Page 54 of Thunderstruck
I gasp and get the sudden urge to drive straight over to the coach’s house—wherever that might be—and give him a piece of my mind. “Are you kidding? That’s the stupidest idea I’ve ever heard.”
“That’s what I told him.”
“Why would he tell you something like that? Doesn’t he know you and Moxie are friends?”
Cole tips his head to one side, like my question confuses him. “You think we’re friends?”
Well now I don’t. “Aren’t you?”
“I guess so.”
“That’s not what friends say.”
“As I’m sure you’re starting to guess, I don’t easily get close to people. Especially lately.” He shakes his head, keeping his eyes on his empty plate. “Coach wantsmeto be captain, which is an even stupider idea than replacing Moxie in the first place.”
I try to imagine Cole taking up Moxie’s role, but no matter how much I’m starting to like this guy, I can’t see it.
He snorts a laugh. “Yeah, see? It’s stupid.”
I wrinkle my nose. “I’m not good at hiding my thoughts. Clearly.”
“I like that about you.”
At the rate we’re going, this man is going to make it so hard to keep thinking of him as just a friend. It was only yesterday that I worried he would ruin my unsteady life here in California because he hated me and my connection to Darcy’s reporter life, and now he’s calling me beautiful and telling me things he likes about me.
This is a dangerous game we’re playing, but I’m no quitter.
“What’ll you do if Coach decides to make the switch?” I ask, running my finger along the edge of my plate.
Cole watches the movement with an intensity that makes me shiver. “I don’t know. It’s not like the team respects me, but I don’t know who else could do the job. It’s always been Mox.”
At least he knows that he’s not a favorite among the other guys, but that doesn’t make the situation better.
“Okay, what about this?” I say, pushing my plate to the side and resting my elbows on the table. “Say the coach makes a stupid decision andputs you in as captain instead of Moxie. What’s to stop the two of you from working together? You technically hold the title, but you defer to Moxie.”
A beautiful smile lifts his lips as he leans closer and rests one hand on the table, dangerously close to mine. “So basically keep everything the same?”
“Exactly.”
“I don’t think Coach would go for that.”
“It’s not like he comes to practices anyway.”
Cole’s eyes glitter with amusement in a way that sets my belly fluttering. “Good point.”
I force myself to ignore the attraction building between us, even though it feels like something is pulling taut, threatening to snap at any moment. “So this is why you were in a bad mood?”
He nods. “Then the paparazzo took pictures of you, and… Well, you saw the rest. I’m sorry. I should never have let myself drive in that state.”
Reaching across the small space between us, I take hold of his hand and try not to dwell on the way something sparks between our skin. It’s just static electricity. Not a spark of connection. “Cole, you were trying to protect me from that guy. I can’t be mad about that.”
“But you can be mad that I nearly got you hurt. Or worse.” His fingers flex around mine as he takes a slow, deliberate breath, his dark eyes on me. “Carissa…” Whatever he’s about to say, I’m riveted to every word. “I…”
Piano music starts filling the air, like it’s coming from the heavens. Am I hallucinating? Strings start up next, and a male voice begins singing about whether or not he’s told someone he loves her.
Cole shuts his eyes with a groan. “Are you serious?”
“You hear that too?”
