“When this finally happens, I want to take you on a real date. I want us to have an entire night of time carved out where I can take my time with you and we won’t have any interruptions.”
My heart swells inside my chest as my throat simultaneously constricts. “That sounds perfect,” I say, my voice quiet, not fully trusting myself.
“You deserve the world, Ella,” he says with genuine honesty shining in his eyes. “I have no intention of givin’ you anything less than that.”
I’m beginning to form a habit of finding myself speechless around this man. A cool, gentle breeze drifts past us and I instinctively shiver against it. Cole abruptly rises to his feet, swiftly lifting me into the air and supporting me with his arms.
“What are you doing?”
“Takin’ you inside where it’s warmer,” he says matter-of-factly. My heart triples in size and I wrap my arms around his neck, pressing my face to the side of his, breathing in the smell of leather. He’s familiar and comforting and I revel in the sense of security I feel with him.
Cole carries me through the house and into the living room where he sets me down on the couch. He walks away, grabbing ablanket from the basket in the corner. He drops down next to me and instead of sitting there, he grabs me, pulling me with him as he lies down on the couch.
I settle against his side, my face pressed against his chest as he throws the blanket over both of us and wraps his arms around me. “Do you want to watch a movie?” I ask him, slipping my arm around his waist.
“If that means I get to lay here for a few hours holdin’ you, then yes.”
A buzzing sound comes from somewhere in the distance, past the blanket of sleep I’m wrapped up in. I squeeze my eyes tighter, settling into the warmth that encapsulates me. I start to drift back asleep and I’m toeing back into the dream I was in as the sound grows louder.
The warmth beside me stirs and I’m pulled back into my dream.
Except it isn’t a dream.
My eyelids slowly open and I blink a few times, settling into my reality. My arm is wrapped around his waist and my head is still on his chest. He holds me tightly against his side and he breathes evenly, his chest rising and falling as he’s still asleep.
There’s a soft glow from the silent TV as the movie ended hours ago. Cole fell asleep with me on the couch. Sunlight is already beginning to poke through the windows as the sun begins to rise, changing the colors in the sky.
The vibrating sound starts again and that’s when I realize it’s my phone on the coffee table. The screen lights up for a third time and I lift myself up, reaching over Cole for it. My eyebrowspull together as I see Remi’s name. It’s six-thirty in the morning. Panic instantly floods me.
“Hello?”
“Ella. Shoot, I’m sorry to wake you.” Her words are hurried and her voice sounds like she’s been crying. “We think Mom had a heart attack. She called me around five with symptoms that woke her up in the middle of the night. I brought her into the emergency room and they’re talking about taking her in for a procedure.”
I quickly sit up, my knees knocking into Cole. His eyes flash open and he blinks the sleep away as he stares at me with confusion. “Is she okay? Are you okay?”
“I’m fine. Honestly, they said it could be a lot worse, so I think that’s a good thing?”
Cole is alert with a look of concern as he watches me quietly. He moves out of my way and I climb off the couch in a haste.
I start to pace. “I’m going to wake up Chloe and we will be there as soon as we can.”
“Ella,” Cole interrupts as he walks over to me. His arms find my biceps and he holds me for a second. “Just go. I’ll let my brother know I won’t be coming today, they can handle things at the ranch. I’ll be here with Chloe.”
“I can’t ask you to do that.” I shake my head as tears prick the corners of my eyes. Iris isn’t my biological mother, but she’s the closest thing I’ve had to one in years. She’s Chloe’s grandmother. She took me under her wing when Remi picked me up from the airport, completely terrified and pregnant.
Iris helped heal me.
“Who is that?” Remi asks, but I half ignore her and stare at Cole.
“I’m tellin’ you, you can. We will be fine, El, I promise you.” He pauses, gently squeezing my arms. “Go be with Remi and Iris, I’ll take care of Clo.”
Tears fall from my eyes and my throat constricts. “Are you sure?”
“Yes. I am more than sure.”
I let out a harsh breath. “I’ll be there as soon as I can, Remi.”
“Okay, I’ll be here. Thank Cole for me, too.”
