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She and Remi might have moved in a few weeks ago, but she still has no idea how to deal with the three of us. It’s almost amusing.
“You two good?” Conner asks, nodding at our joined hands.
“We’ve got a long way to go yet. I think I’ve probably got a few more apologies to make.”
Hadley snorts beside me, and I can’t help but smile. It feels really fucking good after the past few weeks.
“Well, are you going to join us?”
“No, actually. We’re just going to spend a bit of time together. We’ll come join you later?”
“Sure, you do what you need to do,” James says, his eyes holding mine.
I nod before tearing my eyes away from him and turning back to my girl.
“You’re all set up,” Ellen says as we leave the living room.
“Thank you, Ellen. I really appreciate it.”
“Anytime, Cole. You know that.”
“What have you done?” Hadley asks as I lead her outside.
“Wait and see.”
We step out of the doors and round the corner toward the pool when she stops and gasps.
“Oh, Cole,” she sighs when she takes in our little Thanksgiving for two.
Ellen moved the outside table into a secluded spot under the gazebo, turned on the lights that James has around almost the entire yard, and set up the heaters beside us. There are even candles twinkling in the center of the table.
“I can’t take any of the credit, apart from asking Ellen to do it.”
“It’s the thought that counts.”
I take her over to the table and pull her chair out for her.
“Drinks?” Ellen asks, rushing over to help once we’re settled.
“Soda?” I ask Hadley.
“Please.”
“Two sodas, please.”
“No beer?” Ellen asks, looking a little confused.
“Not tonight. I think it might be time I had a bit of a detox.”
“You can drink, I don’t mind,” Hadley says once we’re alone again.
“No, it’s okay.” Reaching over the table, I twist my fingers with hers. “What were you planning on doing today if you hadn’t been dragged here?” She smiles at me, telling me that my suspicions are correct—she didn’t come here of her own free will.
“I’d have sat in my dorm room, eating my way through my candy stash.”
“The Twizzlers?” I ask with a wink.
Her cheeks immediately darken as she remembers. “No, for some reason I’ve been avoiding them.”
