Page 11 of The Truth of Loving You

We both noticed the front of Sara’s shirt grow wetter by the second. Sara needed to leave, but I wasn’t ready to let Shane go. Not after his confession. Shane had dished out his feelings and insecurities onto the table like he’d been serving dinner. I wasn’t sure if he was brave or crazy. I’d never met anyone like Shane. And I felt if I let him go now, I might not ever see him again. It was wrong, but I wanted more of Shane.

“Baby issues. Move it.” Sara’s face had turned bright red, and she had tears in her eyes. “Isaac was screaming when my dear idiot of a husband called.” Sara gestured to where her milk had soaked the front of her shirt.

This situation I could fix if they gave me two minutes. “Stay here. I’ll be right back.”

Shane

The inferno known as Cole scorched my back. My brain had run through hundreds of outcomes from my self-sabotaging speech, and none of them included his potent stare from eighteen inches away.

“You’re sure you can get home?” Sara asked me for the third time, wearing the motorcycle jacket Cole had gotten from a friend.

“Stop treating me like I don’t know what I’m doing.” I huffed as I made sure not to close the door before she had herself situated. “I am more than capable.”

“That you are. Enjoy,” she said with a laugh, handing me the jacket through the window before the Uber pulled away.

Cole still loomed close enough that his presence set me off balance. He had no reason to stick around. The way he spoke to Sara and eased her embarrassment melted my heart; he’d acted like she mattered to him. No. Cole was a decent human helping someone out after a statistically random predicament. Not a knight in shining armor like the guys Sara talked about in her many, many romance novels.

I’d managed to fast-track rejection from this man, and I should get it over with. But not hearing it would allow my continued romance style fantasies. I handed him the jacket and walked away. I could live with my fantasies and not the real thing. Honestly, it would make my life much less complicated.

“Shane.” Cole’s voice rang with authority as if he meant to stop me in my tracks.

It sent tingles through me, but I forced one foot in front of the other.

“Shane, we should talk.”

“No, we should not,” I said over my shoulder. “I’d wanted to shock you, and seeing you speechless was quite satisfying. I didn’t anticipate the milk-tastrophe and an awkward ‘sorry it’s not you, it’s me’ speech on the sidewalk. We can skip the last part and go our separate ways.”

Word vomiting while speed walking had me slightly breathless. Definitely the walking and not Cole. I’d reach the corner, request an Uber, and wallow in self-pity.

A very large, very strong hand closed around my bicep. I halted with a resigned sigh. But he remained an intimidating, mute figure behind me.

I’d been turned down enough in my life to give myself at least five versions of no: sympathetic, remorseful, condescending, rude, or, worst of all, silence. Reaching for my phone, I needed to get out of here as soon as possible. I hated that Cole was going to force his version of the ‘no’ speech on me.

But my phone wasn’t in my pocket. I frantically patted myself down even though I knew the truth. “You conniving snake. I’m going to buy your kid the most obnoxious toy available.” I cursed Sara.

“What?!” I felt Cole jerk behind me.

“Nothing.” I ripped my arm out of his vise grip and doubled my pace. “Goodnight.”

“Where are you going?” Cole demanded.

“Home.”

“You’re going the wrong direction.”

I spun around. “How would you know?”

He seemed stunned. He probably wasn’t used to anyone questioning him. Not with his alpha male, I’m-the-boss vibe he had going on and on and on. Not the point. Focus.

“It’s on your intake form.”

“Do you have a photographic memory?” I kept my tone light.

“No,” he laughed.

“Then, you don’t actually know that, do you? The average person cannot retain a random fact like an address without context. It’s,” I jabbed my finger at him, “a one-in-a-billion chance you would remember.”

I continued my journey, calculating which block I would use to walk in the right direction. Damn him. I made it halfway down the block before he spoke again.

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