Chapter 6
Cole
It was nearing the end of August, and I was irritable. It was hotter than piss outside and I still hadn’t convinced Delaney to give us a shot. We actually hadn’t seen each other again except in passing briefly at the University.
“What’s the matter, Coley?” Carter came up and grabbed my shoulder. We were having a cookout. The whole gang was there, and everyone was connected to someone but me. That typically didn’t bother me but that time, it had. Vinny and Bianca with their son daughter; Carter, Lex and their daughters, and then Hudson and Amelia were all sitting at the picnic table minus the kids because they were running around. Amaryllis would get along great with them. I couldn’t believe I was even thinking about Delaney’s kid. I went from just wanting to fuck around after Darla to literally wanting a woman I can’t have, and she has a child. I was annoyed with myself.
“I’m in a foul mood.” I shrugged him off me.
“Don’t be like that? You’re not trying hard enough.” He laughed.
Throwing my hands in the air, I said, “Are you kidding? I don’t know what else to do. She dodges me at every turn.”
“Who dodges who?” Amelia came up and asked.
Carter answered for me, “He’s got a crush on an advisor at the University.”
Amelia’s eyes lit up making me ask, “What, Amelia?”
“Sooo, I didn’t say anything because I kind of thought I was imagining it, but two women came into Sharon’s a couple weeks ago and I swear a dark-haired one said Cole Taylor. But I heard it as I was walking up and they kept quiet.”
“Aaaamelia! What did they say? Please remember!” I grabbed her arms and squeezed.
Hudson came up, “What’s going on here?” He wrapped his arms around Amelia’s waist from behind.
“Oh, get off it! Don’t come over here trying to swing your dick. I’m just asking her a question.” Everyone was around now and full of laughs.
Amelia leaned her head back and kissed him on the cheek before answering me. “Ok listen. I heard her say your name. I don’t know who the other girl was though. Blondish brown hair.” Amelia shrugged.
Looking up at the sky I blew out a breath. “This is gonna kill me. Help me figure this out. She won’t give me the time of day. I need to figure out how to get her alone.”
Lex tossed her arm around me. “You’re a great guy, Cole.”
I gave her smirk, “I know I am.”
“Oh, shut up. Seriously. You’re smart and I think if you step outside of the here and now and look at this whole picture, you’ll figure out a way to get her attention.”
“I hate when you talk like this, Lex.”
She laughed. “Talk like what? I’m not going to tell you what to do, but slow down. Think.”
“Yeah, yeah, alright. Can we eat?” I looked at Carter.
“Yeah, let’s go. Everything’s ready.”
I left the cookout thinking about what Lex said. Fuck if I cared about how it looked but I would send Delaney flowers every day if I had to.