Chapter 10
Gavin
Ryan turned to Allie with a flirty grin. “You two want to join us?”
She flicked her gaze to me, silently asking what I thought. I lifted a shoulder. “I’ll go, but I’m not singing.”
Her eyes sparkled. “We’ll see about that. I’m sure after some drinks, I can convince you.”
“Doubtful,” I muttered.
Cole smirked, and damn if that didn’t cause my face to heat. He was too good-looking to grin like that and not expect a reaction. “You don’t have to sing,” he said reassuringly. “Just hang out and have a drink.”
“I can do that,” I replied. “But if anyone tries to hand me a microphone, I’m outta there.”
Allie ignored me, already looking back at Ryan. “I’ll need some time to get ready, but we can meet you there.”
“Great. I need a shower anyway. Does seven work?” he asked.
“Yep.” She nodded. “See you then.”
Cole and Ryan headed to their trucks while Allie and I made our way back inside.
I took a minute to look around. We would need to move a lot of stuff out.
Allie thought it would be better to get all new furniture, and while I agreed things needed to be updated, all I saw were the dollar signs adding up.
“C’mon, we’ve got to get ready. We don’t want to keep those two sexy men waiting.” Allie shoved me lightly toward the stairs.
“You sure you want to go out? We’ve got a long drive tomorrow to get you home.”
“It’ll only take four hours, and don’t even act like you don’t want to see more of Cole.”
I narrowed my eyes. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
“Oh, really.” She crossed her arms over her chest. “You’ve been sneaking glances at him all day.”
“I wasn’t—”
“Please.” She sighed. “You were practically drooling when he used his shirt to wipe the sweat off his face.”
“I didn’t drool.”
“I said practically.” She grinned. “The point is, you weren’t exactly subtle, Gav. I saw you checking him out more than once.”
“Fine,” I relented. “He’s attractive. No one would argue with that.”
“He’s hot as hell,” she corrected. “But not quite as hot as Ryan.”
“Whatever.” I shook my head. “Don’t forget we saw Cole out with a woman, so my admitting anything doesn’t really matter. It was just nice having some eye candy while I worked my ass off.”
She rolled her eyes. “And now you can spend the night staring at your eye candy while I get my flirt on with Ryan.”
“Unless he brings his coffee date to the bar,” I muttered under my breath.
“Stop being a downer and go get ready.”
I did as she said because even if I wasn’t going to get lucky, I would always be her wingman.
* * *
We walked into the bar at a quarter after seven. The place looked like it hadn’t been updated in the last two decades and smelled like cheap beer, but there was a decent crowd scattered around. Apparently, karaoke night was a big deal in Brookhaven.
“They’re over there.” Allie nudged my side and pointed at a table against the back wall.
My gaze landed on Cole, and I paused mid-step.
He may have looked good in flannel, but he looked even better with a dark gray Henley clinging to him in all the right places.
Other than Ryan sitting across from him, he was alone.
Unfortunately, judging by the way half the women in the bar were sneaking glances, I wasn’t the only one who noticed.
“You’re staring again.” She snickered.
I didn’t bother denying it and forced myself to move in their direction.
“Hey, you guys made it,” Ryan said. “I was worried you city folks got lost on your way over.”
“Nah,” Allie replied as we sat. “Gavin just takes forever when he’s trying to look good.”
I kicked her shin under the table. “Pretty sure I was waiting on you while you tried on every outfit in your suitcase.”
Ryan smiled at her, seemingly unbothered by our playful back and forth. “It was worth the wait. Can I get you something to drink?”
“Sure, but I don’t know what I want yet. I’ll go with you to the bar.” She glanced at me. “Want me to get you something while I’m up there?”
I nodded. “I’ll take a martini.”
Allie and Ryan walked away, and when I turned to Cole, he was grinning.
“What?” I leaned back in my chair, trying to act unaffected by having his full attention on me.
“I doubt that martini is going to taste anything like what you’re used to in New York. This isn’t exactly a top-shelf kind of place.”
I smirked. “Guess I’ll find out.”
He chuckled. “Just don’t say I didn’t warn you.”
The KJ’s voice rang out over the sound system after a country song I wasn’t familiar with ended. “Next up on stage is Holly with a little Shania Twain. There’s still plenty of open spots on the sign-up sheet for the rest of you, so don’t be shy.”
Allie and Ryan returned just in time for Holly’s enthusiastic, albeit off-key, rendition of “Man! I Feel Like a Woman.”
Allie placed a drink in front of me, and I eyed the single tiny olive suspiciously. “That’s a martini?”
Cole let out a husky laugh. “I’m surprised they even had any garnish for your fancy drink.”
“Cheers to small-town cocktails.” I held up my drink and then took a sip. Surprisingly, it wasn’t as bad as I had anticipated.
“How is it?” Cole asked.
“I’ve had worse.”
Holly finished her song, and the KJ took the mic back.
“Okay, let’s hear it for Holly.” Several patrons clapped despite the pitchy singing.
“We’re going to take a short break and play some music from the pros for a bit, but when we come back, our next performer will be Cole Maddox singing ‘I’ll Be’ by Edwin McCain. ”
The place erupted in cheers, and I lifted a brow. “You sing?”
He took a long pull of his beer and shrugged. “Sometimes.”
“Don’t let this guy fool you. He’s got the voice of an angel,” Ryan teased.
Cole snorted. “Shut up.”
The KJ began playing an eighties rock song, and Ryan leaned toward Allie. “You wanna dance?”
“Absolutely.” She slid out of her chair and let him take her hand, leaving me alone with Cole again.
For a few moments, neither of us said anything. Since I hated awkward silences, I decided it was a good time to tell him what I’d be doing for the next few days. “Just so you know, I’m leaving tomorrow to drive Allie back to New York, so I won’t be around at the inn.”
He lifted a brow. “You’re coming back though, right?”
“That’s the plan, but will I be in the way when you take down all the walls and stuff?”
He thought for a second. “We can leave the kitchen and the bedroom you’re staying in alone until the end. That way you have a place to eat, sleep, and work.”
I nodded. “Okay. I’ll be back on Saturday. That’ll give me enough time to take care of a few things since it looks like I’ll be staying here for a while.”
“Sounds good,” he said. “You’ll also make it back for the annual tree lighting.”
“Tree lighting? Like the one they do in Rockefeller Center?”
Allie and I always made it a point to play tourist for a day every Christmas and do things like take a picture in front of the giant tree and check out all of the window displays along Fifth Avenue. So I was curious how a small town would measure up.
“Nothing quite on that scale.” He smiled. “Our tree is about a quarter of the size and our crowd’s even smaller, but we enjoy it.”
The song ended, and the KJ called Cole’s name. Once again, everyone cheered, and I could see a hint of red on his cheeks. I didn’t understand how a guy could look so confident yet surprised by the reaction he got from the crowd.
“Break a leg,” I told him, grinning. “Actually, don’t do that. I don’t want to have to search for another handyman.”
“I see how it is. You’re just using me for physical labor.” He winked.
“Not just for that.” It was my turn to blush. Before I got carried away imagining exactly the sort of physical labor I wouldn’t mind using him for, he turned to walk toward the stage.
He grabbed the microphone as the music began to play.
It turned out Ryan wasn’t joking about Cole’s singing abilities.
I sat there frozen as his deep, smooth voice filled the entire bar, and all conversations stopped.
He was singing about being the greatest fan of someone’s life, and it wasn’t just the lyrics that captivated me.
It was the way he owned the stage while making it look effortless.
Every time his eyes swept the room, I caught his gaze for a second before he moved on.
Around me, couples danced, but my attention stayed on him, and for a moment, I could almost pretend he was singing only to me.
Much too soon, the music came to an end, and Cole set the mic back on the stand. People patted his back and gave him high-fives as he weaved through the crowd on the way back to the table.
I lifted my glass when he sat back down. “Not bad,” I deadpanned.
His brow arched. “Not bad?”
“Fine.” I leaned in. “You sounded amazing. I just didn’t take you for a guy who needed their ego stroked.”
“Didn’t say I needed anything,” he teased. “But I didn’t miss you watching me intently.”
Guess Allie was right; I wasn’t very subtle.
“The lights in here must have been playing tricks on you.” I grinned. “I barely noticed you up there.”
He took a long pull of his beer. “Sure. You keep telling yourself that.”
A few seconds later, Allie and Ryan returned.
“Damn, Cole. I doubt anyone is going to want to follow that performance,” Allie gushed.
“I’m sure there’s enough drunk people in here willing to get up there.” Cole snorted.
We chatted for a while longer, but eventually, Ryan wrapped an arm around Allie’s shoulders. “I think we’re going to head out.”
Cole shook his head with a laugh. “Yeah, I’d better get home too. I’ve got a job to do tomorrow, and someone is ditching me to head back to the city.”
I clapped him on the shoulder. “I’m sure you can handle things just fine.”
When we reached our vehicles, Allie stopped beside Ryan’s passenger door. To me, she said, “Don’t wait up.” Then with a wink, she climbed in.
I may not have been about to get lucky, but I was happy for my friend who seemed to be getting her own small-town romance even if it was just for one night.
Just as I was getting into my car, Cole called out to me. “Will you still be at the inn when I get there in the morning?”
I flashed him a smile. “Doubt that one”—I pointed in the direction Allie had ridden off with Ryan—“will be back early, so probably.”
He nodded. “See you tomorrow then.”
* * *
Early the next morning, I was loading up my car for the trip back to New York City when Ryan’s truck finally pulled up.
Allie didn’t immediately get out, and as I closed my trunk, I caught my bestie making out with him in the front seat of his vehicle and fogging up his windows.
When she finally came up for air, she spotted me and had the audacity to open the door and wave.
“Do you need a few more minutes? Or a cold shower, maybe?” I teased.
She slid out of his truck with zero shame, smoothing out her clothes she’d been wearing the night before like she hadn’t just been playing tonsil hockey in the parking lot. “I definitely need a shower,” she said before looking back at Ryan. “Maybe I’ll see you the next time I’m in town.”
He leaned over the center console. “Looking forward to it, and I’ll see you, Gavin, when you get back.”
“Aren’t you staying to help Cole again today?”
He nodded. “Yeah, but I need to swing by the shop for a bit. I already told him I’ll be back in an hour or two.”
“Cool. Later,” I replied, giving him a head nod before Allie and I walked inside.
The second the door shut behind us, I arched a brow. “That didn’t take long. You were here less than a week, and you already got your Hallmark moment.”
“Please,” she scoffed. “What we did last night would get us banned from the airwaves.”
I groaned. “Too much information. It was bad enough seeing you with your tongue halfway down his throat.”
“Someone’s jealous,” she singsonged as she headed for the stairs.
“Hardly,” I lied because damn it, I wanted to be making out with my own small-town hero.
“Well, you can continue living in denial. I’m going to take a shower. We can hit the road in thirty.”
“Okay, I’ll make us some coffee while you’re in there.”
I’d just finished preparing two travel mugs when Cole showed up to start the day. I headed outside so I could chat with him before getting on the road. “Are you always this punctual?” I asked as I rounded the corner where the new porch would eventually be.
He shrugged. “If you’re not early, you’re late.”
“Oh.” I rolled my eyes playfully. “You’re one of those.”
“One of what?” A hint of a smile crossed his face.
“An early riser.” I took a sip of my drink. “I’m more of a wake-up-whenever sort of guy.”
“You’ve been up early the last couple of mornings,” he pointed out.
“Yeah, but don’t expect that to continue. I live by a much more casual schedule.”
“Casual?” His brow quirked.
“I’m a writer. My job doesn’t start until my brain decides it’s ready, and since I only answer to myself, I can make my own hours.”
He tilted his head. “What do you write?”
“Queer romance novels.”
I watched him closely to see how he reacted. My friends and parents had all been supportive when I started my writing journey, but I’d have been lying if I’d said I hadn’t had a few negative reviews or comments on social media simply because of my characters’ sexuality.
“That’s cool, and even better you can make a career out of it. I imagine not many people are able to do that.”
I wasn’t exactly sure what I’d been expecting, but I shouldn’t have been surprised by his easy acceptance. For the little bit of time I’d spent with him, he seemed like a good guy.
Before I could think of something clever to say, Allie came around the inn, her dark hair piled into a messy bun on the top of her head, and her two bags in hand.
“Ready?” she called.
“Yep.” I glanced back at Cole. “Guess that’s my cue to leave.”
He gave me a small nod. “Drive safe.”
“Thanks.” I smiled. “See ya in a couple of days.”
Allie and I loaded up her things and started down Cedar Street.
I should’ve been looking forward to the trip home, or at the very least, thinking about all of the things I needed to do while I was there.
Instead, I was already counting down the days until I’d be back at the B&B, back to renovations, and back to seeing Cole.