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“I guess more than what I thought. I usually keep a light jacket, but I must have forgotten.”
Leah opened the blanket and scooted closer to him. “Come on, I can share.”
He raised his eyebrows, but a slow grin built on his lips. “Is this a trap?”
Her mouth fell open. “No, Cole.”
Hands clenching briefly, then releasing, he maneuvered closer to her. The warmth in Leah’s chest spread, and she heard Cole clear his own throat. Still, she focused her eyes on the movie. What did they talk about now? They hadn’t been this close since they danced. Her lips parted into a grin.
“What is it?” Cole asked.
“I was thinking.”
“About?”
She dismissed his response with a wave. “It’s silly, but the time we were dancing at your studio. You surprised me.”
“With my smooth moves?”
“Don’t push it. You need more of the blanket?”
“No, I’m good.”
What did she do with these new feelings? Should she act on them? Then she spotted Cole rubbing his forehead. His expression slid into a frown.
“You look worried. What’s wrong?” She angled her body toward him.
“A lot going on. It’s not a big deal.”
“Cole?”
When he tilted his head toward her, she couldn’t look away. His eyes caressed hers. Even as the movie played in the background, Leah watched Cole’s eyes brim with warmth. The wind picked up then, whistling in her ears. She threaded her fingers through her hair to tame it, but then he reached out and tucked an unruly strand behind her ear. Goosebumps raised across her skin.
His eyes lingered, and she stared back, as motionless as a plumb line. Why couldn’t she move? No jokes came to mind to diffuse the mood. Her mind swayed idly like a water lily on a lake. Did he feel someth
ing for her? Would it be wise to ask? No, they were friends. She studied in high school with this same Cole. There couldn’t be more than friendship.
“Cole, I—”
“There you are,” a baritone voice interrupted.
Leah jerked her head, only to find—Seth. “Hey,” she greeted. The mood between her and Cole vanished as a vapor before the sun. “Everything alright?”
Seth spread his arms. “Everything’s great. Glad I could make it.” He then took the liberty to help her down from Cole’s truck. Leah’s hands rested on his shoulders as Seth steadied her to her feet. When he hugged her, she embraced him back. As soon as they broke apart, she pivoted to face Cole. He folded the blanket they’d shared and stepped down from the back of his pickup.
“I see I didn’t miss the movie,” Seth commented.
“There’s about forty-five minutes left.” Leah bit at her bottom lip.
Seth adjusted the lapels of his jacket. His eyes fixed on her. “I did this for you. You know I’m not into these old movies, right?”
“I remember, but I appreciate the gesture.”
Seth faced his brother and extended his hand. “Thanks for helping me out.”
Was Cole forcing a smile? “Not a problem. You two have a good night.”
“Cole, you can stay. The movie’s not even—”
