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His palm slides over my shoulder blades, easing my tension. He rubs lower, creating heat lower on my back, soothing me. “It’s okay. You called her. You talked. That was brave.”
“I don’t know…” I whisper. “Trent doesn’t think so.”
“It’s okay.” He kisses the top of my head.
I thought laughter was good medicine.
Head kisses?
Even better.
When he strokes my hair, I almost forget my problems.
Almost.
“He seemed really upset,” I murmur.
“Yeah, but he’s upset about the whole thing. You know how he is about her; he gets like this when she comes up. He’s not mad atyou, he’s mad at the situation.”
“You really think so?”
He runs his palm down the back of my head, smoothing my hair.
I let my cheek rest on his chest.
I’ve never felt this loved during a crisis.
Usually, I face these sorts of mental-health breakdowns on my own. In airport restrooms, in hotel rooms, in my little apartment back home, curled in bed with a box of tissues nearby.
Never in someone’s arms.
Cole’s hug is magical.
“I do,” he says, his voice so deep I feel his chest rumble, under my cheek. “It sucks, how she left you. And how your dadjetted off, too. You had it rough, as far as parents go. But once we find Blue, we’ll go back and talk with Trent. I bet he’s come around already. He asked you to get involved, and you did.”
Oncewefind Blue,
We’llgo back…
We.
It feels really good to hear that word.
For the first time in my life, I don’t feel like I’m facing my heartache alone.
“Thanks,” I whisper. I weave my fingers together, behind his back, and hold him tight. I know we probably should stop hugging. He’s said his part. I’m not crying anymore. We have to keep searching for Blue.
But I need to soak up this bear hug for another minute.
As I savor the feel of his t-shirt-covered chest muscles under my cheek, it hits me—even stronger than when I was in the coffee shop, getting butterflies in my stomach because of that mention of “pork sausage patty and eggs” on the menu.
I like Cole.
A lot.
More than I would, if he was only a friend.
It’s like I said to him yesterday, at the pavilion. We’re more than pals. Right now, with his arms wrapped around me, I feel like I want us to be much more than friends.
