Filed to story: My Life with the Walter Boys Book (I & II) PDF Free
“Yeah,” I said, then shook my head when Nick silently offered me a beer. “I got in yesterday.”
“Ugh, I’m so jealous,” she said, plopping down on Jim/Tim’s lap to make room for me and Cole. “I wish I could jet off to somewhere fun like New York for the summer.”
Even with the space she freed up, I doubted the two of us would fit. Cole sat down, and when I hesitated, he rolled his eyes, tucked me into his side, and draped an arm over the back of the bench. Once I was settled (and striving to ignore the way his body was pressed against mine from shoulder to knee), he accepted a beer from Nick and popped the tab one-handed.
“Kate,” Molly said with a pointed look. “Don’t be annoying. You’re leaving for Southern Cal in less than a week while the rest of us will be stuck here attending dinky state colleges.”
Nick spoke up. “Actually, I’m going to—“
“UF, we know,” Bryan/Ryan said. “We’ve all heard it a million times. If I have to listen to you suck Florida’s dick one more time, I’m going to drown myself in the hot tub.”
“Some of us still have to finish high school,” Jet grumbled under his breath.
“In what universe is Boulder a dinky state college?” Kate asked. “It’s literally the largest university in Colorado. You’re just pissed you didn’t get into Berkeley.”
A guy I didn’t recognize with curly brown hair threw his arm over Molly’s shoulder, his gaze briefly meeting Cole’s before he offered her a sympathetic smile. “Hey, cheer up. The three of us will have a blast.”
Molly sighed and leaned her head against his chest. “Yeah, I know.” She was quiet for a moment before looking over at Cole. “When are you moving into the dorms?”
Cole took a sip of his beer before responding. “This Thursday. You?”
Even though I wouldn’t allow this thing between us to develop into something more, my heart still sank hearing his answer. Cole would be gone in less than a week.
***
The conversation about college carried on into the night, and even though I couldn’t contribute much since I still had two more years of high school, I was content to sit and listen. Cole was unusually reticent as well, only chiming in when someone asked him a question. He spent the night staring at the fire and absentmindedly tracing patterns on the side of my arm.
“Hey,” I whispered, gently nudging him in the side. “You okay?”
“I’m sorry. I promised you a fun night, but”—he yawned—“I’m beat.”
“That’s okay. Why don’t you go home and get some rest?”
“But you’re finally back,” he said, burying his face in my hair with a sleepy smile, “and I wanted to—God, you smell like vanilla and citrus. Is that your shampoo?”
“Perfume,” I replied, and he hummed in acknowledgment. I waited for him to continue explaining whatever it was that he wanted, but instead of saying anything, he let out another yawn, then nuzzled closer like he was preparing to nap on my shoulder. “Cole, are you still with me?”
The party was dying down, but over on the patio, someone shrieked with laughter.
“No,” he grumbled, “so I suppose going to bed isn’t a terrible idea, but how are you getting back to the ranch? Do you need a ride?”
“Alex is taking me.” I glanced around in search of him, but he and Kim must have left at some point because I didn’t see them anywhere.
That jolted Cole awake. “Nope, definitely not.” He untangled himself from me, slammed the rest of his beer, and stood with newfound energy. “Let’s go,” he said, offering me a hand up. “I’m driving you back.”
I opened my mouth to respond, but the gleam in his eyes was steely. He always got like this when it came to his brother, stupidly headstrong and impulsive, so I didn’t bother arguing. We said our goodbyes, all Cole’s friends promising to meet up a final time before leaving for their colleges, and then we made the short walk to the Gas Exchange where the Buick was parked. By the time we reached the ranch, it was almost ten o’clock.
Cole pulled up next to the shed and put the car in park. “Doesn’t look like anyone’s back yet,” he said, glancing over at the house. All the lights were off, which meant Katherine, George, and the younger kids were either still at the block party or already in bed. “You know where the key is, right?”
“Taped to the underside of the porch swing, but I doubt I’ll need it. Knowing your mom, she left the back door unlocked.”
“You’re probably right.” Cole rubbed the back of his neck and sighed. “Look, about tonight. I’m sorry if you thought the block party was dumb and that I basically fell asleep at the party, but I’ve spent all my time working this summer. I’m running on empty.”
“You shared some of your childhood memories with me. Why would I think that’s dumb?” I told him in earnest. Cole Walter could be a real asshole sometimes, but he was equally as sweet, especially when he wasn’t getting into pissing contests with Alex. “I’m glad I got to spend time with you.”
He reached across the console and knotted our fingers together. “You mean that?”
“I promise,” I said as he ran his thumb over my knuckles. He’d been incredibly touchy-feely tonight, more so than I remembered him being, and every brush and soft touch made my body feel like a live wire. The air was thick around us, and I knew I needed to get away from him before I did something I’d later regret. “I’m going to head in. See you tomorrow night at dinner?”
“Yeah, I’ll be there,” he replied, but when I tried to pull away, his grip tightened.
“Um, Cole?” I needed my hand back in order to leave. I glanced down at our entwined fingers, then back to him. The way he was gazing at me made my throat tighten. Even in the dark, his eyes were piercing.
“Can we talk then?” he asked. “About your summer and stuff?”
I cleared my throat, but my voice still came out raspy. “Y-yeah. Get some sleep, okay?”
Cole nodded, and this time, he let me go when I withdrew my hand. I offered him a parting smile and thanked him for driving me home, then unbuckled my seat belt and moved to open the door.
“Jackie, wait,” he said, taking hold of my arm.
When I glanced at him over my shoulder, Cole leaned forward and pressed his lips to mine.
Three
Three
The truth was, the summer hadn’t been easy. I’d never thought returning to the city I loved would be difficult. When Katherine offered to let me return to New York back in June, I seized the opportunity without consideration.
One of the first things I realized, however, was how many memories I had to face there. Returning to our apartment reminded me I would never again watch the nightly news with Dad or help Mom select a fabric for one of her upcoming designs. I’d never steal one of Lucy’s tops again, hear her laugh, or curl up on the couch with her for another
Twilight marathon. I thought I’d dealt with the worst of my grief, that I was well on my way to healing, only to be hit with the pain of it all over again.
The next thing that occurred to me? I was too overwhelmed to think about my feelings for Cole, let alone talk to him. Not when being back in the apartment felt like living with ghosts every day. By the time I felt less emotional and had my shit together, so much time had passed that doubts crept in. Sure, Cole was gorgeous, and we had good chemistry together. He also knew all the right things to say to make me melt, but he could be cruel and petty when it suited him. Would he want to talk to me after I’d gone radio silent? Was our connection real, or had I fallen for the Cole effect like Riley and Heather warned me I would?
The more I thought about it, the more I second-guessed everything. Because if my feelings weren’t as strong as I originally thought, what about Cole’s? Could I trust that his were genuine, or was I a shiny new toy, just another in a long line of girls whose proximity was convenient?