Chapter 41
COLE
There was a breast under my hand.
My second thought, as I slowly woke from as deep a sleep as I could remember having, was that I was rock-solid hard. Just a few inches closer, Juliette would be waking up to an early-morning surprise she hadn’t bargained for.
I slowly extricated my arm, moving away. Juliette reached for the covers and pulled them to her chin, curling into a ball. By the time I was off the bed, looking down at her, she was once again fast asleep.
I wasn’t sure how long I stood there, as if memorizing every feature. Eventually, I pulled myself out of the dreamlike state and began the day. I’d gone back for some things, so I brought that duffel bag into her bathroom.
Last night was pretty much a repeat of the cottage. Hot, exploratory, fun… Most alarming of all, the second part of our night mirrored the one we’d spent in the same room in Monterosso.
As I got dressed, I thought about all the things she had shared.
Her big dream of living three months out of the year in different locations.
How scared she was to release a book. She’d been writing for more than ten years.
Her softly spoken admission that, yes, she wanted a husband and a family, and sooner rather than later.
I shared more than usual as well. Eventually, we’d drifted into a deep sleep, and it wasn’t any surprise to me that it was now after eight o’clock. I barely ever slept that late.
Trying to remember if she had any appointments this morning, I got back to one of our conversations. She had an article due today, and tutoring. But if I was correct, that wasn’t until this afternoon.
Reluctant to wake her, I looked around for a pen and paper. I found one and wrote, Text me when you’re up, and laid it beside her.
But I didn’t leave.
What was it about this woman sleeping so peacefully that had me acting like somebody else? Taking off my glasses, which I’d done the second I realized she liked me better without them. Multiple dates. Coming back home unexpectedly from New York. All of it added up to one truth.
The question was, how had it happened so quickly?
And what to do about it?
Figuring it was time to return the pickup, I texted Cosimo and also Parker to see if he could pick me up at Grado Valley at some point. He wasn’t at a job yet and could come now, so that was where I headed.
Parking next to the other GVV trucks behind one of the tasting room buildings, I made my way into the main room, for Cosimo was already in his office working.
“Hey, how’d it go? Work okay for you?”
“It was a huge help. Thanks for the loan.”
“Anytime. Coffee?” he asked, standing and heading to the coffee machine.
“Sure. I’ll take it black.”
After he handed the coffee to me, I asked, “So, things seem to be going pretty well here?”
“Better than ever. The brewery is a huge hit. We have some things going on down at the lake. It helps that we all have partners now, and more than one works here with us. Nothing like an almost fully family-run business.”
I detected a hint of sarcasm.
“I’m sure that has its challenges.”
“Sibling stuff, you know.”
I sort of knew. My sister and I got along pretty well. It was my brother and I who tangled at times—the brother who would never come to Brattle Valley. Would never marry. Would never realize his dream of following in his father’s footsteps. I shrugged off the memories.
“I do. So your wife works here too?”
“She does. Works like crazy. She should be here any minute. Happy to introduce you.”
I didn’t want to wear out my welcome. I had some things to figure out. But instead of moving, I found myself considering a question I should be asking one of the guys, but at least he didn’t have the same bias as my buddies.
“Can I ask you a question about you and Brooke?”
“Shoot.”
“How did you know she was different?”
Cosimo sat back in his chair and folded his arms across his chest. “How did I know she was different?” he said to himself.
“Man.” He shook his head back and forth.
“So many signs, looking back. But I thought it was because she worked here.” He shrugged.
“It just became undeniable. The more I fought it, the more I wanted to be with her. I guess the thought of her being with somebody else, and not me, probably had a lot to do with it. Even when I was being a stubborn asshole.”
His eyes narrowed.
“You’re obviously asking for a reason. Have anything to do with Juliette?”
“Has everything to do with Juliette.”
Cosimo took a deep breath in and out. “Relationships can be complicated as hell. But rewarding as hell, too.”
“Obviously, we’re very different,” I said.
“Different is good. Brooke and I are like night and day. Sometimes that works even better.”
“Yeah, but I was just offered tenure at Columbia. And she loves it here.”
I left the even bigger barrier to a relationship with Juliette unsaid.
“Don’t get too much in your head. Just let it flow and see what happens. My advice, for what it’s worth. Although, admittedly, I had to be pretty much hit over the head with a hammer until I realized how far gone I was for Brooke.”
That seemed to be a theme among my friends. I stood, taking the coffee with me.
“Well, thanks again for the truck, and the cottage, and the advice.”
“My pleasure. How are you getting back?”
“Parker. He’s probably already here.”
And he was.
He didn’t say anything on the ride back about Juliette at all, and I didn’t mention her. But every street we drove closer and closer to the end, it felt as if the small town was choking me. An interesting development, since I had never felt that way coming home.
It was New York I didn’t like.
And that was easy enough to admit.
I didn’t want to live there forever. But accepting tenure didn’t mean I couldn’t leave.
“Did you even hear me?” Parker asked as we pulled into Heritage Hill.
I hadn’t.
“Sorry. What were you saying?”
He looked at me for two seconds and narrowed his eyes. “You wanna talk about it?”
“No.” I really didn’t.
“All right. I was asking if you could hit the lake in the morning.”
I’d already decided I shouldn’t stay over again at Juliette’s… but did it anyway. So a fishing morning sounded good to me. “Sure. Just text me a time.”
“Will do. But I’ll probably be seeing you before that. I think the ladies are planning something for your last night here.”
That was actually sort of funny. “I’m not going anywhere except back to New York. I’ll probably be back within the month.”
Parker shrugged. “Sunday Funday. Taco Tuesday. You name a day of the week and they have a reason to celebrate. Not that I’m complaining.”
I agreed. Life was something to celebrate, but I just wasn’t feeling in a celebratory mood. Not much to be done about it. If they were having a “going back to New York” gathering, I’d be hard-pressed not to be there.
“Sounds like I’ll see you tonight then. Thanks for the ride.”