Chapter 17
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
COLE
Ella
I hate to do this, but unfortunately I’m having some babysitting issues so I have to cancel tonight.
Ireread her message again, wishing that the words on the screen would change.
Standing in the bathroom, I reposition my towel around my waist before typing out a response.
I was supposed to be leaving in thirty-five minutes to go pick her up for dinner.
I would be lying if I said I wasn’t disappointed.
It’s okay. I hope that everything is okay.
Ella
It is. Remi is working and Iris had something come up with a vendor for the bar, so she has to go out of town for the evening. Would we be able to reschedule?
A sigh escapes me and I set my phone down to finish drying off and get dressed. I understand with Ella’s life there are a lot of moving parts, so I’m not upset with her that this happened. I only wish there was something I could do about it.
And then I realize there is something I can do about it.
Maybe I can’t take her out to dinner, but I can certainly bring dinner to her.
What if we don’t have to reschedule?
I watch the three small dots show up and disappear three separate times and it feels like my heart may spontaneously combust in my chest. Her response finally appears in the message thread.
Ella
What do you mean?
Even though I’ve already met Chloe, I don’t want to impose on her life.
I don’t want to insert myself somewhere I may not be welcome, out of respect for Ella and her daughter.
Meeting her was a chance encounter at the grocery store that one day.
I don’t intend on seeing her again until Ella wants me to or would be comfortable with it.
What time does Chloe go to bed?
Ella
Usually around seven thirty.
Why?
I smile to myself, walking through my house until I reach the kitchen.
I love these little interactions with her.
I love the way she questions everything, as long as she isn’t questioning herself.
Ella surprised me the other night with her admitting she liked knowing I told Austin about her.
She had a renewed sense of confidence I hadn’t seen in her before.
It looks good on her, even if it’s something she isn’t comfortable with yet.
I have an idea, but if you don’t like it, we can always reschedule.
She doesn’t respond immediately and when she does, the corners of my lips stretch farther.
Ella
Don’t keep me waiting here.
Since you can’t go to dinner, I was thinkin’ what about if I were to bring dinner to you.
We can get takeout from wherever you’d like and I’ll bring it over after Chloe is asleep.
It feels like an eternity as I wait for her response. My phone vibrates and I quickly check it, expecting it to be her, but it’s only my brother telling me about the hay shipment coming in. I type out a message to him and Ella texts me back. I abandon the conversation with Cade entirely.
Ella
That actually sounds really nice. Could we get tacos or something like that?
A weight lifts from my chest and I let out the breath I didn’t realize I was holding in.
Absolutely. Let me know when Chloe is in bed and I’ll come over.
Ella
It’s not a date.
Goddamn her and the things she’s doing to my heart.
Just dinner.
Ella texted me a little after seven thirty and I already had an order placed with takeout to pick up on my way to her house. I saved her address from the last time and timed my route accordingly so I would be pulling into her driveway a little after eight.
And I’m right on time as I park my truck behind her car.
All of the lights look like they’re off inside, but the light on her front porch shines brightly above me as I walk up the steps towards her door. Ella opens it when I reach the top step and I swear my heart skips three beats in a row.
Her hair is pulled back in a French braid and she’s wearing a pair of soft black shorts and a simple white t-shirt. There’s the smallest amount of makeup on her face, enough to illuminate her already strikingly beautiful features.
“Hey cowboy.”
I stop in front of her, holding out a small bouquet of flowers. “Hey darlin’.”
“What are these?” she questions me as she hesitantly takes the bundle of daisy’s from my hand. “We agreed this wasn’t a date, Wild.”
I tilt my head to the side, feigning a look of innocence. “It’s not a date.”
“So, why the flowers?”
I shrug with a whole hearted attempt at appearing indifferent. The acrobatic routine my stomach is doing says otherwise. “Because it’s not a date.”
A smile blooms across her face and I don’t miss the pink tint that deepens on her cheeks. She steps out of the way, holding the door open. “Come in. I need to put these in a vase and we can eat out back.”
I walk into her home and she pushes the door shut behind me.
I do a quick survey of the space. It smells warm and welcoming like sugar cookies.
Like her. There are a few toys scattered on the coffee table in the living room to the right of the foyer.
I follow her into the kitchen and watch as she moves over to the sink along the back end of the house.
Ella reaches into one of the cabinets, her body elongated as she lifts up onto her tiptoes.
As she reaches above her head, the bottom hem of her shirt moves farther up her torso, revealing part of her midsection.
My mouth is dry, my heart pounding erratically in my chest as I study her movements, my eyes trailing along the sliver of skin.
Her fingertips graze the outside of the glass vase and she's unable to grab it.
Closing the distance between us, I stop when I'm beside her and I reach up for the vase she's trying to get.
“Let me get that for you,” I say softly as my arm brushes against hers.
Ella sucks in a sharp breath and my fingers lightly brush hers as I wrap my hand around the vase and bring it down. It's not a far reach for me, seeing as I'm over a foot taller than her. Ella falls back onto flat feet, her head tilting back to look at me as I turn to face her.
“Thank you,” she says with a shy smile as our fingers touch again when she takes the vase from me. The electrical current ripples between us and I want to reach out and wrap my hand around it. I want to savor the feeling. Jesus christ, I want to savor every fucking moment with this woman.
We both fall into a moment of silence as she fills the vase with water.
I take the opportunity to help, unwrapping the flowers before handing them to her.
Ella quickly snips the bottoms of the stems, cutting them at an angle while I pour the powdered flower food into the water.
Standing side by side, she slides the flowers into the water and arranges them until they're sitting in the vase perfectly.
“I love them,” she says in the most gentle tone as she looks back at me with another smile.
She takes a few steps to the island in the center of the kitchen and sets them down so they are the new centerpiece.
“I love flowers,” she tells me as she turns back around.
A soft pink tint blossoms across her cheeks, like she's embarrassed she shared the small piece of information with me.
“Come,” she motions for me to follow her.
“We should eat before the food gets cold. Do you want anything to drink?”
I don't tell her I don't care about the food.
I like these moments with her, away from the hustle and bustle of the bar. The soft, quiet moments where she shows me parts of herself I'm almost positive she doesn't share with anyone else.
“Sure.”
“There's some water and beers in the fridge,” she says and points toward it. “Do you mind grabbing them and I’ll have whatever you decide on too?”
“Of course.” I walk to the fridge, grabbing two waters and two beers before meeting her by the door. I don't want her to feel pressured to drink, so I'll let her choose and base my choice after hers.
Ella leads the way, heading out onto her back patio.
There's a sectional set along the side of the house with a small fire pit in the center.
Over to the right, there is a table with a set of chairs and a large umbrella overhead.
My eyes scan the back yard, noticing the toys from Chloe scattered in the yard and a trampoline with netting around it in the back left corner.
“You have a beautiful home,” I say, taking a seat across from her at the table. Ella's eyes meet mine and I see a mixture of emotion welling in the depths of her irises.
“Thank you,” she says with a hoarseness in her voice.
She opens the bag of food I brought, reaching inside before pulling out the separate containers.
“It took me a while to get to where I am now and I wouldn't be here without Remi and her mother.
They've done so much for me, helped me get on my feet so I can have a place like this for Chloe to grow up in.”
I watch her for a moment as she pops open both containers. Each one has two tacos and a side of rice and beans. She looks over them, realizing the tacos are both the same kind, and hands me one.
“I'm sure you already know this, but you're doin’ a great job, Ella.” I take the plastic fork from her as she hands it to me. Setting it inside the styrofoam container, I look at her. “You are an amazing mother and it's clear to see that Chloe is loved and well taken care of.”
She doesn't say a word. I swear, she doesn't breathe.
Her gaze is glued to mine and emotion washes over her expression in one fluid motion before it pools in her irises.
“I don't–I–Thank you,” she stumbles over the words, again struggling with a compliment.
“Sometimes it doesn't feel like I am, so it's nice to hear that.”