to be rude, but that’s really none of your business.”
“Actually, it is, Nicole.”
