He leads me into the kitchen, breaking away once he hands me a cider to put the rest in the fridge. When he’s done, he moves to chill by Cole’s side. I drift to stand next to Dad. He takes the bottle from me to pop the cap.
“I can open my own bottles.” My cheeks heat when I accept the drink.
He shrugs. “Sorry. Helping your kid is a habit that’s hard to turn off. I still remember teaching you to ride a bike and tying your first pair of skates when you demanded to come to work with me.”
“Dad,” I complain. “Seriously. Do we always have to rehash the life stories when I point out I’m not a kid anymore?”
Cole releases a husky laugh that makes everything worse because of the pleasant tingle it stirs in the pit of my stomach mixed with embarrassment.
“What?” Dad gestures to him. “Cole knows. He’s like family. That’s why we had to welcome him back with a meal.”
“Thanks, Mr. Lombard. I appreciate the invite.”
“Son, I told you. Call me David.”
Cole nods ruefully. “Right. Tricky to get used to after only calling you Mr. L growing up.”
This day needs to end. I hang my head back and take a sip, enjoying the hard cider’s tart burst on my tongue.
“Cole, it’s so nice to have you back with us,” Mom gushes. “It felt like I lost one of my own when you went so far away for school.”
“What about your actual kids?” Benson jokes wryly. “We’re still here.”
“Seems you might never leave.” The sarcasm only lasts a moment before she bustles around the room with a crushing hug for all three of us. “And I hope none of you ever do. Stay close, right where I like you.”
Benson claps Cole on the shoulder. “Send your parents my apologies because Mom’s ready to sign the adoption papers and make this official.”
Cole’s deep laugh fills the room, piercing through me at the same moment I catch his eye. The corner of his mouth quirks higher in a smile that feels like it’s just for me.
Oh no, he’s still hot.
Correction, he’s so much hotter now. He’s broader in the shoulders and chest than the last time I saw him. The rolled up sleeves of his flannel hug those corded forearms like their lives depend on it. If I was the threads of those cuffs, I would be hanging on for dear life, too. With the defined jawline that gives him an edge of ruggedness and his comforting green eyes, he’s a six foot two walking temptation.
I gulp as my old crush roars back to life. He’s all grown up and my fluttering heart might not survive this family dinner. Memories flicker, unspooling in my head with all the reminders of how much I liked him in secret.
Playing street hockey in the summer with him and Benson. The time he told me I looked pretty in my Homecoming dress and I hoped he couldn’t tell I was blushing. Going to their hockey games in high school and watching him the entire time. The first time he called me Evie when we were joking around and it made my stomach fill with butterflies.
Did these feelings for him ever truly go away?
No. But I’ve always hated admitting it to myself.
Because one thing’s always been true when it comes to my brother’s best friend: Cole Kincaid will never be mine.
I’ve hidden my stubborn crush because it won’t amount to anything. It didn’t when he grew up in Heston Lake, and it won’t now.
Resigned to that fact, I follow everyone to the dinner table when Mom ushers us there. She leans close before we sit down.
“Are you okay? You’re so quiet tonight.”
“Yeah, just tired. I’ll be fine.”
Mom studies me with a small frown. Blurting out my breakup news at the dinner table is a big no from me. Especially while Cole’s here.
It’s not too surprising she noticed I’m off tonight. Typically I’m bright and bubbly.
This evening has been a lot at once and I’m close to hitting my threshold. It’s easier to retreat inside my head to deal with it all.
Benson saves me. “Jeez, Ma. Did you save any food to make for Thanksgiving?”
