Page 66 of Cole

“Nothing, just busy studying. And I see you’re busy too, having dinner with Kiki,” I ground out.

Cole tilted his head to one side. “You know Kiki?”

“Mm-hmm, she’s my number one fan. So, don’t let me delay you getting back to your date.”

I made to step past him and his hand snaked out and grabbed my arm, stilling me.

“What’s with the cold shoulder act? It’s not like you. Jealous?” he said with a half grin that sent butterflies racing through me.

I forced a jagged laugh. “Jealous?” My voice was pitched way too high. “Yeah, sure. I’m jealous of dinner at the Chickadee. Very romantic spot.” The words made Cole’s eyebrows lower. God, I felt like a bitch.

But I was committed to this course of action, for his sake more than anyone else’s.

I tossed my hair as haughtily as I could considering it was screwed up in a bun.

“How would you know what’s like me, anyway?” I looked up at him.

This close, he was devastatingly handsome. It was a challenge to look him in the eye while lying my ass off.

“We don’t know each other, Cole. Not at all, really. Let’s not be confused about what’s happening between us.” The jaded words felt like thorns in my mouth, but a necessity at the same time.

His mouth quirked in a cold smirk. “And what would that be?” he asked.

I swallowed past my dry throat. “Nothing. There’s nothing going on. You told me to stay away from The Clutch, and you. I’m just trying to follow your wishes.”

His eyes narrowed. “You have interesting timing on deciding to be a good girl, Isabelle. You just can’t seem to get it right.”

“What does that mean? You don’t want me to leave you alone anymore? I can come to The Clutch? You’re not suspicious of me anymore?”

My questions made a muscle tick in Cole’s tight jaw. He stared at me, and I stared right back.

“That’s right. Look, let’s just call this what it was… a fun time. You should stick to your lane, and I’ll stick to mine.” The words tore a hole in my throat as I said them, but they seemed to serve their purpose. Cole’s entire demeanor changed. Suddenly he was a stranger, just as intimidating as the first time he’d kicked me out of The Clutch. His expression hardened, and suddenly it was difficult to remember what it had looked like before. His crooked smile felt like something I’d made up.

“As you wish, Goldilocks,” he said shortly, his voice callous, before turning and walking away.

“Holy shit. That was so awkward,” Lily mumbled from behind her book as I slid into the booth. My face was hot, my chest tight, and if I were alone, there was a good chance I’d be crying by now.

“It needed to happen,” I said stiffly, and grabbed a heavy textbook from my bag.

“Let’s get back to what we’re actually here for.”

Lily watched me carefully. “Ok, if you want. If you’re ok?”

I nodded tightly and flashed her a half smile. “I’m fine. You know me. I’m always fine.”

She nodded and then looked down at her book.

She didn’t look convinced, but at least she didn’t flat out call me a liar.

Though we both knew I was.

twenty-one

ISABELLE

At the library, I unpacked my backpack and sat down heavily. I felt exhausted even though I’d slept most of the day yesterday. I sipped the coffee I’d brought with me and watched other people studying, until someone flashed me the middle finger for being weird. With a sigh, I opened my laptop. I had a few papers to make progress on and was running out of time to do it. Everything felt muted somehow. I’d failed at my big idea of landing a real story and ended up getting heartbroken on the way. Heartbroken by a guy who had women following his every step and wouldn’t miss my company for more than ten minutes. Well done, Isabelle.

Despite attempting to party at college and ticking things off a bucket list allegedly compiled by binge-watching every early-2000s college movie in existence, I’d fallen for the bad boy.