I continue to glance at him, catching his eyes every now and then, and I know. Without a doubt that whatever happens next, we’re building something together. Maybe it’s just the beginning, or maybe it’s something more. But I can feel it in my bones. Something beautiful is unfolding between us.
When Lucie finally stands up from the table, thanking Cole one last time, I know it’s time to get back to my own world. But for now, the warmth of this moment, and the way Cole’s presence fills up the spaces between us, making everything feel like it’s exactly how it’s supposed to be.
As Lucie heads upstairs, papers in hand and humming to herself, Cole joins me at the sink. He doesn’t say anything, just stands next to me, taking a towel from the counter and helping dry the last plate.
“Your sisters are great,” he finally says, voice quiet. “They remind me of what home’s supposed to feel like.”
I glance at him, heart stuttering. “That’s what you are, Cole. Home.”
His hand stills on the plate he’s drying. He turns to me slowly, his eyes searching mine like he needs to make sure he heard right. My breath catches.
“Kenna…” he murmurs, his voice thick with something deeper, something that wraps around my ribs and pulls me closer.
Before I can second-guess it, before I can even finish that thought, he leans in and kisses me.
It’s soft at first—tentative, like we’re both stepping into something fragile—but then I press closer, and his hand lifts to cradle my cheek, and suddenly the kiss deepens.
There’s something electric in the way our mouths move together, something grounding and safe all at once. Like he’s kissing me with every quiet promise he hasn’t said out loud. Like I meant every word when I called him home.
When we finally pull apart, I’m breathless and warm, my forehead resting against his. He’s smiling, and I realize I’m smiling too.
“I’ve never felt like this with anyone,” I whisper, my voice unsteady in the best way. “Like everything finally makes sense.”
“It’s because itdoes,” he says, brushing his thumb gently along my jaw. “You and I, Kenna, we make sense.”
I finish the dishes, but the warmth in my chestdoesn’t go away. It lingers there, right where my heart is, and I know—whether or not I’m ready to say it—Cole’s become an irreplaceable part of my world.
I’ve already started imagining a life with him in it. Not someday. But now.
Chapter Fifteen
SCREW IT, I’M IN
COLE-PRESENT
The past fewdays have been a total whirlwind. Kenna’s been on my mind nonstop, and every time my phone buzzes with a message from her, my heart skips a beat. The texts are a mix of silly memes, random updates, and inside jokes, but it’s more than just the messages themselves.
What really hits me is that she’s reaching out and trying. We’re slowly rebuilding something I wasn’t sure would ever come back. With each conversation, the wall I built around myself comes down just a little more every time. It feels good, even if we’re taking things slow. I’m okay with that. All I want is to be close to her again.
There’s something more to it, though. As I type out another message to her, I can feel that this, whatever it is, feels different from before. There’s a depth to it, something beyond just friendship. Deep down, I know Kenna feels it too, but I will not push her. Not yet. I want her to trust me again and believe I’m someone she can count on. I want to show her I’ve changed.
Scrolling through her latest text, a goofy picture of her with a filter that makes her look like a puppy, I can’t help but smile. I miss her more than I probably should, but I like how things are right now. The way we joke around and share these briefmoments with no pressure feels good. It’s nice to have this connection, this sense of familiarity, even if it’s not yet everything I want it to be.
Still, every time her name pops up on my screen, I feel this strange mix of comfort and urgency. Like I’m doing something more than just texting her. Like I’m supposed to be building something. For her, for me, for the possibility of us.
And that’s when it hits me. I can’t keep floating. I need to put down roots. Not just for her, but for me too. For the person I want to become.
My future has been on my mind a lot recently. Sitting around and waiting for things to fall into place isn’t an option anymore. It’s time to carve out my path and get started right away. Heading into town to look for a job feels like the right move. Working for someone else isn’t the plan forever, but having something to kick-start momentum is exactly what’s needed. Showing myself that progress is happening matters more than ever. Waiting for things to change on their own is something I’m done with.
The first place that comes to mind is Old Man Harris’s hardware store. I’ve spent countless hours there growing up, hanging around as a kid, pretending I’d take over one day and run it the way he did. It’s always been a part of my life, a constant through all the years of uncertainty, but after everything that’s happened, I’m sure if it is even possible anymore. The conversation still hasn’t happened, though we’ve run into each other a few times. It’s like we’re both dancing around the subject, unsure of where to go next.
I pull on an old hoodie, the fabric soft from years of wear and a little frayed around the cuffs. It’s the one Kenna used to give me grief about, calling it a “walking thrift store ad” every time I wore it. She’d laugh and tug at the sleeves like she was trying to reshape it into something cooler, but she never made me take it off. I think she secretly liked it. Probably because it reminded her of simpler times. Now, it feels like wearing a memory, one that still smells faintly of summer and old cologne.
The air is crisp, early autumn clinging to the edge of summer. Leaves are just turning along the edges of the road, curling golden at the tips. I drive through the familiar streets, the places that once felt so small, but now hold memories that are both comforting and haunting.
I can’t keep waiting around, hoping things will figure themselves out. It’s time to find some clarity. Something steady has to anchor me before everything feels like it’s slipping away.
I pull into the parking lot and take a deep breath before I get out of the car. The bell above the door jingles when I walk in. The familiar scent of wood and metal hits me instantly. It’s exactly how I remember it. It’s been a while since I last walked through those doors, and a part of me feels like a kid again, coming in to hang out and see what’s new. But now I’m here for something bigger than just passing the time. This place, this store—it’s where I want to be.
