Chapter 20 #2
I frowned at my phone, but Jules knocked on my window with a guilty expression on her face. Grabbing my purse, I got out of the car.
“Don’t be mad,” she said, looking at the ground and not my face.
“Okay, please don’t tell me you decided on Mexican food. I was really looking forward to sushi.”
Jules looked up, a small smile on her face. “Cole called. I thought he was going to be working late, but some of his meetings got canceled.”
“Easton called while I was in the car, too, and he said something like that.”
“I invited him to dinner. Please don’t be mad. I’m the worst friend in the world.”
Holy shit, this woman is gone for him.
“It’s fine. But you’re buying.”
“Fuck that. If I’m allowing him to crash my sushi date with you, his ass will be buying.”
We linked arms, walking into the restaurant grinning the whole way. Cole showed up five minutes later, but he wasn’t alone. Easton slid into the booth next to me, kissing my cheek.
“Fancy seeing you here,” I said, kissing his cheek back. My stomach was wrangling the butterflies that had been set loose, and from the tingling it wasn’t doing a very good job.
“I told you I would see you soon.” He grabbed his menu, his leg plastered to mine.
I figured out he wasn’t working when I heard him texting on the phone, he was plotting with Cole. I wasn’t sure if I was happy Easton crashed our dinner or not.
A realization hit me as we ordered our food. I was going to have to break it off with Easton soon. He didn’t do relationships, and I was becoming more aware that I couldn’t convince my heart or brain that this wasn’t permanent.
“What’s wrong?” Easton asked, tuned into my moods, making me even more heartbroken.
“Nothing, just tired.”
“I’ll give you a massage later. Would you like to go to my house tonight?”
My body jolted. Easton had been showing up at my house since we started our arrangement.
This was the first time he had asked if I wanted to go to his house.
My brain knew I should say no and that this would bring my feelings closer to the surface, but my heart refused to listen to any sense my brain was throwing at it.
Maybe his house would be a pigsty or his décor would be so off-putting that it would alter my feelings for him and breaking this off would be easier.
So, I am officially delusional, cool.
“Yes, I drove so I can follow you.”
Easton nudged my leg under the table.
“I’m ordering sake,” Jules announced as we perused the menu, deciding what rolls we wanted.
“I’m driving, so none for me,” I explained, trying to put cheer into my voice so Easton or Jules wouldn’t pick up on my mood.
“Go for it, babe. I rode with Easton, so I can drive you home,” Cole told Jules, punctuating his offer with a kiss on the side of her head.
We ordered way too much. All of us were leaned back in the booth, disgusted and proud of the amount of food we’d just consumed.
“I’m so jealous of you two,” Jules said, her cheeks red from the sake. “You have the perfect arrangement. No feelings, just sex. Why can’t we be like that?” She turned to look at Cole, whose jaw was clenched so tight I worried about his back molars.
“I assure you they are just as oblivious as you are,” Cole finally answered her.
I cocked my head to the side, confused at his words. Easton’s jaw now matched Cole’s in the clenched department. I wondered if between the two of them, they were going to pay for the down payment for their dentist’s new yacht.
“Don’t project your shit on me, Fox,” Easton said, staring hard at his best friend.
“You’re an idiot,” Cole told Easton before turning back to Jules. “And I can’t do no feelings because I’m so fucking in love with you there is no way to turn it off. And I’m pretty sure you’re in love with me, too.”
My hand latched on to Easton’s leg. This was bad. Jules didn’t like to be cornered, and Cole just blurted out the one thing that hit my best friend’s self-destruct button.
“You’re not in love with me. And I assure you I’m not in love with you.” Jules stood up, her face bright red, and I wasn’t sure if it was from the sake anymore.
“I’m out of here. It was fun, Loverboy, but obviously I overstayed my welcome. I promise you are not in love with me, and if you are, I hope you get over me fast because this is over.” Jules stomped out of the restaurant with everyone watching.
Cole sat calmly like he didn’t just declare his love to Jules and have her walk out on him. My fingers still dug into Easton’s thigh.
Before I break it off with him, I need to sink my teeth into his thighs.
“Cole,” I began, not knowing what to say.
I didn’t think my epic peptalk that I’d been practicing about Jules’ insecurities, and if he just rode it out it was going to work out between them if he was patient with her, would work. Jules had broken it off with Cole. Her asshat ex had struck again.
“It’s okay, Rachel. She’ll be back.”
A snort left my mouth. Obviously, Cole was in deep denial about Jules, which was understandable. Cole hadn’t been around after her ex had broken her spirit and made it impossible for her to love. He hadn’t seen her go through men faster than napkins at a wings restaurant.
“Cole,” I started again, but stopped when I watched my best friend stomp back toward us.
The smile that had been playing on Cole’s face disappeared and he refused to look up when Jules made it to our table.
“I’ve been drinking,” she said.
Cole refused to look at her.
“It would be irresponsible for me to drive. You already said you’d drive me home, and I agreed. There’s no reason for us to change our plans just because I’m done with you.”
Cole finally looked at Jules, his face stoic. “You’re not an idiot, Jules. You can get a ride from Rachel. She hasn’t had a drop to drink, and you two live across from each other.”
Jules threw her hands up in the air in exasperation. “Rachel is going to Easton’s house tonight.”
I opened my mouth to tell her that I would take her home, but Easton’s hand landed on mine and pressed it deeper into his thigh, signaling me to shut up and let it play out.
I would listen to him for now, but my loyalty was still with Jules. If Jules needed a ride, I would give it to her, Easton be damned.
“Once again, Jules, you aren’t an idiot. You can order an Uber.”
Jules stomped her foot, appearing to a have regressed back to a toddler state. I wanted so bad to interject and give her a way out, but Cole seemed to have Jules figured out.
“I don’t want to order an Uber. I’d like you to take me home as we originally planned.”
I sucked in a breath.
Holy shit, Cole does know what he’s doing.
“Why?” he asked her calmly.
Jules let her head tip back as she stared at the ceiling. Cole waited patiently.
“Because I’m not ready for this to be over.”
“Not good enough,” Cole replied.
“Because I think I might have some miniscule feelings for you, okay?”
“Nope, still not good enough. I’m done hiding my feelings for you. I’m in love with you and you’re in love with me, just admit it. I know I told you I’m not going anywhere and I’ll give you all the time you need to come to terms with us, but I lied.”
“You lied?” Jules asked incredulously.
“Yes. Admit you’re in love with me, or I will call you an Uber and pay for it like the gentleman I am. But that is the only thing I’m calling.”
Jules’ head dropped down in a dramatic fashion, her eyes locked on Cole’s. Cole didn’t move a muscle, he just watched her, waiting.
My heart pounded in my chest. I didn’t know if it was the right move pushing Jules the way he was, but I also didn’t expect her to come back to the restaurant. Cole had changed Jules. He’d altered her, and I wanted so badly for him to win. For them both to win.
As they stared at each other, the people in the restaurant lost interest and went back to their food. My hand was sweaty on Easton’s thigh, but he continued to hold it to him.
Jules sat down next to Cole, tears pooled in her eyes. “Fine, I fucking love you. Is that what you wanted to hear?”
Tears burned up my throat. Cole had broken through my best friend’s walls, and I was so fucking happy for her. I refused to think of Easton and our fucked-up rebound agreement, this was Jules’ moment.
Cole kissed the tip of her nose. “It’s exactly what I wanted to hear. I’m sorry I pushed you,” he said, his lips plastered to hers.
I looked away, giving them some modicum of privacy.
“No, you’re not,” she replied.
He laughed. “No, I’m not.”
“If you break my heart, Cole Fox, I can’t promise you will continue breathing on this Earth,” Jules threatened.
“I would sharpen the knife and hand it to you,” Cole answered with another kiss. This one was not PG.
Cole pulled out his wallet, but Easton stopped him with the hand that wasn’t still plastered to mine on his thigh.
“It’s my treat.”
Easton and Cole looked at each other and had a silent conversation.
I looked at Jules, who was crying and smiling. I kicked her under the table. “I’m proud of you,” I mouthed.
“I’m scared,” she mouthed back.
“That means it’s worth it.”
She blew me a kiss as Cole guided her out of the restaurant.
Easton got up to pay, and I fiddled with my phone, not really doing anything but not knowing what else to do.
Watching my best friend’s walls crumble for a man who earned her love was one of the best things I’d ever witnessed. Jules deserved to be loved by someone, and that someone was Cole, but didn’t I deserve love, too?
I was so engrossed in my thoughts that Easton startled me when he reached out his hand. I hesitated before taking it. Seeing Jules and Cole together verified that it was time to relinquish my arrangement with Easton.