Chapter 27
FREYA
The second I shut the front door behind me, Mom practically drags me into the kitchen to hear all the details from girls’ night.
Dad is out having a drink with some work friends, and she is desperate to live vicariously through me.
Mom was never a party girl, but she loves nothing more than hearing all about others who do.
She never understood my need to go to Vegas.
She couldn’t comprehend me wanting to spend all my nights working in a bar surrounded by drunken partygoers.
But as soon as I started relaying some tales of my shifts, she was instantly sucked in.
“Did you meet any boys?” she asks as I sip the hot chocolate she had waiting for me.
“Mom,” I warn, my cheeks heating suspiciously.
“What? That’s what you go out for, isn’t it? To meet people.”
“I was spending time with Casey.”
“She was your wing-woman,” she states confidently, probably having seen it on some TV show.
“No, that wasn’t—”
“So you didn’t meet a boy?”
“I wasn’t looking for a boy, Mom. I’m not—”
“Sorry, sorry. A man,” she corrects, remembering that I’m not her little girl anymore.
The second she says it, one face pops into my head, and my cheeks blaze crimson.
“Oh my god, there was.” Mom claps eagerly, a wide smile across her face.
“No, Mom. There was no man.”
She studies me for a beat, searching for the lie in my words. I pray she can’t read the truth because there is a man. A man I shouldn’t be interested in. A man I should stay far, far away from. But I fear both is going to be impossible.
Cole is…well, so much more than I ever could have expected. And the more I learn about him, the more he seems to lure me in.
My heart beats wildly as I think about our day together. It was totally unexpected but so incredible.
If I didn’t suspect before, then it’s achingly obvious to me now that I’m developing a bit of a crush on my boss.
It’s far from ideal, and I have no doubt it’ll end in tears, but I’m powerless to stop it.
“Did you get drunk?”
“Uh…”
“As long as you were safe.”
“I was safe. Casey took good care of me. I got myself back to Cole’s in one piece.” Everything just went wrong from the moment I locked myself in his apartment.
“What’s the look for?” Mom asks, her brows pinched.
“Nothing. There’s no look.”
She leans closer. “Tell me you didn’t throw up in his fancy penthouse.”
If only. “No, I didn’t get sick. I was a little delicate this morning, but he was really sweet when he got back.”
“I’m glad he’s taking care of you. I understand it was a good game last night; your dad was going wild in the living room.”
“Yeah,” I say, smiling fondly as I think back to watching it in the bar. “It was an exciting one.”
We end up chatting for well over an hour, and by the time I grab my purse from the hallway to head up to my room, I’m more than ready for my bed.
“Wait,” Mom calls from behind me. “Where’s your overnight bag?”
“Oh…um…Cole and I went out and I didn’t want to go back up to get it. I’ll grab it tomorrow.”
I begin climbing the stairs, but it’s pointless trying to escape after confessing that.
“Out? Out where?”
I sigh. “We went for dinner.”
“Dinner? I thought you were meant to be cooking that.”
A smile twitches at the corners of my lips.
“I was. But I was hungover, and he offered to take me out.”
“I see,” she muses behind me.
“What’s that supposed to mean?” I ask, still refusing to look back so she can’t see my smile.
“Freya, I think he likes you.”
My heart clenches and my stomach flutters.
“Of course he likes me; I feed him,” I say lightly, hoping to put an end to this conversation. The last thing my fragile heart needs is hope that my little crush might not be one-sided.
“That’s not what I—”
“I’m his employee, Mom. And he’s been nothing but professional with me.
He took me out to dinner to be kind. That’s all it was.
” My words come out a little harsher than I was intending, and I regret them instantly.
But it’s too late to take them back now.
“Night, Mom,” I say before continuing to climb the stairs.
“Night, Freya. Sleep well.”
I sense her watching me, but I don’t look back. I can’t. If she were look into my eyes, she’d see too much.
I swear, I don’t breathe until I’m safely shut in my childhood bedroom.
Leaning back against it, I tip my head back and close my eyes, giving myself a moment.
Today was…incredible, but it was also a lot on top of a hangover. I’ve got a lot to process.
Dropping my purse onto my bed, I kick off my shoes, and I just pull my sweater off when the sound of my cell buzzing hits my ears.
“Oh shit,” I gasp, realization hitting me.
Rushing over, I pull my cell free and find six messages staring back at me.
Cole: Are you home?
Cole: I really hope you’ve just forgotten to message.
Cole: Freya…
Cole: Don’t make me drive all the way out there to make sure you’re okay.
Cole: I’m serious. If you don’t respond in ten minutes, I’m getting back in the car.
Cole: I’m leaving right now.
My hands tremble as I tap out a reply as fast as I can to stop him.
Freya: No, I’m home. I’m sorry. Please don’t drive all the way out here.
It’s read instantly, and I relax slightly.
God. How the hell would I explain that to my parents?
They’d think he’s crazy.
Or they’d think he cared too much…
Freya: Mom wanted details from our night out. She distracted me.
Freya: I’m sorry.
Cole: What have I told you about apologizing?
All the air rushes from my lungs as I drop onto the edge of my bed. I can hear his voice as clearly as if he were standing right in front of me saying those words.
Freya: I know, but I messed up. I promised to message and I didn’t.
Cole: As long as you’re okay.
Freya: Yep, made it in one piece.
Cole: Good. I’m already looking forward to breakfast in the morning.
Do not read too much into his words, Freya.
Do not…
My heart flutters wildly.
It’s too late. I’m already lost reading between every freaking word.
You are his chef. His employee. He isn’t interested in you.
He wants…hell, I have no idea what he wants.
The women he’s been photographed with in the past have all been beautiful. But I can’t say that I saw much of a pattern beyond that.
All I know is that there is no way he’d want a broken girl like me.
With tears burning my eyes, I tap out a reply.
Freya: There are plenty of snacks in the fridge to keep you going.
I have no idea how he could possibly eat more on top of everything he had at the restaurant, but then, this man loves nothing more than to surprise me.
Cole: You’re too good to me.
Freya: Just doing my job.
Putting my cell to sleep, I place it on the bed and take a huge breath.
Your job.
Just do your job.
With a nod, I push to my feet and set about getting ready for bed.
Thirty minutes later, I’m fresh from a shower and dressed in my most comfortable pajamas. With just the soft glow of my night light illuminating the room, I crawl into bed and grab my Kindle from my nightstand.
After a day of noise, I’m ready for peace.
But before I can open my book and attempt to remember where I got to, I can’t stop myself from checking my cell again.
My heart lurches when I find one single message from Cole.
Ignore it, a little voice screams.
But I can’t. Before I know what I’m doing, my thumb has tapped on the notification, and it’s opening before my eyes.
Cole: Thank you for today. It was a good day.
I slump back on my pillows, my eyes locked on those few words.
I don’t think I really appreciated before just how big a deal today was for him. Cole doesn’t let anyone in. He hides who he really is behind his pads for fear of revealing too much. I might have barely scratched the surface, but what he showed me today was a lot for him.
Freya: Thank you for trusting me.
There is so much more I want to say, but I force myself to stop there. I don’t want to push him or scare him off. I just…I want him to be him in whatever way that is.
Cole: It’s weirdly easy to do.
Freya: I’m grateful. And I promise that whatever you say to me, it goes no further.
Cole: I know. If I had any doubts, I wouldn’t say anything.
I don’t reply straight away. What on earth do I even say to that anyway?
The second the dots start bouncing, I panic that I'm taking too long.
He soon proves to me that I have nothing to worry about when it comes to him.
Cole: How are you feeling? I hope today wasn’t too much after your wild night.
Freya: Tired but good. You’re right, today was a good day.
Cole: What are you doing for the rest of the evening?
I glance down at myself in pajamas that are covered in cute little teddy bears, my face shiny from my skin care, and my hair in a messy knot on top of my head. I should probably lie and say I’m doing something at least a little exciting. But I can’t. To others, maybe. But never to Cole.
Freya: I’m in bed reading.
My heart pounds as I try to predict how he’s going to take that.
Cole: Same.
A laugh tumbles out of me.
Freya: Really?
“Oh my god,” I laugh again when an image appears on my screen.
He’s right. He’s in bed with a book resting over his lap.
Freya: But are you wearing pjs with bears on them?
I don’t know why I ask. I shouldn’t be enquiring about what he may or may not be wearing beneath those sheets and that book, but I can’t help myself.
The thought of him being naked makes my temperature spike.
Cole: I must confess that I’m not.
Cole: Let’s see the bears…
I gasp at his request.
Can I?
Can I send my boss, Cole freaking Hansley, a photo of me in bed, braless with my pajamas on?
My thoughts race at a million miles a minute.
Refusing to let them take over, I shove the sheets down a little to expose my teddy shorts, hold my Kindle just so, and snap a picture.
I send it before really checking it for fear I’ll change my mind if I see the cellulite on my thighs, or how pale my skin is compared to my warm caramel sheets.
Cole: Cute. Although I must say I think I prefer what you slept in last night.
My breath catches, and my cell slips from my hand as shock rocks through me.
Freya: I thought last night was forgotten.
Cole: I’ve tried. But there are a few details that have taken up permanent residence in my head.
Freya: You’re bad.
Cole: You have no idea.
I sit there, staring at our last few messages, my heart racing and my palms clammy.
How the hell am I going to walk into his apartment tomorrow morning and look him in the eye?