Filed to story: My Life with the Walter Boys Book (I & II) PDF Free
Lee frowned. “Did you give him the keys?”
Since Danny left and Cole had his own car, the keys to the truck were passed down to the next Walter in line, which was Isaac. For the past week and a half, however, Alex had been driving us to and from school because Katherine revoked Isaac’s driving privileges as part of his punishment.
Alex flushed and scratched the back of his head. “Yeah, at lunch, but he said he’d be back before fifth period. I didn’t think he’d dip and leave us stranded.”
“Seriously, Alex?” Lee snapped. “You’re such a moron.”
“I’m sorry, okay? He wanted some Taco Bell. Who am I to stand between a man and his Crunchwrap Supreme?”
While Alex and Lee continued trading insults, Nathan pulled out his phone. “I’ll call Cole. Tony’s isn’t far.”
Ten minutes later, the Buick tore into the parking lot, windows rolled down and music blaring.
“Hurry up, kiddies,” Cole said in way of greeting. He was wearing his work coveralls, and there was a smear of grease on his forehead. “I’m burning my break for this.”
Not wanting to get stuck up front with him, I scrambled in behind
Nathan when he put down the passenger seat and climbed into the back. Once I buckled my seat belt and got comfortable, I looked up, caught Cole’s gaze in the rearview mirror, and realized my mistake. While sitting in the back put distance between us, it also placed Cole at the forefront of my field of view.
As if he doesn’t already live in the front of my mind rent-free.
The other boys settled into their seats as I silently cursed Isaac Walter.
Despite his demand that we be quick, Cole seemed at ease as he hummed along with the radio, his fingers drumming the rhythm of an unfamiliar song against the steering wheel. His sleeves were rolled up, and although I tried hard to resist, my gaze kept returning to his exposed forearms. He must have felt me watching, because his eyes found mine in the rearview mirror again.
My breath hitched. For the first time in over a week, Cole was regarding me with a look that could be considered something other than cold disdain. I wouldn’t go as far as to call it a positive expression—guarded was a better description—but there was a smug quality to the way his lips twitched. The tension in my shoulders loosened in relief; I could handle an arrogant Cole Walter. It was his factory setting, something I’d been dealing with from day one.
The drive was quiet by Walter standards, and I couldn’t tell if that was a factor in the building tension between Cole and myself as we stole glances at each other through the mirror.
From beside me, Alex cleared his throat. “Turn up the radio, will you?” he asked his older brother.
As soon as Cole complied, Alex nudged me in the side. His gaze moved from me to the driver’s seat, his eyebrows raised in question.
“Everything okay?” His unspoken words were clear—
Everything okay with you two?
I gave him a reassuring nod. While everything was definitely not okay, I couldn’t talk about it now, not when Cole was trapped in the car with us. Alex looked like he wanted to push the topic further, so I pointedly avoided his gaze. Thankfully, he took the hint.
The car fell silent again save for the radio, and I spent the rest of the drive resisting the urge to look at Cole. He was watching me, I could tell. Would he be wearing that smug look, or had his expression turned sour again? I only allowed myself to glance up once the house came into view; if there was a scowl aimed in my direction, I could run away the moment we arrived. But Cole wasn’t glaring. His expression wasn’t smug either. I couldn’t quite decipher the look behind his eyes, but it was enough to make my stomach flip.
“Jesus, let me outta here,” Lee demanded before the Buick was even in park. “All this sexual tension is suffocating. Can’t you two bang it out already? It’s getting old.”
My entire body froze as mortification washed over me. Everyone quickly vacated the car—Nathan even climbed over me in an effort to escape when I didn’t move—until only Cole and I remained. After a long moment, Cole got out and pushed down his seat. Then, in a gesture I wasn’t expecting, he held out his hand. Despite my embarrassment, I placed my hand in his and let him pull me from the car.
When I finally looked up to meet his gaze, he smiled at me. It was small and tight, but there was no arrogance behind it.
“Come on. I’ll walk you to the door,” he said, nodding toward the house as if I didn’t know the way.
The gesture felt like a peace offering, so I fell into step beside him. Neither of us spoke, the silence highlighted by the crunch of gravel under our feet as we made our way up the front walk. I debated potential conversation topics in my head, but was too afraid of saying the wrong thing. In the end, I waited for Cole to speak first.
“How’s being back at school?”
“Good,” I said, letting out a relieved breath. This was safe subject matter, easy even. I might bore Cole to death, but I could talk about classes, homework, and studying until I was blue in the face. “I joined student council.”
He snorted. “No surprise there, Little Miss Overachiever.”
“Erin’s running for president, and I’m her campaign manager,” I shot back.
How’s that for surprising?
Cole fumbled with his car keys, which he’d been twirling around his finger. “You and
Erin?”
I nodded. “The election is this Friday.”
“Well,” he said after a moment, “all I can say about that is I’m glad I graduated. You two are going to terrorize the school.”
“Excuse me?” I stopped on the bottom porch step and turned to face him. Even with the added elevation, Cole was still taller than me.
“I bet there’ll be a no-talking-in-the-hallway rule by the end of the month to prevent bullying and create an environment conducive to learning,” Cole replied, his eyes sparkling as he held in his laughter. “Endless fundraisers, a new dress code, and heath initiatives or some other bullshit.”
“Health initiatives?”
“Yeah, like mandatory Pilates or replacing soda in vending machines with vitamin water.”
I wrinkled my nose. “You’re ridiculous.”
He pushed his bangs out of his face and grinned at me. “I have to get back to work. See you later, New York.”
Momentarily dazzled by the sight of a real Cole Walter smile—eyes crinkled at the corners, singular dimple on display—I watched him walk away without offering a parting response. My brain didn’t reboot until he was halfway down the walk, so I kept my mouth shut instead of calling out a dumb goodbye ten seconds too late.
The past five minutes felt like a vivid dream or a brief window into an alternate reality where Cole and I were still on speaking terms, because there was no way the two of us had a real conversation. It was hard enough to believe Cole had been a gentleman by helping me out of the car and walking me to the door, but him speaking actual English words to me? Impossible.
Hell, the two of us bantered.