Love Redone in Hidden Harbor (Island County Book 2) (10 page)

I realized I was smiling as he spoke and I let out a sigh.

“I knew you would be horrified if your dad saw your boyfriend stripping in the driveway and it worked. Well, now it’s broad daylight and all your neighbors will see. Not to mention tourists.”

He walked to the front of the car, standing as cocky as ever in front of my garage. Cole’s eyes connected with mine and a devious grin spread across his lips as his fingers toyed with his black leather belt buckle.

Oh, dear God. He was playing dirty. I cranked on my seat handle and popped up in less than a second.

He wouldn’t dare.

But as I watched his fingers working the leather through the buckle, I realized he would more than dare. Was this where adulthood got Cole? Stripping in an ex-girlfriend’s driveway?

“So I guess you don’t embarrass as easily as when you were younger,” he hollered so the neighbors and I could hear him, his fingers gliding over the metal.

What disturbed me most about this scenario was that I didn’t want him to stop.

However, I was obviously the adult in the situation, and I let out a grunt. I had flowers I wanted to get to my shop and a book on my coffee table that needed attention.

I curled my fingers around the door handle, just as his fingers began working the button of his jeans, and I pushed open the door.

“I knew that would get to you.” He reached down and picked up his belt and quickly looped it around his waist while jogging over to me.

“I don’t know what you plan on getting out of this short conversation we’re about to have,” I muttered, pushing by him with my shoulders, while strategically placing my hands behind me to block the view of my sweatpant-draped behind.

“Just time,” he said, coming up behind me with the Adirondack chair. “How are your dad and mom, by the way?”

“They’re doing well. They’ll probably be concerned for their daughter’s well-being after they hear about this encounter though. They’ll think I’ve lost my mind.”

I opened the door and flipped on the lights in my living room. The home was small but perfect for me. I didn’t need a lot of space, just a lot of shelves for my books.

The dark navy couch sat in the corner at a diagonal, and red pillows flanked the cushions. I’d made a coffee table out of pallets and whitewashed the rough wood. My eyes landed on my book still propped half open, the cover blazing for anyone to see what sat within the pages. It wasn’t that I was embarrassed by the story.

Heck no.

But the cover signaled what was in between the pages was scalding, and I didn’t want my ex to get any ideas.

I slowly made my way over to the coffee table and flipped the book over as Cole stood in the entry watching me.

“You can sit there.” I pointed at the leather recliner across from the couch. “Would you like any coffee?”

I didn’t wait for a response and left him alone while I paraded into the kitchen and grabbed a bag of grounds to measure into the coffeepot. I needed him far away.

“Well?” I hollered rather impatiently. I had coffee grounds to pour.

Cole appeared in the doorway, and my heart nearly stopped at the sight of him. There was something so commanding about his presence, and it unnerved me so I dropped my gaze away from his. But it was too late. I caught the look in his eyes and it was like time had never rolled right on by.

“I like your kitchen,” he said, his voice softening.

“Thanks. I put it together myself. It was a complete gut job.”

“You did this?” His brows shot up in surprise. “Yourself?”

“Yeah. It wasn’t a big deal.” I liked that I could impress him so easily. “I found the cabinets at a salvage store, stripped them and refinished them. I like how they’re different heights.”

I poured the water into the coffee maker. “And I thought using a different piece of granite for the island was no big deal. Kind of fits the vibe.” A few seconds of silence passed. “So, what is it you really want?”

I flipped the switch on the coffeepot and turned around to face him.

“I wanted to talk.” There was a hint of desperation in his voice, which tore at me only slightly. I was the wrong woman to be talking to. Cynthia was the only one who could fix whatever problems he thought he had.

“About what, Cole? This isn’t a good idea. You’re engaged, and I don’t feel comfortable about you being here, and you shouldn’t feel comfortable either.” I folded my arms and leaned against the counter.

“She’s called off the wedding before, which is why we’re only two months out on this latest date.” Cole was matter of fact, and it was difficult to tell what he wanted me to say or do. “Who knows if I’m even engaged now.”

Again, not my problem.

“Cole, I realize we’ve had a history, but that’s what it is. History. I don’t think I’m the best person to lend an ear because I doubt I’ll land on the side you want me to. The person you should be talking to is Cynthia. Not me.” I turned back around and reached for the coffee mugs as I attempted to keep my head on straight.

I felt him walk up behind me. The heat rolled off his body, making my veins feel like lava flowed freely, and my entire existence became distorted. There was some sort of magnetic force pulling between us, and I resented him for bringing it to my attention.

I set the mugs on the counter and took a deep breath in. With him only inches behind me, it would only take one wrong move, and we’d be both be in a situation we’d regret.

“You said you’d stand five feet away at all times, Cole.” I breathed in and my voice caught on accident.

“Is that really what you want?” he murmured, and a wave of goose bumps washed over my skin as I poured the coffee.

“It’s what you should want.”

He reached for his coffee and took a few steps back from me.

“I don’t like that I’m here either.” He took a sip of coffee, but his gaze stayed on mine. “It tells me I’m making a mistake.”

“People get cold feet all the time.” I shooed him out of the kitchen and followed him into the living room.

I needed him to be in more square footage where I could keep a safe and healthy distance. He started toward the couch, which was usually my spot, so I slid onto the leather chair instead.

Cole set his cup on a coaster and noticed the book I’d turned over.

“What are you reading about? Far-off and exotic places like you used to dream about?” His hand started toward the paperback, and I shook my head.

“No. I realized I like staying close to home. That’s a romance,” I informed him, hoping that would stop him from flipping over the book to see a half-naked guy on the front. Never mind the model just so happened to look an awful lot like Cole. “I’ve come to realize the only happily-ever-after that exists is in the pages of a book.”

He pulled his hand back as if he’d gotten burned and sat back on the couch. His gaze landed on mine.

“I’ve come to learn that hard lesson myself. So how’s Nick?” Cole steepled his fingers together and looked away before fastening his cool gaze on mine.

“Fine. Why? You saw him last night.”

“I assumed he was your happily-ever-after.” Cole’s brow quirked slightly as I sat stunned, feeling the earth swallow me up.

 

When the room stopped spinning, I brought my gaze back to Cole who sat quietly on the couch.

“Why in the world would you think that?” I asked.

There were few things in life I was certain of, but this was one of them. Nick had never and would never be anything more than a friend.

Cole sat up straighter and took a deep breath in before reaching for his cup of coffee.

“Why in the world would I not? Look who’s still standing by your side all these years later.”

“You’re being ridiculous, Cole. Nick has never been more than a friend. We’ve never crossed that line. Not that it’s any of your business.”

“That’s not what it sounded like at the dinner.” His brow arched.

I rolled my eyes and crossed my legs.

“Well?” His gaze flashed to mine.

“Because my first boyfriend is getting married and I’m having to deal with it, my male friend wanted to help boost my ego a little. So what if he volunteered to play like we had something going on. I’m sure it’s not the first time in the history of the world, and it won’t be the last.”

“And you believe that’s all he was trying to do?” Cole’s voice was steady.

“I know so.”

“You’re being naïve.”

Fury ran through my veins. “There might be a lot of things I am, Cole, but naïve isn’t one of them, which is why I know exactly what you’re up to. I’ve seen it many times with grooms over the years.”

He crossed his arms over his chest and looked somewhat amused.

“And what is that?”

“You want one last fling and you thought I was the easiest target.”

Cole shook his head and smiled. “Is that why you think I’m here?”

“I know that’s why you’re here so don’t call me naïve.”

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to insult you, but I think when it comes to love, you might be a little sheltered. And if I wanted one last fling, don’t you think I could find a situation that was a little easier to navigate? Someone who offered fewer complications, perhaps?”

“I’m not complicated. Just because you’re engaged don’t try to pretend like you understand love. I’ve seen and heard things about Ms. Cynthia.”

“So have I.”

Well, I wasn’t expecting that admission.

“I don’t like that you’re busy going all over town trying to force your version of history on people. I don’t know what you told Sophie, but it must have been a doozy for her to tell you where I lived.”

“You’re not that hard to find. I could have asked…well, just about anyone.” He pressed his lips together, and I noticed how full those lips were. Darn human nature.

“Regardless, you left the island, and there’s no reason for you to come rolling back onto my turf telling lies.”

“I didn’t tell any lies.”

“Sophie told me your version of our breakup differed from mine. That would be lying. You lied.”

Cole laughed and it only infuriated me.

“What?” I took a sip of coffee.

“Just because I told her what happened from my point of view doesn’t mean I’m lying,” he countered.

“I went through it, Cole. I remember exactly what happened.”

“And so do I,” he said coolly.

A few seconds of silence filled the air instead of bickering.

“You need to get back to Cynthia,” I said, feeling like I’d already overstepped boundaries I didn’t feel comfortable with.

“It’s not that simple.”

“It’s exactly that simple. You upset her, and it’s your turn to make it up to her.”

“She tried to hit on a high school kid,” Cole said flatly.

“He looks old for his age.” My eyes fluttered to his as I tried to hold in a chuckle. “And who told you about that?”

“Sophie mentioned it.”

“Before or after the lies you told her about how you broke my heart?”

Cole let out a deep breath and a hint of sadness flicked through his eyes.

“After.” He sat back on the couch and his legs relaxed, opening slightly.

Not that I noticed.

“Cole, here’s the deal. I don’t know the parameters of your current relationship, but I do know that things can get a little crazy before you’re about to say I do. I don’t know what you’re searching for, but it’s not here on Fireweed Island.”

“Do you remember what you told me right after I asked you to come with me to Georgia?”

A jolt spiked through my body. He was already confusing the facts.

“You never asked me to come to Georgia,” I corrected.

“Yeah, I did.”

“You said you wanted me to visit.”

“So you could see if you liked it enough to transfer into their program.”

I shook my head. “Nice try.”

Cole let out a groan and his shoulders sank.

“Do you remember what you told me when I asked you to come to Georgia with me for the summer?” he pressed on.

I shrugged and shook my head. “I didn’t want to leave my friends and needed to work.”

Cole slid his tongue between his lips, and my mind nearly drew a blank at this simple gesture of contemplation. He was incredibly sexy, but so were a lot of grooms.

“But you didn’t say for the summer,” I added. “And I’m not sure why it even matters. You’re getting married in two months and should be trying to make amends with your fiancée.”

“You don’t really believe that, or you would have kicked me out ten minutes ago.”

I hated that he knew me so well.

“I’m just polite. Customer service is ninety-nine percent of my job, and you still might need to order flowers someday.”

The tension in the room was so thick it exhausted me. The chemistry I’d always felt around him zipped through my body, and going down memory lane was only complicating matters, especially, since his version didn’t match mine.

I didn’t know what was going to go wrong next. Would Cynthia show up at my door? Or would I say something I’d regret? Only time would reveal the answer to that one.

“I’ve thought about that day ever since I left. I wondered what I could have done different to make you come with me. I didn’t understand what I did wrong to make you dismiss everything we’d had. I was young and didn’t realize it was more complicated than that. But I was smart enough to know I had no right to control who you wanted to spend time with or where.”