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"Hey, I'm not that boring!"
"It wasn't you. Probably just the nerves."
I ran my hand through my hair. "So, you didn't meet up with any old flames?"
She shook her head and sighed. “Nope. I didn’t meet up with anyone.”
"Are you all right, Elara?" I asked. "You must be tired after your journey. Would you rather go and rest? Please don’t feel like I’m taking you hostage here."
"No! I want to be here. I really do. I’m just a little . . . overwhelmed."
"Yeah. I get that. You worked so hard for your interview. Must feel weird now it’s all over. Please, just relax. Enjoy some pizza and wine. But if you're too tired, you can go, too. No pressure."
She sniffed. "Thanks, Cole. I appreciate all this. Sorry I'm not in a better place to enjoy it all."
"You don't need to apologize."
"I want to stay. I'm just feeling a bit mixed up."
I swallowed away a pang. Was it me who was mixing her up? Had she come back to Bluehaven hoping to put our fling behind her? Maybe she’d even come here to end things completely tonight, and here I was, pushing her into a romantic night in an inferior version of the place she really wanted to be right now. "Understandable,” I told her. “You’re going through a lot of changes right now."
God, I sounded like I was lecturing her on puberty or something. I was really screwing everything up, wasn’t I?
She picked at the hem of her jeans. "I wish I could talk to Dad."
I reached out and gave her hand a squeeze. "I'm sorry, El."
"He always gave good advice. Or he'd just make me laugh and I'd feel better."
"Dads are like that, huh?"
"He was a pain, too," she said with a strangled laugh, her eyes moist with unshed tears. "Always thought he knew what was best for me."
"True." I thought about my girls. "Course, with my kids I always do know what's best for them."
Elara laughed. "You're a good dad."
"That's kind of you to say. Sorry, not trying to make this about me."
"Not at all. And I mean it. Rhea and Lexi love you. They tease you because they feel comfortable around you. You give them space to be kids."
"Yeah. I just wish I had a bit more space to be me sometimes."
Elara wiped her eyes, then looked at me, a slightly more perky expression on her face. "So, you were jealous at the thought of me meeting an old flame?"
"Me? Jealous?" I laughed, shaking my head. "You can date whoever you like, Elara."
"Same goes for you, player."
"Hey, I can't help it if the ladies can't resist this charming salt-and-pepper stubble," I joked, running a hand over my jaw.
She nodded, but I was pretty sure her mind was elsewhere.
I stood up and clapped my hands together. “Right. I hope you're hungry. Because I think I made a bit too much dough."
Truthfully, I had probably overdone everything tonight. As I went inside to fetch the pizza dough, I kicked myself for putting together such a ridiculous evening.
Never mind, I told myself. Elara will be going back to New York soon and you can stop behaving like such a lovestruck asshole.
