AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Cole gestured to a frame on the desk. Randy had his arm wrapped around a dark-haired beauty. Both of them smiled brilliantly at the camera. “Is that your wife?”
“It is.” Randy leaned back in his chair and it creaked. “We went to the Grand Canyon recently for our wedding anniversary. Man, that was a nice trip. We camped for three days.” His dimple popped out again. “Jessica loves the outdoors as much as I do.”
“You’re a lucky guy.”
“You don’t have to tell me twice.” His brow crinkled. “Are you married?”
“Naw. I’m gun shy when it comes to walking down the aisle.” Cole adjusted his cowboy hat, a sheepish expression on his face. “I like certainty and marriage seems like a gamble, you know?”
Olivia stiffened slightly. Did Cole genuinely feel that way, or was he simply steering the conversation? She couldn’t tell. And now wasn’t the time to ask. She kept quiet, letting Cole take control. Clearly he was hoping to find out more about Randy and his wife.
Randy rubbed his chin. “Marriage isn’t always easy, but there’s nothing better than having a teammate by your side.” His gaze went to the photograph on his desk. “Jessica and I went through some hard times, but we loved each other too much to give up. I think that’s the key sometimes. Don’t give up.”
Cole shrugged. “Sometimes it’s better to give up though. If you’re fighting every day and miserable… what’s the point?”
Olivia’s heart sank. It definitely sounded like Cole was speaking from experience. No wonder he was struggling to write Eli and Sienna’s speech. Was he divorced? It would explain so many of his comments over the last few days. Olivia mentally kicked herself for not asking. Some friend she was.
Randy grimaced. “Fighting ain’t good. I agree with you there. But that’s when you get help. I ain’t ashamed to say that Jessica and I worked with our pastor to sort through our differences. We also made friends with some great married couples who really support us. Sometimes, you think you’re the only ones with problems, but then you realize everyone has difficulties. It’s improved our marriage more than ever.” He eyed Cole speculatively. “For someone so down on marriage, working for a wedding planner is an interesting career choice.”
Cole laughed. “Yes, it is.”
Olivia’s phone beeped with an incoming text from her client. “Avery says the beef sliders are fine.”
Randy leaned forward and circled the selection on his paper. “Great. I’ll put the order in right now. The ingredients will be delivered tonight and we’ll be ready to go.”
“Fantastic.” Olivia glanced at Cole, who gave her a subtle nod. He’d gotten whatever information he needed. Olivia turned back to Randy. “Thanks for everything. If you have any other issues, call me.”
“Will do.” Randy waved bye.
Olivia stepped back into the hall. She waited until they were far enough away from Randy’s office before whispering, “Well?”
“Either Randy is an excellent actor or he genuinely loves his wife.” Cole frowned. “I don’t want to mark him off the suspect list, but I find it hard to believe he’s your stalker.”
Relief unknotted the tension in Olivia’s shoulders. It didn’t bring them any closer to identifying her stalker, but at least she hadn’t misjudged Randy. “I’m glad. I was starting to doubt my own instincts.” She wanted to ask Cole about his earlier comments, but this didn’t seem like the right time or place. Later. When they were at home. Instead, Olivia smiled brightly. “The ballroom is our last stop. Then we can head home. Granny is making meatloaf with mashed potatoes for dinner.”
Cole’s eyes widened with appreciation. “Sounds delicious.”
The ballroom was a chaotic mess. Bare tables waited for linens and flowers. Floor-length windows provided a stunning view of the gardens and the lake. An archway of white roses was being built near the dance floor. Olivia chatted with the florist and her crew. Then with the venue manager. Everything was on track for tomorrow night. She double-checked her task list and then closed her tablet with a sigh of happiness. “All done.”
Cole grinned as he crossed the dance floor toward her. “Nothing makes you more content than checking things off your to-do list.”
She laughed to offset the way her breath hitched. The man was so handsome, it was distracting. Olivia reminded herself that romance wasn’t part of their agreement. “That’s true. I love having a checklist, and when everything is ticked off, I feel like my day was productive.”
A loud creak overhead jolted Olivia’s gaze upward. Shock and horror flooded through her as the chandelier suddenly dropped from the ceiling. Hundreds of pounds of crystals headed straight for the center of the dance floor.
For Cole.
It was going to kill him.
SIXTEEN
Everything happened in the span of a heartbeat.
One second Cole was admiring Olivia’s gorgeous smile. The next, he was in deadly trouble.
A loud creak alerted Cole to the danger right before the entire chandelier came rushing at his head. He lunged across the dance floor in a desperate bid to outrace certain death. Pain erupted in his shoulder and hip as he collided with the ground. Olivia screamed his name. He didn’t have time to register the panic in her voice.
Cole rolled. The world spun. He bounced off the wooden dance floor onto the carpet before slamming into a table with a teeth-chattering jolt. Instinctively, his arms went up to protect his face as the chandelier hit the dance floor. It shattered. Glass shards flew in his direction. Screams echoed. Cole’s heart thumped hard against his ribcage. One of those voices sounded like Olivia. Was she hurt?
