AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Chapter 15
You’re never too old to learn something stupid.
Cole
Ipatiently wait behind the line of people checking in at the inn to speak to Ellery. She’s been avoiding me since Sunday dinner with her family and I’m done with it. Whether she likes it or not, I’m the father of her child. We will always be in each other’s lives.
When it’s my turn, Ellery glances up with a smile on her face. The smile freezes when she notices it’s me. “How may I help you, Mr. Hawkins?”
Mr. Hawkins? Does she think using my last name is somehow going to discourage me? She obviously doesn’t know me very well – which is the entire problem.
I smile, making sure my dimple pops out. I’m not an idiot. I know she finds my dimple attractive. I’m not above using her attraction to me to get what I want.
“First off, you can call me Cole.”
She frowns. “Cole. How may I help you?”
“You can accompany me to the Yule celebrations this weekend.”
There are no Christmas celebrations in Winter Falls. No, they celebrate Yule instead. I’d claim their celebrations are for the benefit of tourists but having met some of the hippies who live here, I find it difficult to believe they’d do anything on behalf of tourists.
“I’m working all weekend.”
I feel a muscle tick in my jaw. She works entirely too hard. Especially since she’s pregnant. I can’t mention her pregnancy, though. She doesn’t want anyone to know about it. But I noticed she started wearing her blouses untucked from her pants last week. It won’t be long before she’ll have to tell people or they’ll guess.
“How about this evening? After all the guests are checked in?”
She sighs. “I need to be here in case anyone needs anything.”
“What about Moon?” I motion to the woman strolling into the hallway from the kitchen.
Moon grimaces. “Sorry, Cole. I work at the brewery tonight. Considering the celebrations, I can’t cancel last minute.”
Ellery beams up at me. She opens her mouth to speak – she’s not above bragging – but Moon gets there before she does.
“Although, Soleil can come in. She’s not working the festival tonight.” She winks at me. “I’ll message her.” She bounces off.
“I guess we’re going to the celebrations tonight,” I tell Ellery and stroll off before she can come up with another excuse.
Ellery manages to get the last word in, nonetheless. She messages me at dinnertime to let me know she can’t meet up until nine due to an ‘emergency’. Apparently, being a scaredy cat is now an emergency. I don’t know what her problem is with me, but I’m determined to figure it out.
I arrive at her apartment half an hour early. When I knock on the door and there’s no answer, I peek in the window to discover her asleep on the sofa. Shit. I can hardly wake her. We need to talk, but she needs her sleep more. I begin creeping backwards toward the stairs.
Her phone alarm beeps, her eyes fly open, and she looks around in confusion. She appears adorable all tired and confused. I want to pick her up and carry her to bed. Not for sex – although sex is always welcome – but to cuddle next to her as she catches up on some much-needed sleep.
She picks up her phone and swears. “I’m late. Cole is going to kill me.”
Looks like I’ll be taking her out tonight after all. I brush the snow off the chair on her porch and settle in to wait for her to get ready. At ten minutes to nine, the door flies open and Ellery rushes out. She skids to a stop when she notices me.
“I thought we were meeting at the front desk.”
I stand and hold out my elbow. “Just being a gentleman.” And making sure she doesn’t sneak out on me.
She stares at my elbow for several seconds before sighing and lacing her arm through mine. “Let’s get this over with.”
I chuckle. “Calm down. I’m not sure I can handle this level of excitement.”
She rolls her eyes at me, but there’s a smile on her face and I realize I want all of her smiles directed at me.
