Assured (Soul Serenade #2) (7 page)

“Makes sense. I see your point, but how will you ever be able to find her if you don’t stop jumping from bed to bed?”

He shrugs. “Haven’t really put much thought into it. It’s not something I’ve ever imagined I would want.”

“Here you go.” Mable fills our table with plates of what looks like pure heaven and has my mouth watering. “I’ll be right back with some refills.”

“I’m starving.” I reach for the syrup and drown my French toast. I can feel his eyes on me, but I don’t care; I pick up my fork and take a huge bite.

“I didn’t expect you to eat.”

I stop, fork midair. “I’m not like all the rest.” I then take my second bite of bliss. I make a mental note to give Logan a hard time for not telling me about this place.

Cole chuckles, and all conversation is lost as we devour our breakfast.      

“Can I get ya’ll anything else?” Mable asks.

Cole looks at me and I shake my head. “I’m stuffed.”

“No, thanks, Mable. Just the check, please.” He grins at her.

I reach for my purse and dig out a ten-dollar bill. Reaching out, I try to hand it to Cole, but he stares at my hand for several seconds before looking at me. “You’re not paying for breakfast.”

“This was not a date. I can buy my own way,” I counter.

“I don’t care. You’re not paying. Put that away.” He glares at the bill in my hand. “I’m just going to meet Mable at the counter.” He slides out of the booth and walks away.

I’m not angry. In fact, it’s nice that he wants to treat me to breakfast. Not necessary, but nice nonetheless. Not a very Cole-like thing to do. Then again, I don’t really know him all that well, just from hanging out in group settings and from what I’ve learned from Logan. Instead of placing the ten back in my purse, I leave it on the table for Mable. I’m positive Cole will give her a big tip, but a little more won’t hurt. After I tuck the bill underneath a plate, I slide from the booth and end up meeting Cole at the door. “Thank you,” I say, looking up at him.

Reaching out, he tucks a loose strand of hair behind my ear. “You’re welcome. Let’s get you home.” His large, warm hand settles on the small of my back as he leads me to the car.

When I dropped her off at her apartment, she declined help with her bag. It was just a small overnight bag, so I didn’t argue with her. It might not have been the most gentlemanly thing to do, but I needed to get away from her. I had planned to convince her to invite me in, maybe taste those lips again. Kacen, however, interrupted the plan. As soon as I pulled out of the diner, he texted me.

Kacen:
Off. Limits.

Those two words from my best friend changed my plans. He’s fucking cock-blocking me from fucking Hawaii. I’ll let him, until he gets back. He and I are going to have a talk. If Stacy is on board and so am I, there is no reason why the two of us—who are grown-ass adults, by the way—cannot indulge in each other. One more week and then it’s game on.

“Unca Cowe!”

Crouching, I open my arms wide and wait, bracing myself for the impact of my four-year-old niece, Mia. She doesn’t disappoint as she launches herself at me and wraps her arms around my neck.

“Missed you,” her sweet little voice says next to my ear.

Pulling out of the hug, I stand with her in my arms, acting like she weighs a ton. “Mia, you’ve grown. I can barely lift you.”

Her little giggles touch my heart. I love this kid something fierce. “I four now,” she announces proudly.

“That’s what your mom said. I might have something for you.” I point to the gift bag I abandoned when I walked through the door.

“Yay!” she cheers. “I get presents fir my birfday.”

“That’s right. You’re a big girl today,” I agree with her, dropping a kiss to her cheek.

“Mia,” my sister Chloe scolds her. “How many times do I have to tell you not to answer the door without an adult with you?” She stands with her hands on her hips, just like our momma used to. She really has this mom thing down.

Mia scrunches her eyebrows and looks at me. “Unca Cowe, you adult?” she asks.

I couldn’t stop the grin if I tried. “Yea, Miss Mia, I’m an adult.” My sister exhales loudly at my admission. “But I think what Mommy means is that you have to have someone beside you when you open the door. Was I standing beside you?” I ask her.

Sadness takes over her face as she shakes her little head. “No,” she answers softly.

“Mia, remember when Mommy and Daddy talked to you about stranger danger?” Mia nods. “We want to make sure that no one ever takes you from us. It’s important to wait for an adult,” Chloe explains.

“Me sorry.” Her lip quivers and I’m done with the conversation. I understand that she needs to learn the rules, but it’s her birthday party and “Unca Cowe” can’t handle the tears. She’s breaking my heart.

“Hey, I heard you had a princess cake. Can I see it?” Just like that, her frown is turned upside down and her face lights up.

“Sophia. She’s bewtiful,” she informs me.

I let my niece drag me through the house by the hand. She jabbers on about decorations and presents and I simply follow along, letting her do her thing.

“See, Unca Cowe? Sophia.” She points to the cake on the table. “Bewtiful,” she says again, her eyes lighting up.

I swing her up into my arms. “You’re beautiful,” I tell her, which causes her to giggle. The doorbell rings and she wiggles for me to let her down. “Remember, an adult.” She nods her little head and takes off running.

“You need one,” my brother-in-law Kyle says from beside me.

“Why, when I can borrow yours?”

“Speaking of, I want to take Chloe out of town for a weekend. You up for uncle duties?”

“You know it. We’re trying to finalize a short tour coming up in the next few months, but nothing going on really. Kacen and Logan come home tomorrow, so we’ll be recording again soon. Nothing she can’t be there for.”

Kyle laughs. “She still talks about the last time you took her with you.” He changes his voice to mimic Mia. “Unca Cowe wet me sing and it was so fun!”

“Hey, as uncle, it’s my job to spoil her.” I laugh at his antics. “So, when are you thinking?”

“Well, since you’re open, how about next weekend? Your parents leave for the cruise this week, and mine can’t get away to drive down.”

“Sounds good to me. I’ll make sure I stock up on some of her favorites.”

“Don’t tell her. I know she’ll spill the beans to Chloe if she knows she gets to stay with you. I’m taking off early Friday, so I’ll pick her up from daycare, pack her bag, and drop her off. My plan is to be home with mine and Chloe’s bags packed as soon as she gets home.”

I grip his shoulder. “Pussy.”

“I’m getting it regularly,” he fires back.

“Dude, that’s my sister. Not to mention there is no lack of in my life.”

“Yeah, that may be true.” He brings his bottle of water to his lips. “But I know where mine has been.”

“I get variety, and I always wrap it before I tap it.”

“Don’t knock it, man. You should try it sometime. You don’t plan to be a bachelor forever, do you?”

I shrug. “Honestly, I don’t know. I’m good with life right now. Living my dream. Who knows what could happen. But I
can
tell you that what you have with Chloe is not on my radar.”

“It never is, my man. It never is.”

“Daddy!” Mia comes tearing into the room. Kyle leans down and picks up his daughter. She places both of her little hands on his cheeks and kisses him. “Can we open pwesents now?” She bats her eyelashes. Damn, she’s got him wrapped around her little finger.

“Let’s go get Mommy,” he tells her.

Figures, he’s going to let Chloe be the bad cop. Not bad advice. I imagine Kacen will be the same way.

I watch as Kyle and Chloe set Mia at the head of the kitchen table, right in front of her cake. Mom has her camera, snapping pictures. Kyle lights the four candles and Mia’s eyes light up. We sing “Happy Birthday” and, in her four-year-old dramatic fashion that only Mia can pull off, she blows out her candles. Mom takes over cutting the cake and passing out small plates, while Chloe and Kyle hand Mia gift after gift. She blows through them, oohing and ahhing at each one. Mine is the last, and it’s something that she saw on a commercial when she was with me a few weeks ago.

“Unca Cowe! Will you haf a tea party wif me?” she asks, batting those damn eyelashes. She’s wasting the cuteness on me, because there is no way I can tell that little girl no.

“You got it, Princess Mia. Go play with your friends, and we can have tea after.”

“If the paparazzi could hear you now,” Chloe jokes, coming to stand next to me.

“Shut it. Those fuckers make shit up anyway.”

“True. She loves it. How did you know she wanted one? I expected you to call and ask for gift suggestions.”

“A few weeks ago when I watched her, there was a commercial on TV. She told me she wanted it for her birfday.” I chuckle. “So, I pulled it up on my laptop and ordered it.”

“I’m impressed, big brother.”

“Hey now, I’m more than just a pretty face.” I wink at her.

“Big plans for tonight?”

I take a swig of my beer. “Yeah. Mia and I are having a tea party.” I grin.

“I mean after that. Surely, Mr. Rock Star, you’ve got plans, ladies lining up around the corner.” She sticks her finger down her throat as if she’s gagging. My sister never has been fond of the . . . attention my career brings. Of course, she wants to be an aunt.

“I do, and she’s this cute little thing. Brown hair, likes to wear pigtails. Today’s her birthday, so we’re doing it up big.” I avoid looking at her, because if I do, I’ll crack up laughing.

I feel a punch to my arm. “Oh, what the hell, Chloe?” I rub my arm as though she actually hurt me. She didn’t, and we both know it.

“What’s up with you?”

“Nothing, I promised Mia. I didn’t make any plans for today because it’s her birthday.”

“You’re acting . . . weird.”

I drain my beer and set the empty bottle on the counter behind me. “I’m fine, just not feeling it tonight. Even rock stars needs downtime.”

“You know I was just giving you a hard time, right?”

I can hear the concern in her voice. “Yeah, don’t worry. I’m just chilling here tonight. Kacen and Logan come home tomorrow, and we’re going to start tying up some loose ends on the new tracks. We’ve also got a few things to finalize for the tour coming up.”

“How long this time?”

“Just three months. It’s a short US-only tour. Kacen didn’t want to do more than that, being a newlywed and all, and we all agreed. It’s about making the music for us. The only reason we tour is for our fans. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a rush, but family’s first, you know?”

“I do know. You all are a unique bunch. I’m glad that fame and fortune have not changed you. Now if I could just get you settled down. I want my nieces and nephews to be close to my kids. Mia’s four.”

“Hey now, just because you decided to reproduce doesn’t mean I have to.”

“Cole! Kyle is an only child. My aunt status depends on you.”