Chapter 10
“You guys sort everything out?” Jace asked with a bland expression when we came back down the hall a bit—okay, thirty minutes—later.
I just knew my face was on fire. There was no way he didn’t know what we’d been up to. So I buried my face in the fridge, pulling out ingredients for breakfast.
“Yeah, we’re mostly good,” Cole answered. “But clearly we still need to have that talk.”
“Right.” Jace put his phone down and rested his elbows on the counter, leaning forward. “I think we need to come up with a statement. No comment is just going to make them more ravenous. And it wouldn’t hurt if you take a selfie of the two of you, post it on your socials. Take some of the mystery out of your relationship. Be the ones to officially break the news, and come out swinging so to speak.”
Nausea burbled in my stomach. We’d gone from holiday fling to official in a heartbeat. And I still wasn’t so sure I was onboard. This wasn’t a little thing. This was the kinda thing that would follow me around for the rest of my life. I’d always be the former love of Cole Jackson if this went sideways.
But it was already too late to stop that from happening. I’d been outed, and there was no running away from that.
But still…
I set the eggs down on the counter and spoke up. “I don’t know if I’m ready for all that. I mean, Cole and I have only known each other for a week. It feels way too soon to go social media official.”
“Right.” Jace nodded. “I can see that. And I’m not saying you guys need to come out and say that you’re engaged or whatever. Have you guys put a label on it? What would you be comfortable saying to the media at this point?”
My eyes bulged at the thought of saying anything to the media. “Uh, I’d say we’re dating. Right, Cole? Dating is a good word?”
Cole’s eyes burned into me. Like I felt them like a physical presence on my body. I didn’t know what he was thinking, but it was clearly something hot. Maybe how he’d just bent me over his bed.
I was definitely thinking about that now.
Finally he cleared his throat and answered. “Dating is a word. I’d say it’s early days, but when you know, you know.”
“ Cole .” An overwhelming rush of love and emotion hit me. I crossed the kitchen and all but jumped him. Wrapping my arms around him. Kissing him. We’d literally just had sex, but I wanted him again. Now.
“Okay,” Jace said as Cole and I still had our arms and lips on each other. “So dating. But when you know, you know. I think we should use that line.”
Cole broke his lips from mine and turned to glare at Jace. “It’s not a line. It’s the truth.”
“Right. Sorry.” Jace coughed lightly and typed on his phone. “December? Are you okay with using that label?”
“I…” Cole’s gaze was heavy on me and after a beat I looked into his eyes. My breath hitched at the naked vulnerability in his eyes. He was always the fun, happy guy. To see him so open and sensitive, his every emotion laid bare… It was no wonder this man had written so many amazing songs. “Cole’s right. It’s not a line. It’s the truth.”
A huge grin swept across his face before he kissed me again—long and hard.
After a minute, I realized the clicking sound I heard wasn’t the fridge. I pulled back and saw Jace with his phone up, taking pictures of us.
What the hell?
“Here. Take a look.” Jace held his phone out. “Maybe there’s one there you’d like to post with the announcement.”
Shaking my head, I got back to making breakfast. “I’ll let you handle that, Cole. Jace, are you good with avocado toast? Maybe with an egg on top? I like mine poached.”
“Sure. Sounds good,” Jace answered before bending toward Cole. “She cooks too? You better lock that shit down, bro.”
All the gloom from this morning was gone. I was grinning as I made breakfast for the guys and humming along to “ My Gift Is You .”
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