Page 101 of Missed Notes (Rixon High 5)

If only it were that easy.

CHAPTEREIGHTEEN

Cole

“Morning,Cole. Come on in and interrupt the one morning of the week we actually eat breakfast as a family.”

He eyed the flowers and box of donuts in my hand and rolled his eyes.

“Sorry, Mr. Bennet. I can come back later if it’s a bad time?”

“And risk me having to survive the wrath of my daughter? No.” He rubbed his jaw. “You’d better come in. Besides, Poppy beat you to it. She got here fifteen minutes ago. Have kids they said, it’ll be fun they said,” he muttered to himself as he walked off down the hall.

I followed him, my heart kicking into overdrive when I heard Sofia’s soft laughter.

After the Kacie-blip last night, I’d wondered if she would withdraw again. I’d seen the hesitation in her eyes, the sheer panic. So I’d kissed her. I’d pulled her into my arms and kissed her so hard she couldn’t possibly doubt my intentions.

“Sofia, you have a visitor,” Mr. Bennet said, walking into the kitchen ahead of me.

“What the fu— hell, Kandon? You’re going to turn up at my house with flowers and donuts when I—”

“Babe.” Poppy stamped on his foot under the table and Aaron cussed under his breath.

“I brought enough for everyone.” I offered the box to Mrs. Bennet.

“That’s very kind of you, Cole. Take a seat, the bacon is almost done.”

Sofia patted the chair next to her.

“This is an unexpected surprise,” she whispered as I sat down, trying to ignore the daggers Aaron was throwing me.

“I thought I’d surprise you.”

“Oh, it was a surprise all right.” Mr. Bennet snorted.

“Dad,” Sofia murmured.

“One day, sweetheart, when you’re much, much older and you have children of your own, you will understand.” He patted her hand.

“I think it’s very sweet, Cole. And you’re always more than welcome to have breakfast with us.”

“Thanks, Mrs. B. It looks great.”

And it beat being stuck at home with Mom and Dad and the prickly atmosphere that followed him like a bad smell.

The second I’d come downstairs, and he’d tried to bring up the mixer next weekend, I’d made my excuses and gotten the hell out of there.

As if I’d summoned him from the depths of hell, my cell phone began ringing.

I dug it out of my pocket and hit reject.

“Your old man?” Aaron asked, and I nodded.

“If you need to take it—”

“I don’t. But thanks.” I gave Mrs. Bennet a weak smile. She knew a little about my dad. But she didn’t know the full extent of things. No one did. Because when you were a Kandon, you kept your problems swept under the rug and you never aired your dirty laundry.

“That was a big win Friday night,” Mr. Bennet said. “You guys think you can go all the way?”

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