Page 25 of Clumsy in Love

“I gotta make a quick stop home for my uniform,” Holly said, hip-checking him away from the driver’s door. “I also need to test my ankle. Make sure I can drive.”

Cole grunted but walked around to the passenger side. “That’s fine. I wanna check out your place anyway. We should go by there at least once a day to see if Edwardo has shown up.”

“Thanks for reminding me aboutthat.”

Holly turned onto the main road, drove the quarter mile to her driveway, and approached slowly. No cars in the driveway. Nothing seemed amiss from the outside.

Cole pulled a gun from an ankle holster and checked it. Holly was no stranger to guns but also didn’t carry one on the daily. “I’m going in first,” he said, opening the door before Holly had the truck in park.

“Oh. Kay,” she said to an empty cab. “Guess I’ll wait here.”

Cole took a lap around the house and came back to the truck. Holly dangled the keys out the window, holding the house key separate so he’d know which one to use.

He grabbed them without saying anything and disappeared into the house. A minute later, he came to the front door and waved her in.

“There’s a chunk of empty space in the closet and on the bookshelf, like maybe some of your stuff’s missing,” he said. “But no one’s here now.”

“Someone’s stuff is missing, but it isn’t mine.”

“Whaddya mean?”

“My wannabe fiancé. Either he came and took it, or my girlfriends used it for a bonfire.”

“I didn’t see any evidence of a fire.”

“Don’t care one way or the other. Just glad it’s gone.”

She went to the bedroom and changed into her uniform. When she came out, he was looking at the photos on her wall—a lot of nature shots and some of Holly and her friends.

“What’s this one?” Cole asked, pointing to a canvas painting.

“It’s me.” Holly laughed. “Can’t you tell?”

Cole’s eyebrows shot up. “Uh.”

“Faith painted it.”

“Hope that’s not her day job,” Cole said.

“No. She cuts hair. Thankfully, she’s much better at that. Come on. I don’t have to be in until noon, but we should get going.”

Holly drove into town and parked on Main Street. “Let’s get you some clothes. Then we’ll eat.”

“I’m just along for the ride,” Cole muttered.

They passed a man on the sidewalk, who offered a cheery hello. Cole did a double-take.

“Yes. He’s talking to you,” Holly said. “Why you so jumpy?”

“I’m not used to unprovoked conversation.”

“Better get used to it.”

Tess was with a customer when they entered, but Holly knew what she wanted and where everything was. She led Cole to the men’s section.

“Pick your size in these.” She pointed to a rack of tech pants. “What’s your shirt size?”

“Large. I guess,” he said, thumbing through the pants.

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