2
COLE
”I’m coming back to Virginia.” My palms curl around the edge of the countertop as I lean back into it, patiently waiting for Jenna’s reply.
“For how long?” Her voice is soft as she draws her eyebrows together, creating a tiny wrinkle between them, and I’m almost positive she’s replaying my last trip home in her mind.
Four years may have passed, but that day, and everything leading up toit,sits fresh in my head. I battle with those unsettling thoughts every single day and night. But right now? All I can think about how pretty she is. All of my memories and any pictures I own would never do justice to her actual presence. Even her standing here in front of me, wearing those pink flamingo pajama bottoms and her blonde hair knotted on the top of her head, still does something to me. She always has.
“For good,” I tell her, and she acknowledges me with a small nod then pushes herself away from the counter.
“Your parents will be happy about that, and Emma too.” Jenna grabs a stemmed glass from the cabinet above and holds another out for me.
“I’m good.” I graciously wave her offer away and try not to let it get to me that she didn’t include herself in that “happy to have you back” comment. After all, why should she be happy to see me? “Thanks, though.”
Closing the cabinet behind her, Jenna retrieves a bottle of wine from the fridge and pours herself a glass. “Why the secrecy?” she asks and takes a drink. “Why not just tell them you were planning to come back?”
I shrug. “Thought it’d be for the best.Althoughnow I wish Ihadtold someone, so we could’ve avoided this wholescaring the crap out ofyouthing.” I shoot her a grin, praying I still have some charm, and meet her gaze.
Her green eyes shimmer with amusement, and it travels down to her mouth as she pulls her glass away to smirk.“That would’ve been nice.”
My grin widens and I move to grab my duffel bag from the floor. Having abandoned my original plan to lay low at the lake house, I now need to figure out where I’m going stay for the next week. “I’m really sorry I startled you,” I say and pull the bag’s strap onto my shoulder. “And even though this isn’tthe most idealtime, being the middle of the night and all, it was really good seeing you.” Crossing the short distance, I grace her with a soft nod and reach for the door.
“Where are you going?” Jenna asks, and I stop with my fingers curled around the handle. “You’re not leaving, are you?”
“Well … yeah,” I answer her, stumbling over my words a bit. “I can’t stay here and impose on your space—especially since I just showed up out of the blue. I’ll just sleep in my truck tonight and find somewhere else to—”
“Cole Sullivan, you’ll do no such thing,” Jenna states with a firmness no doubt perfected from her years of teaching. “This is your parents’ place, so if anyone’s leaving, it’s me.”
“I’m not about to kick you out, Jenna. You need the place more than I do. It’s seriously fine. I’m sure I can get a motel room or something.”
“Just … stay. Please?” Jenna says, and her voice is softer this time. “We’re old friends, so let’s help each other. I’m sure we can work this out somehow.”
Old friends. That’s all we were and all we are. God help me if she really knew how I felt—how I’ve felt every day since I was seventeen but was too stupid to take my chance when I had it.
“Plus,” she continues, “the company would actually be quite nice. It’s kind of scary how bad things could have ended up if it hadn’t been you sneaking into the house.”
The image of what could’ve happened if this had beena different scenario flashesthrough mybrain,and every muscle in my body tenses. It takes me a minute, but I relax knowing nothing like that is going to happen as long as I’m here to protect her. “All right,” I say and place my bag by the door. ”I’ll stay.”
Gunshots pierce through the still silence—sharp pops of each bullet exiting the barrel echo as a woman cries out. The air around me vibrates with insane energy as my heart races, making adrenaline pump like wildfire through my veins. I dive for cover and reach for my firearm but—fucking hell, where is it?
“Oh my gosh! Cole, I’m so sorry!”
Jenna? What the fuck is she doing? She shouldn’t be here. It’s too dangerous. Where is she?
I glance around, my breathing heavy and uneven as I try to pinpoint her location, but everything’s so goddamn blurry. And the ringing … God, the ringing in my ears makes it damn near impossible to hear her. But I have to find her and get her out of here. I have to save her. I can’t fail again. I won’t.
“Cole?”
Her sweet voice surrounds me, comforts me, soothesme, and I realize I’m not in a war zone but crouched in front of the sofa. I breathe hard and wipe the sweat that coats my forehead. Jesus. I haven’t had an episode like that in months. My chest rises and falls with every deep intake of air, and I try my hardest to calm my uneasy nerves.
“I didn’t mean to wake you up,” Jenna tells me, and I turn to see her standing with her hands braced against the back of the sofa. “I was just trying to cook some breakfast but ended up toppling over the Jenga tower of pans your mom has in the cabinet.” She smiles and a wave of calm washes over me.
“It’s okay.” I release a heavy breath and scrub my hands over my face once more before standing up. When I look over to her, I instantly notice the rosy color in the apples of her cheeks as her eyes meet mine. I’m wearing nothing but a pair of black boxer briefs, so my near-nakedness must have taken her by surprise. “Sorry,” I say, relaxing my breathing as I reach for my bag. “I’m just gonna grab a quick shower.”
Steam fills the room, and the hot water eases the tension in my muscles as it cascades over my skin. When I exit the bathroom, dressed in a t-shirt and cargo shorts, I’m greeted with the aroma of coffee and bacon.
“That smells good,” I say appreciatively. “Mind if I grab a cup of that coffee?”
