Page 82 of Cole’s Dilemma


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“Did you hear differently?” she asked.

“No,” he said finally. “He might come.”

But he might not. He was like the benevolent spirit of the holidays that might bless them with his presence if they were especially good, like Santa Claus; just as unreliable and just as fake. How had she allowed this strange relationship they had to stretch out for so long? She’d invested so much time and energy into West that it was hard to see that he hadn’t given anything back… until this moment. Because now that she felt what Cole felt for her, she knewthatwas how love was supposed to go.

She was sure of it; even as the affection she had for Cole warmed her insides like hot cocoa, what they had also gave her a confidence that she’d never known in a relationship. She had craved this all along.

So why? Why had West asked her to marry him if he didn’t truly love her? Did a part of him think that he did?

He must! He wasn’t a complete monster, just thoughtless maybe.

Her pity for him broke through her in a flood of emotion. West had to see that they weren’t right for each other, even though a part of her mourned for what could’ve been. This was all so new, and still, West and Eva were like puzzle pieces that jammed in every which way. She’d talk to West, get him to see it too. He might even be relieved. He must’ve sensed it. It was probably why he distanced himself from her at every turn.

A sudden urge to break free from this cage she’d made for herself urged her to action. She could make all of this right. “We can try the hay slide to get out of here,” she told Cole.

Cole moaned, his hands tightening over her again. “Let’s wait out the night and check it out as soon as it’s light, okay?”

“Okay.” She rested her head against his shoulder. Defeat never came easy for her, but spending the night in this murky goat cellar wasn’t really a loss if she was cradled in Cole’s arms, was it?

“I’ll keep you warm,” he assured her.

She giggled and nudged her cute man in the darkness. She had no doubt about it.

Chapter Twenty-Four

Cole woke up to the sound of the trapdoor squealing open. Eva startled awake beside him. The light from the morning illuminated her face through the slats of the tiny windows above them. It glowed over her blonde hair like a halo, albeit an uneven one.

The sound of boots thudded down the stairs. Cole didn’t have a chance to call out before a light was shining in his face.

West was holding his cellphone above them. “Great,” his older brother muttered. “This is the last thing that I need right now.”

With that disturbing statement, his light shifted to Eva, who began to unwind from Cole’s arms. “West?” She shielded her eyes. “You found us.”

“Lucky for you I’m good at following breadcrumbs… maybeunluckyfor you.”

Cole was the next to be blinded by the cellphone light. He raised his arm against it, feeling like he was in an interrogation room. “Get that off of my face.”

West ignored the request. “You didn’t even have the twins locking you in; it’s almost like you did it on purpose.” Cole couldn’t see his brother with the light on him, but he caught sight of his stiff shoulders. The hand on the phone shook. “To think I offered to pay you, Cole.”

Eva squeezed Cole’s arms. His eyes went to her tumultuous ones before she scrambled from the hay. She tripped over the pink teddy bear. “I have to talk to you, West.” Her southern accent came out in her distress.

“I’m not in the mood.” West switched off his light. Rage hardened his every feature. “I told the hands to take care of the animals before they take off, and then we can make the most of this Thanksgiving, and hey, good news! I brought a pumpkin pie. We’re gonna have a blast.”

It was no secret that West hated the holidays. Cole was sure that catching his brother canoodling with his fianceé would be the whipped cream on top of that pie. Cole got to his feet, watching his older brother carefully.

“We’d better hurry eating it though,” West said. “We only have a few hours before Eva and I need to go.”

What was he talking about? Before Cole could object, West turned from them. Cole’s stomach tightened in confusion when he noticed his brother’s bruised jaw. West had been in a fight.

“What happened to you?” Cole asked.

West smirked mockingly, refusing to answer.

Eva let out a shocked breath, but she didn’t press for an explanation. It was very unlike her. “West,” she said with some urgency. “I need to talk to you.”

“Not right now,” West snarled. All that fury stiffening his body had finally found in outlet in his voice. West took a deep breath and caught Cole with a warning look. “I’d like to talk to my brother alone.”

That meant a fight and he didn’t want witnesses. The Slades liked to duke things out in private. Cole had the same sentiment. He glanced over at Eva, hoping that she’d listen for once. “It’s okay. I’ve got this.”

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