31. Cole
Cole
It’s been three days since the night Sloane, Freddie, and I decided to give dating a go. Which is laughable given the group chat has gone absolutely radio silent. No one’s said a word. It’s as if we are all waiting for the other to make the first move.
I’ll be damned if it’s me that pushes again. I’m the one who initiated the conversation. It’s up to one of them to actually get this thing off the ground.
I frown at the canvas in front of me. It’s taking shape bit by bit, but not in the way I expected. The colours are at war with each other, giving the piece an aggressive edge that I didn’t intend. There’s something charged about it.
I take a few steps back and take my glasses off. Sometimes it helps to see the colours with a bit of a blur about them to know if the piece is working. It does the trick, and I head over to my drawers to get the metallics and gold leaf for the finishing touches.
I’m just contemplating where to put them when my phone vibrates on my desk.
It’s Sloane. Just Sloane, one to one.
SLOANE
Hey handsome. How are you? Have you heard from Freddie lately?
I sigh and scrub a hand over my face. I haven’t shaved in a few days and the soft stubble of my beard has started to come through.
Hey. No, not heard from him. Maybe he’s been slammed at work?
SLOANE
Maybe.
We’re off to a great start, aren’t we?
SLOANE
Don’t know what you could possibly mean.
Ha.
There’s a pause and I’m about to say something else when I spot that she’s typing again.
SLOANE
Can I come over?
Of course. I’m just finishing up in the studio. Come whenever you like.
An hour later, after freshening up in the shower, I hear a knock on the door. Sloane appears, a slight frown on her face.
“Hey.” She leans up to give me a kiss on the cheek as I welcome her inside.
“Hey. Drink?”
“Sure.”
We get settled on the sofa with an alcohol-free beer each, and she pivots her body to face me.
“I think I owe you an apology.”
“I’m sure you don’t,” I reply, but I know where she’s going with this.
“That dare was really fucking stupid. I… I think it hurt you. And I wanted to apologise. It wasn’t my intention to be flippant with your heart.”
I swallow, and I see her eyes flit to my Adam’s apple before flicking back to my eyes.
“That obvious, huh?” The smile I give her is rueful but soft.
“I mean, it wasn’t before. It was only after. And maybe during… that I put it together.”
I sigh, pinching the bridge of my nose. How is it that I managed to keep those feelings under lock and key for over a decade and now both Jessie and Sloane have seen right through me?
“You don’t owe me any apologies,” I say, drawing in a long breath while I think.
“It’s been a really long time since those feelings were surfaced.
I should have known that our little liaison was bound to throw up some tricky moments.
It was always going to be complicated for me, but that doesn’t mean I don’t want to give this thing a proper go with both of you. I meant what I said.”
She lays a hand over mine. I turn it over to interlace our fingers.
“If I had realised, I would never have put you in that position, Cole. I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be sorry, firecracker. These are my issues.
The responsibility to manage them is mine alone.
And I don’t want you to be sorry for one second for the weird and wonderful thing we’ve got going here.
I’m not sorry I met you. I’m not sorry for all the incredible nights we’ve had together.
And I’m not sorry that Freddie kissed me.
But I’m worried he’s gone a bit quiet. It’s not like him. ”
She nods thoughtfully.
“I think maybe we need to plan a date night. Not another night in – somewhere out in the open. Let’s actually date. Get to know each other as a trio.”
“I’d love that.”
She pulls her phone out of her pocket and I watch as she brings up our group chat. I love the way her tongue pokes out slightly when she’s concentrating, a tiny crease between her eyebrows. She licks her lips absentmindedly and my cock perks up instantly.
A few moments later, my phone buzzes on the coffee table and I pick it up.
SLOANE
Anyone alive out there? I’ve got a craving for Mexican – fancy dinner? There’s a great place in the City that Emmy was raving about. Could go on Friday night? Date night…?
She pockets her phone and looks pointedly at mine. I dutifully reply.
I love Mexican. Sounds perfect.
We both sit back for a minute and wait. There’s a long pause, then our phones simultaneously ping at once.
FREDDIE
Are you inviting us to eat fish tacos, princess?
Sloane immediately groans.
SLOANE
Changed my mind, you’re not invited.
FREDDIE
Just kidding, baby. I’ll be there. Our first proper date night!
SLOANE
I know! Wear something slutty.
FREDDIE
I always do.
I snort a laugh and shake my head.
“He seems ok?” Sloane says, a question in her voice.
“Freddie will always tell you he’s ok. But this is a good start.”
She gives me a grateful smile and drains the rest of her beer.
“I’d love to stick around but…”
“Yeah, I get it.”
She smiles, then rises from the sofa. I stand too, and for a moment we’re both frozen in time, staring at each other. Then she reaches up and runs a thumb over my cheekbone.
“I’m glad I met you, Cole Avery,” she says softly.
“I’m glad I met you too, Sloane Reed.”
She reaches up on tiptoes to give me a soft kiss. No tongue, no heat. It’s another apology, even though I don’t need it.
Her perfume lingers long after she’s gone home.