“When the lights returned,” Cole interrupted angrily, “there was only me.I told you that night I should never have kissed you.”
“But you did, and things have changed.”
“They haven’t,” Cole argued.“They can’t, I won’t let them.”
“You go ahead and try to deny it, then.”The words trembled from her as she knotted her hands into tight fists.“Because I can’t, and I’ve tried as hard as I can.”
She turned and ran back to the apartment, her lower lip quivering as she slid the back door closed.Her whole body was shaking when she tossed the few pieces of mail on the table, her fingers biting into the back of the old kitchen chair.
Taking in several deep, calming breaths, Lesley put the teakettle on to boil.Would this be her fate, loving Cole?Therehadn’t been a time in her life that she felt more frustrated with anyone.And yet there was no reason she should love Cole: he was arrogant, stubborn, angry and hurtful.But the sensations he aroused in her were almost overpowering.There was something profound and intense about him.He was hiding from her and from the world.She might never know or understand him, but that didn’t seem to matter to her heart.
When Lesley met her sister an hour later to do their weekly shopping, it was Terry who brought up the subject of Cole.They’d stopped in a local café for a quick lunch.
“Seen much of your neighbor lately?”
“Can’t say that I have.”Lesley attempted to brush aside her sister’s interest.
“You know, for all the times you’ve talked about him, I’ve never seen him.”
“I don’t imagine you will.He’s...private.”She didn’t know how else to explain it.
“Other than the first days he was in town, no one else has seen him except Paul Walker and you.”
Lesley had mentioned the same thing only last week.
“I was wondering if you were safe up there with him.”
“Very safe.”
“But he could be an escaped convict.”
Lesley didn’t slough off Terry’s sudden interest.“What makes you say something like that?”
Terry shrugged.“I don’t know, but I started thinking about what you’ve been saying all these weeks and it doesn’t add up, none of it.”
“I’m not going to concern myself with it now.”
“But he could be dangerous.”
Now it was Lesley’s turn to laugh.“Something isn’t right with Cole Daniels, but I trust him implicitly.He’d never hurt me.”
Terry set the fork she’d been fingering beside her untouched plate.“You’re falling for this guy, aren’t you?”
An immediate denial rose to Lesley’s lips, but didn’t make it past her nod of acknowledgment.
“Oh, Les,” Terry groaned.“I was afraid of that.”
“I’m a big girl now.”
“Yes, I know, but I’d hate to see you get hurt.”
“O, ye of little faith,” Lesley said with a teasing smile.“Weren’t you the one who was constantly telling me that we prayed about my new neighbor and that whoever God sent was—”
“Don’t remind me,” Terry interrupted, her voice filled with self-reproach.“But, Les, honestly, I’m worried about you.”
“I don’t know why you should be.If God sent Cole Daniels, then there’s a reason.I don’t know what it is yet, but I’m sure I will shortly.”
“How can you sound so confident?”
