Cole(76)

Carter’s shoulders lifted in a slow breath, and then a small smile showed. “You’ve always had that effect on me.”

“Because I’m like your little brother.” Cole winked at Carter, his hand drawing circles behind my shoulder. “And half the time you want to kick my ass; the other half you’re damned grateful you can call me family. That’s my effect on you. Consider it my thank you gift for all those times you saved my ass.”

I knew what Cole was doing. He knew Carter made me nervous, and he was trying to lighten the mood, drawing the attention from me to Carter himself. It was working. Carter turned his hand upside down and linked his fingers with Emma’s. They shared a warm look. They clearly adored each other. Once he was holding her hand, Carter relaxed. He rested more fully against the back of his chair. His shoulders loosened, and his grin seemed more natural.

Cole was also protecting me. He’d inserted himself into the conversation so any questions for me had to go through him in a way. I didn’t know how he’d done that, but he had. And the others took note.

Carter’s eyes flicked to me and lingered.

Cole noticed. “Don’t worry about Addison. She was at the stables with me.”

At the mention, I knew the slight break in tension was over. Carter’s eyes snapped back to attention and his grin disappeared. A faint scowl took its place. “Are you kidding me?”

“No.”

Cole’s light-hearted tone was gone as well. He leaned forward slightly. I started to lean in as well, but Cole’s hand splayed out on my shoulder. He held me back.

“She was there, and she saw the whole thing,” Cole said.

Emma closed her eyes before her gaze fell to her lap.

Maybe I wasn’t supposed to know something? Maybe I wasn’t supposed to be at those stables? I didn’t know, but I knew I couldn’t say anything. Whatever was going on, it was between Carter and Cole.

“It’s done, Carter.”

“You could’ve kept her in the dark.”

Cole snorted. “Right. The next time I have to…” He hesitated. “…do what we do sometimes, I’ll lock her in a bathroom or something.”

Carter didn’t reply. He looked to me before returning to Cole.

“They came in. We were there. It’s done,” Cole said.

They were talking half in code. I could follow because of what I’d seen at the stables. I wondered if the servers could guess. I glanced over my shoulder, saw the server coming back with a pitcher of water, and coughed, clearing my throat. “Water, anyone?”

The conversation was dropped, but I had a feeling it was over anyway. Once the water was poured, Carter ordered for himself and Emma. Cole made sure I was okay with what he ordered for us, and once the server was gone again, Emma took charge.

She leaned forward, reaching for her wine glass. “So, Addison, Cole said you two met because you live in his building?”

That was her signal. Whatever Carter and Cole were arguing about, it wasn’t to be brought back up. She gave both of them pointed looks, and they nodded in response. After that, the conversation was smoother. I told them all about the other residents. Emma’s eyes got bigger and bigger, especially when I mentioned Dawn and her affection for Jake.

“And that’s the guy your best friend is dating now?”

I nodded, finishing my second glass of wine. I was done eating as well. My plate was still a third full. The chicken, scallops, and asparagus would’ve made my taste buds dance on a normal night, but this wasn’t normal. The nerves had lessened when Emma took charge, but they were still there, and that kept my appetite at bay. Carter didn’t approve of me, or he didn’t approve of something about me, and Cole didn’t care. The undercurrents had been tucked down, way down, but I knew I was reading them right.

Once Cole finished eating, his arm rested behind me again, and his hand never left my shoulder. I was thankful. That tiny touch helped assuage some of the tension.

I leaned back into his hand now. His fingers splayed out, and his palm rested on my skin. A small tingle coursed through me, helping to ease a bit more of the knot in my stomach.

“Yes,” I said to Emma. “Jake’s the one. I haven’t told Sia about Dawn yet. I should.”

“Don’t.” Emma sounded sure.

“Don’t?”

“Tell him what happened.”

“What do you mean?”

“Tell him Dawn took the phone. The friendship is between him and Dawn. It will be easier on Sia if he puts a stop to it; then she won’t be in the middle. He should protect both of them. It’s his friend and his girlfriend, so it’s his job. Not yours, not your friend’s.”