Chapter 20
TWENTY
COLTON
“She’s where?” I ask, nearly tripping over my own two feet as I walk through the kitchen pretending to busy myself with the fridge.
Maliah and Eliana both smirk while watching me, as if they’re in on some big secret that only they know about.
“On a date,” Eliana says.
“With coffee shop guy,” Maliah adds, eyes sparkling with amusement.
“How do you two know about coffee shop guy?” I ask, trying my best to sound nonchalant as I examine the expiry date of one of the new milk cartons.
“She told us,” Maliah says. “Duh.”
Eliana covers her smirk with her palm, and forces herself to look anywhere but at me and I narrow my eyes as I look between her and Maliah.
“I’m guessing she told you about our fake dating arrangement too then?”
“Mhm,” Maliah says, leaning forward on the island, resting her chin in her palm and tapping the countertop with her free hand’s fingers. “She also told us how you got that black eye,” she adds, pointing to my face.
Just the mere mention of it causes the tender skin to throb painfully.
“Right. Thanks for the reminder.” I put back the milk and close the fridge. “I better get back to icing it,” I say, turning towards the stairs.
“It’s funny though,” she continues, as if she never heard me. “I couldn’t help but get the feeling that this fake dating arrangement isn’t all that fake for you.”
I frown, turning to look at her. “What are you talking about?”
She shrugs. “I’m just saying, you seem to be—”
“Say what you want to say, Maliah,” I interrupt, turning to face her. “You’re not one to beat around the bush.”
“He’s right,” Eliana whispers, earning a look from Mal.
“Fine,” she says, crossing her arms. “I think you like Kairi.”
I don’t say anything right away, holding her gaze. I could deny it, but Maliah is smart enough to see through any lie I try to feed her. But if I admit to it, there’s a high chance she’ll tell Kairi.
“And if I do?” I ask carefully. “What difference does it make? You both know she wants Zale.”
“I also know that Zale will never want her or love her in the way that she needs,” she says, studying me carefully, “the way she deserves.”
“And neither can I,” I say, turning again. “Coffee shop guy might be her best shot.”
I make it to the first step before she speaks again, my foot freezing mid-step.
“Are you really going to let her slip through your fingers, Colton?” she asks softly.
I stare at the wall in front of me for a long while before looking over my shoulder at her.
“She was never mine,” I say, with a forced smile. “It’s all fake, remember?”
I climb the rest of the stairs without a second glance and lock myself in my room. How is it that Maliah could see right through me, and she’s barely here? If she was able to put the pieces together so easily, what’s to say Kairi hasn’t done the same?
I hear the front door open and close, and when I peek out my window, I see both girls climbing into Maliah’s SUV before driving off.
I don’t waste any time as I grab my sunglasses, wallet, baseball cap, and keys to my truck off the dresser, and bolt down the stairs. I shove my feet into my sneakers and push my way out the front door, almost yelping when I come face to face with Maliah and Eliana.
“Going somewhere?” Eliana asks, her lip curving into a lopsided smile.
“I watched you two leave,” I say, my voice flat. “What are you doing back here?”
“My Maliah-senses were tingling so I turned around,” Maliah says with a smirk, tapping her temple. “Are you on your way to crash Kairi’s date?”
“No,” I mutter, rolling my eyes. “I was just…going to watch it.”
“Watch it?” Eliana asks, confused.
“Yeah.” I nod. “I’m still her love coach, and what if she needs my help on her date? Shouldn’t I be there to coach her through it?”
Maliah snorts. “What a load of bull—”
“Well how are you going to do that without interrupting the date?” Eliana interrupts, nudging Mal with her elbow.
I shrug. “Hand motions if I must.”
I try to push past them and get to my truck but Maliah quickly blocks me again. “We’re coming with you,” she declares.
“No you’re not,” I mutter, unlocking my doors and quickly jumping in.
But Maliah and Eliana are fast, they get a door open before I have a chance to hit the lock button and they slide their way into my truck with satisfied smiles, even going as far as to high five each other as I watch them in my rearview mirror.
“Why are you two coming?” I mutter, starting the engine.
“Because you can only coach her from a male's perspective,” Eliana says, buckling in. “She should have a female perspective too.”
“So you two want to become her love coaches too?”
Maliah shrugs. “Consider us love consultants.”
“Whatever.” I roll my eyes and reverse out of the driveway. Having them tag along isn’t the worst thing, especially because I have no idea where Kairi is. “Is the date at the coffee shop?”
“Nope,” Maliah says, popping the P. “He took her to the botanical garden on the edge of town.”
“Wait,” I glance at her in the review mirror. “Their date is in Saltwater Springs?”
They both nod in unison and I release a heavy sigh, running my fingers through my hair.
“Well, there goes the fake dating story,” I mutter, feeling like shit. “I can bet half the town is already talking about them.”
“Should’ve just taken her to dinner last week,” Maliah says, sounding bored. “You’re competing for her heart with not only Zale, but now coffee shop guy too.”
“There’s no competition,” I say firmly. “I’m not trying to win over Kairi’s heart.”
“Mhm,” she says, looking out the window with a small smile.
“Whatever you say,” Eliana adds with a nod of her head.
I grip the steering wheel tighter and keep my mouth shut the rest of the drive, refusing to play into their little mind games.
”Is that my dress?” Maliah whispers, as she watches Kairi from behind a tall section of sunflowers.
On the drive, her and Eliana changed into what they call disguises.
They’d planned to crash Kairi’s date with or without me, so they both brought bandanas to wear over their heads, as well as giant sunglasses.
In my opinion, they look more noticeable than without the dressing up, but then again I can’t say anything because I’m also wearing a disguise.
My face is hidden under the shadow of my baseball hat and sunglasses, and I’m also peeking at Kairi from behind the sunflowers..
“That’s definitely my dress,” she says again, with a quiet gasp. “When did she take that?”
Kairi is next to coffee shop guy, wearing a butter yellow milkmaid dress and bedazzled sandals. She rarely wears her curls loose, but today they’re flowing down her back and over her shoulders in soft curls.
“She hasn’t been over to your place in months,” I grumble. “If you’re only noticing it now that she’s wearing it then you clearly don’t need it.”
She gasps again before a smile curls on her lips. “How do you know it’s been months since she was last over?” Her eyebrow lifts, and her lips spread into a full grin. “Are you keeping tabs on her?”
My ears grow warm but I don’t look at her, keeping my eyes focused on Kairi. “No, she just mentioned it’d been a while.”
”Right,” she replies, dragging the word out.
“Guys, shush!” Eliana hisses. “I can’t focus on reading their lips.”
I snort. “There’s no way you can read lips.”
”I’ll prove it to you,” she says, lowering her sunglasses and looking at me with a challenging expression. “He just asked her if she wants to get some ice cream.”
I swallow. “Ice cream?”
“Ice cream,” she nods. “Kairi’s sweet spot.”
“Wow,” Maliah says, sounding genuinely surprised. “He’s really checking off her boxes.”
I glance back at where she stood but she’s no longer there. Her and the coffee shop guy are slowly walking towards the ice cream cart vendor down the trail. I can hear their laughter from all the way over here and my stomach starts to do flips that make me feel like throwing up.
Could I be witnessing the moment I lose her completely to another guy? Is this something I can really live with for the rest of my life?
“Let’s keep following them before we lose them,” Eliana whispers, grabbing onto both Maliah and I, dragging us down the path after them.