Page 45 of The Moment I Knew

I rested my elbows on the table and leaned in like I was lecturing him. And honestly, it kind of felt like I was. “Not very hard, honestly. Did you know that dates are supposed to be mutual planning? Communicating. Choosing things together.”

“We did choose things together. Look at all these toppings.”

“Mitch, literally the only topping you didn’t put in there is the single one I suggested.”

He waved me off, scooping another bite into his mouth. “Yeah, because chocolate chips are boring.”

I let out a deep sigh, doing my best to hold my patience. “Dates are also supposed to be between two interested parties, and I’m not interested in a second date.”

He waved a hand. “You’ll be interested.”

I balked at him. “Excuse me?” Was he just ordering me to be interested? As if it was that easy, a little flip of a switch and just like that, I’d want to date him? For once, he seemed to notice how his words came across because he looked away, seeming slightly abashed.

“I mean, once you get to know me. You’ll come around.”

I stared at him, trying to figure out how someone could say that out loud and not hear how ridiculous it sounded. It was like he thought I just hadn’t been trying hard enough to want to be with him.

“Well isn’t this sweet?” a dry voice asked. Before I could even look up, Cole was dropping into the seat next to me like he belonged there. His hair was a mess and his cheeks were slightly flushed like he’d just come in from the cold outside.

“Cole,” I said stupidly.

He glanced at me, eyebrows lifting just a fraction. “Hey.”

Mitch froze, spoon halfway to his mouth. “Uh—what⁠—”

Cole leaned back against the booth, stretching his arm along the top in a way that was somehow both lazy and deliberate. His arm brushed my shoulders in the action and that small touch felt better than any other second I’d already endured on this date, which was a really telling sign. Mitch’s gaze clocked the contact and he narrowed his eyes at Cole.

“They keep the napkins right here,” he said, gesturing vaguely to the napkin holder at the edge of the table. Then he tapped a finger to his chin. “You might want to grab one.”

Mitch bristled, quickly swatting a hand at his chin to brush away the nonexistent frozen yogurt. I bit back a laugh. Cole outright grinned, leaning more into the seat next to me like he was growing more comfortable crashing our date.

“This is a private table,” Mitch said, his voice tightening.

Cole looked at him, unimpressed. “It’s a frozen yogurt place.”

I could feel heat creeping up my neck. “Cole⁠—”

“Relax,” he said, cutting a glance at me. “I just thought I’d check in and see how things are going over here.”

He grabbed my pink spoon from the napkin and dipped it into the cup in front of Mitch without asking. Mitch stared at him like he’d just committed a felony. “Did you just⁠—”

“Vanilla?” Cole said, making a face. “How boring. Of all the flavors over there, that’s what you chose?”

“That’s mine.”

Cole nodded and dropped the spoon back on the table. “Yeah, I figured.”

Mitch’s jaw clenched. “Do you mind?”

“Kind of,” Cole said easily. “But I’m working through it.” He finally looked back at me properly. “Didn’t expect to see you here.”

“Likewise,” I said. Cole didn’t strike me as much of a fro-yo guy. Was it possible he was on a date too? I leaned forward to look around the shop, searching for who he could be with, but there were so many teen girls here, any one of them could be with him. Something clenched in my stomach at the idea of him sliding into a booth with someone, laughing over swirled flavors and adventurous toppings while I was stuck here explaining to Mitch that I just wanted to go home.

“Who are you looking for, Princess?” Cole asked quietly. I swore I saw Mitch lean forward in his seat like he was trying to hear.

“Your date. Surely you’re here with someone.”

“I’m here because you are. Stalker, remember?” Amusement was bright in his eyes, and I felt a surprising swell of relief over the fact that he wasn’t here on a date with someone else. Or, if he was, I was choosing to pretend he wasn’t.