“Cole, right?” I don’t want to further inflate his ego.
He places both hands over his chest. “You remembered. I’m touched.”
“I wasn’t that drunk,” I defend.
He scoffs. “You definitely were. Lucky for you, though, my buddy Ethan was kind enough to carry you home.”
My cheeks warm. “You heard about that, huh?”
His smile is mischievous. “Sweetheart, the whole town heard about that.”
That’s just great.
I’m saved from having to continue with the conversation since it’s my turn to order. I order the cinnamon apple hot cider and wait off to the side for them to complete it. Unfortunately, Cole is close behind. He joins me in the waiting area, his face full of questions.
“So, what’s the deal with you and Ethan? Are you guys together or fucking around?”
I suck in a sharp laugh. “Neither. We’re friends.”
At least I hope we’re still friends. Things are a little murky right now after having mauled each other in his truck and not speaking since.
“Doesheknow that?” He smirks, his eyes trained on the crowded street.
My forehead scrunches. “What do you mean?”
Cole lifts his chin with raised brows, looking beyond my shoulder, and I whip my head around a little too fast to see what he’s gesturing at. For a split second, I think Cole is messing with me, but in an instant, Ethan’s eyes connect with minefrom across the road. We stare for a moment, but a little girl—his niece, I’m assuming—asks him something, breaking the connection.
Cole snorts. “Friends my ass.”
The booth attendant hands me and Cole our ciders. I ordered it for warmth, but my flushed skin seems to indicate I was warmed by something—someone—else entirely.
Cole is holding two ciders.
“Thirsty?” I ask.
He shakes his head. “One is for my date.”
Date?
Relief sweeps over me, and I’m not sure why. Maybe because he’s flirtatious but in a way that feels like an inside joke I’m not privy to. Or maybe it’s that I don’t want him to flirt with me at all.
He shoots me a sly smile. “Ethan and I have always been competitive.”
“I don’t understand.”
He smiles again, this time more genuinely. “I had this theory, and you guys proved it.”
With that, he turns to leave, and I’m even more confused than I was before.
As I’m walking out of the tent, Elyse flags me down with a wave. She’s standing with some of her family—including Ethan.
“Hey! Are you here alone?” Her eyes dart around me while I will mine to not glance over at the tall, ruggedly handsome man to her left.
“I’m here for work. I’m covering the festival.”
“Fun!” She does a spin, showing me her costume. “What do you think?”
I bite my lip, holding back a laugh. “What are you supposed to be?”
