CHAPTER THREE
With a smile at the last ones to join them, Cole led the way to the counter, then motioned for everyone to gather around. Turning to face the servers behind the counter, Cole smiled at them and said, “This is all going to be on one bill.”
He told the teens to go first, but Benjamin, Amelia’s friend, hung back. He turned to say something to the woman with him. They held a brief conversation before the woman pulled a wallet from her bag and gave him a card from it.
“This is my treat,” Cole said as Benji made a move to speak to one of the other employees. “You don’t need to pay.”
“There’s no need for you to pay for us.” The woman’s voice was soft but firm. “You don’t even know us.”
“That’s easily remedied.” The woman narrowed her eyes at Cole as he stuck his hand out, offering her his most winning smile. “Hi, I’m Cole Halverson.”
The woman hesitated a moment before she placed her smaller and softer hand in his. “I’m Annie, and this is Benji.”
“It’s wonderful to meet you, Annie. I’d love to buy you some ice cream and have you join us.”
Annie didn’t appear to be swayed by his charm at first, but finally, she acquiesced with a nod. “Thank you.”
“You’re very welcome.”
Cole stood near the cash register while the others placed their orders. Out of curiosity, he paid close attention to what Annie chose. It wasn’t often he met a woman who seemed so completely immune to everything about him.
Usually, someone who wasn’t swayed by his career responded more positively when he turned on his charm. And when he was in Serenity, usually being part of his family was enough to get people to react to him with friendliness and warmth.
This woman, however… She might have accepted his offer to pay, but he thought that had more to do with Benji than how she felt about him or the situation.
“Come sit with us,” Cole said once Annie had her ice cream. “That way, you’ll be more willing to accept when I want to pay for something next time. Since you’ll know us.”
“Will there be a next time?” she asked, her brows lifted.
“You never know,” Cole said, one corner of his mouth lifting as he winked at her.
“Good grief,” Skylar muttered. “Cole, you’re going to scare her off.”
“Just making friends.”
In the end, even though Benji was seated at another table with the teens, Annie took a chair at the two tables they’d pushed together, sitting next to Lexi. Cole settled across from her, making sure to keep his legs from crowding hers.
“By the way, this is my sister, Skylar.” Cole motioned to Skylar. “And this is my best friend, Aiden. That guy is my brother, Wilder, and you’re sitting next to his wife, Lexi.”
“Nice to meet you all,” Annie said with a small smile.
Lexi turned slightly in her seat to look at Annie. “Have I seen you at church?”
Annie nodded. “I recognize you and your husband.”
“Small world,” Cole said.
“Small town, more like,” Wilder added. “Though the church is big enough, thanks to people attending from the surrounding areas, that we don’t always see everyone every week.”
“Have you lived around here long?” Cole asked.
“Pretty much my whole life,” she said before taking a bite of her ice cream.
“Really? What class were you in?”
“I didn’t go to school here. I was taught at home.”
Back when Cole had been in high school, there had been a couple of brothers who had played on the basketball teams who had been homeschooled. “Is Benji homeschooled as well?”
“No. He really wanted to go to school, so our parents relented.”
Cole noticed Aiden lean closer to Skylar and murmur something to her. Skylar didn’t shoot him a nasty look, so whatever he said didn’t upset her.
“Are you two together?”
Annie’s question made Cole wince, and he hoped that Skylar wouldn’t snap at her over it. Seeing the frown on Skylar’s face as she shook her head, Cole jumped in. “They’re not now, but they used to be.”
“And could be again,” Wilder added.
“Wilder!”
Cole was happy to see his older brother draw Skylar’s ire to himself, though he doubted it was intentional on Wilder’s part.
Annie’s gaze bounced around at all of them before she settled her attention on Skylar. “Sorry to bring up a touchy subject.”
Skylar gave a wave of her hand, her expression softening. “It’s fine. We don’t live here, so you wouldn’t know.”
“So Benji is your brother?” Skylar asked.
“Yes. My baby brother.”
“Do you have other siblings?” Lexi asked.
Annie’s brow furrowed briefly, then she said. “Yes. We have an older brother, but he doesn’t live around here.”
“Did he go to school here?” Wilder asked. “I might have known him.”
Annie shook her head. “He was also taught privately.”
Cole couldn’t help but notice that she seemed to be avoiding the word homeschool, and he wondered why. He was aware there were negative connotations to it for some people, but that had never been how his family viewed homeschooling. In fact, Jay had been the one to welcome the homeschooled boys to the team with Cole.
“What do you do for work, Annie?” Lexi asked.
“I run an online store that focuses on baby items, with some toddler and women’s stuff thrown in.”
“Baby items?”
“Uh, things like sleep sacks, baby dresses, little outfits for baby boys.”
“You sew?” Skylar asked.
Annie nodded. “It’s something I enjoy and apparently have a decent knack for.”
“How did you get started with that?” Skylar asked.
“When I was around nine, I liked to play with Barbie dolls, and I started to try making clothes for them. Because of the interest I showed in sewing, my parents got me a sewing machine. I learned how to use it and never looked back.”
“That’s amazing,” Lexi said. “Do you make women’s clothing too?”
“Yes, but nothing too fancy.”
“Did you make what you’re wearing?”
Annie looked down at herself, as if she’d forgotten what she had on. “Yes. I did.”
“It’s beautiful,” Lexi said. “I have an interest in fashion myself.”
“Well, I wouldn’t exactly call this fashion,” Annie said with a light laugh. “They’re mainly just practical items.”
“Lexi’s a figure skater,” Wilder said. “And she’s designed costumes in the past.”
“But I wish I could sew them too.”
“I’ve seen some of those costumes,” Annie said. “They are beautiful and very elaborate.”
“Yes, they are.”
“And very sturdy,” Wilder said. “Can’t have them coming apart at the seams.”
“Or spilling beads all over the ice,” Lexi added.
“Oh, I can see how that would be important,” Annie said.
“What’s your website?” Lexi asked. “We have lots of little kids in the family. I’d love to buy some things.”
Cole finished up his ice cream as he listened to Annie explain where to find the things she’d made. It was an interesting career, and not one he could remember having ever heard of before. It must be profitable, however, if it was her primary source of income.
The women’s interest in what she did seemed to help Annie relax, though Cole noticed Benji glanced over at his sister occasionally, as if checking in on her. It was clear that Benji loved his sister and wanted to make sure she was okay.
After Cole had stopped the ball from hitting Annie, Benji had taken the time to thank him for doing that. During the time Cole had played with him earlier and the brief practice session they’d had after the games, Cole had seen an earnest passion in the boy.
Teenage boys could be notoriously reluctant to show any type of care or concern for others, but especially siblings. He’d been that way at times when he was going through his teen years. His focus had been very much on basketball and his friends.
Benji was obviously a caring young man, which was probably why Amelia was attracted to him.
“How long have you been doing this?” Cole asked Annie, his interest in her having been piqued.
“In one fashion or another, several years.”
“Maybe you should show her your sketches,” Wilder said as he leaned closer to Lexi. “Like the outfits that Amelia needs for her skating competition.”
“Would you be willing to work with me on a costume?”
Annie hesitated, then said, “I’m not sure I could do something that fancy, but I suppose we could give it a whirl. Just don’t have super high expectations.”
Lexi smiled. “We’ve got time to see if it will work, and I’m happy to help however you might need.”
“Okay,” Annie said with a slight lift to her shoulders. “We can figure it out together.”
Cole liked that Annie was connecting with someone there. The brother and sister duo both seemed to fit in well with their little group.
He glanced over at Benji, glad to see that, even though the teen had a besotted look on his face whenever he looked at Amelia, he wasn’t all over her.
As he watched Annie, Cole was struck by the…elegance of her body language. That was the only word he could think of to describe her.
She was delicate in her movements, using a napkin to gently dab at her mouth. Taking small bites of her ice cream and always lowering her hand between each bite.
He did wonder if she’d finish her ice cream before it became a bowl of soup.
“Benji,” she said, leaning toward the other table. He turned toward her with a questioning look on his face. “Do you want the rest of my ice cream?”
Benjamin smiled and nodded. He took the bowl when Annie held it out. “Thanks, sis.”
Annie turned back to their table and used one of her napkins to clean her hands, then lowered them to her lap. The elegant way she moved seemed at odds with what he knew of her so far. It was almost like she was an undercover queen who was slumming among the peasants.
But as far as he knew, there was no monarchy missing their queen. Or even missing a princess. But there was just something about her movements and interactions with them that gave her a regal air.
In some ways, she was very similar to Lexi. Maybe that was why the two of them were getting along so well.
Once they had all finished their ice cream, they decided to free up the tables, since the place had a fairly steady flow of customers.
As Annie got to her feet, she glanced around. “Oh. I see some friends. I’m just going to say hello really quick.”
Cole watched as Annie walked to a couple who sat at a table not far from theirs. The man had been there when they’d first arrived, but the woman had shown up shortly afterward.
The pair got to their feet, and each gave Annie a hug. The three remained standing, and when Annie turned to rejoin the group, the pair came with her.
“These are a couple of friends of ours,” Annie said. “Andrew and Dawn.”
They each greeted the pair, then they all moved outside to the sidewalk in front of the ice cream parlor. Cole wanted to talk more to Annie, but before he could edge closer to her, she and Benji were saying goodbye.
After they’d done that, the brother and sister walked down the sidewalk with their friends away from their group. Cole watched them go, only pulling his attention from them when he got a jab to his ribs.
“What’s that for?” Cole asked when he turned to see Aiden standing beside him.
“You’re staring.”
“I suppose I am,” he said, glancing over to see Annie disappear into the driver’s seat of a mid-size SUV.
Benji gave a little wave, which Amelia returned, then he slid into the passenger seat of what Cole assumed was his sister’s car.
“She isn’t your usual type,” Aiden said as he stood shoulder to shoulder with Cole, watching as Annie backed her car out of the angled spot she’d been parked in.
“I know. She’s just an interesting combination.”
“What do you mean?”
“She seems very… mannerly,” he said. “But also super casual, with her messy bun and everything.”
“I suppose.” Aiden shrugged.
“She just seems interesting.”
“Are we heading home?” Skylar asked, interrupting their conversation.
“Sure. Might as well,” Cole said. “Hanging out on the sidewalk isn’t my idea of a good time.”
“You might think otherwise,” Aiden said, nudging his arm. “If Annie was still here, too.”
“Maybe,” Cole conceded with a shrug. “But since she’s not…”
“What is going on with you and Annie?” Skylar asked, her attention fully on Cole.
“Nothing.”
“Ain’t that the truth,” Aiden said.
Cole rolled his eyes at the man, then turned to say goodbye to Wilder and Lexi. He let Aiden drive again, choosing instead to pull out his phone. Remembering what Annie had said about what she did for a living, he searched for the website she’d mentioned.
Butterfly Wings . He could immediately see why it would appeal to people wanting to buy stuff for their kids. It was a professionally designed site with plenty of options.
He knew nothing about children or women’s clothing, but he thought that his mom and the other women in the family might be interested in what she offered. He’d have to pass the information on to them.
It would be interesting if she ended up working with Lexi. Though Annie had promised nothing, Cole thought she’d seemed curious about the idea Lexi had proposed.
“Do you think someone can support themselves just selling things like this?” Cole asked as he held his phone over Skylar’s shoulder.
She took the phone and bent her head to look at the screen. “I have no idea. But I guess maybe? She said it was what she did, so I guess she’s figured out a way to make it work. Some people don’t need much money to live.”
That certainly wasn’t him. Over the years, his lifestyle had risen to match his income. He had three cars, even though he was the only one who drove them. He had a house in Bel Air, as well as an apartment near the practice facility, so he didn’t have quite as far of a commute when he had practices and games. Then there were the expensive clothes and shoes.
He didn’t live beyond his means, but he certainly didn’t live frugally, either.
“She seems nice,” Skylar said. “And her brother treated Amelia well.”
“What do you mean?” Aiden asked.
“He pulled her chair out for her, which is almost unheard of these days,” Skylar said.
“Haven’t had anyone pull out your chair for you in a while?” Cole asked.
Skylar gave a huff of laughter. “Nope. Can’t say that I have.”
Cole poked Aiden in the head. “You could remedy that, and you’d be doing better than most of the guys in her life, apparently.”
His sister tossed his phone over her shoulder, and it was only his excellent reflexes that allowed him to catch it before it hit him in the face. “Why the aggression, sis?”
“I don’t know, bro .”
Cole laughed as he slumped back against the seat. Until he’d been back with Aiden and Skylar, he hadn’t realized how much he’d missed them. How much he’d missed the three of them hanging out together.
In fact, he was enjoying being back in Serenity, though he wouldn’t have thought that was possible just a few short months ago.
It was amazing how a little health scare could bring everything into focus.
He wouldn’t be staying in Serenity for too much longer, unfortunately. Even though it was the off season, he still had commitments he had to honor. Contracts that had been signed for commercials, as well as interviews he’d agreed to do.
Still, even the quick trip home had been a nice break, one he planned to enjoy each moment of. Which was why he’d reserved a pontoon boat for the next afternoon.
Looking down at his phone, he realized he should have invited Annie and Benji to join them the next day. But maybe he needed to see who in the family wanted to come with him first, to make sure there was enough room for everyone.
As it turned out, there was plenty of room on the pontoon the next day. However, Annie declined his invitation to come out on the lake with them. Benji did go with them, though. Much to Amelia’s delight.
Cole still had fun with his siblings and friends. He just thought he might have had more fun if Annie had been there. He was leaving Serenity later that week, and it would probably be awhile before he’d be back.
So even though he would have liked to spend more time getting to know her, it wasn’t going to happen. Plus, he had a feeling that whatever interest he had in her would no doubt wane once he was away from Serenity and back into his professional life.
He wasn’t in the market for a serious girlfriend anyway, and Annie had serious written all over her. It wouldn’t be good for her to think he was interested in seriously dating when he wasn’t. He didn’t want to lead her on, so it was probably best that she hadn’t wanted to come on the boat with them.
Still, he had a hard time getting her beautiful eyes and gentle smile out of his mind.