AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Sorry.” He shook his head and gestured to his little table. “I’ve been here. I should have called, Josie. I’m so sorry.”
“No,” she corrected him. “You should have been at the house. Are you scared of Amber or something? I know she can be a bit fierce when she’s in a mood, but she’s doing a lot better now that I’ve had her bashing down walls all morning. I may not know much, but I certainly do know how to work out man problems.”
“Man problems?”No way did Amber tell his sister about them. But why wouldn’t she?After all, Josie was her best friend and Amber was really pissed. “What kind of man problems?” He flinched a little bit, waiting for the answer, but breathed a sigh of relief when Josie answered.
“We haven’t even talked about it yet, but I assume it’s that stupid ex of hers. I mean, he was a total douche and I really don’t think she’s dated anyone since him. If you ask me, he didn’t even deserve the time he did spend with her. Amber’s a pretty special woman and—”
“She is.”
Josie stopped and stared at him. She wasn’t stupid and she knew her brother very well, despite the distance they’d had between them over the last few years. “That’s right,” she said slowly, watching him carefully. “I forget that you’ve met Amber before and of course, you just spent the last few days with her.” He nodded. “So where were you last night, brother? No doubt you met some local—”
Cole didn’t have the energy to pretend and there didn’t seem to be any point to it anyway. “We had a fight.”
“You had a fight? With Amber?”
He looked around and for the first time wondered what his sister was doing in the cafe in the first place.Was Amber with her?“Where is Amber, anyway? What are you doing here?”
“I came to grab some lunch for us. Amber’s at home.” Josie stepped in front of him so he had to focus. “I left her bashing a wall down with a sledgehammer to work out some of her feelings that she’s clearly having about a man and please tell me that man is not you, Cole.”
He didn’t say a word. He didn’t have to. He should have known Josie would figure it out in less than five minutes.
“Cole.” She smacked his chest with both hands. “No. Please tell me that you’re not the reason Amber is back at my house having a whole lot of feelings.”
A whole lot of feelings?Because of him? He returned to his table and sat heavily in the chair before he dropped his head into his hands.
“No, Cole.” Josie sat across from him. “Just, no.”
They sat in silence for a moment before his sister spoke. “You better tell me what’s going on.” Her voice was firm, with no room for negotiation. “Now.”
He looked up and nodded. “I think I’m falling in love with her.” Josie’s mouth opened in surprise but she didn’t say anything, so he continued. “I know it sounds crazy, but it’s not really if you think about it. The last few days have been…well, it doesn’t matter anyway, because she hates me now.”
“No. She doesn’t hate you. If the way she’s swinging that hammer is any indication, she definitely has somestrongfeelings for you.”
“Do you think?” For the first time since Amber had slapped him, Cole felt something besides defeat. “But then why…I don’t understand why she won’t even give us a chance?” If anyone understood Amber, it would be Josie. “She’s insisting on taking this job and I know she doesn’t want it. I justknowit. I offered her—”
“Cole.” Josie stopped him with a touch on his arm. “Do you even know why structure is so important to Amber? Why she is the least spontaneous person I know?”
“Of course. I mean, I know that her family…I—” He stopped himself. “No,” he admitted. “I guess I don’t. Not really.”
“You should ask.”
His sister’s words took him off guard. Of course. Heshouldask. There were still so many things he didn’t know about her. And he wanted to know all of the things.
“I will,” he told Josie. “Just as soon as I see her. Well, maybe not right away.” He shook his head sharply. “I’ve really screwed this up, Josie. What should I do?”
“Oh, no.” Josie shook her head. “I’m not doing this, Cole. I’m not getting in the middle of anything that the two of you have going. I love you both and while the idea of the two of you is still really weird…I can’t get in the middle.” She took a breath and then added, “Except to say one thing.”
He couldn’t help but laugh. “And what’s that, little sis?”
She smiled, but then it faded as she got serious and grabbed his hand across the table. “Whatever’s going on with you two, if it means anything…even if you onlythinkit might mean something, don’t screw it up, okay?”
“I won’t.”
“I mean it, Cole. Amber is a good woman. She’s not one of your little—”
“I know, Josie. She’s so much more.”
“She is. And so are you. Don’t forget that.”
