Page 8 of Cole

If it was just her, she’d probably just stay home. But for Benji’s sake, she would do it so that he could live a life with more freedom than she’d had at his age.

Maybe if she’d been allowed to attend high school, she would have met Cole since they would have been in high school at the same time, though he would have been a year or two ahead of her.

She tried not to think of how different her life might have been had she not been forced to live a restricted life. Maybe afternoons at the ice cream parlor with friends would have been the norm.

CHAPTER THREE

With a smile at the last ones to join them, Cole led the way to the counter, then motioned for everyone to gather around. Turning to face the servers behind the counter, Cole smiled at them and said, “This is all going to be on one bill.”

He told the teens to go first, but Benjamin, Amelia’s friend, hung back. He turned to say something to the woman with him. They held a brief conversation before the woman pulled a wallet from her bag and gave him a card from it.

“This is my treat,” Cole said as Benji made a move to speak to one of the other employees. “You don’t need to pay.”

“There’s no need for you to pay for us.” The woman’s voice was soft but firm. “You don’t even know us.”

“That’s easily remedied.” The woman narrowed her eyes at Cole as he stuck his hand out, offering her his most winning smile. “Hi, I’m Cole Halverson.”

The woman hesitated a moment before she placed her smaller and softer hand in his. “I’m Annie, and this is Benji.”

“It’s wonderful to meet you, Annie. I’d love to buy you some ice cream and have you join us.”

Annie didn’t appear to be swayed by his charm at first, but finally, she acquiesced with a nod. “Thank you.”

“You’re very welcome.”

Cole stood near the cash register while the others placed their orders. Out of curiosity, he paid close attention to what Annie chose. It wasn’t often he met a woman who seemed so completely immune to everything about him.

Usually, someone who wasn’t swayed by his career responded more positively when he turned on his charm. And when he was in Serenity, usually being part of his family was enough to get people to react to him with friendliness and warmth.

This woman, however… She might have accepted his offer to pay, but he thought that had more to do with Benji than how she felt about him or the situation.

“Come sit with us,” Cole said once Annie had her ice cream. “That way, you’ll be more willing to accept when I want to pay for something next time. Since you’ll know us.”

“Will there be a next time?” she asked, her brows lifted.

“You never know,” Cole said, one corner of his mouth lifting as he winked at her.

“Good grief,” Skylar muttered. “Cole, you’re going to scare her off.”

“Just making friends.”

In the end, even though Benji was seated at another table with the teens, Annie took a chair at the two tables they’d pushed together, sitting next to Lexi. Cole settled across from her, making sure to keep his legs from crowding hers.

“By the way, this is my sister, Skylar.” Cole motioned to Skylar. “And this is my best friend, Aiden. That guy is my brother, Wilder, and you’re sitting next to his wife, Lexi.”

“Nice to meet you all,” Annie said with a small smile.

Lexi turned slightly in her seat to look at Annie. “Have I seen you at church?”

Annie nodded. “I recognize you and your husband.”

“Small world,” Cole said.

“Small town, more like,” Wilder added. “Though the church is big enough, thanks to people attending from the surrounding areas, that we don’t always see everyone every week.”

“Have you lived around here long?” Cole asked.

“Pretty much my whole life,” she said before taking a bite of her ice cream.

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