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Then his presence looms behind me. “You’re right. You shouldn’t need to give me another chance, because I should have realized what I had before I lost you. But I’m going to fix this. I’m going to fix us.”
“There is no us, Cole.” Exhaustion leaches through my veins, and I need him to go.
He ducks his head so he can meet my gaze with unwavering eyes. “There’ll be an us in my heart forever, Delilah. Even if there isn’t in yours anymore. I’m not leaving until I’ve done everything in my power to convince you that you’ll never have to give anyone else a second chance again. I’ll be the last chance you’ll ever need to take.”
He turns and strides down the path without looking back, although he glances at Mom’s rusty car as he passes. It’s lucky he doesn’t turn, because if he had, he might have seen the way my legs went weak at his words. He might have seen the tears that sprang to my eyes with the almost overwhelming urge to reach for him. To bury my face in his chest and believe him.
But I’m too hurt, and my heart is too scarred to open for him again so easily.
He says he’ll stay until he convinces me there’s still an us, but I bet he’ll be gone as soon as he’s needed in New York.
And then I’ll know.
I’ll know exactly what I’m worth to Cole King.
* * *
The next evening,I return home after my jog, my feet stuttering to a halt as I pull out my earphones.
What the hell?
My first thought is that Cole’s back, having driven himself this time, but I know that’s not it. The shiny red car in the driveway is brand new. It doesn’t even look like it was driven here. It looks like someone picked it up from the car lot and dropped it in front of Mom’s garage where her car normally sits.
I walk up the path and let myself into the house, spotting his dark head straight away. He’s sitting on the couch, the same place as yesterday, and Mom’s sitting opposite him, serenely sipping a cup of tea.
I take a deep breath, then drop my keys on the sideboard. “Please tell me that’s your car outside.” I direct the comment to Cole.
He stands immediately, his deep blue eyes raking over me in a way that still has the power to make my heart flutter. He looks from me to my mom, who’s sitting back in her chair, watching me with a tiny smile that I don’t understand. She should be the last person encouraging Cole. She knows exactly how reckless men like him are with the hearts that are given to them.
“It’s your mother’s,” Cole says.
“You bought it for her.” It’s a statement, not a question, because of course he did.
“The other one seemed like it was on its last legs.”
My gaze goes to Mom. “I’m assuming you didn’t accept it.”
She laughs. “Of course not. I thanked Cole but told him I don’t accept cars from strangers, no matter how rich they might be. We’re just waiting for the dealership to pick it up again.”
I return my glare to Cole. “I can’t believe you bought a car.”
“He also bought a plot of land,” Mom says calmly.
My gaze ping-pongs between her and Cole. “What?”
“For my dream house that you’re apparently designing for me.” Her smile is soft. “I’d like to see the plan sometime.”
“I—Of course. I just wanted to be closer to affording it before I told you. I’m not quite there yet, and we definitely don’t need the land yet.” I pin Cole with my stare, not sure if I’m more annoyed at him for buying land or spilling my secret.
“It’s a good plot,” he says. “It’s on the river. I thought you could put in a boat dock—”
I let out a slightly hysterical laugh. “A boat dock? Cole, Mom’s not rich. I’m not rich. We’re not going to spend our weekends on a boat, sipping champagne. That’s your life, not ours. And if Mom doesn’t want a car from you, I can guarantee she doesn’t want an expensive plot of land.”
Mom stands and brushes down her skirt. “I might give you two a moment alone.”
“Don’t worry, Mom,” I say. “Cole’s just leaving.”
I stare at him until he clenches his jaw, nods, and turns to Mom. “Thank you for the tea, Beth.” For the first time I notice the empty teacup on the coffee table in front of him, and something warm flutters to life in my belly at the thought of Cole and my mom drinking tea and talking. That feeling doesn’t bear looking at too closely right now.
