Chapter Thirteen
Maddie stood in her own kitchen Friday night, fanning herself while fighting the urge to run. A twentieth look at the clock found it to be three minutes after six. Tyson would be there any time now, which she should be thrilled about. Only, she wasn’t, not after that kiss.
Her gaze instinctively drifted to the scarecrow, hanging on the side of her fridge.
Curse you, Cole Granville. You’ve ruined me.
His coaching performance had proved to be the best kiss of her life. So sweet, so giving…so downright stupid. What the heck had she been thinking, letting him kiss her like that? She fanned harder, ignoring the voice in the back of her mind reminding her that she’d kissed him back. Repeatedly. How could she not, when it’d felt so right?
Because it wasn’t, replied her conscience. With a growl, Maddie tossed the paper fan onto the counter and checked her roast in the oven. Enough with the lamenting. And why bother? It was just a practice session. Cole’d probably kissed a hundred girls over the years. Why would he feel anything toward her after she’d driven away?
Deep down, she wanted to believe he had felt something. That there was a gentleness he’d offered the other night that he hadn’t had to, a kindness in his eyes. And it hadn’t been pity—she would have punched him if he’d looked at her like that on his approach. But his touch, his boldness, it’d disarmed her.
And now she was left to pick up the pieces. Stellar.
She’d just confirmed with the meat thermometer that the roast was in fact done when a knock sounded at the door. Maddie straightened, checked her reflection on the toaster, and headed for the door. At least tonight she hadn’t had to worry about upsetting Cole with a pre-dinner glass of wine, because heck yeah there’d been one. Otherwise, she’d be so tightly wound that knock on the door might have sent her into the ceiling.
One giant heave-ho and the front door was open. On her stoop stood Tyson, a bouquet of fall mums in hand. Always so thoughtful. And yet even now, her mind kept reverting to Cole’s kiss.
She wanted to cry and kick herself all at the same time.
Instead, she plastered a welcoming smile on her face, thanked him for the flowers, and ushered him inside. There was a meal to eat and a gala to attend. And maybe, if she’d stop being the world’s worst person and give the guy she’d lured here a chance, she might actually enjoy herself.
…
“Must be kinda weird tonight, without Maddie here, huh?”
Cole looked up from his sink half full of dirty dishes and offered Kayla as good a smile as he could muster. “Yeah. Definitely a bit more…mellow.”
“Just a bit.”
She laughed and went back to chopping vegetables, humming as she worked. It struck Cole as odd that the sound was actually in tune—something that never happened when Maddie tried to do the same. And as much as it’d grated on him the first few days, he found himself missing the off-tune sound.
Missing her.
Okay, so maybe kissing Maddie hadn’t been the wisest thing he could have done. But darn it, she’d needed a confidence boost, a pick-me-up. The tint to her cheeks and coy smile she’d left with said he’d accomplished that and more. Unfortunately, the hours and days after for him had become more and more difficult. Because while he’d claimed to be offering her kissing practice, the truth was he’d wanted to kiss her the day he started at the Checkerberry.
Nope, even that wasn’t quite true. He’d wanted a taste of those lips the first time he saw her, this spring after playing his first Sunday service here. She’d set a breadbasket on the table before him and offered a warm smile. Only months later did he realize how rare that smile was freely given by the endearingly snarky chef. What had prompted him to be on the receiving end of her good graces that day he may never know, only that it’d been the start of a silly crush.
When she’d called after him that night in the driveway, asking if he would help her in the kitchen, he’d nearly told her no just to keep his distance. Because a girl like her deserved to be with a good, wholesome guy, not some southern screw-up.
“…and then I said, ‘oh, yeah, I know the guy running it. You should totally go in and take some lessons.’ So if a tall, skinny guy that looks a teeny bit like me comes in, that’s my brother TJ.”
Crap, he’d missed half the conversation. Stop daydreaming about your boss, dumbass. “TJ you said? Nope, haven’t met him yet.”
“Then I’ll tell him to hurry up and get over there. Your slots are gonna fill up if he waits too long.”
“I don’t know about that,” he said. “Business isn’t quite what I’d hoped it would be.”
She shrugged. “Give it time. Oh—do you have a website? That could really help kickstart it, especially if you’re targeting the younger crowd. Heck, for them, if you don’t have a website or an app, they might walk right by and not even look up from their cell phones to see it.”
“Ah no. Not yet. Good idea, though.”
A website. Right, like he had the money for that. Heck, the way lessons and his three measly string orders had been, he might not have enough to pay his lease this month. And wouldn’t Robert Sheridan be pleased as a hog in slop if that happened…
“Well if you need help, let me know. Marketing’s kinda my thing. Feel free to pick my brain any time.”
Cole thanked her and turned back to his dishes, thinking about how lucky a guy Brent was. Kayla seemed like a real doll, always smiling and pitching in to help. Maybe if business picked up and he had a little extra revenue coming in soon, he’d take her up on the website offer. Couldn’t hurt, that’s for sure.
“So how is it, living with your grandfather and all?” she asked. “Is his place pretty big over the hardware store?”
“It’s all right, I guess. Free room and board in exchange for chores and helping at his store, so I really can’t complain. Keep telling him once I’ve got my shop up and running that I’ll find a place of my own, but he insists he doesn’t mind having me around.” Cole grinned. “I think he gets kinda lonely.”
Kayla leaned his way and lowered her voice. “Well if you ask me, I think Ruby’s sweet on him. And from the way his eyes light up each Sunday when he takes his place next to her at the table, I’m thinking the feeling’s mutual.”
“Really?”
“You’ve never noticed?”
“Uh…” He thought back and tried to picture it but couldn’t. Then again, usually on Sundays he was too busy thinking about his shop. Or watching for Maddie…
“Men.” Kayla shook her head. “You guys wouldn’t know love unless it hit you square in the face.”
Cole chuckled. “Easy now, I resemble that remark.”
“Which part? About being a guy, or being oblivious?”
“Well the first for sure.”
“And the second?” Kayla arched a brow.
She sure asked a lot more questions than Maddie did. Cole shifted beneath the weight of her stare. “I don’t know that I’d call myself oblivious. More like…realistic.”
“Oooh, someone’s caught Granville’s eye,” she murmured in a singsong voice. “Anyone I know?”
His jaw dropped open. Okay, so apparently Maddie had spoiled him rotten in the “do not pry” category. Kayla, however, was an entirely different breed of woman.
“Oh, quit your fretting, I was just messing with you. Heck, outside this building, I only know a handful of people, you and your grandfather included.” She shook her head with a grin. “Though, judging by that look on your face, I’d say whoever it is she’s got you falling hard.”
He snapped his jaw shut. Hell yeah, she did. Too bad she wasn’t exactly on the market, all thanks to him and his stupid coaching. “I don’t know if I’d go that far.”
“Uh-huh.”
Lord, the woman was starting to make him nervous as a cat in a room full of rocking chairs. So much for her seeming all sweet and innocent. Cole gained a whole new appreciation for Brent in that moment. “Well it doesn’t matter, because she’s not in to me, so…”
“Why do you think that?”
Because I’ve been coaching her on how to win over another man. “She’s kinda already seeing somebody.”
“Oh,” she said, a knowing look on her face.
Knowing? Oh no. Was she a mind reader, too?
“Kayla…”
“Hey, your secret’s safe with me. I promise.” She returned her focus to the cutting board. “Besides, I think it’s kinda cute.”
Cole dragged a hand across his face with a groan. “Is it that obvious?”
“Nah. I’m just good at reading people.”
“Well stop reading, because this isn’t happening.”
“We’ll see.” She smirked.
He shook his head and turned back to the dishes, trying to block the hope rising in his chest. He’d come to Mount Pleasant looking for a do-over in life. To blend in with the scenery, grow some roots. Maybe fall in love. Memories of that kiss blossomed fresh in his mind.
But those memories were followed by images of eggings and glares and rumors and worry. What was he thinking, getting close to Maddie? He was a pariah, a disease. The longer he stayed in town now, the messier things were likely to get. And he couldn’t do that to Maddie, couldn’t jeopardize her reputation, her career. It didn’t matter how badly he was falling for her, he wouldn’t allow himself to be that selfish.
Besides, what would she do if and when she did find out the truth about his past? Would she still want him around? Still want him as a coach or even a friend? Not likely, not someone as grounded as her.
We’ll see.
No, Cole told himself as he grabbed a dirtied pan from the sink’s soapy depths. For Maddie’s sake, we shouldn’t.