Holly
“You wanted to meet at Big Jimmy’s for a first date?” Cole asks, his body shaking with laughter behind me. “Why am I not surprised?”
“They have really good hot wings,” I say, swatting his arm.
“The best,” he agrees.
We finished our immensely delicious Thanksgiving dinner, warmed up in the microwave, which would probably have horrified the people who went to such effort to prepare it for us, and we’re sitting on the swing on Bryn and Rory’s gorgeous back deck while Jane plays cards with them and Rory’s parents. I have no doubt she’s a card shark and will beat them all into the ground. We’re positioned sideways, and Cole has his arms around me.
Ever since we’ve gotten back to the house, he’s had his hands on me, as if he wants to reassure himself that I’m really here. Which is good, because I feel the same way.
“I’ll have you know I had a very pleasant lunch that day,” I continue, “although I was a little worried the woman with the emotional support goat was Hot Rod. She kept glancing at me, but it might have just been because I was wearing myOnly Those with Hot Wings Can Flyshirt. I put it on especially for lunch. The details matter, you know.”
He shifts me so I’m next to him but keeps his hands on my legs. Lifting his eyebrows, he asks, “You wanted Hot Rod towantto date you, didn’t you?”
It’s a wry question, but it sparks a realization.
“Huh,” I say, leaning back into him. “You know what? Maybe I didn’t. I didn’t know it was you then.” I mean, I may be defiantly myself, but even I know that eating hot wings in a novelty T-shirt isn’t first date gold. “Where’d you end up anyway? I presume you weren’t hiding behind goat lady?”
His mouth tips up. “I asked Brittany for help decoding the message. She thought you were sending me to Big Jump Mountain.”
A laugh escapes me. “You went all the way to Big Jump Mountain? Did you at least go on the roller coaster while you were up there?”
“Nope. I was late—”
I make my expression a pantomime of mock horror. “How dare you be late for your date with me.”
His lips tip up higher. “And guess who was waiting on the patio of the restaurant?”
“Wait, I’m good at these. Was it…my grandmother? The mayor in a bear costume?”
“Calliope Labelle,” he says, stroking his hands up my legs, sending warm shivers of pleasure through me. “You can understand my horror.”
I snort.
“You snort more than any woman I’ve ever met.” His eyes are sparkling, and they’re full of the emotion I was looking for that first day we were together.
“You love it,” I say.
“I love it,” he confirms.
“What was she doing there?”
“She said she was on a blind date, which obviously horrified me, but I guess it was with that Alister guy.”
“And what a fella,” I say. “So you blocked me like a chump.” I tilt my head. “I didn’t really care, you know. I only asked to meet Hot Rod because I thought I couldn’t have you.”
His mouth twitches. “I wanted to meet Cherrybomb for the same reason.”
“Really?”
“Yeah, I kept having dirty dreams about you.”
I waggle my eyebrows suggestively. “Do go on.”
“Later,” he says, “Because this needs to be said. Youdohave me…if you still want me. I was a fucking idiot, Holly, which isn’t anything new for me. It’s like I told you, I’m no good at talking about my feelings, but I’m trying…and I’m going to keep trying. I need to be better—for Jane and for you.”
I take his hand and lift it to my heart, pressing it there.
