Yes! Yes, yes, yes. Finally. I can’t keep asking her to give me another chance so no screwing this one up!
Cole smiled when Maeve delivered the sub he’d been craving so badly. She smothered it in mozzarella while it was hot, so it was melting everywhere. The sandwich was exactly as she’d described, only he was a little disappointed when she didn’t sit with him. She was working though and had things to do. He understood and needed to not be selfish at this stage of the game. The lunch crowd had only just started arriving, so she didn’t have time to chit chat like he’d hoped.
Cole had ultimately gotten what he wanted when she agreed to the ice cream date, and she was a little on the shy side so it wouldn’t benefit him to push her or act at all possessive. He just couldn’t help it, the more time he spent around her the more he craved her company and attention. He couldn’t remember when he’d ever had it so bad for a girl before, even in school. He just had to make sure she had a great time, so she’d agree to a second date. Hopefully that wouldn’t be asking for too much.
After he finished his lunch, Cole cleaned up his mess, so Maeve had one less thing to do, and stopped at the front counter to leave a hefty tip in their jar. She’d refused to let him pay for his lunch, claiming it was payment for him saving her from creepy guys. As long as she didn’t think he was one of those himself, all was good. He waited til he caught her eye, smiled at her one last time as he waved a hand and left before he decided to skip out of work and watch her all day.
The rest of the afternoon proved to be a slow one for the firehouse, making him wish hehadstuck around the café longer. He usually kept himself busy in the weight room when things were slow, and the trucks were all clean. Cole hadn’t ever seenhimself as one of the better-looking guys around, but he was an average height of five foot eight inches and a hundred and fifty-five pounds. What he did pride himself on was his solid abs. He loved it that work was so close to the beach. Most mornings before he clocked in or after he clocked out if he worked the late shift, he took a mile jog down along the waterfront and back.
He’d also noticed that Maeve was in decent shape too but was just a tiny thing, probably only five foot three. Cole was more than sure she walked to work every morning so maybe there was a chance she was a runner too. That would give them something in common at least, and he might get a running partner. Might be kinda romantic to run together on the beach in the mornings. “Why are you always getting ahead of yourself? You haven’t even been on a date yet.”
“I don’t mean to listen in, but you’ve been talking to yourself a lot the last couple days.” His buddy Kamryn always caught him off guard.
“Nah, I’m okay. Just going over everything in my head.” Cole admitted to himself that there was a lot to go over.
“Oh, is this about the little hottie across the street.” Kamryn always knew and it pissed off Cole that he could pinpoint his issues every time. He felt his face get hot. Since when did anything embarrass him?
“Yeah, Maeve. She’s pretty special. I really like her a lot.” No point in lying at this point. Kamryn would call him out on it anyway.
“I can see that. You’ve never gone this crazy about a girl before.”
“Yeah, it’s weird, isn’t it? I’m not sure what it is, I just can’t help it. She just consumes me.” Cole shook his head, not able to explain his feelings.
“Oh dude, you are in so much trouble.” His friend was shaking his head as he walked away.
“Hey, get back here, what does that mean?”
Chapter6
It was closing time at the Sand Bucket and Maeve had already pushed Chloe out the door a little early so she could lock up by herself. The clean-up hour after they closed was a welcome break when they were swamped throughout the day. It allowed her to get rid of whatever stress the day had caused. She hated going home in a bundle of nerves. Today however, her bundle of nerves would probably stick around since she was having her first date with Cole. It was only ice cream, nothing major but being in such proximity with him for any length of time and she won’t be calm the rest of the night.
She’d had a huge infatuation with him from a far for a long time but now it was worse. There was something about Cole, she couldn’t put her finger on it but it made her crazy. Each time she’d been close, her nose caught an unbelievable aroma. Probably sweat from him working out in the heat all day or maybe smoke from the fires had permeated his skin but whatever the scent, it made her hormones jump through the ceiling. She’d never felt so disheveled about a guy before. It was kind of confusing.
Speaking of Cole, it was odd how she could sense him before she even turned toward the door. She knew when he was close and then she heard the bell ring. Maeve tried to be light-hearted however she was anything but. Her nerves were taking over.
“Hi Cole.”
“Hey Maeve, you changed clothes?”
“Oh yeah, I spilled meatball sauce on me after you left. I didn’t want to smell it all night. I always keep a change of clothes in the back office.” Boy but he was observant.
“Are you ready for some ice cream?”
“As ready as I’ll ever be. I didn’t eat today so I’d have room for it”
“You didn’t eat? You’re gonna blow away woman.”
“Now don’t you start on me Cole; I am perfectly healthy and normal weight for my age and height.”
Who does he think he is to scold me on what I should and shouldn’t eat?
Cole held up his hands in mock surrender when he knew he’d been out of line.
“Okay, okay I give, I’m sorry. You’re an adult, and a pretty fine one at that. I’m no mother. I’ll stop.”
“Thanks, I appreciate that. I usually do eat, so don’t worry. Ice cream isn’t really on my daily meal plan though and sometimes I get tired of the food we serve.”
“Yeah, I didn’t really think about that. I bet it does get old day after day. I know I’ve only had the one sandwich but it was amazing so I’m sure the rest of your food is as well, just not something you want to eat after you’ve cooked all day.”
