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Chapter Fifteen
Addi
The air in the shop seems different today. Tense. Awkward. I dreaded getting to this point, and we're here. Already.
Don't they say not to mix business with pleasure? Ha, so much for me listening to that.
Cole’s more distant than ever, and he insists nothing’s changed. I asked twice, and both times, he said the same thing. He's busy, and the bank won't leave him be.
The same excuses I've heard for the past week.
Our night together changed things. I fucking know it did. I can feel it in my bones.
But instead of talking about it like adults, we avoid each other and pretend the other doesn't exist.
The bell above the door jingles, and Cole comes through with Rocky and Gramps trailing him.
“Hey guys, good morning.” Rocky's at my feet in seconds, begging for pats and attention.
“Morning,” Cole grumbles before disappearing.
I knew the air felt weird in here.
“Watch out for him today.” Gramps points his cane toward the door Cole escaped through. “He was here earlier this morning, which is weird, to begin with, and something pissed him off.”
I sigh and push to a stand, passing Rocky a treat from inside my desk drawer. “Great,” I mumble. Might as well make myself busy then.
Gramps offers me a coffee. “Sit. Let's enjoy our coffee and chat.”
“Thanks.” I smile warmly at him as he unwraps a buttery blueberry muffin, the steam rising from the middle when he breaks it in half. My mouth waters.
Gramps settles across from me and passes me half the muffin on a napkin. We dig in and eat quietly for a while. “Don't give up on him.”
That came out of nowhere.
“What?” I sip my coffee and play dumb.
“Cole.” Gramps watches me closely before tossing his last piece of muffin in his mouth. “I know you probably want to throw in the towel by now but don't.”
I squirm in my seat, unsure what to say. This conversation feels awkward so I nod and continue to sip my coffee like the answer might magically come to me.
“He's too hard on himself. He's going to push you away and regret it. I see the way you two look at each other,” he offers.
I'm sure my cheeks are flaming hot right now. Gramps knows so much more than I ever gave him credit for. “I'm here to help out. Cole made it clear from the start he has no intention of dating anyone.”
“He says that, but he's full of shit.”
I shrug. “He doesn't open up enough. I don't know these things.”
Gramps nods, giving me a knowing look. “Oh, believe me, I know. Listen, I'm not here to tell you guys what to do. I'm just telling you what I see. And I definitely see a man and a woman dancing around each other when they both have feelings.”
With that, he pats my hand and heads toward the door. “Enjoy your day.”
Rocky scampers out behind him, and I’m left sitting there.
With everything Gramps said scrambling in my head.
I drop my head into my hands and think back over the past six weeks or so. It all happened so fast. On the outside, things look great. The shop is busier, my artwork is selling, Cole and I get along, the sex is fantastic, so why is everything so fucked up?
