Chapter 14
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
COLE
Sitting in my truck, I pull out my phone, my heart ticking faster in my chest as I type in Wyatt’s name. He’s probably working, so I send him a text, cutting straight to the chase.
Hey man. I hope all is well with you. I wanted to let you know that I’m takin’ your sister out to dinner tonight. It’s not a date or anything, but I didn’t want to piss you off.
I stare at the message after I send it, wishing I would have written something a little better worded. Wyatt and I were best friends growing up. We may not see each other often and only talk sporadically now, but that doesn’t change our friendship.
My phone vibrates and I look down, surprised to see Wyatt answered me almost immediately.
Wyatt
Cool. Thanks for letting me know.
Cole
That’s it? Cool?
Wyatt
Yep. El could use some fun and I trust you.
I stare at my phone, tilting my head to the side. In a way, this feels like it could be a trap, although I know it isn’t. That’s not Wyatt’s character at all. If he’s feeling a certain kind of way about a situation, he’ll be the first to tell you about it.
Thanks, man.
After he likes my message, I tuck my phone back into my pocket and climb out of my truck.
My footsteps are light as I walk up to her front door.
My heart pounds a little harder and I shift my weight on my feet, lifting my hand and curl it into a fist. I almost texted her after Wyatt, but then I decided against it.
She doesn’t want this to seem like a date, which is fine.
I will never push her to do something she doesn’t want to do.
That doesn’t mean I can’t be a gentleman.
Ella has skeletons in her closet. She has a past that I know nothing about. With the way she responds to men, I think it's safe to assume that someone left her feeling jaded.
I push the thought away from my mind and knock on the door. From the corner of my eye, I see the curtains along the front window shift. Taking a step back, I tuck my hands in the front pockets of my jeans while I wait for her to come to the door.
Ella's face appears on the other side of the glass that takes up half of the door. I can't help but wish she had a more protective door. Someone could easily break in just by breaking through the glass.
A smile spreads across her perfect lips and she unlocks the deadbolt before pulling it open. “Hey,” she says a bit breathlessly as her eyes meet mine. “Sorry. I was trying to clean up the kitchen before you got here. It's easier to do when Chloe isn't here,” she adds with a soft laugh.
I smile at her, as I take the door in my hand and hold it open so she doesn't have to keep her arm stretched out.
A soft yellow sundress falls right above her knees and I allow myself a moment to appreciate how goddamn good she looks in that color.
Her blonde hair is pulled back, half of it up with the other half falling in big loose curls around her shoulders.
“I'm sure she's probably a great helper when she is around though,” I say with a wink.
Ella laughs again and shakes her head. “She's not here so we don't have to pretend for her sake.” She leans closer to me, her voice dropping to a whisper. “She has a habit of making a mess while trying to help.”
I match her, leaning close to her ear. “Why are you whispering if she isn't here?”
Ella quickly straightens her spine as hues of pink drift across her cheeks.
She ducks her gaze, dropping it to the floor as she shifts away from me.
“Good point,” she chuckles, shaking her head dismissively.
“If you give me two minutes, I'll be ready to go.” She lifts her gaze back to mine as she takes a step back through the threshold. “You can come in if you'd like.”
I don't miss the nervousness in her tone and the way her body language significantly changes.
I'm not sure that I make her uncomfortable, but it's evident that this situation does.
“I appreciate that,” I assure her with a warm smile, nodding my head over toward my truck.
“I need to make a quick call to the farrier, so I can wait in the truck.”
She rolls her lips between her teeth, clamping them together for a fraction of a second as she nods. “I'll be right out.”
“Take your time.”
Ella disappears back into the house and I let the door fall shut behind her. I don't move for a moment. Instead, I stand there staring at the front of her house, resisting the urge to follow after her.
I have every intention of learning everything I can about this version of Ella, even if it means I have to do it on her time.
Spinning on my heel, I walk down the four steps that lead to the paver walkway. I head over to the small driveway and slip back into the driver's side of my truck. I don’t have a phone call to make, but I don’t want her to feel any pressure.
Ella finally comes out a few minutes later. I lift my gaze from my phone and lock the screen. She pulls the front door shut behind her, turning around to make sure that it's locked before she begins to walk toward my car. I use the opportunity to drink her in without her seeing me.
She pulls her black sunglasses over her eyes, shielding them from the sun that's beginning its descent towards the horizon.
Her hair dances in the breeze behind her, the bottom hem of her dress swishing around her legs.
She's wearing a pair of black cowboy boots with a jean jacket draped over her arm and a small black purse hanging over her shoulder.
Before she reaches me, I climb out of the vehicle and walk over to the passenger's side to open the door. Ella lifts her gaze to mine as she meets me along the side of the truck.
“You didn't have to do that,” she says softly, with a warmth lingering in her tone.
I smile at her, shaking my head. “Like I told you before, I don't do things I don't wanna do, Ella.”
She studies me for a moment, chewing on her bottom lip before she nods. “Thank you,” she finally says as she brushes past me. The scent of vanilla and honey invades my senses and I savor the scent as she climbs into the truck.
“My pleasure,” I respond, waiting until she's situated in her seat before closing the door. I make my way around the back of the truck until I reach my side. Pausing for a breath, I try to collect myself before getting behind the wheel with her next to me.
She drives me wild and has absolutely no clue.
Ella's quiet as she straps her seatbelt and I begin to pull out of her driveway.
I let her sit in her thoughts for a few minutes as we ease into the drive.
The restaurant I picked isn't that far away. It's situated on the outskirts of town, on the side opposite of the lake. It’s still considered part of the hollow, but there’s a restaurant called Harvest at the base of Silverspur Mountain.
“I should have asked before makin’ the reservation, but you’re okay with Harvest right?”
Ella glances at me, a soft smile touching her lips as she shakes her head. “I am. I’ve actually never been there before.”
“Thank god,” I let out a nervous breath that I didn't realize I was holding. “I was hopin’ to be able to take you somewhere different.”
A soft laugh escapes her. “Well, you’re in luck today.” She pauses for a moment as she looks out the window and then looks back at me. It's like she's contemplating whether or not to say something and the fact that she holds back kills me inside.
“What is it?” I ask, glancing over at her before looking back at the road. “I would give anything to hear your thoughts right now.”
She chews on the inside of her lip as she turns her head to me. “I've been trying to figure you out. Trying to find something bad, something that looks like a red flag.”
Her words are so brutally honest and so unexpected, I'm completely caught off guard. “And what have you found out?”
“Nothing,” she says with a frustrated sigh. “I can't find a single thing and I feel like that should be a red flag.”
My eyebrows pull together, flipping on my turn signal and pulling into the parking lot of the restaurant. It's relatively busy and takes a moment to find a spot. I don't turn to look at her until I kill the engine and undo my seatbelt.
“Why do you say that like it's a problem?”
She undoes her seatbelt and pushes open her door, immediately taking away the opportunity for me to do it for her. I've never seen Ella with her guard down, but this feels like she's building another wall to her fortress.
“Because it is,” she says quietly as she turns away from me and glances out at the meadow. “No one is perfect, Wild. You have to have some kind of a flaw.”
“I promise you I'm not perfect,” I admit with a soft chuckle. I push open my own door and lower myself out of the truck. Ella doesn't make a move to get out, so I walk around to her side and hold my hand out to her. “Come have dinner with me and I'll tell you all about my flaws.”
Her gaze drops down to my hand and she stares at it before placing her own in mine. Her palm is warm against my skin and I revel in the feeling of her as I wrap my fingers around the back of her hand. Ella steps onto the running board before lowering her boots onto the hardtop.
She's still holding onto my hand as she stands in front of me.
“Just so you know, a flaw doesn't have to be a red flag.”
Releasing her hand, I push her door shut and begin to head in the direction of the restaurant. I wait for her to fall in step beside me and we walk to the front together.
We're both silent as we walk up to the hostess' desk and I give her my last name. She smiles, collecting the menus and asks us to follow after her. I step to the side, my hand finding the small of Ella’s back instinctively. She doesn’t move away from my touch and a pink tint creeps across her cheeks as she walks in front of me as the woman guides us out onto the back deck.
When I called, I requested a private table out here. I love the view, with the way it looks out across the plains with the mountain right behind you. She takes us to a table that is tucked away from everyone else. I move in front of Ella, pulling out her chair for her before she sits down.
“Here are the food and drink menus,” the woman tells us with a bright smile as we both sit across from one another. “Your server will be with you in a few minutes.”
Ella and I both thank her at the same time and I don't miss the way the blush creeps across Ella's cheeks as she drops her eyes to the menu.
She lifts it up in an attempt to hide from me.
I give her a few moments of that before I reach over and push it down, just enough that her gaze can meet mine above the laminated pages.
“I’m surprised you’ve never been here before,” I admit, looking over my own menu.
“I haven’t had anyone to bring me,” she says quietly as she reaches for the drink menu. “Is there anything you'd recommend?”
My gaze lifts to hers. “I’ve only been here once before with my family. I can tell you what everyone liked, though.”
I go through the things I would recommend, along with the drinks.
When our server appears and Ella orders one of the bourbon drinks I suggested, I can't help but smile and tell the woman I'll have the same.
We fall into a comfortable conversation, one that's relatively mundane as we both discuss what we'd like to eat.
Ella settles for a fish entree and I end up choosing the same again.
Ella lifts an eyebrow at me after our server leaves. “Are you copying me?”
I take a sip of my drink and smirk as I set it down. “What can I say? You have good taste.”
“Tell me your flaws, Cole Wild.”
Tilting my head to the side, I lean back in my seat and let my hands fall into my lap. “Are you lookin’ for a reason not to like me?”
“Answer my question first.”
Technically, she didn't ask me a question, but I keep that thought to myself. Even though she's still guarded, something has changed about her. She appears to be comfortable with me right now and I have no intention of sabotaging that.
“Flaws... okay.” I pause and look past her, sifting through my brain for things that might fit her criteria. “I have a habit of forgettin’ about the clothes in the washer, I mismatch my socks frequently, and I am a poor sport when it comes to playin’ board games.”
Ella doesn't say anything for two heartbeats. “Those aren't flaws, Cole.”
“I may or may not have flipped a few Monopoly boards in my life.”
Conflict and relief mix together in her expression, warring with one another. “Tell me the worst thing you've ever done.”
The worst thing I've done. What the hell? I want to strangle the person who gave her the reason to have these questions about people.
“I don't know that I have an answer for that, Ella,” I admit, disappointed I can't give her what she wants.
She's looking for a reason to run in the opposite direction and that's not something I can offer her. “When my brother and I were kids, Cash and I were tryin’ to trip the other and I ended up fallin’ and scraped my knee, so I pushed him and he fell face first into a pile of cow manure.”
She stares at me for what feels like an eternity. “That's the worst?” It's almost as if she's having a difficult time trying to understand or believe me.
“That's the only memory that sticks out in my mind.” I lean forward, resting my forearms on the table. “I won't pretend like I know what happened in your past, but I just want you to know that not everyone is bad. Not everyone has ill intentions.”
Ella's lips part and the conflict laces in her expression again. “Maybe not,” she breathes, her voice barely above a whisper. Her gaze locks on mine. “I have difficulties trusting people.”
I nod in understanding. “I get that. I'm not askin’ you to trust me,” I explain to her in an attempt to remove any pressure or expectations. “All I'm askin’ for is a chance to show you that you can trust me.”
“That's it?”
A smile lifts the corners of my lips. “That's it,” I repeat.
She’s silent again as if she's at war with herself. I don't miss the tortured look in her eyes that is washed away by resilience. A confidence she's still trying to get a grasp on. As she pulls her bottom lip between her teeth, she blinks, releases her lip, and lets out a soft breath.
“Okay,” she says with a gentleness in her tone. She doesn't elaborate, doesn't say anything else. She simply sits there and stares at me with a small spark of hope shimmering in her eyes.
And in this moment, I make a promise to myself and silently to her.
I will never let that spark diminish from her eyes.
I will help her feed and cultivate it until the only thing she sees is the good this world has to offer.