11. Tori
TORI
T he morning started quietly, but there was a warmth in the air.
I found myself easing into the family dynamic as we sat around the large wooden table, sipping coffee and passing around platters.
Cole’s dad had a great sense of humor, and his younger sister, Lacey, kept everyone on their toes.
It was like a well-rehearsed play, each of them feeding off one another with jokes and playful bickering that made me laugh until my cheeks hurt.
“You know, Dad, you’ve got to let Cole take over the grilling one of these days,” Lacey said, grinning. “He’s out of practice. Poor Tori here doesn’t know what she’s in for.”
“Oh, is that so?” I quipped, casting a look at Cole, who just shook his head, smiling.
“Don’t listen to them,” Cole said, nudging my shoulder. “My cooking’s just fine.”
“Just fine?” Christian laughed. “Lacey’s got a point, you know. I think the last time you grilled, you left half the steaks looking like hockey pucks.”
“I was seventeen!” Cole protested, a grin tugging at his lips.
“Seventeen or not, I still think Tori deserves a warning,” Lacey teased, winking at me.
“Better get yourself an apron and teach him, Tori,” Lacey added.
I laughed, feeling a warmth inside. It wasn’t often I’d been able to joke like this with anyone’s family.
It reminded me of how much I’d missed this—the feeling of being part of something big, something good.
Both of my parents had died in a car crash while I was in college, leaving me alone with a grief I struggled to process.
Not long after, I met Marcus.
He’d often remind me, in his own way, that I should be grateful because he was “the only family” I’d ever need.
For a long time, I let myself believe him, let myself lean into that dependence because it felt safer than facing the world on my own.
It took years to see through the layers of control that were buried in his kindness.
His words and actions weren’t about support or love.
They were designed to keep me isolated, trapped in a version of life that revolved only around him.
Marcus made me doubt my strength, made me question if I could even stand on my own without him by my side.
I’d been convinced he wanted what was best for me.
But in reality, he only wanted me to be reliant on him, bound by his needs and his twisted sense of “family.”
Being here with Cole’s family, feeling laughter and lightness fill the space around me, I realized just how much I’d lost.
This was what family was supposed to feel like—a place of warmth and acceptance, not a tool of control.
After breakfast, I noticed that everyone started packing up their things.
That was when I realized they’d all be leaving for the weekend. My heart did a small, unexpected flip.
“You’re all heading out already?” I asked, glancing at Cole with a raised brow.
“Just you and Cole here from now on,” Lacey said with a little smirk.
She leaned in, lowering her voice conspiratorially. “Don’t have too much fun, alright?”
Lacey winked and nudged my shoulder, her mischief sparkling in her eyes.
A heat crept up my cheeks. I forced myself to keep a cool expression, but Cole noticed.
A faint smile curled up at the corners of his mouth as he pretended not to hear.
I waved goodbye to everyone, hugging Lacey, who squeezed me tightly, and giving a small wave to Christian, Keir and Maxwell.
It was strange—I hadn’t expected to feel so welcomed, and it was both overwhelming and heartwarming.
I let out a breath, feeling a mix of excitement and nerves as the realization sank in.
Just Cole and me, alone in the lake house for the weekend.
We decided to go hiking after breakfast, and I found myself enjoying the fresh air as we ventured onto a nearby trail.
It was lush, with trees shading us from the morning sun, and the quiet of the woods brought a calmness I hadn’t felt in ages.
I kept stealing glances at Cole, noticing the way his features softened in the sunlight.
The way his gaze would turn towards me every now and then, his expression warm and open.
“Everything alright?” he asked, catching my stare.
I blushed slightly, laughing it off.
“I was just thinking… Thank you. For inviting me here, letting me meet your family. I was a little intimidated at first, but…they’re wonderful,” I admitted.
“They’re crazy, you mean,” Cole laughed, but there was a warmth in his eyes. “They can be a lot, but they mean well.”
“I get that. They remind me of the friends I grew up with.” I hesitated. “I didn’t realize how much I missed this feeling.”
He was quiet for a moment, his gaze thoughtful as he watched me.
Then he nodded, taking my hand as we continued up the trail. The way he held onto me was gentle, reassuring.
As we approached the peak, my muscles ached.
I could feel the burn in my legs, but the sight that awaited us made everything worth it.
The town lay sprawled out below, nestled against the shimmering lake with fields stretching as far as I could see.
The clouds drifted lazily across the sky, casting gentle shadows over the rooftops.
“Wow,” I breathed, taking it all in.
The town looked so peaceful from up here, as if nothing could ever go wrong.
“Worth the climb?” Cole’s voice was close, and I felt his fingers tighten around mine.
I turned to him, smiling. “Absolutely.”
Without a word, he slipped his backpack off and unzipped it. Cole pulled out a picnic mat and some containers of food.
My eyes widened, surprised by the unexpected gesture.
“You packed us lunch?” I asked, touched by the thoughtfulness in it.
He shrugged, flashing me a brilliant grin.
“I thought it might be nice to take our time up here. No rush to go back,” Cole said.
We settled down on the mat, sharing sandwiches and fruit, with a few pastries he’d picked up from his favorite bakery in the city.
The conversation flowed easily, and I realized just how much I enjoyed these quiet, simple moments with him.
It was as if being up here in the open air let us both relax, let us just be ourselves.
“Thank you, Cole,” I said softly, meeting his eyes. “For all of this. For bringing me along this weekend. I… I didn’t think I’d be able to relax like this. I’m usually all about the store, always worried about something going wrong.”
He leaned back, crossing his legs as he studied me, his gaze soft.
“You deserve a break, Tori. Candy’s more than capable of handling things for a weekend. I wanted you to have some time just for you,” Cole told me.
I laughed, shaking my head.
“You’re probably right. It’s just, sometimes I get so used to being on my own, doing everything by myself, that I forget it’s okay to… I don’t know, let go a little,” I said.
Cole reached out, tucking a strand of hair behind my ear.
The touch was gentle, almost reverent, and it sent a spark racing through me.
“You don’t have to do everything alone, you know,” he murmured, his voice low. “I’m here now.”
There was something in his gaze, something deep and unwavering that made my heart beat faster.
I looked away, feeling a warmth spread across my cheeks, but I didn’t pull away from him.
In fact, I found myself leaning into his touch, my hand finding its way to his. Our fingers intertwined.
For a moment, we sat there in comfortable silence, with nothing but the sound of the breeze rustling through the trees and the distant chirping of birds.
It felt like we were in our own little world, high above everything else.
“You know,” I said after a while, breaking the comfortable silence between us, “I was pretty angry with you when you finally admitted to hiring a bodyguard without telling me.”
I shot him a pointed look, though any real edge to it had softened over the past day.
His lips curved up in a half-smile. “I know, and I deserved it. I should’ve told you about Aden sooner.”
“It’s…well, it’s water under the bridge now.” I sighed. “I get it, though. You were trying to look out for me. I just… I guess I don’t always know how to handle it.”
He nodded, his thumb tracing gentle circles on the back of my hand.
“I’m glad you understand. And I’m sorry if I ever made you feel like I didn’t trust you. That was never my intention,” Cole assured me.
I squeezed his hand, feeling my heart swell with something I hadn’t felt in a long time—trust.
“Thank you, Cole.”
Before I knew it, he was leaning closer, his face inches from mine.
I held my breath, my pulse quickening as I looked up at him.
His lips brushed mine, gentle and hesitant at first, as if he was savoring every second.
Then the kiss deepened, his hand cupping my cheek, and I felt myself melt into him, all my walls and worries fading away.
When we finally pulled back, I was breathless, my heart pounding as I looked into his eyes.
There was a warmth there, a quiet certainty that made me feel as though I was exactly where I was meant to be.