AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Really?” I ask, hoping it’s not too pathetic. He lifts one wry brow, and it’s all the reassurance I need. “Thank you. You don’t understand how much that means to me.”
“It’s true,” he says once more. “As for becoming an investigator, it was mostly by accident. I went to school for a bit, but it wasn’t for me. My older brothers rocked that shit, business school all the way, though Chance struggled a bit. But not like me. I would go to classes, and boredom would set in, which led to anger, and basically, I said ‘fuck it’ to everything and dropped out of college. I was hanging out at my local bar when a guy came in, asking about one of the bartenders.” He gets a faraway look in his eyes like he’s remembering. “I figured out that he was looking for a deadbeat dad, asked a few questions to confirm the bartender was the right guy, and told the PI where he could find him because fuck that guy. He was letting his kid go hungry while buying college co-eds drinks every night.” His lips are curled in distaste as he tells that part of the story, but then he shrugs and the anger melts away like it never existed.
I wonder if it really disappeared, though, or if Cole pushed it down deep like I do. I cover any hurt with smiles and rainbows and the belief that everything’ll be okay. I think he covers it with grumpiness and scowls that probably are intended to be scary, but they make me fluttery inside.
“To thank me, the PI offered me a couple of bucks,” he continues, “but I turned it down. I was living off my college fund then, doing fine on my own and too proud to actually work. But a few days later, he asked if I would sit on a subject for him. It was a pretty basic assignment, but I felt a thrill, a satisfaction with it that I never felt with academic work. And that was it. I never stopped.”
He sips his coffee like we’re casually talking about the weather and not sharing his entire life story in basically one breath.
“Wow,” I respond. “That sounds meant to be. You were in the right place at the right time to meet your mentor. Hey, what about the bartender? Did the PI find him? Did he get the child support for the kid? He’s not still struggling, is he? Because I know some state resources and charitable non-profits that could help.”
Cole’s eyes narrow as he looks at me in confusion. And then he smiles. Again! I’m keeping track at this point.
“You would help, wouldn’t you?” he asks wonderingly.
“Of course.” I reach for my phone, already thinking of the social workers I deal with at the care center. Usually, they specialize in adult care, but there are several who do both child and adult resource assistance.
Cole places his hand over mine, stopping me. His skin is warm, and his touch sends shocks of awareness through my entire body even as my focus zeroes in on the connection. I look at his hand to see if he’s got one of those handshake zapper things clowns used to use on unsuspecting marks because his touch feels that electrified. But it’s just him... touching me.
I look up and meet his eyes, which have gone soft. “The kid’s fine. Mom too. The PI had a few words with the bartender, who tried the ole ‘I’m barely scraping by’ act. The PI planned to serve him papers, but the kid needed money faster.”
“Did you give them money?” I ask hopefully. He said he was living on his college fund at the time. I don’t know what kind of money he’s talking about, but I’d be digging in couch cushions if a kid needed food. Surely, Cole’s the same. Everybody’d do that.
“No, I didn’t give them money.” He smiles again, but this time’s different. It’s only with one side of his lips and it looks... cold and dangerous. A shiver runs down my spine, but it’s not in fear. No sirree, I kinda want him to look at me like that, which is stupid, but it reminds me of the sexy vampires in my books.
“I was an asshole back then. In a different way than I am now. In my mind, I didn’t have anything to lose, so I waited for the bartender—his name was Gary—to come in one night. Ordered my usual whiskey, but instead of on the rocks, I took a straight shot for courage and told Gary that we were taking a walk because I had something to talk to him about.” He pauses and gives me an appraising glance, as if checking to see if I’m on board with whatever he’s about to tell me.
Oh, my God, did he kill Gary? He said he’s not a killer or criminal, but it’s not like people go around announcing that. Did I miss that?
But I don’t make a move to get away. I sit right where I am, willing to listen because if Cole did something bad, there had to be a reason, right? Maybe Gary attacked him first?
“You should see your face right now,” he murmurs, his voice low as he cups my cheek and peers into my eyes. A muscle twitches in his jaw. “Whatever you’re thinking, it’s not that bad, Janey. I swear.”
Oh.
“Oh!” I sag into my chair and try to figure out what I’m thinking. Is that disappointment I’m feeling? Was I proud that Cole was willing to defend a child I didn’t know existed five minutes ago to the death?
Cole stares ahead stoically, his gaze fixed out the kitchen window, and quietly confesses, “I marched him to the nearest ATM, had him clean out his savings account of every penny he had, and told him that if he said a word about it, I’d tell every sorority sister and college girl in the state that he was intentionally infecting them with STDs and tell every bar owner in town that he stole from the till and sold alcohol out the back door. He’d be unhireable and unfuckable in under an hour.” He drops his chin, a cloud of shame overtaking him. “I would handle things differently now, but I thought I was untouchable back then.”
“What’d you do with the money?” I ask.
He turns his head a few degrees, looking up at me in surprise. “What do you think? Gave it to the kid’s mom. Told her it was back pay and probably all she’d ever see, but if she needed anything, to give me a call.”
Oh. Well, that’s not all that bad. It’s even kinda admirable in a way. “And Gary?”
“Left town shortly after. Took me all of two days to find him. He still doesn’t send child support, but the kid’s better off without him. I just keep an eye on them.” He sighs as a shudder runs through his muscles. “I’ve never told anyone that story. You and Gary are the only ones who know about that night.”
I feel honored that he would trust me with something so secret and can’t fight the urge to hug him. Well, it’s a side hug because I mostly press my chest to his bicep and cheek to his shoulder, but that still counts in my book.
After a moment, he shifts to curl his arms around me and it’s a for-real hug. Pressed against him, I vow, “I know I’m a blabbermouth about basically everything, but I will never tell a soul an actual secret. I’m proud of you for doing such a big thing for that kid.”
He pulls back, putting a few inches between us, but it’s only to look into my eyes. Bewildered, he asks, “You’re proud that I basically robbed a guy and threatened to fuck his life completely up?”
I roll my eyes. “Well, don’t say it like that. You saved a kid from starving, like Robin Hood, taking the money from a guy who should’ve given it willingly to give to the child who should’ve received it in the first place.”
“You’re... something else,” he grumbles, but there’s a hint of one of his happy smiles beneath the grumping.
I don’t mean to. I don’t plan it. And I certainly don’t think about it. But I place a gentle kiss to the side of his mouth, catching the edge of that tiny smile with my lips. It’s over too fast for him to pucker and kiss me back—not that he’d want to!—but I get the quick sense of rough stubble and soft lips before I pull back and smile.
