Chapter 13 Cole
Iwas such an idiot. What the hell was wrong with me?
I mean, I knew I was rusty, but that was epic levels of putting my foot in my mouth. What on earth had possessed me that I wouldn’t keep lamenting having to go through eleven more dates?
The more I thought about everything, the more I slapped my face until I gave myself a concussion. Or at least that was what it felt like when I got home, and I didn’t remember a second of the entire walk back.
I expected to be grilled on entry, but the house was as quiet as anything. Even Honeybee was gone.
“I guess they’re all still out,” I told the four walls surrounding me.
I grimaced. Should Ella be out this late?
My phone informed me it was only nine, which only drove the point harder on what a terrible date this was. Thanks to me.
With a sigh, I stripped off my clothes and walked into the shower. Maybe some hot water, soap, and hope would help me forget my atrocious dating skills.
I mean, what kind of person doesn’t check dietary requirements with their date? And why the hell did I think going to The Crown would be a good idea?
Sure, Cole. Take your first date in years to the only place you’ve never set foot in because of its bad reputation.
I was such an idiot.
Would offering Samir a get-out-of-jail-free card for our dates salvage the situation, or would it make it sound like he was the worst date ever?
I shook my head and let out a deep breath.
Even if I wanted to, Enzo wouldn’t let me do that. And to be honest, the more I thought about it, the more I wanted to stick with the dates—if for nothing else than to make sure Samir knew my lack of skill or panache had nothing to do with him and everything to do with me.
When I came out of the shower, I dressed right away and left the house before the others got home. The last thing I needed was to recount this evening’s events.
I picked up an order of a double cheeseburger from the Outpost and made my way to the station where I could enjoy my dinner in peace and quiet. Or, at the very least, without any intrusive questions about tonight.
Naturally though, as soon as Cooper and Josh turned up for their shift after midnight, things went south fast.
“Oh man,” Cooper said. “I hate you so much for signing me up for that auction!”
I chuckled and took a sip of coffee.
“Why? What happened?” I asked.
“My date is a creep,” he answered.
“I thought your date was Mrs. Sanders.”
“Yeah. She’s a creep.”
Josh chuckled, but Cooper glared at him.
“You think I’m kidding? She spent the whole evening spoon-feeding me, and every time I tried to eat by myself, she would slap my hand away and tell me it’s her privilege.”
I burst out laughing, and Josh rolled away from Cooper, holding his belly while Cooper sat there entirely unamused.
“I hate you both,” he said. “Especially you.” He pointed at me. “Just because you were dragged in the mud, you didn’t need to drag us down with you.”
I put my hands up and smirked.
“Hey. I was just responding in kind to your teasing.”
Josh sat up again and wiped tears off his face before he spoke.
“I hate you too, by the way. Just so you know.”
“What happened to you?” I frowned.
“Well, I had to help Mr. Green with all his house chores,” he said.
“That doesn’t sound so bad,” I said.
“Are you kidding? He practically made me knock down a wall so he has a bigger living room. The man is nuts.”
“At least you weren’t force fed,” Cooper said, patting Josh’s shoulder.
“I wasn’t finished,” Josh growled. “When I was done, he told me I could have a shower. And I caught the fucker peeping through the keyhole.”
I bit my lip to stop myself laughing.
“And when I caught him, he just said he was looking at my proportions.”
“I bet he was.” Cooper chuckled.
“For drawing. He asked me if I would pose for him.”
“And what did you do?” I asked.
“I told him that was extra, and I got the hell out of dodge.”
“You didn’t have to shower at his place, you know that.”
Josh opened his mouth to bite back but nothing came out.
“I guess not,” he mumbled after a moment. “Leave me alone. I was tired. I wasn’t thinking.”
He sank into the couch of the day room, and I sighed.
“I guess, compared to yours, my date wasn’t so bad,” I said.
Both men raised an eyebrow, staring at me.
“Oh yeah. What happened?”
I shrugged.
“Went out for dinner. Then walked around town. That’s it, really.”
Cooper leaned on his thighs. “He didn’t try to grab your ass while helping you put your coat on?”
I shook my head, choking down a laugh.
“He wasn’t staring at your crotch when he was talking to you?” Josh asked.
“No. Just my eyes.”
“Ah. Lucky guy,” Josh exclaimed. “I feel so objectified.”
“Me too.” Cooper sat back with a big pout, and I kind of felt bad for them.
“I did put my foot in my mouth,” I offered them as some consolation.
“He has a foot fetish?” Josh asked.
“No!” I rolled my eyes and told them what I actually did and what a bad first date it was. Though after their stories, I wasn’t sure mine qualified as bad anymore.
“Gosh, you’re so lucky you got someone normal,” Cooper said.
“Well, yeah, but your suffering has ended. Mine is only just beginning.”
It felt horrible referring to more dates with Samir as suffering, but I justified it to myself as trying to relate to the guys and make them feel a little better.
Because the truth was: it wasn’t torture at all.
In fact, the more they shared about their truly terrible dates, the more I appreciated my low-key one with Samir. He had been such a good sport; he put up with my fumbles and didn’t complain once.
Oh God!
Was I the Mrs. Sanders and Mr. Greens of the equation?
“Please! Suffering? I’d kill for twelve dinner dates with a normal dude who doesn’t peek at me when I’m showering,” Josh said.
“I thought you were straight.” I raised an eyebrow.
“I am. I… you know what I mean.” Josh rolled his eyes with a scoff.
Cooper ignored him.
“So?” he asked me.
“So what?”
“So, how are you going to make it up to him?”
I opened my mouth, then closed it.
“I haven’t thought that far ahead yet.”
“You should make it up to him,” Josh agreed.
“I know, but how?”
“Well, for starters, don’t tell him twelve dates with him are a thing to get through,” Cooper offered.
I sighed.
“I know. That was bad. But I was hoping he’d get what I mean. I’ve been out of the game for so long. Not that I’m back in the game, but you know what I mean.”
“I think,” Josh started, nodding to himself, “you need to talk less.”
“A lot less,” Cooper added.
“Like just stick to one-word sentences.”
“Yeah. That should avoid any further feet in mouths. Unless you guys are into that sort of thing, if you know what I mean.”
“Cooper? Shut up!”
He threw his hands in the air as if he was giving up on me, and Josh just glared at me. They both were right though.
I needed to do better, so when the guys left the room to top up their coffees and find something new to munch on, I sent a message.
Cole: Hey! Are you free on Tuesday?
As soon as I sent it, I realized it was one in the morning and slapped myself.
Cole: Sorry. I’m at work. I lost track of time.
I leaned back on the armchair and huffed.
I was hopeless.
So hopeless.
I can be free on Tuesday, came Samir's reply, and I smiled.
But maybe I could still fix things. I wanted to fix things, if for nothing else than for an entirely selfish reason: so I could look at his beautiful smile all day long.
And if I was the one to put it there? Even better.