Broken out of my reverie, it took me a second to follow.
“Never date the neighbor,” I said finally. “I’ll say the same now as back then. It wasn’t really necessary. Mae would never go for a guy like me. She’s said as much, outright, more than once.”
“Even so, I get it. She’s sweet.”
My head whipped in Cole’s direction as I remembered what Mae had said when I asked if she thought Cole was hot.
Obviously.
“Down, boy. Not my type. And I’m certainly not hers.”
“Meaning? There’s literally nothing wrong with her.”
Why was I trying to talk Cole into liking Mae? Idiot.
“Meaning, she said last night that it’s been years since she wasn’t in a relationship.”
“Right.” I took another sip of coffee. “And you’re not into relationships either.”
“About as much as you are.”
“True,” I offered. “It’s just the two of us now.”
Cole seemed more annoyed by the fact than me.
“Don’t get me wrong,” he said. “I like Pia. And Delaney. But I stand by the reason we agreed to it in the first place.”
“Same. My parents are more of a shitshow now than they were back in college.”
“What’s up with them these days?”
I shook my head in disgust. “More of the same. Beck, why did you even go to college? Beck, you’re wasting your life away. Beck, when are you going to settle down? Beck, you’re an embarrassment to the family,” I said in my mother’s voice.
“Did she really say that?”
“Not in so many words,” I admitted. “So when are you heading back?” I asked, more relaxed now that I knew Cole wasn’t interested in Mae. Talk about a disaster of epic proportions.
“Parker’s taking me to the train station at one.”
“It was nice of you, what you did for that girl.”
“It’s just money.”
Cole wanted everyone to think he was some cold-hearted piece of stone. I knew better, but for some reason he didn’t want to be reminded.
“When you coming up again?”
When he didn’t immediately answer, I looked at Cole’s profile. Something was off with him, but opening up wasn’t Cole’s strong suit. If anyone got it out of him, it would be Parker. I’d have to talk to him about it.
“Mace mentioned something about a summer wine event they’re co-hosting with Casa Di Vino which coincides with my summer break. I’ll probably come up for a few weeks then.”
Cole loved the outdoors, probably as much as Parker. To say we were surprised he ended up at Columbia, in the city, was an understatement. Unless you factored in Cole’s drive to be a tenured college professor, like his father. I guess those jobs were few and far between, especially at that level.
“We should be completely finished with the renovations by then.”
“And then what?”
“For me?”
