Cal gave me a chin lift as he stoodbraced against the pool table watching us leave.
I let Cole take my hand in his as heled us to his bike. I was completely shell shocked not only at everything thatCal had said but that Cole and I had known each other when we were children. Whatwere the odds that we would meet randomly but then share this type of history?My capacity for trust was severely limited but there was a large part of methat wanted to trust Cal and Cole, to believe that Cal had loved my father andwas still devoted to him. I tried to get a grip as we roared off toward myplace, focusing on the need for a long, warm shower and a change of clothes.Beyond that I couldn’t focus on much. I could sense Cole’s contemplative moodas well, as the warm breeze slid over us on the ride.
Cole pulled up to the curb and swung aleg over his bike while holding a hand out to me. He kept a hold of my hand ashe led me to my door, gesturing for me to stay outside so he could check outthe place before returning to gesture me inside.
“I’ll be back soon,” he told me simplywhen he established that I was safe.
“What?” I asked, confused.
He grasped my neck and squeezed it inthat now familiar gesture, and left me standing in my living room in surprise.Coming back for what? I shook my head unable to process anything and headed forthe shower.
I stood under the blissfully hot watertrying to get a handle on myself. The day had taken a very surprising turn andhad dredged up a lot of emotion that I wasn’t prepared for.
I heard the front door close andcocked my head to the side to listen.
“Scar?” I heard Kat’s voice call.
“Yeah, come in,” I hollered inresponse.
She opened the bathroom door andleaned against the counter as I continued my shower, something we didfrequently. Neither one of us was modest in the least.
“What’s going on?” she asked, sittingon the closed toilet seat lid.
“What isn’t going on,” I said, as I proceededto fill her in on my bizarre morning.
“Holy shit!” she exclaimed when I wasdone. “I can’t believe you two played together when you were young,” shemarveled, pulling out the one detail that shocked me the most as well.
“I know,” I replied. “He said he’scoming back. I’m not sure what for or what to do with any of this. Just tryingto focus on getting my hair clean for now,” I said dryly.
She laughed. “That’s a good start.I’ll leave you to it,” she added before leaving the bathroom.
When I emerged a little while laterfeeling slightly refreshed, I was shocked to find Cole squatted in front of ourdoor installing a new lock.
“What are you doing?” I asked,surprised.
He looked over at me briefly, his eyesraking over me, reminding me that I was only dressed in my short, terry clothrobe. I pulled it tighter and continued to stare at him, ignoring his cockygrin.
“I’m installing new locks sweetheart.The last one was shit anyway,” he muttered. “And Sal, my buddy from the club,will be over in a few to install an alarm,” he added making my eyes bulge.
“What? That’s not necessary!” Iprotested. “And Kat and I don’t have the money for that,” I added.
“Good thing you’re not paying for itthen,” he mumbled, turning back to his task at hand.
I scowled and huffed off to my room knowingI couldn’t say or do anything to detract him. I threw myself on my bed andstared up at the ceiling for what felt like an eternity, listening to “Sal”installing a new alarm system. I could hear Kat chatting with him goodnaturedly and admired her ability to take almost everything in stride.
“Come in,” I answered mindlessly whena soft knock sounded at my door and I assumed it was Kat. Instead, it was Colewho came in and shut the door behind him. I didn’t have the energy to tell himto get out, even when he lay down on the bed beside me, throwing an armcasually underneath his head as though he’d done this a thousand times.
I absolutely shocked myself when Irolled toward him, put my head on his chest, and threw an arm over his stomach.It was an action I completed before I even thought about it. Something abouthim exuded comfort, and I needed that so badly that I couldn’t be sorry evenafter I came to my senses. His other arm came up to stroke my damp hair and welay like that for an immeasurable amount of time without speaking.
“You should eat something,” he saidafter awhile.
“Later,” I sighed, too content tomove. I finally felt relaxed and wasn’t in any rush to change the feeling.
“What time do you have to work?” heasked.
“Five,” I groaned.
“Till when?”
