Page 41 of Wasted

"Okay. I'll pick you up at seven."

"On a horse?"

He huffed out a laugh. "No. We'll take my truck."

"See you at seven."

Chapter Twenty-Two

Cole

My heart raced so fast I was positive it was going to explode from my chest as I dragged my damp hands over my jeans, trying to wipe away the nerves. I'd been on more dates than I could count with Taylor, but this date felt like so much was riding on it being perfect. Taylor and I had always been so good together. I'd fallen in love with her the first time I'd seen her. It took her a little longer, but once I'd convinced her that I was the man of her dreams, we'd been inseparable until she, out of nowhere, decided to marry my brother.

I was still harboring an insane amount of anger about the entire situation, but now, a lot of that anger was directed toward myself. I should have known better. I should have fought for her, but I didn't. I got drunk and woke up with Kylie and a mountain of regret the next morning, but it was too late at that point; what was done was done. I didn't know then that I would get a new best friend and River out of that one night.

Swerving my old dark green 1970 Ford F-250 down the gravel driveway, I eased to a stop in front of Taylor's house and killed the engine. She would have heard the purr of the engine coming the minute that truck hit her property line, so more than likely, she already knew I was there.

Inhaling a deep breath, I pushed open the driver's side door as I exhaled, trying to calm my racing heart rate. I was so nervous, you would have thought it was our first date, but it wasn't.

Strolling up to the two-story old wood-framed white house, I realized what Taylor meant by restoring the house and property. The house was in terrible shape. It was a good thing she was going to sell because there was no way she'd be able to keep up with the maintenance of this place alone.

The front door creaked open, drawing my attention, and my breath caught in my throat as my lips parted. Taylor stepped out wearing a short yellow strapless a-line lace dress with brown cowgirl boots and her jean jacket in her hand. Her long blonde hair fell down her bare tan back in waves. I'd only seen Taylor in a dress once, and that was the time I'd talked her into attending our senior prom.

She was even more beautiful now.

"You," I swallowed past the lump in my throat, struggling to find the words to describe just how beautiful she was, "look absolutely beautiful."

"Thank you." Her cheeks flushed, and I couldn't help but smile.

"You ready?"

"Hold your horses, City Boy," she drawled, a hint of her old sass returning. "Where are we going?" She hopped down the steps from her front porch to the yard and led the way to my truck.

"It's a surprise." I pulled open her door, and she climbed in. "Do you still love surprises?"

"Good surprises." She smiled. "Sure."

"This is definitely a good surprise." I hoped it was, anyway. Taylor and I had both grown since the last time we'd seen each other. We were different people in some ways, but in others, we were still those same foolish kids who were hopelessly in love with each other.

Using the actual roads instead of cutting through the land took longer to get from her place to mine, but only about five minutes were between her driveway and mine.

I turned left, and she leaned forward. "We're going to your parent's house?" Her face twisted with confusion.

"Do you remember our first date?" I flicked her a glance out the corner of my eye.

Her gaze shifted forward like she was searching for a memory. "Uh, like when we ten?"

"No." I shook my head. "Like our first real date."

"Are you talking about the time you ordered takeout, and we ate it on the lake dock behind your parent's house?"

"That's it."

She smiled. "You consider that our first date."

It was hard to pinpoint a specific first date because we met as kids. She was my first and, so far, last real girlfriend. We spent every waking moment—and some sleeping—together, but the time at the lake was the first time I'd asked her to have dinner with me, and I'd gone to extremes to make everything perfect.

"Yeah." Flicking her a glance, I pursed my lips, and my brows knitted together. "Why? What do you consider our first date?"

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