Page 58 of Clumsy in Love

“Copy that. First stop, Big Daddy’s Burger.”

As soon as Cole had a signal and a burger in his belly, he booked another flight. “Do you guys have taxis? Rideshares? How can I get to the airport from here?”

“We have Rudy Ryder,” Holly said, popping a fry into her mouth. “I’ll text him.”

“The way you say his name makes me nervous.” His brows crinkled.

“Let’s just say riding with Rudy is an experience you won’t soon forget. You thought your jokes were good. Just wait.”

“That only makes me more nervous. Will he get me to the airport safely?”

Holly shrugged. “Fifty-fifty.”

“If he’s too bad, I’ll make him let me drive.”

“Good luck with that. What time’s your flight?” She pulled out her phone to ask Rudy if he was available for an airport run.

“Not till nine. I was hoping we could catch a nap?”

“You’re readin’ my mind, Robinson. What do you think? Pick up around five from Jen’s? My place is still a mess, and she won’t care if we spend another day there. That’ll give you a nice buffer.”

He nodded, and she made the arrangements with Rudy. On the way to Jen’s, they picked up Lady.

After eating and showering, Holly texted her friends to ask if anyone could help her clean up her place that night. Everyone agreed to be there by six. Tess would bring pizza, and Alex would bring beer.

Three hours and a catnap later, Rudy pulled into the driveway and honked. Cole stood by the door with his small suitcase.

“Well,” he said. “It’s been…interesting. Been here barely a week, but it feels like an hour and an eternity all at once.”

She smiled. “We have that effect.”

“Listen. Call me when you come back to New York. The offer to stay with me is good anytime.”

“Okay.” Should they kiss goodbye? Since they hadn’t discussed what either kiss meant, she wasn’t sure what protocol was. The first one was only to make Rick jealous, and the second could have been an isolated, drunken mistake. He seemed just as confused, and in the end, gave her a quick hug and a hearty wave.

She closed the door. “Well, that’s that,” she said to Lady. “You ready to go home?”

Fresh anger hit when she entered her place, which was still in ruins. At least Cole had righted the couch. She stretched out onto it and fell asleep again.

Alex and Tess came together, bursting through the door with the food. “Faith and Juliet are right behind us,” Tess said. “Dang, how can you sleep amidst this mess?”

“Not everyone’s as anal as you about cleanliness,” Alex said.

“And I gotnosleep last night,” Holly said.

“I hope you mean that in a good way,” Faith said, coming in the open door and wasting no time starting the interrogation.

“I do not,” Holly said. “A snake took the only bed, so I had to sleep sitting up on a lumpy, dusty couch.”

“So, not even a kiss?” Juliet pushed.

At Holly’s silence, Faith pounced. “Ha. Yes. So, once on the dance floor and a little somethin’ somethin’ at the cabin? Details.”

“I don’t want to talk about it,” Holly said.

“Really? ’Cause it’s all we want to talk about,” Alex said.

Reluctantly, she told them about the previous night. Only because they would drag it out of her eventually, so she might as well come clean straightaway.

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