Chapter 27 Cole
TWENTY-SEVEN
COLE
Since we began dating in secret, most of our time together is spent at my place. Eve thinks it’s too risky to sneak me into her apartment with her dad right next door. I’m happiest when I have her over, but we don’t get to have everything typical couples do because we’re hidden away.
Today I plan to change that.
“Ready to go?”
She tosses me a confused look. She’s only been out of bed for a half an hour, perched on the arm of the couch next to me while sipping a mug of coffee. I’m absently stroking her bare leg.
“I’m only wearing one of your t-shirts,” she points out.
“Just how I like you.”
I drag her down to my lap and kiss her cheek. She stretches to set her empty mug on the coffee table.
“I want to take you out. Just you and me, the whole day.”
“Like a date?”
“Exactly. We’ve only been doing them in secret and, as much as I love our movie nights and cooking for you here, I want to go somewhere with you. Last night that was all I could think. That it should be me you’re out with.”
Her tender smile is everything to me. I trace it with my thumb and slide my fingers into her hair.
“I want that, too,” she murmurs. “Where will we go?”
The corner of my mouth lifts. “While you were sleeping in, I was planning. It’s a surprise. Go get dressed. I’ll give you one hint: you’ll need more than the clothes you’ve left here. We’ll stop by your place first so you can pack a bag.”
She pulls a sly face. “Sneaky, sneaky. We’re going somewhere overnight?”
Instead of giving away the plan for this impromptu trip, I capture her lips.
“Nice diversion, but I’ll keep guessing,” she says against my mouth. “Now stop being distracting, otherwise I’ll never get off your lap.”
I hold her waist with an interested hum, trailing kisses down her throat. “What if we take a shower together?”
“Later.” She pushes against my chest with a giggle that becomes a gasp when I nip at her skin. “Cole!”
“Alright, fine.”
She gets up, then pauses. “Wait, what about work? I was supposed to have a shift tomorrow.”
“I took care of it. Texted Mr. Boucher from your phone earlier for you. He said Theo’s got you covered. And your Dad doesn’t need me in on the weekends during off-season.”
Excitement sparks in her eyes. “We’re going out on a date.”
“We are. Somewhere we won’t have to hide anything.”
Happiness settles over me. I’m looking forward to being with her the way we both want out in the open.
It sucks that we have to sneak around at all, having dates behind closed doors or out of town just to be together. I’d love to take her to The Landmark and walk through the center of town hand in hand. I want her at the hockey games I play and the ones I coach as my girlfriend, not my friend.
For now, this is what we have to do. As long as I’m making her happy I’ll do anything to be with her.
Once Eve finishes getting ready, we swing by her apartment. She tells her parents on our way there that she’s going out of town to surprise her friend with a visit. Thankfully they don’t read into me supposedly giving her a ride there.
Then we’re on the road to our first destination. The windows are down and my hand rests on her leg. This is heaven.
She keeps guessing our agenda, searching on her phone. “There’s a new exhibit at the science center in Hartford. Is that where we’re headed?”
“Nope.” I swipe her phone. “Don’t you trust me?”
She giggles, snagging my wrist to bring me back to her leg. “Well, you did tell me once that you don’t know how to date.”
I shoot her a wry look. “And I’ve learned since, haven’t I?”
“You’re a fast learner.”
“It’s easy when it comes to you. We were already friends, so I know what you like. Just added feelings to the mix.”
“Feelings, huh?”
She rests an elbow on the door and covers her broad smile. I squeeze her leg and she does the same to my wrist.
“Feelings,” I emphasize.
She turns on the radio and sings along to almost every song that comes on. The pink sheer ribbon she tied in her hair flutters. I twine it around my finger.
We drive for an hour before I pull off the highway south of Hartford in central Connecticut. Eve perks up, scanning the signs with guesses about our destination. My smile grows wider as she gets more competitive about it for no apparent reason.
When I turn down the road to the fairgrounds with signs for the festival I found, she gasps, quivering with mounting excitement.
We pass beneath a banner announcing the dates for the summer festival, advertising live music and over a hundred vendors.
It’s drawn a big crowd judging by the amount of cars already parked when I find a spot.
Her eyes sparkle with delight on our way in. “This is such a good surprise.”
“Yeah?”
She turns to me with an energetic nod. Her joy wraps around my heart, making it thump insistently.
“Lead the way, sweetheart. Where do you want to start?”
She browses the pamphlet she grabbed at the entrance. “There are so many shops here. I don’t know what to pick first.”
“Start at one end and make our way through to the other?”
“Sounds good.”
She slips her hand in mine and we head for the first vendor booth. Each one we visit catches her interest. I love watching her passion for the art and craftsmanship.
“Oh, I love these! How cute!” Eve shows me the squat clay animal figurines, picking out one with a blue bandana. “Here, it looks like it could be a Heston U mascot. Until you’re ready to get the dog you want, you can have this one for your office.”
Smirking, I draw her close, bringing my lips to her ear. “Maybe I don’t need one. I already have a good girl, don’t I?”
She turns an enticing shade of pink, elbowing me.Her head ducks to hide her smile. I rub her back affectionately while she buys it.
“I love your earrings,” the girl says as she packs it up.
Eve touches them. “Thank you.”
“Where did you get them?”
“I make them. This is me.” She shows the girl her online shop on her phone.
“Oh! I’ve seen these. I found you through one of your cute order packing videos. I totally have some saved on my wishlist.”
Eve blinks, smiling in wonder. “You do? Small world. I just started this year, but I’m hoping to do something like this soon. My first pop up is in December.”
“Good luck.”
“Thanks.”
Eve clasps my wrist and pulls me away. Once we’re out of earshot, she does a little dance with a muted squeal. She hugs me and I crush her to me, kissing the top of her head.
“Did you hear that? A total stranger knows about my stuff.”
“I did. Proud of you, baby.”
She runs her fingers through her hair a few times. It’s how she likes to reset.
“Okay. Sorry, I just needed a minute to freak out.”
“A well-deserved celly if there ever was a time for one.”
She pulls a face. “Oh, come on, that was way more dignified than riding a hockey stick like it’s a horse or pretending it's a sword.”
I raise my hands as we continue down the row of booths. “The fist pump or skating a lap are more my style. They’re simple, classic.”
We bump our shoulders together as we laugh. She runs through a list of recognizable celebrations and rates them while we share food from one of the stalls.
This is nice. No one knows us here. We can just be ourselves, strolling hand in hand.
This is how it should be. When we’re back, I intend to start easing Benson into the idea of us together.
We try on ridiculous hats at one stall, taking photos of each other and together. I take about a million of her smile. Once she realizes how many I’m snapping, she flirts with the camera, blowing kisses until she’s close enough to trap in my embrace.
“Ready to go?” I ask when we reach the other end of the fairgrounds.
“I think so. We’ve hit all the booths. I’ve got so many good ideas for how I can set up mine for the maker’s market in December,” she gushes. “I can’t wait to plan it out now that I have a better visual.”
“I’m glad you liked it.”
She slips her arm in mine on our way to the car while I carry most of the shopping bags. “I did. So far this is the best date ever.”
“Not gonna try to find out what’s next?”
“Nope. I’m along for the adventure now.”
My shoulders shake with amusement. “Good.”
After another stretch of driving, we check in at the hotel I booked in New Haven. She doesn’t know the plan for tonight, but I made a dinner reservation for the rooftop restaurant.
While she’s finishing her makeup in the bathroom, I sit on the end of the bed to put on shoes. When she comes out in a colorful floral dress with a neckline that falls off her shoulders, I still. Her hair is tied half up with a cream bow, the ends curled in bouncy waves.
“Wow,” I breathe.
She does a twirl. “It looks okay? I wasn’t sure since I bought it without trying it on.”
“Yes.” I smooth a hand down my shirt as I stand. “You’re stunning.”
“You look amazing, too. I really like you in suits.”
Her gaze flares with appreciation as it roves over me. I take her waist and swallow the surprised noise that escapes her when I kiss her.
“We’d better go before I mess up your makeup and tear this dress off of you,” I mutter against her lips, reluctant to part from her. “You’re too tempting.”
She sways when I pull away. “So are you.”
I fall back a step, then another, holding her hands. “First, let me show off my girl. Then tonight you’re all mine.”
Her breath catches when we reach the rooftop. “This is super nice.”
The sunset streaks across the sky, casting her in an ethereal glow. My touch rests on the small of her back when we’re led to our seats.
“Are you having a good time?”
“I always have a great time when I’m with you.”
“Me too.”
I lay my hand on the table, palm up. She slides hers into it.
Our server interrupts us. “Are we celebrating anything tonight?”
My thumb caresses Eve’s knuckles. “Yes.”
When he leaves, she leans in. “What are we celebrating?”
“We’re enjoying a weekend to ourselves.”
She props her chin in her hand, nose scrunching with her cute smile. “Think they’ll give us a free glass of wine? Or maybe cake. You should tell him it’s our anniversary when he comes back.”
“You’ve got it.”
Her attention drifts to take in the sunset. Mine stays on her.
“No bad days,” she murmurs.
“What’s that?”
“My little positivity mantra. A reminder to pick myself up if I’m having a crappy day because it won’t last.” She meets my eye. “It feels like all I have are good days with you.”
My heartbeat stutters and a glowing peace emanates within me.
“Yeah, I know what you mean. It’s the same for me, Evie.”