CHAPTER 38
Cole
The night hums with noise and light, bass thrumming steady under my skin. I push through the door into the warm November night, relishing the reprieve. One slow sip of beer clears my head, and somewhere behind me, the muffled cheer of the crowd swells.
Tonight is bigger than I expected. The thought of our success pales in comparison to having Quinn at my side. If someone had told me all those years ago I’d be here with her now, I would’ve laughed.
Every corner inside carries her mark: light angled just right, bursts of colour softening brick and timber into something alive. I can build walls and lay floors, but she’s the reason people lean in at the bar, linger, leave already planning to return.
Packing up my tools should feel like victory, the final act before a year away.
Instead, there’s a countdown in my head: a few more weeks with Quinn.
A few more mornings of sawdust and paint, tools thudding between our conversations as the auction date rushes closer.
I dread waking without her at my side—the best part of my day.
No matter where the night starts, it always ends with her curled against me.
And when she’s swallowed by my hoodie, my scent wrapped close, it’s impossible not to imagine she’s already mine.
“Are you ready?”
Her voice snaps me out of the thought. I turn, breath catching when I see her. Loose curls catch the light, framing the line of her bare shoulders. That red dress clings like it were made for her, slick over every curve.
“You look… incredible,” I manage to rasp.
She leans on the railing, but her shoulder brushes mine, a whisper of contact that sparks low and hot.
“I know, you’ve told me at least fifteen times already,” she teases.
“Well, I mean it.” I lift my glass, sip to steady myself.
“How are you feeling? Overthinking yet? Or just worried Chad’s going to cause a PR nightmare?” she asks, running her tongue along the salted rim of her margarita before sipping gingerly.
“He says any publicity is good publicity,” I mutter. “But I’m counting on Sophie to keep him in line one last time.”
“Exactly! I told you she’d give you a night off from babysitting. That’s what friends do.” She bumps my shoulder, then smooths an invisible crease from my sleeve. “We help each other.”
Her touch burns even after she pulls away. I swallow, then force words out. “Thank you again. None of this would’ve been possible without you.”
“You’ve got to give yourself more credit. You built this place! I told Sophie whoever managed to get the smell of feet and vomit out of here deserves an award.”
“Oh yeah?” I raise a brow. “So what’s the reward?”
Her mouth curves, teeth catching her bottom lip. My gaze sticks there too long before I drag it back. She notices and shakes her head, still smiling. “I said award.”
“Same same,” I joke.
“Well, you get…” She leans in, eyes sparkling. “To pick a movie for movie night.”
“But we don’t have a movie night?”
“Well, we do now. Should I queue up The Notebook?”
“You remembered.” My cheeks warm, restless energy buzzing through me. My fingers drum against the beer bottle.
“Of course.” She beams.
“You know, being back here with you reminds me of that first night,” I tell her, taking a sip of beer as memories crowd in. Six years ago, when she first carved her way into my heart, and a few months ago, when I knew I wanted her to stay there.
“Mm-hmm.” Her hazel eyes glint, daring. “I bet I can guess what you’re thinking about.”
“Oh yeah?” My pulse kicks hard, heat rising in my chest.
“Was it when I sat on your lap and you almost kissed me?”
Fuck. She always knows. Maybe the words are written all over my face. It’s hard to think straight with her this close, smiling like that, eyes locked on mine.
I smirk and tip my glass. “Well, I was going to say when Chad almost lost that dare to Sophie.”
“Oh, I don’t buy that for a second.” She crosses her arms, leaning back on the railing. “When do you ever reminisce about Chad?”
“You got me there.” I huff out a sardonic laugh. “But you’re right… I was thinking about truth or dare too. And for the record, you were the one staring at my mouth.”
“Was not.”
“You totally were.”
Her eyes flick over my face, softer now, like she’s picturing it too. For a moment we’re back in that booth, her weight in my lap, the room shrinking around us.
“Luckily we didn’t go through with it,” she says at last.
I tip back the last of my beer, glass cold against my lips. “Yeah, you’re probably right.”
“I mean, it would’ve made our arrangement way too complicated.”
She’s right. It’s already hard enough keeping from kissing her when the thought haunts me constantly. Knowing what her lips feel like? Impossible.
“I wouldn’t change this for the world.” The confession slips out with a grin, and I instantly regret it.
“Me either.” Her eyes catch mine, sparkling. “You ready to go back out there?”
“Yeah, I might check the guest list. You coming?”
“I’ll find Sophie and meet you at the bar in fifteen.”
“Sounds good.” I raise my beer. She clinks her margarita against it, the sound pealing out sharply in the night.
It’s only when I watch her walk away that I remember it’s bad luck to cheers with an empty drink.